SACD Transport software update

This may help those with high capacity drives. Also note the 4GB limit of single files.

So you keep saying. But you don’t seem to grasp that computers don’t offer THAT particular function anymore. It takes some effort to find software to do that. And since the device requires it, the device should offer it.

I have hand held audio devices that do offer to format the memory cards placed in them. I understand fully that your preference is to do the formatting somewhere else. I would like you to understand that I do not agree with you on this nor do I accept your decision as a universal truth that I must obey. But otherwise, nice day.

Mate. Personal computers have offered a format command since the early 70’s. And still do.
And I’m having a lovely day thank you :slight_smile:

I’m going to leave you with your worldview intact. You are safe.

My Kingston 32G is factory format to FAT32.
For those two 64G shown in previous post above, I don’t remember their factory format, but I did reformat them to FAT32.
My PST when it choked on wrong USB format or bad music file (from USD or DATA disk) I need to main power cycle from the back to bring my PST to working order.

FYI. Here is another place to find how to format FAT32 on Windows. I have tested these, ok on my PC.
https://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/19258/~/formatting-sandisk-usb-flash-drives-in-fat32-format-using-third-party-windows

It would be nice for all devices which use memory cards and require a specific format to perform the requisite formatting. My handheld recorders do this, as do my rack mounted devices which record to CF or SD.

Cars are one example where users are often frustrated by format requirements. Corvette Z06 takes an SD card for its built-in data recorder and video, and takes USB sticks (multiple ports) for music, all of which must be properly formatted. Owners regularly get hung up on this.

I find that cards 32GB and below typically come from the factory formatted FAT32. This size is often sufficient for one’s purposes.

1 Like

Exactly. A device that writes to memory cards should offer the ability to format the card in the manner it requires. My video camera offers a format function too.
However, adding a format function to devices that only read from memory cards (eg PST under discussion) is problematic for a number of reasons:

  • The additional cost to implement and test the function
  • The inevitable support calls from users that have accidentally formatted the content of their memory card. It happens!
  • If the device is networkable then there is the added security risk associated with an increased “attack surface”.

And yes. FAT32 is the default (at least with Windows) when formatting a USB stick under 32GB. Full disclosure: Definitely correct for 16GB drives. I’ve not personally tested 32GB - but that is my understanding.
Formatting USB sticks greater than 32GB as FAT32 is possible - you just to jump through some hoops. Terrence & I have both posted articles on this subject above.

While it is easy to format a memory card or USB drive,including larger cards, it remains a challenge for many. I thus like the idea that equipment which uses removable memory be able to format this memory without outside help.

I do not think any downside is significant enough to outweigh the advantages for the majority of users.

2 Likes

I guess the devil is in the detail.
If such a function was implemented (say) as Al suggests “The PST should offer to properly format any thumb drive connected to it. Format y/n?” then can you imagine the support calls you’d get?
“My son gave me a USB stick with music on it - I plugged it in and it asked me a question. I thought it was asking me if I wanted to play from it so I said yes. And now my music is all gone!” etc…

If you bury the function in a menu system then you make it difficult for the very users you are trying to help.

I know you are looking at just this one issue from an end-user point of view but as someone who has worked in IT for 40 years and specialised in Human Interface Design for at least ten of them, I can tell you that vendors have to balance a number of compromises in the areas of ease-of-use, cost (development and maintenance) and keeping their customers safe from themselves and external sources.

And the dearth of devices that have read-only access to memory cards that offer the ability to format those cards tends to indicate that vendors don’t consider that offering a format function passes the risk/reward threshold.

In my little universe I have 2 x printers that allow printing of docs and images from a connected USB stick. Neither allow me to format the stick.
Then there’s the PST which similarly does not allow formatting a connected stick.
Of course there might be exceptions. There always are :slight_smile:

Of course. There are always trade-offs.

And no matter what a manufacturer decides, there will be users who screw up.

The more you try to idiot proof things the dumber the idiots get.

3 Likes

I have a similar problem: downloaded flac files 96/24 from Presto classical. These files where playing fine on my DMP, but the PWT SACD transport cannot read the files: the transport is rying to read the flac files for some time, after which the logo switch is flashing and all other buttons are dead. This happens with the files on disk and also on a USB stick, even when the files are converted to wav in 96/24 or 44/16 resolution.
Other files(other music from the same provider) in the same high resolution can be read with this transport (2.3.1).
I tried to remove the metadata, without any results.
Jan Deurenberg

Thanks for that. Mine too was purchased from Presto, but everything else from them has been ok. Quite an oddity!

Can you tell us how to remove the metadata from flac files, I do have problems with certain flac files not readable in the PST, while they could be read in the DMP

I’m not certain what all is needed. Maybe @dchang05 can tell us what he did to get rid of the extra meta data.

As you can read in my recent post, i also have difficulties playing some flac files in the PST, files which didnot give any problems playing in my DMP.
You did strip the metadata from the AIFF. Can you tell us how you did strip the metadata from theses files to let the PST read the files?

Jan Deurenberg

google “remove metadata from flies” you will find links for step-by-step instruction. You will start with right click the file or highlight all files in the same folder first and go to the bottom “properties”. click that and go to details. Then click remove properties and personal information. good luck!

After removing AIFF metadata, all files can be played using USB (most likely disks too) up to 64gb through PST; provided USB has FAT32 format. I used a USB filter too since the SQ is sub-par compares to disks. From menu I found USB input is not mean to be used as a main music source. So I use it to break in the PST (100 hour plus) and to play background music.

Interestingly I had no problem playing FLAC files without removing metadate downloads from Qobuz.

1 Like

Thanks Dchang!