Zune Software 4.8 for wp8.1

[Morpheus Phreak]

The correct term is 0 attention. Media Center and the Zune client are not in active development any longer. The team that did work on the Zune desktop client are all on other projects now.

 

[Dk92]

The correct term is 0 attention. Media Center and the Zune client are not in active development any longer. The team that did work on the Zune desktop client are all on other projects now.

Allow me to interject for a second, but That's just the thing, I don't understand why Microsoft created Windows Phone app for desktop when they could've just expanded on Windows Media Center. Bundling an out-of-date by 10 years program that no-one uses anymore (I assume) with something as brand new and as fresh as Windows 8.1 is mind-boggling.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

It's not bundled. They made it part of a separate pack that you purchase and it requires you to input a key to install the feature. It's basically an option to keep Win7 MC users happy.

It is also not out of date by 10 years. It is the Win7 version of Media Center.

 

[DavidinCT]

But Windows Media Center is still around , isn't it? You just have to pay for it or some such, right?

Well, sort of. It works on Windows 8 but, you need to buy the Pro-pack for it ($9.99). If you check the version numbers, it's the same as the version on Windows 7. Infact the only change they did was remove "Start Windows Media Center when the computer starts" from Windows 8.

As today, tech is changing, Newer dolby digital 10.1, 4K tv, Blu-ray, and I could go on with features that Windows Media Center does not support because they killed it a few years ago. They where known as the eHome team, infact the leader of Windows Phone was the leader of the WMC group.

I still use it with Xbox 360 extenders but, there is no support in the Xbox one, nor any plans to upgrade it, so yea, it's dead....and I would LOVE to see them bring it back and do MAJOR updates changes (maybe Xbox one TV interface, etc).

One of Microsoft's best products they ever made...

and I am a certifed Customer Home theater/automation installer from MS on MCE and I was a MVP for 2010-2011...I know media center VERY WELL.

Research "Ceton". They manufacture great devices that function specifically with Media Center, that they continue to develop and sell. The Ceton cards and boxes replace your cable boxes /DVR Recorders and cable box fees. If you add an Xbox360 or two or three ... as Media Extenders, you can set up an amazing whole house Media Center! Using Windows Media Center you can access cable TV, recorded TV, pictures, music, movies, etc distributed throughout your home. .

I know who they are, in fact I have one of their cablecard tuners, I know their support and hardware very well, I use it for some installs. Sure, it's alive but, internet video from the guide is gone, No update ever came down for 2 way cablecards (Ordering PPV from the remote, that you CAN NOT DO IN MCE, it was in beta), Dish network AND DirecTV had products in beta for WMC, we never saw them. Still long term bugs in movie library. Sure Ceton make products for MCE and they are good BUT, no new updates, no new support for standards, No feature changes.

Sure they support them and it is still a working product (crap, Windows XP is still running as of now) but, in Microsoft's eyes it's a disco'd product and will not be updated or changed in anyway....This is what I would LOVE to see changed

Yes, it appears that Microsoft (and the unknowing masses) are not giving ZUNE PC software, nor Media Center much attention, but these two incredible software are not dead.

In Microsoft's eye, because the team who worked on the eHome team was broken up, it is infact a Dead Product. Sure it will run for years to come but, update or changes, not going to happen...sad to say..

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

I may have met you David if you ever attended any MVP events on campus at MS while you were an MVP (things like the MVP Summit and such). I know a ton of the MCE folks pretty well, including Meredith (if you know who she is) who used to run a lot of the community stuff for the MCE folks.

I still have my really old VixS tuner and some swag they handed out to us around 2005ish (including original MCE logo beanies and such).

Some of those events are what helped me make the decision to move closer to Redmond and start contracting on projects for them.

 

[Studio384]

The team behind Zune is the same team as Xbox Music. The team isn't gone, and since Zune is in the top 20 of feature request, I think it's safe to say that we might have a chance on a return of Zune.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

The team behind Zune is the same team as Xbox Music. The team isn't gone, and since Zune is in the top 20 of feature request, I think it's safe to say that we might have a chance on a return of Zune.

No it's not. Most of the Zune team moved on to other projects...and some just moved on.

For instance the gentleman who was in charge of the desktop client for Zune is now in charge of the UI for the Xbox One...and if Zune ever returns I'll keel over from surprise...sadly enough.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

It's a shame don't have a way to make Zune available for WP8. I still use Zune in my desktop, for me it's still the best player and was the best sync player too.

 

[Cage Ata]

Everything may be clarified today. I say today because well in New Zealand its Thursday 3rd of April!!

 

[willied]

I wish they would bring it back. Letting Zune die and not having WP8 support was one of Microsoft's worst decisions. I don't know why they wouldn't bring some form of it back since so many people liked it.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

I wish they would bring it back. Letting Zune die and not having WP8 support was one of Microsoft's worst decisions. I don't know why they wouldn't bring some form of it back since so many people liked it.

Zune used a non-standard file transfer mechanism for devices. Using it would have required some major retooling for WP8. Since Zune is essentially no more it makes sense to just move forward with tools specifically designed for WP8 that can also grow and improve with the platform.

 

[GrandGerminator]

Zune used a non-standard file transfer mechanism for devices. Using it would have required some major retooling for WP8. Since Zune is essentially no more it makes sense to just move forward with tools specifically designed for WP8 that can also grow and improve with the platform.

Maybe it would make more sense to make standard Zune transfert then update Zune to W8 instead of just drop this softare ?

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

Maybe it would make more sense to make standard Zune transfert then update Zune to W8 instead of just drop this softare ?

Because Zune no longer exists. The software is still available because it's necessary for them to provide it for Windows Phone 7 users as long as they are still within the support cycle.

Updating it would require re-establishing a team to do so. There are just a lot of reasons why it doesn't make sense to go backwards when they already have a solution that they are continuing to improve.

 

[Kevin Rush]

Zune does exist.

The world is full of great, useful software that is not under current development. There is even horrible software that currently exists and is available for download and use, that is not under current development. Certainly, someday, all software becomes nonfunctional for a variety of reasons. This is not the case with Zune, today.

I would urge anyone looking for a great PC desktop player for podcasts, your music and video collection, your Xbox music AND as I said above, your Xbox Video, pictures, and more, to take a look and honestly try this great software. It is connected to XBox MUSIC /VIDEO.

Different than the great Media Center software ($10), ZUNE is free.

Certainly, nothing ever lasts forever, but please don't declare me dead, while I'm still up and about, doing great work. If you get the analogy.

Really, I think the features, not the name, not the old team, not the old people, the great features, could be implemented somehow.

Best Wishes.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

I was referring to internally at Microsoft. The Zune group was long ago disbanded and have either moved on to other projects or have just moved on from MS entirely.

 

[rover_xp]

Zune does exist.

The world is full of great, useful software that is not under current development. There is even horrible software that currently exists and is available for download and use, that is not under current development. Certainly, someday, all software becomes nonfunctional for a variety of reasons. This is not the case with Zune, today.

I would urge anyone looking for a great PC desktop player for podcasts, your music and video collection, your Xbox music AND as I said above, your Xbox Video, pictures, and more, to take a look and honestly try this great software. It is connected to XBox MUSIC /VIDEO.

Different than the great Media Center software ($10), ZUNE is free.

Certainly, nothing ever lasts forever, but please don't declare me dead, while I'm still up and about, doing great work. If you get the analogy.

Really, I think the features, not the name, not the old team, not the old people, the great features, could be implemented somehow.

Best Wishes.

Thank you for sharing your opinion, can't agree with you more!

I was searching for the podcast player program I've been using some time ago, had to go through some recommendations lists and noticed a Zune screenshot, which looked like a clean & professional Metro application (I do love the design language). I'm now downloading Zune Software from the official download link which is, thankfully, still online, hoping to use it as a music&podcast player.

Here it is if anyone's interested (sorry not allowed to post proper links):

www(.)microsoft(.)com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27163, that one will take you to download(.)microsoft(.)com/download/0/2/0/02013E44-FC92-477F-90F5-A50351480497/ZunePackage.exe (the direct link).