Sony Network HD Player on linux, what are my options?

[alechiko]

I have bought the NWHD2 (recently released in Japan) and wish to use it on linux. I currently transfer files to the device in windows through the use of the SonicStage software supplied. This converts the mp3 to ATRAC, creates a temporary file, pops it onto the player and then deletes the temporary file created.

Im just wondering if anyone here uses any Sony devices with Linux? NetMD, HiMD, whatever and if they do what their current setup is. For example i know using WINE to allow sonicstage to run on Linux is one possibility but like there was a project for getting linux on ipods instead of the OS already present i was just wondering what other choices i have.

Thanks,

akiru
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[alechiko]

Nobody has any ideas? Come on folks, there are enough of you looking at this post, dont be shy

akiru
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[Benson]

I had a Sony Net-MD MZR-1 (or similar). One year ago i sold it and bought a mp3-player with an harddisk. The mp3-player is recognized as a normal external harddsik, no extra drivers and software needed. For Sony's NetMD's there's no solution. The transfer is coded, so there is a project working on it, but never has get further than providing read acces of tracks and renaming the files. Transfer is and maybe never will be supported!

And never expect Sony to suppport Linux. They are Microsoft-orientated. There have been many discussions about that, i was hoping too to get my MD running under Linux. Maybe you search for a Forum called "T-Station" for Sony Minidisc.

One possibility would be to install VMWare (which supports USB), install Wintendo on it as Guest-OS and run your NetMD-Software on it - but be warned, it is very slow! Much slower than on Windows! This was the reason why i still needed a dualboot-system for so long, til i bought an mp3-player...

rgds
Benson

[phobic]

Agreed about Sony not supporting Linux, but when has it been a common trend for any company to support Linux?

I will be sticking with my ipod until then, plenty of open source tools for it.

[alechiko]

[phobic]

Albeit this is quickly changing in our favor, there are only a handful of companies that truely support linux, novell and ibm, sun and nvidia being the big players.

But lets not get off topic, we are talking about consumer electronics here and there is maybe 5% of the digital music players currently out that support ogg format. Very few if any have native linux support (client software, etc).

But then again hackers take it upon themselves to develop their own software and reverse engineer protocols if need be, thats what keeps our community so strong with our without support the Linux generation will keep going.

[Benson]