jadeclaw

News: Sony-BMG got hit with a lawsuit and Sonys rootkit is now blacklisted by Computer Associates. CA also offers a removal option in its PestPatrol-Software. This and more here: Groklaw User Comment Be sure to follow the embedded links.

NetMD/Old-MD/Old-SP-Recordings cannot be uploaded. Only HiMD-Recordings made on a HiMD-Recorder through Line/Mic/Optical-In can be uploaded. So, that hasn't been changed. Only the one-time-only limit has been removed. Network Walkman are the flash/HDD-based players. But uploads from these? Doesn't sound plausible to me as they don't record. Might be possible, when a recording Network-Walkman comes out. And about the support-limit: If you use it on any other machine, than the factory installation on a Sony VAIO-pc, their support-hotline won't help you, that's all.

Sorry if I sound like a doofus, but what adbot? You mean the Sony-Ad on top? I don't see that as annoying. I would have complained, if numerous Ads are placed between postings, like EzBoard is doing it on the free accounts. Or the screen is filled with 3 million pop-ups...

Something I don't understand: Every camera, regardless how cheap, regardless if it is digital or film, has an eyelet somewhere on the case, where you can add a carrying loop or a safety chain. However, I never have seen a MD-player with one and most of the expensive HDD-players don't have it either. Not even the ridiciously expensive Qualia 017! Something is definitely wrong here...

We have a first review of the Connect Player. Just wibble over here and go to Post #133.

Ok, time to push this thread up again. First, there is more to this than previously known. The included player software phones home everytime the CD is played. Plus, the deinstaller patch can BSOD your MS-Windows session, resulting in possible loss of data. Windows doesn't like it, when a piece of code is pulled out, while the CPU jumps into it. Russinovich's update on this: http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/11/m...decloaking.html Found in the comments: I smell a class action lawsuit in the making. See here: http://www.classcounsel.com/ Look under Consumer Protection. One of the First4Internet programmers asked for help on an open source programmers mailing list, in exactly the area, which is finally covered by the rootkit: http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:hDmbqX.../showThread.cfm Do we need another proof of their incompetence?

No. The direct copying of HiMDs is prevented differently. After connecting my HiMD to the pc under Linux, I found additional entries with a size of 3.7GB and containing asian characters in the filenames. These entries are not visible in Windows. And when copying, these entries get lost. And without them, the recorder doesn't accept the disc.

My advice: Backup your data, flatten your windows installation - including repartitioning the HDD, then make a dual boot, Windows and Linux. And get familiar with Linux. Ubuntu is a very good, easy to use distribution. I have degraded Windows to a runtime module for SonicStage to run on, everything else is on the Linux side on my machine. Oh, and I don't think, that the rootkit uninstaller was ever meant to be functional.

Yep. The whole handling of this affair has been unprofessional at best and outright malicious at worst. Mr. Stringer at work? : We're Sony!

And we're growing. 22015 members.

And chopping seems to be necessary. First exploits of Sonys DRM-rootkit are out. Just look here and start to wonder. Confirmed by SecurityFocus Cheat away and you can always say: "Sony did it!" Oh, and The Inquirer has a nice commentary too.

Forget it. The internal Software must be changed. And I don't think, that Sony will do something about that. Hmm, I'm wondering, what will be presented at the CES. For Satellite Radio. The german public broadcasters have joined forces and have rented a transponder on the Astra-Satellite, using it to distribute almost all public radio stations available throughout germany, about 80 radio stations in one pack. The point here is, that the codec used is MP1 Layer 2 @ 320k. And to preserve that quality, you have to use higher bitrate, as we have one decode - encode cycle.

In this case, Sony Software is innocent here. This rootkit has been supplied by an external supplier. I think, it is better to chop some heads off at Sony Music/BMG.

WMA!?!?! *goes off to vomit last weeks dinner* Sorry, but WMA just doesn't cut it. And talking about support base, WMA is MS-Windows only. And where starting to see a shift away from MS-Windows. Qualitywise, OGG and AACPlus take the top spot, followed by Atrac and MP3(Lame-codec used). Plus, OGG plays on any system and is completely free. Not only free as in free beer, but also free as in free speech.

Now Sony is backpedaling frantically. As expected. Let's see, if some legal trouble follows. I hope so.

Two more and we can rename this thread again.

There had been rumours, especially regarding the restructuring of Sonys Electronics branch. But there is nothing definite, except, that a number of low volume markets got their offerings reduced. (No more MD in Malaysia, Australia). So, all we can do is sit and wait. My feeling is, that MD will move towards the professional/prosumer category, as demonstrated with the MZ-M100/M10 series and Mac-upload. Discs shouldn't be a problem, they're ubiquitous in most western countries and Japan and Sony is known for supplying media for a long time after a product is discontinued.

Except for the MP3-Playback, no.

Note: NH600D is a Downloader (USB) only. It is US-only. The rest of the world got the normal NH600 with LineIn/Optical.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the lossy part is used for converting and transfer.

By comparing with the PCM-file of the same song. SonicStage plays 128k directly. LP2 is less artefacting than A3P@128k. And the high range sounds a bit crispier as well. No. And yes as well, as I don't like the kind of glossing over, that A3P@128k produces. No. it has to be converted. Convert to 352k, that should be high enough to preserve the artefacts.

The CopyControl-logo is identical to all copyprotected CDs, as these CDs must be visibly marked in Europe. It does not denote the type of protection used.

Not necessarily. But the difference is marginal, I guess, that 99% of all listeners won't hear a difference. That's why I said, best compromise, as it still provides a decent playing time on standard MDs. At 352k, I don't hear a difference, at 256k, I still have the feeling, that something is missing, so it is 352k for me.

The running times as based on the messages from SonicStage @ 352k 1GB = 5h25m 60 = 1h13m <-- Verified this one. 74 = 1h30m 80 = 1h37m In other words: 2.96MByte per minute

Well, there is not much to report, MP3 hasn't improved at all, if you need MP3, stick with Lame, Generally, the improvements are not dramatic, I don't think, that these small improvements warrant reripping a library at the same datarate. And Atrac3Plus@128k still doesn't reach LP2@132k However, if the MD is used mostly at home over a good system, 352k Atrac3Plus is the way to go. It is the best compromise between playing time/space requirement and sound quality. That option should have been included in SS2.0. Ok, what is still needed? A) 352k on CD-import, B ) Decent home decks with Digital In AND Out. And 352k-standalone recording. C) Decent Car-units. Btw, Atrac3@105k & 66k are back via fileconvert.