Neowin Review : Creative Zen Portable Media Center

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We at Neowin have had a look at a brand new type of media player: the Creative Zen Portable Media Center.

"The Creative Zen Portable Media Center puts all your favorite videos, music, and photos at your fingertips wherever you are. Take digital entertainment from your PC with you on the go, including recorded TV shows, downloaded videos, home movies, music, and photos. With Windows Mobile software featuring an easy-to-use, familiar Windows Media Center Edition interface, Portable Media Centers let you enjoy immediate access to all of your favorite entertainment - anytime, anywhere.

Creative Zen Portable Media Center enables portability of up to 85 hours of movies, 9,000 songs, or up to tens of thousands of photos on a sleek, handheld device."

Also packed into this review is Neowin's first ever video! Read on for out thoughts on this very different media player.

View: Creative Zen Review

View: Creative Homepage | Zen Prices

B]Features:[/B]

· The best PC performance: Choose between a silent running mode or the best graphics performance settings and the wizard automatically adjusts all performance metrics (clocks, voltages, fan speeds, bus speeds, etc.) to get the best options for the hardware in the system.
· Improved dynamic overclocking: Provides on-the-fly overclocking and BIOS configuration within an easy-to-use Windows interface that is streamlined and simplified for better user understanding.
· Benchmarking wizard: See how your PC configuration stacks up against synthetic benchmarks before and after adjusting system parameters.
· Saved system profiles: Save, import, and export custom overclocking or BIOS profiles. Assign profiles to favorite programs for automatic application. A safety "watchdog" checks temperature and steps system down if failure could occur.
· GPU overclocking: Overclocking of GeForce FX and GeForce 6 Series GPUs is supported in concert with system overclocking, temperature monitoring, and system profiles.
· System troubleshooting: An automated reporting tool captures all needed information to help you determine when problems may be happening to the system, and helps you troubleshoot.
· Improved system monitoring: Temperatures, voltages, and bus speeds are now available as an “always-on-top” window with a transparency option so that it is visible at all times.
· Voltage and bus speed monitoring: Track actual motherboard voltages, GPU clocks, bus speeds, and CPU core speed to ensure safe and correct settings.
· Temperature and fan speed monitoring: Real-time monitoring of CPU, GPU and system temperatures helps prevent hardware damage. nTune supports dual-CPU and SLI multi-GPU systems.
· Dynamically adjustable voltages and fan speeds: Adjust motherboard voltage levels without a reboot, as well as dynamically control fan speeds.
· Dynamically adjustable memory timings: Change critical memory timings without rebooting and without entering the BIOS.

#1 dougkinzinger on 09 Dec 2004 - 16:48

Kinda cool.

--DK

(1 reply) #2 icecaveman on 09 Dec 2004 - 16:48

I stopped reading this when I saw ipod symbolized as the first potable digital audio player when Apple really joined the "DAP" market very late.

#2.1 tele-fragd on 10 Dec 2004 - 01:23

The writer didn't mean that the iPod was the first Digital Audio Player, it meant that the iPod caused a massive surge in the market which it did.

#3 welshkid on 09 Dec 2004 - 17:01

cant wait till pmcs reach a few genereations old
when the prices will be reasonable

(3 replies) #4 theyarecomingforyou on 09 Dec 2004 - 17:13

The screen looks really dull, particularly in comparison to something like the PSP that is meant to have a very decent screen. I don't particularly like the design either.

#4.1 krono6 on 09 Dec 2004 - 17:20

hmm, the screen looks pretty good to me..nice and flat.

#4.2 [Fosters] on 09 Dec 2004 - 23:41

The screen is perfectly fine. The pictures don't do justice.
The photos are taken an angle therefore it appears dull.

#4.3 shao on 10 Dec 2004 - 08:49

and of course, the psp battery life is meant to be really really bad!

#5 Mx² on 09 Dec 2004 - 17:18

Quite good, but as said above the PSPs slim design is even better

#6 moglenstar on 09 Dec 2004 - 17:33

creative are great as far as portable media players go, theyre becoming a hard opponent for apple, in the dap market..

i love my creative zen xtra 30gb <3

(1 reply) #7 icecaveman on 09 Dec 2004 - 17:38

No they are not hard opponents for Apple, Apple has the market brainwashed and it's more of a fashion statement than anything else to own ipod. Other players just are not cool no matter how technically superior they are plus much of the iPod lovers are technically challenged people.

#7.1 b0b on 09 Dec 2004 - 20:29

Not if you put uCLinux on your iPod like me

My 3G 20GB iPod with uCLinux can play OGG too, and it has a calculator, pong, tetris, space invaders, pacman, etc..

#8 Unbe on 09 Dec 2004 - 18:20

oh for crying out loud!
can there be a single discussion about DAPs without Apple bashing/praising?
i own an iPod and can`t be happier with it, but why so many praising/bashing when we`re talking about a totally different product?
Creative Zen PMC = Media player
iPod = music player

and i stopped reading the review after seeing nothing but praise for Zen PMC. It sounds more like a promotion, than like an unbiased review. Every product has its flaws, be it, iPod, iRiver players or Cretive Zen PMC and i get suspiciout when i see pple acting like spokesman when they claim they`re unbiased :/

EDIT: And i just read the "...when you put it in your pocket..." part. How big are your pockets dude? :LOL:

Last edited by 76093 on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:08

#9 Jason on 09 Dec 2004 - 18:30

"We at Neowin have had a look at a brand new type of media player: the Creative Zen Portable Media Center. "

What does that mean, you all met up and looked at it, or you posted it from person to person ?

#10 ms998 on 09 Dec 2004 - 18:45

Lets be honest - Msuic is fine on the move but how many times will you want to sue the video component of it? Its far too small too watch for an extended amount of time thus taking movies out of the equation.

As I saw on gadget show the other day , just don't buy a media center and wiat for screens to get bigger next year.

#11 DJ Prem on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:35

This is what I'm getting for my media center just hoping for a bigger hard drive maybe 40GB or 80GB, I loved this over the iPod even though it would not be fair comparison, only thing was wish it came with the docking unit and the remote

#12 Magallanes on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:37

Support Divx, xvid and OGM?

Yes : cool.

No : ... so, they want to everyone use wmv?.. this sux!

May be in the future : so may be in the future i will plan to buy it.

Anyways, you can buy a pocketpc and buy a 1 or 2 gigs compact flash memory. With it you can play any video format, any music, any imagen and more.

#13 Spyder on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:41

shame

#14 s0wi on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:50

LOL he has spongebob squarepants on it, hecka tight!

#15 Fonze on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:55

I have one of these and I love it.

for the problem with the unit standing up on its own, it comes with a leather carrying case that lets you stand the unit up or angle it back at a ~45degree angle, great for watching movies or TV on a plane.

(1 reply) #16 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00

#16.1 noyb on 09 Dec 2004 - 19:55

I think in this small thread about piracy you have all highlighted the one reason why the PMC's are currently pointless, no content. Im sure in the future when they are more in use you can debate endlessly about watching a movie on a tiny screen and then follow up with similar comparisons used with the iPod vs rivals but the fact remains unless you make exciting home movies or are addicted to trailer reels there is nothing to watch on them and thats not going to change any time soon as most of the studios are opposed to net films due to investments in next gen DVD and its still illegal to encode your own films that you have bought to use on one of these things.

Also Tom i know for a fact that MGM over here with the support of Sky are sending out cease and desists regarding Stargate SG1, Atlantis and their other shows and Universal will be taking action about Battlestar in the US. Warner will also be after downloaders to their content over here which includes ER, Sopranos, West Wing and others, im not sure who owns the rights to Scrubs but be on your guard.

#17 SFalcon on 09 Dec 2004 - 20:01

^noyb:

I think you'll find that the comments you were replying to have been snipped. Censorship is a beautiful thing. When I made the initial observation I meant it all in good fun and didn't mean to ignite a flamewar. My apologies. It's good to see that the offending material has been removed. (Evidence of it anyway...

)

#18 Darkinspiration on 09 Dec 2004 - 21:05

so not only does the thing not support dvix encode but everything you reencode to be played on your new shinny protable movie player is illegal ... yay no wonder apple dosent belive in them

#19 longwilli on 09 Dec 2004 - 21:39

Well i have to disagree completely with the review, sure it is a cool product of the future but atm its pritty useless. You have to ask yourself so you really want to watch tv or dvd on something that small? 99% don't. If you are seriously considering buying one and you must have more money then sense i sugest you watch or somehow find a show called the gadget show on 5 they gave this product a low score because it just isn't ready yet. screens awful both size and quality, battery life isn't geat. Nedd i say more?

#20 CraigMack on 09 Dec 2004 - 22:22

Yes, this is a good idea for neowin to do reviews like this. Like the C|Net kinda deal

Long live Ne|Net

(1 reply) #21 CraigMack on 09 Dec 2004 - 22:24

#20 Posted by on 31 Dec 1969 - 19:00

WTF is this???

Did neowin create a time machine? Whered they get the 1.21 Jigawatts?

#21.1 McFly on 09 Dec 2004 - 23:43

hahaha really! Also, did they have to steal some plutonium from Libyan terrorists?!

#22 longwilli on 09 Dec 2004 - 23:01

welcome to the 1st of january 1970 people.

(1 reply) #23 cal2002 on 09 Dec 2004 - 23:33

The main market for these are people who use Windows XP Media Center. The content is there for these people, it's marketed to these people.

#23.1 longwilli on 09 Dec 2004 - 23:39

Well it does raise another point where can you download stuff you will want to watch off the net (if your an honest person)

#24 ThunderRiver on 09 Dec 2004 - 23:39

I tried out the Zen PMC today at the Briarwood Mall in Ann Arbor. HP, Creative, and Microsoft set up a post for "DigitalJoy" demo.

Anyway, my initial feel with Creative Zen PMC has been alright. I can't say it is the best player out there as it just has too many control buttons. It has probably over 10+ buttons to push.
When you browse images, if you press right button, it does not display the next image. Intead, you have to press the "down" directional button. What is the point? Why so complicated for a player? Not even a g'ma can fully understand it.

I think they are heading in the right direction, but it is not there yet.

I am more leaning towards iRiver PMC as it provides xvid/dvix playback feature.

To the reviewer, you are so dead wrong for being an ex-ipod fan. iPod is not just about hard drive. It is also about ergonomics in the design of controls. There is nothing out there better than the design of controls with iPod

Give Zen PMC to a person whose one hand is handcapped, I don't think he/she will like it. But with iPod, they will.

#25 ivan300 on 10 Dec 2004 - 00:47

I played with this in my local futureshop and i think its really cool. I have a few things that i dont like about it, one is the gui, it just seems a bit too simple but thats just me. And when i held it in my hands it seemed llike it was built really cheeply. The bettons felt cheap and i felt that if i dropped it, it would break

just my 2C
btw im a ipod owner :p

#26 moeburn on 10 Dec 2004 - 01:03

How much were you paid to have this blatantly displayed on the main page?

#27 nicekit on 10 Dec 2004 - 01:08

was wondering why nobody talk about how heavy/ thick as a brick and heavy the item is?

i can say the screen is impressive.
the menu is abit confusing at first...
too much button..
battery run is quite impressive for video.. *claimed to be 8 hours playback by the sales person*

#28 RaiderOnline on 10 Dec 2004 - 07:57

nice toy

#29 wtaag on 10 Dec 2004 - 08:22

For everyone griping about the screen, I saw one of these in Best Buy. The screen needs improvement by far. Its a little grainy and too dim. I love the concept. I just thing next generations models will be much better.

#30 Xinan on 10 Dec 2004 - 10:11

It looks really cool. I wish i would have waited and got this apart from a 40GB iPod 3rd Generation, at exactally the same price. But whatever happeneds happends.

ILikeCake~

#31 Xinan on 10 Dec 2004 - 10:12

Its Cool!

ILikeCake~

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