Can't download music or firmware update--(Fuze a nightmare to figure out)

Make sure the music is in mp3 format, then you can use windows explorer or my computer to copy the music to the player. Don’t try to use itunes with the Fuze.

Where can we download music from and what do we download it to?    Does this mean I cannot use the music in iTunes at all?

The instruction booklet leaves a lot to be desired for people like me.

Thanks for replying.

Message Edited by Sariah on 12-25-2008 11:17 AM

Just to clarify:   I already have all my songs on iTunes.  I have no idea how to go about creating a whole new list, or even where to put it or where to get the proper format.

Anyone???

I have been getting error code #1003 when i try to download the firmware update also, any help would be appreciated greatly!

@sariah wrote:

Just to clarify:   I already have all my songs on iTunes.  I have no idea how to go about creating a whole new list, or even where to put it or where to get the proper format.

 

Anyone???

Are you on a PC? If so the process is easy and I can explain it to you. Being less farmillar with Macs I am not so able. Us Know. Did you download the Sansa Updater? If not try that, if you have and that is causeing this problem look thru the board there are some threads with the instructions on how to manually do an update.

"Where can we download music from and what do we download it to?    Does this mean I cannot use the music in iTunes at all?

The instruction booklet leaves a lot to be desired for people like me.

Thanks for replying."

I assume that you have a pc and not a mac. Check to see what format your songs are in. If they are mp3, then forget about ever using itunes again. Just connect the player, and copy the music to the player’s music folder using windows explorer or my computer. If the songs are not in mp3, then you could use itunes to convert them to mp3(If they are not protected. I recommend you use 192 or 256 kbps as the bitrate), however some quality will be lost. Rather than converting the files to mp3, it is better to make mp3 files from the CDs using Windows Media Player or some other ripping prohram. I mentioned Windows Media Player since it is already on your pc. Just start it, click on the rip tab, choose mp3 as the format, then click the rip tab again, and choose 192 or 256 as the bitrate. You can set other options by clicking the rip tab again. Next make sure that you are connected to the net while ripping the CDs, so that Windows Media Player will get the tag data.

Thanks so much for replying!

Yes, we have a PC.  The updater won’t work.   I keep getting an error code #1003.  My husband has a computer software development business and has much education and experience with all aspects of computers and software and has excellent troubleshooting skills.  While I’m not that computer-savvy, I’m intelligent enough to follow well-written instructions.

Neither he nor I can figure out how to get music onto this thing.  The instruction manual is undoubtedly the worst we’ve ever seen and following what few instructions are in there is not working

Don’t use the updater to update the firmware. It is easy to do it manually.Just follow the instructions in the first posting.

http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=sansafuse&thread.id=9473

 OK open windows media player. Go to the Library tab, click on the arrow below it, and then Go down to the option called add to library. When the Add to Library window opens, click on Advanced options, the window will expand and you will see what folders will be added. If you see a folder called itunes then all you do is click Ok. If you dont see it then click add, The add folder window opens use this to navigate to your itunes folder (Usually My Documents>Music> Itunes) Click on Itunes folder then it should appear in the list of folders to add. Then Just Click OK It will add all the files it is able to from that folder (Anything with A DRM or m4a file extention will not be added). Once these files are in your library, plug the fuze in to the pc, and click on the Sync Tab, you will see 3 columns Left is Navigator Center is Library,and right is the sync list. Click on the file in the library and drag it over to the sync list, when you have it all there click sync at the bottom of the column and it should work

Ok, I’ve done this twice yet although it shows the number of files and acts like it’s doing something, says it found 1876 files but shows zero being added.   It’s not adding anything to the library.  I clicked on the iTunes folder to add the entire thing, but it won’t do it.    Could I be doing something wrong?

Message Edited by Sariah on 12-25-2008 12:44 PM

What format are the files in? Do you know how to use windows explorer? Right click on start, then click on explore. Use Windows explorer to look at your music files and see what format they are in. They not be mp3 if you can’t add them to the Windows Media Player library. Look in My Documents, My Music, iTunes.

Message Edited by JK98 on 12-25-2008 03:55 PM

@jk98 wrote:

What format are the files in? Do you know how to use windows explorer? Right click on start, then click on explore. Use Windows explorer to look at your music files and see what format they are in. They not be mp3 if you can’t add them to the Windows Media Player library.

I knew when I hit submit it frlt like I forgot something… WMP wont add m4a Files

just copy all the songs you want and paste them under music on your fuze (my computer > fuze >internal drive > music

Yes, I know how to use WE, I see the list of iTunes songs, but how do I see the format?

"just copy all the songs you want and paste them under music on your fuze (my computer > fuze >internal drive > music "

That will only work if they are mp3 files. Her music may not be in mp3 format.

I was able to find a way to see the format and so far after looking at over 10 songs, they are MPEG 4 format

ETA:  It appears all the songs are MPEG 4 format

Message Edited by Sariah on 12-25-2008 12:59 PM

So they can be converted to mp3, however I suggest that you make new mp3 files from the CDs, since conversion will decrease the sound quality. You can use Windows Media Player to make the mp3 files from the CDs.

Sounds like youll need to convert those files and for that you can use I tunes(if you have the latest Version) But for that I cannot Help… Im not sure how it works I just found out that itunes conversion existed today. I will check it out and let ya know.

Take one particular album or a small group of songs first, to test the conversion process.  Once you have a playable track in Windows Media Player, then you can send it to the Sansa.

WiMP 10 / 11 will display the requisite ID3 tag data as well, in the Advanced Tag Editor (right click on a track when WiMP is open).

Remember, the Sansa navigates through your music using the embedded ID3 tags in the MP3 or WMA files.  They will all be listed under “unknown”, or you won’t be able to find them, on the Sansa.  For now, first see that you have a valid mp3 conversion from the Apple iTunes files, by playing it in WiMP.

Once that’s done, you can repair all of those goofy ID3 tags using a free application, MP3Tag.  Baby steps, right?  MP3Tag is very powerful, and it will repair all of your newly imported library.

The trick is to learn the ropes with a few tracks before doing “the whole enchilada”.

Welcome to the world of Sansa!  Oh yes, and freedom from the limitations of iTunes.

Bob  :smileyvery-happy:

Thanks so much everyone.  Both DH and I have spent hours today on this.   We have come to the conclusion that this product is deficient in many ways, not the least of which is the extreme difficulty of downloading songs easily.   I am very sorry I purchased this. 

We called tech support and they are closed!   On Christmas day, when people are getting these things as gifts and are unable to use it due to the convoluted  instructions that don’t work and are not clear, the firmware update that does not work so that a laborious manual process is necessary to see if it ‘might’ work.   NOTHING that is marketed to the general public should be this difficult and frustrating to use.     As much as we hate the monopoly Apple seems to have on this market, we can now see there is good reason–if all MP3 players are like the Sansa, then it’s no wonder there’s not much competition.

We have many tech devices and there’s not been one that DH hasn’t been able to troubleshoot or fix over the course of many years.   He saysthe Sansa Fuze is without a doubt THE most user-unfriendly device he’s yet encountered.

Pretty sad that my son is unable to use this ridiculous excuse for an MP3 player on Christmas day.

One more question,  if I just use WMP,  is there a place to purchase songs online that I can download directly into WMP?  Because the thought of purchasing from iTunes first, then ripping a CD, then uploading to WMP, then to Fuze,  is just not efficient.