The 2006-02 SonicStage bugfix/changes wishlist

[dex Otaku]

This is NOT meant to be a discussion thread. Rather, this is intended to be a place where users can report specific, reproducible bugs, as well as make new feature requests. The last major one of these that I started *was* obviously given some attention by Sony; some of the features requested there *are* in versions of SS released since.

So please, be serious, this isn't a pie-in-the-sky request thread [not that you can't, just saying I'll slap you silly if you request 5GB discs again or HiMD-based video cameras]. Be realistic, and base requests on what exists already.

And yes, I know that this will quickly become outdated as the last one did. That's the whole idea - make suggestions that can actually be implemented, making the wishlist obsolete.

SonicStage: [based on what's currently in SS 3.4]

<blockquote><b>* Installation:</b> Create an official, Sony-supported offline installer. The demand OBVIOUSLY exists.

<b>* Installation:</b> It's obvious that the installer needs to be far, far more rigorous in checking that systems are up to running SS in the first place. For instance: verifying that XP SP2 is installed; verifying that MDAC is current and functional; and even verifying that the system MP3 codec works properly

<b>* Downloading:</b> Investigate the "can't download more than one album at a time" bug more thoroughly as it appears to be the most often-reported bug in SS 3.4 thus far [though not all of us experience it]

<b>* Downloading/Transcoding:</b> fix MP3 title length bug that causes SS to gag on tracks with titles longer than 256 characters [simple solution: truncate the long part of the tag during inclusion in the SS database and/or during download - but do NOT edit the track's original tag]

<b>* Downloading/Transcoding:</b> fix broken resampling [occurs with MP3s only for me] that causes severe aliasing distortion

<b>* Downloading/Transcoding:</b> work on support for MPEG-2 layer III audio; i.e. low-sampling rate, low-bitrate MP3s such as audiobooks

<b>* Downloading/Transcoding/Encoding:</b> provide "quality" settings for transcoding using "Convert to.." in the library

<b>* Downloading/Transcoding/Encoding:</b> get it over with and simply enable *all* the atrac3plus bitrates that can possibly work with HiMD; the ability to encode to bitrates not supported by HiMD is a major source of confusion for many users

<b>* Downloading/Transcoding/Encoding:</b> provide some means of "normalising" tracks, even if it means repeated transcodings, i.e. ReplayGain

<b>* Playback:</b> EQ. Please. EQ capable of bass-tuning, specifically, i.e. that has enough bands in the bottom end to do basic room resonance correction. iTunes' and foobar2000's EQ are both good enough for basic correction, for comparison's sake. Lack of EQ is the primary reason I won't use SS as a player on my system.

<b>* File Handling/Transcoding:</b> Support within SS for any audio format the user's system has directshow filters for [tag support expected to be inconsistent]. Native support for transcoding from common lossless formats that have dshow filters would save a lot of us a lot of time wasted on WAV conversion, importing, retagging, and conversion, as an example. SS already recognises dshow MP3 codecs such as FFDshow, so why not simply add support for other formats? There is no legitimacy to any claim that any given format promotes piracy more than any other; in fact, the one format which is most widely used for piracy [MP3] is one of those already supported by SS! Lack of file format support is my #2 reason for not using SS as a player.

<b>* File Handling:</b> Support for reading ID3v2 and/or APE tags from any dshow-supported audio format [this won't work for everything but will cover the basics for WavPack, FLAC, APE, MP3, &c.]

* Uploading/File Handling: Complete removal of DRM from all uploaded self-made recordings duringupload, so OMA files can be backed up without either the SS backup tool [which requires backing up the entire library] or running an extraneous conversion pass to remove DRM that shouldn't be there in the first place.

<b>* Uploading/File Handling:</b> Change default upload naming scheme from units that do not support timestamping to substitute track numbers for the current system time in track titles; uploading a series of short tracks currently results in multiple tracks with the same title, which when exported result in names that do not sort correctly; example - "2006-02-08 05:45:20" would be simpler as "2006-02-08 - 01" [and the track number field should be filled with "1"]; this method would result in unique names for all tracks

<b>* Uploading/File Handling:</b> Correct filenaming scheme [i.e. currently the first track is foo.oma, second track is foo(1).oma] so that files sort correctly by name alone, and don't use parentheses at all; note that if the above suggestion is implemented, this one is completely unnecessary

<b>* Uploading/File Handling:</b> Anywhere that single-digits are currently used in numbering uploaded tracks, use zero padding to assist properly sorting greater than 9 tracks; if the group being uploaded has >99 tracks, pad with two zeros

<b>* Uploading/File Handling/Database:</b> Apply track numbers [i.e. the DB field] to uploaded tracks according to their order in each group on originating disc [as already mentioned above]

<b>* Uploading/File Handling/Database:</b> Change default upload behaviour so that the "Date Imported" which is used in the title is also applied to the SS date fields for both tracks and albums within SS library

<b>* Uploading/File Handling/Database:</b> Since uploads are now separated into albums according to the group structure on the originating disc, number the groups rather than relying on time/datestamps which can get overwhelming, especially with the length of "Transferred from HiMD" already at their beginning; example - rather than "Transferred from Hi-MD (2006-02-06 03:43:14)" use something like "Uploaded 2006-02-06 Group 01" or even simply "2006-02-06 Group 01"; generally speaking we KNOW that the tracks were transferred from HiMD, and don't need to be told so in either the album or track titles.

<b>* Uploading/File Handling:</b> Replace default uploaded album title "Transferred from HiMD . . ." with something shorter, such as "Uploaded . . ." [as mentioned above]

<b>* Uploading:</b> Do more rigorous testing of SS's handling of tracks with write errors; while this has improved, the behaviour of previous versions [including simply deleting tracks with write errors] is a daunting precedent that implies a lack of product testing

<b>* Database/Interface:</b> Change date field-setting behaviour so that albums with all tracks set to the same date automatically set the album date as well [currently only the reverse is possible, setting the album date sets all track dates]

<b>* File Handling:</b> "Rename music files" option - split this to segregate this function between OMA and non-OMA tracks; it is useful, for example, to have SS rename uploaded OMA tracks automatically based on changes to their title, but not useful to have MP3s which may be used simultaneously in other library software renamed. This could easily be split into two checkboxes: one for OMA, one for everything else.

<b>* File Handling/Database:</b> Change MP3 tagging behaviour so that when full dates are entered, the ID3 DATE field contains either YEAR only or "YYYY-MM-DD" rather than the current very odd and completely non-standard SS format which other programs are rarely able to read as other than garbage

<b>* File Handling/Database:</b> Change MP3 tag reading so that ID3 DATE fields containing legal YYYY-MM-DD format are stored properly in SS database [using SS's actual year, month, and day fields] without altering the MP3 tag itself

<b>* Uploading/File Handling:</b> Change file-creation behaviour upon uploading to put tracks in folders named as albums rather than putting all uploaded tracks into the "HiMD" folder; optionally, make them a subtree of "HiMD" to keep them separate; it appears this has already been implemented with SS 3.4, great! The default naming scheme makes the folder names a mess, though.

<b>* File Handling:</b> Change file-creation behaviour upon transcoding to put tracks in folders named as albums rather than putting all transcoded tracks into the "Optimized Files" folder; optionally, make them a subtree of "Optimized Files" to keep them separate

<b>* Playlist/Interface:</b> Add a "Total Time" display as well as "Space Used" to simplify the process of making playlists to fit onto discs - at the moment it's total guesswork

<b>* Interface:</b> A "tree view" with albums expandable to show contained tracks would be more accessible than the current system of having to "enter" an album and "leave" it

<b>* Interface:</b> A browser/column view would be more usable as well, though this might push up against Apple's patents on the iTunes browsing system [such software patents should be outlawed, IMO]

<b>* Interface:</b> dedicate screen real-estate to displaying useful things like the actual library, rather than large whitespaces and frame-edges; at 1024*768 a large portion of the screen is completely wasted, especially on the huge space around the "music source / library / transfer" buttons and the island between "My Library" and the transfer window; IMO, most of the SS interface is unnecessarily wasted space.

<b>* Interface:</b> A dedicated screen for editing player contents is highly desirable [rather than being forced to share the screen with half a library view]; rephrased: implement a mode where the full screen can be used to display and edit player contents, similar to the "Import a CD" screen

<b>* Interface:</b> Implement [buffered?] "batch-mode" editing of track information on players from the Transfer screen [exactly as editing multiple tracks in the library currently works]

<b>* Interface:</b> While in the Transfer view, use checkboxes beside albums in the library to select multiple albums for downloading, similar to track selection in Simple Burner; many users don't know that the SHIFT and CONTROL keys are selection modifiers.

<b>* Interface:</b> Integrate Simple Burner; make it possible to transfer tracks directly from CD to a player without creating permanent files in the Library - this one change would make SB itself superfluous - it would also make having to update SB to reflect changes in SB/OpenMG codecs superfluous [such as newly-enabled bitrates and the quality setting]

<b>* Editing:</b> Compensate for hardware issue with line-in recordings [repeated sections at end/beginning of contiguous tracks marked automatically by unit] by altering the COMBINE function to check for repeated sections at the meeting point of [i.e. beginnings/ends of] tracks to be combined</blockquote>

SS Backup Tool:

<blockquote>* Make it possible to back up only OMA files. Tracks that do not carry rights information don't need to be backed up for safety purposes when upgrading: if my OMA library is 4GB of self-uploaded recordings in total, and I want to secure them while upgrading, I don't need to back up 30GB of MP3s as well. This could perhaps be implemented as an "advanced mode."</blockquote>

Simple Burner:

<blockquote>* Update SB interface to include 352kbps and 192kbps atrac3plus bitrates

* Change manual name-editing to work like SS; hitting down-arrow while a track title is "open" pushes it to the next line for immediate editing

* Change manual name-editing to include option to TAB to the album title, enabling editing of title and album for compilations without reaching for the mouse</blockquote>

General:

<blockquote>* Implement some form of bug-reporting mechanism

* Data recovery tools! Data recovery tools! Data recovery tools! Data recovery tools! Data recovery tools! Data recovery tools! I could keep repeating this forever, but I think you get the point.

*<b> Train your technical support staff; by all appearances, many if not most have never even heard of SonicStage. Their apparent total lack of knowledge on a product that nearly all your current portable audio devices rely on is a serious issue and is causing serious displeasure in many of your customers. It's a pretty sorry state of affairs when your own support staff refer your customers to this forum for help because they can't provide any.</b></blockquote>

Pie In The Sky: [Yeah, I know what I said back there, but I had to]

Note that the following "modify existing.." lines could just as easily apply as "implement in generation 3 or 4."

<blockquote>* Modify existing HiMD firmware to allow enabling of manual record levels by holding the record button for 2 seconds as with older MD units

* Modify existing HiMD firmware to allow locking of manual record levels [i.e. the unit "remembers" the setting between rec-stop cycles]

* Modify existing HiMD firmware to allow recording at all possible supported atrac3plus bitrates

* Modify the firmware in the existing HiMD product line to enable SP, LP2, and LP4 uploading from legacy MD; given the current state of DRM with HiMD uploads, there is no longer any excuse to disallow legacy-format uploads.

* If necessary, implement SP uploading as direct to PCM only [assuming this does not violate Dolby patents]

* Provide an official Sony atrac/3/plus dshow decoder [playback/decoding only] for non-DRM'd tracks that would permit the proliferation of the atrac/3/plus format; DRM'd tracks to be playable only by users with SS installed; include a playback-only atrac SP codec if it does not violate Dolby patents

* Implement *real* SP encoding and downloading for netMD and HiMD in netMD mode if at all possible

* If the Dolby patent issue really is the problem with SP encoding/decoding on the PC, then make it available as a pay-for add-in to defray licensing costs

* Make an atrac/3/plus codec [not just atrac3] available for Sony Media software such as Sound Forge, Vegas, Acid, and CD Architect, capable of reading and creating OMA files directly; leave downloading to SS</blockquote>

Sony engineers: You are more than welcome to contact me personally if you find any of these suggestions interesting but find my language to be vague in any way. I would be more than happy to elaborate or even diagram my suggestions if they are going to be taken seriously.

"There is no legitimacy to any claim that any given format promotes piracy more than any other; in fact, the one format which is most widely used for piracy [MP3] is one of those already supported by SS!"

.. gah. Way to contradict yourself, boyo. I hope I got the point across, at least.

Addendum ...

SonicStage:

* File Handling/Interface: Make it so when a user changes the name of an album, the empty folder it leaves behind is removed from the SS library file/folder structure

[pata2001]

Sonicstage:

*Unicode.

*Create 1 universal offline installer that works for every language/region. The differences in the various installer seems to be just some registry settings (eg. for connect store/mora) and language pack (which should'nt be a problem if the program is unicode)

*Remove the regioning of devices in Sonicstage. It is a registry setting. What's the point, except to disable non-Japanese users to display kanji? Is kanji evil or something?

*Enable transcoding from Atrac lossless. Don't keep Atrac lossless as a useless format.

*Gap killer (ala foobar) built in, so I don't have to go from MP3->foobar->Image->rerip->Atrac just to get gapless. Have the option for SS to automatically apply gap killer when converting MP3s.

Really, I'll be extremely happy if sony could just make SS unicode.

[Christopher]

I forwarded this to the four major players I know at Sony: Senior Director of Technology (Dan Kinney), Director of Software (Micah Stroud), Director of Engineering (Steven Ansell) and the loveable PR rep Rachael Branch.

In time, we will see these changes. I know that we have the power to alter the software after seeing SS3.4..

Excellent work, as always.

[pauljones52]

Id like to add:

Fix the problem some people encounter with incorrect trackmarks when ripping a CD as one (currently I have to rip in easy cd creator and import the .wavs to get correct track marks)

Apart from that im a happy bunny

[dex Otaku]

Update: while in discussion with ozpeter in another thread, checked the current naming convention for uploads in SS 3.4 .. so bits of what I requested above are already there.

New naming scheme is thus:<blockquote>In folder Hi-MD 2006-02-08 05_45_20 track are -

001-2006-02-08 05_45_20.oma

002-2006-02-08 05_45_20.oma</blockquote>&c.

So the sorting &c. is fixed, and tracks are numbered.

I would change it to this, myself:<blockquote>Folder "Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 01"

or perhaps "Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - Gp01"

[for group 1 uploaded]<blockquote>The times are only relevant if the unit being uploaded from is an NH1. Since SS can tell what the unit being used is, times should only be used when uploading from an NH1. Everything else should skip that as it's superfluous information that just makes titles/filenames unnecessarily long and tedious to read. [And yes, I know the date/time thing was my suggestion long ago, but after seeing it put into practise I've realised how cumbersome it is; aside from which, the original intent was to reflect time+date stamps, which no units other than the NH1 support.]</blockquote>

containing tracks<blockquote>2006-02-08 - 01 - 001.oma

2006-02-08 - 01 - 002.oma</blockquote>

where that's DATE - GROUP - TRACK

The reason for moving the date to the beginning of the name? If you dump a lot of files into one folder together, they will all still sort correctly this way, by date, group, and track. You could take all of your uploaded recordings, put them in one folder, and they would all still sort correctly.

Further, if multiple uploads are made on the same date, SS should pick up what the last GROUP number was and continue from that point, rather than trying to start back at 01 again when you switch discs and start uploading the rest of your set.

Example:

disc #1 uploads to folders<blockquote>Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 01

Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 02

Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 03</blockquote>

disc #2 uploads to folders<blockquote>Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 04

Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 05

Hi-MD 2006-02-08 - 06</blockquote>

Much of this whole system may seem redundant, but I at least like to keep things organised in a way that files still sort correctly in multiple different storage situations - organised into folders or not, &c. Some may disagree, but naming files in non-arbitrary, easily sortable ways makes things much simpler for the end user. Files are much easier to find if the names are relevant to the information in them, and if the folders containing them are named in a way that's also relevant.

*Enable transcoding from Atrac lossless. Don't keep Atrac lossless as a useless format.

*Gap killer (ala foobar) built in, so I don't have to go from MP3->foobar->Image->rerip->Atrac just to get gapless. Have the option for SS to automatically apply gap killer when converting MP3s.

Both truly excellent suggestions. I can't believe I forgot the atrac lossless one myself. As for the gap killer, there are many different ways to implement such a thing. Some concrete suggestions as to implementation would be a good idea. I'd say follow the example of players like foobar2000.

. . .

also Correction. . .

SonicStage:

* File Handling/Interface: Make it so when a user changes the name of an album, or deletes an album/all tracks within an album, the empty folder it currently leaves behind shall be automatically removed from the SS library file/folder structure

[zerodB]

* Downloading/Transcoding/Encoding: Reinstate LP4 and LP3 CD ripping for NetMD users. I know Sony are focusing their energy on HiMD/ATRAC3plus but there's no reason at all to remove a useful feature from the software as it has been done in the latest versions.

Perhaps the software engineers at Sony will retort that too many ATRAC bitrates available to the user will cause confusion as to which bitrates are compatible with their respective devices. This, however, leads me to my next suggestion:

* Interface: In the encoding options dialog box, seperate ATRAC3 and ATRAC3plus bitrates as done in previous versions. This will help alleviate confusion as to the compatibility of the various bitrates with the devices. Or better yet, seperate Hi-MD compatible from NetMD compatible codecs. Another option would be to allow SonicStage to only show ATRAC bitrates compatible with the users device. (ie if you own a NetMD or older generation ATRAC CD Walkman - then only show bitrates that can be downloaded to your device).

Another suggestion:

* DRM/Encryption: For those who choose to copy their music with DRM, or for music downloaded with CONNECT or other online services, allow the option to backup security tokens/keys rather than having to go through the whole hassle of backing up all the music library itself. This is available in Windows Media Player, so why not SonicStage? That way, users can append to their music library backups as necessary, and only need to worry about restoring the licences themselves.

Edited February 16, 2006 by zerodB

[Roamer]

* Firmware : If I remember correctly, there is still a firmware bug with moving/deleting tracks (after setting trackmarks) that could comprise recordings. Should be fixed if not done already.

* Firmware : Vu-meter while playing. Same as recording, but during playback. Usefull to check what you have just recorded.

* Remote : Only the RM-MC40EL has vu-meter. Please keep this.

* Remote : Recording button on the remote if technically possible ?

* Hardware : Optical out. It was actually in place originally.

Sony could eventually design some models dedicated to recordists.

Edited February 15, 2006 by Roamer

[danielbb90]

album art added to simple burner..

Ogg support in sonicstage and flac... - * And aac, aacPlus

More atrac3plus bitrates added for Hi-MD devises! (Simple burner and sonicstage)

And I think thats all I want!

And Mac support for sonicstage! Well I don't need this but others do!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

edit: and lower bitrates - I have some mono mp3's in 16kbps... I don't like upping the bitrate to 48 (Thats over doubbleing the origional file size!) - Ok I know it probably won't happen!

* = Edited 25/04/06

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showt...60entry100884

Come on sony - Pay up! We know you can do it!

* edited on 12/06/06

Edited June 12, 2006 by danielbb90

[superkpt]

First off, big fan of MD right here. I'm a DJ and now that SonicStage 3.4 is out, I have tons more flexibility in how I work with my music.

My primary feature request may be resolved by the recommendations stated earlier, but I think I should say it outright. I have hundreds of compilation CD's (Trance music, Techno, Rap, you name it). I've ripped them as MP3's a while back. When I import into SonicStage, each music file is given its own Album (being that SonicStage prefers to sort by Artist rather than by Album).

All I ask for is a better algorithm in which the software recognizes a folder with music files by different artists and interprets that as a SINGLE album with multiple artists. Other music players/managers seem to do this just fine (i.e. Itunes, Winamp, etc.).

If the Library in SonicStage was more flexible and easier to use, I would personally market the MD has the true Ipod killer.

[Damage]

How about allowing all bitrates across the board for all ATRAC devices?

Obviously, the ATRAC CD players are capable of playing all the bitrate (or at least, I think they have the capability to). We also know that the Codec in HiMD Devices can also play all the bitrates (with the recent opening of 192 and 352kbps). But make it uniform, and open up all the bitrates, so no one device gets left out over other devices.

[mercury_in_flames]

How about allowing all bitrates across the board for all ATRAC devices?

I aggree with this one, although I am pretty sure for the HD5 they would have to bring a firmware update to let it play the new-er bit rates. I would like some new skins for sonic stage or at least a way of having the task pane 'bars' see through so you could have a full screen image as the background. I suppose you would have problems with seeing the menus etc, but im sure they could get around this.

As for any bugs? I dont really have any issues with s.s now.

[zerodB]

I thought this thread was meant to be about software.

This is NOT meant to be a discussion thread. Rather, this is intended to be a place where users can report specific, reproducible bugs, as well as make new feature requests... Be realistic, and base requests on what exists already... That's the whole idea - make suggestions that can actually be implemented, making the wishlist obsolete.

Sorry if I'm sounding a tad tight here, but obvously dex's input has some merit - Sony do read these forums and will implement changes that are possible and also worthwhile for them to do. With the efforts they are putting into their new CONNECT player, feedback of this sourt could be valuable.

Edited February 21, 2006 by zerodB

[mercury_in_flames]

oooooh well sorrrryeee lol j/ks, dude why didnt you say that from the start, i didnt understand that was what was meant.

[1kyle]

Please can we have a library system that can span Multiple Disks.

Otherwise I'm satisfied with SS 3.4

(Other things like Drag 'n Drop and DRM issues have been discussed elsewhere -- but IMO it's a serious flaw not allowing the library to span multiple disks).

Cheers

-k

[danielbb90]

Err when creating a MP3 cd the origional files need to be in the MP3 format otherwise it don't work..

I would like to get sonicstage to convert oma files to MP3's for cd usage.

[zerodB]

Err when creating a MP3 cd the origional files need to be in the MP3 format otherwise it don't work..

I would like to get sonicstage to convert oma files to MP3's for cd usage.

That's actually a great idea. Especially now that we have ATRAC Lossless. Some sony CD players, and a huge range of PCDP/Car Audio/DVD/Home Stereo System will only support MP3 on CD-Data discs.

[danielbb90]

That's actually a great idea. Especially now that we have ATRAC Lossless. Some sony CD players, and a huge range of PCDP/Car Audio/DVD/Home Stereo System will only support MP3 on CD-Data discs.

Like my mini-stereo!

I hardly use the MP3 part of it due to the orquardness of makeing them.

I don't want to rip in a format that I don't natively use on my computer!

Edited March 22, 2006 by danielbb90

[msquared]

I wish there were a button that you could select when importing a cd that tells SS that it is a compilation CD and to treat it as such when storing. If that is not possible I would like to be able to group select and change certain fields in properties all at once. i.e. compilation, Album name, album art as a group.

I have found that several different applications including browsers change the sound eq on my system during normal use during the day. then when I upload to the MD deck the eq settings that are currently set are used. I have taken to resetting the system to defaults so that I get a consistent recording. Would like very much to see SS have at least the ability to set some basic eq settings. perhaps SS could combine with soundforge? or at the very least add transfer ability to soundforge through the SS module?

Would love to see SS layout able to be modified similar to how outlook allows you to set the reading pane on left or under etc. I find that there are several buttons on the face of the ss interface that I do not use at all. Further... there are several buttons that can be confused when doing transfer. the next >> button above the track list as well as the >> for the fast forward/next track / playback and then the --> for the actual transfer. would be way cool to be able to modify the interface to suit so that I do not confuse buttons.

since we are wishing... would it be possible to click on a particular album in my library, and get a secondary screen where I can then select the track that I want to transfer? At the moment I select a whole album and then when its completely transferred I go onto the md player and select the tracks that I want to put back. would be a bit more efficient to be able to select the group and the tracks I want initially instead of having to then transfer back the tracks I did not want.

I really wish there were a way to share the databases from all of my machines. I have a network in the house. I also have shared network storage in the house as well. would be really cool if SS would allow combining of the databases so that all the machines in the house had access to the DB without duplication of hard disk storage space.

Thanks for this forum! Way cool to be able to share thoughts and ideas on such a great medium.

Mike.

[dex Otaku]

In advance - my apologies for the condescending, undimplomatic language herein. There's only so much I can take of someone asking more and more quesitons about things that the answers for which are staring them straight in the face, not to mention being described to some degree in their manual, and to a much greater degree in "Help".

I wish there were a button that you could select when importing a cd that tells SS that it is a compilation CD and to treat it as such when storing.

You've been able to do this since SS 2.1.

[attachmentid=1549]

If you set "genre" to Compilation or Movie Soundtrack, it usually sets the compilation flag automatically. However, there's a more direct way as well:

[attachmentid=1550]

Here you can check/uncheck "Compilation" [as circled"]. You get to this dialogue by clicking on "CD Info".

You can do the same with any range of tracks in the library by selecting multiple tracks, right-click on one, going to properties, and checking the box for "Track in the compilation album" .. lovely Engrish, I know.

If that is not possible I would like to be able to group select and change certain fields in properties all at once. i.e. compilation, Album name, album art as a group.

Again, you've always been able to do this. Select multiple entries in the library, right-click on one, hit Properties, it will only allow you to alter fields that can be changed on multiple tracks [i.e. "track title" will be locked but "album name" can be changed].

Have you ever tried "Help", just out of curiosity?

I have found that several different applications including browsers change the sound eq on my system during normal use during the day. then when I upload to the MD deck the eq settings that are currently set are used. I have taken to resetting the system to defaults so that I get a consistent recording. Would like very much to see SS have at least the ability to set some basic eq settings. perhaps SS could combine with soundforge? or at the very least add transfer ability to soundforge through the SS module?

Change the EQ setting.. does your sound card control applet have an EQ that changes per application [which should apply to analogue outputs only on most cards, and not affect any audio going from program to program within your system? Or are you using a codec such as FFDshow that has built-in EQ [wihch doesn't usually change unless you go in an force it to, or for that matter even happen to be turned on]? What you're saying here is vague and to be honest makes no sense. Playing from one app should not have different EQ compared to another unless each app has its own EQ and you've set all of them differently, in which case the simple solution is to start using the same EQ curve in all apps.

In any case, application EQs should not have any effect whatsoever on how your downloads sound. Your downloads should only be affected by whatever codecs you have installed [such as your system MP3 codec which SS uses to transcode MP3 to atrac3/plus].

Yes, it would be nice if SS had an EQ. I don't see how Sound Forge integration would improve anything, though. All that would accomplish is to inflate the price of SS from $0 to about $500 overnight. Side note: SF has had a NetMD writer module [LP2 only] for ages now, in case you weren't aware.

Would love to see SS layout able to be modified similar to how outlook allows you to set the reading pane on left or under etc.

This intrigues me .. could you sketch it? I want to know what exactly it is that you want to move around as though it were a reading pane [the albums?].

I find that there are several buttons on the face of the ss interface that I do not use at all. Further... there are several buttons that can be confused when doing transfer. the next >> button above the track list as well as the >> for the fast forward/next track / playback and then the --> for the actual transfer. would be way cool to be able to modify the interface to suit so that I do not confuse buttons.

Um. Let's look at another picture here:

[attachmentid=1551]

What exactly is confusing about this? On one part of the screen, off on its own and above the library, we have playback controls. Down in between the two sources/destinations for transferring, we have transfer controls. Furthermore, the main transfer controls are marked in RED, and in any case if you mouse-over any of the controls, SS TELLS YOU WHAT THEY ARE.

So .. exactly what is it that you'd like to change? The controls seem pretty damned clear to me already, at least.

since we are wishing... would it be possible to click on a particular album in my library, and get a secondary screen where I can then select the track that I want to transfer?

OMG, man. I'm just .. barely containing myself, here.

Again, this is something you've ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO. Have you ever tried double-clicking on one of the albums in the album list? It changes the display to show ONLY the album and its contents - so you can select individual tracks to transfer. The only fault with this method is it doesn't create groups on the destination disc that are titled the same as the album, though it's pretty easy to create a group and move the selected tracks into it once they've already been transferred.

[msquared]

Have you ever tried "Help", just out of curiosity?

Strangely enough, I have used the help function several times using sonic stage. I am current with version 3.4. I do not have the drop downs you have so eloquently pointed to in your response. since this posting I have also gone back to look for the things you have pointed to, and I still do not have those things available to me. I downloaded the installer direct from sony and reinstalled and went through another database conversion and I still do not have these function.

Please do not assume stupidity when a straight forward explanation will suffice.

[hpmoon]

OK, since you profess from the fore to be "condescending" and "undiplomatic," let's poke some holes in your own high-strung analysis:

In advance - my apologies for the condescending, undimplomatic language herein. There's only so much I can take of someone asking more and more quesitons about things that the answers for which are staring them straight in the face, not to mention being described to some degree in their manual, and to a much greater degree in "Help".

You've been able to [set the compilation flag on] since SS 2.1.

Great, but perhaps the comment went to the desire for a default setting. I have SonicStage set to automatically rip an inserted CD. Considering how big of a joke the Gracenote database is, even classical recordings usually do not set compilation on -- this is a big problem when you have a soprano artist on one track, and a cello soloist on another, with the same overall ensemble. Simply put, the desire is to make every single import a "compilation," which would enable artist, etc. differentiation between tracks within a single album.

Again, you've always been able to do this. Select multiple entries in the library, right-click on one, hit Properties, it will only allow you to alter fields that can be changed on multiple tracks [i.e. "track title" will be locked but "album name" can be changed].

Most of us view "My Library" in the Album view -- indeed, it's silly not to when you're a serious music collector. Your method doesn't work in that view at all; you have to View by All Tracks to perform that function, do the job, then switch back to the Album view. It's a bad scenario, though -- if you want to turn on the compilation setting for selected tracks in an album, you're sure to miss a few depending on how you sort.

Have you ever tried "Help", just out of curiosity?

Yeah, it sucks.

In any case, application EQs should not have any effect whatsoever on how your downloads sound. Your downloads should only be affected by whatever codecs you have installed [such as your system MP3 codec which SS uses to transcode MP3 to atrac3/plus].

Yes, it would be nice if SS had an EQ. I don't see how Sound Forge integration would improve anything, though. All that would accomplish is to inflate the price of SS from $0 to about $500 overnight.

EQ, though usually abused by infants who think that high fidelity equals how much da room shakes, also can compensate for acoustical abnormalities in the room, or the differing warms and strengths of outputs (different headphones, speakers, etc.). Your argument that this issue is cured by the codec is strange and probably not well thought out.

Lastly, you remark that adding an EQ ability within SonicStage for music playback would "inflate the price of SS from $0 to about $500 overnight." I don't think I'll be taking you seriously from now on.

[The Low Volta]

hpmoon... I noticed you were back to these forums to enlighten us again... I didn't think you'd be this quick with spewing comments on a post you clearly haven't read well. i had promised myself I wouldn't be tempted by your poss again... but I couldn't resist

Great, but perhaps the comment went to the desire for a default setting.

...if so, perhaps the poster should have formulated his remark better...

Yeah, it sucks.

why? cause you actually have to read it? I agree it's much easier to just expect ppl to spell it out for us... (<-- irony before someone misinterprets this )

EQ, though usually abused by infants who think that high fidelity equals how much da room shakes, also can compensate for acoustical abnormalities in the room, or the differing warms and strengths of outputs (different headphones, speakers, etc.). Your argument that this issue is cured by the codec is strange and probably not well thought out.

dex only said that the eq won't do anything for SQ when you download a track through SS to MD... he didn't say anything about eq and playback...of course he knows it does make a difference for playback, he himself has very specific eq-settings to suit his ears (they are oversensitive to certain frequencies IIRC)

Lastly, you remark that adding an EQ ability within SonicStage for music playback would "inflate the price of SS from $0 to about $500 overnight."

again dex never said this... he said combining Soundforge and SS (which the poster proposed!) would be useless and would also make SS cost $500 as that's the cost of Soundforge...

besides that he did say he would welcome (a free and simple) eq function in SS... please read a post before commenting upon it

I don't think I'll be taking you seriously from now on.

but rest asured hpmoon... your post won't make me stop taking you seriously from now on... I never really did in the first place I guess

PS: mods feel free (as always) to remove my post and hpmoon's as this kind of abusive remarks really do not contribute to the forums... but I just couldn't help myself

[atrain]

i like a bit of handbags, but keep it polite.

[danielbb90]

Linux,

No mention of this before, but would be a good idea (I think) lol

* Edit

err how about a 'now playing' thing for MSN messenger in sonicstage?

Edited June 3, 2006 by danielbb90

[mercury_in_flames]

lol fat chance dude. I wouldnt mind some sort of visualisations, maybe like the bars one in wmp??

[danielbb90]

Lol maby,

visualisations woulden't be a bad idea, along with a equliser!

Why can't SonicStage come with a WMP and WinAmp plugin when it installs, for sony devises?

[minidisc3]

* Downloading/Transcoding/Encoding: Allow SP downloads in full quality. The recorders all have a wonderful SP encoder. Download in PCM; have the recorder encode that PCM signal in SP, not the PC!

* Editing: The tag editor is neat, but not perfect. Allow to select titles from different CD titles found on Gracenote until the full tracklist is titled. Now I can only select titles from 1 CD found on Gracenote.

* Editing: Allow alphabetic sorting of the group list on all ATRAC devices (by title/artist etc.).

Marco

[LonelyMachines]

Allow Hi-MD tracks imported through SimpleBurner to be edited on the unit.

[doclloyd]

I don't believe I've seen these features yet, but I think they would prove useful:

- "Watched" folders. Good for those who download podcasts and want them auto-added to the SS Library. Or just for people who rip CD's using something other than SS, but want those files imported more easily. Note: I do see a "Scan Folders" option that sort of does this, but I don't think it's automatic upon startup yet.

- I must reiterate the issue of backing up the library and the inordinate amount of time and space it takes to do so. I'm really hoping future versions of SS will somehow alleviate this problem.

- Being able to see how large my entire libary is (ala iTunes). On a side note, Dynamic Playlists will show you # of tracks, hours:minutes:seconds and space, but not regular playlists. Interesting.

- Dynamic Playlists: Decent start, but I think they could benefit from a more rules-based type setup. I'm thinking of the filters I use in my email (Mozilla Thunderbird) where there is a list of criteria to select from. Also, ordering of tracks within Dynamic playlists is a pain right now.

- Search: I'd like to see a search bar always available on-screen somewhere, not just when I have "all tracks" view enabled.

[Richard]

Some good points Doc - I'm definitely with you on the "watch" folders as this is something I would really use too. I think Connect Player 1.x started down this road with something similar, but I can't remember exactly how effective it was.

Total library size would also be very useful I agree.

[danielbb90]

Any chance of being able to change the ripping folder and hierarchy?

Seriously I would prefer to rip them to a "atrac" folder in My Music!

[atrain]

you can do that danny.

in sonicstage

-> tools

-> options

-> location to save files

[shione]

I would like to be able to drag and drop songs into Sonic stage for transfer onto MD.

[Reason: Adding folders works but is much slower navigating to the drive/folder/sub folder etc, and if you have many thousands songs preloaded on SS it's kinda slow to start up, not to mention some song names crash the program. ]

[danielbb90]

you can do that danny.

in sonicstage

-> tools

-> options

-> location to save files

rofl, I was looking in the CD drive settings!

Now I just want the folder hierarchy thanks.

I would like to be able to drag and drop songs into Sonic stage for transfer onto MD.

[Reason: Adding folders works but is much slower navigating to the drive/folder/sub folder etc, and if you have many thousands songs preloaded on SS it's kinda slow to start up, not to mention some song names crash the program. ]

Do you mean drag and drop into the library? I have done this many times with sonicstage. It should work.

Edited October 14, 2006 by danielbb90

[allend]

I would like to be able to edit minidiscs when connected to my PC. At the moment, sonicstage (4.2) does not support track splitting, and if I press "mark" on my RH-1 the display flashes PC-MD.

Sometimes I have loooooong files that it is simply impracticle to put automark on, but later i have to do a lot of fast-forwarding on the unit. very time consuming.

Simple editing requested please: track split, track join.

[bmanalansan]

WinNMD has a feature that retitles the minidisc via free db. Even if SS uses Cddb, this feature from WinNMD is a nice addition since you don't have to retitle the MD or Hi-MD by manual typing.

[Paula]

I'd love an integrated podcast manager so I don't have to flip flop between iTunes (or whatever one) and SS importing files and whatnot. This would make transferring to the unit quicker, and deleting them quicker after I'm done with them. (I don't save the podcasts after I listen to them.) I would LOVE to be able to download podcasts directly to MD without even putting them on the computer to begin with. Like Simple Burner but for podcasts...

I love my MD player, and the removable media, and the excellent live recording, but the hassle of the software isn't worth it (to me)as it stands. If I had to replace it, at the moment, I'd by an iPod and an edirol recorder, unless this whole software/proprietary issue was fixed...

A couple other options I'd love to see:

I often find myself wishing that when I hit "delete" on a song in a playlist, I was given the option to delete it from My Library as well as just deleting it from the playlist.

Oh - one more thing - it'd be nice to be able to "normalize" a minidisc itself, not just a CD. Maybe you can do this these days... I haven't checked lately.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Paula

[peter312]

I would like the following additions:

1. The ability to transfer an Atrac lossless file as a PCM file to the Hi-MD, using all of the lossless information
2. The ability to transfer (say) 256kbps Atrac lossless files from SonicStage as (say) 132kbps files to the Hi-MD by using all of the lossless information, not by transposing from the 256kbps portion of the file
3. The ability to select different lossless bitrates in the "right click" menu, for a wav file
4. The ability to convert wav files into gapless Atrac files

Cheers

Peter

[Sony_Fan]

I know this suggestion thread is pointless, but I would have liked SonicStage to have an option to normalize all types of audio files before transfering to NetMD or Hi-MD unit.