XBox Music - Enough is enough...

[Simon Gregory]

Looks like the XBMusic master list of issues thread is now going to get closed off, to be split into more specific mini threads. WPCentral also had a post today highlighting a puny update to the W8 sync app. The comments of which are filled by fellow disgruntled people who know what has been lost with the axing of the Zune app.

Who else would like to join with me in asking WPC to do an article highlighting the issues we're all having?

It's been months and MS have announced nothing. A little tinkering with these apps isn't going to fix the issue, MS needs to know how badly an acceptable syncing and management solution is required by WP8 music lovers.

 

[lipper2000]

Im interested in reading about these issues as my experience is pretty good...albeit it's a very barebones app but I don't really have sync issues at all...been a long time zune pass holder

 

[Darkgift]

I would love this! We need a bigger voice. I too am a long time Zune Pass holder. Still have the old $14.99 account with 10 free mp3s....and I am appalled with what happened with Windows Phone and music.

 

[Huime]

all I want is a good video player, I listen my music through Nokia Music only.

 

[Simon Gregory]

The lead XBox Music dev has now posted back to the master issues list on the MS forums, and locked it down:
http://answers.microsoft.com/static...c-on-wp8/b1c64834-de43-4af6-8069-4626090289a3
Would love WPC to pick up the ball and run with this one. When they open up the new threads, everybody needs to be know where they can go to add their contribution...

 

[Angry_Mushroom]

all I want is a good video player, I listen my music through Nokia Music only.

Well... VLC is coming to WP8 eventually, so just wait for that.

I just want a nice basic stand alone player that works. I've had some pretty constant issues with Xbox music. I might take a look into Nokia music and see if I can run that stand alone from Xbox Music without any issues. My music... no need to have offers to sell me more.

 

[dawindbag]

I too want WPC to write and article and shine a brighter light on this glaring problem. Xbox Music and Video is horribly broken (far more disastrous than the Xbox Games situation that WPC dedicated a series to) and the Metadata/Syncing/Cloud Collection/Podcast/Windows 8 experiences are all barely serviceable.

And people with Xbox Music Pass aren't allowed to comment "works for me!" Of course it works for you, you're just streaming everything and don't actually have to sync anything or manage music locally.

 

[Marcos Hidalgo]

I just want proper sync again, the app is useless. So yes WPC get on it please.
Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Board Express

 

[Simon Gregory]

The Master List Of Issues has now been updated with a number of new, more focussed threads, and is being monitored directly by the XBM lead dev:
http://answers.microsoft.com/static...c-on-wp8/b1c64834-de43-4af6-8069-4626090289a3
Still hoping WPC will pick this up and put out a post to let everybody know there is a new opportunity for the community to help make XBox Music better.

 

[dainla]

Two days ago I reformated by SD card, resynced all my music. Today I have three of each song.

It's getting to the point where I'm ready to switch to another OS.

Write the ****ing article

 

[awesomeindeed]

Xbox Music has spoiled my opinion of what was once a GREAT music service with GREAT software... Zune. I HATE the half-baked, inconsistent and half-working implementation in WP8 and W8. It flat out sucks. I've been a Zune user since the very first day, and I almost can't stand using Xbox Music on my devices now. I feel I have to fight it every step of the way.

 

[red grenadine]

I agree with this. A long feature article about how broken this is would serve to highlight the issue to consumers as well as Microsoft.

Also, Gapless Playback please!

 

[lipper2000]

Im interested in reading about these issues as my experience is pretty good...albeit it's a very barebones app but I don't really have sync issues at all...been a long time zune pass holder

I don't understand the fuss to be honest...I'm a long time zune pass holder from my zuneHD days...
There really isn't a need to sync with software...The only time I sync'd with my old Focus and the Zune software was when I was downloading an XAP file as my focus was hacked so I had some nifty non-marketplace apps installed...
Outside of that there was not much reason to be honest...

With my 920, all my music is listed on my phone and I just play the songs from the cloud...I guess I could download them through the app but I don't see the need....

 

[pmhgeneral]

I don't understand the fuss to be honest...I'm a long time zune pass holder from my zuneHD days...
There really isn't a need to sync with software...The only time I sync'd with my old Focus and the Zune software was when I was downloading an XAP file as my focus was hacked so I had some nifty non-marketplace apps installed...
Outside of that there was not much reason to be honest...

With my 920, all my music is listed on my phone and I just play the songs from the cloud...I guess I could download them through the app but I don't see the need....

So how do you save music to the cloud, I use SkyDrive. Than how would one play it back to your Windows Phone 8 please let me know when you can.
Thanks

 

[HNNNNNGHHH]

I'm just actually curious as to why Zune couldn't just be rebranded to Xbox Music instead of creating yet another music service. I never had problems with Zune back in old WP7 days, but now it's 2013 and I'm becoming constantly annoyed by duplicate songs showing up on my phone.

Microsoft needs to either rebrand Zune as Xbox Music and use that, or fic Xbox Music ASAP. If problems like these continue to be overlooked, Windows Phone will lose more followers, and I'd hate to have to switch to Android or iOS as my OS of choice.

 

[dainla]

I don't understand the fuss to be honest...I'm a long time zune pass holder from my zuneHD days...
There really isn't a need to sync with software...The only time I sync'd with my old Focus and the Zune software was when I was downloading an XAP file as my focus was hacked so I had some nifty non-marketplace apps installed...
Outside of that there was not much reason to be honest...

With my 920, all my music is listed on my phone and I just play the songs from the cloud...I guess I could download them through the app but I don't see the need....

Maybe because I pay 60 bucks a month with T Mobile and therefore don't have unlimited data.

Next question.

 

[Narr]

I've got tired of the constant skipping of tracks, downloading tracks using data even though there is a local copy, unable to verify usage rights, freezing of the handset when choosing to shuffle the tracks. I'm now using my WP7 device for music until these get fixed as it's too frustrating.

 

[Simon Gregory]

I don't understand the fuss to be honest...I'm a long time zune pass holder from my zuneHD days...
There really isn't a need to sync with software...The only time I sync'd with my old Focus and the Zune software was when I was downloading an XAP file as my focus was hacked so I had some nifty non-marketplace apps installed...
Outside of that there was not much reason to be honest...

With my 920, all my music is listed on my phone and I just play the songs from the cloud...I guess I could download them through the app but I don't see the need....

Streaming is fine if:
1) you are a Zune pass holder and don't mind paying for a service to provide tracks you've already bought
2) if you always have a good persistent internet connection whenever you want to listen to music, or you don't mind the tracks skipping or stopping altogether
3) you don't care about using up your expensive data plan
4) you don't ever want to put tracks onto your device that will then invariably get doubled (or trippled up)

Downloading from the cloud is fine if:
1) it actually worked reliably! I've had so many counts of random tracks 'downloading' but then I actually realise its still streaming for some unknown reason.
2) you are lucky enough to not receive drm or error messages trying to play legitimate music you already own
3) you aren't one of the people who has to listen to adverts during the songs you own
4) you don't care about how your tracks are organised and agree that XBM has the right to mess around with track titles and song orders.

How's that for a reason, and I've not even finished... And I've not even started on the W8 Xbox Music app either...

 

[xWisp]

Playlists
Why are they so incredibly hard to manage/create/edit on the phone
Live tile
Why is it that horrible ugly color green instead of my accent color?
Search
Why can I not search by artist or song name? By letters isn't enough.

See I think MS knows all of this is missing. They want you to buy windows 8 also to manage the music library better with wp8 xbox music. Which sucks. And the green tile is just to advertise for xbox.

 

[Simon Gregory]

I originally thought that this was an attempt by MS to force everybody into rental subscriptions. Now, I just think this has come about by plain neglect and inconsistent management decisions.
Has anybody heard anything on what they are actually going to do to sort this mess out?
I really hope this isn't going to be the situation for the lifetime of my WP8!