Looking for a Rhapsody alternative

[dclark61]

Hi Folks;

I have a Sansa Clip Zip, and am looking for ways to fill it regularly with new music, rather than filling it with music from my own library.

Rhapsody looked like it was going to do the trick, but after going through all the effort of registering, downloading the Windows app, installing the “Helix DRM” software etc, I come to find out (after searching the online Help pages) that the app under Windows 8 doesn’t support MP3 players.  After picking my jaw up off the floor, which fell there from contemplating the sheer stupidity of Rhapsody not making one of their main features available on one of the most, if not the most, popular OSes, I come to this forum.

Can anyone suggest some other way that I can regularly put a new selection of music on my Sansa, similar to Rhapsody’s “dynamic playlist” feature?  Something legal, which I know most likely means a subscription service, though I guess I’d consider a podcast if it’s frequently updated.

Thanks in advance.

[miikerman]

Maybe I’m confused, but:  the “regular” Rhapsody desktop program for Rhapsody indeed works for the Clip, under the various Windows flavors, including Windows 8–won’t that do it for you?  Or perhaps you’re under a Windows RT-only system such as the Microsoft Surface and don’t have access to a full Windows computer running Windows 8 (or 7, Vista, XP)?

[dclark61]

I’m unable to get the Rhapsody Windows application (v4.0, build 6.14; I don’t know if this is known as the “desktop program”) to recognize my Sansa Clip Zip.  And in looking through Rhapsody’s online help, I found this:

https://help.rhapsody.com/entries/24127522-Windows-8-PC-Guide

“The Rhapsody Windows 8 app does not support MP3 players.”

Is this incorrect?

Can you recommend a procedure I can follow to get this application to recognize my Sansa?  I’m willing to uninstall and start from scratch.

Thank you!

[dclark61]

By the way, I contacted Rhapsody about this, and here is the English-like response:

Thank you for contacting Rhapsody customer support.

I understand that you have trouble in authorizing the MP3 player with Windows 8. Sure I will help you.

I would like to say that If you authorize the sansa device first time to windows 8. It won’t authorize the player. What you have to do is you have try to authorize the MP3 player with any other computer (like windows 7, XP, etc) once you authorized the computer with it, Now you try to authorize the device in Windows 8. Surely It will fix.

[miikerman]

My guess is, you are using the Windows Metro/tile app for Rhapsody, and not the full Rhapsody Windows desktop program.  Might that be what’s happening here?

https://secure-www.rhapsody.com/freetrial

[dclark61]

Thanks for your reply.

Actually I was using the Rhapsody Windows program.  (After writing my last posts, I Googled and became aware of the Windows 8-specific app.  I was using the “regular” Windows desktop app.)

I’ve made a bit of progress since my last post.  I found that the program wasn’t recognizing my Sansa Clip Zip only because it was merrily scanning my massive external drive for media.  Once it was done with that (I let it sit overnight), it recognized my Sansa, which I then authorized and licensed.

Everything looked good, but when I went to sync music to it, I got an error for each song that was attempted to be synced.  I no longer have Rhapsody installed so I can’t give the exact error, but I believe it was something involving “insufficient rights”.

I then used the “Device Compatability Report” option under the Tools menu, which said something like “This PC reports it is running (some version number that looked like an internal Microsoft version identifier)”, followed by some message indicating that that version of Windows does not support transferring subscription music to the device.

[miikerman]

Well, so  much for my clever ideas.   ;)   The term app in the Windows world just can be confusing.

By any chance, had you made sure to set the Clip’s USB setting, under System settings, to MTP mode and to transfer the songs when under that setting?  Needed, for digital management rights (DRM) purposes. 

[dclark61]

Yes, Clip set to MTP mode.

I’m not sure whether or not to believe the Device Compatibility Report … it seems to state that the problem is with Windows 8, not the Rhapsody app.  Why wouldn’t Windows 8 allow transfer of subscription tracks onto a device?   Sigh …

[miikerman]

When the Zip first came out, there were similar issues with Audible audiobooks, and with SanDisk saying the problem was with Audible and Audible pointing to SanDsik.  In the end, Audible needed to update its software to recognize the Zip.

Obviously, I’m of no use to you here–I don’t use Rhapsody.  Might SanDisk Customer Service be of assistance (phone the best)? 

http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandisk/contact-us/