[Gllug] Sony Net MD

[Pete Ryland]

On Thu, Apr 24, 2003 at 04:40:16PM +0100, Jim Bailey wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 24, 2003 at 04:18:01PM +0100, Pete Ryland wrote:
> > On Thu, Apr 24, 2003 at 12:39:39PM +0100, Richard Turner wrote:
> > > Does anyone have any idea whether it's possible to get Linux to talk
> > > to my Net MD Walkman over its USB interface?  I've just decided to try
> > > to permanently and completely rid myself of Windows, and that's one of
> > > the things I'm going to miss if Linux won't support it.
> > 
> > There's software at:
> > 
> > http://pdr.cx/projects/gnetmd/main/
> > 
> > Let me know if you have any problems with it.

BTW, Marc Brittan (the author of libnetmd) is currently redoing his web
page, so it is currently not available.  The mailing list is still active
though, and the archive is at:

http://gargoyles.monochromatic.net/pipermail/netmd-dev/

Any questions about gnetmd can be asked there too.

> Very Sony, very happy to build on the work of others with their new
> consumer electronics kernel but wouldn't know how to share if their
> grasping little corporate hearts depended on it.
> 
> I put Sony in the same category as Apple making all the right noises but
> non of the right gestures.

I've always been very happy with Sony hardware and firmware, but in this
case, even the Windows software is bad, and I get constant inquiries about
better software for Windows even!

Anyway, I think there are some in the company who want to support Linux (and
Mac), but obviously the powers that be can't see the financial benefit.
Also, they have a *large* media business to protect, so they're quite
careful about making sure their copy protection scheme (MagicGate) is kept
under lock and key.

The marketing types that respond to the regular sony support questions
aren't helpful, but I've had a bit more positive response from a techie
email address.  In case you're interested, here's what they said:

----- Forwarded message from ATRAC3 <atrac3 at sony.co.jp> -----

Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 18:31:52 +0900
From: ATRAC3 <atrac3 at sony.co.jp>
To: pdr at pdr.cx
Subject: ATRAC3
X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.3-Jr2 (32)

Thank you for your proposal.
We may be going to consider software solution for Linux.

=========================================================
Hi,

Thank you for your reply.

Is there anything I can do to help in making this software available for
Linux users?  I have around 7 years experience programming for Linux and
much spare time on my hands.  I would be happy to do this for free and in
strict confidentiality if it meant being able to use ATRAC3 on my system.

Regards,
Pete Ryland

On Tue, Jan 14, 2003 at 04:02:53PM +0900, ATRAC3 wrote:
> Thank you for inquiring ATRAC3.
> We apologize for replying you late.
> 
> ATRAC3 software is available only on Windows platform, now.
> The software supplied with NetMD doesn't work with Linux or Macintosh.
> Sorry for your inconvenience.
> ========================================================
> Hi,
> 
> I am wondering if it is possible to use ATRAC3 compression/decompression
> on Linux.  I do not have access to a windows or macintosh machine, just
> linux, but I do have the ATRAC3 Windows codec that came with my NetMD
> device.  Is it possible to use this on Linux or other Unixes?

----- End forwarded message -----

Pete
-- 
Pete Ryland
http://pdr.cx/


-- 
Gllug mailing list  -  Gllug at linux.co.uk
http://list.ftech.net/mailman/listinfo/gllug