ATRAC to be droped in Europe via CONNECT Music Service

[DigitalSound]

Hello to ALL.

I received last week some bad news about Sony starting to drop ATRAC format on CONNECT Music Service.

They say on the e-mail i received that now Sony will support:

"MP3 or Windows Media-compatible format" ONLY!!!!

For me, and regarding the past for other Sony formats, this means that MD is next and we will all only be informed on the last minute.

It's sad for me because i use ATRAC on MD and on the car. The quality is SUPERB, it rivals any lossy and lossless audio formats. I do not understand Sony on this aspect.

I think this it's just the end of an era, for the very small optical, read/write, MD disc we all like.

I able many many dozens of pre-recorder titles, a HUGE collection of of recordable discs and it's really unfair...

I waited for a good HI-MD deck to appear... But nothing happened

Now, i just would like to receive some confirmations on Sony side about what's going to happen in the near future.

In order for you to take your conclusions i post the e-mail test i received from Sony Bellow) and also a link to some "instructions" on what to do to migrate and forget ATRAC ( http://esupport.sony.com/EN/news/article215. )

Best regards,

DigitalSound.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 30, 2007

Subject: Future of CONNECT Music Service

To Our Valued Sony CONNECT Music Customers:

Today Sony announced its intent to move to a Windows Media Technology platform for Walkman® products in the United States, Canada and Europe. We strongly believe that the decision to embrace a more open platform for these devices will enable us to provide you with a better overall experience. As a result of this change, we will be phasing out the CONNECT™ Music Service based on Sony's ATRAC audio format in North America and Europe. Specific timing will vary by region depending on market demand, but will not be before March 2008.

We are fully committed to helping you through this important transition away from the CONNECT Music Service and providing you with the best possible guidance on how to successfully transfer your music library to an MP3 or Windows Media-compatible format, should you wish to do so. We recommend that you use any outstanding promotional codes, account credits or gift certificates available in your music account prior to March 2008, but even after the store closes you will continue to be able to play, manage, and transfer the music in your SonicStage library and on your existing ATRAC devices. If you obtain a new device, all of Sony’s new Walkman music and video players will support MP3 or Windows Media Audio format.

In the coming months we will keep you informed of the status of the CONNECT Music Service phase out in your region. Periodic updates will be posted on the CONNECT music store and on the Sony Electronics customer service site, http://esupport.sony.com/EN/news/article215.

Please note that the CONNECT e-book service for the Reader in the U.S. will not be affected.

Thank you for your business and for your continued support as we work to complete this transition with as little disruption to you as possible.

Sincerely,

Sony CONNECT Music Team

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[kino170878]

You are about two weeks too late. Check out the atraclife forum for some real bashing over there, lol.

As MD users, I think we've become accustomed to this sort of thing anyway. Nobody is stopping you from using whatever gear you have, so while it may or may not be officially dead, MD still has its uses IMO.

Edited September 7, 2007 by kino170878

[tekdroid]

The quality is SUPERB, it rivals any lossy and lossless audio formats.

IMO, an inaccurate statement.

I do not understand Sony on this aspect.

Quite simply, they gave it their worst shot for years and lost. Great technology marred by their paranoid draconian digital rights restrictions. Now they directly benefit Microsoft's "more open" format. Oh now I laugh at how they describe Windows Media.

[Strungup]

Yeah WMA an "Open " media .......? Since when .