Moving .oma files to another computer?

[ivanbuto]

Hi,

I have read the FAQ, which states that the ability to play back or do anything with an .oma file is limited strictly to the given version of SonicStage, which has a unique encryption key.

I'd just like to verify that this is indeed the case. What if I was to copy some .oma files (recorded through a mic and transfered from MD) onto a USB stick, and then try to import them into the SonicStage library on another machine. Would this fail to work?

Where is this unique encryption key stored, by the way? Is it somewhere in the Windows Registry? Is there no way to transfer it?

Thanks,

Ivan

[sebastianbf]

it will fail, believe me. There are a few posts about this, generally people who took the oma file off the minidisc and then copy again to it (all this using windows) and they need to know if the info can be recovered.

[pauljones52]

Not worth the risk, convert to .wav or another format first. Your method would work only if you click on the file, select convert to whichever bitrate the file already is and make sure ADD DRM is unchecked. This creates a copy without DRM and will work on multiple computers (but you still cant download this file to the minidisc then upload it to another computer).

Matt

[1kyle]

There IS a way to copy your files to another computer but this is what you have to do. -- Notice first if you have a music library on the 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) computer that will be TOTALLY replaced so "merge" all your music into a single library before you start --if this means re-ripping so be it.

Right so what you do now is 1) Run the Sony SS backup program -- depending on how much you have stored it could take up to 3 hours. I have around 65 GB and it takes around 1 1/2 - 2 hours on a moderately fast computer. --Note you will have to have this storage available -- an external USB drive is the ideal place for this. --Note backing up the music does not cause you to LOSE any music in the ORIGINAL computer -- you can still play, transfer transcode etc etc.

2) plug the external USB drive on to the 2nd computer and now run a "Restore" from SS. You will have to be connected to the internet while SS validates the music DB but only takes a second or two.

3) Repeat on as many computers as you want. --This library can be restored without restriction on to as many computers as you want provide there's no "Purchased downloaded" music. Normal CD's and your own recordings will copy just fine.

After restoring you can use the library etc on the new computer(s) just like you did on the original computer (which still works as well).

I do this a lot on to a laptop computer --my library is on an external USB hard disk when I'm using the laptop.

Works a treat.

The only restriction is that you don't have any "Purchased" music --I hate the whole idea of "Downloadable" tracks of lower quality and so full of DRM that you can't play the stuff anywhere you want. My own music library only has my own recordings and stuff ripped from CD's.

If your libraries only contain CD "ripped" music and your own stuff not bought frm "ICHOONES" etc the method outlined above will work --and you can copy to your heart's content.

(As your stuff is on a USB stick --then when using the SONY SS backup program you'll have to let SS know where the "library" is -- use the settings in SS. The computer just sees the USB stick as another Disk drive).

Cheers

-K

Edited January 24, 2006 by 1kyle

[jrhughes]

1kyle,

So, what happens if you DO have some purchased music within the library?

I guess the purpose of the internet validation is to disable the purchased content on one of the machines. Is that correct?

Cheers,

Jason.

[sebastianbf]

oh, i thought he was asking about moving files in windows not using SS. Sorry bout that.

[WaywardTraveller]

Ok, I'm a bit confused.

If by moving .OMA files you mean the files created by SS when you convert, say, MP3s or WAVs, then they are normal computer files and you can copy them anywhere you want. A directory of .OMA files will import into SS's database simple as pie! That's the only place I've ever seen .OMA files per se - on computer.

peace

WaywardTraveller

Edited January 25, 2006 by WaywardTraveller

[ivanbuto]

Thanks everyone for your responses. The particular situation I mean is the following:

- I record a file via the microphone.

- I transfer from Minidisc to Sonicstage. I see these files stored as *.oma files in the SS Library folder on the hard disk. I can play them on my computer with Windows Media Player of Media Player Classic, without having to use SonicStage (although I understand that I have the proper codecs installed).

- I want to play or work with these files on another computer.

Good to know that the backup method works, although it is obviously annoying to have to back up the entire library.

So from what I understand:

1. Simply copying the .oma files onto a removable media and then trying to play on another computer (with SonicStage installed) will NOT work.

2. Importing those files to SonicStage on another computer will not work either.

3. Backing up will work, and then "restoring" on the other computer will work, since the backup operation saves the DRM data.

4. The final option is re-importing from the Minidisc on the other computer, which works with SS 3.2 or later.

Thanks!

Ivan

Not worth the risk, convert to .wav or another format first. Your method would work only if you click on the file, select convert to whichever bitrate the file already is and make sure ADD DRM is unchecked. This creates a copy without DRM and will work on multiple computers (but you still cant download this file to the minidisc then upload it to another computer).

Matt

Hmm..I don't see an option to uncheck ADD DRM, but I still have SS 3.1 installed. Does this option exist in the newer versions? Would this conversion create an unprotected .oma file?

[The Low Volta]

just convert your own recordings to wav (either with the converter built in SS or with Marcnet's HiMDRenderer) and then they are free for you to edit, copy, burn to CD,... whatever you want

PS: do upgrade to SS3.3, it offers the no-DRM checkbox for importing CD's and for reconverting OMA files to another OMA type and offers also unlimited uploads of your own recordings from HiMD

[greenmachine]

If your recordigs are in PCM, don't bother with Sony's closed proprietary format. Convert the uploaded files to wav and use that instead. The .oma files in the library may be deleted afterwards to free up disk space sice they're no longer needed.

If your recordigs are in Hi-SP or Hi-LP and you don't want to waste valuable disk space by decompressing them, try the following trick:

Upload the files, convert to the same bitrate (i.e. 256 or 64kbps), while uncheckig the 'add copy protection' checkbox. This will remove the DRM information without adding generation loss (it will not actually be converted). These files should be usable on other computers without library backups or similar. Still you need Sonicstage until Sony eventually opens up the format.

Definitely upgrade to SS3.2 or 3.3 since these allow the un-DRM trick and unlimited uploads of realtime recordings.

[thepeter]

hey - i've got a similar problem and just kind of want to confirm that there's nothing i can do about it so i should stop wasting my time trying:

recorded a couple of shows via mic input in PCM and uploaded them on a friend's computer. burned the .OMA files to cd, erased the files from his computer and uninstalled sonicstage.

i'm fucked, right?

[burns3016]

Ok, I'm a bit confused.

If by moving .OMA files you mean the files created by SS when you convert, say, MP3s or WAVs, then they are normal computer files and you can copy them anywhere you want. A directory of .OMA files will import into SS's database simple as pie! That's the only place I've ever seen .OMA files per se - on computer.

peace

WaywardTraveller

Whilst it is true that you can copy them and move them anywhere you like, just try playing, or trying to download them to MD once you have moved them onto a 2nd OR 3rd computer (ie.a computer other than the one that you used to convert your WAVs or MP3s to .OMA on) - it will NOT work.

[pauljones52]

He is in a catch 22 situation, he needs to upgrade to remove the DRM which he cant do at the mo otherwise he might loose his files!

[Yoda's Girlfriend]

hey - i've got a similar problem and just kind of want to confirm that there's nothing i can do about it so i should stop wasting my time trying:

recorded a couple of shows via mic input in PCM and uploaded them on a friend's computer. burned the .OMA files to cd, erased the files from his computer and uninstalled sonicstage.

i'm fucked, right?

Join the club.

Although I still have my PCM Hi-MD masters, I have been on the phone to a Sony service centre & I have been told that there is no way of converting .OMA files to standard wave formats using SonicStage.

SonicStage can convert from CD/wave to MD, but not the other way, he said.

Which is what I found aswell. At least in the version I have.

Whoever designed this software is not strong with the force.

Anyway, according to Mr. Sony Serviceman, if the DRM tag info is removed from the .OMA files, then conversion to wave is easy.

He mentioned a $20 or thereabouts software that does this.

Bloody stupid, it is.

Paying for additional software so we can extract our own recordings from the MD.

My 1GB discs are filled with PCM audio recordings from stage microphones used in a theatre production I filmed.

My next purchase will NOT be another minidisc.

There are better digital audio recorders that do not mess you around with this nonsense.

Had I known this when I bought the unit, I would not have bought it.

Bloody salesmen.

Worse than Darth Vader, they are.

[A440]

Anyway, according to Mr. Sony Serviceman, if the DRM tag info is removed from the .OMA files, then conversion to wave is easy. He mentioned a $20 or thereabouts software that does this.

You didn't perchance get the name of this mystery software, did you? A lot of people could use it. If it exists.

You have been misinformed about SonicStage. It is a clunky horrible piece of...software, but it does do what you need.

Maybe you're using 2.0 or the version that came with your unit. .Wav converter was a separate (free from Sony) program for 2.0, but it has long since been included in SonicStage. You need the latest SonicStage, or at least 3.2.

Back up your Library (with Backup Tool, under Programs/SonicStage but not in SonicStage) and then install 3.3 from Sony's web installer or from Downloads at the top of this page.

If you have PCM files on minidiscs, and haven't already uploaded them with a version of SonicStage before 3.2, then you can certainly upload from MD-->PC with Transfer and convert the uploaded files to plain old unencrypted wav with Save to .Wav in SonicStage.

If you have files that were uploaded--not copied, uploaded--you can also use Save to .Wav.

If you uploaded with a version of SonicStage before 3.2 and deleted those uploads, but you still have them on discs, you can copy them digitally in realtime with Total Recorder.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=6330

Edited January 28, 2006 by A440

[raintheory]

Yeah I'd pay 20 bones for that software to strip DRM from .OMA files... I wonder what it is?

Hard to imagine Sony support actually mentioning that there is software that can work around their copy protection in the first place.

Edited January 28, 2006 by raintheory

[Yoda's Girlfriend]

You didn't perchance get the name of this mystery software, did you? A lot of people could use it. If it exists.

He mentioned it was named here, hence my reason for being here.

At the time of speaking to him on the phone he could not remember what it was, although he used it for removing the DRM protection tag on the PCM audio data, so he could save the live performance he recorded as wave files.

He said he'd call back later when he found the program at home.

Maybe I should drop another line, have another chat.

He wasn't Sony, per se, but he is the minidisc Guru at an authorised Sony service centre. Which is actually one of the better service centres I have found. They don't charge like raging bulls and actually repair stuff instead of replacing 80% of components.

I will let you know.

:-)

[atrain]

if he got it here & paid $20 dollars my guess would be it's winnmd maybe? although that is an outdated netmd program, other than that all the software we've got here is free or open source iirc

[raintheory]

Also MarC's HiMD Renderer now does the same thing as WinNMD I beleive. Freeware too.

Coould possibly have been Total Recorder he was talking about. If he was referring to HiMD specifically. Though Total Recorder I think is only like $12USD.

[A440]

I'm sorry, but this guy doesn't sound like much of a guru if he told you that you can't upload PCM. What version of SonicStage are you using? You're just shooting yourself in the foot if you don't use 3.2 or 3.3.

The old WinNMD, which is unnecessary now that Marcnet's HiMDRenderer does the same thing free, plays back the disc in a NetMD unit through SonicStage and records a separate track for each track on the MD, out of the (analog) headphone jack through Line-in on the computer. It's realtime recording from the NetMD units (before Hi-MD) that don't upload.

Total Recorder is also realtime: it can record whatever is playing through the soundcard in the PC: from SonicStage, Windows Media Player, Winamp, RealPlayer, DVD soundtracks, whatever. It is entirely worth the $12. You can hook up your Hi-MD and play what's on the disc with SonicStage and record it through Total Recorder in realtime. (Older NetMD's don't play back through the PC, just their headphone jack, which is why the WinNMD/HiMDRenderer method was necessary.)

None of those simply strips DRM from the existing file. They are all very slow workarounds to make a new non-DRM recording.

You say you still have your Hi-MD PCM masters. Excellent. Have you uploaded them at all?

If you can play back your .oma files with SonicStage you can convert them to .wav from SonicStage itself, with Save in .WAV Format under Tools. For 2.x versions of SonicStage, Sony has .Wav Converter (free) to do the same thing.

http://sonyelectronics.sonystyle.com/walkmanmc/wav.html

But there is zero reason to cling to an older version of SonicStage, unless you're really eager for random uploads to get screwed up forever.

None of this addresses the original problem: .oma files that won't play back because SonicStage no longer believes they are yours. That's the DRM problem. And if there's a mystery software that actually solves it, we're all eager to know what it is. Please ask your guru again.

[burns3016]

Yeah I'd pay 20 bones for that software to strip DRM from .OMA files... I wonder what it is?

Hard to imagine Sony support actually mentioning that there is software that can work around their copy protection in the first place.

Forget everything ! Just update to SonicStage 3.3 ! It gives you the option to remove DRM from your.OMA files.

Join the club.

Although I still have my PCM Hi-MD masters, I have been on the phone to a Sony service centre & I have been told that there is no way of converting .OMA files to standard wave formats using SonicStage.

SonicStage can convert from CD/wave to MD, but not the other way, he said.

Which is what I found aswell. At least in the version I have.

Whoever designed this software is not strong with the force.

Anyway, according to Mr. Sony Serviceman, if the DRM tag info is removed from the .OMA files, then conversion to wave is easy.

He mentioned a $20 or thereabouts software that does this.

Bloody stupid, it is.

Paying for additional software so we can extract our own recordings from the MD.

My 1GB discs are filled with PCM audio recordings from stage microphones used in a theatre production I filmed.

My next purchase will NOT be another minidisc.

There are better digital audio recorders that do not mess you around with this nonsense.

Had I known this when I bought the unit, I would not have bought it.

Bloody salesmen.

Worse than Darth Vader, they are.

Just upgrade to SonicStage 3.3 ! This can remove DRM from .OMA files !