Tom B

I'm holding on to Windows 7 (64) a while longer

Don't toss your ATRAC files. See if you can play them with VLC Media Player (it's free).

Can you convert them to .mp3 ?

Sounds encouraging

So far my installation of Windows 7 (64) today will play my .OMA files, using VLC. It's not like it was when we all began. But I would prefer to be able to use Sonic Stage, or as much of it, as possible. I have not installed Sonic Stage under Windows 7, yet, or the other programs that work with Sonic Stage. I'm hoping to hear from people with experience with Windows 7 and this kind of change in operating systems so I can work out a plan to do this right. I remember in previous years we had hours of trouble dealing with the Sony MD recorders and Sonic Stage.

It's April, 2015, and I am among those forced to move from XP (32) to a replacement, in my case Windows 7 (64). Sonic Stage did work on my XP installation, and I have kept a backup of it. Some functions required users to access a Sony web site to validate or "authorize" an installation, so normal functions of Sonic Stage would be permitted by their administration. Does this web page server still operate? If not, is there a file that is part of my backup that should be used? I am not willing to lose my previously transferred recordings, most of which were made with a microphone at public events. I do not have any files purchased from Sony's on-line "store." (The computer is the same, but has a new hard drive with the Windows 7 (64) installation. My files from Sonic Stage are on other hard drives, which are installed.) What is the best procedure to make use of Sonic Stage with this new Windows 7 setup? (I noted this comment on another discussion of Sonic Stage, found here: https://community.sony.com/t5/Walkman-Players/SonicStage/td-p/114459/page/3 "It is not possible to transfer tracks into a computer other than the original computer or (if applicable) one which is authorized with the specific player. If the hard drive of the computer was changed or formatted, the only way to recover the music files is by restoring them using the SonicStage backup tool (provided a backup is available). If you do not have a backup or no longer have access to the original computer, you will have to delete the tracks from your portable player and re-import them from the original source into the new computer." )

I am running Sonic Stage on an XP machine. I am about to upgrade it to Win 7. It would be helpful to have a succinct list of the steps involved in transferring everything over. The only ATRAC files I have are ones I made myself - - they are not set up with copy protection. I continue to make new recordings with a MZN10, a MZRH1 and a MDSJE480. Many of my existing files have been converted to .mp3. (Sorry, I don't know German.)

I have Sony Sonic Stage 4.3 software installed on this desktop PC. It has worked as expected for several years. With it I can select .mp3 files and make an .mp3 disk, or Sony ATRAC files and make an ATRAC disk. I should also be able to use Windows, without Sonic Stage, to create disks. Using Windows XP, I selected the .mp3 files I wanted to burn, right-clicked and selected 'Send to and the CD drive' with blank CD loaded. I selected "write these files to CD." I got the error message: "There is no disc in the drive. Please insert a writable CD into drive I:. Note: A writable CD is a compact disc that can be converted to a conventional or audio CD by a CD recording drive (CD-R or CD-RW). After being recorded, the CD is capable of being used in any computer CD-ROM drive or audio CD player." I started Sony Sonic Stage. I selected the same .mp3 files and (to use Sonic Stage's term) "imported" (copied) them into Sonic Stage's list. From that I used Sonic Stage to create the list to write. I then selected the "create an mp3 CD" function (shown on the right hand side of the screen). Sonic Stage shows the same drive letter I: for the CD that Windows shows. I selected the Start writing function, and it worked. I now have an .mp3 CD that plays OK on other .mp3 players. I need to be able to use Windows to copy selected files (of any extension) to a CD on this PC. I have to wonder if the installation of Sony Sonic Stage has damaged my ability to use this Windows function. What should I do next so Windows does not give me the above quoted error message? The device used for CD writing is an LG CD/DVD writer.

I record a favorite weekly radio show with Mini Disks. I transfer the files to my PC, and re-use the Mini disk. For a period of time I used the PC to make Atrac CDs, which play on a Sony CD player that handles all audio formats. It is a boom box I bought at the local Sony store when the model was closed out (ZS-SN10). Since availability of Atrac players is very limited, and the Atrac CDs will not play in my car, I have changed my procedures. Now I use the PC to convert Atrac to the .mp3 format. So while I have a number of radio programs on Atrac disk that I'm not throwing away, all the later disks are .mp3. I don't anticipate making another Atrac CD. The sound quality of both Atrac and .mp3 is not an issue for me. I gave one of these .mp3 disks to another end user who said there were sound quality issues. But I have to understand that's with his equipment (unknown) not mine. Since my Sony Mini Disk recorder will not start automatically with a timer, I am anticipating switching to an .mp3 recorder that will do that, and I'm looking for suggestions. (FYI - the radio program I like to record and 'time shift' is about the automotive industry, and described here - - I receive it with a Sangean HD tuner on an FM station's 2nd HD channel. The audio quality there is great, especially for a radio show that originates on an AM station.)

Yes. I hope they are posted where they can be found easily. I did look around for them but didn't locate the discussion. Thanks.

Will ATRAC 4.3 work with Windows 64 bit? Or is a 32 Bit version required? I am currently running ATRAC 4.3 with Windows XP Pro, Service Pack 3, 32 bit. This works OK. I understand Windows 7 is available in both 32 and 64 Bit. Will ATRAC 4.3 work with Windows 7, 64 Bit? Or is the 32 Bit version required? Will it work with Windows 8 or 8.1 with 64 Bit? Or is the 32 Bit version required? Thanks

Maybe, just maybe, there are different sampling rates for different Sony MD recorders? I don't know - - but do know I can record on one and play back on another, of the several that I own.

So far I have not been able to find settings for my Sound Blaster card that lets me "disable DSP" or set it for 44.1 kHz. The sound card is a model SB1040EF ("Blaster X-Fi Extreme Audio"). It comes with a control program that includes a help utility that applies to more than this model. This includes more than the control program, will do. It says Some choices are different for selected audio devices. The range of sampling rates available may vary with the mode currently selected. I also do not see anything there about "ReplayGain."

A footnote: If Sony were still in business with these products, I would bring up this topic with their representatives who manage their demos at conventions, particularly the CES. There used to be Audio magazines that would jump at the opportunity for meaningful articles on topics like this. I'm trying to head in the direction of getting the best experience I can have from the equipment I have.

Will try these things - - I just wish this had been documented in the Sony user manual for the product. (More, later)

What is the best setting for digital input to an MD recorder? I have a Sound Blaster card in my PC with various settings for its optical digital output, which is input to the MD recorder (in this case a model MZN10). Some settings work, and some do not. The highest level of setting on the SB card has a "Master Sampling Rate: 96 kHz." and "Bit Depth: 24 Bits." The lowest level of setting on the SB card has a "Master Sampling Rate: 48 kHz." and "Bit Depth: 16 Bits." I have discovered anything with a Master Sampling Rate of 98 kHz. results in an error message of "NO SIGNAL" displayed on the MD recorder. Settings with a rate of 48 kHz. work, with either "Bit Depth: 24 Bits" or "Bit Depth: 16 Bits" selected. Will there be a difference when one record mode or another is used, and advantages or disadvantages with selection of 24 or 16? Which should be selected? Is there some practical advantage or disadvantage to either one? (I note the specs of the MD recorder in its manual on page 80, shows "Sampling frequency 44.1 kHz" and "Sampling rate converter 32 kHz/44.1 kHz/48 kHz." The recording mode - on p. 129, mentions 132, 105 and 66 kbps. The recorder has recording modes of SP, LP2 and LP4 "mono" - - page 75 of the manual). Thanks

It appears I have resolved this. When I was recording on the MD recorder there were other recordings on the disk. I found that starting with a clean, formatted disk I no longer have this problem. What I hear on the headphones is the same as what I hear later on playback. This is one of those issues I have not seen documented before. In fact I am very impressed with the playback quality when played with Sony MDR-V600 headphones.

I would search using part of one known file name. That should disclose the folder location for this and your other SS files.

Sorry, I don't understand. What are the steps involved to delete it and re-add it so I don't get this error message "Cannot find music files that are not registered to SonicStage. (Error Code: 00007180)"

I have converted some ATRAC files to .mp3. (These are of a radio show I record every week, that I end up saving with Sonic Stage as .mp3 CD disks. This has worked normally for a long time.) I discovered the audio level on the ATRAC files and consequently the .mp3 files was low. I successfully used "Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 9" to "normalize" the audio level, and raise it. I proceeded on to import the resulting .mp3 files to Sonic Stage, but got the error message "X Cannot find music files that are not registered to SonicStage. (Error Code: 00007180)" This means the .mp3 files without the increase in audio level will transfer OK, but not the ones I edited with "Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio." What should I do to proceed with this?

Thank you. Keep moving forward with this. Major new developments with the site should be reported on Sony Insider. (The history reminds me of another site with history of the Hammond X-66 organ.)

I've used this recorder with a microphone and analogue line in. I've previously used it to record from the optical output of another computer, to the optical input of the recorder. With the optical input it continues to give me uninterrupted audio when observed on headphones while recording. But when I play the MD recording back on this or other MD players, it is intermittent (as described).

Even though I hear the audio that is input to the Sony MD recorder with an optical, digital input OK, with my headphones, is there a chance there is a conflict with data the MD digital disk will record? Are there particular settings that the MD recorder is looking for, that I can change on the output of the Sound Blaster's digital optical signal that it sends? (The Sony MD recorder is a portable, an MZ-N10. It continues to work OK when there's an analog input.) Thanks

It's an MZ-N10

I have a new Sound Blaser card on my PC, with optical In and Out jacks. I connected the card's optical output to the optical input of a Sony MD recorder. I also connected stereo headphones to the MD recorder. Audio played on the PC is heard OK on the headphones while it is recorded on the Sony recorder. It sounds OK Then when I play back the MD recording, it starts to play OK but the sound totally cuts out to nothing. It's intermittant. There are no error messages. I played the MD disk on another Sony MD player. It played exactly the same way, with the audio cutting in and out. Again there were no error messages. As best I can tell there is no copy protection involved. There are also no problems when I record live speech with a microphone.