[Reeves]

I'm picking up my Cyan 920 from the Microsoft store tomorrow and want to be ready, but the more I read about Xbox Music and all of its complexities, the more confused I get.

So help me out here:

1) I have only Windows 7 PCs, each with Zune on them and a LOT of Zune Pass-downloaded music that I keep local on my Lumia 900. Once I get my 920, will that music play locally on my 920 if I drag and drop it? Or is it better to use the new "Windows Phone" desktop software for both W7 and W8?

2) On Zune and WP7.5, if I need to download albums, I simply find the album in a search, click on it, click "download" on the Songs page, then click "Download" on the Confirm Download page. How do I do the same on Xbox Music and WP8?

[shinygerbil]

I'm picking up my Cyan 920 from the Microsoft store tomorrow and want to be ready, but the more I read about Xbox Music and all of its complexities, the more confused I get.

So help me out here:

1) I have only Windows 7 PCs, each with Zune on them and a LOT of Zune Pass-downloaded music that I keep local on my Lumia 900. Once I get my 920, will that music play locally on my 920 if I drag and drop it? Or is it better to use the new "Windows Phone" desktop software for both W7 and W8?

I have heard mixed results - seems to work for some people but not for others. Given the awful mess that is the "new" syncing apps, my preferred method was to actually go into the Store on the phone, search and download albums individually. I realise this is a bit wasteful, but it didn't take too long over Wifi. However, you're probably going to run into a big problem, related to your next question.....

2) On Zune and WP7.5, if I need to download albums, I simply find the album in a search, click on it, click "download" on the Songs page, then click "Download" on the Confirm Download page. How do I do the same on Xbox Music and WP8?

Exactly the same, in most cases.

HOWEVER!

If you have already downloaded the album on another device, the chances are high that the album is now "in your cloud collection". Now when you go to download the album again, it will ONLY have the "in collection, buy" button or the play button (which will stream it from the cloud). No easy way to download the album - even though it is in your collection.

The best solution so far:

• go to Music+Videos hub
• tap on Settings
• enable "Show Xbox Music Cloud Collection" (actually I think this is enabled by default)
• find the album in your "collection" (rather than through the store)
• tap on the album title
• tap the Select button at the bottom
• tap Select All, hidden behind the three dots
• tap the Download button

....and finally your music (which you already "own") will actually be downloaded. It's a chore, but it's the best we have so far. :(

[Reeves]

Appreciate the info, but I have a followup question.

Do I even have to bother futzing with the "Xbox Music Cloud Collection" or whatever if I take my Zune Pass-downloaded songs and just move them over via drag and drop?

[shinygerbil]

Well, I've never actually tried it. But let's have a quick look!

So just using File Explorer to drag and drop the files, I get a nice message:


If I manage to find my way around the dreadful Windows 8 sync app, the files will transfer to my phone, but I am confronted with this when I try to play them:



So, short answer, yes you probably will need to do some messing about. :<

EDIT: These are songs downloaded with Zune Pass, of course.

[cre8tivspirit]

I'd like to add one other question to this mix.

Since I still have Windows 7 and Zune on my PC with the 14.99/month account + 10 free purchases, am I losing that with xbox music pass?

[rockstarzzz]

Well, I've never actually tried it. But let's have a quick look!

So just using File Explorer to drag and drop the files, I get a nice message:
Click to view quoted image


If I manage to find my way around the dreadful Windows 8 sync app, the files will transfer to my phone, but I am confronted with this when I try to play them:
Click to view quoted image



So, short answer, yes you probably will need to do some messing about. :<

EDIT: These are songs downloaded with Zune Pass, of course.

I got the second one, as I use Windows 8, din't see the first one.

It kept skipping through about 400 songs and then played one. However, after a while it kept playing new songs and now after about 24 hours, I can pretty much play all those dragged and dropped songs. My wifi and data connection is off so I am pretty sure my phone can't access the cloud.

[rockstarzzz]

I'd like to add one other question to this mix.

Since I still have Windows 7 and Zune on my PC with the 14.99/month account + 10 free purchases, am I losing that with xbox music pass?

I think your Zune pass just changes it's name, everything else remains the same as long as you renew your subscription before it expires.