Microdrive 1Gb & Audio player...

[cryoglobe]

Hello,

Here is my story about my first experience using the CF driver on my Clie.

My stuffs :
Clie NX70V/E ( I'll call it "Clie" )
1 IBM Microdrive 1Gb ( I'll call it " Md" )
1 Canon CF 32Mb ( I'll call it "Cf" )

I was really happy to receive my CF driver & registration code.
The installation of the driver works without any problem.

I first try the Md card...

I use my PCMCIA adapator to put some MP3 files on the "PALM/PROGRAMS/MSAUDIO" folder of the Md card.

I then try to mount the Md manually ... using the slow mode & slow mount options ... after several testing ..
---> I note that the "slow mount" option always bring a fata error + a soft reset of the Clie ...

I then decided to try the masquarading mode ...

I follow the manual ... remove the MS , mount ( manually or not ) my Md card. Everything works fine ..
I start the Audio Player ... and saw the first mp3 of my list.
I push the Play .. and .. after hearing 1 second ... the clie freeze.
-----> I had to reset it !!

The Md card seems to suffer from that experience .. the only readable folder on the card ... was the PALM first level folder... under it , no PROGRAMS folder anymore... only a list of files with one letter , some with a size of 0 and other with the same size ..

The only way to clean my Md was to format the card from my digital camera ( canon G2 pro ).

After that bad experience , I retry the same with and without "read only" mode .. as it's explain on eruware that the Md cards have to be used in " read only " ... but this doesn't solve anything...

I then decided to use my Cf card... ( that one should be usable in read & write mode !! ) ....

I also create the PALM/PROGRAMS/MSAUDIO folder using the PCMCIA adaptator...
> In fact I absolutely do the same manipulations I had done with the Md card... <
That time ... everything works fine , even playing Mp3.

I checked the datas in the Cf card .. some folders were created automatically.

I then decided to test my Md card again ...
I decide to copy the PALM folder and subfolders / files from the Cf card to the Md card. ( just to have the same situation on both cards )

I remount the Md card in masquarading mode... and start the Audio Player...
after a small stress ... I push the play button ...
the music start to be played ... but only for 1 second .. after that the clie was frozen :(

I again had to reset it ! The only difference is that ( thanks to the copied folders ? ) the Md card doesn't crash its folder structure...
( not anymore need to format it )

I'll stop my story here....
Does it happen to someone here ???
I would really appreciate to be able to take up to 1Gb of Mp3 with me :) and of course be able to listen more than 1 second... !

Anyone with advices ???

Thanks in advance

[cryoglobe]

So what ???

Nobody has a Microdrive ???
and so .. the same troubles ... with playing mp3 from it ??

Please .. helppp !!!

[cryoglobe]

Please .. help me .. I really would like to take advantage of my Microdrive 1G , and CF driver to listen MP3 & convert Video to play them on my wonderfull clie ..

Please any advice would be nice !!!

[aardvarko]

if you mount it Read Only, it won't get corrupted.

[jdonalds]

I just purchased the CF driver and downloaded it. I thought I would have to wait days until my 256M CF card arrived to try&nbsp; out the CF slot and driver. Then I remembered the Microdrive in my digital camera. Much to my pleasure I stuck the Md in and it was recognized and started to work. I had a 30 meg audio file on a memory stick. The Clie Files program did a nice job of copying the 30m file to the Md. When I tried to play the audio file it would play for a few seconds, then access the Md which I could hear spinning up causing a delay in the audio. I realized the Md wasn't going to work for audio or video because of the need to spin up each time it is accessed. I put the Md back in the digital camera&nbsp;and am waiting for the 256M CF to arrive in the mail.

[tifosiv122]

If you can sell the MD and get a CF 1gb card. The MD uses much more power and is (IM experience) slower and unreliable.

Erik

[jdonalds]

I'll keep the Microdrive in my digital camera. I can fit 255 hi res pictures on it and get about 50-70 pictures with flash on one set of batteries. I was able to fit a whole vacation worth of pictures on it. But it looks like CF is a winner over the Microdrive on the Clie.

[tifosiv122]

Originally posted by jdonalds
I'll keep the Microdrive in my digital camera. I can fit 255 hi res pictures on it and get about 50-70 pictures with flash on one set of batteries. I was able to fit a whole vacation worth of pictures on it. But it looks like CF is a winner over the Microdrive on the Clie.

I promise that if you try a 1gb cf card you will get more pictures on the same set of batteries. A MD uses almost double the amount of power both at peak and constant times. It was a great idea over 5 years ago, but by today's standards its outdated. I'd sell it on ebay while its still worth something, especially when a 1gb cf card can be had around $160.

Erik

[Lainar]

Originally posted by tifosiv122


I promise that if you try a 1gb cf card you will get more pictures on the same set of batteries. A MD uses almost double the amount of power both at peak and constant times. It was a great idea over 5 years ago, but by today's standards its outdated. I'd sell it on ebay while its still worth something, especially when a 1gb cf card can be had around $160.

Erik


Yup I agree.

My 1gig MD drive just was not up too the task of working properly in my nz90 so onto ebay it went and I made just about enough to buy my 1 Gig sandisk CF Card which works great. I would not recommend anyone using a Microdrive with the driver.

[cryoglobe]

Ok ... I'll use the Read-only

But what's the interest of beeing able to put stuff on it .. ( for example mp3 ... ) if it's not to be able to listen them from my Md ???

Before buying the CF driver , I really thought that some people had been able to play mp3 from their Md + masquarading mode.

Am I wrong ?

[tifosiv122]

Originally posted by cryoglobe
Ok ... I'll use the Read-only

But what's the interest of beeing able to put stuff on it .. ( for example mp3 ... ) if it's not to be able to listen them from my Md ???

Before buying the CF driver , I really thought that some people had been able to play mp3 from their Md + masquarading mode.

Am I wrong ?

I haven't specifically seen any post where someone used the MD to play Mp3's...you might want to start a new post with something along that as the topic and see if anyone responds.

Erik

[cryoglobe]

I don't think that a new post is really a good idea ..

this post is ( I think ) the right place ...
In fact I create it for that purpose =)

[tifosiv122]

Originally posted by cryoglobe
I don't think that a new post is really a good idea ..

this post is ( I think ) the right place ...
In fact I create it for that purpose =)

Alright, good luck.

Erik

[n2ifp]

Originally posted by cryoglobe
I don't think that a new post is really a good idea ..

this post is ( I think ) the right place ...
In fact I create it for that purpose =)

The next update should help, in the meantime, try the MS Pro patch. Some with extra large storage have&nbsp;reported good success.

I believe with some it was a hit/miss propositon on the MD.

It's power consumption can be 10X that of a standard CF card.

[catgenie]

I've been using the microdrive to listen to mp3 with Audioplayer without any problem.

One guess: is you MD formatted in FAT? I remember reading it somewhere that this is the more stable formatting. Try to do it in your PC rather than your camera, maybe that helps.

For me, I just created the PALM, PROGRAMS and MSAUDIO folder on the MD from my PC.

I am using NZ and I've checked Read Only. Never use the slow modes but so far there's no problem.

Let me know if I can help any further.

[cryoglobe]

I try to reformat the Microdrive using FAT
I simply create the folders PALM .. etc
put the Mp3 on the MSAUDIO folder

Start the AudioPlayer ,
I see the 3 music I put on the microdrive
I can even select the one I wants
but ...

when starting to play one file,
I hear 1 second and then the Clie is frozen

I again have to reset the Clie :(

Could there be a difference between NZ & NX .. that makes the Microdrive working fine on the NZ and not on the NX ?

[catgenie]

Have you installed the MS Pro Patch as n2ifp suggested? This is the last thing I can think of.