Sonocstage Qs

[msteeln]

Sonicstage, of course...

Having just gotten my laptop back from repair, I'm finally trying SS on it and am not too happy so far, and of course I have little clue about what I'm even doing...

The sound level of tracks transfered onto and played from 'My Library' are significantly of lower vol. than the original on my recorder and is a virtual deal killer for me. Is this normal? It shouldn't matter what vol. level is set on my MD unit when tranfering, right? All other vols. are 100%. Will they transfer to another program(?) from SS at the same low vol. or back to the original state?

Shouldn't all contents from my MD recorder go onto SS without having to select each group?

How can I transfer SS tracks to another program(?) like Windows Media Player?

When I first tried all this on a friend's laptop, we were able to listen from it's speakers even tho I see that function was cancelled years back, on mine you can't, only w/earphones.

'My Library' track titles come with many ????s / #s and are difficult to rename and manage in correct order. Seems I can't title them prior to transfer. Can this be done easily?

Can I transfer them off SS in WAV straight to a CD?

Can I Email them?

Does QHiMD Transfer work without these hassles? Where is that site addy?

[sfbp]

You sound frustrated. I'll do my best to help.

The sound level of tracks transfered onto and played from 'My Library' are significantly of lower vol. than the original on my recorder and is a virtual deal killer for me. Is this normal? It shouldn't matter what vol. level is set on my MD unit when tranfering, right? All other vols. are 100%. Will they transfer to another program(?) from SS at the same low vol. or back to the original state?

Since you don't describe this problem fully, neither I nor anyone else will be able to help you. You don't state how the files are transferred. Since you mention SS I will assume you have an MZ-RH1 and are using USB uploads. Please tell me if this is wrong, this is a lot of questions based on false assumptions

Shouldn't all contents from my MD recorder go onto SS without having to select each group?

You can select multiple <thingies> in most Windows programs. Maybe you need to learn how to do that. Ctrl-Click (multiple individual selections), Shift-Click (Range) and Ctrl-A ("All") all do different things. Try it, you'll like it.

How can I transfer SS tracks to another program(?) like Windows Media Player?

You can export to WAV or MP3. Unfortunately the MP3 export is a separate program, but it should have been installed along with SS.

When I first tried all this on a friend's laptop, we were able to listen from it's speakers even tho I see that function was cancelled years back, on mine you can't, only w/earphones.

That is most likely a function of what you have recorded on MD. HiMD recordings are played back through the computer's speakers. NetMD recordings (and SP, LP2, LP4) play only at the portable. Nothing has been cancelled, this is the way it has been from the beginning.

'My Library' track titles come with many ????s / #s and are difficult to rename and manage in correct order. Seems I can't title them prior to transfer. Can this be done easily?

You can use SS to edit the titles on MD showing in your display. You can delete files. However you cannot truly "Edit" files over the USB. You have to transfer them up first and edit on the PC, or edit them first using the portable unconnected to the PC.

Can I transfer them off SS in WAV straight to a CD?

This question unfortunately cannot be answered in its present form. I'll let someone else try.

Can I Email them?

Ditto.

Does QHiMD Transfer work without these hassles? Where is that site addy?

QHiMD Transfer will have all of the problems you relate. It's not ready for prime time right now. SS is a mature product with known capabilities (and, sadly, known bugs). In time QHiMDXfer will be terrific. It also will save one step. However the transfer from MD to PC of NetMD tracks (what I suspect you have) is not covered, and there is a separate program which may (or may not) eventually get integrated into the original. It's called "downloadhack" to give you an idea of what you'd be getting into. Not for you, I suspect.

Finally you MUST export to WAV or MP3 or decrypt the files after you have uploaded them (using the File Conversion Tool provided with Sonic Stage - this decryption step is the one thing that you don't need with the new programs). If you don't you will lose the lot the next time you reinstall Windows (or even do a System Restore, or start using a different User on the computer or.....)

Sorry if I sound grouchy. You would do better to ask small questions one at a time instead of the kitchen sink ("all-in") approach. I recall answering you before, and it seems now we're getting lots and lots of questions you should (with your obvious expertise) be able to resolve yourself before posting many of these. Just a piece of advice, slow down, treasure the music, and work out a plan involving (only) steps that you know from personal experience to work. Then repeat those known steps over and over, and you'll get the job done. Sonic Stage is quite a large piece of software with way more capabilities than most people need. However you need to figure out exactly what you want to do with it and stick to that. Rather like C++.

[msteeln]

You sound frustrated. I'll do my best to help.

Many thanx! Totally green and over my head at all this, it is indeed frustrating.

Since you mention SS I will assume you have an MZ-RH1 and are using USB uploads.

Using an MZ-M200 to USB.

You can select multiple <thingies> in most Windows programs. Maybe you need to learn how to do that. Ctrl-Click (multiple individual selections), Shift-Click (Range) and Ctrl-A ("All") all do different things.

I'll investigate.

You can export to WAV or MP3.

I want to do everything WAV to preserve the highest quality at this point. Where can I find the instructions to export?

That is most likely a function of what you have recorded on MD. HiMD recordings are played back through the computer's speakers. NetMD recordings play only at the portable.

So far it's all HiMD, but no speaker playback on my laptop like it did on a friends, and those were quite audible, no level loss (w/headphones, to be sure). Why would mine provide a lower vol. level than is on my MD unit?

You can use SS to edit the titles on MD showing in your display. You can delete files. However you cannot truly "Edit" files over the USB. You have to transfer them up first and edit on the PC, or edit them first using the portable unconnected to the PC.

I discovered these things after I posted. Went to bed almost happy!

This question unfortunately cannot be answered in its present form. I'll let someone else try.

Ditto.

OK

Sorry if I sound grouchy.

You don't, but even grouchy responses would be appreciated.

You would do better to ask small questions one at a time.

I did consider it, but thot one shot would be best considering the ease of ignoring multiple posts.

You should (with your obvious expertise) be able to resolve yourself before posting many of these.

How I wish any of that were true... forum posts are of desperation last resort.

Slow down, treasure the music.

Been doing that for years while waiting to afford the M200/laptop and get this rolling.

Work out a plan involving steps from personal experience, then repeat those steps, figure out what you want to do and stick to that.

At this baby step level all I want is to transfer my NET MD/HiMD collection to my laptop, and eventually dispense with the dying MD format altogether.

[sfbp]

I want to do everything WAV to preserve the highest quality at this point. Where can I find the instructions to export?

1. The best way to preserve quality is not to convert anything. For SP this is not possible so stick to importing to PCM. Upconverting to WAV doesn't really buy you anything for the other formats.

2. To export to MP3 you have to run a different program, still you don't sound like you care (the MP3 export provided by Sony is reasonably efficient, reliable and easy to use). To convert to WAV, simply right click a track in the SS library on hard disk. You will see a menu "Save in WAV format".

HTH.

[msteeln]

1. The best way to preserve quality is not to convert anything. For SP this is not possible so stick to importing to PCM.

I just tried to upload an SP discful and it ain't happening. You're saying I can't upload any SP discs to SS? This would suck in a major way after all this time and $, and in fact I did do it on my friend's laptop, with this same NET MD disc. As usual, I don't get it...

Does DSEE do anything to help get the volume back up?

[sfbp]

If you have an RH1 and you are not importing SP then there is a software problem. Again without a specific description of an error, I'm wasting my (and your) time trying to diagnose it. Please, if you want help, try to describe what is happening in detail.

It's better to import SP as PCM rather than HiSP, especially if you plan on exporting the files to CD (WAV). Takes a lot more space but probably you won't keep the files on the 'puter forever, right?

DSEE won't affect the volume. I don't know whether to suggest you look at the settings on your sound card's volume control, in case you've already done that.

You could open the files in a Wave editor or Sound Forge, to see if the amplitude is severely reduced. As I say, USB "just" transfers what's there. So either

a. the volume is reduced before you ever try to upload, or

b. it's reduced on playback because of some (playback) setting, nothing to do with SS or

c. there's nothing wrong.