When I first came to Japan, I signed up for service with AU, and picked up the Sony Erricson W42S Walkman phone. It was fantastic: it played music with ease, had a great screen for video, was simple and compact, and styling superb.
My only problem with it was the software. Sony and AU both enjoy making users go through all sorts of hoops in order to protect their IP, such that it makes the product nearly useless. Complicating the matter was the fact that the software was only available in Japanese. It drove me nuts. AU's software in particular was so bad, that it would even refuse to install on Windows unless it was a Japanese version.
I HAD to gain access to all those cool features, for which I fell in love with the phone in the first place. So I set out on several adventures in 'bypassing' certain basic procedures apparently designed to confuse people. Few of these jobs could technically be called "hacking." Most of them were simply discovering how to get around stupid measures taken by both companies designed to confuse people, such as switching your international settings in Windows to temporarily allow installing the software, or dropping files into hidden folders on the memory stick in order to get your own movies to play without paying extra for additional software.
I figured that if I were having trouble with the phone, than surely many other foreign customers were in the same boat. Sure enough, with a little bit of advertising on the various cell-phone fan sites, people starting asking me lots of questions. So, in a way, I became an unofficial English help line troubleshooter for AU and Sony.
The results of which are cataloged in the following blogs:
w42s.blogspot.com
w52s.blogspot.com
The posts have also been merged with THIS blog. You can find them by clicking the related links on the left.
Showing posts with label AU Music Port. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AU Music Port. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
AU moves on to LismoPort
AU will no longer support AU Music Port. They have moved on to new software, named Lismo Port (presumably enhancing their tie-in with the Lismo online media service).
I have yet to play with it, other than to attempt an installation. Bad news, it absolutely refuses to install on a non Japanese OS (not even with the trickery involved to install AMP). So I will have to play around with this more. Honestly, I am very likely going to move on to a different phone set anyway. The 42/52 Walkman phones are getting old.
Anyway, since AMP is no longer available on the AU site (nor the USB drivers?) I have put up a page on my own site to hold old CD versions of the software. I don't take any responsibility for a broken system if you choose to upgrade from the old (ca 2006) CD versions.
You can find them at:
http://japandarknavi.com/drp/content/amp
I have yet to play with it, other than to attempt an installation. Bad news, it absolutely refuses to install on a non Japanese OS (not even with the trickery involved to install AMP). So I will have to play around with this more. Honestly, I am very likely going to move on to a different phone set anyway. The 42/52 Walkman phones are getting old.
Anyway, since AMP is no longer available on the AU site (nor the USB drivers?) I have put up a page on my own site to hold old CD versions of the software. I don't take any responsibility for a broken system if you choose to upgrade from the old (ca 2006) CD versions.
You can find them at:
http://japandarknavi.com/drp/content/amp
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Use auMusicPort to load music
I have the preliminary write up for loading music. Please ask any questions, and make corrections. I have not included pictures, but can add them in if anything is unclear.
Music Library Primary Functions
First, open auMusicPort.From the main screen, select Music Library.
There are four icons on the far left. Their function is as follows:
1: Picture of a PC with a play arrow in the monitor - Shows the songs currently in your 'PC play list'. Play your tunes from the pc or phone here.
2: Phone and PC with two directional arrows - Sync function to load songs to and from the phone
3: papers with a pencil on them - I have no clue.. perhaps some sort of tag editor or viewer or rating thing.. whatever, dont need it! ;)
4: Musical Note, an arrow, and a PC - File importing.
Step 1: Importing Music
Click on File import (music note and PC). You will see a spreadsheet. Above this you see the import functions.
Looking at the import features: First is a CD with a drop down bar. You can rip right from a CD drive. The drop down selects which drive to rip from. It only shows valid music CDs in the drop down.
Below that is a file folder, and a LONG button. Click the button. You can now point to a specific file, or a folder. If you point to a folder, it will recurse all sub folders within that folder.
Ok, so you have chosen either a CD or a music folder.
CD: your cd will be ripped, and the file names will appear in the spreadsheet with a rip progress bar.
Folder: you will be prompted with a popup box. You are given a few options. The default selection is ALL known file types. the other options or for such options as WAV, WMA or M4A. It's important (and sad) to note here that MP3 files are NOT on the list. Unfortunately AMP only reads those three file types. You will have to convert your mp3s to WMA, or use Sonic Stage to convert them and then load to a M2 card. :( booo hiss..The top section of the popup allows the file type selection (default to all) while the bottom section allows you to choose Scan Whole System, or In a folder only. It should be pretty obvious to you how to use this function.
Left button is Ok, right is Cancel
So, hitting ok will default to all. Now all files in the folder are shown in the spreadsheet.
Its important to note that amp is a bit slow on this process.. watch progress bar. I strongly advise you point to a folder only, as the full scan initially will take FOREVER and grab all those silly sounds from the OS...
Now that you have a list, you can choose what to convert to phone format. Throw check boxes in the songs you want, using shift to select groups at a time.
Finally click the large square button with the CD icon and down arrow. You will now see progress percentage as the files are converted. When everything is 100%, move on to the next step.
Step 2: Uploading
Your tune is now in the PC library. You can even play it by clicking on the first large icon on the left (PC with a play button). Go ahead and check the quality.
When you are ready to transfer, click the icon of the phone and PC.You now have two spreadsheets. The top is your PC library, the bottom is the phone library (likely empty at first).
Highlight the songs from the top list you wish to transfer. You can use Shift and Ctrl click options to highlight groups.
Between the two lists, are 4 buttons. One has a down arrow and Japanese, then two with Japanese, then one with an UP arrow and PC.
The first and the last should be pretty obvious. The third is "Resetsuto" Im not sure what number two does, but I have had good luck with number on (down arrow) and number two for loading songs to the phone.
You can now disconnect the phone and find the music either in the phone memory, or the memory card (be it microSD or M2). The Default location is the memory card when installed.
Your music will play from either folder via the Music Menu. You can also move the songs to the other memory area from the normal file menu, and they will be found again when you re-open the Music Menue.
Music Library Primary Functions
First, open auMusicPort.From the main screen, select Music Library.
There are four icons on the far left. Their function is as follows:
1: Picture of a PC with a play arrow in the monitor - Shows the songs currently in your 'PC play list'. Play your tunes from the pc or phone here.
2: Phone and PC with two directional arrows - Sync function to load songs to and from the phone
3: papers with a pencil on them - I have no clue.. perhaps some sort of tag editor or viewer or rating thing.. whatever, dont need it! ;)
4: Musical Note, an arrow, and a PC - File importing.
Step 1: Importing Music
Click on File import (music note and PC). You will see a spreadsheet. Above this you see the import functions.
Looking at the import features: First is a CD with a drop down bar. You can rip right from a CD drive. The drop down selects which drive to rip from. It only shows valid music CDs in the drop down.
Below that is a file folder, and a LONG button. Click the button. You can now point to a specific file, or a folder. If you point to a folder, it will recurse all sub folders within that folder.
Ok, so you have chosen either a CD or a music folder.
CD: your cd will be ripped, and the file names will appear in the spreadsheet with a rip progress bar.
Folder: you will be prompted with a popup box. You are given a few options. The default selection is ALL known file types. the other options or for such options as WAV, WMA or M4A. It's important (and sad) to note here that MP3 files are NOT on the list. Unfortunately AMP only reads those three file types. You will have to convert your mp3s to WMA, or use Sonic Stage to convert them and then load to a M2 card. :( booo hiss..The top section of the popup allows the file type selection (default to all) while the bottom section allows you to choose Scan Whole System, or In a folder only. It should be pretty obvious to you how to use this function.
Left button is Ok, right is Cancel
So, hitting ok will default to all. Now all files in the folder are shown in the spreadsheet.
Its important to note that amp is a bit slow on this process.. watch progress bar. I strongly advise you point to a folder only, as the full scan initially will take FOREVER and grab all those silly sounds from the OS...
Now that you have a list, you can choose what to convert to phone format. Throw check boxes in the songs you want, using shift to select groups at a time.
Finally click the large square button with the CD icon and down arrow. You will now see progress percentage as the files are converted. When everything is 100%, move on to the next step.
Step 2: Uploading
Your tune is now in the PC library. You can even play it by clicking on the first large icon on the left (PC with a play button). Go ahead and check the quality.
When you are ready to transfer, click the icon of the phone and PC.You now have two spreadsheets. The top is your PC library, the bottom is the phone library (likely empty at first).
Highlight the songs from the top list you wish to transfer. You can use Shift and Ctrl click options to highlight groups.
Between the two lists, are 4 buttons. One has a down arrow and Japanese, then two with Japanese, then one with an UP arrow and PC.
The first and the last should be pretty obvious. The third is "Resetsuto" Im not sure what number two does, but I have had good luck with number on (down arrow) and number two for loading songs to the phone.
You can now disconnect the phone and find the music either in the phone memory, or the memory card (be it microSD or M2). The Default location is the memory card when installed.
Your music will play from either folder via the Music Menu. You can also move the songs to the other memory area from the normal file menu, and they will be found again when you re-open the Music Menue.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Font Toggleing to Install AUmusicPort
Due to several questions in the posts:
I just confirmed the procedure to install AUmusicPort on an English Version Windows XP.
First, install Japanese font support from your windows CD.
The easiest way to do this is to:
1: go to start, control panel, Regional and Language options.
2: from there, choosing to enable Japanese will automaticly start the install process..
3: be ubergeek and do it any number of other ways you are more familiar with ;)
ok.. so..
From Regional and Language options,
1: assure nothing got jacked on the install.. so, check Languages tab, click on details, and make sure your input system is still US (or whatever your keyboard is)
2: Cancel out and go to Advanced.
3: here is where the fun is. Langage for Non-Unicode Programs... Set it to Japanese, and you will need to reboot.
Now, here is the rub (and thus the toggling bit..) you COULD leave it set to Japanese. This will have the effect of always making AU look right. The problem now is that EVERY PROGRAM YOU INSTALL WILL DEFAULT TO JAPANESE... yeah.. every thing you do after setting this will default.. even if English is an available option in a Unicoded application.
The problem with AuMP is that it is poorly Unicoded.. So, if you change the setting back to English, its jibberish again.. but if you leave it in Japanese, all your other programs (and most especially new installations) will be turning Japanese..
So, to avoid leaking Japanese onto every other program you use or install.. you need to set the setting BACK to English.
Thus, you need to toggle this when you are using Amp, and deal with a reboot.. SOMETIMES.. one you get to know where things are, you might be able to live with the partial jibberish..
I just confirmed the procedure to install AUmusicPort on an English Version Windows XP.
First, install Japanese font support from your windows CD.
The easiest way to do this is to:
1: go to start, control panel, Regional and Language options.
2: from there, choosing to enable Japanese will automaticly start the install process..
3: be ubergeek and do it any number of other ways you are more familiar with ;)
ok.. so..
From Regional and Language options,
1: assure nothing got jacked on the install.. so, check Languages tab, click on details, and make sure your input system is still US (or whatever your keyboard is)
2: Cancel out and go to Advanced.
3: here is where the fun is. Langage for Non-Unicode Programs... Set it to Japanese, and you will need to reboot.
Now, here is the rub (and thus the toggling bit..) you COULD leave it set to Japanese. This will have the effect of always making AU look right. The problem now is that EVERY PROGRAM YOU INSTALL WILL DEFAULT TO JAPANESE... yeah.. every thing you do after setting this will default.. even if English is an available option in a Unicoded application.
The problem with AuMP is that it is poorly Unicoded.. So, if you change the setting back to English, its jibberish again.. but if you leave it in Japanese, all your other programs (and most especially new installations) will be turning Japanese..
So, to avoid leaking Japanese onto every other program you use or install.. you need to set the setting BACK to English.
Thus, you need to toggle this when you are using Amp, and deal with a reboot.. SOMETIMES.. one you get to know where things are, you might be able to live with the partial jibberish..
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