Manipulate Fm recordings

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Sansa.jpg$

In this, the first in a hopefully very long line of excellent instructables from me, I will show you how to:

-Rename Fm recordings on your mp3 player so that they are easier to identify-you'll never delete a recording because you mixed it up with another one again!

-Use a completely free program you already have to convert these same files to mp3 or other format, to save space.

NOTE: You may have to synch these as mp3s after you convert. I didn't have to, but your mileage may vary!

I will use the Sandisk Sansa e250 for illustrative purposes.
Doubtless your player will have a slightly different file heirarchy, but I'll bet they'll be similar enough that it won't really matter for most people. When in the instructions I say Sansa, I just mean whatever your mp3 player is called, but for simplicity's sake I'll pretend everyone has a sansa. These techniques should work for voice/sound recordings you have taken with your player as well.

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Renaming Fm recordings so they are easier to use

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa1.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa2.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa3.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa4.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa5.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa6.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa7.bmp$

$C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\sansa8.bmp$

I hope the pictures will clarify this step. When I say navigate I mean on your computer, not the Sansa.

-Connect Sansa

Via provided cord. Or wirelessly. Gotta love the wireless.

-Open up My computer. Navigate Sansa>RECORD>FM

-Right click fm recordings and select play with windows media player

-After you know what the song is (that's why I had you play it), right click again and select "rename"

-Rename the recording, remembering to name it "NAME.Wav" You'll need to use whatever extension the original file name ended with- I use the .wav extension as an example. I don't know if other players save recordings as .wav files or if they record in other formats. Don't forget the extension, though. It'll wreck it if you do!

And voila!Your recordings are now named and easy to work with! Never again will you get confused and delete the wrong one because the names are all so weird!

As I mentioned previously, this should work for audio/voice recordings as well.

DJ Radio says: Dec 21, 2008. 7:41 PM

You could try zooming up to make the words legible.

Superninjacamper941 says: Nov 28, 2008. 5:26 AM

I just got the new sansa fuze and I love it I had a zune and didn't really like it but thanks

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to Superninjacamper941Nov 28, 2008. 7:17 AM

Cool! How many gb is the fuze?

Superninjacamper941 in reply to Lithium RainNov 30, 2008. 10:15 AM

4 gb but i got a Sd card that is 2 gb i got both of them on sale it was awesome

Superninjacamper941 says: Nov 25, 2008. 2:55 PM

Thank you so much you are an epic help

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to Superninjacamper941Nov 25, 2008. 3:10 PM

You are welcome. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions. :-)

Superninjacamper941 in reply to Lithium RainNov 25, 2008. 8:07 PM

Thanks do you like the sansa overall

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to Superninjacamper941Nov 25, 2008. 8:33 PM

Really well. My only complaint with the e250 is the scroll wheel; it becomes almost useless after 6 months to a year of heavy usage, because it just spins wildly. That and the fact that the black plastic is very prone to crackage when dropped. :-\ But I got a Zune, and have mixed feelings about that. So I'm thinking for my next mp3 player, I may go back to a Sansa model, one of the newer ones.

Superninjacamper941 says: Nov 21, 2008. 8:31 PM

Do any of you know if the sansa canserve as a thumb drive or any mods to make it one

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to Superninjacamper941Nov 21, 2008. 8:37 PM

Yes, you can just move regular files onto it and it will work like one.

cowscankill says: Aug 26, 2008. 6:58 PM

uh, how can i record the FM radio with my sansa? do i go to recordings? ill go try it now...

pandaboy292 in reply to cowscankillNov 7, 2008. 3:58 PM

you go to radio and push the down key, scroll to recordigs and hit record now. i mainly use voice recordings. i play a video from you tube and put my sandisk to the speaker and record it. it's clear and no static.

cowscankill in reply to pandaboy292Nov 8, 2008. 9:26 AM

Did you read my other comments? I learned how to do it. Thanks for your concern anyway :P

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to cowscankillAug 26, 2008. 7:07 PM

If your sansa has a built in FM tuner and recorder, there should be a record button on the side. Go to the radio station you want to record from, and then press the button. Or go to the radio, then go to options>recording. Let me know how it works.

cowscankill in reply to Lithium RainAug 27, 2008. 10:56 AM

xD i tried it 11:45 last night. i cant get enough recordings of the music though. i got half of one song and two songs with the DJ talking

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to cowscankillAug 27, 2008. 5:46 PM

Okay, try requesting songs, then recording them. :)

cowscankill in reply to Lithium RainAug 28, 2008. 1:00 PM

i wish. dont get a cell hone till 3 yrs from now, and i onlt listen to mp3 at midnight (when everyone is sleeping) or at my bus stop (where i dont have a phone) plus, no one has songs i like. EX: What's That Coming Over the Hill?

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to cowscankillAug 28, 2008. 4:06 PM

You can often email your requests-I bet you can set your computer to send your email later on, when you don't have access to a phone.

cowscankill in reply to Lithium RainAug 28, 2008. 5:18 PM

hmm.. nice but i prefer something cheap like limewire xD

oh i am soooo excited! look at the new thing i made!

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to cowscankillAug 28, 2008. 8:42 PM

Limewire is: 1) illegal if you use it to share copyrighted material 2) ridden with viruses and trojans

cowscankill in reply to Lithium RainAug 29, 2008. 1:52 PM

Lol, i know. im just saying, i can get it in easier ways. I can always get it from my brother.

pandaboy292 says: Mar 8, 2008. 8:30 PM

i have a 4g sansa 260r. i got it for free. my parents bought a stovetop from best buy and it came with a $150 gift card. when i bought it i was going to get a 2g but they said for ten dollars more i could gat the coumpter dock and a 4g. i never bought a song i just use the voice recording and the radio recording.

Notbob in reply to pandaboy292Aug 14, 2008. 10:25 AM

lucky... My sansa e250 was 99$ at future shop.

cowscankill in reply to NotbobAug 26, 2008. 6:58 PM

I have a sansa clip for $50 :P idk if its because mine is cheap, or no one wanted it. works fine

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to pandaboy292Mar 10, 2008. 8:46 PM

OH you're so fortunate!

Genetastic says: Jun 16, 2008. 10:23 PM

have a 2 GB Sansa Fuze. Listening to it right now. Nice instructible, but I never really got into radios...

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to GenetasticJun 17, 2008. 6:38 AM

Cool! How is the Fuze different from the old ones? Does it come in a 4 gb version? Would you reccommend it? I'm in the market for a new one, and I've really liked my sansa. Yeah, I like the radio because I hear new music instead of just the same old somgs, and also I win a LOT of things off it. But it can get boring.

Genetastic in reply to Lithium RainJun 18, 2008. 12:33 PM

I've never owned a sansa before, so I can't compare to the fuze. It's ok, not the best but still pretty good. It comes in up to 8 gb, and it's the same UI as the older models. I tried my friend's ipod, and I must say that I like the fuze better.

Notbob in reply to GenetasticAug 14, 2008. 10:13 AM

I have a sansa e250 with Rockbox on it and I must say that after fiddling with some ipods(not mine, ive never had on) I must say that the sansa are overall much more versatile.

jimmydean says: Aug 6, 2008. 4:04 PM

How would you do this for vista? There are no buttons like this. Thats why vista is harder to navigate.

ultrauber says: Apr 6, 2008. 11:15 AM

gotta love the wireless.

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to ultrauberApr 6, 2008. 5:58 PM

Haha, yes.

SpecialEd101 says: Feb 18, 2008. 11:52 AM

GOOOOOOOOOOOO SANSA KIK ipods butt

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to SpecialEd101Feb 18, 2008. 8:39 PM

Yes! ipods are for noobs...

ultrauber in reply to Lithium RainApr 6, 2008. 11:15 AM

oh yeah! ipod's suck. like, bad.

Doctor What says: Feb 4, 2008. 7:42 PM

It's great, and I have a sansa, so it'll be easy to follow your steps precisely. One nitpick. One nitpick only. Edit this instructable, delete the first sentence. Whenever someone says that, it bugs me. Howabout, "This is the first of many great instructables to come from Adrian Monk?" Not that other thing.

Lithium Rain (author) in reply to Doctor WhatFeb 5, 2008. 10:35 AM

Edited just for you! :)

Doctor What in reply to Lithium RainFeb 5, 2008. 11:15 AM

Yay!!!

Lithium Rain (author) says: Dec 2, 2007. 12:07 PM

Thanks, guys. :)