Which version of Sonic Stage comes with RH1?

[laidler]

I've been reading reviews and experiences for Sony products for months. I love minidiscs and think they're a brilliant idea. The reason I haven't bought anything yet is the seemingly innocuous little white bunny which chews heads off known as Sony's products are making me consider running away while screaming my head off. After being scared away from the NET MD products, I considered giving up on a seemingly dead media and going to an (shudder) MP3 player, but not an I-Pod. No offense to I-Pod users and owners, I think they're a cheap, chintzy status symbol and not worth my time. So I looked at the Sony Walkman line of digital players. Same story as the MD, great sound, works well, has really crappy, really really nasty software. Eek. Then I looked into those expensive but nice HI-MD units and decided I may like to buy an MZ-RH1 or MZ-M200. Wikipedia said the later versions of SonicStage seemed to do away with most of the BS, then I read about 3.3 and a new slew of horror stories. (Run away! Run Away!) Then I hear 3.4 is good, and everyone here says the RH1 comes with it. Nu-uh, the listings on Amazon and Ebay all say 3.0. Then I hear about 4 and 4.2, now 4.3. Ugh, my brain is about to break here. Now add on the fact that though it can be used as a computer drive too, it needs drivers. Is this the one piece of hardware on the planet which even XP-Pro can't handle by simply plugging it in and the device saying 'hello, here I am?' Not that big of a deal really, but when boasting to friends about how cool and versatile this thing is, it kinda makes you look like a dickhead (am I allowed to put that here?) when you have to say 'wait a sec, gotta load the drivers.' Not cool, lol. So, what is the story with this? Which version of software is the less buggy, most easy to use, and least frustrating for someone with XP-PRO, and can this thing just plug into any computer like any 10 dollar thumb drive? Please help me guys, I can't take much more of this, my brain is melting. Thanks to anyone who can give me even a crumb here, James.

[Strungup]

Do you want to RECORD , Or PLAY

???

what is the main purpose?

[Richard]

The version that comes with the RH1 is 3.4 which works fine, latest most stable version accordig to most for XP is 4.2.

* Moved to Software Discussion section

[laidler]

I've been reading reviews and experiences for Sony products for months. I love minidiscs and think they're a brilliant idea. The reason I haven't bought anything yet is the seemingly innocuous little white bunny which chews heads off known as Sony's products are making me consider running away while screaming my head off. After being scared away from the NET MD products, I considered giving up on a seemingly dead media and going to an (shudder) MP3 player, but not an I-Pod. No offense to I-Pod users and owners, I think they're a cheap, chintzy status symbol and not worth my time. So I looked at the Sony Walkman line of digital players. Same story as the MD, great sound, works well, has really crappy, really really nasty software. Eek. Then I looked into those expensive but nice HI-MD units and decided I may like to buy an MZ-RH1 or MZ-M200. Wikipedia said the later versions of SonicStage seemed to do away with most of the BS, then I read about 3.3 and a new slew of horror stories. (Run away! Run Away!) Then I hear 3.4 is good, and everyone here says the RH1 comes with it. Nu-uh, the listings on Amazon and Ebay all say 3.0. Then I hear about 4 and 4.2, now 4.3. Ugh, my brain is about to break here. Now add on the fact that though it can be used as a computer drive too, it needs drivers. Is this the one piece of hardware on the planet which even XP-Pro can't handle by simply plugging it in and the device saying 'hello, here I am?' Not that big of a deal really, but when boasting to friends about how cool and versatile this thing is, it kinda makes you look like a dickhead (am I allowed to put that here?) when you have to say 'wait a sec, gotta load the drivers.' Not cool, lol. So, what is the story with this? Which version of software is the less buggy, most easy to use, and least frustrating for someone with XP-PRO, and can this thing just plug into any computer like any 10 dollar thumb drive? Please help me guys, I can't take much more of this, my brain is melting. Thanks to anyone who can give me even a crumb here, James.

What I had in mind was ripping cds and possibly the odd MP3 file to a minidisc, be it standard or HI-MD, and using it as an external drive. I'd probably rarely, if ever use the line in or mic recording feature, hence my looking at the RH1 instead of the M200 since the 200 comes with a powered microphone. And why does everyone say it comes with 3.4 when all other info I can get says 3.0? I just simply want to stick music in the darn thing without the software rearranging things on it's own and giving me trouble.

The version that comes with the RH1 is 3.4 which works fine, latest most stable version accordig to most for XP is 4.2.

* Moved to Software Discussion section

Thanks for the tip. What about the drivers though? Can I plug it into any computer and use it like a thumb drive, or does it need the special drivers for every machine it's used on? Thanks.

[bobt]

If you want to transfer you need sonic ctage, if you just hook it up to the puter, it is seen as a drive, you can store music on it that way, but it won't play. As to which version of SS it comes with, it is easy to get the latest from here. Get one, and join the fun,

Bob

[laidler]

If you want to transfer you need sonic ctage, if you just hook it up to the puter, it is seen as a drive, you can store music on it that way, but it won't play. As to which version of SS it comes with, it is easy to get the latest from here. Get one, and join the fun,

Bob

So, at the risk of sounding really slow, as far as using it to store things besides music, like documents, programs, programs, it just plugs in as is and works? I knew one needed SonicStage for the transfer of music to the thing. Just wondering about using it as an external drive like those flash usb drives. Thanks for the input.

[sector001]

well it would also depend on your computing enviromnent. it should work as long as the drivers are there. it worked for me when I had the RH1, using XP pro.

yes, u can use the RH1 as an external drive.

Edited April 28, 2008 by sector001

[raintheory]

Yes as external drive it should show up on XP/Vista (and probably 2000) w/o any need for additional drivers...

Will also show up on linux & mac as an external drive

Edited April 28, 2008 by raintheory

[laidler]

OK guys, just so I have everything clear, the RH1 can be plugged into any computer using XP or higher and used as a drive without the SonicStage software, and SonicStage version 4.2 will allow me to put music on, transfer it back to the pc, and do this all without messing with whatever order and names I want the files in? I also heard that one can't upload MDs which were made using NET-MD portables, and after making a recording on the RH1, putting it on the pc, then putting it back on the RH1, one can't use any of the editing functions on the portable. Is this true? The latter doesn't really pertain to me, and I don't see why one would want to, but if I acquire old MDs on Ebay or something, decide I like and want to keep the music on it, I wouldn't mind being able to make a copy of it or back it up. I appreciate any and all comments. Thank you.

[Avrin]

To fully answer the original question. The build of SonicStage 3.4 that comes with the RH1 (3.4.03.15140) is actually unique, since it includes a dedicated driver for the RH1 (NETMD052.sys), and the functionality required to upload legacy recordings (including the "Import settings" page). The original build of SonicStage 3.4 that was available for download (3.4.01.13062) did not have the driver or the legacy functionality for the RH1 (although it can be used for Hi-MD transfers to/from the unit). I have never seen the "RH1" build of 3.4 officially available anywhere on the Internet.

But currently the best version to work with the RH1 is 4.2, unless you are using Vista, in which case 4.3 is the only option.

---

And to address the last few questions to some extent.

1. SonicStage 4.2 will allow you download/upload music in Hi-MD format without any restriction (if you do not turn Copy Protection on). But filenames will be changed during upload (to something like 001-Track Name.oma), and the Release Year information for the album will be lost during the process (it will still be stored in files, but SonicStage is unable to read it for some reason).

2. If you have recorded anything using a NetMD portable from an external source (analog or optical), or from a computer using the MD Simple Burner program, then these recordings are uploadable by the RH1. If, however, you have transferred tracks to a NetMD unit (or to a Hi-MD unit in NetMD mode) using SonicStage, then these tracks will not be uploadable.

3. If you record on the RH1 and upload to a PC using SonicStage 3.4 or later, tracks will still be editable on the unit. But any tracks downloaded from a PC to the unit (whether previously self-recorded or ripped from CDs) are not editable on the unit. Of course, tracks downloaded in Hi-MD mode can be uploaded to a PC again, and edited there.

4. Now for some bad news. The original minidisc format, now called SP (Standard Play), which is used on all pre-recorded (pressed, non-rewritable) minidiscs, cannot exist on a computer. Why? Ask Dolby Laboratories. There is no computer codec for this format, so you can only upload it as PCM or ATRAC3plus@256 kbit/s. And you can only download it via an intermediate downconversion to ATRAC3@132 kbit/b, which results in a serious decrease of quality. In other words, you can upload an SP disc to a PC, and burn the music to an Audio CD without any loss of quality, but you absolutely can not make a perfect copy of an SP disc on a minidisc again.

Edited May 2, 2008 by Avrin

[sfbp]

Avrin, I think maybe you omitted (at least I couldn't see) the link to the downloadable full version of SS4.3 that Laidler was asking about (this is to your own post, of course). I just grabbed that as I find it is indeed annoying to have to download an application in little pieces from their server (and maybe it won't be there one day).

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?s=&am...st&p=117697

Interesting, it never occurred to me the whole SP upload fiasco was a Dolby problem. Best is still to use digi-out from a deck, neither Sony nor Dolby can interfere with your musical enjoyment by preventing that. For once, I think Microsoft are the heroes here from pushing the unvarnished .WAV format as "Windows PCM".