Avrin

Well, I decided to go the easy way and created a small (4.3 Mb) patch that updates SonicStage 4.3.01.14050 Ultimate English to version 4.3.02.14200. OpenMG and PxEngine are not changed in any way. The patch simply installs and registers files that were updated in version 4.3.02.14200, with the exception of language resource files. You may download it here: http://depositfiles.com/files/gnx02914v To install: 1. Make sure you have the original SonicStage 4.3 Ultimate installed to the default folder (C:\Program Files\Sony\SonicStage). 2. Close SonicStage, disconnect any ATRAC devices and restart your computer. 3. Run the patch. Please note, that I do not recommend using the patch if the original Ultimate version is working fine for you. The update only addresses the behavior of SonicStage in Windows Vista, and possibly in Windows 7.

Great! A few suggestions: Use the one from 4.4. This component adds registry keys for HDD/flash/phone devices supported by the included OpenMG version. For Windows 7, you may try OpenMG 5.4 from SonicStage V 5.2. It still supports NetMD/HiMD. Download the full version from http://cnt01.labelgate.com/omgx2/player/SS...eVInstaller.exe then use WinRar to extract the Common\OpenMG folder from the archive. And don't forget to edit the OmgCore.ini file to make it English (OmgCore.ini from OpenMG 4.4 also needs editing). BTW, if you use OpenMG 5.4, also use its SetupReg from the SonicStage\Japanese\Patch folder in the distribution package. Change the order of these two steps. The Security Update needs to be applied after 4.3.02 is installed. No need to do that. Simply remove the [MenuService], [EMDCommon], [EMD0], [EMD1], and [EMD2] section from the SSAddOpt.ini file located at SonicStage\addon\English and/or SonicStage\addon\Japanese, and the EMD plugin along with CONNECT, Mora, etc. stuff won't even get installed. You may also want to edit the [support] section there.

Where did you get this patch? I was only able to find a full Japanese installer for 4.3.02.14200. BTW, it installs just fine on English Windows XP, and there is an easy way to make the program English by replacing the respective language files with those taken from English version 4.3.01.

Very easy. The figure of seven looks like an axe.

The easiest way to crash your SonicStage installation is to use Trial-Reset 3.4 Final. It searches for registry keys of various trial protection mechanisms, masquerading themselves as "normal" CLSIDs, and then allows to delete them. SonicStage uses this mechanism to store your key in the registry. It creates a fake CLSID key that looks as follows: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}\InprocServer32] @="ole32.dll" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}\MiscStatus] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}\MiscStatus\1] @="YYYYYYYY" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}\TypeLib] @="{ZZZZZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZZZZZZZZZ}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}\Version] @="1"[/code] where XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX, YYYYYYYY, and ZZZZZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZZZZZZZZZ are random HEX-codes either generated during installation, or obtained during authentication with the server. Deleting this key makes SonicStage want to authenticate. But be really careful, since there are lots of genuine CLSIDs that look very similar (Trial-Reset doesn't offer to delete them).

Now this is strange. Just had my keys damaged due to a thorough registry cleanup. SonicStage offered to run the System Information Restore Tool, the tool promptly connected to restore.openmg.com, and everything worked! Is the server actually back?

Yes, surely. But still SS43 is not officially supported in "the axe". The main problem here is not with driver signing. The drivers used for NetMD are in no way standard. They have their own USB protocol, are encrypted and use proprietary SONY routines even for simple operations. And they are explicitly designed for 32-bit OSes (so they may possibly work with a 32-bit "axe"), but there is no way to use them directly with 64-bit installations. A decent VM will do though, but I wouldn't rely on the new "XP within the axe" technology (remember that Microsoft Virtual Machines have no USB support at all).

Welcome to the forums! The possibility of increasing volume depends on the unit model. The respective topics for Hi-MD models are here: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showforum=90

The newer version, SonicStage V, will definitely be released for Windows 7. With no MD/ATRAC CD support. But I don't think that there will be an update for SonicStage 4.X to support "the axe".

The backup/restore procedure may still work for transferring unprotected files. But I wouldn't rely on it for transferring/backing up protected content anymore.

Welcom to the forums! This IS a common problem. SonicStage copy-protects your recordings when uploading from the unit. To unprotect them, simply run the SonicStage File Conversion Tool on your old computer with the Add copy protection box unchecked, and it will create unprotected copies of all your files, which can then be copied and played anywhere you like. The usual SonicStage Backup/Restore technique for copying files between computers no longer works, since the authentication server used for the process is down from the beginning of this year. In the future, remove copy protection (by running the File Conversion Tool) as soon as you upload your recordings. This may save you from a lot of trouble.

It's quite simple. A digital amp is designed to work with headphones or an inexpensive power amp/loudspeaker combination, that have a relatively narrow frequency response, say, the standard 20 - 20,000 Hz. In this way the 1-bit signal form is brought close to a more-or-less analogue one. On the other hand, when a digital-amp unit is connected to a good Hi-Fi system, with a frequency response of, say, 10 - 80,000Hz, the signal form remains close to 1-bit, and sounds very dry and boring.

Welcome to the forums! Try updating PxEngine from Roxio web-site - it is the engine used for burning CDs and DVDs from SonicStage and many other programs: http://kb.roxio.com/content/000070GN?set-locale=en

Level limiting is required by law in France. And, since France is a member of the EU, all units sold in the EU are limited. Limiting is done in two parts: 1. Software limiting, set to compress sound above a certain level. May be disabled in service mode. 2. Hadware limiting, by resistors in the output circuit. May be removed by soldering (shortening the resistors).

The NH700/NHF800 is even more funny. The US version has the same output amp schematics as the US NH600D. The other versions have "Canadian" amp inputs. Plus, European versions (AEP, UK, EE) have their output signal passing through additional resistors (similar to the European NH600) to decrease output power. See the attached diagram.

BTW, a Canadian NH600D should sound different from a US one, since they have different capacitors and resistors at the amp input.

The unit sounds absolutely gorgeous with its great TOSHIBA analogue amp! It's one of the very few Hi-MD units (NH600D, NH600, NH700, and NHF800) that have it.

Yes, the RH1/M200 is the only unit that allows uploading legacy SP recordings without any quality loss and faster than realtime (about 10 minutes per full disc on a relatively modern PC). And don't forget that by default SonicStage converts legacy uploads to another lossy format (ATRAC3plus @ 256 kbit/s), which you will certainly wish to avoid. To do so, set SonicStage to upload in PCM.

Very interesting! I always though that, when transferring in SP compatibility mode to NetMD, files are converted to encrypted LP2, and then transferred to the unit in this format, where they are decoded and converted to SP by the unit itself. But your research seems to show that it is encrypted PCM that is actually transferred.

The answer may be yes, but only theoretically. If someone delves deep into the heart of NetMD drivers and libraries, it may be possible to find a way to upload SP as data. And then some effort will be required to create a computer codec to play it directly. What needs to be made clear is the exact format the RH1 uploads SP in. That is, where the actual decoding takes place. If the RH1 uploads SP already decoded to PCM, then we're most probably out of luck. If, on the other hand, it uploads SP as is, with the actual decoding on the PC, then some possibilities are out there. An interesting area of study for a start will be to compare the original version of SonicStage 3.4 and the one supplied with the RH1 to see where SONY enabled NetMD uploading functionality.

Pure marketing. It's just another hype name for a digital amp, probably not even of the HD class.

No. ATRAC SP cannot be uploaded. Legacy recordings are decompressed and uploaded by the RH1 as PCM, and then converted to ATRAC3plus 256 kbit/s (by default) or left as PCM. There's no way to have ATRAC SP on a computer, because Dolby (the holder of most patents ATRAC is based on) never allowed SONY to create an ATRAC SP computer codec.

Most people here are also interested in ATRAC3plus. And the decoder supplied with Content Transfer (which is also free) works with this format. To use the ATRAC3plus decoder, you can either install Content Transfer and then remove it (if you have no use for it), or simply use my installer from the first message. And what exactly are patches for ATRAC SP? The format cannot exist on a PC (it is not uploadable, and there is no codec to create it).

Does it need a complete installation, or just OpenMG libraries (like Minidisc Simple Burner)? If only OpenMG libraries are required, there is no need to install the entire SonicStage package. You can always download and install OpenMG and NetMD drivers separately.

I suspected that. Does it actually allow dragging and dropping ATRAC files into the program screen and transferring them to the device as, say, MP3s? There's not a word about it in the help file. I'm almost thinking of buying a NWZ-W202 for the sake of experiments. That was obvious from the beginning. I've mentioned that in my first message.