kino170878

I remember reading about the need to install Japanese Windows on the PC for the new players to be recognized properly....

Maybe because Sony won't allow it to happen? Atrac is/was their proprietary format after all. The MD units were different because that was strictly on the hardware side with little or no software implementation. If they gave the Atrac codes to software developers....well let's just say hell has more chance of freezing over than that ever happening.

Careful or you might destroy the illusion many have that Sony actually cares for its consumers.

Again, your mistake was not to use Sonicstage. Sonicstage and its associated hardware (i.e., your player) are inseparable. By not using Sonicstage to format the player the result is a dead player. Actually I wouldn't put all the blame on you. Half of it must go to Sony for not properly making the procedure clear.

I think your big mistake was to format the player through Windows. If you had just deleted all the files through Sonicstage maybe the necessary firmware files would still be on the player and you could have continued to use that MP3 program to drag and drop. Live and learn eh?

I think you are one of the first people to own this unit here. Were you able to switch the display to english?

From what I understand, you can buy those japanese models but you will be restricted (got to love Sony huh) to a japanese-only display, pacific region-only sonicstage, and probably japanese-only Windows. Sony are basically telling you to stay clear from their Japanese market, and to only buy from your own country. Regarding media manager, I really have no clue about it. But given the long history of Sony's dire performance on the software side I don't see how it can help.

Sony sometimes even views itself as a threat. You are aware of the conflict between Sony electronics and Sony Music? Crippling, witholding, restricting....these are all words which I would associate with Sony. I wasn't looking at specific details, nor do I need to. It's the broad trend that matters here.

Just have an extra laptop with the old XP or Vista operating system handy. You may not have the most advanced technology, but the older players had very cool features that are completely absent in even Sony's latest line up. I still watch the old VHS tape now and then. As long as the hardware is working and performing well who cares what Sony decides to do eh?

I think it is no mere coincidence that the updates stopped at exactly the same time when Sony officially announced it was stopping support for the Connect Store and phasing out ATRAC completely outside of Japan. The owners of this site probably do not want to continue to contribute to a format which is effectively dead. Perhaps they are contemplating changing the name of this site to a more appropriate one, given Sony's new strategy.

My minidisc player purchased over a decade ago has gapless playback. This player does not. Sorry but I will pass on it. Unless, through some miracle, gapless playback is supported in Linear PCM or WAV format. In which case I will buy it gladly.

I kind of get the feeling that even though Sony is seeing potential in AAC, the fact that they have crippled it indicates that they still view the format as a threat. Similar to the way they crippled support for MP3 before gradually allowing it onto their players.

So the answer is a no then? For the firmware update? When you have been following Sony products for as long as I have, you get a feeling for what the company is doing. I think Sony's marketing division knows exactly how to maintain sales while changing or witholding certain features until the next line up. Makes perfect business sense, I have nothing against it. I do feel kind of sad for those still hoping for the update though. They need to wake up to reality.

I seriously doubt there will be any firmware updates judging from previous history. Sony will simply release a new player and force you to buy it, it's an easy way for them to make money.

gapless gapless gapless sony take all my money and give me gapless

You got a good year and a few months out of it. Hard disc players, they eventually all go bad.

Obviously the upgrade would have to be less than the price of a new model. As long as that were true then I would be willing to pay whatever cost it took. But I don't see the point of the thread (apart from dreaming that is). Nobody yet has found the ability to crack open the Sony safe. And since Sony themselves would rather go to hell and back before offering any type of upgrade, there really is no hope for us.

Keep hoping mate lol

It looks like he is having more problems that he initially realised. You know something? I don't totally blame Sony for deciding to kick foreign buyers in the teeth like this. After all the company did take years of abuse over Sonicstage and Atrac.

And of course, the older NW-A808 has gapless playback whereas the newer NWZ doesn't. This may or may not matter for you though.

So if I understand this correctly, Sonicstage Asia Pacific version will allow the rest of the world to use the new 'Japan only' players? All operations will be functional? But what about the display on the unit itself, that must still be in Japanese....

Undoubtedly they have tried, but Sony products are the hardest to crack I'd imagine.

It *might* be possible that Sonicstage version 4.2 or 4.3 (which everyone else is using) is compatible with the player. Some Japanese ebay sellers are supposedly giving away these older versions of the software with the Japanese only players, claiming that all is fine. You should be able to find links on this site for the software. I don't trust anybody now when it comes to Sony though. But let us know if you fix the problem.

It seems pretty low in my opinion that a company would sell you a player in the knowledge that you'd never be able to use it properly. Either sell it or learn Japanese.

Gapless will never be implemented. I am almost 100% certain of this fact. My minidisc player however is gapless, and it is perfect for my needs.