AfterDawn: News

Zune HD firmware update adds XviD, streaming Smart DJ

Zune HD users should be pretty happy today given the latest firmware update, one that will bring native XviD support to the device as well as streaming Smart DJ.

Microsoft says the player will soon have native support for the MPEG-4 Part 2 ASP codec, and the player will playback XviD videos, which is still the codec of choice for most videos downloaded online. The format will play via your HDTV as well if you own the Zune HD Dock.



Smart DJ playlists, a "Genius"-esque song playlist creator, will also be available on the player and not just the desktop software.

If you are connected via Wi-Fi, Slash says "you will be able to to create Smart DJ playlists that incorporate streamed content from the Zune Marketplace, besides the songs already stored on the player."


Read our review here: Unboxing the Zune HD

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 13 Jan 2010 16:27

• Previous article

• Wii finally to get Netflix streaming

• Next article

• Video Daily: Nokia N900 used as PS3 controller

• 6 comments

• Josipher

  if they started incorporating gamers to it like the ipod touch has this might truly rival crapples product..for now sadly i think others view it like a gimmick or a fad

  13.1.2010 16:46 #1

• dragnandy

  Originally posted by Josipher: if they started incorporating gamers to it like the ipod touch has this might truly rival crapples product..for now sadly i think others view it like a gimmick or a fadi will say that there are a lot of things the zuneHD needs to fix before it could be as good as they the player claims to be. However, i would hardly call the Z:HD a gimmick or fad. As a player, it does its job fantastically. Great sound quality, easy UI, gapless playback, ect. but it lacks so much more in other areas. I think the zune team needs to make a firmware that utilizes the tegra a lot better than it does now, and add more premium apps (the twitter app was not a premium app).

  13.1.2010 18:25 #2

• DVDBack23

  IMO, with XviD support (converting files to MP4 or WMV is just frankly retarded), the Zune HD is the premium player on the market. I have an iPod Touch and got to review the Zune HD, and the sound was better, the screen was nicer, I preferred the Zune desktop software and felt the interface was nicer, even than the Touch with 3.1.
  
  There was a severe lack of apps, and the HD radio did not work for me, but definitely not a deal breaker especially if you are looking for a media device. It is better at movie and music playback. There used to be a point where that meant something.

  13.1.2010 18:59 #3

• SSSJDanny

  Sweet, i usually convert my own videos. So now allmost all vids will be on my Zune.

  14.1.2010 02:03 #4

• robertmro

  Who cares?

  15.1.2010 23:21 #5

• riprat

  Does it really matter if it has apps or not? I mean really, its a media device, if it plays music and video and does it well then then that should account for more than how many pointless fart apps you can load onto it. I think this fascination with apps has gotten a little out of hand. If you want endless hours of mind numbing time wasters, get an iTouch, if you want endless hours of great sounding music and high def video, get a ZuneHD

  16.1.2010 10:05 #6