physya

Well, I think GoldWave does decompresses the OMA file into a temporary uncompressed file, but who cares if it does it all automatically (when converting a batch) w/o leaving any traces (and fast)? Anyway, please post here if GoldWave worked for you as well.

Well, check out the image I posted earlier. Maybe OMA files converted on a PC are not protected? Send me a sample of a file downloaded from the player and I'll try to convert it. As far conversion is concerned it is a complicated topic. It depends on codecs you have installed. For example Goldwave won't read Audible files unless you have Audible manager installed. Same maybe true for OMA and SS. But the fact is - it does work!

Digital is digital, but you may introduce digital noise (just electric fluctuations and EM pickup from surrounding) - new ones and zeros during transfer. So, unless you use a sophisticated error correction/rejection protocol (e.g. FTP reads back the packets and checks for the error bit) you gonna have digital noise in your recording.

I wouldn't use compressed air, because it get very cold when close to the object (but too weak flow if too far). At least this is true for digital photography when cleaning the sensor. Use usual blower bulb instead - cheap and efficient.

I don't have a player (yet) - just ordered. I am new to Hi-md, so I might be discovering something well-known. Anyway, I made OMA files using SonicStage3.1 converting from WMA and MP3 to 256 kbps and 132 kbps ATRAC files (pretending that I am making the ATRAC CD). None of the other sound editors could read those files, but Goldwave could. I got it long ago, because it can read Audible files (and convert). If you think the device files are different - send me an example and I'll try to read it. (And yes, I have a registered full version of the Goldwave - shareware has some limitations) Your link is correct. You're right that neither OMA, nor Audible import features are advertised. But it does work!. Attached is a snapshot of the OMA file in Goldwave.

Goldwave (I have version 5.10) can easily read, edit and save OMA files as any other format (but not OMA itself - for that use SS). Also, batch processing is fast and works great.

Sorry, folks ! after reading on, I decided to cancel the 710 and get 910.

I will. Here is what I am getting (hopefully): Sony MZ-DH710

Just what I thought... The reason I am asking is that I was considering purchasing either MZ-RH910 or MZ-DH710. As far as I understand, the only difference (in addition to price) is that the MZ-DH710 does not have mic and line-in recording (and only 3 lines of LCD). Since I never encountered a situation when I need to record something outside of my house, I chose MZ-DH710. (... and ordered it today for $145... with $0 s/h)

I am sure it was discussed somewhere - I apologize for the repetition. Anyway, there are many topics discussing recording of a CD to MD and then uploading it to PC. What is it good for? Isn't the direct rip and encoding just on a PC better?