Sierras

So after not being able to figure out how to fix this problem, I had given up and stopped using my minidisc. That was more than one year ago. Recently, I tried to get my minidisc running again, but had the exact same problem with the new 4.3 SonicStage. In fact I didn't even remember writing this and found that I am in the exact same position I was in last year. Almost... This time, I figured out what the problem is and so I wanted to share it. I have my music on an external hard drive and imported all of it into Sonic Stage. Then when converting it, I found that Sonic Stage would create an OMG file (say MySong.omg) in the optimized folder. If I convert it without copy protection, then SonicStage will create another file called MySong (1).omg when I try to transfer the song to my minidisc. But if I had converted it with copy protection, then it does not create another file when transfering to my minidisc. So that's about it and am happy using my minidisc once again... Hope this helps someone else with this situation.

I was wrong when I stated that Sonic Stage created a second duplicate. It doesn't create a MySong (2).OMA - only one duplicate MySong (1).OMA. It seems that once I transfer a song to the minidisc, it then creates an OMA file that it uses from then on. So after much testing, the real question is; What is the format and bit rate that I must use to convert my MP3 music into my PCs hard drive so that Sonic Stage can use it the way it is when transfering it to my Net MD MZ-N707 minidisc. I have to say that this whole process has just about brought me to the point of throwing this thing out the window and just join the rest of the world and get another iPod. I am considered an advanced computer user and this conversion / transfer process is totally unacceptable. No wonder the minidisc is losing the war. Why can't Sony just provide an updated firmware so that my minidisc can play MP3s, WMA, WAV and ATRAC3. (Just like it says right on the player). It's a beautiful system - too bad they Copyright infringed it to death.

Here are some answers to the questions: SonicStage : 4.0.00.05080 Without the NetMD walkman connected, I select File - Import - Scan Folder then choose Settings and then the network folder containing the MP3 files. For the transfer settings, I have the Standard transfer mode and Convert automatically and transfer which is set to LP2 Stereo. If I have the device connected, I just select the songs and press the arrow going to the right. This might actually be the reason for this duplication since I ripped all my CDs with EAC using LAME 3.97 at a VBR at around 192 kbps. But once I convert it whatever format my NetMD needs, why then doesn't it use the OMA file that it had already converted and just transfer that. Why is it re-converting the MP3 file? Is this what the "Convert Autmatically And Transfer" is doing. But that doesn't sound right since I do want it to transfer automatically. And way of getting it do do one without the other? That is, auto transfer without auto convert? And if this the reason for the duplicatioin, it certainly isn't intuative...

Just to clarify, I don't want to delete the OMA files on my local computer. I would like to convert all the MP3 files I have on my home network and store them as OMA on my local computer. The problem is that Sonic Stage makes another OMA file on top of the one that got converted. For example, if I had an MP3 song called MySong.MP3, I use Sonic Stage and it gets converted and stored as MySong.OMA. But when I go to transfer that song to my minidisc, it gets duplicated to MySong (1).OMA. If I do it again, I get another one called MySong (2).OMA. There must be something wrong with either my setup or the configuration I'm using. I can't believe this is normal...

Hi I have a lot of MP3 on a shared folder on a computer on my home network. That computer syncs with an ipod. I also have an old NetMD MZ-N707 that I'd like to try and use with my laptop and connect to the same music folder. I wanted to try and speed up the conversion of the MP3 to minidisc so I imported some music files from the shared folder on the network to my local hard disc with Sonic Stage. This produced .OMA files in a folder called "Optimized Files". So far so good. The problem is when I try to transfer those songs to my minidisc. For some reason, a duplicate song is created (ie song (1).OMA). I notice that if I have my minidisc connected and transfer an .MP3 song directly from my MP3 music folder to the minidisc, that the duplicate does not occur. And I could stick in another minidisc into the N707 and transfer that same song and again it doesn't get duplicated. So it only seems to happen if I convert the MP3 files to my local hard disc first. (I think anyway...) Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong??

Hi - this is my first posting, so be easy on me... I have all my songs in MP3 format on a desktop. I use an ipod on the desktop and a net MD minidisk on a laptop which has access to all the songs on the desktop through a home network. When I transfer songs to my minidisk, SonicStage creates a duplicate "Optimized" file on the laptop. Once the song is in my minidisk, I can not see any reason to keep this file on the laptop since I could still access the songs via network to their original MP3 format. Anyone got any pros and cons from just deleting these "Optimized" files which SonicStage creates. Will it mess up the software if I just use Windows Explorer and delete them? Thanks