The Zune won't take Media Center programs

Windows-based video players (such as those of the Creative variety) have one key advantage over video iPods: The ability to synchronize with Media Center-based Windows PCs that record TV shows in a TiVo-like fashion. This means you can take your TV to go. Just sync up and you're golden.

So it's safe to assume Microsoft's much-ballyhooed Zune music and video player also is able to acquire and play Media Center recordings, correct? I mean, Microsoft wouldn't nullify one of its few undisputed advantages over iPods, right?

Sheesh, imagine my surprise when I received a Zune loaner and tried to transfer over a bunch of "Star Trek" shows I recorded on a Toshiba laptop with Media Center. No go. I thought I was doing something wrong, so I checked with Microsoft's PR operatives.

Here's the bad news:

To answer your question, Zune does not support the transfer of TV and video that is recorded on MCE to Zune, at this time. It’s something we’d like to support in the near future and we are actively working on an update to enable this scenario but can’t confirm availability. For advanced users who want to take these recordings on the go now, they can use video transcoding software to put their MCE recorded shows in either MPEG4, WMV, or H.264.

Oh, just swell. This is the video equivalent of PlaysForSure incompatibility, which leaves Zune owners unable to  play any of the copy-protected tunes they've purchased on any of the many Microsoft-supported online stores (including Microsoft's own older, now-defunct store). Hey, nice going, Redmond.

Here's a bit of online reaction to this Media Center downer:

This is probably the worst product decision microsoft has ever made in the entertainment space...They decided to take the "my tv" functionality out of the portable media center software when they were recoding it for the Zune. So, you can't transfer your tv shows from your media center pc to the Zune. So, it seems that they want you to buy a Zune or a Media Center PC, but not both?? Very interesting decision if you ask me. Why would they want to shut Zune users out of putting their recorded tv on the player. Oh, but of course...I fogot, this is big business. If they allow you to put your recorded tv on there, then you would have no reason to buy shows on Zune marketplace for 1.99. Ok, I get it now.

Media Center recordings can be transferred to iPods, by the way, with Roxio's MyTV ToGo software. It isn't perfect but it works. And it saves you the expense of buying TV shows for download on Apple's iTunes Store.

Update: Zune won't work with Windows Vista. Yep, I noticed that, too. Apple Computer's iPods and its iTunes software do work on Vista -- but not reliably, in my experience.