MagicGate Pro

[Unregistered]

Hi,
I just purchased UX50 and 256MB MagicGate MS (PRO). I realized that the PRO version of magic gate doesn't work with SonicStage. Can some one explain what the differences are between the MagicGate MS and the MagicGate MS PRO. Which one is more expensive?
Thank you

[Gorto]

MagicGate MS has maximum addressable size of 128MB, there is a special 128MBx2 MS which is like 2 128MS in one. A switch at the back of the stick allow you to switch between the 2 128MB banks.
As far as I know, all the MS Pro has MagicGate (Correct me if someone has seen non MG MS Pro). MS Pro capacity start from 256MB to 1GB, and MS Pro is faster then MS. MS Pro is not compartible with older device that only has standard MS slot. NX and NZ can be patched to support MS Pro.
MS Pro is more expensive.

[Chinoz]

I thought that the MSPro has yet to include MG support?

[Bluecatz]

I don't know. I do know that my 512 MB SanDisk Memory Stick Pro (which I just received about 20 minutes ago) lists it as MagicGate.

[kaching]

It says magicgate right on my Lexmark 256 meg MS pro as well.

[Phaggard]

I just read in the UX-50 manual that you cannot access copyrighted music using the Magicgate Pro with the UX.

[Bluecatz]

How would the UX know if the music is copyrighted or not?

[Phaggard]

That is what Magicgate does. It allows you to use encoded Copyrighted material. Without Magicgate, your unit cannot play copyrighted music.

[zachofalltrades]

Phaggard,

Could you explain that a little more? I'm new to the Clie world and have yet to purchase my first MemoryStick. I hear some people recommending not avoid Sony's software and use a third party solution for creating MP3 files -- but are you saying that

1. all MS PRO cards are MagicGate
2. if I store my MP3 files on a MagicGate card I will not be able to listen to them

I'm sitting beside a wall of CD's that I've collected over the last 18 years since I was in high school. I must have over seven or eight hundred titles. I've never downloaded pirated MP3's -- this clie I just bought is my first MP3 player. Is MagicGate going to stop me from listening to my music?!?!

[golalmo]

Just store your mp3's on \Palm\Programs\MSaudio directory on your memory stick or the internal media (usind data import). No convertion is needed.
If you'll decide to use Sony's ATRAC compression with sonicstage, keep in mind that these files won't play on other Clie's.
So just keep with MP3's.

[Phaggard]

The way I read it on the Sonystyle website is that the Magicgate stick can be used on the UX-50 but you cannot listen to copyrighted protected music. That is what Magicgate is for. It allows your unit to listen to encrypted protected music. For some reason it doesn't function on the UX-50.

If you go to Sonystyle.com and look up the UX-50 manual, it explains better than I can.

[zachofalltrades]

If I get a non-MagicGate memory stick (which is apparently only available at 128 MB or less), will the MP3 files I put on it be usable on my Clie NX70 (which has "MagicGate" logo painted right on the device just below "Palm Powered" on the back side).

If a device has the MagicGate logo on it, does that mean that it will only read from MagicGate memory sticks?

[Gorto]

There are two major music format used by Clie user. They are ATTRAC and MP3.

Atrac format is developed by Sony and is a protected audio format, it use copy management to limit how many times the tracks can be distributed. You need to use SonicStage that came with your Clie to convert a CD to attrac format. For protection to work, the attrac tracks are stored on a MagicGate device. Every MG device is unique, after the attrac tracks are created on a MG, the tracks are bonded to that MG and they will not play if they are file copied to another device, not even another MG device. You have to use Sonicstge to move tracks. MG memory stick is just one of the available MG device. For further detail of MG format, please visit http://www.openmg.com/

MP3  (MPEG1 Audio Layer 3) is an unproteced audio format. There are many software that converts CD tracks to mp3 format. Since mp3 is unproteced, you can store the files anywhere, and you can freely copy distribute them without limitation. They could be played on many devices like mp3 player, PC and PDA.

There are currently 3 types of memory sticks:
1.  Blue Memory Stick, capacity is up to 128MB (the 256MB blue MS is 128MB x 2). It is used for general storage. For music, you can play mp3 stored on blue MS.

2.  White MagicGate Memory Stick, capacity is up to 128MB, MG stick is used for general storage and attrac proteced music. As explained above, it will play attrac tracked created on that stick. MG stick has all the functionality of Blue MS so mp3 tracks stored on a MG stick will also play. .

3.  Memory Stick Pro, capacity from 256MG to 1GB (currently available). As far as I know, all MS Pro also has MG built in, but current Clie models does not support using MG on a MS Pro. So you cannot create and play attrac tracks on MS Pro. You can use the stick for general storage and use it to play mp3 tracks.

Summary, if you want to play mp3, all 3 types of stick will be fine. If you want to play attrac tracks, you have to use white MG stick. Although MS Pro has MG function, but current Clie models cannot use them. Perhaps the MS Pro slots on Clie are pure MS Pro slots, not "MG Pro" slots!

[Gorto]

I recommend that everyone should forget attrac format, just use mp3. With mp3, you can use the converter of your choice, not limited to SonicStage. You can use the player you prefer, not limited to AudioPlayer in Clie. You can use the stick you want, not limited to MG compatibility anymore.

[zachofalltrades]

Excellent summary Gorto. Thank you.

[n2ifp]

Phew!!! I believe the MS Pro data sheet also says that it doesn't support Magic Gate technology on current Clies. Sony did some of it's own magic to enable a larger size memory stick to be used, since the current Clies do NOT provide native support or the speed that it's capable of.

The 128MB White Magic Gate stick of old has been discontinued! You now need the Memory Stick Duo with the adapter to use the ATRAC3 Sony proprietary format! Believe it or not, with the ATRAC3 format, when you check it out to the Clie, you can't play them on the desktop PC, you have to move them back first! Still some do use it, but for it's too much hassle for any real benefit!

[Gorto]

I forgot there exist another type of Memory Stick! The MS Duo.

[Omnitron]

I ran into some of this before I got the UX. I've been Compact flash for nearly a couple years and didn't know much of anything on Memory Sticks beyond their original 128MB limit. So the first clerk I ask about Memory Stick Pros in MicroCenter asks me "What Color?" -- I thought he was crazy? What does a plastic shell have to do with memory cards?

I ended up with a 256 MB SanDisk Pro MagicGate (White/orange).

I find it funny that Sony comes up with MagicGate, labels cards and the machine with the symbol, and doesn't allow its full functionality...

[JessieLee]

Thanks Gorto for the clarification! I was really confused about the three types.

[Gorto]

Just my $0.02 for the community.:p