Amazon.com Review In its own right, the Creative Zen Vision:M is a very capable digital audio player, video player, photo viewer, FM radio, and more. Indeed, one could go on and on about how it has the right specifications to make it a constant companion for entertainment on the go. The really big news about this device, though, is that it's the first device to boast complete compatibility with Amazon Unbox, the new digital video and music download service from Amazon.com.
The Zen Vision:M has the features, ease-of-use, and power to become your constant media companion. See the Vison:M interactive demo.
Design Let's get things out in the open. The Apple iPod is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the digital media player business and, unavoidably, every other device is measured against it. In most respects, the Vision:M matches up pretty well, and there are few things you may even like better. Length and width dimensions are exactly the same at 4.1 and 2.4 inches respectively. When it comes to girth, though, the iPod has the Vision:M beat; the Vision:M is .7 inches thick, while the iPod measures .4 inches. The Vision:M is slightly heavier, too. These details aside, the Vision:M feels comfortable, yet sturdy, in the hand, with curved surfaces in all the right places.
Creative takes a somewhat different approach with the Vision:M's controls, answering the iPod's Click Wheel with a vertical touch pad--which allows you to scroll up and down menus and control volume--plus four buttons that offer navigation through the user interface. The contextual menu button on the bottom right is a welcome addition, allowing you to make quick settings changes and view information about media files on the fly--functions that are more cumbersome on an iPod. Creative could have made the buttons a bit more sensitive--they require a firm press that gives an overall feeling of clunkiness to an otherwise well-designed user interface. Another annoyance is the touch pad's over-sensitivity; it's easy to make selections unintentionally, sending you on a wild ride through the user interface.
The Vision:M's screen, which measures 2.5 inches diagonally, offers sharp details, vibrant color, and excellent response with little or no video ghosting during high-action sequences. The 320 x 240 resolution is to be expected from a device this size, and although it's small, you'll likely have no trouble enjoying video while you're sitting on the subway or a flight, or in the back-seat of a car. Our only nitpick was the screen's less than stellar viewing angle, especially when compared side-by-side with a video iPod. While this can be good for maintaining privacy, the narrow viewing angle also means that friends beside you will struggle to see anything other than a black screen.
Music, Videos, Photos, and More The Vision:M's music organization scheme is standard fare; you can browse playlists, artists, tracks, albums, and genres. Equalizer settings are robust, with a nice range of automatic settings, plus a custom equalizer that's easy to control. The music library's "DJ" function is a nice touch, allowing you to listen to your most popular tracks. It can also pull up the tunes you listen to least frequently--in case you've got some forgotten tunes lying around on the Vision:M's 30 GB hard drive. Sound quality is everything you'd expect from a top shelf digital audio player, and DRM'd Windows Media files played without a hitch. The device fully supports a whole range of "PlaysForSure" download and subscription services, such as Napster and Yahoo Music. Creative also ships a CD-ripping and music transfer application called MediaSource with the Vision:M.
Playback of Windows Media DRM'd video files (WMV9) was also hassle-free. Purchased videos delivered crisp colors and detail, with no frame drops. Video playback consumes a lot of power, bringing Creative's claim of four hours of video playback into serious doubt. Expect under three hours when watching videos continuously. Thankfully, if you need to come back to your video later the Vision:M's software remembers the timecode of where you left off--unless you power the device down between viewing sessions. In addition to protected and unprotected WMV files, the Vision:M can play MPEG 1/2/4, Motion-JPEG, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD formats, making it a very flexible device with respect to encoding options.
The Vision:M can also store thousands of photos, letting you browse through them or set up a slideshow. The device's TV-out option comes in handy here, as you can present slideshows on a TV or projector. Videos can be displayed this way, too. An FM radio with easy preset tuning functions and great signal reception, plus a voice recorder feature, round out the extra media features. There's also a handy application on the Vision:M that formats a portion of the drive for use as USB 2.0 mass storage, letting you set aside up to 16 GB for data storage.
Connectivity and Synchronization A Creative Sync Adapter ships in the box with the Vision:M, making it a snap to connect the device to a USB 2.0-capable PC. With the connection made, Windows XP recognized the device right off the bat and Windows Media Player immediately asked us if we wanted to load the PC's music onto the Vision:M. Music management and synchronization has come a long way on the PC, and the experience of organizing and transferring music to and from the Vision:M was, barring a few curious click-through boxes, pretty seamless. The Vision:M also supports synchronization of your Outlook contacts, calendar, and tasks, in case you want to use it as a personal organizer of sorts.
Amazon Unbox Integration To be truly successful, the Vision:M has to be more than a great media device, it has to integrate with Amazon Unbox and make the process feel like second nature. Although the Vision:M was tested using a beta version of Amazon Unbox, things are looking good already. Amazon Unbox and the Vision:M go together like peas in a pod, making the process of purchasing, downloading, and enjoying content on the go a real cinch. The Amazon Unbox Video Player, which queues, downloads, organizes, and plays your purchased movies and TV shows, recognized the Vision:M right off the bat. An icon for the Vision:M appears in the devices panel of the application, and you can immediately begin transferring downloaded content to the device. Once you're all loaded up, the Vision:M offers a great way to bring Amazon Unbox entertainment along for the ride.
Pros
Crisp, vibrant color screen is great for video
Generous video format compatibility
Excellent sound quality and music management functions
Cons
Narrow screen viewing angle may be a problem for some
Finicky controls for some functions
Slightly more bulky than other competitors
What's in the Box Creative ZEN Vision:M, earphones, Sync Adapter, USB 2.0 cable, pouch, user's guide, and installation CD that includes Creative MediaSource and Creative Media Explorer software. Note: As of July 2006 Creative no longer ships the Zen M with the AC power adapter.
Amazon.com Product Description The Zen Vision:M MP3 and Video Player lets you take all your movies, music and photos in a light, pocket-sized device that is loaded with 30 GB of memory. At this capacity you can carry tens of thousands of photos, 120 hours of movies (500 Kbps MPEG4-SP), or up to 15,000 songs (WMA encoded at 64 Kbps), all in the palm of your hand. You can also tune in the radio (32 station presets), record your favorite talk show, or make personal voice memos with the built-in microphone.
The Zen Vision:M can hold thousands of songs, photos, and movies in its 30 GB memory. View larger.
See the Zen Vision:M in 3D.
Today's big screen blockbuster, yesterday's picnic home video, and even your favorite TV shows--they all now fit in your pocket and are ready to be shared. Zen Vision:M supports many video formats, such as AVI, DivX 4 and 53, XviD4, MPEG-1, -2, -SP, WMV9, and Motion-JPEG, which simply means you have more choices and less restrictions. Instead of busting out your wallet to show snapshots of your kids, you can enlist the Zen Vision:M to give viewers a glimpse of your precious memories--tens of thousands of them. In 262,144 vivid colors and 320x240 resolution, complete with a thumbnail gallery, this device makes it easy to scroll through your entire photo collection. Of course, music files are a big portion of anyone's digital canvas. Perfect for taking with you on the road or just around the house, this device makes all your music sound as good as the Zen Vision:M looks. And with eight preset EQ settings and 97 dB signal-to-noise ratio, you can fine-tune your listening experience for any musical genre.
You can also connect the Zen Vision:M to a projector or TV with the included AV cable, and put on a big show from this little device. Synchronize music files with photo or video montages for a taste of spectacular, personalized big screen magic. Viewing images on this device is a pleasant experience. The 2.5-inch, high definition LCD screen features a 320x240 resolution and hundreds of thousands of colors. What this means is you see crisp, clear detail in every movie and photo, even under bright light.
Creative didn't scrimp on design, either. The Zen Vision:M features an ergonomic design with an innovative touch pad control that enables quick, comfortable access to menus and settings. And you'll get loads more playback time with the built-in rechargeable, battery. Enjoy up to 13 hours of music or 4.5 hours of movies on a single charge. The optional extended-life battery pack lets you double playback time, so you can enjoy days of uninterrupted entertainment. Other features include a personal organizer that you sync with Microsoft Outlook, and an integrated voice recorder that can store hundreds of hours worth of recordings. Take a closer look at all the Zen Vision:M features.
The Zen Vision:M MP3 and Video Player uses PlaysForSure technology. Look for the PlaysForSure logo if you're shopping for a portable music or video device and you want to make sure the digital music and video you purchase will play back on it every time. Match the PlaysForSure logo on a large selection of leading devices and online music stores. If you see the logo, you'll know your digital music will play for sure. Choose from a large number of digital music and video stores, including MTV's Urge, Rhapsody, Yahoo!, MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, Napster, Wal-Mart Music Downloads, and many more.
What's in the Box Creative Zen Vision:M, earphones, sync adapter, USB 2.0 adapter, pouch, user's guide, and installation CD. Note: As of July 2006 Creative no longer ships the Zen M with the AC power adapter.
Product Description Creative's Zen Vision: M is the ultimate player for people who want to enjoy music and movies on the go. This stylish, versatile system features an advanced 2.5-inch high-resolution color screen that can display movies! The Zen Vision: M's rechargeable battery delivers playtimes up to four hours with video and music. For live entertainment or capturing those special moments there's also a built-in FM radio and voice recorder. The Zen Vision: M supports popular music, video and photo formats. It can also be connected to the TV to share images and videos with friends and family.
I now own 2 Vision:M playersJanuary 14, 2006 JORO the Product Reviewer(Twin Cities, MN USA) 397 out of 415 found this review helpful
I had ordered one of the players as a gift for a family member, then realized how difficult it appeared to get them, so I ordered another from a second source.
I received the first unit as promised. I immediately started loading this on it. It's a little thicker than the iPod, but I actually like how it feels in my hand better (IMHO). The screen is beautiful, the file formats that are supported are great, the integration with WMP10 and the on-line stores is certainly better than the iPod. I just love it. I loved it so much, that when the second unit arrived, I decided to keep it for myself :)
I have used iPod many times before and I do like them. But they can coexist and the competition will make all the players better. If you love the iPod's great. Again, I like them too, but right now I would pick this player. I have synched up CD music, on-line songs, even a bunch of my TiVo shows (via Tivo To Go TTG). I have taken those shows and played them directly on my TV too (with an A/V cable).
The currently availability of accessories is a bit frustrating, but livable - I am sure it will not match or surpass the iPod in that respect.
Like the iPod and other devices like this the screen scratches pretty easily. I immediately bought some Palm protectors and cut them to fit. I have customer shields ordered (from theinvisibleshield.com) but this will do for now.
This FM radio works fine. I personally like one integrated. It doesn't take any more space and it's nice on rare occasion. I have read other reviews that say having the FM radio is a "negative" of this player. Huh? Why? If you don't want it, just don't use it.
There is a reason why this little player just won the overall best of the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Even my friends that have iPods snap their heads when they see this. But again, this shouldn't be a religious discussion of iPods vs. non-iPods. Buy what you like best and suits your use.
This one suits mine. I am even thinking about buying a third one. Why? I don't want to share mine (or my wife's) with the kids LOL
Truly Amazing Gadget!April 1, 2006 D. Truong(New Mexico) 150 out of 152 found this review helpful
I've had my Zen M for about 2 months now so I think I have a good feel for what it's pros and cons are. Here you go:
Pros: Beautiful and Bright Screen (displays thousands of more colors than the Ipod video by the way). Even at 50% brightness (which is default setting out of the box) it looks bright!
Ability to Customize most of the features. This includes being able to set your own photos for the wallpaper, custom equilizer, custom brightnes setting, custom shortcut button, organization of folders(audio, photo, video folders)...etc.
Great Sound! This isn't a surprise because Creative develops sound hardware/software like soundcards.
Good User Interface: The thumb scroller interface takes a few days to get used to, then it's pretty user friendly. You can customize the sensitivity of it too.
Ability to play lots of different video files like Divx and Mpg4. This was a big selling point for me. The screen is perfect for watching cartoons and anime on.
Good Size. I'm refering to it's physical size. It's actually the perfect size and feels great in your hand. Still pocketable and still feels rock solid and not fragile.
Displays Album cover art! I had trouble with this function in the beginning only because in order to get it to display the album art correctly, you need to rip the Cd album with a program that automatically downloads album info including art. One program that does this is Windows Media Player.
--For the techies that don't want to re-rip everything to get the album art to display, just download a small jpeg image of the album cover that is about 150 by 150 pixels, rename it folder.jpg, make it a hidden file and place it in the folder of the correct album. When you move it to your player it will ask you whether you want to move it to the photo folder, make sure you select "no" and leave it where it is.
Cons: There isn't a lot about this player that is negative. But one aspect which is really annoying is that to charge it or plug it to the computer you have to use this tiny seperate adapter that comes in the box. It's the white adapter/attachment that looks like a dock connector. What the heck were they thinking! I have to carry the separate item everywhere I go just in case I need to charge it or upload music. It sucks man! Why the heck didn't they just build all of the ports into the player itself!! Also, they should've included the video output cable instead of selling it separately! Or at least made it use a standard video cable! Also, the battery is not removable... at least not meant to be.
These are the only reasons why I gave this player 4 out of 5 stars. Otherwise I would have given 5 out of 5! All in All this player really rocks and is worth every penny! ... and is a much better buy then the "other" competition out there.
Hope this is helpful to you guys. If it is, please give me a vote. Thanks!
For more electronics and technology reviews, visit my site at: http://newtechnews.blogspot.com/
iPod or Vision:M? Not black and white.December 24, 2005 Josh Hinnenkamp(Excelsior, MN) 147 out of 151 found this review helpful
Is the Vision:M a 5th generation (video)iPod clone? You bet... right down to the little green battery charge indicator in the upper right corner. Is it better than the 5th generation iPod? In my mind there's no contest, but there are trade-offs. Judge for yourself.
Creative Vision:M, why is it better? -Plays DivX and XviD video, as well as WMV-9 and MPEG1/2/4. -Higher color screen (262,144 colors vs 65,000 colors) -Natively plays MP3, WMA and WAV, without conversion. -Better signal-to-noise ratio under same frequency response. -Longer battery life (approx 4 hours video playback vs iPod's 2 hours) -Includes AC charger. -FM Radio/ Recorder. -Voice Recorder. -Compatible with popular music services, like Napster. -Customizable menu, with background image. -Organizer features Outlook sync support; Contacts, Calendar & Tasks. -Colors blue, green, and pink are also available. -The back side isn't made out of scratch magnets like the iPod. -Natively acts as external hard drive in Windows.
Apple iPod 5th Generation, why is it better? -Slimmer. iPod - 0.43in / Vision:M - 0.7in. -Lighter. iPod - 4.8oz / Vision:M - 5.7oz. -Clickwheel is still the preferred navigation input for many. -Lots of first and third party accessories available. -60GB version also available. -iTunes support. -30 USD cheaper.
If you're in the market for a 30GB player and you're considering the 5th generation iPod, give the Creative Vision:M a serious look. If your friends ask you why you bought a "generic iPod," you can tell them with pride all the reasons why the iPod simply wasn't good enough for you.
A Truly Unbiased review! Very good portable media playerJanuary 27, 2006 Bullwinkle(Auburndale, FL United States) 77 out of 78 found this review helpful
For those of you looking to read something with substance, here's a review from someone who actually owns both an Ipod and Zen Vision M and has used the Ipod Video.
I've been looking for a feature rich portable media player (PMP or PVP) and was about to jump on an Ipod Video when I saw the press release for the Vision M in December. I already own a regular 4G ipod and loved it. The clickwheel made using it so easy. I borrowed a Video Ipod from a co-worker and was impressed with the video capabilities; however I really wanted something with FM radio and better video codec compability.
The early reviews of the Vision were fairly positive, but had a few bugs like video buffer issues and no on the go playlists, but both are now fixed via new firmware. The clincher was CNET's awarding it the Best In Show at the 2006 CES. For a reputable site to recommends this as best in show over the hundreds of other new devices says a lot.
Ok, on to the real review.....
I purchased the Black Vision M and the two things that stand out is the clean front layout and thickness. It is about .7 inches thick so it's signficantly thicker than the Ipod. Although I would prefer the slim shape of the Ipod, the thicker Vision M was fine as it still fits in my pocket comfortably and is quite snug in my hand. The instructions require you to do two things first: 1) Update Quicktime if it's version 7.0 through 7.0.2 before installing Creative's software 2) Charge it up first using the AC adapter which only takes about 2 hours (great advantage over Ipod)
User Interface and Slide Touchpad: The software is pretty straight forward and so is using the menu system on the Vision M. The slide touchpad takes a little getting used and I have to admit the Ipod clickwheel is much easier to use. However, it does have its advantages. You are able to very quickly scan though large song lists by holding down at the top or bottom of the touchpad. Alternatively the user interface allows you to search alphabetically via song, albums, artists, and genre. This is something I wish the Ipod had as going round and round on the clickwheel sometimes gets old if you're looking for something in particular. The touchpad also doubles as a previous/next or rewind/fast forward button by pressing it the left or right respectively.
Additionally, there are four buttons located around the touchpad: Play/Pause, Context Menu (Options), Back, and Custom Shortcut where you can set it to whatever you want (almost, you have a list of options). These buttons light up in aqua blue which is nice for night time use.
Sound So how's the sound quality? Very good! The headset that comes with the Vision is slightly better than the average as they fit snug in your ear and have good response. In my opinion, both the sound quality of the Ipod and Vision M are good, but the Vision M is slightly better. Additionally you can enhance your listening experience with the built in preset or custom equalizer and bass boost options. I only wish it saved more than one custom equalizer setting. Be careful when using bass boost as doing this combined with boosting the low end using the equalizer may distort the sound.
Oh, did I mention you can bookmark your music so you can pick up where you last left off which is something the Ipod doesn't do.
Other info Radio: Very very good. your headphones is used as the antenna and the reception is very good. You are able to preset up to 32 stations (including renaming them) manually or thought the auto seek option. You also have a signal strength bar (similar to ones found on cellphones)
Video: The player's codec supports DivX4/5, XviD5, MPEG-1/2/4SP, and WMV9 as well as Motion-JPEG. The included software will convert your videos to the proper codec and resolution including cropping if you so desire. My only complaint is the 4-6 seconds of wait time when you start playing, but since this is a hard drive based device, it's understandable. Oh yeah, you can even password protect files from viewing.
Screen: Excellent, the 2.5" screen is bright and the colors are vivid; it's capable of displaying up to 262,000 colors. Easily better than the Ipod Video which I thought was good to begin with.
Pictures: The viewer allows you to choose from specified folder and displays contents in a 5 x 4 format. You then pick the one you want to see via touchpad and then you have the option of zooming in. Again, colors are vivid and you can even get picture details (via context button).
Miscellaneous features: Voice Recording, Custom Wallpaper, Sync your Outlook Calendar option, Button lock (disables the touchpad and buttons), song and picture rating, Play music while viewing pictures, Compatible with Windows Media Player 10, 6 hours of video battery life, Smart Playlists (higher rated songs play back more frequently I think), Smart Volume (Normalizes volume of all songs), Video Out, power saving options, and PlaysforSure compatibility.
Weakness: So what keeps me from giving this unit a 5 star rating?
An overly sensitive touchpad (should get better as I get more used to it), lack of accessories at this time, lack of a removable battery, lack of lyrics display support, can't do anything with it when docked to the PC, separate 3 in 1 dongle for USB, AC connectivity and Video Out. Overall these are fairly minor complaints.
In summary, if you just need a decent mp3 player with video and photo capabilities, then the Ipod is a fine choice. For those searching for a more feature rich player, this is an excellent option. This item is selling well and I hope that translates to more accessories for this wonderful player.
I have thoroughly enjoyed using this player and hope you find this review informative.
Setting the record str8January 7, 2006 I. Amaut 66 out of 71 found this review helpful
I would like to respond to the reviewer below who gave it a one star and is clearly some ipod fanatic club member.
The creatives vision m battery life is better than the ipod video - TRUE take a look at reviews online. The one on CNET.com confirms 15 hours for audio (higher than suggested) and about 4 hours and 11 minutes for video under their test conditions. This is clearly better than ipod's 2 hours battery for video. Add to the fact that creative's screen is more vivid and bright - 262,144 color screen compared to ipod video's 65,000 color screen.
The creative vision m is an ipod killer - TRUE in terms of features and value. The creative zen vision m is only 30$ more. With that 30$ you get: A much more advanced display. You get longer battery life for video. A more wide array of supported video formats (mpeg-1, mpeg-2, mp4, divx, xvid, avi). Also 640x480 resolution is supported by the vision m unlike ipod video which is limited to 320 x 240 resolution. The higher resolution allows the TV output to be much more clearer. You get more audio format support, FM radio, voice recording etc. Basically it does what an ipod video can do plus a few additions and features.
The biggest problem I have with the ipod video (I bought one when it was released) is that it scratches easily. So much so that it will build up on scratches overtime and make the display look deformed. I have not dropped my ipod once and everyday new scratches appear. How could apple sell a product like this? How could any company sell a product like this? So I can go out and shell out more cash for a case? I'll get a case to protect it from scratching from drops not from scratching that happens when I pull it in and out of my pockets.
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