Zen MP3 Player

[Full_Throttle]

I have chosen my first MP3 player with over 128mb memory! It will either be a Zen Vision: M or a Zen Portable Media Center. My only question is: what the hell is the difference between these two? Is one better for running and one better for being fat and slouching on your couch for 10 hours at a time?

Zen Vision: M http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CS7U1C/ref=pd_bxgy_text_b/002-0836499-7879211?ie=UTF8

Zen Portable Media Center http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002J6GLG/sr=8-1/qid=1155535101/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-0836499-7879211?ie=UTF8

[Sanosuke Sagara]

The PMC is worse b/c I don't think it works with as many video formats (no divx). It's also bigger and probably gets horrible batt. life. I'd say go for the vision:m since it's newer and will play basically any audio or video.

[sying]

The vision M is perfect, cept it doesnt have line in recording. Plus its cheaper. You can still slouch on the couch with the M, cause it has a video out feature (sold seperately)

[eldad9]

Aren't these (at least one of them) XP-only, UMS-less?

Check the Cowon X5 20GB/30GB.

[orochi]

Yeah. It's a PlayForSure player that requires XP. I would've gotten one until I saw that it didn't support anything else. Sucks really. I hate PFS players. =\ The PMC is the obsolete sibling of the Zen Vision (http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=210&subcategory=211&product=12985). PMC has slightly better battery life but the Vision is better overall in design and build. Vision does have a battery add on to give it a longer life than the PMC. The Vision:M is just the Vision but more music than movie. Battery life is about the same as the Vision.

I 2nd the Cowon X5 as a alternative to the Vision:M. Also, the Cowon A2 is a good alternative to the Vision

[eldad9]

I've seen it called "PlaysForS***".

DRM = bad.

[Full_Throttle]

DAMN. I just realized that I really don't watch TV that often. But I'm not sure if I would put pr0n and trailers and crap on my Vision if I would get it. Whaddaya think? 30GB Vision or 40GB music for cheaper?

[Full_Throttle]

The vision M is perfect, cept it doesnt have line in recording. Plus its cheaper. You can still slouch on the couch with the M, cause it has a video out feature (sold seperately)
I was actually referring to the running as being better. I do cross country and I get bored as hell while doing long runs.

[orochi]

I was actually referring to the running as being better. I do cross country and I get bored as hell while doing long runs.

None of them would be particularly good for running since they're all HDD based. You're better off looking at flash based players like the ipod mini/nano, Sandisk Sansa eXXX series, etc. Nano can be hacked to boot into linux to play movies. Sansa supports video out the box.

[eldad9]

Seriously, for running get a $70 zen nano (or whatever they call them - creative actually has great flash-based players). For mega-volume, go with stuff like the cowon.

[Full_Throttle]

Wait, why would a hard drive based MP3 player not be that great? I mean, sure, I'll use it for running, but I would also use it during lunch and passing time at school. I have a 128mb Flash Player, but that holds about 100 WMA songs, not nearly as many songs as I have off of all of my albums.

Are there any hard drive based MP3 (not video, I've decided I don't want that anymore) players that are good for both sports and casual listening?

[eldad9]

Weight aside, it's not a good idea to give a hard drive thousands of little jolts every day.

You saved more than half the price but not going with video; now the big question is 1GB, 2 (or 4?).

I just like the creative zen range because they're easy/convenient to use and come with a great wrist strap thing.

But really, as long as a flash player is a UMS device it's hard to go wrong.