topic Re: Please Please Please!! in PCs & Accessories

Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 20:07:32 GMT

With all of this possible video playback nonsense that is never gonna happen, i thought i should ask about an update that could possibly happen.

How about a DAB radio upgrade (or if that would be too expensive / not possible: a normal FM/AM radio upgrade)

Before you pass this off as a dream of mine that may never happen, i think it could be possible to make:

Firstly, surely most of the update would just be software based, because my brother has a portable (hand-held) DAB radio, and the only visible difference in hardware is a tiny little plastic box in the wire to the headphones which acts as a reciever, so maybe the only hardware change would be to buy a new remote, like you can get for a minidisc, that recieves radio signals.

I'm no proggrammer or anything, but surley the only other difference(s) between a DAB/radio and the VAIO player is that a DAB can decode the radio signal and the VAIO can't, therefore should'nt the update (if there ever is one) be mainly software / firmware?

I would definitely pay for this update, technically it would be like buying my own portable DAB radio, which cost (over here in he UK) anywhere from £70-130. And i would buy it if the update was made since i do not have a DAB radio of my own, and don't really like the idea of having two separate portables to carry around.

I have seen no other portable players that combine DAB with something else like MP3 playback, or even a portable DAB/CD player, so this would be a great update for sony to make, be the first to combine a DAB radio with a Hard Disk player!

Re: Please Please Please!!

@4967457401015621 — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 22:15:58 GMT

the other issue is whether the remote can feed back enough data for the dab radio. it obviously sends some data, but it's fairly basic stuff so the bandwidth of the connection is probably too low for sending dab back for conversion. what i'd like to see is a cordless remote, so i can have my vp sat over the other side of the room and me being able to control it wirelessly.. **gets back on topic** so yeah, it'd be a nice idea but bandwidth may be the critical factor. i'm also not sure how the firmware is stored, it may be stored in a small sector of flash rom or something, and if the size of that is limited it may not be able to store enough data for the radio component. which radio does your brother have?

Re: Please Please Please!!

Twisted-Rizla — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 17:11:47 GMT

Some very good ideas.

If anyone else has any other ideas about improving their Sony products keep posting them here because Sony DO visit the site to check out what's being discussed etc.

Never say never!
Unless of course you're trying to get through a revolving door with a pair of skis.

Re: Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 17:35:39 GMT

replying to bentate:

my brother has a Ministry of Sound DAB radio, as i said i live in the UK so if your in america i don't know if you can get that one.

also about the remote feeding back enough info for DAB what if sony released a new remote that could feedback enough info! :smileygrin: :smileygrin: :smileygrin:

Re: Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 18:06:04 GMT

Twisted-Rizla wrote:

If anyone else has any other ideas about improving their Sony products keep posting them here because Sony DO visit the site to check out what's being discussed etc.

it's good to be reassured:smileyhappy: thanks for that, if it is true it may explain how the thread got over 70 views! :smileygrin:

Re: Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 19:14:42 GMT

Another suggestion / idea:

is it just me or do you not think that the photo viewer is just begging to be used like the ipod photo, i'm talking about the way you can view abot 20 small previews of the picture and click on the one you want to view, considering the way the G-Sense works the VAIO is just begging to be used like this, it would make the photo viewer so much easier to use!
See here for an example: iPod Photo

Please please Sony, consider this!! :smileygrin: :smileygrin:

Re: Please Please Please!!

@4967457401015621 — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 19:51:43 GMT

definitely agree with you on the ipod photo idea! there are a few bits where sony could make it a lot easier to navigate but i'm still happy with it. i'm in the uk too, i have seen the MoS radio but can't remember what it's like, i'll have a look sometime. i meant the interface on the vaio itself, as this may not be able to transfer enough data (the remote only transmits a very small amount of information). it could be possible, that's just the main obstacle i see. the other alternative would be for sony to design it so that it can connect to the usb port, as this would certainly have the bandwidth.
twistedrizla, why do you think sony monitor these boards? i had an email from them a few weeks back saying the opposite ...

Re: Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 20:36:06 GMT

Another suggestion / idea:

This is the last one today i promise:smileywink:

Just a quick suggestion; i was just thinking, it is quite difficult and time consuming looking for artists and albums when you have a lot on the VAIO (or any MP3 player for that matter) especcialy when using the remote, so how about making all the artists / albums sorted into A-Z folders. Just a suggestion:smileygrin:

If it seems like i am not pleased with the vaio and i'm complaining making all of these suggestions, it's not like that at all, i think the vaio is great but there is always room for improvement on everything!

Re: Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 20:52:49 GMT

Regarding the DAB radio connection from headphones being good enough, i have realised that on my brothers DAB radio, the receiver (which is placed on the wire going to the headphones) is only connected to the player by a standard stereo headphone jack.
considering the vaio has one of these stereo plugs plus a socket for the remote to plug into, it must be able to send radio transmissions to the player!

if i am wrong please tell me.

Re: Please Please Please!!

@4967457401015621 — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 21:16:48 GMT

i'm not trying to pour cold water on your hopes, but i think (from looking at some specs for the MoS radio) that it's only the aerial on the headphones (there's no photos showing it so it's hard to tell), and all the receiving electronics are inside the unit itself. what would be more viable is to have the radio entirely self contained within the remote, as then it would only use the battery from the VP. my brother had a mini disc player (from sony) that had an fm radio with this arrangement.

Re: Please Please Please!!

Chris384 — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 21:53:52 GMT

That is what i meant (for the radio to be in the remote)

sorry, i couldn't think how to explain

Also, don't worry about ruining my hopes, they are not very high, considering i don't know for sure wether these forums are monitered or viewed by sony

Re: Please Please Please!!

@4967457401015621 — Thu, 03 Mar 2005 09:18:08 GMT

ah ok, i misunderstood - it was talk of updating the software on the vaio pocket that made me think you meant the vaio pocket would be processing the signal, and if it was just in the remote the vp would only be providing power. as for whether sony monitor these forums, i received this email a few weeks ago:

Thank you for your email. I have read with attention your comments.
I need to tell you that there exist different ways to take contact with us, by phone or by email, if you need to obtain support on the Vaio Pocket. The Club Vaio was designed to create a meeting point where customers can exchange their expereience and solutions together. It is not monitored for support or for updates. So you beter understand that there was no lack of respons, as we never intended to interfere in the information exchange between customers.

Best regards,

Sony VAIO Pocket Support Team