Customer Reviews

DLO Action Jacket for Creative Zen Vision: M (Black)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I was initially fairly hyped on this case, even though I experienced problems right from the start. As soon as I put it on, my player became non-functional. After an extended period of frustration, I realized that the case was so tight that it was pressing the buttons down. OK, I figured time and some work at stretching would fix that.

Well... sort of. After a couple of months now, the button issue is maybe 95% resolved, but I still have problems with the My Shortcut button--pressing this through the case tends to also depress the Back button. It's a real PITA when I'm trying to change the EQ and it suddenly starts doing crazy things. Also, the vinyl screen cover (which extends down around the touchpad under the neoprene) is under such strain from the pull of the tight fit that it has started to pucker up around the touchpad. This is not only unsightly and uncomfortable, it allows dirt etc to get in under the cover.

I heard people complaining about the case scratching the ZVM, but I blew this off at first. I'm not really that anal about scratches, and who cares what's under the cover if you can't see it? But I just took the cover off, and there is a VERY obvious chevron-shaped gouge around the touchpad that traces the edge of the vinyl screen protector. Geez, a case is supposed to protect the player, not actively damage it!

The screen protector starts sticking to the screen, creating a blob in the center. It kind of makes it look like it's wet under the cover, distorting the image. And the button for the belt clip sticks out quite a bit--I thought they were all like this, but I've since seen better designs. Oh, and the velcro on the back is twice as wide as the strap that attaches to it, so there's like a half inch of scratchy exposed velcro across the bottom of the back of the case that makes it very uncomfortable to hold.

The case covers up all the lights on the player--both the button lights and the light at the top. Not a huge deal, but I did like being able to see the top light to tell at a distance if it was done charging. Also, there is not cut-out for the power button. Instead there is a little oval that tells you about where under the case the power button is, and you have to try to manipulate it under the neoprene. As the button has to be pushed fairly far to turn on, it's not so easy. It often takes me more than one try to turn my player on.

There are some pluses: I like the belt clip (although I wish it didn't stick up so far and poke me when I'm sitting down) and the armband is a nice one--didn't think I'd use the armband at all, but it turns out to be handy. I like having the front open (as opposed to the flip-top cases) so that I can easily reach down and adjust the volume when I'm wearing it. The velcro strap opens easily to attach the synch adapter, but I'm sure it wouldn't fit in the dock if you bought one of those.

I'll keep using mine, since it's already scratched my player and I'm kind of stuck with the thing now. It does have the features I need, but those are outweighed by the negatives--especially stupid ones that could have been easily avoided, like the velcro. At the very least, if you still want to get this, put something like a BSE skin under it.

Everyone is right. This thing is extremely poorly designed. That said I bought this at Best Buy and am stuck with it. The problems that I had with this thing were the beginnings of scratches on my screen and having no cutout for the power button. So I bought myself a screen protector and cut a hole in the top of this jacket. Not particularly attractive but I made the best out of a bad situation. The armband is terrible (it doesn't fit!) but the belt clip is nice. I'll use it around the house but might use something prettier for venturing outdoors!

ditto for everything that's written below. i purchased this item and returned it today. best thing about the item is the packaging it comes in allows you to return it without a restocking fee as it just snaps open and close. very disappointed.

again the cons:

1. fits so snug that it keeps buttons pushed down not allowing you to do much of anything.

2. there's not a cut out for the power button on top making it almost impossible to turn off.

3. it's pretty expensive at 25-35 to have all these pitfalls.

ok for starters i have a friend that purchased one of these nice skins for their 30GB Zen. They said it worked fine once it got streach out. The same can not be said for the 60GB version of the Zen. If anyone manufactor in their right mind could please stop smoking crack for a second and please post, note, whatever, to make a mark that if it fits a 30GB or a 60GB. i have searched many websites with no success.

In short not for the 60GB buttons are mashed down no matter how you streach it. broke mine trying >< can't use it to weight lift like i wanted now.

I spent a day messing about with this jacket feeling like I was the idiot. No matter how I stretched it or how I tried to maneuver it, it rendered the playe alomst entirely unuseable when it was on. Everything (negative) written about this jacket is accurate. I am returning this now. I hope that Beast Buy will accept it.

I bought my action jacket about two weeks ago for my Zen. I have other DLO jackets for other products and was always really happy with them. The performance of the jacket is fine...but I was unhappy when I took the jacket off my player and found deep and irreparable scratches and grooves on the front of my shiny new player. For some reason, the laminate protecting the screen is extended down to the button area and is stitched in a thick line that is now permanently etched into the front of all the buttons on my player. Not really good testing or thinking on the part of DLO.

I travel a lot and have a lot of crap in my bag so I bought this cover the same time I bought my 30GB player hoping that it would save it from the same fate as some of the other electronics that couldn't survive rough handling. It did. My player has been dropped, shaken, rubbed up against other stuff in the bag, etc. (All the stuff that happens in a backpack.) and it works just as well as when I first purchased it. However, I recently took the case off to clean the player (accumulated dust and grime slips inside because it's not a perfect fit) and found scratches on the buttons of my player, right where the clear plastic is stitched to the neoprene. The neoprene and the clear plastic won't scratch your cover, but the thread that they use to hold the two together will. So between the scratches and the crappy fit, I've since bought one of those silicon covers and am waiting for it to arrive. I'll have to compare the two to see which I prefer.

Good points:

-Neoprene is slightly thick and protects well against rougher handling.

-Clear cover protects screen really well.

-Power/lock switch and microphone holes are covered (but still usable), so it keeps dust out of those spots.

-Jogging strap and pivot/latch/clip work really well.

Bad points:

-Plastic screen cover makes it hard to sometimes share the screen with another person (minor inconvenience).

-Doesn't fit right, and if you pull on it to make it fit at the bottom, it depresses the buttons. (This lack of fit also allows dust to accumulate underneath.)

-Scratches the cover where the stitching is around the touchpad.

don't waste your money on this one. the case is so tight that it holds all four buttons pressed, rendering player inoperative. garbage, very poor design. i returned it and got silicon one, i like that one...also, go and get the protective screen (palm or fellowes "writeright". you can't go wrong with that

cheers

The DLO Action Jacket seems to be a stout bit of workmanship: apparently made of durable materials and well stitched, it wraps itself snugly around the ZVM and one's arm, and it offers protection for the screen (and from drops to the floor...). Some have complained of scratches coming from the plastic portions of the jacket (the part that's supposed to "protect" it), and rightfully so. I'm not going to lose sleep over these, but unfortunately the snug fit does make it difficult to operate the player. The jacket is so tight on the device that it activates some of the buttons and the keypad! This means that you can't operate the keypad to navigate the menus without pulling the jacket away from the device. Ugh. Perhaps I just need to let the ZVM sleep in this litle bed for a long period of time to stretch it out, but at present it is annoying!

I haven't tried the belt attachment, although it looks useful enough. I suspect, however, that the plastic tongs that attach to the belt will eventually break off (don't they always?), rendering that feature useless.

In short, the arm band and overall protection are good, but the other problems, if persistent, will greatly limit its usefulness.

I bought my Creative Zen Vision M at least 3 years ago (and I love it except for it's bulk). I bought the DLO jacket for it at the same time. I'm amazed by the low overall rating of this item. I'm about to buy another one for a second used Zen V:M I acquired because it has the silicon skin and while it is less bulky, I do not feel it protects the Zen from occasional falls as well, and it has no belt clip to attach to whatever if I don't have a convenient pocket. I highly recommend the DLO. I will admit the case has caused some marking from wear on the Zen itself but I rarely if ever take it out of the case, so who sees that?!