Sonicstage 3.3!?!?!?!?!??!?!

[Castar]

Check it out

http://sonydigital-link.com/DNA/Soni....asp?m=ss&l=en

what's happening!?! I'm installing right now, will let you know of all the new thingies.

[Castar]

OK! Amazing news!

from the website:

1 Dynamic Playlists is available.

2 New Playlist updated on My Library renews existing Playlist on an ATRAC Audio Device, transferring the Playlist to an ATRAC Audio Device.

3 Ripping an Audio CD in ATRAC Advanced Lossless format is available.

4 Ripping an Audio CD in WMA format is available.

5 A cover art of an Audio CD can be displayed on SonicStage automatically, when inserting an Audio CD into the CD Drive.

6 The option Add copyright protection is available in OpenMG, when ripping an Audio CD.

7 The bit rate for ripping an Audio CD with ATRAC format (ATRAC3plus/ATRAC3) has been modified. The bit rate for SonicStage Ver.3.3 is:


* 320kbps/256kbps/192kbps/160kbps/132kbpsAC3)/128kbps/96kbps/64kbps/48kbps
* Added bit rate: 320kbps/192kbps/160kbps/128kbps/96kbps ATRAC3plus
* Eliminated bit rate: ATRAC3 105kbps/66kbps

8 Tracks recorded on Hi-MD devices can be imported to My Library unlimitedly. (New function of Ver.3.3)

9 Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick PRO Duo are supported.

10 Ripping an Audio CD in MP3 format is now possible with the following settings:


* Format;MP3 (MPEG1 Audio Layer3)
* Bit rate; 320kbps/256kbps/224kbps/192kbps/160kbps/128kbps/112kbps/96kbps
* Sampling frequency;44.1kHz

11 Tracks recorded from microphone or analog inputs on Hi-MD devices and Network Walkman can be uploaded to SonicStage and saved in WAV (PCM) format.

12 Editing for track information from CONNECT Music Store is available.

the rest seem the same.

WOW!

[Ryzir]

Ripping an Audio CD in ATRAC Advanced Lossless format is available.
According to new audio-compression technology, an Audio CD can be recorded into My Library without any sound degradation. And this new technology allows to record an Audio CD with the size of 30~80 percent with ATRAC3 or ATRAC3plus current audio-compression technology, in order to keep compatibility with current devices.

This look interesting.

I am installing right now.

[IanPM]

Wow, I'm checking it out.

Although this would sort of imply that maybe HD5 users aren't going to get access to the new Connect software...

[NSaints]

Didn't know what to expect with the 'display cover art automatically' but on the two CD's I tried I still had to get the CD cover JPeg from the 'net and link it into sonic stage as per 3.2

[WelshBluebird]

Just wondering, since you can now rip CD's in WMA format, does this mean Sony have plans to support WMA in the future?

[IanPM]

Originally Posted by WelshBluebird

Just wondering, since you can now rip CD's in WMA format, does this mean Sony have plans to support WMA in the future?

It makes me wonder if the new devices are possibly "plays for sure" compliant?

Its a long shot.

[David Mackenzie]

Ripping my CDs into the new lossless format - this is fantastic news. Hopefully a nice "goodbye and go away" present from Sony for discontinuing the HD5 :D

[Calza]

Finally Atrac Lossless but when are they going to upgrade the hd1/3s

[drmoze]

I'm so glad I check out this site frequently!

[Ryzir]

Okay got it installed. So far everything has gone pretty smoothly.
No problem with the installation.
I had to delete all my tracks on my HD1 but it appears you no longer have to authorize your device to use with connect (not 100% sure)
Transfer times are A LOT faster. When Sony made it possible to not have DRM on your atrac files they took a lot longer to transfer. Now they are as fast as the DRM'd files

That's as far as I have got. I'm going to check and see if lossless works on my HD1 next.

edit:

Okay I have encode a CD into lossless and here is what I have so far:
Encoding time takes a bit longer than FLAC.
File size is a little bigger than FLAC:
FLAC: 27.2 ATRAC: 31.7
FLAC: 81.9 ATRAC: 96.1
FLAC: 33.7 ATRAC: 39.4
FLAC: 12.1 ATRAC 14.0
FLAC: 126 ATRAC: 149
FLAC: 48.4 ATRAC: 55.7
FLAC: 64.6 ATRAC: 77.8
(All sizes in MB, FLAC is Level 8)

On transferring onto my HD1 I'm a bit confused. It transfers but on my HD1 it says it is 256. I have the transfer settings set to ask my what bitrate to choose if the file isn't supported on my HD1. It doesn't ask my what to convert it to and my optimized folder is empty. This tells me that it is probably Lossless on my HD1 but Sony has had to "trick" my HD1 into thinking it is a 256 file.

edit#2:
Okay I have forced the lossless files to convert to 256 before transferring. It is a lot quicker converting and transferring the files and the converted 256 files do appear in my optimized folder. So it does appear that the lossless works on my HD1 but just displays the bitrate wrong. The Lossless files are gapless as well. The converted and transferred 256 files also remain gapless.

edit3:

On closer look it seems the lossless files that are transferred to my Hd1 are not lossless as the files sizes are too small. They are the same as the 256 when transferred.

[drmoze]

PROBLEM with SS 3.3 (already!)

Just updated and rebooted. And now SS does not recognize my HD5. My Library shows up fine. And, oddly, SS starts up when I plug my HD5 into the USB port. But no Atrac device shows up. The transfer side of the window just has th emessage "Device/media not connected." And I can't transfer songs. I tried rebooting the pc with the HD5 connected, and without. Tried starting SS first, then connecting the HD5, and letting SS automatically. No dice.

Any suggestions?

The HD5 shows up in Device Manager as a USB mass storage device. I tried the alternate driver posted here a while back too. No go. I'm using WinXP Pro.

I'm trying a reinstal of SS3.3 now.....

[Ryzir]

Originally Posted by drmoze

PROBLEM with SS 3.3 (already!)

Just updated and rebooted. And now SS does not recognize my HD5. My Library shows up fine. And, oddly, SS starts up when I plug my HD5 into the USB port. But no Atrac device shows up. The transfer side of the window just has th emessage "Device/media not connected." And I can't transfer songs. I tried rebooting the pc with the HD5 connected, and without. Tried starting SS first, then connecting the HD5, and letting SS automatically. No dice.

Any suggestions?

The HD5 shows up in Device Manager as a USB mass storage device. I tried the alternate driver posted here a while back too. No go. I'm using WinXP Pro.

I'm trying a reinstal of SS3.3 now.....

I had errors too. I had to format my HD1 for it to work with SS. I think this might be because you no longer have to authorize your device to work with the Connect music store.

Also on second look at the Lossless it isn't lossess when it transferred to my HD1. The files sizes are the same as 256.

[drmoze]

OK, I'll try initializing the HD5 too. (Everyhting in my Library will be transferred anyway.) See if *that* helps!!!

[VoodooChild]

I'm downloading this as well (on 56kbps dial-up, wish me luck! )

I got a HD3 and I'll tell you if the features work or not along with any problems that occur.