Petition to sony asking for WMP update firmware for walkman users!

[veggiemusician]

Connect Music store is closing which means we dont have a legal way of downloading music to play on our Sony Walkmans. This is a petition for all sony walkman users to ask for a Windows Media Player update firmware so that we can download music. If this is not possible then it means sony have failed to deliever a service which we payed for when we bought the walkman. Hopefully Sony will send update firmware so that all walkman users can use the new downloading software from Napster and WMP.

Please can you put your name down, what model you have and where you live. It prob would be helpfull if to give serial number too but I dont know if thats safe to do on a forum.

I will send this page to sony once I get loads of responces

[Ascariss]

no legal download sites? I am sure you have heard of cds right? buy it, rip it to mp3 and up it to your mp3 player.

there are sites out there that have drm free music that you can buy and play on your mp3 player, depending on genre though. doesn't i tunes have drm free music now? and there are a few stores opening up or are open that are drm free?

also any music store that sells MP3s, has all these files as DRM free, who would buy drmed music? its a loose situation for you. I've purchased hundreds of songs online from online stores, all mp3s, all drm free, and never once have I used connect. it is clear when you buy drmed music that you are just going to get yourself into trouble in the future.

A800 production has stopped, I don't think firmware from the new A8xx will work on the older units. plus some of the older sony units have been discontinued, and I wouldn't expect any firmware updates for those.

[GusG]

Bruno Gonçalves

Portugal

NW-A806

[veggiemusician]

no legal download sites? I am sure you have heard of cds right? buy it, rip it to mp3 and up it to your mp3 player.

there are sites out there that have drm free music that you can buy and play on your mp3 player, depending on genre though. doesn't i tunes have drm free music now? and there are a few stores opening up or are open that are drm free?

also any music store that sells MP3s, has all these files as DRM free, who would buy drmed music? its a loose situation for you. I've purchased hundreds of songs online from online stores, all mp3s, all drm free, and never once have I used connect. it is clear when you buy drmed music that you are just going to get yourself into trouble in the future.

A800 production has stopped, I don't think firmware from the new A8xx will work on the older units. plus some of the older sony units have been discontinued, and I wouldn't expect any firmware updates for those.

You dont see my point.... Sony prob will not give a firmware update for WMP if we ask for one as they will say only new units surport it. But if we say we bought the unit so we can download music and now we cant as Connect store has been cancilled - they havent fullfilled a service and bound to update firmware.... see my logic?

[asadasad22]

Hi! I own an NW-A608. I dont ask for possibility to download legally music from elsewhere. What I ask is a firmware with drag and drop ability, because, SonicStage is not a good program and it won't be better ever because its not supported anymore. Sony, PLS!!

[c0ldr0ses]

I don't think we even need to petition here guys, because I am 90 percent sure that there WILL be a firmware update. I chacked the website, and along with the two newer models, the NW AXX is right beside them in the new "Line" of mp3 players. I would be schocked if they don't include a fw update.

[pata2001]

Connect Music store is closing which means we dont have a legal way of downloading music to play on our Sony Walkmans.

eMusic use plain MP3s, and there are CDs.

[Ascariss]

You dont see my point.... Sony prob will not give a firmware update for WMP if we ask for one as they will say only new units surport it. But if we say we bought the unit so we can download music and now we cant as Connect store has been cancilled - they havent fullfilled a service and bound to update firmware.... see my logic?

your logic has a flaw, since all of sony's mp3 players can play aac and mp3, meaning you can find stores online or buy cds and rip them to mp3 to use on your mp3 player.

sony will just direct you to sites that sell non drm music files.

a8xx has stopped production, the new a81x are soon shipping later on in the fall on sonystyle canada. if sony was planning to release a firmware to remove SS from the older units, why would they release new mp3 players that are just updated A800s? makes no sense. if it is something inside the unit that can't be reprogrammed, then it makes sense, if it is on purpose to gain more sales, shame on sony, regardless of the reason, no new players would have been released if only a firmware upgrade was needed.

[aob9]

your logic has a flaw, since all of sony's mp3 players can play aac and mp3, meaning you can find stores online or buy cds and rip them to mp3 to use on your mp3 player.

sony will just direct you to sites that sell non drm music files.

a8xx has stopped production, the new a81x are soon shipping later on in the fall on sonystyle canada. if sony was planning to release a firmware to remove SS from the older units, why would they release new mp3 players that are just updated A800s? makes no sense. if it is something inside the unit that can't be reprogrammed, then it makes sense, if it is on purpose to gain more sales, shame on sony, regardless of the reason, no new players would have been released if only a firmware upgrade was needed.

When Sony released the HD3 they took a big step and added MP3 support, this was seen as major move forward at the time. They offered a firmware upgrade to owners of the recent HD1 model to make it MP3 compatible. So, they have taken these steps in the past. This also proves to me that a firmware upgrade for the NW-80* is possible, at least in theory and should be investigated. Another example is the NW-MS7( I own one and I still use it) way back in 200?. It was originally designed to work with Windows 98 and had to be 'Flashed' to allow it to work with XP. It's up to Sony and it all depends on how much they value their customers.

[pomj]

a8xx has stopped production, the new a81x are soon shipping later on in the fall on sonystyle canada. if sony was planning to release a firmware to remove SS from the older units, why would they release new mp3 players that are just updated A800s? makes no sense. if it is something inside the unit that can't be reprogrammed, then it makes sense, if it is on purpose to gain more sales, shame on sony, regardless of the reason, no new players would have been released if only a firmware upgrade was needed.

I think you are correct in your assumptions. There was no need to release a new series if all that was needed was a firmware upgrade.

That said. It looks like I'm the only one who actually think's SS is a decent program. When I bought my player I knew it needed SS and I tried out SS before I bought the player. The only thing I am worried about is that my player and SS won't get the updates it will need in the future.

Going the WMP11 route is not necessarly a good way to go. If it was compatible with iTunes that would (IMHO) been another matter. I think iTunes is the single best media player/organiser in the industry.

The best thing with the new players is that they will be compatible with macOS.

[aob9]

I think you are correct in your assumptions. There was no need to release a new series if all that was needed was a firmware upgrade.

That said. It looks like I'm the only one who actually think's SS is a decent program. When I bought my player I knew it needed SS and I tried out SS before I bought the player. The only thing I am worried about is that my player and SS won't get the updates it will need in the future.

Going the WMP11 route is not necessarly a good way to go. If it was compatible with iTunes that would (IMHO) been another matter. I think iTunes is the single best media player/organiser in the industry.

The best thing with the new players is that they will be compatible with macOS.

Actually, WMP 11 gives me a lot more trouble than SS 4.3. But it's UMS I am after.

[romanom]

The point here is that Sony sold a hardware that was slaved to an online service. It does not matter if DRM-free music is everywhere, what matters is that the service is being removed without compensation or recourse for the hardware owner.

It's like selling a car powered by some alternative fuel then taking the fuel away. You can say you where a fool for buying into it in the first place, and you'd be correct, but it's still a very poor business move.

If I now must pick and hunt to find music I can use on my player then the player has no value to me.

You buy an MP3 player for the convenience of being able to easily download music and download only the songs you want...while sitting at your PC.

Imagine if you have a GSM cell phone and one day the operator/carrier just decided to change to CDMA, but wouldn't give the unlock code for the phone so you could use it with another service or at least releasing you from the contract. Instead making you purchase a new phone.

Sony, if they want to do the right thing, will release new firmware or some some sort of software that allows me to use whatever music I want from whatever source I want.

"Well there's DRM-free music out there," is a crap response and nothing more than spin.

I want my firmware, because I want my choice.

Michael Romano

NW-S203F

S/N # 5314377

Edited September 1, 2007 by romanom

[ceres]

I think you are correct in your assumptions. There was no need to release a new series if all that was needed was a firmware upgrade.

That said. It looks like I'm the only one who actually think's SS is a decent program. When I bought my player I knew it needed SS and I tried out SS before I bought the player. The only thing I am worried about is that my player and SS won't get the updates it will need in the future.

Going the WMP11 route is not necessarly a good way to go. If it was compatible with iTunes that would (IMHO) been another matter. I think iTunes is the single best media player/organiser in the industry.

The best thing with the new players is that they will be compatible with macOS.

When you have an artist or album selected in itunes you can drag your selection onto your ums walkman.

It doesn´t work with playlists, however.

[ender325_]

All I ask for is Sony to release the last two SonicStage slaves through a firmware update (I'm talking about the S700 and A800 series) making them WMP11 compatible. I love my S705F because of its design, battery and sound and I'm sure the WMP compatibility can be achieved through a firmware update so Sony come on! (Weird thing is that the S700 series have never seen an update)

[juli_]

All I want to know is this. Supposing none of us existing 808 users get a firmware upgrade, and then SonicStage is no longer supported, will we still be able to use Sonicstage anyway??? And if we do get the firmware upgrade (in our dreams) - would we be able to run SS alongside WMP? I wouldn't want to convert my ATRAC files to another format because of the loss in sound quality, so I would want to keep my existing ATRAC files and then use WMP for future uploads.

Does anyone know if this would even be possible?

[c0ldr0ses]

Juli, If we did not get the firmware update, then yes, we could still use sonic stage. I think it would be highly irregular for them to go door to door and erase it from peoples hard-drives. But hey, thats sony for you !

If we did get the firmware update, you probly would not be able to use WMP11 and Sonic Stage in conjuntion because I think they have two different database structures that they use for creating libraries. So, you will have to choose to either bear with sonic stage in atrac, or re rip or d/l all your music into mp3.

[juli_]

Juli, If we did not get the firmware update, then yes, we could still use sonic stage. I think it would be highly irregular for them to go door to door and erase it from peoples hard-drives. But hey, thats sony for you ! If we did get the firmware update, you probly would not be able to use WMP11 and Sonic Stage in conjuntion because I think they have two different database structures that they use for creating libraries. So, you will have to choose to either bear with sonic stage in atrac, or re rip or d/l all your music into mp3.

I don't mind bearing with Atrac, I would rather do that than re-rip everything and be forever stuck in 'Groundhog Day'. I wasn't sure if SS would still operate if Atrac support was gone, that's why I was worried. I had images of opening SS and being greeted with: "This page has moved. . . " Well, so long as I can continue to use my now technologically decrepit museum-piece of an 808 I'll be just fine, so long as they don't take SS away and I can keep using it. Thanks

[socom1]

I agree, with the death of SonicStage/Connect, a firmware should be released to "open" these units to other sources of music...

If you want to stick with ATRAC, stick with SonicStage. No one is forcing you to download the firmware, if there is one, when it comes out.

Edited September 2, 2007 by socom1

[aob9]

I don't mind bearing with Atrac, I would rather do that than re-rip everything and be forever stuck in 'Groundhog Day'. I wasn't sure if SS would still operate if Atrac support was gone, that's why I was worried. I had images of opening SS and being greeted with: "This page has moved. . . " Well, so long as I can continue to use my now technologically decrepit museum-piece of an 808 I'll be just fine, so long as they don't take SS away and I can keep using it. Thanks

They won't take SS away, but there will be no more updates i.e SS4.4 or SS 5.0. Trouble is, if there are any compatibility issues in the future, (such as an incompatible Microsoft update) Sony will let us swing. This is what will really condemn the NW S70* and NW A80* to the museum, possibly within weeks.And this is why I feel I am entitled to a firmware upgrade, in fact I think I am entitled to this as part of my 12 month warranty and I am not giving up!!!!!!!

[juli_]

Trouble is, if there are any compatibility issues in the future, (such as an incompatible Microsoft update) Sony will let us swing. This is what will really condemn the NW S70* and NW A80* to the museum, possibly within weeks.

That's it. That's what I was worried about, not about them taking SS away, but about being unable to use it if there were problems with compatibility as you say

[Zizone_]

Toshiba's Gigabeat also uses WMP11 right? or am I wrong? If it is the case, I haven't heard compatibility issues.

Edited September 2, 2007 by Zizone

[HOUSEkid]

This is my 2nd Sony mp3 player and it will be my last unless there is a firmware for the A808 that I bought last week.

[lamewing]

The point here is that Sony sold a hardware that was slaved to an online service. It does not matter if DRM-free music is everywhere, what matters is that the service is being removed without compensation or recourse for the hardware owner.

It's like selling a car powered by some alternative fuel then taking the fuel away. You can say you where a fool for buying into it in the first place, and you'd be correct, but it's still a very poor business move.

If I now must pick and hunt to find music I can use on my player then the player has no value to me.

You buy an MP3 player for the convenience of being able to easily download music and download only the songs you want...while sitting at your PC.

Imagine if you have a GSM cell phone and one day the operator/carrier just decided to change to CDMA, but wouldn't give the unlock code for the phone so you could use it with another service or at least releasing you from the contract. Instead making you purchase a new phone.

Sony, if they want to do the right thing, will release new firmware or some some sort of software that allows me to use whatever music I want from whatever source I want.

"Well there's DRM-free music out there," is a crap response and nothing more than spin.

I think one solution that people could do...and not related to just Sony products is to stop buying download anyway. I have never liked buying a song/file with no recourse if it is lost or the unit I can play it on goes tits-up. Or worse yet, the store that sold them closes. Brick and mortar all the way.

I want my firmware, because I want my choice.

Michael Romano

NW-S203F

S/N # 5314377

We can always us CDs versus online services. My main concern is that (as mentioned earlier) that some future MS update will make SS no longer an option since Sony won't be upgrading the software.

Edited September 2, 2007 by lamewing

[doomlordis]

Sony Has not said it will stop updating Sonicstage, if MS release something that screws it Sony will patch it, they have to because if they dont then all the minidisc users and HD1 users will be up in arms.

[sdfzz_]

I don't think there will be more updates for Sonic Stage, as new walkmans do not support it...

But Sony SHOULD NOT leave old walkman owners left in pain

Altough I do not think it's possible, I love to see Sony releasing a firmware for old walkmans.

I also heard that sony will make PSP media manager usable for walkmans....maybe it can satisfy everyone

[Guest Stuge]

But Sony SHOULD NOT leave old walkman owners left in pain

I'm sure they will .(As I'm not hopefull anymore ).

[aob9]

I'm sure they will .(As I'm not hopefull anymore ).

Me neither, my decision is made, my next Walkman will be an SE phone.

[ceres]

I just rang up Sony support. It was apparent that they knew exactly about the situation.

However, support claimed that there was no information available at this time. Should that change relevant news will be posted on sony´s support site.

a) They don´t want to take away any spotlight from the new players and will release new fw for A8 later on

Which I think is more likely: We are SOL

I have just sold my A8 for a decent price and will look at the new samsung players, ipods as well as the revised Z818.

I felt that it was time to cut the losses on a piece of hardware that will not be properly supported in the future. My course of action might have been premature

but I rather lose 40 Euros and be done with Sonic than see my investment deteriorate as time goes on.

Edited September 3, 2007 by ceres

[matty84]

I just rang up Sony support. It was apparent that they knew exactly about the situation.

However, support claimed that there was no information available at this time. Should that change relevant news will be posted on sony´s support site.

a) They don´t want to take away any spotlight from the new players and will release new fw for A8 later on

Which I think is more likely: We are SOL

I have just sold my A8 for a decent price and will look at the new samsung players, ipods as well as the revised Z818.

I felt that it was time to cut the losses on a piece of hardware that will not be properly supported in the future. My course of action might have been premature

but I rather lose 40 Euros and be done with Sonic than see my investment deteriorate as time goes on.

I have taken the same escape route! Took a small hit on selling my 800 and opting for something more open. I am leaning towards the new zen due to its divx support and expandability....

[aob9]

I have taken the same escape route! Took a small hit on selling my 800 and opting for something more open. I am leaning towards the new zen due to its divx support and expandability....

I'm afraid I like my 805 too much to give in so easily. Besides, I have invested in a cradle and mains charger which I am unlikely to recoup any money on. So, I will keep what I have and hope for a firmware upgrade. All in all, as I stated before my next Walkman will be an SE phone, I have considered this in the past but I am convinced now.

[Old skool D]

I just rang up Sony support. It was apparent that they knew exactly about the situation.

However, support claimed that there was no information available at this time. Should that change relevant news will be posted on sony´s support site.

a) They don´t want to take away any spotlight from the new players and will release new fw for A8 later on

Which I think is more likely: We are SOL

I have just sold my A8 for a decent price and will look at the new samsung players, ipods as well as the revised Z818.

I felt that it was time to cut the losses on a piece of hardware that will not be properly supported in the future. My course of action might have been premature

but I rather lose 40 Euros and be done with Sonic than see my investment deteriorate as time goes on.

I quite understand. I myself will be keeping my A808. I like you will consider other players. What about the new walkmens. Will you consider them?

[ceres]

I quite understand. I myself will be keeping my A808. I like you will consider other players. What about the new walkmens. Will you consider them?

Sure, I meant the NZW A818 when I said Z 818. I think 40 Euros is an adequate fee for the riddance of Chronic. I also look forward to giving Linux a new try and UMS would be a

blessing in this context.

[antiipod]

Sonicstage will still operate if you click on it, just like Connect software can be used still. I guess there were too many signs that sooner or later Sonicstage and Atrac would be gone, there are just too many people who don't want to stick with it, i mean comon Sonicstage and Atrac are fun, at least there are some people who are willing to use it. Atrac is a good format, it gives you many hours of good SQ music, it's just a shame not too many people appreciate this, they want to use some other formats and call Sony "A control freak".......So now Sony gives up the Atrac control and let you do whatever now.

Good move ceres you have set yourself free and it's a mature move. Samsung, NWZ, ipod....ok pretty good choices, at least they don't carry so much trouble compare to the Sonicstage years.

Edited September 4, 2007 by antiipod

[lamewing]

Sonicstage will still operate if you click on it, just like Connect software can be used still. I guess there were too many signs that sooner or later Sonicstage and Atrac would be gone, there are just too many people who don't want to stick with it, i mean comon Sonicstage and Atrac are fun, at least there are some people who are willing to use it. Atrac is a good format, it gives you many hours of good SQ music, it's just a shame not too many people appreciate this, they want to use some other formats and call Sony "A control freak".......So now Sony gives up the Atrac control and let you do whatever now.

Good move ceres you have set yourself free and it's a mature move. Samsung, NWZ, ipod....ok pretty good choices, at least they don't carry so much trouble compare to the Sonicstage years.

My fear is that a Windwos update will break SS in the future. Then what? If Sony isn't supporting SS anymore, then at that point the hardware is useless. Unless there is a firmware update, i may return the unopened unit I just bought myself for one of the new models.

[aob9]

My fear is that a Windwos update will break SS in the future. Then what? If Sony isn't supporting SS anymore, then at that point the hardware is useless. Unless there is a firmware update, i may return the unopened unit I just bought myself for one of the new models.

This is exactly my fear. I don't care about being stuck with SS as much as I do about a future MS update botching it up. Surely, Sony cannot leave us swing like this, I mean my NW-S703F and NW-A805 are still under warranty!!!!!!!!!!!!!They have to stand by their customers..........and I wish they would just come out and say so !!!!!

[c0ldr0ses]

I really do hope that sony releases a firmware update. Doesn't have to be huge, all they have to do is add a simple change to the code to allow a MS product to work. However, if they do not, I may just buy one of those new ipod nanos... which WILL sync with wmp11 via third party plugin....and I really dont want to have to do that :unsure:

[juli_]

This is exactly my fear. I don't care about being stuck with SS as much as I do about a future MS update botching it up. Surely, Sony cannot leave us swing like this, I mean my NW-S703F and NW-A805 are still under warranty!!!!!!!!!!!!!They have to stand by their customers..........and I wish they would just come out and say so !!!!!

The thing is the 8xx is it's still readily available to buy new, (at least here in the UK) whether or not it's been discontinued hasn't seemed to affect its ease of purchase. Someone else pointed out their device is still under warranty, mine is too.

So if MS includes an update that renders SS useless - Sony must take that into account when considering the warranty, the obligation they have to the consumer and the fact a lot of existing customers will be so hacked off they might never buy another Sony product. I plan to use both my 706 and 808 for a good few years before upgrading. They weren't cheap, I like them a lot, and so I don't want Sony deciding when I should replace them

Also, for people who were to buy the 'old' 808 tomorrow, shouldn't there be some sort of warning attached that it may be unusable if/when MS screw up SS? I'm not even bothered about the firmware upgrade anymore, as I don't want to have to convert my existing lossy Atrac formats to another lossy format. . . and I still want gapless, but I do want to be able to use SS for the lifespan of my daps and not worry that one day I'll click on SS and nothing will happen. . . :o

I'm going to contact them tomorrow, I don't have any hope that I'll find anything out, but I need to be proactive!! I'm simply going to ask about my 'rights' as a consumer to be able to use my dap in the way it was intended to be used. If they stop supporting SS, it means the product is no longer suitable for my use. So Sony has broken the contract. I'll report back if I hear anything remotely useful.

[Zizone_]

you know, in the past, I tried using really old version of SonicStage on Windows XP and it worked. So I am optimistic that SS4.3 will be functional for at least few years on Windows XP and Vista. just maybe, we are little bit over paranoid... though the concerns regarding SS and current Walkman are totally understandable.

Edited September 6, 2007 by Zizone

[MindVision]

Signed it. Please sign this people. I bought my A808 just 4 weeks ago, and I have been doubting soo hard wether I should by it or not because of SonicStage. I feel really, really bad about this. I just want Media Player, been using it all my life and got a library ordened there.

I love the sound and looks of my A808, but I just háte SS. I really do. Sign this petition, this just isn't fair man

If they'd just announced it or something I would have waited. If they really do refuse to do this, then this is my last Sony product. I got a digicam, mp3player, photoprinter and I could go on and on, but this is just a backstabbing.

[MindVision]

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/opensony/

Please sign it!

[kino170878]

Sony wants you to buy into the new line of products. I very much doubt that there is going to be an update for the old line. The only hope is that they will soon rectify the gapless problem on the new models.

I will continue to use Atrac for my S706 and Hi-MD, as I have use for recording and gapless support.