Sony MZ-N505 Playback/Recording problem

[B_G]

Hi Guys!

Maybe some of you can help me out.

I usually fit upto 28-34 songs on a single MD using OpenMG Jukebox. But recently, when i play the songs back, only the first 14(approx.) songs play properly. The rest all have no sound (the display shows the song name and the time elapsed as usual but no sound). I have no idea what the problem can be since the first 13 or 14 songs play perfectly. The next song has patches of silence in between and the rest are just silence.

I've tried using a new blank disc. I've also tried checking in fewer songs at a time instead of all at once. I've also tried recording in SP mode instead of LP2(which i normally use). None of this has helped. Although in SP mode the no. of songs that i can play back is 9 (the rest are all silence).

I haven't even dropped it or anything.

I am in India and as such doubt that Sony will repair it for me(they probably wouldn't know how since they don't sell them here).

Any help would be appreciated.

[Christopher]

Welcome to the forums.

Please upgrade to Sonicstage 2.# first. Since you live in India, I'm not sure where you should go to download the latest software. I would assume www.connect-europe.com , I suppose.

[B_G]

Ok, I've upgraded to Sonicstage 2.1 from Sony's website. Yet, the problem still remains although it's somewhat different.

Now, the first 10(approx) songs play perfectly. After that all the songs seem to have long pauses where nothing is heard, although the timer keeps ticking on. Also, i can't check in these songs back to my PC.

Any idea what the problem could be?? I have no idea. :wacky:

It can't be the disc coz i've tried it with a new one.

It can't be a software problem as i've tried it with OpenMG, Sonicstage v1.5, Sonicstage v2.1.

It may be a recording/playback problem with the MD player itself although this seems doubtfull since the first 10 songs record perfectly.

Please help.

[Christopher]

Well, I think that you're not looking at the maximum density of the disc and thinking logically. If you record in SP mode, you have 74 or 80 minutes, whatever the maximum is on the disc. LP2 is a little more than 2 hours. When you combine your songs together, how much time do you get?

Also, tell me about the songs, what bitrate are they in, what source were they [mp3, wav, etc], and so forth.

[B_G]

i'm transferring 20 songs to the MD which equals a total play-time of 1hour 15min.

The original source of the songs is .mp3 in all cases.(most are 128kbps. only a few are 160 or 192). I use LP2 mode so all these mp3s have been converted to ATRAC3 at 105kbps.

Earlier today i tried to transfer in LP4 mode and only the first two songs could be heard(that too with a lot of "skips")

In SP mode none of the songs could be heard.

The timer keeps ticking on in both cases and also displays the song name.

i can't check the songs back in either.

let me point out that no error shows up(on the PC) while recording. However, when checking-in, the songs fail to do so. at which point i have to delete or initialise the MD.

I've had the player for atleast a year and a half now and not come across this problem till now.

[vova]

105kbps is NOT a standard MD bitrate - that could be your problem. Try 132

[B_G]

Ok. I converted the mps3 to ATRAC3 at 132kbps. and transferred them to the MD. But the problem remains. Only the first 9 songs play properly.

Do you think there may be a problem with the MDs (both the old and new ones)??

Maybe i should buy a new one and try??

[atrain]

what type of mdunit do you have? it's not a MZ-n1 by any chance?

[vova]

try to isolate the problem - try different disc/player/PC until the prob goes away

[pakaveli]

B_G, I have the EXACT same problem as you. I've had the 505 for about 2 years now, and this has never happened before.

The first problem I had when I converted directly from mp3 -> ATRAC was that I would get a 'Blank Disc' error after I transferred all of the tracks, and turned the unit off, then on. I tried using Sonicstage, OpenMG, and real player and still no luck.

Then I tried converting my mp3s -> wav -> atrac. The first bunch of songs would play fine (approx 15 out of 25), and the rest would play with no sound. I've tried everything and I don't know what else to do.

[ROMBUSTERS]

is it always the first few songs no matter which order you transfer them in?

i.e. if you transfer songs like this:

SongA *plays

SongB *plays

SongC *doesnt play

SongD *doesnt play

is there any change if you transfer them like this:

SongD

SongA

SongC

SongB

[Syrius]

I blame the disc itself.