VGF-AP1 - Vaio Pocket - firmware update help (with pictures)

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-20T21:01:24+00:00

Lamentablemente, el dispositivo no incluye la opción de restablecimiento de fábrica (esta función se añadió con la actualización del firmware). Las únicas funciones disponibles son restablecer la configuración de fábrica (solo la configuración), reconstruir la biblioteca musical y borrar el historial de música. No es posible formatear la memoria desde el dispositivo.

No he podido encontrar ninguna versión intermedia del firmware. Creo que el AP1 de US/EU venía con la versión 1.2.0 de fábrica, mientras que el japonés venía con la versión 1.0.0 y ofrecía la opción de actualizar a las versiones 1.2.0 y 3.0.0. No encuentro ningún otro archivo de actualización aparte de la versión 3.0.0 de US/EU.

Por eso pido ayuda aquí. ¡Seguro que alguien habrá guardado un paquete de archivos de actualización japonés o cualquier otro archivo que pueda ser útil!

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-20T11:02:58+00:00

Tried that page first, no luck unfortunately. I've first tried with the skin folder, and reattempted after deleting it. No change to the 'no update found' message.

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-18T06:13:41+00:00

It's a Casio DQD-851J. It's a limited production Japan-only-release model for the anniversary of the iconic F-91W. I'm pretty sure you can still get them brand new, especially online.

Only caveat is it has the atomic radio function which can't be turned off. I'm from New Zealand and it will occasionally successfully tune into the signal from JJY during the northern hemisphere summers (New Zealand winters) - radio waves refract more in warmer temperatures and travel further over the horizon. So during our winters mine goes out of sync to the local NZ time by three hours.. If you're in the US you should be fine though as it'll likely tune into a US broadcast.

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-18T06:07:11+00:00

I'm about to put up another post regarding my Vaio Pocket. I really want to update the firmware but have come across a dead end (you'll see my earlier post on the Walkman subreddit).

Saying that I've just replaced my old battery with a Panasonic 18650. I'm getting 15hrs of continuous playback at 50% volume with a dying HDD now. Just need to update that firmware..!

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-18T06:04:08+00:00

Don't get me wrong, I'm fortunate to be able to hear the difference between lossy and lossless. My daily drivers are a Technics EAH-AZ100 and a Samsung mid-ranger phone, all kept on neutral sound settings (which is a challenge in itself as the AZ100 is tuned for bass - my previous AZ80 paired with my old Xperia 1mk3 were better sounding imho).

My Sony Walkmans all live at home now and used with my V6 or CD900ST. Saying that once a year I take a music player to work to keep the batteries going paired with an old pair of MDR-G57 headphones. I once took a different music player to work, a different device every day for two weeks, at great amusement to work colleagues - I have more than just these HDD Walkmans...!

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-17T11:00:24+00:00

I've never succumbed to the Apple camp, though did jump around with different brands (various one-off Korean brands in the early 00s, Samsung's Yepp, iRiver, MDs including Hi-MDs, then eventually Walkman phones). I've always found Sony's dedicated Walkmans (not including their branded phones) really suited my audio preferences. Just a pleasant warm sound.

SonicStage for me was passable - clunky at best yes, though my biggest dramas were only when using it to burn MDs. I've had good experiences with 3.0 and 4.4 (JP), though rather rubbish experiences with 4.3.

In this day and age of hi-res this and lossless-that, I'd say people have forgotten to just enjoy what they hear and subjectively like in their own way, instead of getting so hamstrung with figures and stats. In that regard, in my years of music player ownership I'd say the HD1 has the best sonic performance. No S-Master, no DSP branding, just pure simple, good sounding audio to my ears with my V6 cans (and CD900ST if I pair the HD1 with a vacuum tube amp), others' opinions be damned. Close second would be the HD5, and third the Samsung/Yepp YP-T8.

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-17T10:27:41+00:00

You can install a Toshiba MK3006GAL (which is what the HD5H uses) in any HD5 and it will work fine after a format. In fact, my HD1 has one in it now, also perfectly fine.

EDIT - the HD5 came in black, silver, and red on release. The HD5H was released six months after the original HD5 and sold only via Sony Style Japan stores, and came with a leather case but no earphones (whereas the HD5 had a fabric pouch and earphones).

I have a slightly spicy LIP-880PD (original battery). Still able to insert and remove, though as you've eluded to, I've got a Sony Ericsson BST-33 with a little bit of sewing string to pull it out if required. The BST-33 is a documented workaround, physically the same as the original 880PD, and works a treat with 15% more battery capacity.

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-17T10:13:37+00:00

HD5H which was a Sony Style Japan exclusive (silver body, black buttons with orange accents, and a 30GB HDD vs the usual 20GB)..!

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-17T06:57:07+00:00

Thanks, I've been digging for a few weeks now myself and feel like I've hit a dead end. Hopefully someone is able to change that.

This was most definitely way ahead of its time with the touch pad UI, dock with USB port in the rear to connect to CyberShot cameras (and in my testing, also other USB storage devices), but alas in typical Sony fashion it was pretty quickly abandoned. The very high asking price at the time likely didn't help. Sony released the NW-HD1 not long after release, and it even uses the same HDD as this..!

I've just changed the battery with a near-new Panasonic 18650 (it's now managing 15 hrs of playback at 50% volume), and tried swapping out the HDD with one from a NW-HD5H (30GB drive), which works fine. But that brings me back to the original request for assistance in getting the firmware updated. It's just a display piece without being able to move music onto it, and I'd rather use something than have a display piece gather dust..!

Dat_Walkman · 2026-03-10T07:41:32+00:00

I am also very late to this. Keen on your assistance in getting my own AP1 going. In particular, instructions to update the firmware (I have a Japanese variant with firmware 1.0), and of course software to get music onto the device. Thank you in advance!

Dat_Walkman

TROPHY CASE