Zen X-Fi3 m4a and other problems

[morimando]

Hey there.
Today, I got my Zen X-Fi3. And I already have problems which make me think about sending the thing back and getting a different player from a different brand.
I bought the Zen, because of its support for FLAC and unprotected AAC/M4A files, since I use those two formats most. I copied some mp3s and some m4a onto the device, removed it from the PC and waited patiently... then I browsed through the music, but a) didn't find ANY M4A file and b) didn't find all the MP3 (with some ID3 doesn't work, although all of them are labeled with EasyTAG, so either all or none should be problemativ).
Those that I did find didn't all have the proper CD-Cover, some were missing it (again, same Tagger...).
And not all Genres were displayed properly, some were just thrown under "Unknown" and browsing them is a pain in the youknowwhat.
So... how do I get the X-Fi3 to work as I expect it ? At the moment, apart from the sound output, which is better with the ZEN, my Android phone makes for a better mp3 player than this piece of plastic.
Can anyone help me out? Or should I just send it back and get a proper player?

[Kok-Choy]

Hi,

Where did you get these AAC files from? Are these ripped from CDs?
I suggest you take this up with customer support for assistance.

[morimando]

Hi, Where did you get these AAC files from? Are these ripped from CDs?

Yes I encode my CDs in m4a. The weirdest thing is that 1 of these files is shown and played back in the Zen, while the rest does not even show up. Of course they're all encoded using the same program with the same settings. I contacted Customer Support as well and am waiting for them to reply. To me it looks like they shipped the thing with a buggy firmware, but there are no fw updates on the support page yet.

[morimando]

It seems that when I re-encode the m4a files, it works. Maybe the encoder I used wrote something fishy (although it still baffles me that all other players could play them and only the X-Fi had problems). My still persisting problem is the ID3-Tags, though. I tried v2.3, v2.4 and v.1, 2.3&1 and 2.4&1 in combination AND I used 3 differend tagging programs. But still, the tags are either weird (Like ORT=Artistname) and RAINZ_ALBUMID= or are filed under "Unknown Artist" "Unknown Album" &c. Any idea how that might be solved? Still waiting for tech support.. Oh and you guys might want to get rid of the Spambot-Invasion

[Kok-Choy]

When you re-encode the m4a files are you using a different software? If so, what software? You might want to inform support about this. Let us know how it goes. Thanks for the heads up, I've removed the spam and banned those accounts.

[morimando]

I used Soundconverter (Linux/Gnome), but as far as I could figure out, the AAC-profile (LC) that the Zen accepts is very narrow, so to say. Converting using iTunes works (of course...) and displays tags as expected. So I researched a while longer and am now testing audio-convert-mod (using FAAC in 256bit mode) and NeroAacEnc (for which I lack a conversion tool at the moment, at least as long as I don't want to use the command line). For ripping from CD, I am currently checking out Asunder, which can use the NeroAac Encoder natively, which should (because it encodes in LC, among others) work on the Zen as well. I'll let you know how this goes. Support didn't answer yet. On a sidenote: it would be very much an improvement, would Creative release an updated firmware that more broadly supports AAC (main profile, for example, or at least reads tags better somehow). But I guess that won't happen

[morimando]

Another thing: I have the same tagging problem with MP3 files and am currently trying to figure out what is wrong... Since I tried all possible versions of the ID3 Tag, it seems I now have to look into encodings. UTF-8 Tags seem to be a baddy baddy no no for this player (?)

[Kok-Choy]

Sorry we can't comment about any future firmware updates. This information is only made known to us when the actual firmware is about to be release to the public.

[morimando]

If I didn't miss something, then MP3s with ID3 v.2.3 and UTF-8 Encoding work and AAC files with the LC profile. The first might have something to do with taglib versus id3tag. Should I send my findings to the support? They haven't yet answered to anything.

[U1ysses]

Does anybody know if there is an updated driver for an old zen nano plus so i can download music from a windows 7 OS