Shinji Ikeda

SonicStage will only convert the audio codec if specified in the "Transfer mode setting", so verify the settings before transferring songs. The NW-A800 will play all supported formats natively, and WMA/AAC files with DRM can not be played.

The Connect Player (NW-A3000) uses both automatic rating (hollow stars) and manual rating (solid stars). The more you play a song the more hollow stars. The less you play a song, and more times you skip than song the less hollow stars the song will have. Each song is automatically assigned 3 hollow stars when it is transfered from SonicStage to the Connect Player. SonicStage updates the rating when you connect to the Connect Player to your computer. Give it a try...

Actually, in SonicStage the album covers can be added when they have different artist for albums with different artist. The compilation must be selected. Note: Use the compilation name the artist name in SonicStage.　This should help for albums with different artists. It is advised to add individual album art/covers for each individual track for compilations.

1. Yes. The NW-A800 series has an Equalizer (None:off, Heavy, Pop,Jazz,Uniques,2 Custom). The arrangement is different. Where the NW-S700/600　series has two groups with each having one custom setting, the NW-A800 has one group with two custom setting. 2. No. However, during playback a larger album art can displayed. The screen still displays the song title and progress time, but most of the screen is covered with the album art in the centre.

As stated by Zizone the menu's are in English. It could because the countries stated by Zizone believe that English is the universal Language. With the Japanese version of the NW-S706 is that the radio stations frequencies that can be received are those in Japan only (76.0-90.0 MHz and TV1,2,3). It is only SonicStage that is regionally dependent, i.e. dependent on the version of Windows that you have. Sony Network Walkman's do however display different languages for album, artist, and genre. Hopefully Sony will get rid of the regional dependence of SonicStage, and make SonicStage Multi-lingual. You can download the correct version of SonicStage if you need to. Japanese NW-S706 will not cause any problems if ran on the German version of Windows. I hope this helps.

Unless some manufacture planning on giving Apple higher capacity flash memory at a below market cost, then this is unlikely for Apple to release such capacity. It can be suggested that a 2Gb flash player will be significantly cheap to make it possible to compare cost flash drives to flash based-DAP. Essentially the difference between the flash drive and flash based-DAP is that it is media player that used flash memory. In other words: I USB flash drive can not play music, play video, or view pictures. With 16Gb flash drives sell between 400 to 1250 in American dollars, it is highly unlikely that this will happen this. Joke: Sony has the VGN-UX91NS with 32GB flash memory. You can watch movies, listen to music, view pictures. All for 229,800 Yen.

Many valid points, but ... Sony is a significantly different company that Apple, Sony Electronics sells more categories of products than Apple actually sells products. Sony Electronics needs to keep a well balance portolio that does not focuos one narrow segment of a market. There are valuable brand names, and Sony need to re-enforce the value of the Walkman brand. It has been suggested that this be done through marketing and advertising. Has Sony over used the Walkman brand and create a new brand name for their DAPs? There is actually no clear consensus on that. Most people would correctly argue yes. It can be said that W brand is very distinctive and easily recongized. Sony's problem part responsible from their original approach to the emerging media player market. Sony attempted to push on consumers DRM, but justifying that it was good for consumers. This has had a negative influence on the image of Sony products, and Sonicstage. With the current A800 series of the Network Walkman, misinformation and a negative perception toward Sony products is another problem. The NW-A800 has been considered over priced compared to the 30GB iPod, even though the 8GB iPod-nano is in the same price range in Canada, America and Japan. Additionally, the iPod-nano is the direct competitor to the NW-A800. NW-A808 is easier to remember than MA107LL/A, especially when ensuring that it is the correct product. Sony may be coming out with a hard drive player soon. Remember there will never be an iPod-killer.

The noise cancellation is only feature that this is really missing. Would I pay more for this? Yes.　What I really like about noise cancellation, is that you can enjoy you music all lower volumes. The sound quality will be good though with the headphones supplied with the NW-A800 series. Temptation is a good thing

Additional Features: 262,144 Colour Screen. Flash memory based player Kind of cool looking I haven't decided on which colour. I am thinking Blue or Black.

I have the same problem. The most likely reason for this is that the rubber has become stretched. It is annoying, but there is a possibility that there is no replacement for it. If you had purchased an extended warranty from Sony, or authorized dealer they would replace the headphones for free. Sony is very good at replacing goods, if you have a problem on the extended warranty plan.

Welcome aboard jso42, From what I understand SonicStage has improved much over the past couple of years. It has less restrictions that previous versions. I currently like how it works, except that it does not use Unicode. What makes this strange is that it seems that Sony's DAP support Unicode. The current version is 4.3 and comes pre-installed only some models of Sony's computers/laptops. There is also a upgrade version that you can download from the internet. I don't know the differences between the various codec that the NW-A800 in terms of quality. The battery life of the NW-A800 is very good, but the 30 hours playback time for ATRAC 132kps. 50 plus hours would be better. The NW-A800 price is comparable to the iPod-nano. The 8GB iPod-nano is the same price as the 30GB iPod in Canada, America and Japan. So the capacity issue is actually mute. Flash players max-out at 8GB, thus if you need more capacity you should consider a HD player instead. I was able to hold a model of the NW-A800 and it is very small, and indistinguishable from the iPod-nano. The specification for some of the features for the NW-A800 is higher that both the iPod-nano and iPod. Thus Sony believes that it is justified to charge more (which I see as reasonable). I do not think that any case is included with the standard model, but you can purchase a bundle that includes a matching　leather case and strap. With GUI/UI the choice of what you consider is superior is your decision. I will be looking at them next week, and most likely purchase one. I currently own a NW-S700 which I purchased last year. So I will be able to let you know the difference between the two models. Unfortunately, I still have not purchased a new Minidisc recorder.

Sony has decided to use the Codec for MPEG4 for H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Baseline Profile instead of H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile for the NW-A800. The PSP uses H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile. Sony will provide a program when you purchase a NW-A800 called Image Coverter 3 to change movies to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Baseline Profile. I do not know the technical advantages for this. The 5th generation iPods can play Baseline Profile.

I just need to clarify that "how it works" refers to the NW-A808. It is strange just look at an iPod would cause a sales person to swoop down on you, but you need to scream for help for them to help you with another brand. That is more of an exaggeration, but how I honestly feel. I will give Apple credit for doing excellent marketing of the iPod brand of player. Unfortunately, I think that they did to good of a job.

Thanks. I understand. It seems that Sony only used the NW-A1000/A3000 series for inspiration for the design for the NW-A800 series. Looking at a photo of the A1000 it has a remote jack at the top of the unit for a wired remote. Having a wireless remote would be cool, and hopefully Sony could implement this using the NW-Port. One can only hope that Sony comes out with a remote like the VGA-BRM1D. Yes, it is frustrating purchasing something and then having to go out and buy something similar. Not, having owned either the NW-A1000/A3000 series DAP I can still understand the frustration. Looking at a model of the NW-A800, makes me wish that Sony had released it early. Comparing it to the iPod-mini this is the unit I would have bought (and most likely will buy). I feel that the iPod-mini is too artsy and minimalist for my tastes. Both are very small units, and the controls make my hand seem too big. I will look at the NW-A808 on the 21th of March. I would prefer to use it for a while before purchasing. The only problem is that I fear that some sales person will try and push the iPod on me. If I really like how it works and feels I will purchase it then.

This statement is incorrect. The NW-A800 has a NW-Port and thus supports some of the same accessories as the the NW-S700/S600 series. The stand should be different because of NW-A800 shape, but this should not cost anywhere close to $200. The information on the Sonystyle does not include the NW-A800, because it is not on sale yet. All the literature and Sony site does state that the accessories does work with the Bluetooth systems. So rest assured that you will not have to buy something you already own.

I was happy to hear that the NW-A800 series is being released in my region on March 21th. I will take a serious look at the unit then. I have considered the iPod-mini a couple of times when looking at DAP, but have never liked how it works. The iPod with the click wheel works wonderfully when cuing a track. After see this link http://www.journaldugeek.com/index.php?200...ages-et-en-main I have also looked at the link provided by riceb0i87 about NW-A800 and MP4. I hope it works as well as the S706F. I did notice a program called image converter for video files. When I have this until in my hand, I will not commit myself to buying it.

The more that I see the NW-A800, the more am determined to buy it. It is more expensive that I that the iPod nano. I only wish that I could read French. http://www.journaldugeek.com/index.php?200...ages-et-en-main

Sonicstage will look for song when you add a CD to your media drive, but this is only when Sonicstage is running. Are you running Sonicstage behind a firewall. If yes have you allowed Omgjbox access to the internet?

It looks like we will have to wait a little longer until Apple opens up iTunes works with other media players. Give SonicStage some time to finish what it is doing. It can sometimes act as a resource hog, but everything should be okay.

For those that a carious the prices in Canada a slightly cheaper. The Walkman Video MP3 Player NW-A800 series will be available in Canada in May 2007 at an MSRP of $169 for 2GB, $229 for 4GB and $299 for 8GB. Of course this does not include taxes. http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive...7/01/c5640.html That is a long time to wait to be able to test a model for Canadians, but I do not know when NW-A800 series will be available in my country.

The NW-A808 has been announced. The prices seem reasonable, since they are placed to complete with the ipod-nano (even though the are sized more like the Ipod). Per-usual they support long batter life, which is always good. This is one of the most important consideration I make for purchasing electronic good (and of course it has a rechargeable battery). I am very disappointed that it does not have noise cancellation. On S706F it is amazing, you never realize how effective it is until you turn the S706F off. The rest of the specs are very impressive. They could be better. Who knows they maybe a NW-A900 series with noise cancellation (Just wishful thinking).

It still does not make any sense. The program is using the clock on your computer to calculate when the new walkman will be launched. It is 2:59 AM in Germany now. When shifted to Germany, the program on Sony Germany states 0-3:00:0-. It seems waiting until March 2nd is the best bet.

The clock on Sony Germany is still counting down, but all the numbers are negative. 0-11:0-. Strange. It was suppose to be announced 10 hours and 43 minutes ago. I wish they would either announce the new product or take down the program.

Sonicstage can be a pain at times. Did you connect the player and then allow Sonicstage to start? When you look at My Computer what is the drive designation of the NW-E005F? If it does not appear this may indicate a different problem.

A stupid question: How did you format your E005F? Was it through Windows XP?