SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

[schmidj]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

From Sony's support page:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00171492

he maximum capacity for micro SD cards for use with the NW-A3x/A4x series Walkman players is 2TB.

All Sony micro-SD cards currently available on the market are confirmed to be compatible.

NOTE: Sony cannot guarantee full compatibility with cards from other brands.

NW-A3x series models:

NW-A35
NW-A35HN
NW-A36
NW-A36HN
NW-A37
NW-A37HN
NW-A45
NW-A45HN
NW-A47

They won't guarantee compatibility woth all SD cards, because they couldn't possibly test every make and size, and there are so many fakes out there, but you notice it certainly didn't say the device only works with Sony cards.

Reading further in the online instructions, it appears that the file structure for the device is quite specific, and you in all likelihood have to format the card and then load files using their app and dragging and dropping. Not uncommon on various products of different manufacturers. You could probably take a (smaller) SD card, format it, and load some music onto it using the Sony software on your PC, with the card in the player. Then you could quite possibly insert the card (with an adapter if necessary) in your computer and using the properties function determine what file system is used (FAT32, etc) and using Windows Explorer, see how the file and directory structure is organized, which might (MIGHT) allow you to copy files to the card in your PC without using Sony's software.

It is pretty evident that any size SD card will work.

[garym]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

I was going to ask to be put through to a Manager

The so-called "managers" at call centers are typically just a different low-level no-nothing person.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

odd. I guess the next step is to try a sony card. Have you tried a 128GB card of any other brand (assuming this is the maximum recognized)?
edit: actually schmidt's advice regarding formatting a card for sony then copying your flac files over to new card is excellent advice.

Not tried a Sony card yet. I wanted to seek advice here first on that matter. I have only tried 200GB and 32GB SD-cards in the Sony to date. I only own two SDs!

I don't actually have any objection to buying a Sony product (I mean, my headphones and Walkman are Sony). I just hate it when a company tries to fleece you out of more money by giving you preposterous 'progressive-sale' talk!

Again, I could buy the Sony from Amazon and return it for a full refund within a certain period of time.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

The Sony guy is feeding you a line of CRAP!

Hi schmidj,

Nice and too the point! lol

That's what I was practically telling the agent when he was giving me all this sales-talk. I cooled it down though because I did not want to end up swearing and then cutting him off. I was going to ask to be put through to a Manager, but I guess they would try and spin me the same line.

But the reason I flipped out on him was because I argued that the Sony SD-card was £20 dearer, had a much small memory capacity, and had lesser specs!

So you would just go ahead and buy the SanDisc then? I have Amazon Prime membership so if I buy directly from them I will be covered (ie. refund/exchange).

Cheers,

Paul

[garym]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

Yes, I totally understand what you mean about call-centers etc. The fact that they always need to take-out 48 to find the answer before getting back to you says it all really. Although I do have to say that I am very surprised Sony has steeped this low.

But, unfortunately, the fact of the matter remains that I have tested out two non-Sony SD-cards and neither of them are working with the Sony Walkman! In this respect, I feel I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

odd. I guess the next step is to try a sony card. Have you tried a 128GB card of any other brand (assuming this is the maximum recognized)?
edit: actually schmidt's advice regarding formatting a card for sony then copying your flac files over to new card is excellent advice.

[schmidj]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

Paul:

The Sony guy is feeding you a line of CRAP! Any name brand (excluding the fakes) SD card is interchangeable with any other. There are differences of speed, mostly important with video, that are specified on the card. Any card you can buy will be fast enough to play back audio. And there is no such thing as a 2 TB micro SDXC card, at least yet. The biggest legit one available, if you can find and afford one, is 512 GB, 400 GB still pricey but more available. The cards all have to meet certain specs and be interchangeable to legally use the SDXC logo.

It is possible that the file structure is different on the Fire than the Sony. You might well have to format a card in the Sony and then copy the files to it. (a rather slow process). The user manuals for the two devices should be able to tell you what the file formats/structures are.

The fact that he mentioned 2 TB, which is, I think the largest they can eventually make an SDXC card with the addressing structure, would further imply to me that any size SDXC card (or SDHC or just SD, both less memory) will in fact be able to work.

I would avoid this customer service guy at all cost. What he is saying may be ignorance or it may be probably illegal tying of the brands.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

I would be shocked if a sony brand SD card was required. this makes no sense at all. Paul you really need to get out of the habit of contacting vendor support in most cases. As I've mentioned before, the odds of these folks actually providing any help, much less correct information is about zero. The help desk of these large companies are manned by people that typically know very little, read off a script, and often give out very bad information. It shouldn't be this way, but it is. You are much safer with a good google search and a crowd-sourced answer from real users (who many times actually know something). Just my two cents.

Yes, I totally understand what you mean about call-centers etc. The fact that they always need to take-out 48 to find the answer before getting back to you says it all really. Although I do have to say that I am very surprised Sony has steeped this low.

But, unfortunately, the fact of the matter remains that I have tested out two non-Sony SD-cards and neither of them are working with the Sony Walkman! In this respect, I feel I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[garym]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

I would be shocked if a sony brand SD card was required. this makes no sense at all. Paul you really need to get out of the habit of contacting vendor support in most cases. As I've mentioned before, the odds of these folks actually providing any help, much less correct information is about zero. The help desk of these large companies are manned by people that typically know very little, read off a script, and often give out very bad information. It shouldn't be this way, but it is. You are much safer with a good google search and a crowd-sourced answer from real users (who many times actually know something). Just my two cents.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

Hi,

Sony never called me as promised and so I had to chase them up. Ended up almost having an argument with them over the whole thing!

Basically, I was informed that the SanDisk SD-card (ie. loaded with FLACs for my Amazon Fire) is not being seen by the Sony Walkman device simply because it is not of their own 'brand' (ie. 'compatibility'). Their Tech Support guy said that the SD-Card needs to be a Sony model, and up to an upper-limit of 2TB. I searched high and low for one (online) whilst the guy was on the phone advising me of the various retailers who should stock them. I kept telling him that I could not see them anywhere? Then he checked with his Sales Dept. who informed him that they did not even exist! What a prat.

So in the end I found a Sony SD-card on Amazon (full circle!) which was 128GB:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...KL5A1OLE&psc=1

The thing is, I can buy a SanDisk of 200GB for £20 cheaper - but he adamantly insists I must use/buy a Sony model. I have never heard of devices having to be matched with an SD-card of the same brand? He said if I buy a non-Sony brand then it is likely I will run into issues along the way, and thereafter their Tech. Support will refuse to assist. How's that for great customer-relations!

The guy is in no doubt I was highly cheesed-off with him; and I threatened to send the device back for a refund based upon his/their shoddy service.

Anyway, I am now left having to consider buying the above LINKED SD-card from Amazon tomorrow; and then Sony are calling me back on Friday to assist me with transferring all my FLACs to this storage device (because I said I would like assistance every step of the way so that they can not try to wriggle-out of anything, should anything go amiss).

Cheers,

Paul

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

The 128 GB number was probably the largest micro SDHC card made when the copy was written, they don't want to say you could add 512 GB if you can't purchase a 512 GB card, deceptive advertising.

I suspect that any (legitimate) SDHC card you can buy will work (that has been my experience with smart phones), but your best bet is to try to find a Sony forum and ask there if anyone has tried what you want to use. Usually once they adopt the standard, (SDHC) it will work with any card properly implementing the standard. At least with audio, speed is not an issue. I have a 256 GB card in my cell phone, full. I'm waiting until the 400 GB cards become a little less pricey.

But obviously, this is only a suspicion on my part, absent trying one or a commitment from Sony, no guarantee!

Hi Schmidj,

The Sony forum is not that great, in my opinion. Plus, I much prefer posting such questions here as the traffic is busier and members seem to be more knowledgeable overall.

If the SD-Card limitation is 128GB, then I still might be able to fit most of my FLACs in by losing a couple of GENRES (eg. 'Self-Development') and utilizing the 16GB onboard storage facility for 1 or 2 other GENRES.

Paul

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

According to Crutchfield, the NW-A45 has "16GB internal flash memory, with up to 128GB additional storage (up to 144GB total memory)."


Sony's own website doesn't indicate the maximum SD-Card size. That's sad.

Thanks JH,

I never heard of 'Crutchfield' before.

Yes, it's difficult to ascertain a definitive answer from Sony! Quite absurd really. So I am waiting for a callback for conformation.

Paul

[schmidj]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

The 128 GB number was probably the largest micro SDHC card made when the copy was written, they don't want to say you could add 512 GB if you can't purchase a 512 GB card, deceptive advertising.

I suspect that any (legitimate) SDHC card you can buy will work (that has been my experience with smart phones), but your best bet is to try to find a Sony forum and ask there if anyone has tried what you want to use. Usually once they adopt the standard, (SDHC) it will work with any card properly implementing the standard. At least with audio, speed is not an issue. I have a 256 GB card in my cell phone, full. I'm waiting until the 400 GB cards become a little less pricey.

But obviously, this is only a suspicion on my part, absent trying one or a commitment from Sony, no guarantee!

[Jailhouse]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

According to Crutchfield, the NW-A45 has "16GB internal flash memory, with up to 128GB additional storage (up to 144GB total memory)."


Sony's own website doesn't indicate the maximum SD-Card size. That's sad.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

Thanks a lot guys.

I called Sony today (nearly 90 mins!) regarding which of SIZE SD-card is compatible with their A45 Walkman but the agent did not know. I was surprised because I did not anticipate this being a intricate question, by any means. He said he needed to escalate my question to a higher tier. Personally, I did not think that there was an upper-limit to the GB size you could use. In fact (partly my reason for phoning) I have read (in reviews) that the A45 could manage a 2TB SD!

Cheers.

[schmidj]

Re: SD-card vs. SD-card (help?)

You do want to watch out. There are a lot of fakes out there. You'll see many large SD and particularly micro SD cards out there for very low prices. If the price is too good to be true it is... It turns out it is pretty easy to modify a small SD card so it reports that it is a very big one to your device. However, it is still a small one and can only hold the original amount of data. When you write more than that, it overwrites some or all of the original data.

And yes there are fakes on Amazon: Read the reviews for this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Generic-256GB-Memory-Adapter-M142-MAL256MA/dp/B078LW9TMX/ref=sr_1_10?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1532914576&sr=1-10&keywords=200gb+micro+sd+card