Zen Vision:M firmware update disables FM recording
updated 03:05 pm EDT, Fri October 13, 2006
Zen Update Disables FM
After heavily promoting its FM radio recording feature as an advantage over Apple's iPod line, Creative has been forced to disable the feature in its Zen Vision:M music players, according to owners. Members of Creative's official discussion forums report that a recent firmware update removes FM recording as an option, limiting the player's FM support to listening only and the recording to a microphone. The decision was made "due to licensing," says one user who contacted technical support, indicating that Creative has bowed to pressure from the music industry. The RIAA and other major music label organizations have regularly considered recording radio broadcasts as a copyright violation. Creative has since pulled the firmware update (version 1.50.02) but doesn't list FM recording as a feature on the Vision:M product page.
depressing....
10/13, 06:06pm reply
... that the RIAA et al picks on such a small vendor of portable musc players....
adrianm
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2005
Creative and the RIAA
10/15, 02:42pm reply
Actually, they're picking on one of the biggest companies that ships its players with an FM tuner built-in.
But this proves that succumbing to featuritis ("but it has this! And this!") isn't automatically good for a music player. While I don't approve of the RIAA's pressure (assuming it was them!), you'd think companies would foresee the problem.
Commodus
Mac Elite
Joined: Feb 2002