IdiotSavant

Have you checked that the Genres are indeed the same? The player is case-sensitive, so for example "Hard Rock" ,"hard rock", "Hard rock" and "hard Rock" would all be listed as different genres on the player. If this is the problem - as I suspect - the best thing to do would be to use some sort of mass-tagging program (such as 'mp3 tag tools') which allows you to select multiple files, enter the genre name once and then write it to all files. This cuts down on any problems in genre-splitting due to case typos.

As far as I'm aware, MP3FM doesn't work with all ATRAC devices... hence learning to live with SS is a must

Can you give us the specifics on the mp3 that was giving you grief? Like if there were any 'interesting' characters used in the ID3 tag, and what the properties of it were? It might be nice to try and figure out what mp3s SS can't handle, so future users don't get confounded. (And so we don't have to fear adding each mp3 to our library, hah.)

I actually had the same problem a week or so back. SS had always been fine for me.. then all of a sudden it kept crashing on import. It turned out to be some of the MP3s I was using (which had been sent to me as a compilation) which SS couldn't seem to be able to handle. (A good indicator of this being the problem would be if SS seems to crash when the progress bar reaches a certain point each time, as that would indicate it's the same files it's crashing upon trying to load.) Try deleting all your mp3s from SS and then re-importing - for example - a quarter at a time, figure out which batch of mp3s doesn't work, then splitting that into smaller and smaller groups until you find which the problem mp3s are. Perhaps someone should mention that in the FAQ? I'm sure it would solve a lot of people's problems with SS crashing on import.

I guess the simplest way to do it would be to retag (using a mass-tagging program such as MP3 Tag Tools) the artist field of every file and change it to VA or something. That way SS would list the album under VA as you browse through the artists. I don't tend to listen to too many compilations, so when I want to transfer one I switch SS to all tracks view, get it to search by album and then just type in the beginning of the name of the compilation album, so only that album comes up. Sadly that's about the most hassle-free way to do it.

I have a HD5h and I get bursts of white noise, during what's meant to be silence - but it's variable when it happens. It always happens when I first start the unit up, then occasionally on the gaps between tracks. I assume it's just when the player's working hard... I think it's just the kind of thing you have to live with. But that's a HD5h.. I don't know if it's the same with an A3000.

Ah hah, glad to see it's not just me getting bugged by this. I don't actually have an A1000 or even an A3000, but a HD5h... but I do have the same problem (and not just with ATRAC albums, but MP3 albums too.) The solution on the HD5h seems to be to turn the 'unit' function off then back on again after transferring tracks to the player (or connecting it to a PC at all, for that matter.) Anyway, give that a go and see if it works - it does for me!

Hey guys. This is only my second post here.. but I was wondering if someone could give me some advice? I got a HD5h about a week ago, and I've been listening to it using the unit setting on and the repeat setting off (as I like to listen to individual albums.) For the most part this works fine, but it seems that the HD5h has a habit of occasionally going screwy and repeating the unit being played, regardless of whether repeat is on or off. This happened to me twice within the course of this afternoon; the first time I fixed it by connecting the unit to my PC; the second time I fixed it by - as suggested in the troubleshooting section of the manual - removing the battery. Given that these both worked, it would appear there's some sort of error during creating the database which is leading to the erraneous playback. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Is there a way of getting around it? It does have the latest firmware on it, but I did have the thought of upgrading the firmware to the latest version on the notion that 'it can't hurt'... but I did that once before with an old CD writer, and it most definitely did hurt. Anyway.. any comments or advice I'd be more than greatful for!

Hey guys. I just got a HD5 today (one of the refurbished ones on offer from Sony style) and I was wondering if the stickers can be removed? There's the one on the bottom with the serial number on and then two on the back (saying EU only and some kind of 'CE' symbol, respectively.) Has anyone peeled these off? Things like that annoy me and I like to get rid of them.. but I'm afraid of damaging the surface of the unit or not being able to get them off and then having dog-eared stickers flapping about. Anyway, if anyone's got any experience with de-stickering then I'd like to hear it! Thanks!