Hello again everyone, today I recieved an email from Sony about the new touch screen Walkmans.  According to the Sony website they are now available for pre-order here.http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?sssdmh=dm11.128373&catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644636396&XID=E:XseriesWalkman_052109:header

If you are wondering why I haven’t updated very much it is because I have had a severe lack of time to update the site with new information but I really do want to thank all of you who have been leaving comments and helping others, I do my best to aprove all the comments left when I am notified. Without you readers this wouldnt be as great of a place.

Also about a month ago I purchased a iPodTouch, someone I know was selling theres very cheap so I gave in and purchased it. In comparision to the Walkman there is only two things I liked about the Walkman over the ipod and that is the FM tuner and the ability to drag and drop files into the walkman with just a few clicks. I still use my walkman but mainly when I am mowing the lawn or doing other chores where I do not want to use the touch.

Anyway I want to again thank everyone of you for leaving comments, for those of you who are first time readers please read the comments on every post as there is somewhat better video transcoding information there then when I provided before about Nero.

Take Care,

MySonyWalkman

Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you are celebrating!

I decided to take some time this Christmas Eve to write a small update for anyone who sometime after tomorrow will be a new owner of a Sony Walkman.

I’m sure your wanting to jump right in and start using your Walkman just like I was last year when I got my Walkman for Christmas.

Well here is some information if your new, first off if you did not buy the software with the walkman to convert videos for the format then you like so many will have problems getting videos on.

But never fear this blog has been open for about a year now and already many Walkman users have come together to help one another in their woes over the walkman to find a free video converter software.

So once again here are some links to free software that will help you. Mind that some of the software does not use every type of video format out there.

http://www.ipod-video-converter.org/
http://www.cocoonsoftware.com/

I have used the ipodvideoconverter myself and was able to put videos onto my walkman while I have not tried the cocoonsoftware one it was suggested by a user comment on a earlier blog post.

Also please disregard my earlier post about NERO Recode the program is very complicated and it takes some tinkering to get it to work just right, so save the time to find a download and save the money and don’t buy it.

Best of luck to you all,

My Sony Walkman Blog

P.S. I also run a twitter for a gaming site as well if you use it too I would apreciate a follow.

Hello my avid readers, once again I really do appologize for not posting this sooner.

First I would like to thank Bo a reader who left a comment which was very helpful.

http://www.ipod-video-converter.org/

The iPod Video Converter from Jodix Technologies Ltd. does work with your Sony Walkman. The videos will be converted to an ipod format that plays on your Walkman perfectly and the quality is quite good and it’s 100% free no watermarks or reduced time.
http://www.ipod-video-converter.org/ This is the website you can download the program from.

As always if you have any problems leave a comment and someone else can try to help you. I have noted a couple of problems with this program, it will not convert certain mp4 and m4v videos but most will work. So far no problems with the other popular formats. MPG MPEG MOV MWV

Thanks again to everyone who is leaving comments.

MySonyWalkman

I am sorry for not putting an update sooner but I have really had no time to do much of anything. But I would like to say that everyone who reads this wordpress in the search of help with using there Sony Walkman to make sure you check all of the comments that people have left there are tons of good suggestions and helpful tips on what to do with your walkman and videos and such.

Thanks! And keep the helpful comments coming!

MySonyWalkman

Hmm not sure why the Sony Tech Support Guy didnt mention this?

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/mm4wm

Only $13.00 To do something that they should offer for free. This is probably a easier method to converting videos to your Walkman but the regular free version is slow and hard to use already.

For now I will stick with Nero to recode and maybe try this later.

Welcome to My Sony Walkman. A wordpress blog with useful information for your Sony Walkman Video MP3 Player.

I loaded up Sony’s website and looked around for some support help.

After finding a live support option for my type of Sony product. (Sony Walkman) I began a chat with a nice Sony tech support worker. As you can see he was not very helpful other then trying to tell me to go buy another Sony product. Here is the transcript below.

*Names have been edited.

eSupport Chat Transcript

Sony Support_ > Hi Customer. Welcome to Sony Online Support. I’m Sony Support. Please allow me a moment to review your concern.

Customer > Hello

Sony Support_ > Thank you for waiting, Customer. I’ll be glad to assist you in providing the information to find the compatible video for the Walkman Player.

Customer > The walkman came with no converter software, and the Media Manager 1.1 for the walkman I downloaded contained no software to convert either.

Customer > I have found various sites such as sony connect to find videos for PSP but they do not work on my walkman.

Customer > I did find a free trial of NERO Recode Essentials, and by converting video to NERO Digital Category:Sony Memory Stick Video and NERO Digital Profile: Memory Stick Video (PSP) I was able to convert videos but there are many PSP video sites that DO NOT WORK!

Sony Support_ > What is the Operating System installed in your Computer?

Customer > Windows!

XP Home Edition Service Pack 2

Sony Support_ > Do you have the Image Converter 2 Plus Software?

Customer > No

Customer > I am looking for free software. as this walkman should have came with.

Sony Support_ > In that case, I suggest that you download the video from the iTunes or Napster website which are compatible with this player.

Customer > I am looking for a free conversion program, or a!

website with already compatible videos.

Sony Support_ > Image Converter 2 Plus Software can be used to convert the video from AVI, MPEG 1, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, QuickTime and WMV file formats to Memory Stick Video Format (MP4 compatible).

Customer > where can i download this program?

Customer > also http://video.connect.com/ the videos do not work on my walkman.

Sony Support_ > The Image Converter 2 Plus Software is not available for online download, it can !

be purchased from SonyStyle.com.

Customer > Why do many PSP MP4 videos do not work on my walkman?

Sony Support_ > To playback a video file on the portable player, the file must meet the specified requirements, such as resolution and frame rate, and be in an MP4 ‘Memory Stick’ video (.mp4, .m4v) file format that is compatible with the portable player.

Sony Support_ > If the file you would like to play does not meet these requirements or is not in this format, video conversion software will be required to convert the file into the appropriate format.

Customer > shouldn’t sony provide software with the walkman?

Sony Support_ > No, Customer. I’m sorry. This Software is not supplied with the Network Walkman Player.

Customer > ok thx you for your support, happy holidays.

Customer > i suggest some information like this is added on the walkman site.

Customer > also your product registration website is not working.

Sony Support_

;> You too, Thanks.

Sony Support_ > Please give me a moment while I get this information for you.

Customer > ok

Sony Support_ > Thanks for waiting, Customer.

Sony Support_ > I’m really sorry for the inconvenience. This website is down for two days. I suggest that you try this after two days and check if it works.

Customer > thank you.

Sony Support_ > You are welcome.

Sony Support_ > Is there anything else I may assist you with today?

Customer > no.

Sony Support_ > I hope you find this information helpful; should you require any help, please do contact us. It was a pleasure assisting you today.

Sony Support_ > Good-bye and take care.

Sony Support_ > Thank you for contacting Sony online support today.

Sony Support_ > Analyst has closed chat and left the room

To my amazement I actually found videos from Sony to download specifically for their Sony Walkman Video MP3 Player. But guess what it’s only movie trailers from Sony Pictures. The search continues.

Ok as promised here is the how to for converting a video to a .mp4 format that Sony Walkman will recognize. In this How To I am using Nero Recode 3 which is part of the Nero 8 Software.

For this how to I will download a video from Connect.

You will notice along the top of the website it says.

But the videos DO NOT work on the Sony Walkman.

I have included images to help those who are not the most tech savvy of sorts.

1.) I have decided to use the Superbad Trailer for this example, if you havent seen the movie go watch it. Click download MP4 only.

2.) Depending on what internet browser you are using download the file. (FireFox Shown Below)

3.) Open Nero Recode and once it is open select Recode DVDs and Videos to Nero Digital

4.) Once open on the bottom right select under Profile Category: Sony and under Profile PSP. Then click Import Files.

5.) Go to where you downloaded the video or where your video is on your computer. Select the video file then click Add title. Then click close. Make Sure the video is set to the correct size or you will not be able to view it on your Walkman, click Custom Resize then enter 320 wide x 240 tall this should work fine.

6.) Since you had selected PSP it thinks you are transfering directly to a Sony PSP device just click Ok and go on to the next screen.

7.) Select where you want your file to be burned to and then click burn.

8.) The file will begin to burn to your selected desination on the left side you can see the video previewed. Once done it will ask you to save a log file, you don’t need to, then click next and then exit.

9.) Now that you have your video in .mp4 you can rename it for easier finding, I renamed mine from MAQ13529.mp4 to Superbad Trailer.mp4 on the walkman to have a preview image on videos you need to include a .jpg image and upload it along with the video in the video folder on your Walkman in your MyComputer screen. Make sure they are the exact same name to display correctly.

10.) Upload to your Walkman wait for it to finish then disconnect the USB from your Walkman and goto your video section and enjoy your new Trailer.

At first I almost gave up and thought why didn’t they just spend a little bit more and get me a Zune or a ipod. Since I thought it was hopeless to find a converter or a site with videos that work on the Walkman. Then I did some research and found a program. Nero Recode 3 which is part of the Nero 8 software.

This program can take any video format and convert it into a mp4 format that Walkman will recognize. Even existing mp4 videos that do not work on Walkman. You can try Nero 8 for 15 days free, buy the thing from the Nero site, or get it by “other means”.

I have also found another program that works to get videos to work on Walkman and this one is from Sony themselves. Image Converter 2 Plus which is works fine to convert videos to mp4 format for the walkman even though on the site is does not list the Walkman as a supported device. (Nice going sony) But I tried to take a existing mp4 vodcast from G4 and make it into a mp4 that would work on my Walkman but then it said the format is not recognizable. So therefore you can’t take mp4 and convert into mp4 for your Walkman with Sony Image Converter 2 Plus. So I suggest just use Nero 8’s Recode software which works great for me.

If anyone reading this does know of a website with mp4 or m4v videos that for sure work for the walkman please leave it as a comment.

In a later post I will show step by step how to convert to mp4 using Nero Recode.