SanDisk® Global Customer Support (US)

There are two USB modes used for connecting to MP3 players to computers:

• Mass Storage Class (MSC)
• Media Transfer Protocol (MTP)

Windows systems support both MSC and MTP mode. Mac systems only support MSC mode.

MTP mode is the preferred method for connecting to Windows systems because it supports more features for transferring content to players. These features include creating playlists, setting up autosync, transferring DRM-protected content (licensed, copy protected) and album art linking.

Current Sansa players also have a third menu selection for Auto-detect. Auto-detect will connect in MTP mode when it detects a Windows system. For all other connections, it will connect in MSC mode.

*See answer ID 207 on how to change the Sansa player from MSC to MTP mode or vice-versa.

Mass Storage Class (MSC)
USB specifications define MSC as a standard for connecting removable drives. MSC is a set of protocols for managing communication between USB storage devices and operating systems.  This is protocols set used for USB flash drives, external hard drives and card readers. Sansa players in MSC mode are seen by Windows and Mac systems as removable drives.

 MSC mode provides Plug and Play support for current Windows and Mac systems:

• Driver support is native in WIN XP, Vista and WIN 7
• Driver support is native in Mac OS 9.1+
• No special drivers required for installation with current systems

 Note: MSC mode can be used to test connectivity when having problems using MTP mode.

Media Transfer Protocol (MTP)
MTP is a protocol developed by Microsoft to connect portable devices to a Windows PC and synchronize digital media content between them. MTP facilitates the transfer of media files and associated metadata to/from devices. Applications like Windows Media Player rely on MTP for management of media files and configuration data when transferring content to portable devices. MTP provides the following features:

Playlists, Album Art, Metadata
• WMP, Rhapsody, Napster (and other apps) can sync playlists
• Link album art and other features from metadata
• Changes to metadata properties, such as ratings, can be communicated when the file is synchronized

AutoSync Option
• Windows Media Player can be configured to automatically manage the transfer of content to an MTP-compatible device upon connection.
 • Automatically sync playlists and changes

DRM Support
• MTP provides support for transferring DRM (copy protected) licensed content
• Supports Programs that transfer of subscription-based music content (e.g. Rhapsody, Napster)
• Supports programs that transfer of copy protected licensed audiobooks (e.g. Audible, OverDrive)

Device Limitation Management
• Using MTP, a PC can detect a compatible device’s capacity limitations as well as the file types it is capable of supporting.

Portable Device Status
• MTP-compatible devices appear as Portable Devices in the Windows Explorer and do not require “safe removal” or drive letter assignment.

MTP Minimum System Requirements:
         Windows XP SP2 and WMP 10 (or higher)
          • MTP protocols first introduced in WMP 10
          • Windows XP comes with WMP 9, requires update to WMP 10 or 11
          • Windows Vista comes with WMP 11
          • Windows 7 comes with WMP 12

Note: WIN XP comes with WMP 9 by default. This is a common problem with Sansa player being detected on WIN XP. SanDisk recommends upgrading to WMP 11.