Sansa Clip Zip Firmware 01.01.20

When (if?) you release another update, could you fix the frequency stepping in the FM tuner for the US region? Currently, it tunes in .1 MHz increments (89.1, 89.2, 89.3, etc), when it should tune in .2 MHz increments (89.1, 89.3, 89.5, etc). Consequentially, it takes twice as long to tune manually, and even scanning (hold left or right on the pad until the tuner begins stepping automatically) for the next station is unnecessarily slow.

It’s particularly puzzling to me that it behaves this way, given that:

a) the Fuze+ was the same way at launch and was later fixed through a firmware update, and

b) when the FM region is set to “World”, the Zip tunes correctly for non-US stations (.05 MHz increments). I think, though I’m not sure, that this also didn’t originally behave properly and was fixed with this or a previous update.

I’m surprised the Zip was released with the same “bug” the Fuze+ had at launch. I’m certainly not a programmer, but this seems like a simple fix.

M3U Playlist work now Perfect.

Please.increase Playlist Max Entry Limit to 2000.

With the new firmware I get RDS informations for most of the radio stations in my hometown here in northern Germany like this station:

http://www.picfront.org/d/8Bh2

A few stations have a low signal and show no RDS informations.

Only one radio station has a wrong RDS name: KBQN. The right RDS name would be “OLDIE 95”. Note " " between “OLDIE” and “95”.  

While I’m glad to see the playlist and RDS problems have been fixed, I’m disappointed that the track count info and total/elapsed time was not added back to the Now Playing screen. This is basic information desired by (dare I say) most, if not all users and simply should not have been removed in the 1st place.

The person who made the decision to eliminate this critical information and subsequently not add it back through any of the firmware updates to this model obviously is a “suit” and definitely not in touch with either the operation of the player, nor the people that use it.

Add the fact that this has been the most requested feature to bring back since the advent of the model last year, and it has not been done further emphasizes the dis-respect for SanDisk’s customers that this person has, and through his “I know what people want, they don’t” attitude has done SanDisk not only a real dis-service, but most likely has irreparably harmed SanDisk’s future sales of such products and reputation.

While I’m glad to see the playlist and RDS problems have been fixed, I’m disappointed that the track count info and total/elapsed time was not added back to the Now Playing screen. This is basic information desired by (dare I say) most, if not all users and simply should not have been removed in the 1st place.

The person who made the decision to eliminate this critical information and subsequently not add it back through any of the firmware updates to this model obviously is a “suit” and definitely not in touch with either the operation of the player, nor the people that use it.

Add the fact that this has been the most requested feature to bring back since the advent of the model last year, and it has not been done further emphasizes the dis-respect for SanDisk’s customers that this person has, and through his “I know what people want, they don’t” attitude has done SanDisk not only a real dis-service, but most likely has irreparably harmed SanDisk’s future sales of such products and reputation.

Just my 2 cents . . . rant over. :stuck_out_tongue:

While I’m glad to see the playlist, memory card compatibility and RDS problems have been fixed, I’m disappointed that the track count info and total/elapsed time was not added back to the Now Playing screen. This is basic information desired by (dare I say) most, if not all users and simply should not have been removed in the 1st place.

I can’t help but think the person who made the decision to eliminate this critical information and subsequently not add it back through any of the firmware updates to this model must be a “suit” and not in touch with either the operation of the player, nor the people that use it.

Add the fact that this has been the most requested feature to bring back since the advent of the model last year, and it has not been done further disappoints me when SanDisk has in the past been very responsive to user’s feedback and requests in their firmware development. I only hope this “I know what people want; they don’t” attitude hasn’t done SanDisk irreparable harm to SanDisk’s reputation and future sales of such products.

Just my 2 cents . . . rant over.

Very much agreed that the bug fixes are great to see and appreciated (I have a microSD card that wasn’t usable with the player–hope it is, now); but just sad and disappointing that basic usability features that are on most other players, including those of SanDisk, still haven’t been put back on the Clip Zip:  e.g. track no/.total tracks no., and elapsed time/total time.  

One can’t but wonder why they were omitted in th first place and if SanDisk had run the player by consumers during development (I volunteer for the future!).  Unobscured album art is pretty, but not in exchange for deleting basic playing  and use info.  In my humble (user) opinion.  

Very much agreed that the bug fixes are great to see and appreciated (I have a microSD card that wasn’t usable with the player–hope it is, now); but just sad and disappointing that basic usability features that are on most other players, including those of SanDisk, still haven’t been put back on the Clip Zip:  e.g. track no/.total tracks no., and elapsed time/total time.  

One can’t but wonder why they were omitted in the first place and if SanDisk had run the player by consumers during development (I can’t imagine that this would not have occurred, as this is pretty standard-- but I volunteer for the future!).  Unobscured album art is pretty, but not in exchange for deleting basic playing  and use info.  In my humble (user) opinion.  

Progress in some areas but disappointed in the the lack of the track count info/ total time elapsed issue others speak of.

I check this site everyday in hope of the new firmware. I was thrilled to see it finally out but was sadly disheartened that this simple feature was not included. Clip, clip +, and clip zip, I have them all [love them] and did not return the clip zip hoping  the fundamental part of the clip zip, eg. track count info/ total time elapsed would be eventually implemented in new firmware. 6 months of waiting and no update on this. Die hard fan of Sandisk and first time I actually feel let down. Regardless, its a great product; if I can only get the clip plus firmware on the clip zip. About to download it right now but apparantly from what I am reading, the m3u issue is resolved which is moving in the right direction.There are pretty specific requests users make for the player and while its impossible to fulfill all of them, how about fulfilling a fundamental part of an mp3 player? Been patient for a while. Not mad, just disappointed. Given the time frame of firmware updates, guess I will patiently wait  and hope  for the next update.

Ah, the solution is in plain sight.  if you have a handy Clip, Clip+, or e200 Sansa, turn it on and start a track playing.

Tap the center button on the earlier device.  The Zip could really use this feature.

Simplicity in design, I really love that.  That brief single tap of the center button starts a “rolling” display function.  This is the missing link in the little Zip’s function repertoire. One tap, and the display changes data shown.  First tap, let’s drop the rating stars and show time elapsed / time remaining.  Simplicity.  When navigating through a track, those times are really, really handy.  I’d love to have this on the Zip.  Features like the cool graphic display on the Clip+ are another matter, but times would be a welcome function.

Time to take the new build for a spin.

Bob  :smileyvery-happy:

I must mention, regarding Rhapsody functionality, I am puzzled.  The Recently Added list does update with Rhapsody transferred tracks, at least it does on my target device.  I see it listed as a known issue.

As for the Artist Information display, this function is not enabled on the Clip Zip in the first place.  On previous Sansa models, the rolling alternate display mode (activated by a brief tap of the center button) allows you to roll between the current display, a parametric display, Next Track name, and Artist Information.

I have tested the Artist Information data from Rhapsody, and the earlier players are dutifully displaying it as provided by the Rhapsody client.  The album, artist, and year do display, but the cool “snippets” of information about the artist or album are missing, replaced by a wee “dot”.  Don’t worry, it isn’t the Sansa’s fault, the artist information files on the device all contain a single “dot” character as that’s all we have in the info files.  The “ball’s in Rhapsody’s court” on this one.  Hopefully they’ll fix the issue, as Artist Information is fun, I miss the feature.

Bob  :smileyvery-happy:

There is an issue with MTP mode.   When I switch to it to make a playlist, I cannot see my music files (even though I know they’re there),  When I switch to MSC, the files “reappear”.  :dizzy_face: :confounded:

@fla_hotrod wrote:

There is an issue with MTP mode.   When I switch to it to make a playlist, I cannot see my music files (even though I know they’re there),  When I switch to MSC, the files “reappear”.  :dizzy_face: :confounded:

That’s not a flaw in the firmware or the player, it’s just the way MTP and MSC modes work. Files transferred in one mode are “invisible” to the PC when connected in the other mode. It’s ALWAYS been this way. The only way to avoid it is to use one mode or the other exclusively.

I don’t understand why files added in MTP mode don’t just get copied to a something like [albumtag]/[title].mp3 so that they’re visible in MSC mode. Seems like it would be really easy to implement.

Still no way to play podcasts in folder mode. Please correct this problem.

Here (France) it seems that RDS information still does not appear for stations with a space in their name. I will perform further testing downtown, where the signal is expected to be better.

I have the same problem with a radio station in Germany. Real RDS name is  “OLDIE 95” but the Zip shows " KBQN".

@john22 wrote:

I have the same problem with a radio station in Germany. Real RDS name is  “OLDIE 95” but the Zip shows " KBQN".

That’s not the fault of the Zip. It will only display what the radio station broadcasts and keys into the RDS tag. I don’t know about Germany but here in the States, radio & TV stations are required to broadcast (or identity themselves with) their call letters, such as KBQN periodically.

This a great news for us Linux users, we can now add music playlists again, thanks devs.

Martin

Thanks for fixing playlists, guys! Great to see that customers’ opinion matters!

I would be really happy if for the next iteration you manage to:

  • add the info on “now playing” screen for elapsed time and time remaining for songs (also maybe track position in now playing list? like 17/235);
  • add the function to “Return to now playing list” , which would take you to the list of tracks that are currently queued;
  • help improve battery life by not having the screen light up when pressing any buttons when device is locked.
    Phones work like that - there’s a lock button that turns screen off immediately (not wait for it to go off by itself in 15 or more sec). Pressing any other buttons shouldn’t light it up - volume controls could still be functional while locked, but screen should remain dark. If you want to light screen up - press lock button again.
    Longer battery time would make users happy => user reviews and feature checklists on shop sites better => more sales for Sansa.

Thanks again! You’ve created a real gem!