Creative ZEN Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player (Black)
- 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 320 x 240 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, and voice recorder
- Measures 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.7 inches and weighs 5.7 ounces
Featured items you may like
- Amazon Basics USB-A to Micro USB Fast Charging Cable, 480Mbps Transfer Speed with Gold-Plated Plugs, USB 2.0, 3 Foot, BlackAmazon's Choicein USB CablesFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26
Looking for specific info?
Product information
Product Dimensions | 2.4 x 0.7 x 4.1 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 5.7 ounces |
Manufacturer | Creative |
Language | English |
ASIN | B000CS7U1C |
Item model number | ZVM30ENGBK |
Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
Customer Reviews |
4.0 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #575,038 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #2,428 in MP3 & MP4 Players |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | June 6, 2007 |
Feedback
Product Description
Product description
Creative Labs (70pf169000001) Zen Vision: M 30GB
Amazon.com
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.
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 320 x 240 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 skimp on design, either. The ZEN Vision:M features an ergonomic design with an innovative touchpad 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.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, ease of use, and sound quality of the portable audio player. For example, they mention it's wonderful, has an excellent signal-to-noise ratio, and can change the way your music sounds. That said, they say it works extremely well and is able to play any podcast or video cast. Customers also appreciate the color, picture quality, and value of the product.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the portable audio player. They mention that it's wonderful, has high-quality sound, and is a solid product. Some say that it plays back stored music well and is great for the car. Overall, customers are satisfied with the quality and functionality of the product.
"...as it kind of goes without saying that the device is great at playing back stored music.Lock-ups...." Read more
"...It's a great all-around media player." Read more
"...The picture is crisp, clear and excellent...I'm loving it. The sound is awesome, a bit too loud, but I haven't found the volume button...." Read more
"...It's very stylish, solid, good looking machine. So is the iPod...." Read more
Customers like the ease of use of the portable audio device. They mention that it has more features and is more user-friendly. They also say that it is extremely easy to function, with a usable interface. Customers also find it very easy to navigate with one hand, and that installation was a breeze. They say that the device integrates cleanly into Windows Explorer, making it easy to transfer recordings from their Snapstream PVR setup on the PC to the device.
"...Software ease-of-use: With the ZVM, I don't have to rely on iTunes to get files loaded onto the player...." Read more
"...To me it seemed even easier to upload songs that it is with the Ipod. I took a DVD I own and made an mpg out of it and uploaded it to the unit...." Read more
"...Anyway, installation was a breeze--popped in the setup disk and it walked me through the entire install without a problem...." Read more
"...The buttons on the front are better, the navigation is better, and the USB cable charges the thing as well, the external power supply isn't..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the sound quality of the portable audio. They mention that the sound is very good, with an EQ to tweak to individual tastes. The product has an excellent signal-to-noise ratio, and you can change the way your music sounds to sound the best for you. The built-in EQ, Smart Volume, and Bass Boost features allow you to adjust the sound to sound better for you, with your choice of rock. Some customers also mention that they were surprised to find that the quality of recording was comparable to that of their MD recorder. The volume and other controls are very intuitive, and the ability to adjust sound via the EQ feature is a nice touch lacking on other portable audio devices. Overall, most are happy with the quality and functionality of the product.
"...I choose the Zen Vision over the Apple iPod for four main reasons: Screen Quality, FM Stero, Recording Ability and non-iTunes freedom...." Read more
"...Mp3s sound just find and maybe even better than on the Ipod. The Ipods default screen when playing music is just plain dull and boring...." Read more
"...The picture is crisp, clear and excellent...I'm loving it. The sound is awesome, a bit too loud, but I haven't found the volume button...." Read more
"...to it, the buttons and scroll is pretty simply to operate, the sound quality is great and there are 25 levels to choose from... and the list goes..." Read more
Customers like the performance of the portable audio device. They say it works extremely well, has no restrictions on what it plays, and works well with Linux boxes. Some customers also mention that it works like a standard USB drive and that it plays perfectly back even the lowest of sounds.
"...I might stick with my Ipod video. It works just fine, but I almost prefer the layout of my old 3rd gen Ipod over this one!..." Read more
"...Works great with Windows XP and Windows Vista. There are some software "glitches" that can be worked around if you are a little computer savvy...." Read more
"...some shows I'm just finding in mp4 format (ipod) which the video converter won't handle...." Read more
"...1. Although the quality of performance isn't bad while the product is operating, there's a high possibility that at some point you'll have trouble..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the picture quality of the portable audio. They mention that the screen is clear and crisp, with better resolution and image quality. The navigation is a breeze, and the video is crisp. The screen is ten times better than any screen they have seen on an iPod or any other.
"...I was pretty amazed with the picture quality. The screen is very, very good. Way better than the ipods for sure...." Read more
"...The picture is crisp, clear and excellent...I'm loving it. The sound is awesome, a bit too loud, but I haven't found the volume button...." Read more
"...and pictures, it has voice recorder, it's gorgeous looking, very bright screen when you put it to 100% brightness, FM radio which you can record..." Read more
"...battery life, and much, much, much, definitely much better screen resolution and image quality...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the color of the portable audio. They mention that it has a gorgeous looking, very bright screen, and a colorful display. The graphics are amazing and the sound is great. It has better color than the iPod, has Radio which is good for walking, and has s sharp design. The music sounds great and the unit looks sharp.
"...readily seen with the ZVM having more vibrant colors and a less washed-out appearance.*..." Read more
"...I just unpacked the unit and it looks very sleek (I purchased the black one). It's a little bit taller than my palm...." Read more
"...The Vision also has a screen with more colors and brighter images. It just looks better...." Read more
"...quite a number of songs and pictures, it has voice recorder, it's gorgeous looking, very bright screen when you put it to 100% brightness, FM radio..." Read more
Customers like the value of the portable audio player. They say it's well worth the money, affordable, and a great purchase. Customers also mention that it looks good, has a nice hefty, quality feel to it, and is sturdy. Overall, customers are satisfied with the value and quality of the product.
"...I wanted one with quality, versatility, a good design and competitive features & price. . . not hype for my money. It paid off...." Read more
"...Bottom line is that the player looks good, has a nice hefty, quality feel to it, and sounds great...." Read more
"...With its massive storage capacity, a quite usable interface, and a reasonable price it looked like the player for me...." Read more
"...me say that the "documentation" that accompanies the product is laughably ambiguous and unhelpful in every way possible...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the battery life of the portable audio. Some mention it has excellent battery life, good sound quality, and is really easy to navigate, while others say that it went dead as they were about to land.
"...The ZVM has:*Longer battery life - ZVM video lasts about 4 hours - which is twice as much as Ipod...." Read more
"...Sweet. Battery power seems fine since full charge probably lasts 10 hours or so...." Read more
"...operate the player a bit, and right as we were about to land the battery went dead. So you decide.3...." Read more
"...you get integrated FM Radio, Voice Recorder, Radio recorder, Longer battery life, and much, much, much, definitely much better screen resolution and..." Read more
Reviews with images
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
I actually read a lot of the negative reviews for both devices. There were more negative reviews for the Apple iPod, but there were also more total sales of the iPod verse the Creative Zen Vison. Also, the iPod negative reviews contained negative reviews of the non-video versions. This led me to consider that people that 1) Bought an expensive personal electronic device, and 2) Had problems using it, and 3) Didn't know what product review section they were in...might not be the most skilled at using the devices they are complaining about. In simple terms, the user is the problem, not the device.
Therefore the negative reviews focusing on how a person can't use the device should not be a deterrent to you of purchasing the device. Also, the Creative Zen Vision M: comes with a 1-year warrenty, so if the battery dies, or the screen dies, or the hardware fails within 12 months of purchase, you can get it repaired or replaced. So, even if the particular unit you get does not work, or fails, that unit does not represent the whole of the quality of the product, just that particular unit. I also believe that although not as delicate as an egg, these devices with minituare hard drives and thin glass displays are not hacky sacs. If the outside of the box containing your shipped device is marked or dented in any way, it is possible that the device worked fine at the factory, but was damaged in shipping, and again, does not represent the whole of the quality of the product. In simple terms, one defective or broken unit does not mean ALL the units are defective or broken.
I choose the Zen Vision over the Apple iPod for four main reasons: Screen Quality, FM Stero, Recording Ability and non-iTunes freedom. Screen Quality: The screen on the Zen Vision M is better than the Apple iPod. I have a friend who has the video iPod and we played the same music video side by side and it was a no brainer. Even my friend had to admit that the video looked better on the Zen Vision. FM Stereo: Want to listen to NPR or some other live news report on the iPod? Oh, you can't. Recorder: The recorder records stuff outside the device, AND can also record from the radio. On the iPod, you can't record. Non-iTunes Freedom: Many people love iTunes and how seemlessly it works with iPods. However, after doing iTunes for years I wanted my WinAmp back, and/or MediaMonkey, and/or, the freedom to try different software. If you love iTunes, good for you. It's like living in the world's best prison. You don't even know you are trapped. Update: Some non-iTunes software can now interface with iPods.
What about podcasts? Can I get those on the Zen Vision? Yep, they are called Zencasts. I have not tried them out personally, but the option is available.
In the 30 days I have had the device I have put on 3000 mp3 files and 8 movies. The movies are about 1-gig in size, 800meg to 1-gig. I didn't think I would be using the movie playing aspect, but it turns out that it's way cool. With the 2 and 4 year old children in the house I can't watch "The Matrix" when they are awake as I think it will give them nightmares. AND I can't watch it when they are napping or sleeping as I want to watch it LOUD, as intended. Now I can watch it with the volume loud before going to bed or at lunch or whenever.
Music play back is awesome, as good or better than the iPod. I mention it in passing as it kind of goes without saying that the device is great at playing back stored music.
Lock-ups. My particular unit has not "locked-up" on me, but I only have vanilla *.mp3 and *.avi files on the device. It might be that people that were having lock-ups had non-standard files or corrupt files. I only mention lock-ups as it was my biggest fear after reading many of the reviews that the device would continually lock-up. I now believe that people that have multiple lock-ups may have corrupt files or are playing formats that are "supported" but may not be totally supported. Like mp3 files are supported, but I only have constant bit rate or CBR mp3s. I don't know how well the device does with Variable Bit Rate (VBR) mp3s.
So, in short, I've been using the Creative Zen Vision M: for 30 days and I am lovin' it!
Notes: The Apple Video Cable that I got for my iBook works with the Creative Zen Vision M:. So if already have that cable, save yourself $30.00.
The Creative Web Site has Forums where you can get help with using the Zen Vision. One that really helped me enjoy the device even more was "Vision:M undocumented how to & tips thread" Google it if ye doubt my word.
Found an old 4.5VDC car charger that works instead of 5.0VDC
Screen Protector - yes, use one. One comes installed, leave it on and replace it as it wears.
Hope this review helps you out, God Bless and Good Luck.
Now that I have the ZVM, here are the reasons why I bought the ZVM over the Ipod. The ZVM has:
*Longer battery life - ZVM video lasts about 4 hours - which is twice as much as Ipod. As a result, I don't have to worry about the player running out of juice at the end of a movie like with the Ipod video. Also, it's just nicer to have longer battery life.
*Digital camera storage - The ZVM can directly store my photos from my digital camera so that I don't need to bring along a computer to store my photos when I travel - just plug my camera to the ZVM, download photos, then erase my camera's card to take more pictures.
*Hard drive capabilities - The ZVM acts like a hard drive. Just plug to a computer and download what you need. For example, I can go to my friend's computer and copy all the music/video/etc files I like with drag-and-drop ease. Also, I can now store very large PowerPoint files on the ZVM so that my work presentations have a better bang - and I get better results.
*Multiple file format support - The ZVM plays a lot of video file format's that I already have such as divx, xvid and WMA. This is not a major issue to me however because even with an Ipod, video/audio conversion is not a big deal - just an extra step.
*Software ease-of-use: With the ZVM, I don't have to rely on iTunes to get files loaded onto the player. Itunes program isn't bad, but sometimes I think it is a little cumbersome. Currently, I just use Windows Media Player and/or the regular Windows XP Explorer interface.
*Better screen: The ZVM has a better screen than the video Ipod. For example, the ZVM has 260+k of colors vs. 65k on the Ipod. The difference is readily seen with the ZVM having more vibrant colors and a less washed-out appearance.
*Accessory support: For $25.00, Amazon.com sells a combo that includes an AC adaptor, car charger adaptor, direct USB cable (no need for included ZVM dongle), and a battery pack (uses 4-AA batteries) for those long flights.
*Cheaper: The ZVM is priced much less than the Ipod.
*FM Radio: Despite a large library of songs, it's nice to be able to hear fresh music over the radio.
*Recording capability: The ZVM can record FM radio. But for me, I like the fact that I can put my BlackBerry on speakerphone and then use the ZVM to record the conversation for business legal and future reference.
*Short-cut key and easy navigation: The short-cut key is great; I have mine set to the microphone record function. I haven't had any problems with the ZVM's navigation on screen.
*Multiple subscription service support: Although I haven't used them all, I hear the music subscription support is great. For example, I heard that with Yahoo (at least for your 1st month), you can pay $15 and download all the music you want. What a deal.
*Customizable EQ: The ZVM has preset EQs also, but I prefer to set the EQ my way.
Despite these features that the ZVM has, there are a few shortcomings. For example, I wish the ZVM was thinner for the amount of hard drive space it has. I purchased the 30GB simply because it was thinner than the 60GB, although I'd prefer 60GBs.
When the thin 60GB comes out, I'll be buying that and ebaying my 30GB. I've found that the thickness of the 30GB is the max thickness I would want to have in one of these media players. However, with the 30GB ZVM, I don't mind the extra thickness over the Ipod - probably because I don't notice the difference. Maybe it's because the difference is marginal or that the 30GB Ipod and 30GB ZVM weigh the same.
If I could choose one word for the ZVM, it would be - versatile. I'm not a Creative fanboy or anything. I just like the features the ZVM has. If in the future, the Ipod has all the above features and remains thin with 60+ or more GB, I'd would be buying the Ipod.
For now however, I'm more than satisfied with the ZVM. It's a great all-around media player.