Need Some Clarification on Zune Pass

[SMusser87]

As I understand it, I have 3 options on my WP7 device with the Zune pass:

1) Purchase - I can purchase the song or album, I also receive 10 credits per month for free downloads and they are use it or lose it, no rollover.

2) Download - I can download the songs to my device at no additional cost.

3) Stream - Stream music over the data connection at no additional cost.

My question is mainly over option #2. If I download songs to my phone, I can play them whenever I want, even with no data connection present. How exactly does this work? If I were to cancel my subscription the songs would not play I am assuming, but I just wanted a little more info on exactly how this works?

 

[Rico]

According to the Zune Pass page on media usage rights:

DRM and Zune Pass

All music that you download as part of a Zune Pass subscription is protected. While your subscription is valid:

You can download Zune Pass music on up to three computers.

You can sync Zune Pass music on up to three Zune-enabled devices.

You can play Zune Pass music an unlimited number of times while your subscription is active.

You can’t burn Zune Pass music to CD.

Licenses need to be updated periodically, so be sure to connect the computer that has your Zune Pass music to Zune Marketplace at least once every two weeks so that Zune can refresh your licenses. If you sync protected songs to your Zune-enabled device, you'll need to sync periodically to refresh those licenses as well.

If your licenses expire, you won't be able to listen to the protected songs until you restore the media usage rights. For example, if your Zune Pass subscription lapses, the licenses for Zune Pass music will expire and you’ll need to renew your subscription before you can play your Zune Pass music.

I'll add to that that you can add or remove a device to an account every thirty days, as explained in the Zune desktop client.

I noticed today that the DRMed songs I had had a license expiry date of June 5th, a month from today. On the other hand, I've had tracks on my computer that hadn't been online in a few days and they wouldn't play. According to Zune phone support, it depends on when the track was downloaded, but the tracks I checked were from the same album and hadn't been played on any device today. I just forwarded this question to Zunesupport on twitter, though in hindsight I should've done it during business hours. If I get a response, I'll post it here.

Oh, and I just found out that while Zune Pass tracks are 192kbps WMAs, the tracks you buy or download with song credits ("Keep 10") are 256kbps MP3s. The geek in me wants 320kbps, but still that's pretty sweet.

 

[1jaxstate1]

1) no rollover, use it or lost it

2) If you don't worry about overages. just download via Zune then transfer to your phone/zune player

3) Yes you can stream over data connection. But if you worried about overages, don't seem like a good idea.

As I understand it, I have 3 options on my WP7 device with the Zune pass:

1) Purchase - I can purchase the song or album, I also receive 10 credits per month for free downloads and they are use it or lose it, no rollover.

2) Download - I can download the songs to my device at no additional cost.

3) Stream - Stream music over the data connection at no additional cost.

My question is mainly over option #2. If I download songs to my phone, I can play them whenever I want, even with no data connection present. How exactly does this work? If I were to cancel my subscription the songs would not play I am assuming, but I just wanted a little more info on exactly how this works?

 

[jimski]

A little more:
- You can sync music with 3 computers AND 3 devices. If you have reached the max you can only change one device every 30 days.
-You set the conversion quality for downloads an syncs at Settings/Phone/Conversion Settings. Download at 320 Kbps and sync to phone at 256 Kbps.
-Every song I have downloaded since November, purchased or not, still plays as soon as I select it. DRM protected songs (downloaded but not purchased) cannot be burned to CD and will work till your Zune Pass expires. Purchased songs (with cash, points or credits) can be burned to CD.


Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[kevynpm]

But there's more!

You can go to zune.net on any web browser to browse the catalog of music, tv, movies, etc. And if you have the Silverlight plugin installed, you can stream Zune Pass music right there from your browser. You can even have a little popout player that you can add songs to. With ZunePass, you can get to the music you want pretty much anywhere.

 

[eric12341]

Oh, and I just found out that while Zune Pass tracks are 192kbps WMAs, the tracks you buy or download with song credits ("Keep 10") are 256kbps MP3s. The geek in me wants 320kbps, but still that's pretty sweet.

wma at 192k is far superior in sound quality to any .MP3 at 320k. **** I even think 64k is enough for a satisfying music experience,only difference I noticed between 64k and 192k on my technics sound system is that the 192k tracks have more bass to them.

 

[Rico]

Granted, there are differences in compression schemes and even software used to compress files, but one format at nearly half the bitrate of another will not likely sound "better" than another, assuming we define "better" to mean "closer to accurately reproducing to source material".

320Kbps MP3s are practically direct CD rips. I haven't done serious comparisons with WMA and MP3 in a while, but through semicasual listening I can tell you that 320kbps MP3s are superior. Perhaps you like the sound profile of 192kbps WMAs more. I'm using Shure E2cs and an Onkyo receiver with Oxygen speakers when I really want to listen to music, although most of the time I use the headset that came with my Focus, so the difference in the two formats at those bitrates isn't noticeable anyways.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

 

[jimski]

wma at 192k is far superior in sound quality to any .MP3 at 320k. **** I even think 64k is enough for a satisfying music experience,only difference I noticed between 64k and 192k on my technics sound system is that the 192k tracks have more bass to them.

Well yeah, that's called dynamic range. The smaller the file, less range, so fewer lows and highs. Listening with a set of headphones on your phone probably won't matter. But plugging your phone into a $5,000 stereo, you will probably notice. All my downloads are at 320 so if I decide to purchase later and eventually burn Cd's, if have the best available quality. Would rather have 600 great sounding songs than 1000 songs.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[Adiliyo]

as forthe drm, the license expires 30 days after either playing or downloading (i don't remember which) so it will check and refresh all the licenses after that, if you don't have the pass anymore, then the songs won't play.

so if you cancel your sub say a week after paying, you will still get the songs for another 3 weeks or so.

you can also click the little link in the zune software that shows your credits (under your profile) and it will find the 10 zune pass songs you've played the most and allow you to use your credits and buy them all.

kind of a handy little trick when you've forgotten to buy some songs and your credits are going to expire...

 

[Rhody#WP]

you can also click the little link in the zune software that shows your credits (under your profile) and it will find the 10 zune pass songs you've played the most and allow you to use your credits and buy them all.

kind of a handy little trick when you've forgotten to buy some songs and your credits are going to expire...

That's a great tip. Thanks!

 

[eric12341]

Granted, there are differences in compression schemes and even software used to compress files, but one format at nearly half the bitrate of another will not likely sound "better" than another, assuming we define "better" to mean "closer to accurately reproducing to source material".

320Kbps MP3s are practically direct CD rips. I haven't done serious comparisons with WMA and MP3 in a while, but through semicasual listening I can tell you that 320kbps MP3s are superior. Perhaps you like the sound profile of 192kbps WMAs more. I'm using Shure E2cs and an Onkyo receiver with Oxygen speakers when I really want to listen to music, although most of the time I use the headset that came with my Focus, so the difference in the two formats at those bitrates isn't noticeable anyways.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

I guess you prefer the tinny sound of MP3s then. wmas definitely have more warmth to them and the sound quality doesn't really deteriorate till like around 48k. mp3s deteriorate below 128k I've been using and comparing both since I was a freshman in HS. im a senior in college now and wma is superior. granted both codecs have advanced since then and mp3s aren't as flat and tinny as they used to be but the quality still doesn't compare to a wma pro or lossless file.

Well yeah, that's called dynamic range. The smaller the file, less range, so fewer lows and highs. Listening with a set of headphones on your phone probably won't matter. But plugging your phone into a $5,000 stereo, you will probably notice. All my downloads are at 320 so if I decide to purchase later and eventually burn Cd's, if have the best available quality. Would rather have 600 great sounding songs than 1000 songs.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

from listening in the HTC headset that came with my arrive. to my technics sound system with an ADC hooked to it and my arrive hooked to that I can tell u that whether the files are wma at 64 or 192 either way they have bangin sound quality. the 192s just have more warmth to them.

 

[jimski]

from listening in the HTC headset that came with my arrive. to my technics sound system with an ADC hooked to it and my arrive hooked to that I can tell u that whether the files are wma at 64 or 192 either way they have bangin sound quality. the 192s just have more warmth to them.

Ok, whatever. Maybe I will have to send you some bangin classical tracks to try out. Actually my DBX Dynamic Range Expander can make almost anything sound good, but I will stick with the 320k MP3's anyway.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[Rico]

I guess you prefer the tinny sound of MP3s then. wmas definitely have more warmth to them and the sound quality doesn't really deteriorate till like around 48k. mp3s deteriorate below 128k I've been using and comparing both since I was a freshman in HS. im a senior in college now and wma is superior. granted both codecs have advanced since then and mp3s aren't as flat and tinny as they used to be but the quality still doesn't compare to a wma pro or lossless file.

When I compare 320kbps MP3s to CDs, the sound is identical. If WMAs are indeed inherently warmer, I see that as a flaw, not a benefit. A codec shouldn't color the sound of the source material.

Think I'll leave it at that.

 

[thomasward00]

Remember folks as a longtime Zune user, when using the all you can eat monthly subscription service, Soundtaxi or tunebite is your best friend.....

 

[Adiliyo]

Remember folks as a longtime Zune user, when using the all you can eat monthly subscription service, Soundtaxi or tunebite is your best friend.....

yea...i don't think most forums condone the talking about ripping drm out of something you don't own.

 

[thomasward00]

Soundtaxi or Tunebite are NOT DRM strippers, if they were, both Microsoft and Apple would have put them out of business years ago. It is perfectly legal commercial software.

But your best bet for Zune advice, is Zunescene.net, it's a great site that has been around since launch.

 

[eric12341]

When I compare 320kbps MP3s to CDs, the sound is identical. If WMAs are indeed inherently warmer, I see that as a flaw, not a benefit. A codec shouldn't color the sound of the source material.

Think I'll leave it at that.

its a benefit more than anything. when a sound is warm it essentially means that there is more bass and depth to it furthermore wma can support multichannel audio whereas MP3s cannot. if wmas weren't superior to MP3 then no music stores would use them as the preferred format (iTune$ is the only one that doesn't) only reason Zune is selling MP3 is because some older devices may not support wma. I know iOS devices most certainly don't. there are also some audio sites that will claim wma is inferior just because they are made by Microsoft. the only format out there that sounds better than wma is WAV, can't beat a true RAW source of audio.

 

[thomasward00]

Although WMA's are superior, at 320 both are identical, the reason why so many online stores use WMA or AAC over MP3 is the ability to add DRM...

DRM cannot be added to MP3

 

[Adiliyo]

Soundtaxi or Tunebite are NOT DRM strippers, if they were, both Microsoft and Apple would have put them out of business years ago. It is perfectly legal commercial software.

But your best bet for Zune advice, is Zunescene.net, it's a great site that has been around since launch.

While that isn't their only function, that's the only feature I can think of when talking about it in regards to the zune pass, which is music that you are renting, but don't own, and as such it isn't legal to remove the drm from them.

If there is another use for those progrnas, I would really like to know what it is.