Guide: SonicStage 3.2 for HDD & Flash Players

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Ryzir

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Here is a guide I have compiled about SonicStage 3.2 for Sony HDD & Flash Players. I think that if we make a fully comprehensible guide it will help everyone who is frustrated will SonicStage & Sony. This is only the first version of this guide, If there is anything else that you think needs to be included please say so. (Thank You shadowritten for the idea)

SonicStage 3.2 Guide (for HDD & Flash Players)

Authorizing Computers & Devices:

Authorizing your Computer & Devices is useful if you want to use more than one PC for transferring music to your Device. Connect let’s you authorize up to 5 PC’s at a time.

To authorize your PC simple go to the Connect page in SS and register/log in. Logging in will automatically authorize your computer.

To authorize your Device connect it to your PC and go to the Transfer screen in SS, Click Device/Media Info and click Authorize. ***Warning*** sometimes authorizing your device will erase all music on it, sometimes it won’t (I have yet to figure out why).

With your PC’s & Device authorized you can upload atrac3(+) (not mp3’s) from your device to these computers. The uploaded files can only be played & transferred on authorized PC’s and Devices authorized under the original account. (I.e. you cannot transfer these files to a Device or played on a PC not authorized or authorized under a different account)

Encoding files to be Gapless:

The only way to encode files to be gapless in SonicStage & Devices is to encode in atrac3(+) format from CD. This can be from the original CD or an Image file.

To make a Gapless Image file the files need to be gapless to begin with. All Lossless sources are gapless, Mp3’s are not gapless and take considerable effort to make them so.
You then need to “Burn” the image as “Disc-At-Once” making sure there is no pause between the tracks. Then mount the image using an Image Drive such as Nero or dameon tools. The disc will then show up in SS.


Removing DRM from atrac3(+) files:

This is only necessary for files encoded with DRM (Pre 3.2) In SonicStage 3.2 it is possible to turn off DRM before encoding files in atrac3(+).

To Remove DRM: (This does not transcode the files! It simply removes the DRM from the file.) In SonicStage 3.2 right click on the files you want to remove the DRM and choose "convert format". Then choose the same bitrate as your file and make sure the "add copy protection" box is unchecked. The resulting file will be where all your other files are stored under a folder called "Optimized Files". The resulting files will be exactly the same except the DRM is removed. They even remain gapless.

To remove the DRM file from the computer is a little tricky. Here is what I did:
Highlight all songs you want to get rid of. Right click and select delete, uncheck "delete from computer" (If you don't this will delete the optimized files as well unless you put them in a different directory). Then to re-import the optimized files select "file" "import" "Music File" and select all files in the optimized folder. It will automatically arrange by Artist on Album in SonicStage. You can then delete the DRM'd files from your computer.

You can then highlight the songs in SonicStage you want to move and choose "move file" and put the files where you want them. This will arrange your files better in Windows but is not necessary.

Alternative Software for transferring mp3’s to your device:

Sony Mp3 File Manager: Installs software on your Device to transfer mp3’s from any computer (does not require SonicStage to be installed). Work’s on all HDD & Flash Players.

Download Link: ATRACLife
Guide Link: ATRACLife

Vaio Music Move/Music Transfer: Installs on your computer and requires SonicStage to also be installed to work. This will transfer Mp3’s and convert & transfer atrac3(+) files (it will only transfer atrac3(+) files that are converted from another format (Mp3 or WMA) at time of transfer)

Download Link: esupport.sony
(This download includes SonicStage 2.3 but installs Vaio Music Move 1.2 first. For me the installer errors out after VMM installs, probably because I have a newer version of SS installed, if it doesn’t error out just stop the installer when it starts to install SS)
Guide Link: ATRACLife
 
sk79 said:
big thanks from me too Ryzir...

Can I ask a question here? I am trying to transfer the ATRAC files on my HD5 to my pc - I have registered with Connect but don't see an option to authorise my HD5. I'm using SS3.2

SonicStage is still very buggy (I believe that this has to do with Sony changing the sofware so often). I have noticed that sometimes the Authorize/De-Authorize option is under the Device/Medai Info and sometimes it is not. Right now I have two Connect user registrations and on one the Authorize/De-Authorize is there, on the other it is not. ????

One solution I have found that sometimes fixes weird behaviour is to completely uninstall SS 3.2. After unintalling SonicStage & OpenMG delete the SonicStage & Sony Corporation folders in
C:\Programs\Sony
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sony Shared

Then run regedit and delete the Sony Corporatin Folders in:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Sony Corporation
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Sony Corporation

Then install 3.1 from the CD then upgrade to 3.2.

I know it's a big pain in the a** but what can I say? Hopefully the Connect software is better :confused:
 
Ryzir said:
SonicStage is still very buggy (I believe that this has to do with Sony changing the sofware so often). I have noticed that sometimes the Authorize/De-Authorize option is under the Device/Medai Info and sometimes it is not. Right now I have two Connect user registrations and on one the Authorize/De-Authorize is there, on the other it is not. ????

One solution I have found that sometimes fixes weird behaviour is to completely uninstall SS 3.2. After unintalling SonicStage & OpenMG delete the SonicStage & Sony Corporation folders in
C:\Programs\Sony
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data

Then run regedit and delete the Sony Corporatin Folders in:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Sony Corporation
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Sony Corporation

Then install 3.1 from the CD then upgrade to 3.2.

I know it's a big pain in the a** but what can I say? Hopefully the Connect software is better :confused:

Once again, sound advice.

When I had some early teething troubles, deleting everything - including in the registry - seemed the only way to solve them. However, do be careful messing about in the registry, and create a System Restore point first (on XP).
 
I've deleted a couple of posts in this thread as it's part of the Sticky FAQ section and we have to keep these completely on topic for them to be useful.
Hence this post will self-destruct in a few days ;)
 
Excellent Info guys - particularly useful as I rebooted my PC recently and want to go through the HD5 installation with no problems :smashin:
 
Hi I've also got a question.
With SS 3.2 can I set up my library to automatically sync with my HD5, so that when new files are added they are transferred to the player- but also when files are deleted from the library, they are removed from the player when I next connect it?
Thanks
 

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