Just got a brand new Sansa Fuze 4 GB after my other one bit the dust. Not even sure what happened, it just froze. I just downloaded 4 CD’s to the new one and alls it does is continuous cycle through the songs and not play anything. Also the radio doesnt play either. Tried putting the headphones in and out and to no avail.
Any information or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Do you see any sort of on-screen message when this happens? Like the pink Bad Track bubble?
That could mean corrupted files. ChkDsk might help . . . but not with the radio. I think I’d call Tech Support. You might’ve gotten another dud.
It could also mean that the music files could be in the wrong file format. Try using the Windows Media Converter (or whatever it is) and convert the files to wma. WMA should work fine.
@pringles wrote:
It could also mean that the music files could be in the wrong file format. Try using the Windows Media Converter (or whatever it is) and convert the files to wma. WMA should work fine.
If you’re referring to the Sansa Media Converter, it only converts videos & photos, not music files. You have a valid point about the music file format; these songs would be skipped over by the player if it can’t read them, but given the radio doesn’t seem to be working either would suggest there’s more going on here.
Or more appropriately, _ NOT _ going on.
I had this problem(radio worked) also skipped when it played.I saw the advice below for another problem.It solved the problem.
Forcing MSC mode is done by:
You can force an MSC connection by sliding the power switch to the HOLD position (orange showing) and hold the center button depressed while connecting to the USB port.
Tapeworm, I was referring to the Windows Media Converter, which comes with Windows Media Player 11. I know that Sansa Media Converter isn’t for music files.
About the Radio, I would at this point try a soft reset. To do this, just hold the power button 10-20 seconds long.
Found out that the files were downloaded in the wrong format. Thanks everyone for your help.
@pringles wrote:
Tapeworm, I was referring to the Windows Media Converter, which comes with Windows Media Player 11. I know that Sansa Media Converter isn’t for music files.
Ahh . . . didn’t know about this as I only use WMP 10. Thanks for the clarification. 
@billsfriend6 wrote:
Found out that the files were downloaded in the wrong format. Thanks everyone for your help.
What about the radio?
pringles wrote:
It could also mean that the music files could be in the wrong file format. Try using the Windows Media Converter (or whatever it is) and convert the files to wma. WMA should work fine.
Hi First timer on here, but have been viewing and using the info on the site since I had my first Sansa e280 (lost/stolen), then also when I got my first Sansa View (broken…or so it seemed, taken back to store and replaced with Fuze, no questions asked thankfully)! And would like to say a BIG THANKYOU to everyone who inputs here for your kind and considerate, (not to mention HELPFUL) replies!
Anyway, back to the issue at hand. I have the Version 1 Fuze (8gb) loaded with a 2gb micro SD (sandisk…of course!), after having the same problems with my music files I thought I’d look here.
As mentioned above, Pringles has suggested using the WMP conversion tool to change the file. However, MY problems started after using the same thing, so I’m not sure that’s really the answer.
I had almost 7.5gb used of pure mp3 files (no vids, podcasts etc), and last night decided to convert them using WMP11’s converter in order to free up some space to get a video on.(fat chance!).
I only converted mp3 files that were larger than 128kbs and set the convector to change the files ‘wma’ @128kbs (if the mp3’s were already @ 128kbs then I just left them, as MB for MB wma seems to be higher at the same kb rate, and I was trying to ‘save’ memory, not increase it, if you catch my drift?).
All the files I converted now have this skipping problem (I’m still working on the solution). Have tried updating to the new firmware (which looks good, but caused me too many problems so I’ve backdated to version 01.01.22.).
Already tried formatting last night and reloading tracks, but problem still there.
As I said, I’m still working on it, and if I find out what’s up, I’ll get back to you…however, if anyone’s had this too, and can suggest further ways. I’d be very grateful.
Sorry for the long post, keep up the good work…I’ll try too! :robothappy:
Message Edited by NotquiteHAL on 06-29-2009 05:17 AM
I know it seems elementary, but make sure your headphone plug is pushed all the way in. The jack is very tight, and for many people “skipping” is the result of the headphone plug being ever so slightly disconnected. It happened to me.
Also, I really have to disagree about converting to .wma. Mp3 has become the universal format. .wma is widely supported, but not as widely as mp3. Suppose you want to put your library on a player that doesn’t support .wma?
Also, the defaults on Windows Media Player for ripping CDs to .wma are to “add copy protection,” which can really screw up your files. I don’t know about its media converter, but you should check in Settings to see that WMP isn’t doing some really sneaky bad things during the conversion. Un-check “add copy protection” and anything else suspicious.
If you are converting music that’s already compressed to a lower bitrate, which seems to be what you were trying to do, you could just as easily convert it to mp3 at a lower bitrate.No copy-protection problems ever. .
But your results are going to depend on what you start with. Mp3s have already been converted once. Converting them again is going to make them sound worse. A 128 kbps mp3 (or .wma) converted from a CD is going to sound a lot better than a 128 kbps mp3 (or .wma) converted from a 160 kbps mp3.
@black_rectangle wrote:
I know it seems elementary, but make sure your headphone plug is pushed all the way in. The jack is very tight, and for many people “skipping” is the result of the headphone plug being ever so slightly disconnected. It happened to me.
Also, I really have to disagree about converting to .wma. Mp3 has become the universal format. .wma is widely supported, but not as widely as mp3. Suppose you want to put your library on a player that doesn’t support .wma?
Also, the defaults on Windows Media Player for ripping CDs to .wma are to “add copy protection,” which can really screw up your files. I don’t know about its media converter, but you should check in Settings to see that WMP isn’t doing some really sneaky bad things during the conversion. Un-check “add copy protection” and anything else suspicious.
If you are converting music that’s already compressed to a lower bitrate, which seems to be what you were trying to do, you could just as easily convert it to mp3 at a lower bitrate.No copy-protection problems ever. .
But your results are going to depend on what you start with. Mp3s have already been converted once. Converting them again is going to make them sound worse. A 128 Kbps mp3 (or .wma) converted from a CD is going to sound a lot better than a 128 Kbps mp3 (or .wma) converted from a 160 Kbps mp3.
Thanks for the Quick reply and the suggestion!
The headphone socket isn’t an issue here (though I’ll bear it in mind in case it happens again), as the tracks that were converted to wma files continually ‘‘pause/play/pause/play etc etc’’ and skip right through the album, and then repeats the process even without the headphones connected.
I’ve converted quite a few files this way in the past with no problems. I’ve checked the copy protection and it’s not activated. I agree with you that mp3 is more common, and normally I WOULD have problems on other ‘non-wma’ players, however, I’ve got backups of backups as mp3’s on all my ‘choons’, so no worries there.
Yes, you’re quite right on everything you’ve said though, and I could just convert them down to a smaller mp3 , however, the only reason I wanted to compresses them further as wma tracks ( I’m not a huge ‘audiophile’ so quality isn’t that much of an issue here for me as I usually use the FUZE for long car journeys, and any 'sound distortions are usually covered by the car engine at 80mph!
), was because I was told that, a 96kbs wma track (for instance) is at least as comparable to an 128kbs mp3 track in sound quality, but, (and here’s the reason why I was doing it), it takes up less space on the player as I wanted to add more content.
As I said, I’ve done this lots of times before, and no issues, so dunno why it’s happening this time???
I have approximately 3000 albums on a separate hard-drive, non of which have DRM/copy protection attached.
Eitherway, thanks again for your suggestion.
That study about how 96kbps .wma is as good as 128 kbps .mp3 was done by Micro$oft, maker of Windows, as in Windows Media Audio. It’s pretty old. Mp3 has improved. So take it with a grain of salt.
If you’ve done this before, and you have .wma files that work, take a look at a good one and a bad one with the Gspot Codec Information finderand see if you can isolate a difference.
@black_rectangle wrote:
That study about how 96kbps .wma is as good as 128 kbps .mp3 was done by Micro$oft, maker of Windows, as in Windows Media Audio. It’s pretty old. Mp3 has improved. So take it with a grain of salt.
If you’ve done this before, and you have .wma files that work, take a look at a good one and a bad one with the Gspot Codec Information finderand see if you can isolate a difference.
I’m sure that’s why they’ve never upgraded the MP3 encoder they give you with WMP…because that old one may not be as good as the current WMA, which they would prefer you use. LAME, however, is a huge upgrade over the MP3 encoder they give you with WMP.
How was the player formatted? In Windows or from the player itself? Formatting from the player’s own menu will optimize the allocation block size correctly. If formatted from Windows it must be FAT32 with 32k block size allocation. Using the default block size in Windows will result in a block size that is too small and cause problems.
@black_rectangle wrote:
That study about how 96kbps .wma is as good as 128 kbps .mp3 was done by Micro$oft, maker of Windows, as in Windows Media Audio. It’s pretty old. Mp3 has improved. So take it with a grain of salt.
If you’ve done this before, and you have .wma files that work, take a look at a good one and a bad one with the Gspot Codec Information finderand see if you can isolate a difference.
Thanks for that B-R!
Tried it, and results are here, not being that technically Audio/Computer-minded (hence username!), I’m only guessing that they look pretty similar and are all in good working order (barring the updated windows version used to compress)…though, I could be wrong?!
Contrast & compare;-
Original conversion (no probs with sansa players):-
Latest Conversion; wma skips on player.;-
However, I think 14124all may possibly have the answer, (If the above pics don’t show anything abnormal to any of the expects here), I did do the original format using PC, (though I have done the Sansas own format since to no avail), but I still think that could be the problem.
Thanks to Marvin Martian too for your input! (BTW;-are you saying there that the wma is better than the mp3 there)?
@notquitehal wrote:
Thanks to Marvin Martian too for your input! (BTW;-are you saying there that the wma is better than the mp3 there)?
Yes…in Windows Media Player 11, the included mp3 encoder is a much older version, which is not as good as the WMA VBR in WMP11. That’s because they would rather you use their WMA format. If you’re really interested in space saving, the WMA VBR with the 85-145 target bitrate setting works pretty well…VBR means that the bitrate changes to match the complexity of the music. This gives file sizes 40% smaller, on average, than 192kbps files.
Black-Rectangle was correct in saying that mp3 has improved, but not in WMP…in the LAME encoder.
@marvin_martian wrote:
@notquitehal wrote:
Thanks to Marvin Martian too for your input! (BTW;-are you saying there that the wma is better than the mp3 there)?
Yes…in Windows Media Player 11, the included mp3 encoder is a much older version, which is not as good as the WMA VBR in WMP11. That’s because they would rather you use their WMA format. If you’re really interested in space saving, the WMA VBR with the 85-145 target bitrate setting works pretty well…VBR means that the bitrate changes to match the complexity of the music. This gives file sizes 40% smaller, on average, than 192kbps files.
Black-Rectangle was correct in saying that mp3 has improved, but not in WMP…in the LAME encoder.
Thanks Marvin!
I re-formated the Fuze in the on-board Settings menu , and tried to reload the ‘un-playable’ wma files. No joy. Still skipping right through the files.
So, I tried your suggestion (I normally don’t usually use the VBR setting), and converted some 128kbps mp3 files…and even re-converted some, (yup you quessed it), some of the previous ‘un-playable’ wma files with the 50-95 setting!
ALL played fine on Fuze! :smileyvery-happy:
So problem solved…
…er, except, I’ve got quite a few hours/days (or maybe weeks?? 
) of re-converting them all!
Still, if all goes well, maybe one day in the dim & distant future, I’ll be able to fit at least a quarter of my collection on!
(…er, though only holy Zarquon knows when I’ll get to listen to them all!
So all I can say is a big ‘’ THANK YOU’'! again to all who replied with your suggestions, (you’re worth your weight in gold you lot)!
Hopefully one day I’ll be able to return the favour!
Message Edited by NotquiteHAL on 06-30-2009 08:35 PM
@notquitehal wrote:
@marvin_martian wrote:
@notquitehal wrote:
Thanks to Marvin Martian too for your input! (BTW;-are you saying there that the wma is better than the mp3 there)?
Yes…in Windows Media Player 11, the included mp3 encoder is a much older version, which is not as good as the WMA VBR in WMP11. That’s because they would rather you use their WMA format. If you’re really interested in space saving, the WMA VBR with the 85-145 target bitrate setting works pretty well…VBR means that the bitrate changes to match the complexity of the music. This gives file sizes 40% smaller, on average, than 192kbps files.
Black-Rectangle was correct in saying that mp3 has improved, but not in WMP…in the LAME encoder.
Thanks Marvin!
I re-formated the Fuze in the on-board Settings menu , and tried to reload the ‘un-playable’ wma files. No joy. Still skipping right through the files.
So, I tried your suggestion (I normally don’t usually use the VBR setting), and converted some 128kbps mp3 files…and even re-converted some, (yup you quessed it), some of the previous ‘un-playable’ wma files with the 50-95 setting!
ALL played fine on Fuze! :smileyvery-happy:
So problem solved…
…er, except, I’ve got quite a few hours/days (or maybe weeks??
Still, if all goes well, maybe one day in the dim & distant future, I’ll be able to fit at least a quarter of my collection on!
(…er, though only holy Zarquon knows when I’ll get to listen to them all!
So all I can say is a big ‘’ THANK YOU’'! again to all who replied with your suggestions, (you’re worth your weight in gold you lot)!
Hopefully one day I’ll be able to return the favour!
Message Edited by NotquiteHAL on 06-30-2009 08:35 PM
Well, I’m glad they work for you. I don’t think I would have gone as low as the 50-95, but I’m not listening in a car either…your point about the background noise makes sense. Just be aware as you fill up your Fuze that the limit is 8,000 songs…so if you have a lot more than that(sounds like you do) , you’ll have to have some external cards to swap in and out. Enjoy your Fuze!
Thanks Marvin the Martian !:smileyvery-happy:
I tried the 50-95 bitrate on the home PC and on the Sansa first…maybe I’m getting old, but I thought they sounded fine on both, but, yeah, maybe you youngsters with perfectly tuned ears (like mine used to be before they invented the Sony Walkman* et al LOL!)- can tell the difference, either that or …er, I’m tone deaf! Hahaha!
…er,hang-on, why am I laughing, maybe I am…*gulp*!
* I think there’s a warning for all of us who use these ‘new-fangled-mp3-player-type-things’, and not to play them too loud…
…er, but then what would the point of them be ?!
(on the plus side of slight deafness, those of us who are/or maybe, can get away with smaller bitrates, and therefore more music files, and still not notice the difference whoo hoo)!
See you again on the forum(s)!
Happy Listening!
NotquiteHAL (9000)
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