Zune HD specs fill in the blanks on video format support, battery life and more - Update: now with more, better!
By Richard Lawler 
posted Aug 13th 2009 3:28PM
posted Aug 13th 2009 3:28PM
Update: Microsoft has hit us with the corrected & updated spec list with a slight change to battery and charge specs: 33 hours of life playing music with no wireless, up to 8.5 hours of video. 3 hours to charge from PC, 2 hours via AC adapter. Hopefully that's long enough to cover your one man rave in the woods far away from A/C outlets. Check the PDF for yourself, but beware, as Microsoft has informed us one typo remains, as the Zune HD can hold up to 22 / 48 hours (16GB / 32GB) of video optimized for the device, no matter what the official sheet says.
Video support:
Windows Media Video (WMV) (.wmv) – Main and Simple Profile, CBR or VBR, up to 10.0 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). Advanced Profile up to L2, 1280x720 up to 30 frames per second, CBR or VBR, up to 14.0 Mbps peak video bitrate. Zune software will transcode HD WMV files above stated capabilities at device sync.
MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) (.mp4) Part 2 video[4] – Simple Profile up to 4.0 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). Zune software will transcode HD MPEG-4 files at device sync.
H.264 video[4] – Baseline Profile + bframes, up to 10 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). 1280x720 up to 30 frames per second, up to Level 3.1 and 14.0 Mbps peak video bitrate. Zune software will transcode HD WMV files above stated capabilities at device sync.
Very nice!
"33 hours of life playing music with no wireless"
Don't know about you but its a deal-breaker for me. I expected no less than 50 - Sony promises 40 (S639F). Nvidia originally promised 100 but 33 is 1/3 of that. I wonder where did those 2/3 go...
@Shinigami: Do you commonly listen to your music for more than 2 days straight, with no breaks in between? Because unless you do, I don't really see how it's a big deal...
I really wan't to hate MS for all the dirty tricks they have pulled over the years, But I can't because the Zune HD looks bloody slick. Bastards!!!.
Im foaming from the mouth for this sexy piece of gadget.
Me too. I'd gladly sell my iPod Touch for one but I am NOT selling my MacBook. That said, has there been any word on Mac support? Dual booting is too much of a hassle for a Zune alone.
Dual booting IS worth it considering that Zune isn't the only software in the world that requires Windows.
Actually, there's no need to dual boot. Just uninstall Mac OS
cranium why not just run a virtual machine like VMware for zune? no need to dual boot. suspend and hibernate make running a windows install inside a window on a mac pretty fast including bootup
........or best of all, just use songbird? there should be plugin for the new zune in time
@james
Unless it's like every other Zune and can't sync with anything else but Microsoft's software.
There's always the possibility that this will be the first Zune desirable enough for hackers to bother figuring out unofficial mac support.
The question is 480x272 video or is the 4hours of 1280x720 decoding. That will make a difference.
But will Zune HD kill my grandma.
Probabily 4 hours on the lowest quality.
@OneLove: I'm pretty sure it can, yes.
First Windows 7 now this???
WTH is going on
Who got fired for MS to improve like this?
Check out this crazy bastard.
http://www.engadget.com/profile/361154/
LULZ! It's nice to know that somewhere there's a 14 year old kid in an Apple t-shirt, red faced, sweating, and screaming at his mom because this Zune looks great.
my zune hd wishlist
multi touch amoled
3mp camera
bluetooth
wifi
.mkv & .avi support
edit files in zune (copy & paste)
expandable memory
I am sooo selling my ipod touch for one of those.. I really hope it has apps though, theres only one app i use, thats Air Mouse, it's great for a media PC setup.
The Zune BLOWS other devices away.
@Templarian Zune Battery**
@Justin: It's been confirmed that it does. Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2009657520_microsoft_still_using_seattle.html
@Templarian I would assume that since most people will have an external power source when it's docked, the 720p playback won't affect battery
One week after release it's going to be so funny seeing the lines of people at Best Buy returning these things. XD
I'd rather be in line at BB for a refund than at an ER because my Touch exploded.
No?
Oh I'm sorry, I thought we were making stupid baseless statements.
Clearly you don't have a Touch because if you did you wouldn't be stupid enough to actually take it back to Best Buy.
Oh wait, you're an Zuneist, that explains your stupid baseless statements.
So apology accepted. We forgive you, and enjoy standing at the Best Buy Zune HD return line.
Hey, you can say something besides, "hur hur, gonna am take this thing back"
Based on your lack of imagination and your handle, I'm guessing your popped collar is making it hard to understand you.
dont make me lauggh
no one would sell an ipod touch for this
@cranium suppirt for MACs and Linux will come later on :D
I'm not really a fan of either the Zune or the iPods. I'm waiting to see one that I actually like but I think that could be a big wait, I do however enjoy reading the comments of you guys going back and forth, making up names and such. I'm amazed by this brand loyalty. Sony Discman FTW! Nothing like eating through those AA's and listening to my CD's. WOOOO!
This is not year 2000! Who with right mind would buy the device with stone age web browser and no 3rd party app?
@extinction
That is EXACTLY what I am going to do. I even have a buyer lined up for my Touch
@Francisco: I don't know but since it's been confirmed that the Zune HD will have 3rd party apps and that it's browser "smokes" by reviewers who have actually used the device so I don't really know what device you're talking about.
@ warpa4
it does have multi-touch, it does have wifi, and it will support avi. avi is just a wrapper for video and audio formats. for example most avi files are mpeg-4 video with MP3 audio. i'm not sure if it has bluetooth, though.
Yeah, but does it fix health care and is it deficit neutral?
my transistor radio kick all your asses.
Thanks for the credit Richard Lawler! I know you just happened to go to the exact link i sent you guys 3 hours earlier.. Real cool.
"now all that's left is getting some alone time with one."
indeed
im at least willing to take it out to dinner first...
I'm also thinking it might be time to finally justify upgrading to a quad core i7 system if only so that the conversion process to those 14mbps 720P videos won't take forever. Finally a semi-legitimate reason to have all those cores lol.
@skant
Dinner + 300 bucks? that's expensive for foreplay.
first zune hd ftw
Heh, no. fifth. I will have to agree with the FTW part. Also, people tend to frown upon anybody else that says "FIRST P0ST!!!!1!!1111!111!!!1!ROfl!!11!". So kindly take your business elsewhere.
I really need to decide
What about audio specs?
I know right!
FLAC support would be awesome, because let's face it, nobody ever used WMA lossless.
A third party program could always add in a FLAC player once MS' app store is up and running.
@Brad Green, yea but having it just as a default option would be amazing.
My musics all in mp3 320 so I don't really care, but I know some will.
Just get dBpoweramp Music Converter or Xrecode and convert all your FLAC files to WMA Lossless. Their both fast, free, and awesome.
I don't know why more people don't use WMA Lossless. Encoding times are much faster than FLAC, the compression-ratio is a little better than FLAC (even level 8), and it supports album art (which FLAC didn't always do). It also integrates with Windows a lot better; WMA Lossless works with Media Center (without plug-ins), and you can see and edit all the tag info right in Explorer.
I love that Ogg and FLAC are free, sometimes you gotta just go with what works. If you're living in the Windows/Xbox 360/Zune world, FLAC is just not an option. It would be a big deal if FLAC had any technological advantages ("freedom" doesn't count), but I can't think of any, so I don't mind using WMA Lossless.
@Mike Cerm
Fully agree. I have all my music CDs archived as WMA Lossless on a hard-drive for years now. Plays great on my Zune 80 in a car, the sound quality through a simple analog AUX connection is incredible. I had multiple people listen to it in the car and, believe it or not, everyone agrees it sounds BETTER than when you play a CD into the car audio system - must be due to the DA converter and amp in Zune being high quality, certainly better than these components in the car (and the car is BMW with the original Professional Audio System).
WMA Lossless also plays great in a living room from Media Center connected with a digital coax cable to an amp with built in quality DA converter - great solution that beats lot of other combos, e.g. CD player or playing music with other dedicated devices, but connected with analog cables to the amp - unless it's very high priced audiofile equipment.
Ripping a CD to WMA Lossless is super-easy under Windows - just insert a CD, pre-set the right options in WM Player and off you go, including the album info, art, etc. With the right backup, my music is safe for years, the file sizes are ok due to great (lossless) compression, and the sound quality is as good as it gets (for now).
FTW Zune HD! On my shopping list, just wish there was a version with more than 32 gigs. Mabe later...
Okay so I was looking at the PDF that's linked up there and I discovered that the Zune HD does NOT support WAV files, seriously Microsoft?
Its a crapload easier to just RIP all your CD's in WMA-L as defualt I think. :)
Its the only way I rip CD's, unless its something im gunna share, then I do a MP3 rip also and upload it to the server ;)
Can someone let me borrow about$300? I'll give it back someday....
Sure what are your acount details?
And your mothers maiden name?
here we go. same MS fanboys who mock apple products for not being able to play audio 7 days straight and charge over the air, but here they are standing behind specs that are laughable compared to their Apple iPod counterparts.
OH BUT IT'S GOT OLED AND TEGRA!!!!! FTWFTWFTW!!!!!!
@Devin Brown
Christ, man, are you alright? Take a nap...
@Devin Brown: You don't seem to understand the meaning of "FTW". Also, I haven't seen anyone mock the iPods for their battery life... ever. People have made claims about the Zune HD battery life(I still find the posted specs suspect, especially considering earlier reports) and said it should be significantly better but as far as I know, nobody has bashed the iPod for not matching it. Good job on your straw man argument though.
@Mark, as I posted above the question is 480x272 video or is the 4hours of 1280x720 decoding. That will make quite the difference.
Regarding the 4 hours question, surely if you are using a dock to output to a TV it will be plugged in and charging, so I imagine the 4 hours video is for on its own screen...
@Templarian
Considering you can only output 720p with the dock, battery life may not be an issue.
@Skeepax
Yeah, but you can play a larger res video on the Zune iteself; it will just scale it down, which is going to take processing power and thus battery life. If you play a native res movie decoding it will be easier.
@Templarian -
I'd assume they mean 8.5* (not the aforementioned incorrect 4 hours) of video is at native screen resolution, not 720p, since it has to be in the dock to output this, and the dock doesn't work unless the device is charging...
Ask Rakim.
@Devin Brown
...Apple's never going to take you out on a date so just relax and hop off their nuts.
@Templarian - Ars Technica state that the video lifetimes are given when playing back low bit rate quarter VGA video - 320x240! Talk about misleading...
24 hours of audio is pathetic.. nvidia must have been full of **** about their Tegra.
My Zune30 only lasts for about 12 hours of audio, and I've never felt inclined to call it "pathetic". I only have to charge it about once a week with regular use.
2x battery life and much, much prettier visual effects = win in my book.
Twenty-four hours isn't enough for you? Are you throwing a 2-day one-man rave or something?
It's not a win. My phone can play music for over 35 hours!
@iLoveApple: Not while simultaneously displaying cool visuals it can't.
@iloveapple
Well my PC plays music until the power station stops making power or i switch it off.
how often are you going to be 24hrs away from a plug, most devices today charge to like 80% in 30-60 mins then 100% after 8hrs.
35 hours, that's really nice. I wish my iPhone 3GS could play music anywhere near that long before I'm forced to recharge it.
Who needs to sleep when you can listen to zune music for 24hrs?
Im not a fan of the video playback though, 4 hours is small time to me.
I don't think my 2nd gen Ipod touch can last that long, of if it can not by much. I have the screen set up to stay on longer then normal so maybe that's why. I have to charge it just about every other day.
I mean, you know that quoted hours are always bullshit, and come with qualifications, like no visuals, minimal skipping around, low bitrates. So let's be generous and say 20 hours for audio and then 2-3 hours for video. That's still unacceptable to me. But then, I'm coming from being spoiler with the iRiver H120 w/ an after-market battery I got for 12 bucks that gives me 24 hours by my own measure and with a collection full of FLAC and 320 mp3's. And the iAudio X5L that gave me 30+ hours.
When you consider that such much a hubbub was made over the Tegra's amazing battery life potential, 24 hours, especially when compared to competitors, is pretty bad. This generation of iPod well outlasts it. The Cowon S9 demolishes it. The Zune uses a Tegra chipset and flash memory as opposed to a hard drive and people are happy with a quoted 24(more like 20) hours? C'mon. Let's not be satisfied with mediocrity here.
If for months you had been hyped up by sources about a new hybrid car engine's fuel efficiency, and it gave you only this sort of marginal boost over previous models, you'd be rightfully disappointed.
Here's to hoping Cowon releases a 64GB S9.
TWICE the original video battery life estimate and almost 1.5x for audio battery life is a SLIGHT change? Steady on, Engadget.
Congratulations on your ability to be away from a USB port or an electrical outlet for 30 hours! :) That should come in handy during your trip over Brokeback Mountain.
Regarding Tegra and its impact on battery life...just because the Zune HD doesn't get 300 hours of audio playback doesn't mean that Tegra + OLED isn't a generational leap forward in performance vs. power consumption. What size is the battery? Are there other high-draw components?
And based on the now updated numbers, 8.5 hours of video playback? In a package that small? That's sick.
No really, it's ok to like something 'mainstream' if it's worthy. And so far this definitely looks worthy.
I suspect the reason that the battery life is only (what?) 33 hours in that the battery in it is a bit smaller than usual. Now when you really think about that; it has a smaller battery yet performs equal to or better than other devices in its class, the tegra + oled combination seems to be onto something.
Ya, the battery life sounds much better(8.5 hours of video!!!) but did any of you see that charge time? 2 hours for a full charge?!?!?!?!?!?! That's an incredibly fast charging time.
Zune hd FTW
Until the first week of September when Apple releases new iPod touches that are going to once again send Microsoft back to the drawing board. 16GB and 32GB? Anyone here who doesn't think Apple will be bumping the iPod touch to 32GB/64GB while keeping the price points the same if not dropping them slightly? Not to mention the likely addition of a still/video camera and who knows what else.
Zune HD is certainly an improvement over the old Zune's, but Microsoft is going to have to try harder to put a dent in the iPod juggernaut. As usual, it will appeal to a very limited group of gadget enthusiasts.
SOLD! Well, I was sold when it was announced. All it needs is an app store, then it'll be the official iPod killer. Finally.
they are working on a app store that will span windows phone, and zune. a large eco system.
I will always always wish for .avi support, But I didn't really expect that to begin with. In other words:
WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT
Personally I would've liked some mkv action, but I guess that remains the stuff of dreams.
You can just convert it automatically. Unlike some other software it knows how to convert almost every format it can play. Just go install the video codecs off of softpedia and everything can be converted.
unfortunately it wont even accept .avi files into the library. They need to just make it work naively. Windows 7 has it so just make it work with the Zune already.
And you see how that is ruining all our lives!
This is it! Sign me up for one... Amazon here goes my credit card...
Wait till Zune Software 4.0 will be out with full integration to Windows 7... amazing stuff.
What do you mean by full integration?
The Matrix.
I don't know what Microsoft has planned, but I have been wondering what updates are going to come to the Zune software.
And in addition to the desktop update, if any new firmware will be pushed out to the older Zunes.
How does the battery life of this compare to the iPod touch?
The iPod touch has 36 hours of audio playback.
And 6 hours of video.
I'm kinda surprised that this thing doesn't have better battery life. I thought the combo of the OLED screen and the Tegra would push this thing past the iPod touch which does a really decent job of hold a charge (and not exploding lol).
Good show MS barring any screw ups this will undoubtedly increase your market share in PMPs.
The battery capacity is a bit lower, compared to the iPod Touch. 730 vs 1100 mAh, I believe.
Article was wrong, has been corrected:
33 hours music, 8.5 video, all from a battery 60% smaller than an iPhone/Touch.
battery life is a bit disappointing; it's the same as the Ipod Touch. I thought Tegra was more energy-efficient, but maybe it's just better at video decoding. I would plan on using this very rarely for videos (i have a netbook for movies on long trips). gameplay would probably rock with this though. still, it should be mentioned that Cowon's S9, which uses an AMOLED screen, gets 55hrs audio/11hrs video.