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Creative Zen File Structure?

H

HC77

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 20, 2004
Messages
88
Hi,
Can anyone tell me how the Creative Zen Touch & Zen Micro file structure is organized? I'm looking to purchase one in the near future - but was wondering if all of the music files could be organized by folders on the device, or if everything was dumped to a aingle folder.
Also, is it possible to delete files on the fly or do the Zens need to be connected to a PC to do so?

I've previously used a 4G ipod for several days, and though it was sleek and small, I wasn't happy with the player's menu interface, or i-Tunes. (OTOH Anandpod Explorer did work pretty well)

Thanks.
 
all file I/O has to be done via proprietary app.

Folder structure is irrelevant since the app is the only way to access the unit, and it goes by playlists only.

Really the way it works PC end is dissappointing...I love how small it is, but I am seriously considering going to an iPod, or an iRiver if they ever make one that's as small as the Zen.


edit: there is a 3rd party app called Notmad, that supposedly is good, but I haven't tried it.
 
mustang_steve said:
all file I/O has to be done via proprietary app.

Folder structure is irrelevant since the app is the only way to access the unit, and it goes by playlists only.

Really the way it works PC end is dissappointing...I love how small it is, but I am seriously considering going to an iPod, or an iRiver if they ever make one that's as small as the Zen.


edit: there is a 3rd party app called Notmad, that supposedly is good, but I haven't tried it.
Click to expand...
Yeah - if I purchased a Zen I would also buy Notmad Explorer, which is why I was curious about the file structure. It would be convenient to be able to separate the audio files by Artist,Album etc. on the device.
IMHO Red Chair's Anandpod Explorer is a LOT more user friendly than iTunes, and I would imagine that Notmad is similar when compared to Creative's native app.
 
I would experiment, but I still have to find that stupid USB-A to mini-B cable to hook it up to my PC.....god I hate those things...can't even find them in PC shops most of the time. To me those cables are some engineers way f saying "You know what, i hate people, I hate that woman who declined to go to prom with me back in high school...that was the closest I ever got to a woman GRR ILL HOSE OVER ALL USERS WITH AN ANNOYINGLY COMMON YET UNAVAILIBLE CABLE DESING MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!


...ok, so maybe it didn't go that way...gotta admit, it had flare though!
 
I dont know about the micro but the zen NX can be organized via the device, I regularly delete songs I dont want on there. As for the folder structure, they are organized how ever you want, by artist, album, genre, playlist or song title.
 
The new firmware for the Micro lets you use it as a portable hard drive...just drag and drop your music files onto there.
 
Sounds promising... So, have you guys had luck with your Zen Micro/Zen Touch (ie no hardware defects)... I'd like the Touch for the space (20GB), but the Micro FM Tuner/Voice Recording functions would be very useful for me...


I'm hoping that they update the Touch with these features.

Thanks for the responses.
 
my touchpad is kinda screwed up already, but it's just an annoyance, press down on each side of it (left and right) andd it works fine for the next half hour or so.

I already took it apart (since the pad was messed up, and I lost my receipt so no warranty anymore...) to see if I can upgrade the hard drive in it...actually it's a heavily modified notebook drive...I could prolly put it right in my dell and backup the empty disk via ghost to have a backup FS in case things get really mudged up.
 
HC77 said:
Sounds promising... So, have you guys had luck with your Zen Micro/Zen Touch (ie no hardware defects)... I'd like the Touch for the space (20GB), but the Micro FM Tuner/Voice Recording functions would be very useful for me...


I'm hoping that they update the Touch with these features.

Thanks for the responses.
Click to expand...

I believe Creative offers a remote that posesses these features. Just look for it in their store.
 
buzzard34 said:
I believe Creative offers a remote that posesses these features. Just look for it in their store.
Click to expand...
Yep - I checked out the store - You're right Buzzard. I wonder if they'll be updating the unit itself w/ these features in the next version. I'd be happiest w/ a replaceable battery like the
Micros though.
 
Dont get the zen touch remote, its a massive piece of tacky shit. Seriously, i got one to go with my zen touch, its atrocious, nasty horrible plasticy thing, that makes an annoying buzzy noise when its backlight is on.

As far as how files are arranged on it, if you mean how theyre arranged in teh menus on the device then you can sort them however you want, but you can only store data to it/get it off using the mediasource organizer or something like notmad, it doe snot work like a mass storage device, unless theres a firmware update ive missed. Which would be amazing. Ive not had any technical issues with it, its around 3 months old, and has been dropped a couple or 4 times with seemingly no ill effects.
 
i think that you can transfer files via wmp 10 especially after the firmware updates. i have been reading reviews that ppl were much happier with this approach. my question is still this: i've read that the file structure is just lumped onto the disk, not much organization, etc...

anyone have any experience with the zen micro and napster to go service? was it easy?
 
I've read the same thing about lumped files on disk, as opposed to organization by subdirectories. Can anyone confirm?

Also, I recently read that the Rio equivalent of the iPod/Zen etc. has the capability to playback Flac files... Is there any chance that Creative will update the firmware to support this as well?

The Zen seems to fit my needs better than either the iPod or Rio players, Flac support would be ideal.

mgars said:
i think that you can transfer files via wmp 10 especially after the firmware updates. i have been reading reviews that ppl were much happier with this approach. my question is still this: i've read that the file structure is just lumped onto the disk, not much organization, etc...

anyone have any experience with the zen micro and napster to go service? was it easy?
Click to expand...
 
I posted the file/link to it a while ago, but this I have as of right now...

Go here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/dme/ptsupport.asp

If this is the file I used last time, the hard drive shows up as a external hard drive and...

PowerToy Delivers Direct Nomad Access: Given that Nomad is a hard-drive coupled to an MP3/WMA player, it would make sense for it to appear simply as an external storage device in Windows – with its own drive letter. Unfortunately, there's currently no way of doing that, but Microsoft has worked with Creative to create a PowerToy for Windows XP that provides better access -- but it's still not as good as Notmad Explorer.

This PowerToy requires Windows Media Player 9, and it allows you to see what's on your Nomad player. Unfortunately it only gives you a "one-way street", letting you copy audio or data files to, but not from your Nomad. It's useful, but only goes halfway. Then again, the price is right (free), and it does add a feature that Creative's own software lacks. Still, compared to Notmad Explorer, this is an incomplete solution.
Click to expand...
from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdext/is_200307/ai_ziff44347

But, I can't gurantee much. Just something you might want to look into.

-fool
 
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