Introduction: How to Create and Manage Media on a Zvue 260 (no, Not a Zune!)

About: techie who believes in making things that i own do what i want or what they were intended to do!

This is an Instructable on how to create and manage media for your Zvue 260.  I decided to create this, in light of Handheld Entertainment being on the verge of folding and closing up shop on many websites (including already shutting down the offices for Ebaumsworld, and the Zvue official site).
As well, many (including myself) have had bad experiences with the included software, and as well would like something a little more simplistic.  In addition to this, it is hard to find the software that they have on their website, as the site seems to be out of content and Godaddy has the site reserved. So without further delay here we go!

Step 1: Windows Media Player (and How It Can Be Useful!)

Ok, so you may have mixed views on Windows Media Player and its usefulness.  Some like me perfer VLC Player, or other free/open-source players, or even >gasp< iTunes (i do own an iPod Nano 3rd Gen 4 Gig as well).  But the Zvue 260 is able to work quite well with WMC (on the music side of things).  All you have to do is simply create a playlist in Windows Media Player, and then (after saving the list) simply sync the list to your Zvue.  It will import the music, as well as convert the playlist for your Zvue.  One Note: i have had difficulty having more than 6 playlists on my Zvue for some reason or another.   But one handy thing is that the Zvue can support up to 16 gigs with its SD Card slot (i run a 2 gig in mine, out of the fact i had one laying around, and the 1 gig that it came with is in my Wii now, holding some roms and emulators).

Step 2: Video, the Easy Way!

So (if you are at all like me) you have search-engined to no end for Zorg and Zflicks but have had no luck.  Fret Not! There is an easier to use alternative, and it's name is PocketDivxEncoder.  This is a general purpose encoder that will allow you to re-encode video to a variety of formats and sizes.  The Default resoloution for a Zvue is 160 x 120.  The process to converting a video to your Zvue is quite simple:

1.Choose the file to encode

2.Choose the directory to output the file to (NOT the Zvue, as it will take a lot longer!)

3.Choose video options (Quality, etc... Dimensions is where you can set the resolution to 160x120)

then just let click "Encode Now" and then kick back and wait for it to finish (it took about half an hour for Something Something Something Dark Side to encode).  Then all you have to do is then drag and drop the video to the "Video" folder of your Zvue.  Just make sure it has the room for it, and if you are needing to improve video quality or shrink the file (by decreasing Video/Audio quality).

I hope this all helped, as this is a rather good device for the price i paid ($50 at the local Bargain Store), but it is a shame that the company that made it has pretty much abandoned it, and has pretty much abandoned the consumers who purchased this product.  I hope i have helped some people who have been searching frantically to make this device work to its potential.  Enjoy!