Transfers are not allowed

[mindexplorer]

Until a couple of days ago I was able to download and play podcasts on my NH600D. I had to upgrade to SS 4.0 so some files would play ungarbled. It worked fine for a couple of days but now it won't let me load the podcasts, even ones I loaded on it 2 days ago. I just get the message "Transfers are not allowed." What am I most likely doing wrong or what has happened?

[ATELETRONICS]

MAYBE THE PODCASTS HAVE CHANGED. YOU COULD CONVERT THEM TO WAVE FIRST THEN TRANSFER THEM.

[Richard]

* Moved to Software Discussion

[mojokid]

I'm having the same problem with the same hardware ( NH600D ). When I originally installed the OpenMG software from the CD that came with my NH600D, everything worked fine ( more or less ). I recently had to wipe XP clean and reinstall and installed the new Sonic Stage 4.0. I cannot transfer ANYTHING no matter the file format or 'authorization'. If I convert to a .wav as was mentioned, I still get the same error "Transfers not allowed". Why is this software so G.D. crappy? It's my player, my songs, what the hell else is the software good for if I can't transfer files? Right now it's just a ( physically ) oversized, pretty 1 GB external drive and nothing more.

I have A LOT of songs I want to transfer and to hell if I have to make a CD and then use MD Simple Burner to load them onto my 600D? Please, I'm not burning over 20 CDs for this.

I'm never purchasing another Sony product again.

R. Daneel.

[A440]

I recently had to wipe XP clean and reinstall and installed the new Sonic Stage 4.0.

That's why you have the problem.

Try using Hi-MD Renderer (from Downloads, upper left on this page) to convert those files to .wav or mp3, and maybe you'll get lucky and be able to re-import them. If not, you're going to be burning again.

Every SonicStage application is tied to a particular computer installation in an attempt to prevent music piracy. Its encryption key is tied to the particular computer and operating system installation. Earlier versions, like the one you were using, had particularly tight encryption that Sony has since loosened. With 4.0, you can save My Library as unencrypted .oma files. With 2.0 all the files were encrypted.

SonicStage has a Backup Tool that you were supposed to use BEFORE reinstalling XP, which would have allowed you to re-authorize My Library with your new installation.

Yes, this encryption was and is an idiotic idea on Sony's part. However, it is documented in the manual, the help files, online and here. It's always a good idea to back up your data before making any drastic changes in your computer.

Then again, you could just get a (red) 1GB Iriver T30 for about $60 on ebay, convert it to UMS with a fireware upgrade, and have pure drag-and-drop.

[mojokid]

That's why you have the problem.

Try using Hi-MD Renderer (from Downloads, upper left on this page) to convert those files to .wav or mp3, and maybe you'll get lucky and be able to re-import them. If not, you're going to be burning again.

Every SonicStage application is tied to a particular computer installation in an attempt to prevent music piracy. Its encryption key is tied to the particular computer and operating system installation. Earlier versions, like the one you were using, had particularly tight encryption that Sony has since loosened. With 4.0, you can save My Library as unencrypted .oma files. With 2.0 all the files were encrypted.

SonicStage has a Backup Tool that you were supposed to use BEFORE reinstalling XP, which would have allowed you to re-authorize My Library with your new installation.

Yes, this encryption was and is an idiotic idea on Sony's part. However, it is documented in the manual, the help files, online and here. It's always a good idea to back up your data before making any drastic changes in your computer.

Then again, you could just get a (red) 1GB Iriver T30 for about $60 on ebay, convert it to UMS with a fireware upgrade, and have pure drag-and-drop.

I didn't want to get another player because I really like the hardware. Long battery life, 1GB Disks, easy interface. Also, I didn't really have anything saved in my 'Library' as such. I have a huge collection of music and when I first got my NH600D, I used iTunes and copied all the songs I wanted to transfer into one playlist and then copied the files from that playlist to a folder on my harddrive. I 'imported' the folder with SonicStage and then transferred everything. Worked fine.

I finally got around the issue with some help from the intarweb ( in particular, a amazon.com review ). It took me a good 3 hours but I finally got everything back on there. I used nero to create a cd-image of an audio cd. I mounted the cd using Alcohol 120% and transferred it to my player using the MD Simple Burner. I had to 'rename' every single track because they all just showed up as Trk01, Trk02 .. etc. It was worth it in the end, I don't juggle too many songs, I usually have a large set of songs I keep on my player and then add a few here and there.

Sony really should've built on the concept of the MD Simple Burner in its SonicStage software. The Simple Burner was so effortless in the transfer that it suprised me. I was expecting something to pop up and say I couldn't do something, and in fact, the only software to give me problems during the whole transfer ordeal was Nero! Apparently, Nero doesn't like some of my mp3s and when burning the cd-image to my harddrive, it would just freeze. I'd have to make note of the song that froze it up, reload nero, copy the songs from that cd back into nero and then remove the 'bad' song. All-in-all, I had to 'not' copy about 5 or 6 songs.

I had to run through the process of creating about 8 or 9 separate cd-images until I had everything transferred. In the future, it will be much simpler since I will only have a few 'new' songs to transfer at a time.

Feels good to have it back again.

And everyone who is having a problem with their SonicStage and who doesn't really care about having SonicStage manage your music, just use the MD Simple Burner, it really is Simple.

Daneel