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SonicStage 4.3 Ultimate Edition


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From valued forum member Avrin's topic, SonicStage 4.3 "Ultimate" Release 2:

 

Since the "Ultimate" 4.3 version seems to have gained quite a popularity, and appears to be less glitchy than any previous one, I decided to build a second release. This is purely a cosmetic update.

 

What's changed from the first release:

 

1. Updated Registry Information Setup is used now. This doesn't affect minidisc functionality in any way, but may add support for some newer ATRAC phones (you still need to provide the respective drivers).

2. The link to Minidisc Community Forums in the Help menu is replaced with a link to Sony Insider Forums.

3. Installation package extraction path is no longer saved to registry.

4. Windows Installer 2.0 distribution package is not included.

 

The complete list of changes from the official VAIO version (including changes introduced in the first release):

 

1. System prerequisites from Microsoft (Windows Installer 2.0, DirectX 9.0c, Windows Media Format 9, Windows Media Format 9.5, Data Access Components 2.5) are not included.

2. OpenMG Secure Module version 5.0 with the respective Registry Information is used instead of the original patched version 4.7.

3. Sony CONNECT Store support is no longer installed.

4. SonicStage Security Update is installed automatically.

5. Latest Personal Audio Drivers for SONY devices are installed automatically.

6. The VAIO support link in the Help menu is replaced with a link to Sony Insider Forums.

 

NOTE: If you have applied the experimental SonicStage patch 4.3.02 for Vista/Windows 7, you'll need to re-apply it after installation.

NOTE 2: If you need NetMD, you will probably have to install one of the drivers in the downloads section, as the older drivers have some different problems. In particular, if (as for many people) the system is Windows-64-bits, you will need the driver NETMD760, and you will need to undo some of the drivers installed by the SonicStage setup. If you have an MZ-RH1, you are especially warned to install that driver or its 32-bit cousin NETMD052.SYS (also under downloads) on every NetMD device.


What's New in Version 03/15/2019 03:55 PM   See changelog

Released

No changelog available for this version.


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Thank you so much for this.

I'm quite new to Minidiscs. I used an old Windows XP laptop to install the SonicStage v1.5, but Gracenote is no longer supported so there's no way to automatically download CD info for the track data. With this version and my Windows 7 PC I can now transfer music to my players. With a workaround I found, I can also automatically get the track data and avoid the check in/out limits.

Would the OP and the moderators have any objection to me (eventually) doing a YouTube video explaining how to get this working on Windows 7 and linking to this page?

Thanks again.

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We'd love to know the gracenote workarond.

Installing this stuff is pretty simple, but noone wants to use 1.5 Sonic Stage. Too many craziness on the track protections etc.

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11 hours ago, sfbp said:

We'd love to know the gracenote workarond.

Installing this stuff is pretty simple, but noone wants to use 1.5 Sonic Stage. Too many craziness on the track protections etc.

I use Windows Media Player, insert the CD and get the track data. Rip the CD in .wav format (uncompressed, with no copy protection) to my a folder on the PC, then I import it to Sonicstage 4.3. In my very limited experience, it brings the track data with it, and it seems that I get unlimited check-outs.

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Gracenote was useful for tagging but everybody nowadays need a third party program

WMP, foobar2000, JRiver Media Center or any other player which have the capability to

- transfer the tracks from the CD (or convert downloaded tracks) into WAV or WMA lossless (both recognized by SS)

- tag them

- import them inn SS for being transferred to MD

It is common way.

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Thank you very much. Bought a fully working Sony minidisc MZ-NH600 for just £1 at a local boot sale & am enjoying listening to it now, thanks to this software on my win 10 pc to get music onto the disc. Cheers.

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Hiya,

I just installed this version of SonicStage in my old NW-E507 and worked like a charm. Amazing!!!! I bought that thing when I was young and single. Now, my 12 year old son asked me to fix it so he can listen to GNR.... So thankful to you guys for helping recover this relic. Cheers!

Btw, I am using Windows 10 Pro v.1803

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Finding this has made my day! I have an old NW-E005F that finally got recharged properly and would play my old 90s music, but I couldn't get the software to work to remove all that and put music on it for my daughter. My dad ended up giving her his old iPod, and now I've got this working, too, so both my kids can have a music player of their own. No fights! Win for everyone. *L* I installed this on Windows 7, on an old backup laptop that I could afford to screw up and have to reformat. *L* But it's a relief to know I could install it on my main Windows 10 machine as well. 

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Sorry to say all I have are problems with any version of SonicStage even the Ultimate edition I just tried.  Any time I try anything with SonicStage on my Windows 7 computer, the program only freezes, never closes, and I have to force my computer to turn off because it won't turn off on it's own.

I don't know what I might be doing wrong, but it seems at least there's others who have good luck with it.  

Is there a version of SonicStage that works better for Windows 7?   

 

I downloaded a separate zip file titled NETMDRH1 Windows 7 64 Bit.  Do I have to add that somehow?  If so, does anyone know how one goes about installing the files within that zip file?  

 

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Try to come back to a previous windows upgrade, the problem could with chance coming from there. I would come back to the original "factory" configuration after spending some hours saving any personal files, favorites & configs. Just need to be sure that your softwares and web sites will accept your username again and passwords, so do not forget to save them.

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Probably better to start a thread in the discussion sections, I almost missed this.

I would guess this is some side effect of the NetMD driver being misinstalled:

1. Remove your NetMD unit from the USB
2. Do a SS install over the top of the one you have. Don't try to deinstall anything (yet)
3. Clean up and get rid of all traces of the 32-bit NetMD drivers. There are numerous posts on this, but in particular you have to watch out for oem<nn>.inf in the (hidden) WINDOWS\inf subdirectory.

4. Now plug in the portable (make sure you're on mains power, batteries especially rechargeable ones are useless for NetMD) and go through the installation of the 64-bit driver, if necessary using the Update Driver thing in Device Manager. I assume your version of Windows is 64-bit. If it's 32 bit windows, you have a completely different problem, since the standard drivers should work.

If this all sounds way too technical (because it is), let's take it back to first principles and get one observation at a time. Your description doesn't make it clear the order of events, and once something has gone wrong, then after that first error all other weirdnesses are likely to be meaningless. What model minidisk are you plugging in? If it's HiMD, maybe you don't even need the NetMD support at all.

Hope this helps.

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I just downloaded this to get my old sony NW A3000 up and running again. I wasn't hopeful but it works absolutely no problem on my laptop with windows 10. Brilliant. Saved me having to splash out on a new player because of obsolete tech. Whoever made this update available, I salute you!

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Years ago I had a Sony laptop and was very impressed by Sonic Stage. When I moved across to Windows desktop PCs I always installed the software again. Now I'm on a Windows 10 VM running on an iMac Pro and was overjoyed to find this installer again. It's up and running.

But one question: I can't remember whether SS insists on copying all the music files to its own library or just creates links. I ask because I have over 800 GB of music files and if SS wants to copy them all across to the VM, the VM will bust a gut.

Thanks for any help.

AH

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3 hours ago, anch-in-nk said:

I have over 800 GB of music files

Imagine the mess when you have > 12 Gb of HiRes music... I advise you to keep your music like WMA (or FLAC files), then please use SonicStage only for transfer (WMA  - lossless AND Tags Ok files in SS - preferably to transfer any Atrac files). Just a while, no need to keep the Atrac files on your computer. Make sure for NO DRM.

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evening all .. im looking for help

Ihave recently dug out my old NW-HD5 walkman and am amazed that it still works after all these years , but ive hit a snag ...a: i cant get it to be seen by my laptop and b: i cant use sonic stage anymore for music transfers {which is why im here} 

ive downloaded the 4.3 program above and installed it and it opens, but when i try to connect my unit the screen just says 'connecting to pc' and doesnt recognise it as though its not there 

can someone give me a pointer please? im so hopeing to get it working properly .. the best mp3 player ive ever bought !!!!!

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Maybe the Sony NW-HD5 walkman need exactly the same procedure than any MD Net-MD unit, meaning disable first the Microsoft signature control during the setup (see topics about that subject on Sony Insider Minidisc forum). But as I never had a Sony walkman, i could not say that it work. You also need to have the most recent drivers, see the download section.

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thanks for the reply phillipe, but I managed to sort it after I posted the request .... amazing what happens when you use a decent usb cable :rolleyes:

only problem now is because it's a fresh install of the program on the laptop (first time using it for the NW because I didn't think it would work) I have to reformat the unit and loose all the stuff on it (9gb ISH) :( nightmare 

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7 hours ago, Liz said:

thanks for the reply phillipe, but I managed to sort it after I posted the request .... amazing what happens when you use a decent usb cable :rolleyes:

only problem now is because it's a fresh install of the program on the laptop (first time using it for the NW because I didn't think it would work) I have to reformat the unit and loose all the stuff on it (9gb ISH) :( nightmare 

Easy to download ALL your music again using rutracker.org and a VPN.

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