Authorization Issues

[oneybm]

I haven't used my MD in awhile but recently have a small need/want to use it again. I had Vista on my machine before and due to the multiple crashing problems I had from a corrupt boot sector and bad sectors on the drive I hurriedly copied, yes drag and dropped, my oma and omg files from the hard drive to a DVD and burned them. Alas, I had no other choice in order to save that and a lot of other data. Well now that I have a stable machine running XP I chose to reinstall SS 4.3 CP and attach the device. It saw what was on the MD and imported music from my MP3 collection and the aforementioned OMA/OMG files. However, upon attempting to play them back in SS I get a request to connect to the internet to obtain a license to play those files. None of them were purchased, they are all from my personal CD collection, so of course I have no login to the Connect Store and can't create one. I saw a post about using ojbsir.exe, no luck there, and the back up and restore tool will not see them as they were not formerly backed up.

It appears I'm going to have to re-rip my disc or does anyone have any other suggestions.

Thanks for your help,

Oneybm

MZ-NH600D user

[raintheory]

The files are encrypted with DRM, and thus will not be playable on any machine/configuration other than the one they were created on... Reformatting/reinstalling the OS counts as a different machine/config.

If the files were originally from CD, re-rip them and choose not to add copy protection in the preferences. This will avoid any problems like this in the future, as the files will then be playable on any machine.

If they were imported from MiniDiscs, you are out of luck unless you still have the discs, in which case you can re-upload and follow the directions in the link found in my signature to remove copy protection (DRM)... Although it might be worth holding onto the unplayable oma files in case someone cracks the encryption (or sony opens the format) in the future.

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news,,,

Edited July 8, 2008 by raintheory

[oneybm]

I wouldn't call it bad news as much as it is actually expected. I've got family with iPods so very familiar with the DRM fights from system to system as they migrate. But, thanks for the information as, oddly enough, it is very helpful.

I have found a wealth of information here so far though.

Thanks again,

Oneybm

MZ-NH600D User

[sfbp]

One interesting part about all this is as follows: if you have put all the music onto MD, it's safe there, because the right MD player will always play it.

As I pointed out in another post, if you have an MDLP-capable deck, then you can get digital out from that into your computer, and there appears to be no restriction (at least with XP) to that PCM input being recorded with any wave-recording program, and saved as .WAV.

Bottom line, .oma files are useless, actual NetMD minidiscs are useable.

[greenmachine]

Bottom line, .oma files are useless, actual NetMD minidiscs are useable.

For me, unencrypted .oma files aren't entirely useless. I use them for archiving live recordings that have been done in Hi-SP or Hi-LP. Converting them to lossless would just waste too much space. As long as I have a computer that is capable of converting them, I'll keep them. I agree that encrypted .oma and similar audio formats are too restrictive in the long run.

[raintheory]

For me, unencrypted .oma files aren't entirely useless. I use them for archiving live recordings that have been done in Hi-SP or Hi-LP. Converting them to lossless would just waste too much space. As long as I have a computer that is capable of converting them, I'll keep them. I agree that encrypted .oma and similar audio formats are too restrictive in the long run.

This is how I archive stuff too. At least since '06 or so. Can always use HiMDrenderer or Sonicstage to convert to WAV when I need to work with them.

[oneybm]

Just to let everyone know, I got lucky and found the other DVD with the correct back up on it. Restored those files and I'm back in business. All I can say now is, it's great to have something to listen to on my 20+ minute ride to work on my motorcycle.

As for the article about MD being useless... I can only say that he must be another of the iLemming generation as I affectionately call them. You are a victim of marketing and probably have done little to no research concerning the real functionality of a phenomenal product. I only wish Sony was better with their's and could show off the innovations they made years before.

Oneybm

MZ-NH600D User

[1kyle]

For me, unencrypted .oma files aren't entirely useless. I use them for archiving live recordings that have been done in Hi-SP or Hi-LP. Converting them to lossless would just waste too much space. As long as I have a computer that is capable of converting them, I'll keep them. I agree that encrypted .oma and similar audio formats are too restrictive in the long run.

Hi Green machine -- converting to FLAC will give you a lossless compression -- files are about 30 -60 % smaller than by saving as WAV. Many players (software) will play flac directly as well such as WINAMP (Windows) and Mplayer / VLC etc etc on Linux.. You can also burn FLAC directly to Audio DVD / CD if you want (as well as saving the files as DATA).

Disk space is CHEAP these days - for example those nice little pocket size USB discs with 320GB capacity can be picked up for as little as around 130 USD / 65 GBP. These discs such as a WD passport only need an external usb connection - no extra power supply so really useful to use with laptops as well.

Copy your backup on to one of these and you can use the music anywhere . Marc's Hi-Renderer also will handle flac so I think you can convert whatever you have as OMA files in SS Library in one step.

This will still give you the flexibility of having an OPEN NON LOSSY format which you can do anything you want with at any time later. No proprietary or closed format here.

I only ever have music in the SS library if I'm transferring / converting tracks otherwise I keep the library empty -- get loads of problems over time with the data base system etc.

With FLAC (or WAV) you can organize your own archives, have separate libraries say for different types of music and best of all CAN SPAN MULTIPLE VOLUMES / CD's /DVD's .

Changing Computers, or even Operating systems -- no problems.

I keep a Windows Virtual machine running XP around just for running SS when I need to. 99% of the time I'm running Linux. VISTA IMO is full of bloatware and is really sluggish -- and seems to be totally designed in stopping the user from doing anything useful with a computer at all.

Cheers

-k

Edited July 20, 2008 by 1kyle

[greenmachine]

I know about FLAC and use it for archiving pcm/wav recordings - it just seems like a big waste of space to re-compress a 256 or 64 kbps file to around 500-1000 kbps without any quality gain. Although disk space may be relatively inexpensive, I don't like to waste it and use it for more useful things instead. I don't use the SS library, never did, but just un-DRM the .oma's and organize them in folders like any other file type. As long as they can be decompressed, I see no problem with this proprietary format.

[raintheory]

that is exactly what I do greenmachine... as long as I can install some version of SonicStage to get the oma's to WAV I'm content with it as a backup method. I have at least 2 years worth of material stored as DRM-free oma files.