Does zune pass allow you to keep music on your zune so you dont have to load it off their server every play? Like a DRM file tied to your account and when your account expires, your zune wont be able to play them anymore. Or is it like an on demand service?
Yes, as I meant to communicate by "resides" above, your whole
collection -consisting of thousands of downloaded tracks from MS servers, and ripped tracks or albums from your CDs, any mp3s you own, are ON all your devices, limited only by their respective storage capacity. Your
collection music is not streaming; it is playing from your built-in or expandable memory, and thus it will play without
any connection, anywhere, limited only by your battery life. You can also stream unlimited music, without downloading it, with your Zune Pass, and for that you do, of course, need to be connected to MS servers. Also, to use certain Zune music features --such as Smart DJ, which finds related music like certain other services, you also need to be connected.
And, yes, when you stop paying for your Zune Pass, only your own music will continue to play on all devices. That is the Deal.