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Sonic Stage 2.3 out

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Latexxx

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Wonder if this means a new version is coming out for the US/Europe... mp3 support for walkmans? Maybe that means for those new flash players that support mp3, you can directly copy files over w/SS instead of that separate program they tout right now.

Of course, other additions for the Hi-MD people would be nice too, like not screwing up uploads (hasn't happened to me yet), burning uploaded tracks to Audio CD directly from SS if desired, etc. Only time will tell.

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Wonder if this means a new version is coming out for the US/Europe... mp3 support for walkmans? Maybe that means for those new flash players that support mp3, you can directly copy files over w/SS instead of that separate program they tout right now. 

Judging from the Japanese press release, the MP3 transfer functionality on SS 2.3 will not work with the flash-based network walkmans

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I was hopeful that existing Hi-MD units could also gain native mp3 playback with simple firmware update or something. It turns out that they lack mp3 decoder chip in their hardware sad.gif. Well maybe in next generation? Maybe not? I'd be looking forward to SS 2.3 for other refinements, but won't be holding my breath until I see ver 3.x. Current and also past versions of Sonic Stage have a crappy code-base. My biggest complain about the current software isn’t about its draconian DRM restrictions and horrible UI, but rather appalling lack of multithreading that makes it feel sluggish and awkward compared to other music management apps. It looks like Sony programmers never heard of that concept. I want to be able to rip CD’s to ATRAC and listen songs, browse lists all at the same time (ala iTunes).

Cheers

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Reading the mechanical translation of the Sony press release, it appears there are some new features in Sonicstage 2.3, perhaps related to management of songs and their locations on various devices. Very hard to understand. Still, I am happy my NW-HD1 will be upgradable. I am quite happy with this unit, since I was already willing to suffer the downsides of SS software with my MD system. MP3 compatibility will be a bonus.

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Still, I am happy my NW-HD1 will be upgradable.  I am quite happy with this unit, since I was already willing to suffer the downsides of SS software with my MD system.  MP3 compatibility will be a bonus.

From posts I've read over at Head-Fi, it appears that the MP3 compatibility is only accesible if you use a standalone Sony utility to wrap the MP3s in a DRM shell...

... essentially removing the usefulness of a feature by not allowing the feature to function in a simple fashion. blink.gif Yeah, you won't have to transcode MP3s anymore, that's good, but you'll still have to have two entirely separate libraries of digital music...

I would have to admit that I almost chose the pink HD2 over the iPod Mini, but the added cost (twice as much) and the various downsides for my personal tastes (low 5mW headphone out, confusing interface, SonicStage, ATRAC3+ only at the time) prevented me from taking the plunge.

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My reading of the mp3 "wrapper" is that it's only affected on the unit itself and the file on your computer is left as is. Regardless, this is pretty exciting. I'm wondering about getting the HD1 now or waiting for the announcement of the HD3 in the US -- or importing one??? smile.gif My only concern would be having a version of SS that's compatible with it. I would imagine they're offering SS 2.3 here soon as well, since they are selling the new Flash based players with direct mp3 support on the sonystyle.com website seen here

We'll see. Sony's shaking things up right before the holidays. I will say I am a bit shocked that they didn't annoucement this product here in the US, where their competition against Apple's iPod is biggest.

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Until Sony gets a music manager software that's on par with iTunes, or allows simple drag-and-drop a la Rio, I doubt they'll be actually competing with Apple

And that won't happen any time soon. There's just too much work to be done on SS.(Ref. to my earlier post) Problem with Sony is that they are not a software company, and Apple is (a good one at that). It really isn't that hard to put 2" hard-drive into small case with screen and call it digital music player. I do not percieve iPod to be engineering marvel of any kind. As you have pointed out, it's the software that makes all the difference. I only wished that Sony and Apple worked together in digital music arena (opposed to Microsoft). Imagine what kind of cool gadgets that relation would have produced.

Cheers

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And that won't happen any time soon. There's just too much work to be done on SS.(Ref. to my earlier post) Problem with Sony is that they are not a software company, and Apple is (a good one at that). It really isn't that hard to put 2" hard-drive into small case with screen and call it digital music player. I do not percieve iPod to be engineering marvel of any kind. As you have pointed out, it's the software that makes all the difference. I only wished that Sony and Apple worked together in digital music arena (opposed to Microsoft). Imagine what kind of cool gadgets that relation would have produced.

Cheers

Actually, I find SS better than iTunes at least performance-wise. Itunes is utter crap and the slowest program ever on my pentium 3. Even SS kicks the crap out of itunes. But I must admit that itunes has better features and is likely to be much faster on a pentium 4 or athlon 64, but for now it takes almost 2 minutes to start itunes and the lag between clicking and something actually happening must be measured in seconds.

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Actually, I find SS better than iTunes at least performance-wise. Itunes is utter crap and the slowest program ever on my pentium 3. Even SS kicks the crap out of itunes. But I must admit that itunes has better features and is likely to be much faster on a pentium 4 or athlon 64, but for now it takes almost 2 minutes to start itunes and the lag between clicking and something actually happening must be measured in seconds.

What I actually implied is overall software solution (iPod "OS",iTunes music management software,iTunes music store). Being aware that music management software runs quite slow on older hardware, got an P4 system @ 2.4 Ghz with semi-decent graphic card and it runs like champ. I agree with you that Itunes still got some rough edges(slow launch,screen redraw speed etc.) but this can all be fixed with a little bit of optimisation. For me SS is utter crap(UI design,DRM,no multithreading) no matter how I look at it.

Cheers

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iTunes  is not without its share of idiocy, although some may find it endearing. There is no obvious way to burn an album to  audio CD - you HAVE TO CREATE A PLAYLIST FIRST! But how do I know that? Only by wading through the help file. Userfriendly? I think not

What version of ITunes you are running? :wacky:

Mine:

"File Menu->Burn PlayList to Disc" :wink:

Cheers

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If MP3 support happens to minidisc ever (even if it is a later generation) and it is true mp3 (ie, if you store an MP3 file on the disc, then the player can find the file and play it back without you having to use sonic stage at all) then anyone will be able to make a music manager which doesn't suck and use it. Sonic stage wouldn't be such a pain if you didn't have to use it to use your minidisc, opening up minidisc to use mp3 would mean that it would be compatible with every operating system, probably a few existing music managers (though I doubt they would understand the concept of removable media on an external device) and basically the world would be a better place.

For minidisc to not suck, the only things it needs to do:

1) Allow playback of any supported file on the disc (if it is in a directory on the disc, this could be used for some type of metadata, like groups, but while this would be cool, it isn't a necessary function for md to not such)

2) Allow recording to any of the supported file formats, with the resultant audio being placed in a standard file, possibly in a seperate directory - again it doesn't matter as long as it is just a plain file.

3) Support a mainstream, quality, understood, codec. In this case, it looks like it will be mp3.

With those 3 things, MD will actually be able to compete because it won't be restricted by sonic stage at all.

If they want to make it really good then the solution is not to improve the software, it is to improve the hardware so that the people who know how to write software don't have to jump through hoops to support it. The 3 points above are all that is required by Sony.

My prediction is that there will be an MD which supports MP3s, but that it won't record to MP3. If Sony supports recording to MP3s then I'll be sold. If they support Ogg Vorbis then I'll probably also buy one. I wish that instead of making a big deal about supporting mp3, they had a look at all the other players and supported every file type that the competition is supporting. There may be some formats which aren't possible (licensing crap), but rather than being so proud to support an aging format, look at what is currently cool and support it too.

Woah, that post kind of got out of hand. Summary for the lazy: If MD wasn't tied to sonic stage, then MD wouldn't suck.

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What version of ITunes you are running? :wacky: 

Mine:

"File Menu->Burn PlayList to Disc" :wink: 

Cheers

What I want to do is select the tracks I need and click a burn button. Instead itunes makes me do that extra step of creating a playlist, which is nowhere near obvious, unless - horrors- you read the manual, and then there is that hidden gem of a burn command hidden in the file menu, of all places.

mad.gifmad.gifmad.gif

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What I want to do is select the tracks I need and click a burn button. Instead itunes makes me do that extra step of creating a playlist, which is nowhere near obvious, unless - horrors- you read the manual, and then there is that hidden gem of a burn command hidden in the file menu, of all places.

mad.gifmad.gifmad.gif

I'd swear....some of you like to complain for the sake of complaining.....oh woe is me; I have to make a playlist rolleyes.gif

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I'd swear....some of you like to complain for the sake of complaining.....oh woe is me; I have to make a playlist  rolleyes.gif

not if I have to spend my time to "research" a program and learn the hidden meaning of mystery buttons before performing some basic operations - the interface is just not all that great

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im with andy about what would make md great. i have portable cd player right now that can do just that (minus reading id3 info, no big loss) and its excelent for the job. useing cd-rw media makes it even better wink.gif

but haveing the fact that a hi-md unit acts as a usb storage device and that the media itself is fully rw it would rule my cd player. and the size would be nice to (i can barely fit 2-3 cds with cover in my pocket, with md's it would be near 10+).

basicly md as a media format is pure genius (small, true RW), but sony is strangleing it with the use of SS and atrac only...

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Any 2.3 users, please report new changes or enhancements.

Nothing major that I saw. A few interface changes, all minor. I didn't notice any new options in any of the configuration dialogs. It seems like it might have been a bit faster recognizing my NH1 as plugged in and accessible for transfer, but I didn't time it. Probably a fluff release.

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As much as I appreciate this effort, I would not suggest anyone download this if they wish to use it as their main management software until it's officially released via connect.com.

Any 2.3 users, please report new changes or enhancements.

This is an official release. Planetmg is Sony Asia's website and the SS itself is downloaded from www.css.ap.sony.com (you can reach the download page also from there).

Here are the version numbers:

SonicStage : 2.3.00.11020

SonicStage Add-on for Personal Audio Upgrade : 2.3.00.10260

OpenMG Secure Module : 4.0.05.10290

MagicGate Memory Stick Device : 4.0.05.10290

NW-E2, NW-E3, NW-E5 and NW-E8P : 4.0.05.10290

OpenMG CD : 4.0.05.10290

CD Walkman : 4.0.05.10290

Hi-MD : 4.0.05.10290

Music Clip, NW-S4, NW-E7 and NW-E10 : 4.0.05.10290

HDWM : 4.0.05.10290

Net MD : 4.0.05.10290

CD-R Writing Module(Audio CD/ATRAC CD/MP3 CD) : 2.3.00.10260

Px Engine: 1.6.14.507

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Here's the version numbers from a PC at work that has SS 2.2:

SonicStage : 2.2.00.09020

SonicStage Add-on for Connect : 2.2.00.08230

OpenMG Secure Module : 4.0.00.05270

MagicGate Memory Stick Device : 4.0.00.06170

NW-E2, NW-E3, NW-E5 and NW-E8P : 4.0.00.06170

OpenMG CD : 4.0.00.06170

CD Walkman : 4.0.00.06170

Hi-MD : 4.0.00.06170

Music Clip, NW-S4, NW-E7 and NW-E10 : 4.0.00.06170

HDWM : 4.0.00.06170

Net MD : 4.0.00.06170

EMD Plug-in: 1.1.0.84

Playback Plug-in : 1.0.0.53

CD-R Writing Module(ATRAC CD/Audio CD/MP3 CD) : 2.2.00.08230

Px Engine: 1.1.0.367

Would be interesting to see if any changes were made with tracks uploaded from Hi-MD to go directly to CD. Doubtful, since they've released their WAV conversion tool. Look forward to hearing about what's new.

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