Why Zune pass is the best thing to happen to music

Most of you know that I'm an unabashed Microsoft fan. I believe that - especially in the area of music players - Microsoft has got one awesome product in the area of MP3 players. What I didn't realize until my lovely wife Val bought me a Zune pass for my birthday how much their music service rocked. I've purchased a few songs through the Zune network for my player, but the bulk of my music I'd either purchased as a CD and ripped, or bought from Amazon MP3. While I still by songs occasionally from Amazon my music buying and listening has been totally replaced by the Zune pass. With the Zune pass I can download and listen to (either on my PC or Zune) almost any music in the Zune library. I come across rare artists who do not publish on Zune or require you to buy their whole album - but I believe these artists are rapidly becoming dinosaurs in the music industry.

Let me explain how I've used my Zune pass. Since I can - at will - download just about any music I can take a new album (say for instance the new Ellipse album by Imogen Heap), and play it on my Zune or computer at my leisure. I pay nothing more than the $15/month that the Zune pass costs. If I like the album (or any other music I listen to) I can transfer up to 10 songs from the album to my "non-DRM mp3" collection. In the meantime I can listen to the Zune pass music I've downloaded (millions of songs and albums available) for the remaining $5/month. Since I was already spending more than $10/month on mp3 music this just means that the $10 I was spending through Amazon or another vendor, goes through Zune. Would you pay $5/month to be able to - at will - download just about any music from just about any artist you might be interested in or hear on the radio? I certainly would - and DO!

What this has meant is that I get to explore music I'd never buy just to try - and have discovered all sorts of new artists, labels and music that I'd never picked. The social card above tracks - in real time - the songs I've listened to recently and what artists. I recently downloaded music from Imogen Heap (her whole back catalog), Tom Waits (new albums I'm trying out), Fatboy Slim, the Eskimobots, Funk Mundial, A R Rahman (a pop music icon in India who does soundtracks), MIA, 3OH13, Britney Spears (yes Britney), Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, and The Ting Tings. If you look at my list of recent songs in a few weeks it will probably feature entirely different songs and music. The other day I relived yesterday and downloaded the top 100 songs of the 1970's. And that's what I love about Zune Pass - almost unlimited options to explore!

FIRST 2010 Kickoff 5

Time warner removes another 15 channels due to SDV

And I decide to chat with customer service land.

Here's the chat, verbatim:
user Lee has entered room
We are experiencing higher than usual service times.
Please wait and an analyst will be with you shortly.
analyst Sandra Mystica has entered room
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:21:08 EDT 2009)>Thank you for choosing Time Warner Cable Online Chat Support. My name is Sandra. Please give me a moment, while I access your account information.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:20:06 EDT 2009)>Hello Sandra.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:21:23 EDT 2009)>Hello.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:20:41 EDT 2009)>I recently received a letter from Time Warner indicating they are switching about 15 channels to SDV.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:20:56 EDT 2009)>This renders my current cable card even more useless than it once was.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:21:18 EDT 2009)>Since I do not have a CC equipped TIVO but rather a CC equipped television.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:21:29 EDT 2009)>So I have questions about the new HD Tuning adapator
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:22:04 EDT 2009)>So here are my questions:
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:23:19 EDT 2009)>Sure, go ahead!
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:22:43 EDT 2009)>1) Does the HD Adaptor replace my cable card or does it interface my television in some other way (IE does it have it's own remote, or can I use my TV to tune channels)?
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:24:59 EDT 2009)>I will be happy to assist you.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:23:53 EDT 2009)>2) Can you direct me to any technical information about this device that is on the web?
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:25:50 EDT 2009)>Yes, It would replace the cable card.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:26:10 EDT 2009)>Ok, so it does not require an HTMI or a component video in?
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:26:25 EDT 2009)>And I can use the tuner that is built into my TV to tune channels, just like the cable card.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:26:37 EDT 2009)>Sorry, HDMI (no HTMI)
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:28:23 EDT 2009)>Thats okay.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:28:36 EDT 2009)>It depends on the type of the adaptor.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:27:49 EDT 2009)>I am talking about the "other cablecard-equipped devices" adaptor.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:28:04 EDT 2009)>It is called a "basic HD Converter"
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:29:55 EDT 2009)>Yes, it would be having HDMI port.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:29:36 EDT 2009)>I don't have any HDMI ports available on my television - I use them for other things. So I cannot use my television to change channels with the basic HD Converter.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:30:10 EDT 2009)>AND it requires me to use one of the 2 ports for HDMI input correct?
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:31:41 EDT 2009)>Yes.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:30:37 EDT 2009)>Sigh.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:30:53 EDT 2009)>AND I'll need to use a separate remote from my TV to tune it.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:31:11 EDT 2009)>And you view this as an acceptable replacement for the cable card which requires none of these things?
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:32:33 EDT 2009)>No.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:31:50 EDT 2009)>Um - no what? No it's not acceptable, or no I'm incorrect?
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:33:13 EDT 2009)>You can visit the nearest payment center and we would be happy to assist you.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:32:28 EDT 2009)>I seriously doubt a payment center will have this technical information.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:33:40 EDT 2009)>I meant to say might not be!
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:32:45 EDT 2009)>Don't you have any technical information on the device online?
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:32:55 EDT 2009)>Don't you think that might be a good idea?
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:34:21 EDT 2009)>We do have it at the payment centers.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:34:25 EDT 2009)>Please use following link to locate our payment center near you http://www.timewarnercable.com/Rochester/AboutUs/PaymentCenters.ashx
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:34:27 EDT 2009)>Please give me a moment.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:33:23 EDT 2009)>Can you give me a model number for the device, so that I can examine it?
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:33:45 EDT 2009)>This entire SDV conversion is infuriating.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:34:16 EDT 2009)>I spent $2000 for an advanced television set that would take a Cable Card, and now you won't support it.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:34:30 EDT 2009)>By the way - this chat will be published on my blog on the internet.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:36:05 EDT 2009)>I understand your concern.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:35:44 EDT 2009)>Why don't you give those of us with a cable card a discount for all the stations we cannot watch.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:38:28 EDT 2009)>I am sorry, we don't have the information.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:37:28 EDT 2009)>Since I can't see 20% of the channels a 20% discount seems appropriate.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:37:43 EDT 2009)>Then who does?
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:37:57 EDT 2009)>Perhaps Britt Hume could help me out.
Sandra Mystica(Mon Jun 8 17:39:51 EDT 2009)>I will guide you to the right support. Please contact our sales department at 1-800-756-7956 (Toll free) or 585-756-5000 to obtain the most current offers that suit your need. The available timings are 8AM-11PM on all days.
Lee(Mon Jun 8 17:39:43 EDT 2009)>ok, I get it - you've gone into "This is not on my script mode, so try to pawn the end user off on someone else, rather than solve their problems for them" Thanks for the "great" customer service - hope they send me a survey after this is done.

(They did, and they recevied an "all dissatisfied" response.)