30 GB multimedia device holds tens of thousands of photos, up to 120 hours of videos, or 15,000 songs
2.5-inch, high definition LCD screen features a 320x240 resolution and hundreds of thousands of colors
Supports many video formats, such as AVI, DivX 4 and 53, XviD4, MPEG-1, -2, -SP, WMV9, and Motion-JPEG
Integrated FM radio and recorder, voice recorder
Measures 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.7 inches and weighs 5.7 ounces
ASIN: B000CSCLMK
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 tool to format a portion of the drive for use as a USB 2.0 mass storage device, 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.
Product Description
Creative Labs' ZEN Vision:M is the fusion of music, photos and video into one compact player. With its 30GB of storage you can store up to 15,000 songs, and up to 120 hours of video. Use it as a portable storage device, for sharing all your audio, video and photos easily. In between listening and viewing session you can hear the top songs on the FM tuner. Sync your player's personal organizer with Microsoft Outlook to transfer your calendar, contacts and task list so you won't miss your important appointments and anniversaries. Watch TV, film and video clips on the LCD monitor -- or connect the Zen Vision:M to a TV and enjoy video that's larger than life. Photo formats - JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PNG and BMP Video Playback - Up to 4 hours Syncs with and views Microsoft Outlook Contacts, Calendar & Tasks 8 EQ settings - Acoustic, Classical, Disco, Jazz, New Age, Pop, Rock and Vocal Contacts, calendar and tasks Repeat, resume, and random play Sleep and wake timers Outputs - TV-out with stereo audio; 3.5 mm mini-jack composite Battery life - Up to 14 hours (Charge time - 6.5 hours USB, 2.5 hours AC) Dimensions(WxHxD) - 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.7 Weight - 5.7 oz.
Customer Reviews:
I love this, superior to the 30G iPod in many ways........2007-09-13
I would say the Zen Vision:M is the iPod's closest competitor.
I have been very happy with this since I got it. It is slightly thicker than the 30G iPod, but that does not bother me. The height and width are the same.
The screen of the Zen Vision:M is absolutely GORGEOUS! Much better than I even expected. It is wonderful for watching video. Not only is this screen more detailed and colorful than the iPod, but the video battery life is longer.
If you are familiar with the iPod, you will learn this menu system very quickly. I like the built in FM Tuner, which the iPod does not have.
Also, the Zen has greater compatibility with file types and online music stores. It's nice not to be locked into iTunes.
Transfering video and music is easy. It even has audiobook support, which I use a lot with downloads from Audible.com.
The navigation system (the buttons and the touch pad) are a bit tricky at first. But play around with it for a few minutes and you'll get the hang of it.
Overall, I am very happy with this, and with the great capacity (30GB is plenty for me), I don't think I will be needing to purchase another music player for a long time. The Zen Vision: M has everything I need.
Creative Zen .......2007-09-10
The Creative Zen works great. I love everything about it. I can listen to the radio, my favorite tune or look through my photo gallery. I like all the features and highly recommend this product.
Great, great product........2007-09-08
This is an amazing product. I have had it for at least 6 months now, and so far, there are absolutly no problems with it whatsoever. I love my Zen, and it is a much better product than an iPod video. The only problem with it, is if you are switching from an iPod to the Zen... becuase of DRM'd music, and Apple trying to lock you in with the iPod, any bought songs off of iTunes won't work with your Zen. This obviously is not a flaw with the Zen, its Apple being Apple.
Potential But Beware Hard Drive Issues.......2007-09-08
My Creative Zen Vision M suffered a "harddisk failure" that rendered it completely useless less than 4 months after I bought it. That being said, here are my pros and cons of the product when it worked:
PROS:
+ Decent battery life
+ Capable FM tuner - I personally got good reception with it. You can also record FM
+ Videos display well on the screen. Colors have good saturation and images are crisp
+ Sound quality is good
+ 30 GB is more than enough space for music lovers
+ Has a voice recorder function (although it takes a few steps to get to it)
CONS:
- Charging. The Zen doesn't come with an AC Adapter. You must plug it into a USB port on your computer to charge it. Not only that, but there's also a separate adapter that you have to plug into the Zen first before you can even connect it to the USB cable. Heaven forbid you lose the small adapter.
- Hard Drive Failures. I know I mentioned it above, but it sounds like I'm not the only one that this has happened to. Hard Drives should not fail only 4 months after normal use. And no, I didn't use my Zen as a frisbee or anything that would have warranted an early death.
- Included Software. Ugh. Creative's included software with the Zen is uninspiring to say the least. Yes it's functional, but barely. The Video Converter software couldn't convert half the videos I tried using. And this is a player that touts that it can play almost any video file.
- Bulk. The Zen Vision M is fairly bulky compared to other mp3 players, especially compared to flash players.
- The Touchpad/Front Buttons. I guess either you'll love it or hate the interface. I personally thought the vertical touchpad was kinda neat at first, but after awhile it actually became annoying. The biggest problem for me was the touchpad's accuracy while scrolling up/down lists. It liked to skip items. I tried adjusting the sensitivity but it didn't seem to help. The other buttons work okay, but overall I was disappointed.
- It was unable to resume where it left off of on a song whenever I turned the player off for a couple hours. I would turn it back on and it would be in the middle of playing a completely different song every time. This made it impossible to listen to long podcasts or audiobooks.
- Lock-ups. A lot of MP3 players seem to have this problem and my Vision M was no exception.
Overall, I think with some changes the Vision M could've been a good mp3 player. And if the bundled Video Converter software worked more than 50% of the time, I think it would be a good video player as well. However, the hard drive issues and the touchy interface (no pun intended) make this a difficult product for me to recommend.
Swing and a miss.......2007-09-07
1. The product was Dead On Arrival.
2. Amazon couldn't replace the product.
3. Amazon promptly refunded the money in full.
So the service was excellent but this single unit was kaput.
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20-inch TV/DVD combination unit with RealFlat picture tube and MP3 CD/Picture CD compatibility; 20.1 x 19.3 x 19.1 inches (W x H x D)
Digital comb filter removes blurred edges between colors
AV input/output accommodates a DVR, VCR, camcorder, or gaming console
Stereo sound with 4 watts per channel
Side-panel headphone jack permits private or late-night listening
ASIN: B00062DK9K
Product Description
Watching all your favorite DVDs is now made easier with the built-in DVD player. This home entertainment box allows you to play many formats, such as DVD, VCD and CD.
Amazon.com Product Description
Philips' 20-inch 20DV6942 TV/DVD combination unit plays DVDs, VCDs, DVD+R/+RW, MP3 CD, and picture CD, letting you enjoy the best movies, music, and other digital media right from one device. The set's RealFlat picture tube increases viable viewing angles while reducing reflected ambient light to create a brighter and crisper image.
A rear-panel composite-video-based AV input lets you hook up anything from a VCR to a DVR, camcorder, gaming console, or cable box for easy integration. The 20DV6942's digital comb filter removes blurred edges between colors and reduces dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).
The unit's twin speakers offer stereo sound with 4 watts per channel. Other 20DV6942 features include a 240-minute sleep timer, AutoPicture (which optimizes brightness, contrast, color, tint, and sharpness) and AutoSound (which lets you select settings for voice, music, movies, or custom). A side-panel headphone jack affords private listening.
What's in the Box TV/DVD combo, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual.
Customer Reviews:
FOR THE PRICE ... .......2006-12-13
I'm satisfied, especially with the available jacks for every possible audio and video option. For the first week, the DVD player had problems though, it would freeze halfway into every other movie I played. It stopped doing that (???) and I kept it. It is VERY compatible with older VCR's, with direct connections.
Product should have been better than it is.......2006-05-13
The TV is extremely difficult to set up using the menu; there are no standard settings so everything must be adjusted individually. I have never been able to obtain stereo, but mono works OK. There is an annoying green spot in the left center of the screen. I bought it because of the DVD feature and price and got about what I paid for at $220 .
With the FlexScan M1700, EIZO brings together the essential qualities required of a 17-inch monitor for back offices and government facilities: user-friendly features, sharp color and text display, long-term reliability, and an industry-leading warranty for a low total cost of ownership.
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Product Features:
Set includes Minox MX Camera, Minox MX Flash (for MX only), separate gray filter accessory, strap, and film
15mm/f4.8 lens with 3 lens elements
Central shutter speed of 1/125 of a second
Manual focus from 3 feet to infinity
Thumb wheel allowing one-handed operation advances film and readies shutter for next exposure
ASIN: B00004U0E6
Product Description
A camera that has ambitions to become a classic has to feature an ingenious design, which will enthuse photographers for years to come. The concept at MINOX has always been to provide cameras with the smallest possible dimensions, demonstrating absolute precision and a top class design. That's MINOX. Past, present, future.
Amazon.com Product Description
Without having to compromise on optical performance, this small but powerful camera controls all required functions automatically. Using high-strength plastics reinforced with glass fiber, the Minox MX Subminiature Camera weighs in at a tiny 55 grams. You can concentrate on the subject and let your creative imagination run free. The Minox MX Subminiature Camera Set includes the Minox MX flash, separate gray filter accessory, strap, and film.
Maxelerate boasts a disk read and write performance that is 30 percent faster than the drive that comes inside of the Mac mini. And because it's bootable, use it as a startup disk, taking full advantage of FireWire technology.Continuing WiebeTech's tradition of using intelligent metal design, Maxelerate is thermally engineered with heat issues in mind. Its aluminum design with very quiet fan allows for excellent cooling.Maxelerate sports daisy-chainable ports: three USB2 ports and three FireWire ports, making it an ideal central station for more hard drives, digital cameras or many other computer peripherals.Best of all, you can achieve this speed, storage and all of the new ports in a space no bigger than the Mac mini itself. Beautifully designed out of aluminum to complement Apple's design, Maxelerate fits perfectly underneath any Mac mini.
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When the TV signal is too weak, it may be necessary to install an antenna booster in line with the antenna. This amplified TV antenna has an internal booster, eliminating the need for an additional booster. Requires 12VDC for operation.
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When an external antenna installation is not practical, an internal window mount antenna will work for most applications. Installing the dual diversity antenna along the rear of the vehicle window or hatch will provide strong, reliable reception.
MP3 Players & Accessories
| Creative Labs
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Creative Vision M 30GB Video Protectective Silicone Skin Case with Sports Armband - 7 Color Options -
Creative Docking Station for Zen Vision:M
Creative Lab Zen Vision M Video 30GB Hi-Grade Leather Cases - 5 Color Options - with Video Viewing Kickstand Belt Clip
Creative Zen Vision:M Video Cable
Creative Lab Vision:M Zen Video 30GB Premium Silicone Skin Kit - Bundled with 12v Rapid Car Charger and Home Travel AC Adapter Wall Charger
I love this, superior to the 30G iPod in many ways........2007-09-13
Potential But Beware Hard Drive Issues.......2007-09-08
Swing and a miss.......2007-09-07
FOR THE PRICE ... .......2006-12-13
