How can I tell how big an SD card I can use in my device.

MP3 players Sansa Clip | Clip+
1

I bought my Sansa clip probably five years or more ago, and want to add an SD card to it, but I can’t find where the data is on just how large an SDcard I can use. Any ideas on where to look on my device??? 

The Version # is V01.02.15A and it was made in 2009. 

Thanks in advance.

2

32GB will work BUT you need to format it to FAT32.

Depending on what version of WIndows you have, you may need to get a third-party program or force it to format to FAT32.

Here’s one how-to.

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/formatting-external-hard-drive-to-fat-32/

Also, the Sansa firmware was made before there were such large storage cards, and it may not be able to show all the files on the card if you have a whole lot of small files.

That’s because there is a limit on the size of the database, which reads information from the files–Artist, Album, Title, etc.–and makes an index from them. It will show thousands of songs, and I have filled a 32GB card and had it show every song.

But…there is a character limit on the size of that index, and many people have run up against it.  It’s not an exact number of files; every letter makes a difference, so if your Artist listing is Rolling Stones rather than The Rolling Stones you might be able to show a few more files.  

You can see if you have that problem when you use the card because your listings (Album, Artist) will stop before the end of the alphabet.

If you do have too many songs for the Sansa to show, you can get different firmware at www.rockbox.org  that can handle a much larger (possibly unlimited–I don’t know) database. Read up on it before installing–it sits alongside the Sansa firmware so you can switch between them. 

3

Your player is a Clip+. It can take micro SDHC cards up to 32GB, however the player has issues with some cards faster than class 4. For best compatibility, use a Sandisk 32GB class 4 card. Some 32GB made by other brands even if they are class 4 or slower might cause issues. The player has a limit of around 8,000 songs for its database.

Having said that, some people install Rockbox on their Clip+, which enables the use of class 10 cards, including micro SDXC cards which are 64 GB and up. Rockbox is a free alternative firmware(operating system) for the player. It gives many additional features, and allows very high capacity cards to be used on the player. Some use 128GB micro SDXC cards formatted as FAT32 on their Clip+. Rockbox also allows for aa huge song database. if there is a song limit for the Rockbox database, it seems no one has reported reaching it yet. I have Rockbox on my Clip+ players. Even so, I still use class 4 cards. Rockbox also gives many choices for what is displayed on the screen, and how it is displayed.

4

“32GB will work BUT you need to format it to FAT32.”

32GB cards come formatted as FAT32. It is the micro SDXC cards 64GB and up that need to be formatted as FAT32. The issue though is that the micro SDXC cards which are 64GB and up are at least class 10. They will work if formatted as FAT32 in a Rockboxed Clip+, however without Rockbox they are likely to be problematic due to the high speed.

5

Thanks for the clarity on cards, JK98. If the 32GB came out of another device, I’d format it first anyway to FAT32. 

By the way, it won’t matter regarding the microSD card, but in general it wouldn’t hurt to update to the final firmware.

http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/Sansa-Clip-Sansa-Clip/Sansa-Clip-Firmware-Update-01-02-18/td-p/280756

Use the manual method, not the updater. If the updater is installed on your computer, might as well uninstall it. 

7

"Perhaps I’m wrong but, I don’t know that there’s a 32GB limit in microSD cards for the Clip±-it’s just that’s what the upper end of cards was at that point in time, when the Clip+ came out, I think. "

When the Clip+ came out there weren’t 32GB cards, 16GB was the highest. 32GB is the largest capacity for SDHC. Above that, the cards are SDXC. With the latest Sandisk firmware versions, the database limit on the Clip+ is around 8,000 songs. I say around 8,000 songs, as it is really a limit on the size of the database, so some have reached the limit with only around 5500 songs if they had deeply nested folder structures, long filenames or tag names, etc. Typically though, the limit is around 8,000 songs, although some have stretched to almost 10,000 songs by using very short filenames, very short tags, and a very simple folder structure.

The Clip+ and all othr Sandisk mp3 players seem to work best using Sandisk class 4 cards. It is likely that these were used in the development of the players.

9

“Thanks.  And so, there really isn’t a 32GB microSD card limit for the Clip+, in accord with what I had written, apart from separate database limits . . . .”

Except that the Sandisk firmware has trouble with many cards faster than class 4, and all micro SDXC cards(and full sized ones) I have heard of are class 10 or faster. Rockbox though allows class 10 cards, and perhaps even faster ones? With Rockbox installed, and micro SDXC cards formatted as FAT 32, people have no problems using class 10 ones(although I do wonder if some of the fastest micro SDXC cards might be too fast even for Rockbox to work properly).

12

"Yep, the Clips seemingly with some issue with some faster cards–very idiosyncratic.  I seem to have escaped that issue (thus far . . .).  "

You aren’t using Rockbox? I resisted using Rockbox for a few years on my Clip+ player, but when I got my first  Clip Zip I hated the Sandisk firmware it came with, and put Rockbox on it soon after getting it. Once I got used to Rockbox on the Clip Zip, I put it on my Clip+ players, and on my Fuze. Now the Rockbox Clip Zip is my favorite

Sandisk player, although the Rockboxed Clip+ isn’t bad. I like the white lettering on black background I chose for the Clip Zip, and having the larger display on the Clip Zip with more things shown than on the Clip+. The Clip on the Clip Zip also seems much sturdier.

14

okay, now I have another question about the firmware. I originally set up my Sansa Clip on a computer that I no longer have, and I can’t find the disk to use on the new one. That said, if I buy an SD card, what software would I have to use to make it work with my mp3 player? Or would I need anything at all? I am using Audible.com’s software to download the audiobooks files into my mp3 player.

Thanks in advance for the help.

15

@janetaba wrote:

 

I originally set up my Sansa Clip on a computer that I no longer have, and I can’t find the disk to use on the new one.

 

What disk? There IS no disc needed.

@janetaba wrote:

 

That said, if I buy an SD card, what software would I have to use to make it work with my mp3 player? Or would I need anything at all? I am using Audible.com’s software to download the audiobooks files into my mp3 player.

 

No software needed either. Simply drag & drop (copy & paste) your files from your computer onto the player or card (inserted in the player).

Audible is a different animal though. You NEED their software to transfer their DRM-crippled files to your player so they will work. And your player has to be in MTP mode to recieve the encryption keys for the files.