One reason I like to keep all my electronics to the Sony brand proved itself on my past trip abroad. I took about 1000 pictures on my Sony digital camera. I took about 4 hours of video on my Sony micromini video camera. When I got home, I was able to insert the memory stick directly into my Sony HD TV 65" widescreen slot and immediately viewed all the pictures in a slideshow format. Then I took the memory stick and movies from the video camera and put them into my Sony desktop PC for editing. I was able to create a DVD and slideshow of pictures that I was able to play on my Sony progressive scan DVD player once again hooked up to the bigscreen.
As I was enjoying the movie and pictures I had created, I finally realised this was the reason that I have bought only Sony products.

Anybody else have similiar experiences?

I'm sure many executives of the Sony Corporation have had similar experiences!

I actually don't like Sony for the very reason you've outlined.

Why should I have to buy only Sony equipment to have that fluidity? You HAVE to buy Sony, even if there is a product with better features at a lower price out there if you want to keep up this fluid exchange.

If you would have bought devices with Compact Flash, Secure Digital slots, or Bluetooth/WiFi connectivity you would be free to choose the best of breed in every case.

Exactly. If I'm comparing items, Sony would have to seriously low-ball the price for me to even look at it, let alone buy it. For my digital camera's I can mix and match brands of both cameras, but more importantly - the cards themselves. If I travel abroad I have much more selection that strictly Sony stuff should things go wrong.

Most importantly, I find Sony stuff to be overpriced (some items) - but especially on accessories. Now, that all said, there are certain Sony items that are create, because they aren't being mixed and matched. For instance, a TV (basic) or my DVD player/VHS combo thing - all very straightforward and effective, the way I like it.

Hate to add another negative post about Sony....but...

Sony has one of the worst warranties around--I think on almost all of their products, it's only 90 days for labor. I had a camera break a few months after I bought it, and they wanted over $200 to fix it.

It's too bad, 'cause I really like some of their products.

I concur, Sony stuff is often too proprietary, I mix and match and get pretty much the same results. I do have some Sony stuff, but it "competed" on its merits, price/functionality rather than its Sonyness.

Ditto. Memory sticks are very expensive, besides being proprietary.

Most disk memory stick adapters are far more expensive than a PCMIA compact flash adapter.

I like Sony cameras, as my wife has one, and she has a Vaio laptop for its small size. But I have gone the way of CompactFlash, for its affordableness, as well as its universal applications.

CompactFlash rules!!

On another note, what's with all the new media coming out: SD / MMC, secure digital, blah blah blah?

Why the #)($$#& can't the PDA and camera manufactuers use one standard or two - ie Compact Flash??

This is one of the many reasons I refuse to buy a camera that uses non Compact Flash cards, or a PDA that uses secure digital media - ie Palm Tungsten handheld. Way too many memory formats to manage!

I have noticed that because there are several Memory Stick licensees (Lexar, SanDisk), there is price competition. There are also rebates or other specials offered occasionally. Use web sites like shopper.com and dealram for finding the best prices.

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Michael Steinberg
Editor
BizTrip
www.biztrip.com

Sony products are not considered high reliability products.

Sony does a lot of propritary stuff.

Sony does not supply spare parts for many products.


Sony advertises extremely well.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a new notebook computer running Windows XP. On my old desktop I'm running Windows 98. My Sony digital camera uses (obviously) memory sticks. To read those on my desktop I bought -about two or three years ago- a floppy disk adapter.
To my surprise Sony offers no XP drivers for this adapter, they do however offer a later model floppy disk adapter that will run under XP: costs $79.
Cheapest alternative I found at the local Circuit City was a PCMCA card memory stick adapter (not Sony) running $49.

I know this problem also exists with other brands, nevertheless a frustrating experience and it didn't help improve my opinion of Sony.

I was with another traveller in Germany where we found, in a camera shop, an adapter that allowed for both kind of discs and, also, a memory stick - all in one little blue plastic USB adapter, in a very attractive little travel case. It worked well for my Smart Media card and, from lack of complaint, I assume for his Sony memory sticks as well. The thing only cost about $50 and I remember him being impressed with the price for its functionality.

I love my Sony desktop and laptop products -- and use a Nikon D1X camera with the compactflash -- my latest laptop is a new GRS700 with build-in DVD RW. I'm using it as a portable video editing station and love it. Also have Picturebook and 2 Sony desktops (love the Giga Pocket feature).

I have no Sony peripherals and use the laptops with Canon GL-1 and Digital Elph in addition to my Nikon. My peripherals are purchased based on best in class and functionality.

N0 problems with reliability or warranty (did buy the extended warranty for the laptops)and love the equipment for video work.

Wow. I didn't know there were so many issues with Sony looking at the posts. Fortunately, I have never had a problem with my Sony products breaking down. There is a store where I live: www.abtelectronics.com that sells Sony stuff for cheap. I am able to go there and haggle and get prices about 10-40% off what they charge at Best Buy. I don't know about there policy for phone orders.(if you can haggle or not).They have great customer service. I also forgot to mention My CLIE can also show movies and pictures stored on a memory stick.

Just added to my bounty of Sony products.(actually bought 2 months ago but forgot to post)

CD-walkman D-CJ01

Cd player that plays mp3s on cdr\rw and normal music cds. Comes with a power supply or you can use your own AA batts. Line out to stereo if you want. Bought at www.abtelectronics.com for much lower than listed on their website.

You took a 1000 pics with a Sony digicam? How many memory sticks do you have? What rez are the pics? Personally I find the memory sticks to be poor value for money in terms of $/MB. Even the new 256MB sticks are simply two 128MB cards combined together, to use the other 128MB you need to flick a switch. And the 1GB stick will only work in very recent cameras. Sony support is a joke. Gimme CompactFlash with integrated controller anyday. *hugs 1GB Microdrive*

I have two pair of Sony NC 10 NR headphones. My wife lost the last piece of cable for hers. The cable connects to some odd make mini cable from the headphones, and has a standard single prong male jack that fits into an airline entertainment jack.

Any of you Sony lovers have any idea how I get a replacement. If you recommend the Sony internet site, please tell me which part number will work.

By the way, the headphones are not all that bad.