HiMD file names & extension

[kentek]

Hi all,

I am attempting to further my knowledge of how my RH1 and SS 4.2 work. Not real impressed with Sony's idea of good software design.

As a starting point I'd like to find out what file does what. Here is listing from Windows Explorer:

Hope this shows up.

Item next- SS 4.2 docs say that I should be able to transfer a track from my HiMD to a removable disk such as a memory stick. The only item that shows up is my D: drive which is a CD/DVD rewritable.

Apparently SS 4.2 can only write to a formatted disk as it spent about 40 minutes formatting a CD-RW.

The software finally transfered selected tracks. SS created one directory with tracks. However, it is not very polite as to file naming. None of the original filenames were preserved. Here is jpeg of file list:

I hope I'm not being too dumb on these issues. So far I have not been able to find info as to what does what.

Thanks in advance for any and all information.

[Syrius]

Aye, aye, aye. I hope you didn't try to modify those files from your HI-MD. Okay, here we go. Contrary to popular belief, or misprinted manuals, Hi-MD is not drag and drop when it comes to music files that can be played on your unit. The music tracks will not show up in winblows explorer, and those files in the first window you posted, are internal files required for the Hi-MD to function the way it does. Don't touch them, as they have encryption keys in them, and messing them up may render your files inaccessible.

Now, before you think Hi-MD is crappy, etc... this is how you do it. Connect your Hi-MD to your system and fire up Sonicstage. If the tracks are not in your library, import them from the Hi-MD by selecting your tracks and using the arrow that points left, in the transfer screen. Your tracks should be in the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Sony Corporation\SonicStage\Packages\HI-MD folder. (I recommend you make a shortcut to this folder, for future use. From there you can drag and drop to a MS Walkman.

Here's the tricky part. The tracks as they are, are still encoded with DRM, so if you drag them and drop them to a CDRW or something similar, you WILL NOT be able to play them on another computer, so we need to perform the following ritual to remove the curse of Sony Music Entertainment.

Ahem...

After you import/upload/transfer the files into your library in SS, highlight the ones you want to remove the DRM from. Right click on either of the highlighted files, and select convert format, and select the same bitrate as they were originally recorded, and make sure that "add copy protection" is unchecked. If it gives you a nag screen, just say you accept responsability and stuff. Wait until it removes the DRM, your unprotected files will be in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Sony Corporation\SonicStage\Packages\optimized files. Those files you can drag and drop to anywhere, without any restrictions whatsoever. Do not use SS integrated CDBurner unless you want to create an Audio CD from the files in your library. If all you want to do is create a CDRom to move or archive those files, just use your favorite burning software, like Nero or Easy CD Creator.

Sorry to leave the easiest option for the last. You can select "Convert to Wav When transferring" from the transfer screen when you upload the files to your system from your Hi-MD, this will give you unprotected Wav files that you can move and make audio CD's from without any restrictions using your favorite burning software, but be warned they take much bigger space than recordings made on Hi-SP, Hi-LP or LP2 format.

Once you figure it out, it's waaaaaay more simple than what you see above. Good luck. And please don't touch those HMA files, no matter what.

Please tell us what you want to do with your files, so we can give you the right directions on how to do it. Do you want to make an Audio CD, or just burn them to a CD for archival or transfer purposes? It looks to me that you created an ATRAC CD from Sonicstage, and that's why the weird TOC.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Syrius

[kentek]

Thanks, Syrius.

I think your reply should become a separate topic and be pinned. I can't be the only bloke having issues on understanding how this part of the technology operates.

[kentek]

Aye, aye, aye. I hope you didn't try to modify those files from your HI-MD. Okay, here we go. Contrary to popular belief, or misprinted manuals, Hi-MD is not drag and drop when it comes to music files that can be played on your unit. The music tracks will not show up in winblows explorer, and those files in the first window you posted, are internal files required for the Hi-MD to function the way it does. Don't touch them, as they have encryption keys in them, and messing them up may render your files inaccessible.

Now, before you think Hi-MD is crappy, etc... this is how you do it. Connect your Hi-MD to your system and fire up Sonicstage. If the tracks are not in your library, import them from the Hi-MD by selecting your tracks and using the arrow that points left, in the transfer screen. Your tracks should be in the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Sony Corporation\SonicStage\Packages\HI-MD folder. (I recommend you make a shortcut to this folder, for future use. From there you can drag and drop to a MS Walkman.

Here's the tricky part. The tracks as they are, are still encoded with DRM, so if you drag them and drop them to a CDRW or something similar, you WILL NOT be able to play them on another computer, so we need to perform the following ritual to remove the curse of Sony Music Entertainment.

Ahem...

After you import/upload/transfer the files into your library in SS, highlight the ones you want to remove the DRM from. Right click on either of the highlighted files, and select convert format, and select the same bitrate as they were originally recorded, and make sure that "add copy protection" is unchecked. If it gives you a nag screen, just say you accept responsability and stuff. Wait until it removes the DRM, your unprotected files will be in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Sony Corporation\SonicStage\Packages\optimized files. Those files you can drag and drop to anywhere, without any restrictions whatsoever. Do not use SS integrated CDBurner unless you want to create an Audio CD from the files in your library. If all you want to do is create a CDRom to move or archive those files, just use your favorite burning software, like Nero or Easy CD Creator.

Sorry to leave the easiest option for the last. You can select "Convert to Wav When transferring" from the transfer screen when you upload the files to your system from your Hi-MD, this will give you unprotected Wav files that you can move and make audio CD's from without any restrictions using your favorite burning software, but be warned they take much bigger space than recordings made on Hi-SP, Hi-LP or LP2 format.

Once you figure it out, it's waaaaaay more simple than what you see above. Good luck. And please don't touch those HMA files, no matter what.

Please tell us what you want to do with your files, so we can give you the right directions on how to do it. Do you want to make an Audio CD, or just burn them to a CD for archival or transfer purposes? It looks to me that you created an ATRAC CD from Sonicstage, and that's why the weird TOC.

One more question: How do "WAV" files compare to ATRAC? I am working on a super 8 film and I want my recordings to be a perfect as I can get them. What other choices do I have?

[Syrius]

WAV and ATRAC PCM are exactly the same, the latter being encrypted. WAV should be an exact (though big) match of the original Atrac recording. Again, please tell use which bitrate are you using for recording, and what do you plan on doing once you upload them to your computer.

Edited February 5, 2007 by Syrius