How to put movies on your Zune quick and easy. This guide will show you the steps needed to create videos for your Zune and how to transfer them.
Requirements:
A Zune. ANy model, including the Zune HD, will work.
A Zune USB connection cable. The cable that came with your Zune to connect it to your computer.
A Computer running Windows XP/Windows Vista or Windows 7
Zune Software (www.zune.net) installed on your computer to be able to transfer files.
DVD drive (to be able to convert DVDs) or video files accessible on your computer (downloads, tv recordings etc)
Some recent version of DVD Catalyst (DVD Catalyst 3 or DVD Catalyst Free) installed on your computer.
IMPORTANT: THE ZUNE 30 PROFILE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE BOOSTER PACK !
The boosterpack does work fine for all other Zune models. More info at the end of this page.
Step 1: Start DVD Catalyst
Use the dropdowns on the left side to select “Zune” and then pick your model. The Zune 30 uses WMV video, the other models, including the Zune HD, use H264/AVC video, which is better quality, but a lot slower for conversion on older computers. Note that the Zune30 profile not compatible with the Boosterpack.
Step 2: Add your videos to DVD Catalyst
For indication purposes, I just dragged some video file onto DVD Catalyst. Just drag and drop the video files you want to convert, or put a DVD in your computers DVD drive, and DVD Catalyst will find it. Once you have some content added to convert, click on the Go button to start the process.
Depending on the amount of video files you have added, as well as the speed of your computer, it might take a while. Except for the Zune 30 format (which is super fast already) the video format used is multi-core-capable, so if you have a computer with a Dual Core (or more) it will be used to the fullest for faster conversions.
Once the conversion is complete, DVD Catalyst will open the folder where it stored the video files it created. Do not close this window, because we need it to transfer the files. Move it to the side if needed.
Step 4: Transferring the video to your Zune.
Connect your Zune to your computer.
The Zune software should automatically start when your Zune is detected. If it does not start after a few seconds, start it by clicking on it’s icon.
In the Zune software use the menu to select “Device” and then click on “Videos”
Now go back to the folder that DVD Catalyst opened after the conversion completed. If you did close it, it is by default located in “My Documents > My Video” (for windows XP) or the “Videos” folder (Windows Vista / Windows 7)
Move the 2 windows close to each other, then (left)click and hold the created video file, and drag it to empty area underneath the device name (Nermal in the screenshot below) and let go of the file.
You might have to click on the computer icon at the bottom left of the Zune software to change the view to the Zune, and then rightclick on it to start the sync process.
Now the video file should be available on your Zune.
IMPORTANT: THE ZUNE 30 PROFILE IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE BOOSTER PACK !
The Zune30 is quite picky in the format of video file that it accepts. Due to a bug in the conversion engine installed by the boosterpack, an incorrect video quality setting is reported to the Zune Software with created video files. The setting detected by the Zune Software is higher than what the Zune software allows to transfer, even though the actual quality setting of the video file is different. The original conversion engine of DVD Catalyst has a work-around applied specifically to eliminate this issue by reporting a lower quality setting, regardless of what the quality actually is, and this is allowed by the Zune software.
By installing the boosterpack, the work-around is not used in the conversion engine, resulting in that the Zune software will (attempt to) convert the created video file.
If you installed the boosterpack, you can disable it in “Global Settings”. The top title of DVD Catalyst should not have a + behind the 3 to ensure the boosterpack is not enabled.
