Below is the step by step tutorial about how to transfer DVD movies and TV shows, videos, YouTube and Google videos, iTunes DRM protected music to Microsoft Zune.

Before getting started, let’s take a look at the audio and video formats Microsoft Zune recognizes:

Audio Support
Windows Media Audio Standard (WMA) (.wma); WMA Lossless; Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) (.mp4, .m4a, .m4b, .mov); MP3 (.mp3).

Video Support
Windows Media Video (WMV) (.wmv); MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) (.mp4) Part 2 video; H.264 video; DVR-MS.

So, you see, in order to put DVD movies and TV shows, video files and YouTube and Google video onto Zune, you will need a converter that will go from DVD and video to Zune WMV or MP4 (Video) or Zune WMA or MP3 (Audio). This kind of program can only rip the DVD’s or convert the video files to your PC, however, Microsoft offers Zune users the free program called “Zune Software” to sync the media from PC to Zune. You just need to download it from its official website http://www.zune.net , where you can get the most detailed information about Zune as well.

In this tutorial, I’d like to demonstrate how to rip DVD’s and convert videos to Zune using Clone2Go DVD to Zune Converter. The reason I choose it lies in that, unlike other DVD to Zune converters that can rip only DVD movies for Zune, this DVD to Zune converter can also be used to convert regular video files to Zune. Plus, it allows you to download videos from YouTube and Google and then convert YouTube FLV videos to some format accepted by Zune. Let’s take a look at how it performs:

1. Add DVD movies or TV shows

Insert the DVD disc into the disc drive, click the Open DVD button to import it if you are going to enjoy the DVD movie on your Zune. Or if the DVD movie is saved as a folder on your computer, you need to click the Add Video button to locate that folder, which is composed of two separate folders: VIDEO_TS and AUIDO_TS. From the VIDEO_TS folder, select the .vob file to import and then click OK.

2. Import video files

You can also import videos stored on your PC by clicking the Add Video button and then click OK. The supporting formats are shown as follows:

3. Download YouTube or Google videos

If you want to enjoy online YouTube or Google videos on your Zune, click the YouTube button on the main interface. In the pop-up window, copy and paste the URLs of the YouTube videos one by one.

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/298286**31_317b356fdf_o.jpg[/img]

There will be a list of the added YouTube videos, which will be downloaded automatically one by one. And the downloading status is clearly shown on the list. After the status of all of them indicates Completed, you can tick whichever videos you want to watch on your Zune.

After the DVD’s, videos or YouTube/Google videos are imported, you can preview it on the main interface. If you only want a clip of the DVD/video, you can drag the Start to trim and Stop to trim button to get the certain segment.

After making sure you have chosen the right profile from the Profile drop-down list, now you can click the Start Encode button to starting ripping DVD movies or TV shows, converting videos or downloading and converting online YouTube/Google videos for your Zune.

4. Convert iTunes M4P music to Zune

The music downloaded from iTunes Store is under DRM protection. In order to play it on your Zune, you need to strip the DRM off and have the iTunes protected AAC (M4P) music converted to Zune WMA or MP3 format. The easiest way is to burn the iTunes M4P playlist to CD-R or CD-RW disc to make an audio CD and then use some CD ripper software to convert the audio CD track back to MP3. And iTunes allows you to burn the protected music files to CD-R or CD-RW disc to make a standard audio CD:

A. Insert a CD-R or CD-RW disc into your CD-ROM drive. You’d better use CD-RW disc as it can be used for more than once.
B. Create a new playlist in iTunes. Add the protected songs to your playlist until you have 72 minutes of music. Click the Burn Disc button, in the pop-up window of Burn Settings, tick Audio CD from the Disc Format checkboxes. Note: You cannot select the MP3 CD option since it requires the protected music files be converted to unprotected MP3 or WMA files.
C. After the audio CD is successfully burned, insert the disc into your CD-ROM drive again. Then you can use iTunes or Windows Media Player to import the music tracks on the burned disc to MP3 or WMA files.

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I had uploaded music from my computer to my Zune device but later had to wipe my hard drive effectively wiping the music on my computer. I still have the music on my Zune device and was wondering, how would you go about uploading music from my Zune device to my Zune player on my computer? If anybody can help it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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Going up against the almighty Apple iPod is no easy task, but Microsoft is giving it all they got with its impressive line of Zune media players, with capacities ranging from 4GB all the way up to 120GB.

With a huge screen, excellent audio quality (complimented by outstanding earbuds), FM radio and support for multiple audio and video codecs, the Redmond, Wash.-based giants are hoping many will put the two competing products side-by-side and choose in favour of the Zune.

But if you know someone who already owns a Zune, you’re probably aware of the device’s attractive display, well-balanced audio and built-in radio, which is also great at the gym by listening to a TV broadcast. Oh, Zune owners can now “tag” a song they hear on the radio and purchase a CD-quality version at a later time (only in the U.S. at this time, however).

Here are a few things — and impressive ones at that — about the Zune you probably aren’t aware of.

1. Games and books, oh my!

The latest Zune software (version 3.0) now lets you play games while on the go. In fact, you’ll start with two freebies included with the latest downloadable firmware update: Hextic and Texas Hold ‘Em. The Zune will also let you multitask so you can play a game and listen to your favourite tunes, podcasts or an audiobook at the same time! Speaking of audiobooks, Zune owners can now sync books from the huge library of titles at audible.com or overdrive.com.

2. Sharing is good

When you’re in the same room as another Zune listener – and it doesn’t matter if they own a Flash- or hard drive-based model – you can wirelessly beam them a song you like, which the recipient can listen to up to three times on their Zune. This is a great way to be exposed to new music. No wonder why Microsoft’s tagline for the Zune is “welcome to the social.”

3. Wireless sync

iPod owners are used to connecting their player to a PC to transfer over media. For some, this can be a laborious process if it involves connecting a USB cord to the back of a computer (perhaps under a desk), and you might need to unplug an existing USB device first. So long as you have a wireless network, you can automatically synchronize your Zune player with your PC when you step in the door.

4. It’s in the cards

On the free Zune Social, which is Zune’s online music community, you can easily create and customize a Zune Card. What’s that, you ask? No, these aren’t Zune-branded playing cards. These online cards can be embedded on various social networking sites, such as Facebook, as well as blogs or other websites, where it will automatically update to show others what they are listening to.

5. X(box) marks the spot

Xbox 360 owners who want to change up their favourite video game’s soundtrack can play their own music stored on a connected Zune – whether it’s by attaching the media player to the console via its USB cord (included) or if you have a Wi-Fi network and a Xbox 360 wireless network adaptor, you can wirelessly configure your Zune to play on your Xbox 360 (as a soundtrack or simply to use your TV/stereo speakers).

6. All the music you can handle

While it’’s not available in Canada – yet – the Zune Marketplace is the online store to purchase music for your Zune player. Sure, you can download tracks one at a time, as you can with Apple’s iTunes, but this service also offers something called a Zune Pass ($15/month) which lets you fill up your Zune to the max with thousands of songs. In other words, you choose whether you want to consume your tunes a la carte or in an all-you-can-eat buffet style!

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Earlier this year, the idea of a Microsoft-branded MP3 player was foreign to most consumers. After all, what could the software giant do to the iPod dynasty that Windows Media hardware partners such as Creative, iRiver, and Samsung had been unable to do? Well, we all knew that after Microsoft’s September 14 announcement, the Zune would be a different kind of portable media player, one that integrates wireless technology for Zune-to-Zune sharing of files, and one that works within an iTunes-like closed Zune Marketplace ecosystem. The hard drive device, which comes in black, white, or the love-it/hate-it brown, has entered the real world and will please most users, especially beginners, thanks to an excellent UI, nice integration with Zune Marketplace software, and good playback performance.

By now, we all know the basics of the Zune: it’s a 30GB MP3 player with a photo- and video-friendly 3-inch (4:3) screen, and it costs $249.99 (unless you buy it at buyazune.com). It runs on a customized version of Portable Media Center software (Windows CE-based) and features the same intuitive twist-navigation like players such as the Toshiba Gigabeat S.

While the player is similar to many other players in terms of its feature set–music, video, and photo playback, plus an FM tuner–what sets it apart is its integrated Wi-Fi chip, which allows it to seek out and be seen by other Zune-sters. This sharing feature allows users to share music and photos (but not video) within the same room. Shared photo files, on the other hand, have no limitations. We’d love to see Wi-Fi expanded so that one could sync or purchase music wirelessly (or even see Zunes across the globe), but having played with the device, I see why Microsoft is starting small. So far, the Zune experience out of the box and beyond has been predictable and solid. Wi-Fi or not, it’s one excellent media player.

Quickly, about the box and its contents: the Zune packaging is minimal but has flare. You actually lift the Zune out of the box by pulling on its brown ribbon (nice touch), and the bundled earphones and rubbery USB cable are nowhere to be seen until you realize the flaps adjacent to the Zune lift open. In addition, you’ll get a suede case, a software CD, some guides, and a sticker in the package. While we’d love to see more–such as an AC adaptor– the introductory Zune experience is well done.

The colors are subdued and the shell has a translucent matte finish, and more importantly, the body does not attract fingerprints (though the screen does). The double-shot effect of the secondary color (green on the brown version, bluish on the black, translucent on the white) definitely gives the player visual pizzazz. The built-in battery will last up to 14 hours for audio. Interestingly, the back says this in fine print: “Hello from Seattle.” The Zune, which is manufactured by Toshiba but completely designed by Microsoft, is an original-looking player with a style of its own.

It’s a durable device that will withstand scratches, bumps, and bruises, though the primary seam of the device looks as if it might burst open after a hard fall. The body is minimal with no buttons on the sides, only a hold switch and an earphone jack on top and a proprietary USB/accessories port on the bottom. The screen and main controller are surrounded by a thin, metallic inlay, while the three control buttons are dead simple (the small dedicated back and play/pause buttons are flush with the body).

Overall, the Zune is a well-designed portable media device with good playback performance, a snappy processor, and an excellent interface. Wi-Fi sharing worked well, but prospective owners should know its format support, especially for videos, is limited. The Zune looks like a good fit for MP3 player novices, though we hope Microsoft addresses issues and will make the Zune usable as a hard drive; extend video support to include DRM (which they probably will do when its own video store opens); and open up a true Wi-Fi network. The foundation looks good, though, and those not interested in version 1 of Zune can look forward to improved versions 2, 3, and beyond.

This review was brought to you by CNET.

If your interested in the Microsoft Zune, I would recommend http://www.buyazune.com as they consistently offer the best prices for every model and accessory of the Zune.

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