tekdroid

if I'm not mistaken, the fat filesystem makes lots of writes to the same part of the disc every time files are updated, etc. I think 1 million is within easy reach on an often-changed disc.

the laser wavelengths are totally different between these two (for starters). So I would say not a chance.

does he speak english? Shipping price to Australia would be nice. Do you have to sign up to that site to buy from him?

I have never used smart playlists so excuse my ignorance. Why can't the hardware itself do something like this. Why does it have to be PC-based software? Seeing these are 1GB-2GB devices, I think the scope for management is bit limited tho. Forget putting 12,000 tunes on here. I think the key is choice, which Sony are finally giving their regular Walkman customers. Before this it was lovely SonicStage on every machine for music. What I'd love to see is drag-n-drop being standard on all Walkmans, with the option for great software (but that isn't a requirement) to get music on (and off) the Walkman. It seems they might have that with these models, but I'm expecting a fairly rudimentary application (and to be honest, I doubt anymore is needed for these models). Lossless file support is lacking, too, which totally rules out these models for me, even when they hit the bargain bins.

I have aversions to buying any device limited to the charge cycles of its internal Li-Ion embedded battery, but all the same this IS indeed good news and a step to sanity for Sony. It would be mildly amusing to test their "Automatically copies music files from PC with built in ‘Auto Transfer’" software they wrote about in their press release, but as long as it's not necessary it should be easily ditched. Simply dropping SonicStage has made this the most interesting Walkman since Hi-MD was released (to me). That's sort of sad but funny at the same time.

right, but you mentioned they developed it with DRM in mind, which is all I was disagreeing with. ATRAC was developed to fit a CD-length recording on a MiniDisc - no other reason. DRM was indeed an afterthought, not part of the initial ATRAC development process (unless you count SCMS as DRM, which was developed before MiniDisc hit).

if Sony really are concentrating on professional audio segmentation, then it makes sense that Hi-MD is disappearing from mass market merchants but staying in more muso-friendly retailers. Is their proof that the MZ-M200 is also disappearing? If so, then that would be a good sign.

What misunderstanding? The masses don't use ATRAC. Can that be disputed? I was there before MiniDisc and DCC were released for their showdown (well before SonicStage or even PC connectivity were thought of). I know ATRAC quiite well, thanks. I am well aware early MiniDisc models transcode to ATRAC. 1) does this somehow mean the masses love ATRAC, need ATRAC? 2) How is that a selling point to keep ATRAC for the masses? 3) does that mean ATRAC should stay? Sony is currently an "also-ran" in portable DAPs. They are in no positiion to foist ATRAC on the masses now. That ship has sailed. Dropping it makes perfect sense in this lower-end model. Much like their phones. While their market presence and brand can't be underestimated, how am I misunderstanding things? The market itself has spoken. The overwhelming majority don't use ATRAC. Can you argue that they do?

this player caters to the low-cost, maximum profit movement for Sony. Taking atrac off it reduces costs for Sony. Sony makes more money by using commodity chip(s) (presumably costing many times less), therefore increasing their profit on each unit significantly (again, presumably). Considering the overwhelming majority of the market don't care about ATRAC (despite any virtues it may have), it's a great move on Sony's part. I think this product is cleasrly aimed at the masses - the masses don't use ATRAC; I doubt many even know what it is. For those that want it, it can be found in other models. Much like their phones which ignore atrac, this is the same thing...

No It was developed with MiniDisc in mind.

No new model this year doesn't mean stopping production. MZ-RH1 says nothing about the MZ-M200. At best you are guessing. It may happen. It may not. I doubt they are stopping production this year. When I see flash models do what MiniDisc does, then I'll believe it.

If... But have they stopped completely? Nothing I've seen suggests that. Just like the PCM-D1 fills a niche, so does Hi-MD.

More like they are protecting their investment in Hi-MD, IMO. Even with their PCM-D1, they are careful not to reach Hi-MD equivalence when it comes to trackmarking, etc.

That's right. Equivalent to a regular (fast) format with a hard drive, it doesn't go over the disc to check it all. Without hearing the odd sounds, it would be hard to say, but my MD units make odd sounds sometimes. Clicking and whirring, yessir. What type/ brand / age are the discs? Are the discs or were the discs ever dusty? Really, you should have no problems. Older MDs are practically lower-capacity Hi-MDs as far as behaviour of the unit is concerned.

Sony MZ-RH1: 1) No tracknames on the unit itself (requiring over-use of 1-line remote just to see track names) 2) No Group button on the unit itself (can't switch groups on-unit instantly) 3) No bookmark indicator on the unit itself. (from what I recall you need the remote to mark bookmarks, too) 4) No Group Release functionality (if I recall correctly, not available at all, quite a departure from earlier models) 5) Eject button that many people complain about being hit inadvertently. That said, your current unit has known button weaknesses that may show over time.

For all we know there could be many studies being done on lossy audio and its health effects. It doesn't add anything to this argument, which is just my personal feeling on where this is going. Would this add weight to the argument for you? Obviously it would. Well, we can wait for conclusive proof before we decide on limiting exposure to things we can control which might be harmful, but then again we might not. It's a choice we are free to make. Not asking you to fall in line. You're free to be reactive when some study hits or the damage is made known some way... Traffic noise. Whine of computers. Aircraft noise, machinery noise, factory noise. You know, modern living. Look up Noise Pollution. Lossy audio may well have the same effects (I think worse) that noise pollution has. Because the actual sound hitting our ears is very different to those sounds without data-reduction (even though our perception gives us the impression they are more-or-less the same).

Noise pollution has been studied quite a bit and its effects on the brain and body are real. To the ear - with lossy codecs - the dynamically-changing sound is constantly reaching the ears is quite bit different to sounds with a basis in a nature and at least mimicking physical objects. Psychoacoustic codecs constantly drop what is masked by the brain - many times a second - so the sound reaching the ears is alien, for want of a better word, which, as far as the body is concerned, may as well be another form of noise pollution, despite our perception telling us it's 'the same'. If simple noise pollution can have bad effects on us (which emit unnatural sounds but are based totally on physical objects), imagine lossy codecs - or at least the potential for lossy codecs affecting our health. Even different music has effects on growth and health. I have no doubt different sounds do, too - especially ones mankind has coded for a usable trade-off on storage and transmission devices (and no other reason). I don't think it matters whether there are thousands of studies or none. Lots of new products come out on the market and only later are their health effects assessed. Everything from chemicals, artificial fibres to different lifestyles and diet have had an effect on human health (and the environment) measured in the billions of dollars - and still do.

Hi-MD can already record in CD-quality, but you reminded me of TDK and Calimetrics' ML (MultiLevel) CD technology. http://www.tdk.com/procommon/press/article...on&recid=95 They announced it, I was looking forward to it, but it never hit the market (they decided against releasing it). Something about DVD recorders dropping in price, I reckon I think investment in a whole new portable spinning disc format will not be made by Sony. I'd love to be wrong, though. If they do it, I think they would want to use it for video as well as audio. Decent transfer rates for 24/96 recording on a nice lil' disc and say...10GB. IMO, it would need to be good enough to sell it for at least 5 years successfully. Marketing and distribution of a new format is not cheap. No sense going into it with incremental improvements (unless it's backwards compatible like Hi-MD is) But let's face it: if Sony wanted to, they could make a droolworthy affordable flash-based recorder with many (but not all) of the good Hi-MD features and without many of its disadvantages, and 99% of the portable recording/playback market would be satisfied. They just don't want to.

Not sure what you meant by this comment. The health effects of lossy audio have yet to be heavily studied, but that has nothing to do with pretending to hear stuff that's not there, if that's what you're implying by that comment (just a guess). A lot of audio is in fact non-perceptible and can be thrown out without noticing. I don't dispute that. Whether or not is has long-term or short-term effects is something I'd love a conclusion on (quite aside from perceptible sonic differences). Guitarfxr, thanks for your comment. I'm a big fan of nature.

it's not only high frequencies that get butchered with lossy compression, sound from the whole spectrum do, as well as imaging and general fidelity. Load up foobar. Open two identical files in there, one lossy, one lossless. Ctrl+click to select them both. Right-click on one of the selected files. Select: Utils then ABX two tracks... click OK Take it from there. A lot of it is down to your equipment and lossy encodings, obviously. If your PC has onboard sound and poor 'phones/ amplification/ speakers, the chances of picking up differences will probably be "here and there" stuff. Flying in the face of if-you-don't-hear-it-it's-not-important, I feel that sounds are far more important that given credit for, and even masked sounds play a role in our hearing and perception in the brain, and there are positive health effects to keeping sounds as close to what we evolved on for millions of years.

nice to know they are still getting them in. I'd imagine we should see them in a few other JB Hi-Fi stores, too. But at Sony's Australian RRP, the enthusiasm is sapped. Would sooner order a box or three from overseas.

Check ebay for LIP-4WM deals. As far as I'm concerned they are the real deal.

Richard, unfortunately SonicStage is required to transfer your MP3s. Until they release this, that is: http://www.atraclife.com/2007/04/25/sony-t...d-drop-walkman/ Or you go with a different brand, like http://www.cowonglobal.com or http://en.meizu.com , among others...

It's not just you. And you shoulda seen it when more DRM was in force. Sony did major damage to their own market, forget competitors.

Sony management must be having fits. A Walkman without SonicStage and ATRAC doesn't get released without a few heads rolling, I'd imagine. Perhaps they are rolling now