Jump to content

Trying To Understand Ss3 And Mp3

Rate this topic


MusicBringer

Recommended Posts

Hello folks, I am another one of the NH900 newbies - and I'm struggling a bit.

I want to understand more about "How to import MP3 format music files into My Library".

I have just read the following help file in Sonicstage 3.0, and I have some questions...

How to import MP3 format music files into My Library:

Importing tracks from an audio CD in MP3 format.

Importing MP3 format music files stored on your hard disk into My Library.

Notes

To import tracks in MP3 format, "SonicStage MP3 Add-on Program" must be installed on your computer. (SonicStage MP3 Add-on Program is pre-installed on some Sony VAIO series computers.)

In order to import music files in MP3 format, Windows Media Player Version 6.4 (or later) must be installed on your computer.

Details regarding importable MP3 format music files

The following MP3 files can be imported into My Library:

Raw MP3 (extension: .mp3) and RIFF MP3 (extension: .wav, .mp3)

Bit rate: 32 kbps to 320 kbps

ID3 tag version: 1.1, 2.2, 2.3

Notes

Playback and conversion to OpenMG Audio format of imported MP3 files is only guaranteed for files with a constant bit rate (CBR).

SonicStage does not support reading or editing of RIFF MP3 file tags.

When converting MP3 format music files to OpenMG Audio format*

When importing music files into My Library, only MP3 format music files with the following characteristics can be converted to OpenMG Audio format:

32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, or 48 kHz sampling frequency

Monaural or stereo format

I want to transfer my fully tagged MP3 files from PC (WinXP Pro SP2) to MD (NH900).

My MP3s are encoded using EAC+Lame at VBR (not CBR). I use 44.1 kHz (that's ok) and Joint Stereo (not Stereo), and I use Foobar2000 (not WinAmp).

So having read those instructions how do I deal with these issues of VBR (not CBR), Joint Stereo (not Stereo), and Foobar (not WinAmp). Is there a workaround, or can't I put my MP3s on my NH900.

How do I know if I have the "SonicStage MP3 Add-on Program". Where do I get it.

I guess that importing my MP3 files into the Sonicstage My Library converts them to .oma files on my HDD before they are then transferred to the NH900. I am not sure wacko.gif I should be grateful if you would tell me how does it all works.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess that importing my MP3 files into the Sonicstage My Library converts them to .oma files on my HDD before they are then transferred to the NH900. I am not sure  wacko.gif I should be grateful if you would tell me how does it all works.

No! It converts them as you transfer them and stores the .oma files in a folder called "optimised files" in the folder where you tell it to put importes cd's (does that make sense?)

As for your specific mp3's, just try it! Put a few duplicate ones in a folder and just import that folder and see what happens. Sonicstage is bad but it wont go around erasing your music collection willy nilly!

My method so far has been to only import (into the library) the files I want to move to disc, move them to disc, them erase them from the library. Hope that helps, and I am beginning to believe that the "nh900 team" can get through anything! rolleyes.gif

Edited by matrulesok
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am beginning to believe that the "nh900 team" can get through anything! rolleyes.gif
Hello matrulesok, yeah I hope you are right. Although I have been getting a great deal of help from the folk here. They're a wonderful bunch.

No! It converts them as you transfer them and stores the .oma files in a folder called "optimised files" in the folder where you tell it to put importes cd's (does that make sense?)
Yep, perfect sense. It's the bit about "and stores the .oma files in a folder". I've got that happening to me. But I don't want to store a load more music files, in addition to me MP3s. Am I safe to zap the .oma's? It looks like you are.

As for your specific mp3's, just try it! Put a few duplicate ones in a folder and just import that folder and see what happens.
Yeah, I did. It seems ok (although I've not had the NH900 long enough to do much in the way of proper listening assessments).

What I want to know is, why does SS Help say it won't work, or it's not supported, when clearly it's doing something - but what? That's what I find so confusing. wacko.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello matrulesok, yeah I hope you are right. Although I have been getting a great deal of help from the folk here. They're a wonderful bunch.

Yep, perfect sense. It's the bit about "and stores the .oma files in a folder". I've got that happening to me. But I don't want to store a load more music files, in addition to me MP3s. Am I safe to zap the .oma's? It looks like you are.

Yeah, I did. It seems ok (although I've not had the NH900 long enough to do much in the way of proper listening assessments).

What I want to know is, why does SS Help say it won't work, or it's not supported, when clearly it's doing something - but what? That's what I find so confusing.  wacko.gif

I dont see that not having winamp is a problem. For vbr vs cbr, it only says it is only guaranteed for cbr, so a few of yours may indeed fail. As for joint stereo, I dont even know what that means, but I'd guess that it is a trivial difference.

As far as I know you are safe to zap the optimised files, as long as you wait till the end.

Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Properly encoded MP3's (CBR or VBR) should not give any problems when importing in SonicStage. The EAC/LAME combination should be fine (I mean, if THAT doesn't work, what else?).

Some crappy encoders don't write the headers (metadata) like they should, especially with VBR files and I think SonicStage chokes on them for that reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I want to know is, why does SS Help say it won't work, or it's not supported, when clearly it's doing something - but what? That's what I find so confusing.  wacko.gif

Read the part of the help file you posted again, and you'll find that it is referring to the ripping of CDs in SonicStage to the MP3 format.

This was something, that, until now with the release of an MP3 ripping plugin for SonicStage, was not possible unless you had a Sony VAIO computer.

(I'm not to sure how good the encoder is - I suspect you will be better off using EAC + LAME)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Anybody noticed that you CANNOT playback mp3 files off a Hi-MD via SS? How lame is that? Again, we find that mp3 functionality limited by Sony. Come on. If it can encode and write in mp3, WHY CAN'T IT PLAYBACK IN MP3????

[attachmentid=243]

mp3.rtf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mrsoul, what version of Sonicstage are you using, 3.0 or 3.1? If playback of MP3 files is not possible through SS3.1 it would be really.. weird. I can't think of any reason to not implement this (though I have a hard time finding reasons for lots of other things Sony decides to not implement smile.gif ).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks, it even states in the SS 3.1 Help files that you cannot play these mp3 files.

Look under the section Header "ATRAC Audio Device: Playing back a track"

! Notes

Tracks on a VAIO Music Clip, certain types of Network Walkman, an ATRAC CD, or an MP3 CD cannot be played back.

If you play back tracks on a Net MD device, sound will be produced from the Net MD device, not from your computer.

MP3 tracks transferred to an ATRAC Audio Device that supports MP3 transfer cannot be played back.

MP3 tracks transferred to a Hi-MD that supports MP3 transfer cannot be played back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...