Using (Playlists) SD Card in MSC Mode

MP3 players Sansa Clip | Clip+
1

Hello;

In MSC Mode, Clip+, and another removable drive for the SD Card, shows up as separate drives.  So if I were to an SD Card, how would I create playlists (m3u) that contain music from both drives?  When it’s connected to a computer, it’s assigned drive letters that are available; however, when it’s not,there are no drive lettes.  As such, I don’t see how it can be “seemless” as someone has mentioned.  I’d use MTP Mode, but I prefer not to as it’s not to flexible.  

Any thought?  

2

You’ve actually got a few issues here needing some explanation:

  1. M3U playlists will read & play songs from either the player’s internal memory or the SD card, but not both. PLA format playlists will play songs from both memory sources. Personally I use MSC mode and Winamp to create .m3u playlists. Then I use a conversion program to convert the .m3u playlist into a .pla one. It works. There are other ways; I’m just telling you the way that works for me.
  2. ‘Seamless’ playback, as has been mentioned here refers to the Clip+ (or any Sansa player with an SD card slot) and the fact that the player creates a database containing songs from both memory locations using the info contained within the ID3 tags embedded in the song files and when ‘Play All’ (with or w/o shuffle) is selected, will play those files regardless of memory location. Playlists are another story (as explained in #1). The only difference is if you use the Folder view (in the Music menu).
  3. MSC mode will allow your computer to see your player as 2 separate drives, the internal memory and the card slot (whether there is a card inserted at the time or not). Your computer sees your device in MTP mode as a single device requiring ‘management’ and does not assign a drive letter. You can still access both the internal & external memories, but it’s a ‘virtual’ mode. Also note that your computer can only see the songs in 1 mode at a time, so it’s best to figure out which is best for you depending on how you plan to use the player and transfer all you content in this 1 mode.

I’m with you, and am an MSC guy through & through. MTP does have it’s purposes (DRM content like Rhapsody, etc.) and fans, but MSC gives you the user much more control and is easier all around.

3

Thank you for your answer!

4

Thanks Tapeworm.  Just have a few questions.

1.  Do you mean .pla playlists can contain songs on both the internal mem and external mem at the same time?  I started using WMP years ago and just stuck with it out of habit.  Recently read good things about Media Monkey and J.River Jukebox so I downloaded the freeware versions to try.  Could not import .wpl playlists to either so I converted all my playlists to M3U.  Discovered what you were saying about M3U playlists not being able to play songs on both internal mem and external mem at the same time.  Your comments are the first place in searching for two days for a solution to the problem that mentions these facts.  I thought it to be a limitation of the player or firmware.

2.  Is there a way to access the Go playlist file to save and rename it.  I had a Zen that would allow this on the player and now that it died and I replaced it with the Clip+ I see how much I used that feature.  I know it can’t be done from the player but can I find that file (Go playlist) from my computer and save and rename it somehow?

3.  You say MSC is more flexible.  How so?  I had a Samsung player years ago that you could not do playlists in MSC mode and that until recently that was a limitation of MSC so I used MTP.  I see your comment of the superiority of MSC and that on another website Forum MSC was preferred more than 2 to 1 over MTP.  I’m willing to switch my 20+ GB of music on my player (Clip+ 8GB plus a 16GB micro SD) to MSC but in a small test I don’t see much difference.  Appreciable download speed is not really enough of a reason switch.  i.e. Convince me why I should switch please.

Thanks

Orion 3