Singstar: can't transfer Singstore songs between PS3s

[sonickev]

I have a problem with Singstar and the tracks downloaded from Singstore.

At Christmas we downloaded a lot of tracks and put them on my Son's PS3. A lot of them are tracks that he isn't interested in.

Hence, we want to move the tracks downloaded onto his PS3 onto my PS3.

We share a master account for downloads and when I try to download the purchased tracks onto my PS3, it says that I can't because the tracks are locked to another PS3.

So it seems that none of the tracks that are now on my Son's PS3 can ever be removed from there and installed onto mine. I can't even buy them again. I am basically left with the standard tracks on the disk and he has a bunch of tracks that he doesn't want.

I've checked out the various forums and all I find is a few people asking the same question, but no answers.
This is really going to annoy me if we need to set up two master accounts just for Singstore, and even then, what about the tracks that have already been paid for and can't be used on my PS3?

Does anyone know of a solution? Anyone managed to move a purchased Singstore track from one PS3 to another?

[dennie]

I think this is the same problem with Warhawk, that you can only use it with 1 account, and not transferable to another account, even though it's from the same PS3. Let alone copying it to another PS3.

[sonickev]

I think this is the same problem with Warhawk, that you can only use it with 1 account, and not transferable to another account, even though it's from the same PS3. Let alone copying it to another PS3.

But Warhawk doesn't have media downloaded into it.

If I bought 50 tracks and downloaded them onto my PS3 today and then my PS3 died and was replaced tomorrow, it looks like my 50 tracks would be gone forever. I don't think even a backup would restore them to the new machine.

AND I couldn't buy them again without creating a new master account.

With Warhawk, just download it again.

I'm really stuck now, because no matter what I do, I lose tracks and money

[dennie]

I'm not sure about Warhawk because I bought the BD version. But the other day I decided to reformat my HDD because of the Linux partition. So I backed up all my data to an external HDD. And I restored the data, everything were there. Including those games that I bought off the PSN. From the updates plus the addons for all the games. So my guess, if you make a backup data, everything should be there.

But Warhawk doesn't have media downloaded into it.

If I bought 50 tracks and downloaded them onto my PS3 today and then my PS3 died and was replaced tomorrow, it looks like my 50 tracks would be gone forever. I don't think even a backup would restore them to the new machine.

AND I couldn't buy them again without creating a new master account.

With Warhawk, just download it again.

I'm really stuck now, because no matter what I do, I lose tracks and money

[sonickev]

I'm not sure about Warhawk because I bought the BD version. But the other day I decided to reformat my HDD because of the Linux partition. So I backed up all my data to an external HDD. And I restored the data, everything were there. Including those games that I bought off the PSN. From the updates plus the addons for all the games. So my guess, if you make a backup data, everything should be there.

But the Singstar tracks wont play because they are locked to a different PS3 and can't be transferred.

I have backed up and restored a couple of times with 100% success each time, including the hard drive upgrade...but I haven't backed up on one PS3 and restored on another. that would mean you could replicate games as many times as you wanted.

But this post is about the media content...
I can't transfer the tracks but I can't buy them again either.

I'm hoping that there is a solution where they can be deleted from one PS3 and then I can download them again once they aren't locked to that one.
The best solution for me would just be the ability to buy the same track twice.

[dennie]

You're trying to copy your Singstar tracks to another PS3 right ? I don't think that's possible. But as I said, if you backup you data to an external HDD, most probably the tracks will be there as well when you restore it. It's just you can't make a copy out of it, like putting it in a memory stick or something like that.

[TT-2k]

Singstar tracks from Singstore are attached to PS3's unique hardware ID so transferring tracks from one PS3 to another is not possible. However if your PS3 happens to die or for whatever reason you need change your PS3 you will get a full refund from Sony for all the Singstar tracks you have bought. You just have to contact your local Sony Computer Entertainment online support. I know, it's not very convinient but at least you're not not losing any money because of the DRM hell.

[sonickev]

You're trying to copy your Singstar tracks to another PS3 right ? I don't think that's possible. But as I said, if you backup you data to an external HDD, most probably the tracks will be there as well when you restore it. It's just you can't make a copy out of it, like putting it in a memory stick or something like that.

I'm trying to move them, not copy them.

we have two PS3s. At Christmas we downloaded many tracks to my son's PS3 because it was not in our living room. Now we can't put any of those tracks on the main PS3 in the living room because they are locked to my master account and my son's PS3.

All I want to do is to remove them from his PS3 and put them on mine. If I can't do that then I want to buy some of them again.

Right now, I can't seem to do either and all I have is the tracks on the disk.

In future, if he and I want the same track, we can't do that either without two master accounts. If he has a new master account then all the tracks that we have already paid for and downloaded will not work.

I can't figure out a solution at the moment and hope that someone has found a way to do it.

[dennie]

Basically you paid the tracks for that specific PS3. You can't move/copy it to another PS3.

[sonickev]

Singstar tracks from Singstore are attached to PS3's unique hardware ID so transferring tracks from one PS3 to another is not possible. However if your PS3 happens to die or for whatever reason you need change your PS3 you will get a full refund from Sony for all the Singstar tracks you have bought. You just have to contact your local Sony Computer Entertainment online support. I know, it's not very convinient but at least you're not not losing any money because of the DRM hell.

I'm realising now that if you have two PS3s then you need to have a master account for each rather than one master account shared.
I didn't know that and now I am learning the hard (expensive) way.

What is really screwed up is that I will have to leave my master account on my Son's PS3 and create a new one for myself, just so that he can play the Singstar tracks that we bought.

what I don't know is what happens to the Singstar tracks that I have bought and downloaded to my PS3. I guess they will be gone forever if I create a new master account.

If anyone has a better solution then I would love to know.

[sonickev]

Basically you paid the tracks for that specific PS3. You can't move/copy it to another PS3.

and I can't buy them again either...makes my copy of Singstar almost useless until any new tracks come out.

I *should* be able to remove them from one and then download them to another. I think that would be simple and would not infringe any DRM, especially considering this is all done within the same house with the same master account

[dennie]

What do you mean you can't buy them again? As far as I know, when you bought it, it go to your downloaded list. But if you're using a different PS3 with another account, you should be able to buy it from the PSN.

[Darth2603]

I'm trying to move them, not copy them.

we have two PS3s. At Christmas we downloaded many tracks to my son's PS3 because it was not in our living room. Now we can't put any of those tracks on the main PS3 in the living room because they are locked to my master account and my son's PS3.

All I want to do is to remove them from his PS3 and put them on mine. If I can't do that then I want to buy some of them again.

Right now, I can't seem to do either and all I have is the tracks on the disk.

In future, if he and I want the same track, we can't do that either without two master accounts. If he has a new master account then all the tracks that we have already paid for and downloaded will not work.

I can't figure out a solution at the moment and hope that someone has found a way to do it.

Have you tried contacting Sony support about this issue. There may be some way that they can delete the record of you purchasing the tracks previously so that you can purchase them again on your PS3.

[sonickev]

What do you mean you can't buy them again? As far as I know, when you bought it, it go to your downloaded list. But if you're using a different PS3 with another account, you should be able to buy it from the PSN.

We use the same master account. He is 13 and doesn't have a credit card

EDIT: perhaps worth noting that we downloaded the Guitar Hero Foo Fighters pack and that works fine on both PS3s

Have you tried contacting Sony support about this issue. There may be some way that they can delete the record of you purchasing the tracks previously so that you can purchase them again on your PS3.

can you tell me how and where I would contact them in the UK please

[TT-2k]

can you tell me how and where I would contact them in the UK please

Straight from the horse's mouth:

If, having checked our self-help knowledge base, our technical forums and used our Chat service you’re still unable to resolve your query, you may want to contact us.

Telephone us on 08705 99 88 77 (calls charged at standard BT National Rate)

Careline hours of business - 8am to 10pm weekdays and 10am to 6pm weekends and public holidays.

Email us at - help@uk.playstation.com

[Gambit77]

I'm realising now that if you have two PS3s then you need to have a master account for each rather than one master account shared.
I didn't know that and now I am learning the hard (expensive) way.

What is really screwed up is that I will have to leave my master account on my Son's PS3 and create a new one for myself, just so that he can play the Singstar tracks that we bought.

what I don't know is what happens to the Singstar tracks that I have bought and downloaded to my PS3. I guess they will be gone forever if I create a new master account.

If anyone has a better solution then I would love to know.

Then isn't it easier to just 'swap' Ps3's with your son??? That way you have all your songs, and can just copy across the relevant game saves etc.

Seems a lot easier in the interim.

[kaelell]

Could you not just swap the PS3's around. So you have the masteraccount with singstore tracks on your main, and give your current PS3 to your Son. Assuming the rest of the content on thier you can move around.

[sonickev]

Then isn't it easier to just 'swap' Ps3's with your son??? That way you have all your songs, and can just copy across the relevant game saves etc.

Seems a lot easier in the interim.

Well it is a lot more complicated than that. The most obvious problem at the outset is that I have 250Gig hard drive and he has 60Gig.

Plus, he then doesn't have the tracks that he wants

I know there are a variety of painful ways of resolving this. What I want to know is whether the songs can be unlocked from the original PS3 so that they can be downloaded once more onto the main ps3
EDIT: or buy them twice if that is the correct thing to do, but without losing what I have already paid for.

[Raonak]

ouch, bad news...

ill have to remember this when i buy trax, and when i get singstar

[C A Iversen]

You've lost some Singstar tracks due to impulsiveness. Your a grown-up like I am (32). I'd get over it and get another master account. Or make sure that you download songs onto only the PS3 that you want them on. There's no other way. Besides contacting Sony customer service, even then I'm not sure they'll help you.

You are two seperate consumers. Your son. You. This is the way it is. Two cars, need two lots of gas.

I'm not trying to be an @sshole, this is plain case of look before you leap. Some eggs crack on the floor.

Try experimenting with one song before rushing off like you have.

I'm not saying this is how you are, but some people would do what you did to get free songs on 2 PS3's while the rest of us have to pay.

[backslider]

this might sound stupid but delete 1 track from your sons hard drive then try to d/l it on your main ps3 . i am not sure but you should get 5 downloads of 1 song. you do with most other d/l content

[sonickev]

You've lost some Singstar tracks due to impulsiveness. Your grown-up like I am (32). I'd get over it and get another master account. Or make sure that you download songs onto only the PS3 that you want them on. There's no other way. Besides contacting Sony customer service, even then I'm not sure they'll help you.

You are two seperate consumers. Your son. You. This is the way it is. Two cars, need two lots of gas.

I'm not trying to be a @sshole, this is plain case of look before you leap. Some eggs crack on the floor.

Try experimenting with one song before rushing off like you have.

I'm not saying this is how you are, but some people would do what you did to get free songs on 2 PS3's while the rest of us pay.

Well I have quite clearly stated in my postings here and in my email to Sony that I would be very happy to buy the tracks again, but I can't do that either.

The only solution right now is to start another master account on my PS3 (and whatever impact that has on what I have already purchased using that account, like Warhawk)

The cost of the downloads is not that significant to me. I upgraded my hard drive because I have pretty much paid for and downloaded everything on the Playstation store and it would not fit on the drive.

Therefore, in a non-impulsive way, I want to know why Singstar is forcing me to do things differently than I have done for almost a year. I also want to know if there is a risk of losing all of my downloads if I create a new master account.

Its a lot of hassle for something simple that the game could have easily taken care of. I didn't rush off and do something impulsive as you suggest. I did something the same way as I have for one year. I read the terms and I read the instructions.

This is not like two cars with two consumable energy supplies. A song by Depeche Mode is exactly that. I have paid for it and I have it. I have justifiably paid for the digital rights to use that song for its intended purpose. It is in the wrong place and I want to move it.

Can you point me to another place where DRM locks what you have bought to one machine without the possibility to move it to somewhere else? This isn't about illegal copying, its the simple ability to move what you have bought from one place to another without introducing lots of hassle and cost.

If they make it this difficult and frustrating, is it any surprise really that teenagers find a way around the system and get their stuff for free?

[sonickev]

this might sound stupid but delete 1 track from your sons hard drive then try to d/l it on your main ps3 . i am not sure but you should get 5 downloads of 1 song. you do with most other d/l content

I haven't tried it yet because he is at School, but other posts on other forums say that that does not solve it...even though it is deleted it remains locked to that PS3. We will try it when he gets home from School

[tmendick]

please use the edit button instead of double posting. But more to the point, if you make a second ps3 master account and download/buy the songs again. you should be able to use them on you other account. This is the way rock band works, my buddy and I share songs we each have each others master account copied to our ps3's and as long as it is downloaded on the system the songs work on all accounts.
I would go into detail in how to share songs on different systems with the same account name, but it sounds like you tried that several different times

and even if that doesnt work and you need to use the different master account to play the singstar tracks, you will only need to use it during singstar. It will not affect your other stats and standings for you original account

[Fantana]

SingStore just says COMING SOON to me whenever I try to go on it...ridiculous as I want some fresh songs.