Clip Sport will not recognize playlist format

My Clip Sport always gives me the error “file format not supported” whenever I click a playlist. I have researched  the issue on google and also found a lengthly article on this forum, and tried a number of permutations, all for naught…

I created folders under music for different playlists, I’ve tried forward slashes, back slashes, short file names, I’ve removed the slash in front of music, I’ve used Playlist Creater. always the same error. Here are two simple playlists that give the “file format not supported” error.

#EXTM3U
/Music/Classical/New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein - Peer Gynt Suite No.1, op.46, II. The Death of Ase.mp3
/Music/Classical/New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein - Peer Gynt Suite No.1, op.46, III. Anitra’s Dance.mp3
/Music/Classical/New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein - Peer Gynt Suite No.2, op.55, I. Ingrid’s Lament.mp3

and

#EXTM3U
\music\mp3\jer_mp3\Alphaville - Forever young (Techno remix).mp3
\music\mp3\jer_mp3\Alphaville - Forever Young.mp3

Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong? Thank you in advance.

It’s essential that you save your playlists directly to the player after creating it, not copy it there. More exactly: to the root directory of either the player or the card (not to any subfolder, not even the one called «playlists»!). They shouldn’t need any editing (#EXTM3U) after that.

I take it that your playlists are M3U – which are the ones the Sport requires.

@jazz wrote:

It’s essential that you save your playlists directly to the player after creating it, not copy it there. More exactly: to the root directory of either the player or the card (not to any subfolder, not even the one called «playlists»!). They shouldn’t need any editing (#EXTM3U) after that.

 

I take it that your playlists are M3U – which are the ones the Sport requires.

I was saving directly to the player, but to the playlist folder. I just now tried saving to root, same result. I forgot to mention I also updated the firmware and formated the player using the Clip Sport format command.

So it’s in M3U format, and you’re accessing it via «Music» or «Card» mode? That should work – It does in my case.

Maybe the names of your playlists are too long? Or the names of the entries? Just an idea.

What program do you use for creating playlists? Are you still getting playlist entries like above? Mine look like this:

Music\Klassik\Absil\Absil - Fantaisie-Caprice.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Coast.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Harmonielehre - Part 1.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Hoodoo Zephyr.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Kammersinf. - Aria w.w.Bass.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Kammersinf. - Mongrel Airs.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Kammersinf. - Roadrunner.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Meister Eckhardt…mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Shaker Loops - Hymning Slews.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Short Ride…Machine.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - The Anfortas Wound.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - The Chairman Dances.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Tourist Song.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Tromba Lontana.mp3
Music\Klassik\Aho\Aho - Hiljaisuus.mp3
Music\Klassik\Aho\Aho - Sinfonie Nr.1 - 1.Satz.mp3
Music\Klassik\Aho\Aho - Sinfonie Nr.1 - 2.Satz.mp3

You see the difference?

@jazz wrote:

So it’s in M3U format, and you’re accessing it via «Music» or «Card» mode? That should work – It does in my case.

 

Maybe the names of your playlists are too long? Or the names of the entries? Just an idea.

 

What program do you use for creating playlists? Are you still getting playlist entries like above? Mine look like this:

 

Music\Klassik\Absil\Absil - Fantaisie-Caprice.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Coast.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Harmonielehre - Part 1.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Hoodoo Zephyr.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Kammersinf. - Aria w.w.Bass.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Kammersinf. - Mongrel Airs.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Kammersinf. - Roadrunner.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Meister Eckhardt…mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Shaker Loops - Hymning Slews.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Short Ride…Machine.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - The Anfortas Wound.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - The Chairman Dances.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Tourist Song.mp3
Music\Klassik\Adams\Adams - Tromba Lontana.mp3
Music\Klassik\Aho\Aho - Hiljaisuus.mp3
Music\Klassik\Aho\Aho - Sinfonie Nr.1 - 1.Satz.mp3
Music\Klassik\Aho\Aho - Sinfonie Nr.1 - 2.Satz.mp3

 

You see the difference?

Yes, I save it in m3u format directly to the player. Anyway, this playlist also fails

#EXTM3U
Music\Classical\04 Runestone.mp3
Music\Classical\05 Runestone.mp3
Music\Classical\06 Runestone.mp3
Music\Classical\07 Runestone.mp3
Music\Classical\02 Runestone.mp3
Music\Classical\03 Runestone.mp3

And what if you remove the «#EXTM3U» line? It isn’t necessary anyway.

@jazz wrote:

And what if you remove the «#EXTM3U» line? It isn’t necessary anyway.

Same message - “File Format Not Supported”

So I’m at my wits’ end. The playlists created that way are recognized by my two Sports and play flawlessly.

What program do you use for creating playlists? I use foobar2000. Winamp works as well.

We will start with I am not technically savvy, but I did get it to work.  I had a revelation while listening to a concert (in person) that anytime I change a file or folder that supports my iPod, it goes crazy.  I finally learned what I was doing wrong there and realized that it might be my problem here. 

So I created a folder with all my folders (by composer) of the files that I wanted.  I loaded that onto the external card for the Sandisk Sport Clip using an adapter (but could also just have loaded while it was in the clipsport)

Then I chose the files for the M3U playlist from the folders on the card (NOT THE FILES ON THE COMPUTER).  I built the playlist, then saved it to the card

It will not play from the “FOLDERS” menu option, but it will play from the " CARD" option. 

Good luck!