Sony MP3 NW-A1200

[chazpowerslide]

I brought a Sony MP3 player yesterday (it's an NW-A1200) for which I paid £40 (RRP was £119.95) from a reputable dealer in Cambridge.

It was in the sale and end of line hence the price which I thought was a cracking deal for an 8 Gig MP3.

I have installed the software Sonic Stage 4.0 which does not allow me to import my CD collection as I get various error messages just as the 1st track imports.

As a result I installed Sonic Stage 4.3 as prompted by  the Sony website which still does not work.

So, I imported the CD from windows media to Sonic Stage (so far so good) and connected the player, now according to the quick start guide I should be prompted to "Use Intelligent Features RECOMMENDED" but I don't get this dialog box and then I get an error message that says that the player database needs to be updated to use Intelligent Features, disconnect and re-connect the player to update ect, ect, ect.

I also get another message that tells me that the PC/player connection is unstable and if after connection  to another port (which I do and get the same message) the connection is still unstable to delete all the tracks from the player which I do (though it has none on it) and then I get another error message telling me the tracks cannot be deleted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pls, can any of you PC literate chaps help out I'd rather get it working than take it back.

Chaz.

[Blatman]

I think I'd start with fornmatting the drive in the MP3 player, if that option is available, and whilst that's happening, have a trawl around the web for Sony Sonic Stage software and it's associated issues. My brother bought a Sony MP3 player a year or two ago, and the appalling Sonic Stage software was the reason it went back, never to return. A Samsung was bought as a replacement...

[peterg]

I'd take it back and try to get a Sandisk E280, bought one for SWMBO last year for £99 on Amazon and not had an probs with it just using Windows Media to drag and drop the CD collection onto it  

only £70ish now at Amazon

[bhouse]

Sonic Stage is, as others have said, complete pants. It defaults to using Sony's proprietary AC3 file format which is (a) very good but (b) incompatible with most other music players etc.

iAlso, it takes you to a Sony site to purchase tracks but the site actually stoped operating a month or so ago.

I'd be inclined to take it back for a refund and get a generic player (like the Sandisk or Creative).

[Ian Podmore]

Sonicstage has now been dropped by Sony, the new ones just use Windows Media player or even just drag and drop the files from Explorer.  Works a treat.

Wouldn't have touched a Sonicstage player though... but £40 is a very good price.

On my Sony the format option is on the player itself, do NOT try and format the flash drive from your PC....

[chazpowerslide]

Thanks for the info guys.

Said player is now residing back at the shop and I have a windows media compatable 4 gig Sony NWZ-A816 which I paid £20 towards on top of the price of the old one, the shop discounted it down from £99.99 for my "trouble"

Chaz.

[Rusty Nuts]

Sorry a bit of topic, I bought one some time ago and found the player itself to be an excellent piece of kit well built and noise cancelling features that work wonderfully. Then my pc gave up the ghost and I bought an apple MAC only to find there is no software for this model for the MAC. My question is, is there any support for the apple computers with the new ones?

Thanks