Tom B

Thank you. I think I've resolved this because I put everything in the one folder, C:ATRAC The idea of "Junction" is interesting for those who have a lot of files in various different locations.

Is there a way to clear the data base and cause SS to re-build it? Hopefully from everything in the one folder?

Since I am not using an external drive on the system (except for Ghost backup images) I can probably get this to work with regular commands in XP-Pro, and therefore won't need "junction.exe." I just need to get everything in the folder where .oma and .OMA files are located to be fully recognized in the library, so I don't see the effor message about file location, and am not prompted to go locate each file. (Keep in mind that a few have already been corrected, one by one, so I trust that another run of the conversion tool won't upset them.) I did make a mistake in my first posting, where I should have called the file extension .oma or .OMA. (There are no .omg files.) Thank you. While I have used ATRAC files for a number of years I haven't had the kind of experience you have.

Should I do a backup of the system before running the conversion tool? (I have Norton Ghost installed.) Yes. I changed the file location in "Location to Save Imported files" This is a new folder I created called C:ATRAC Files The files do play OK from this location, whether they are .oma or .OMA. Since this has a space in the folder name should I change it, maybe just to be cautious? (So far there has not been a problem.) I also just found another old location where some other files I recorded are located. I'm thinking about using Windows copy & paste to copy them to this new folder. Or is there some better way? More, below.

I'm having to move my collection of ATRAC files from one hard drive to another on my XP Pro PC. (This is not about moving files from one computer to another.) I find the files will play back with Sonic Stage 4.3, even though some of them have .OMG extensions and some have .omg extensions. At some time in the past I ran the file conversion tool, and later added other files. (I expected trouble with the .omg files and that I would be stopped from playing these files, but that is not the case.) "Options" shows the new file location, and lists my files. But when I select each one I get an error message "The music file for the track was not found. Specify the music file to restore track playback." There is an option to either remove the file from the library, or "specify the location of the music file." Selecting the "Browse" control displays a file folder. There is another control marked "Auto search" that finds the file quickly, even though it is not in the file folder that's displayed. Once selected, the file begins playback. I have a lot of these files I recorded. (None are purchased files. None had copy protection.) Is there a way to resolve this with some feature of Sonic Stage, or one of its related programs, so I don't have to go through this for each one of the files?

I've heard comments that we lose quality when converting from ATRAC to .mp3. Then I've heard there is no loss. Is there anything published or any guidance about changes in the audio quality when a file is converted to .mp3? (When I have converted something I have managed to save the original ATRAC file.)

I'm using Sonic Stage 4.3 on my XP-Pro computer, connected to my MZ RH-1. The computer has several hard drives. Sonic Stage is installed on Drive C: The drive with my ATRAC files (D:) crashed. Fortunately, I was able to copy the ATRAC file folders & files from the problem hard drive, to a new location with folder(s) on Drive C: I was then able to get Sonic Stage running, and I can play the files and hear them on the computer's speakers. These files were previously copied from my MZ RH-1. I made these recordings. They are not copyrighted or copy protected. (I do not have anything purchased from the old Sony store that involves copy protection.) Today I have a new file on my MZ RH-1 that I want to copy using Sonic Stage, as I've done so many times before. On trying to do that I get an error messsage that says: "Cannot access the folder for sending imported files. Verify that the folder location is correct. From the main menu click Tools, and then Options. From the Category section, click location to save imported files. Verify the location (Folder) path" This showed the old location on the now disconnected hard drive. So I changed it to the new location on C: Doing that I get the error message "Cannot access the device to import from. The process will stop." So far I am not able to transfer the new file from the MZ RH-1 to the PC. I can't find documentation on this by Sony and hope there is someone here who can comment. Thanks.

Interesting - - Thank you. Fortunately it is working now.

It depends on the content. Since I don't have MD in my car, I would prefer a regular CD for that purpose.

The .oma transferred file is a big one - - 153.27 MB. It's 66 kbps, 44.1 khz. The content is a radio show that's included where I let the recorder run all afternoon. Is there anything I should be doing to get big files like this to transfer OK? Some of them do transfer without hanging up.

I use my MZ-RH1 to transfer material I have recorded on another MD recorder to my XP-Pro computer. This has been working for me for some time. Now I've run into a recording I made of a radio show, where there was difficulty completing the transfer. The transfer begins and Sonic Stage reports it's 25% finished. It then goes back to 0% and proceeds through to about 25% again. It did this about 5 times before finally completing a 100% transfer. I tried using Sonic Stage to control the MZ-RH1 and play back the recording. This works OK, from beginning to end. Does this mean the Mini Disk has been damaged? Where should I go from here with this?

You are right. While it displayed the blank error message with a "!" for me yesterday, it is running as you described today.

This confirms that Ojbsir.exe no longer connects. Is shows a blank error message with a "!"

I have not yet found much that describes this in the manuals of my Sony ATRAC products. If I run the "File Conversion Tool" what does this do to my existing files (where I UNcheck the copy protection box)? Will there be a change in the file extensions? I'm unclear what advantage a Sony user would ever have as a result of a system like this. While I'm familiar with a lot that the Sony products do, this is one of the features I don't understand. I do NOT want to apply any new "copy protection." In my case I have not received files from earlier versions of Sonic Stage - just ver. 4.3. I would appreciate understanding the reason for this and what good it all does for me. Thanks.

I'm using Sonic Stage 4.3 on my XP-Pro computer, connected to my MZ RH-1. I have a large number of recordings of radio shows transferred from my MDs. They were originally made on other machines (mostly a MDS JE480). These recordings were NOT made with copy protection. (I do not have anything purchased from the Sony store that involves copy protection.) Now I have added an additional hard drive on my PC. To free up space on the original hard drive, Drive C:, I would like to transfer these files to a directory on the new hard drive, Drive F. Can I do that by using Windows Explorer to move the files, without engaging copy protection or other problems? Or does this involve other procedures? At some time in the future I may want to copy or move these files to another computer? Would that trigger any copy protection or other problem? Or can I simply copy them or move them using Windows Explorer? If I can transfer these to a new directory on Drive F, is there a preferred directory name or location that should be used? Thanks

Yes it is on the mother board. The IDT Audio Control Panel was delievered with the Intel GD45ID mother board. I may try this - but will proceed with a lot of caution. I've spent some time on the phone with Intel support (they route these calls to an office in Costa Rica), and they did not have reports about this problem. I would prefer an arrangement where the audio level from the S/PDIF connector on the mother board is constant, and all further audio level control is handled by the outboard device. In my case that's either a Sony MZRH1 or MZN10. As I understand it now, the IDT program also provides tone control that (if set to something other than 'flat') ends up being recorded by the outboard MD recorder.

I stand corrected - - I meant to say input. I checked the portable recorder with the optical output from a Sony CD recorder / player (model RCDW500C). With this output the meters on the portable recorder work as shown in the manual. I now suspect the problem is with the IDT control software that runs under Windows XP. I understand the version that runs under Win 7 has a separate audio control for the SPDIF output. I'd like to find a program that would do this under XP. Or I wish I could arrange for the optical output of the Intel board to be a fixed level, and let the recorder volume control handle this function entirely.

I'd like to know more about the .INI and registry files that might be involved. It would help me to know if others are seeing audio levels between the two marks on the meters of these MD devices. I really did want to use the MD recorder to record content that comes off my Intel mother board. I'll check this out. Are settings for this available? I have an MDSJE480 with an optical output. I'll try to check the levels with that.

The audio volume level to the optical input to my Minidisk recorder from the optical S/PDIF output connector on my Intel mother board (DG45ID) is very low. This appears to connect OK when tried with either of two Sony Minidisk audio recorders (MZ-RH1 or MZ-N10), but with the same result. The audio is there - - just at a low level. I do not find a separate adjustment on the IDT audio control panel (the program provided by Intel that runs under Windows XP-Pro) for S/PDIF. The volume level is increased or decreased with the master volume, but it's not loud enough. The Sony audio recorders have instructions for manually setting audio levels between two marks on the VU meters. So far I have not been able to get a display between these two marks. It does come close to the bottom mark, though. (Do others get input readings between these two marks when connected to the optical line?) Is there something I'm missing here that will increase the audio level? Thanks.

I've seen some available at Fry's stores in Texas, but not in the bargain packaging we used to see

Mono output? Yes, I could make good use of that.

This IDT Audio Control Panel has a 10 band equalizer and support for 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound speaker configurations. I am only using two speakers (powered speakers) connected to the 'front' connector. I notice there is one audio jack for "center/lfe" and wonder if that would give me a mono source. There are some controls on the IDT where I can't find documentation with the Intel mother board (model DG45ID), but I don't think they have anything to do with setting the audio level to the optical output. Thanks.

That's the way I always thought it should work Yes. The S/PDIF optical connector is on my Intel mother board. The Intel board was supplied with an IDT audio control panel. I've discovered the audio level on the optical connector varies with the audio level on the IDT control panel. But even when turned all the way up there, and on the Sony recorder, it is too low. (Yes I would much prefer to have a fixed audio level that is unchanged, as you've said.) It appears other products have audio level controls for S/PIDF applications. Click here: http://snapstream.helpserve.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=1402 http://www.jensign.com/spdif/index.html http://www.htomega.com/faq13.html

I have an Intel mother board (model DG45ID) that gives me an optical output that is accepted by my Minidisk recorders. It is an S/PDIF. The volume level is very low, with only a couple of bars showing on the record meters when record volume on the MD recorder is set all the way up. I expected to find a volume control for the optical output in the Windows XP-Pro control panel, but there is none. The Intel mother board came with an IDT audio control program. I don't find a level control for the optical output there, either. So I'm looking for a way to resolve this. Is there a control for the audio level that should appear in the Windows control panel or IDT control panel that is being interfered with by Sonic Sonic Stage, or maybe Sony Sound Forge 9?

Thanks. I have not covered these issues before. It seems the burdensome experiences with DRM and these ATRAC products are probably responsible for killing them off in the marketplace. I'll figure out when I have enough time to run the procedure. At least I do have a Norton Ghost backup of the whole system, but I have not had to use it for anything on this computer. One problem with all of this is users who successfully run this file conversion will need to make new recordings, and they won't be converted until later. So the PC has a mix of files that are converted and not converted.