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Windows 10 installation (Net MD): 1) Download the files in description 2) Double click on "SS43_Ultimate.exe" and install the "SonicStage" program. 3) Go to Program Files (x86) -> Sony -> Personal Audio Drivers -> Sort by type -> Highlight all the ".inf" files, right click on one of them and hit install. 4) Unzip the second attached file "sony-net-md-drivers-win764.zip" and open up the folder "Sony Net MD Drivers". 5) Right click "NETMD760.inf" and hit install. 6) Go to Program Files (x86) -> Sony -> SonicStage-> Right click on "Omgjbox.exe -> Click on Compatibility -> Under the Compatibility tab, click the box and select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" Launch SonicStage, plug in your Walkman and a "NET MD" tab should show up in Sonic Stage. If the "NET MD" tab does not show up for you, then you need to find the correct driver for the individual Microdisc player You may receive an error when starting it, just click "next" and agree" and open it up a 2nd time without problems. Learning how to use SonicStage is very easy. SS43_ULTIMATE.exe sony-net-md-drivers-win764.zip

Since the "Ultimate" 4.3 version seems to have gained quite a popularity, and appears to be less glitchy than any previous one, I decided to build a second release. This is purely a cosmetic update. What's changed from the first release: 1. Updated Registry Information Setup is used now. This doesn't affect minidisc functionality in any way, but may add support for some newer ATRAC phones (you still need to provide the respective drivers). 2. The link to Minidisc Community Forums in the Help menu is replaced with a link to Sony Insider Forums. 3. Installation package extraction path is no longer saved to registry. 4. Windows Installer 2.0 distribution package is not included. The complete list of changes from the official VAIO version (including changes introduced in the first release): 1. System prerequisites from Microsoft (Windows Installer 2.0, DirectX 9.0c, Windows Media Format 9, Windows Media Format 9.5, Data Access Components 2.5) are not included. 2. OpenMG Secure Module version 5.0 with the respective Registry Information is used instead of the original patched version 4.7. 3. Sony CONNECT Store support is no longer installed. 4. SonicStage Security Update is installed automatically. 5. Latest Personal Audio Drivers for SONY devices are installed automatically. 6. The VAIO support link in the Help menu is replaced with a link to Sony Insider Forums. NOTE: If you have applied the experimental SonicStage patch 4.3.02 for Vista/Windows 7, you'll need to re-apply it after installation. Download links: SonicStage 4.3 "Ultimate" Release 2 for Windows 2000/XP/Vista (you must register at Sony Insider forums to download) Mini-mode skins Recommended PxEngine update

Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum, and let me say that I love to see the love and conversation about MiniDisc keep going on I'm popping in just to let you know that I've recently released an app for NetMD devices. I wrote the app mainly for myself, but I thought it might be useful for some of you too! So, and here's the link to use it -> https://stefano.brilli.me/webminidisc/ And here's a short demo of how app works Any feedback is welcome! Stefano

As promised in one of my previous posts, here is the trailer for 'The Field Recordist' which features some of the mini disc recorders, together with recorded tracks: UPDATED - HERE IS THE COMPLETE FILM: Best heard with headphones.

Hello! Just thought I'll report it here, if you're trying to create an account without a connection with an already existing account like Google or alike, it's simply impossible to do so, because of incorrectly loaded reCaptcha. To make this account I had to rewrite the part of the site responsible for the captcha. If anyone else is experiencing the same difficulties, here are the steps I used to create my account: Go to https://forums.sonyinsider.com/register/ In devtools, open the `head` tag and remove all the scripts that mention recaptcha Add a new script, with `src="https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js"` Execute the following JavaScript code: const captcha = document.querySelector("[data-ipscaptcha]"); const parent = captcha.parentElement; captcha.remove(); const newCaptcha = document.createElement("div"); parent.appendChild(newCaptcha); grecaptcha.ready(() => grecaptcha.render(newCaptcha, {sitekey: "6LdgERMTAAAAAC4kTmm7BH1laShX3teATAV_6FIY"})); After that, you should be able to click on the captcha and create your account by executing the following JS code (the submit button is broken): document.querySelector("form").submit();

Finally, my homebrew laser power meter is put together. It cost $3 worth of surface mount components, a used disc sacrificed for the shell, a piece of pcb, and some other stuff I found in the back of my drawer. Initially I tested it with my digital multimeter hooked on those test terminals, but then I found this neat little five-digit Volt-meter I bought some time ago on ebay, I think it was five bucks or so with free shipping from China. Without much fine tuning, I popped this little probe into all the decks I had at hand, and measured the laser power. From the mV readings and the nominal laser power values I calculated the mV-to-mW multipliers, and I took the average of a unit I trusted the most, a 940. Using this sole multiplier as the "calibration", I recalculated the measured mW figures and compared to the factory recommended range. Most of the other units were nicely within specification, but this 530 in question, that immediately popped out, being near 40% below the necessary values, i.e., 0,55 mW and 4,32 mW versus 0,9 mW and 7,0 mW respectively. Now, it might be that easy, but before changing anything, I want to check the IOP, to see, whether that meets the specs, and set the measured value for further adjustments. For this I will need that rig connecting to the drive, currently waiting for the special connector to arrive. So much for now, I will update the thread as I progress. Some photos attached below, just for fun.

I received a similar, albeit slightly smaller, mix of boxed and unboxed discs today too 🙂

Which sort of cases are you after? You used to be able to buy the basic hinged jewel cases from Amazon but I've not seen them on there for a few years now: If you're UK based Retro Style Media sell them: https://www.retrostylemedia.co.uk/product/clear-minidisc-case Price per case varies depending on how many you buy. Note that the quoted price is ex VAT so you'll need to factor that in as well. They also sell the larger cases that pre-recorded discs used to come in back in the 90s: They come in a variety of colours but are a lot more expensive. You can find them here: https://www.retrostylemedia.co.uk/shop/minidisc-cases That website also has templates to download for the inserts etc. There's a bit more info (and a video) here:

Don't worry about it - I got myself a Sony LAM for testing and ended up falling in love with the whole LAM series of devices. I have 3 now, so I use that functionality regularly 😆

Over the past couple of months, I've been bitten by the MD bug again. I hadn't visited this forum in a VERY long time. I've used one of my MZ-NH900s at my work desk on almost a daily basis for 10+ years. It sits it's original cradle, powered from the AC adapter because the battery long since gave up the ghost. I have about 20 disc's (a mix of Hi-MD and standard MD My other NH900 has been broken for years after it fell out of my pocket and a disc got jammed. Was able to get the disc out by disassembling the recorder but when I all went back together the buttons were no longer responsive... So I put it in a storage box with my other MD stuff that wasn't used anymore. FF 1month ago, I was digging thru some things and came across my box MD recorders. Pulled out the NH900 and took it apart again. Long story short, it's had been returned to service! While looking for info on repair, I came across this site and an intro to Reddit MD. My interest stoked again, burned some new disc's, reorganized some of my favorites, and am trying my hand at labeling. I've also managed to buy a couple of new Hi-MD blanks and some used standard MDs. It's always fun to go thru used disc's from someone else to see what's on them 🙂 My MD arsenal consists of: MZ-R500, MZ-N707 (eprom nodded), MZ-N920, IM-DR420, MZ-NH600D, 2-MZ-NH900s, 2-MZ-RH10s (both with bad displays), and a MZ-RH910. 150ish standard MDs and 15 Hi-MDs. Most of my standard disc's are Hi-MD formated and most of the music is burned in ATRAC3plus @256k. I simply LOVE this format!

Nice to see SIF back up. Why was it down? It was quite a long time. I think many people have given up on it. That http://www.minidisc.wiki has turned out pretty nice btw. Still has a ways to go, but it has data on some devices not found anywhere else in English.

I don't have a question, just wanted to post a brief homage to my Sony MZ-R90 which I got, unexpectedly, as a birthday present in 2000. It transformed portable audio for me, but unfortunately, six short months later, my MZ-R90 was stolen by an opportunistic thief. Not long after that, I moved on from MD to MP3 players, but just recently I've been reminiscing wistfully about that beautiful little piece of music technology. I had the black version, and I think the industrial design is really magnificent.

Back in 1997, long before MP3 was anything more than a concept, I was serving in the Air Force and frequently deployed overseas. Some guys on the squadron introduced me to a strange format for making music portable. MiniDisc. I soon got to learn that those tough little discs survived the rough-and-tumble of life in a kit-bag. We each bought portable players, and would ‘pool’ our discs together to make little music libraries, would trade discs with one another, and would copy CD’s for one another back home. No matter where we were in the world, AA batteries were easy to obtain, and just a handful of batteries would literally last weeks. It was a pocket-sized bit of luxury that we could carry with us, and I loved it. ......then, along came MP3 players and the ubiquitous ‘iPod’. Suddenly we could carry all of our music in a small space, and it seemed that the MiniDisc was dead. Within about 3 years everyone I knew had ditched the format and were literally giving away their discs and players, as were oil-rig workers, fishermen, and other locals who worked away from home for extended periods. I too, confined my MiniDisc collection to a box in the loft, and bought an iPod Classic. Fast-forward to 2005, and I deployed for a 4-month tour to Iraq. My iPod came with me, and I had the small luxury of my music collection to fall back on, OR SO I THOUGHT. By the second week I had the sickening ‘Sync Reset’ display (which of course was impossible without my PC) and in one fell swoop I lost my music. Other guys had problems with the portable power-generators cooking their wall-plug chargers, and soon quite a few of us had lost the use of our players, just when we would have appreciated them the most! Back home, and I was quickly falling out of love with my iPod. It seemed that whenever I updated my collection there would be issues with mixed/missing title-tracks and artwork. Any albums entitled ‘Greatest Hits’ would become an amalgamated mess, and whilst the battery-life seemed to get ever shorter, the demands for a ‘sync reset’ increased. The love was fading. I noticed something else, too. My listening habits were changing. My seemingly endless access to music made me a lazy listener, and I would frequently jump from album to album, track to track, and would often skip mid-way through a track. My days of listening to an album the way that the artist intended, had gone. This wasn’t music enjoyment. ....and so, by 2008 I was back to my MiniDisc, and what I revival it was! Equipment that had previously been prohibitively expensive was now dirt-cheap, and I was living the hobby like a millionaire! I soon had units for every occasion with Sony JA20ES and JA50ES decks for hifi use, numerous portable players, and a Pioneer MEH P9000 head-unit for the car. I could afford to be extravagant with discs, and my well used dozen or so swelled up to over 1,000. That was 10 years ago, and nothing much since then has changed. I still indulge in the childhood enjoyment of putting a ‘mixtape’ together in real-time, copying music from my CD’s and vinyl to Type-R SP to listen to in the car, or out walking the dog. Because space is at a premium my playlists are more carefully considered, and I listen to each track in full. My listening-habits are back to where they should be. In 20 years I can count on one hand the number of corrupted discs I’ve suffered, only ever having to re-copy one album. I keep discs and a spare player at work, in the summerhouse and in the car, and I have a physical, tangible connection with my music collection again. MiniDisc as a commercial format is dead, and I’m OK with that. It continues to live on in my household, and probably will do for years to come, maybe even for another decade or more. I continue to love the ‘forgotten format’, and those robust little discs give me everything I need.

Hi Folks, Long time no post, busy with child rearing. :-) I do stop by to read up on new posts and topics. I ran across this video on YouTube yesterday, sorry to post if everyone has already seen it but it was good to see and I wanted to share with all. Cheers!

It is currently admitted that the MZ-RH1 has the best DAC, ergo the best sound. I prefer however the sound of QS and ES Sony decks.

Hi all! So I've started a little project for myself. Minidisc never really caught on too well in canada so I won't be stmbling on any racks at the thrift shop anytime soon. I've been looking for storage solutions, haven't been a big fan of the wine box idea, generally I haven't seen anything that really caught my eye. For some reason it never dawned on me in the last year to 3D print some racks... I'm not sure why, I've been 3D printing everything else for years.... So I designed these up yesterday with some spare time. They're very rough still and very utilitarian. The larger one holds 10 discs and is meant to stack vertically (and has holes for nesting feet, and holes for screws). The smaller one to the right I haven't tested yet but I am thinking of a wall unit that makes the discs look like they are floating out of the wall. Edit wise I'm going to shrink the width by 2mm and perhaps put the discs at a slight downard angle rather than 90 degree so that if they were on an uneven surface, they'd still stay in the rack. What do you guys think? Feel free to toss any ideas my way! (also, for curiosity sake, the larger one took 8 hours to print! 3d printing is pretty cool but it's still a very slow process.) (The render) and printed

I got the drivers installed on my computer. I recommend watching this youtube video thats how i did it.

In case anyone is interested... I´ve written a review of the Sony MZ-R 50. http://marlene-d.blogspot.de/2013/07/the-legendary-sony-mz-r-50-review.html

I just wanted to say that it is nice to have some new members who are clearly MD lovers around to join in on the discussion and add new thoughts, ideas and opinions. Welcome all. :-)

Buy LIP-4 battery. First open all the cover of LIP-4. then you can small PCB. just remove the PCB using soldering iron or else. Do the same things with LIP-3 batteries. take the small PCB from LIP-3 and put to LIP-4 battery cell use soldering iron. Then cover you new battery, make sure it won't have electronics shortcuts. You'll have a new long lasting battery. It works on my MZ-N10.

I have a Sony MDS-JE780 for sale. It is silver and in mint condition as it has been hardly used. It is based in Wolverhampton so can be collected, or can be posted at additional cost. (I estimate about £7 with recorded delivery) £80 ono. Spec taken from the Sony website: Hybrid Pulse D/A Converter ATRAC DSP Type-S Long Time Recording and Playback (LP2, LP4) Pitch Control Scale Factor Edit NetMD Control A1 Keyboard Terminal 1 x Optical & 1 x Coaxial Input & 1 x Optical Output Available inblack and silverSee the link for more info.... http://www.sony.co.u...=TechnicalSpecs

MiniDisc is not useless; it's obsolete. There is a key difference. Nothing as multifaceted as a MiniDisc recorder can be said to be useless. That said, I think that even if Sony had marketed MiniDisc successfully, it would be obsolescent today because its competitors are more feature-rich. I have difficulty following some of the logic in this thread. MiniDisc and MP3 players both have shuffle functions. It's up to the user whether or not to use them, and absolutely nothing about an MP3 player compels one to do so. It SHOULD go without saying that either is just as capable of playing entire albums chronologically. You're arguing against your perceptions of MP3 users' supposed preferences, which are likely exaggerated and unfounded. The issue was the native functionality of the devices and which better suited the questioner. I still have my MiniDisc players, though I almost exclusively use my MP3 player (and never on shuffle). I may be returning to reporting soon and thus would use my MiniDisc to record, even though my MP3 player has a voice recorder. I also take out MiniDisc sometimes just for nostalgia. Whereas many of you are exalting album listening, I actually got into MiniDisc because it facilitated playlists, but now MP3 players do this better because the track need not be re-uploaded to form the playlist. Album listening has its advantages and purposes, but playlists demonstrate the user's creativity and make for great time travel. In my moments of nostalgia, I can call up playlists of the songs that defined eras I miss. It's a beautiful thing. One of you said you found MP3 players useless because they could not do all the things a MiniDisc player could. That depends on the MP3 player. (Further, it's a bogus statement because any mass storage device that plays music clearly has a twofold desirable purpose.) I actually can edit titles and move files on the go, but let's be honest: It is rare that such an act is of such pressing import that it can't wait until one gets home. My MP3 player is an Archos 5, which, like many MP3 players, has great sound quality, radio, a 250-gigabyte hard drive, a voice recorder, Wi-FI, Web radio and TV, DVR, picture display, and video. Useless because it's an MP3 player? Oh, brother. Much of this stems from your zeal to vindicate the MiniDisc, which I love. Another example is the citation of an intangible such as "cool factor," which lies in the eye of the beholder. Consider that being in the in-crowd like an Apple user can be said to be cool. Also, cool as in different just means anything opposed to the leading product, and that doesn't necessarily mean a MiniDisc. A lesser-known MP3 player can turn heads, but turning heads is not where the joy in product use lies. It is also flawed logic to assert that one likes MiniDisc because one prefers to carry around just a few albums. One can choose to listen to just a few on an MP3 player, first of all. The mere presence of all the other tracks you have neatly stored on the hard drive will not weigh heavily on the mind. Second, both MP3 players and MiniDiscs are mass storage devices. That's like one compulsive overeater defaming another because the other is even worse. That does not make you the icon of restraint; rather, you prefer a lesser example of excess. I do believe there still are real advantages to MiniDisc that relate to its native functionality. It's durable, sounds great, and records. It edges out MP3 in battery life, line-in recording, and usually voice recording. Actually, recording is where its greatest strength is now. Another strength is that different models are tailored to different uses; some have radio, some record and others have a digital amplifier, for instance. I love that my MP3 player works with Windows Media Player, which keeps track of the tracks you have and have not added to the device. Syncing automatically adds the new tracks. If I went back to MinDisc, I'd have to guess where I left off as I tried to upload all the music I have purchased since then to MiniDiscs. Also, I don't have to be bothered with SonicStage or ATRAC anymore, and I am glad. I don't have a second-generation Hi-MD player, so I can't put MP3s on them.

I have an N510 and a DN430. Both sound really good. I also have some S1's which, I know, are type R. They both sound excellent to me. I figured I'd take the (possible) slight noise quality hit and lack of remote for bombproof (especially in Orygun) performance of the S1. I can say those DN430's sound just fine. I think you can find that model with a radio too

Not at all. This is all useful information for those, like me, that only have one point of reference for the behaviour of the NiMH gumsticks in their players. Hmm. If the charger is charging it up to somewhere around normal levels and then it's dropping by itself then it may be done for. You'd have to check with a meter what happens when it's charging. A bench power supply can be used for more advanced manual charging methods also (but you really need to do research on that to ensure you don't cause the battery to overheat). A deep discharge plus charge up again might sort it out but 0.9v is already considered about empty for a NiMH cell. Whether it can deliver any meaningful current might be more telling, but you'd have to find something to load it down to test (at a reasonable current, say 100-300mA). A few years ago I posted a thread about contolling it over the serial port to add track markers if you want to see some serial command nerding. It also contains a block-quote with some background information on it. At the time it was when the whole Web Minidisc stuff was kicking off, and I esentially abandoned that whole idea right away. Also because it's an older ATRAC version, it might be a fancy broadcast deck, but the reality is the recordings sound shit compared to any Type R portable. It's my main living room player though, so it's in frequent use. Because it's intended for broadcast it responds almost instantly to anything, including spitting the disc out without delay, and has chunky buttons, so I really enjoy the tactile nature of it compared to more consumer decks. It gets an outing every year at a large cybersecurity conference where it's used in an area as a public-facing background music player with a selection of discs next to it for people to swap between throughout the event (or I swap them when I notice the same disc has been playing for a long time). I made a Raspberry Pi based display that uses the info from the serial port to show what the last tracks and discs were to be played. The script is a complete hack and is available on GitHub. You know what, that really deserves a thread all of its own (later, I need to go to work!)...

Thought this might be of interest to anyone who has an MZ-RH1/MZ-M200 with a failed/failing OLED display: MZ-RH1 Compatible Display Modules Apparently @asivery is working on something similar for the MZ-RH10/MZ-M100 (some info in the comments on Reddit)

The 320 is not an MDLP model. What you experience is normal for the SP-only decks. The first Sony full size MDLP decks were the x40 family (440/640/940), from 2000 or so. The 320 is from 1998, way before the MDLP hit the market.

I replaced the belt in an MDS-JB980 this evening. I had intended to follow 2many's method but it became clear to me quite quickly that I was going to struggle with that (you might have more success if you're more dexterous than I am, have some more suitable tools and you are not in need of new reading glasses...) so I ended up following kgallen's method (using one of my daughter's hairpins to re-affix the spring). There's a video of someone replacing the belt in an MDS-JE780 here: It looks very similar to the MDS-JB980 inside, although one of the earth leads is connected differently. In fact, when I had my MDS-JB980s open earlier I noticed that a number of the circuit boards were labelled "Sony MDS-JE780" and a couple of others "Sony MDS-JB940". Sony obviously used the same parts in a number of their decks.

There is an old French adage that says the best soups are made in the oldest pans.

So sorry...I just saw this. I was able to retrieve all the info. The deck was 256 USD. Shipping and fees were 177 USD. Here's the breakdown, from an email Buyee sent me: [Total Shipping Cost] US$177.84 (19,100yen) ------------------------------------------- [Fee Breakdown] <Domestic Shipping Fee (From seller to Buyee)> 1,400yen <Consumption Tax> 0yen <International Shipping Fee (From Buyee to your address)> 16,200yen <Package Consolidation Fee> 0yen <Protective Packaging Fee> 1,500yen ※The paid amount is calculated from the USD-JPY exchange rate at the time of the payment.

This LIP-4WM shortage make me think of selling my two MZ-RH1 (grey and black) one of these days.

Jim if you are ever reading this...I do hope you get better soon plus I know you have got 1 million and one things to do with your new work-shop when your health back.I do appreciated your time thanks. Jim if you are ever reading this...I do hope you get better soon plus I know you have got 1 million and one things to do with your new work-shop when your health back.I do appreciated your time thanks.

If you do your own field recordings with the unit, I advise you to choose a Hi-MD for these reasons 1) quality of recording (even lossless with PCM) 2) lengh of the recording if you get Hi-MD discs (but classic MD formatted in Hi-MD mode offer also a rather long lengh of recording if you don't choose the lossless quality) 3) possibilty of upload of your own recordings even in WAV format : <<Self-Recording Upload Function Hi-MD Walkman recorders offer two-way communication from the PC to device and from the device back to the PC. With the mic in feature5 you can make a self-recording on the device and transfer content back to the PC.>> technical short extract of the MZ-RH900. Nota : Sony has stated that only analog-source recordings created on Hi-MD equipment will be eligible for upload. The Sony MZ-RH1/M200(for Mac) is the best (and most expensive) but others Hi-MD recordings units allow also the upload of your own field recordings. See the minidisc.org browser for units and the FAQ. Price range : Rh1 > 200 to 800US$ (!), others recording Hi-MD units 50 to 250US$, Hi-MD blank discs much more than 10US$ nowadays (just format classic MDs in Hi-MD mode to save money.

Yes - I went through a big phase messing around with them. I still contend that the Sony Portable CD Players that play ATRAC, MP3, Audio CDs and have Radios are the most versatile portable audio devices of that generation. However - I was very surprised to find that they were not gapless. And they really didn't sound as good as MDs - assume that is because of the hardware and not the codec of course.

Hi may I say a huge thank you for this wonderful post ,I have to keep going over it in case I missed some thing , I too own the MZ-R-50 I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and it oozed charm and wonderful to the touch and I could not help thinking ,would I be lucky enough to have bought one that may work, i only had one mini disc which was my Beatles Hard days Night and a friend had done me that years ago when I had dabbled a little with MD so I quickly inserted the disc and my really really best Sony headphones and the beauty burst in to life with the full impact of the greatest band that ever graced us with there presence ,clear as a bell and a joy to listen too after listening to the appalling sound of my new Samsung galaxy 4 smartphone ,oh if Sony had only built a phone in to the MD, I need to stop the ramble now and go enjoy my pride and joy as it will surely take centre stage over my over priced s4 ,again a big thank you my friend and best wishes to all the MD users Brian.

Stephen, why the http://forums.sonyinsider.com/files/category/1-programs/ link is broken ?

I don't have any external connector dedicated to synchronization of recording with my JB980 deck. I just make a playlist, push play and at the same time record on the deck. Titling must be done by hand (copy-paste tracks titles to Sonic Stage and a Net-MD connection)

Hey Ari, Your listing looks great!

-Considering whether to explore repairing or not - I have two NH900s, both of which have started failing in the same way that 'sbeuh' describes above during playback of 74 and 80 minute discs recorded in SP or LP2. Skips and gaps are becoming much too common. They worked fine when I first got them. I'm wondering if it's worth having these two units repaired? I liked them as playback units and for downloading or burning CDs to using Simple Burner. I'd rather use these units for such functions than my RH1s. But, I have also found them to be finicky machines (especially regarding the two buttons on the face labeled 'CANCEL / CHG' which also has the Pause (||) function and the smaller button labeled 'NAVI /MENU'. (I have a third NH900 that is beyond repair I think, which could be used for spare parts but, it did lot of skipping and blanking out during playback as well.) Were these just poorly designed or built machines, despite the nice metal case? Or did I just manage to get three bad ones? To repair or not to repair is the question.

Stereotypes are never good... but... they become stereotypes for a reason. I'd wager a guess that this reason is simply that Apple users are prepared to pay more for what, in some people's eyes, is the same thing. I find this discussion interesting because I was sitting in an Indian restaurant on Tuesday night with two close friends: one recently bought an iPad (his first Apple device) and the other has an iPhone and also recently bought an iPad and a Mac Book Pro. I would say that this second friend might qualify as "rich" (being an airline pilot), but probably not that trendy. Computer literacy is average. A comment he made, that stood out to me, is how easy all his "iDevices" are; "I don't know how they do it, but all my photos synced from one to the other [...] I've no idea where they're stored on either device [assuming he meant the iPad or MBP], I just tap on photos and there they are".

just checking in. can we download true sp files to net md yet? its going to be awesome!

Excellent news! I have loads of *.oma recordings which can't be opened at the moment and I really wish to get them back..

My thoughts exactly ... unless it's a Sony MZ-E730

Hi Jaywars, I'm also a user of Sony Minidisc Recorders (MZ/N10 and MZ/RH1) and had the same problems as you. On internet I found the following solution: 1) Browse to the directory C:\Program files\Common files\Sony Shared\OpenMG\restorable, then you will find two files, namely icv.dat and maclist.dat; 2) Select both these files and copy them to the parent folder C:\Program files\Common files\Sony Shared\OpenMG; 3) After closing these directories etc. launch the SonicStage icon on your screen; 4) I have executed these procedure for both Windows XP (desktop computer) and Windows 7 Ultimate (notebook) and in both cases it was succesfull.

Hello and welcome archmonde11, Regarding your questions about MD/HiMD formatting. You are correct, this is a choice of the format placed on the disc. The original MD format using MDLP (ATRAC3 CODEC compression options) was designed for storage of 80 minutes of music at 292Kbps (SP mode) very good sound quality, but limited duration and capacity, 160 minutes of music at 132Kbps (LP2 mode) decent sound quality but with compression artifacts being more obvious or 320 minutes of music at 66Kbps (LP4 mode) so-so sound quality, not acceptable to some. With HiMD, you are able to place the HiMD format on an older 80 minute disc, the HiMD format allows for the storage of higher duration of source material. The comparison is not apples to apples because Sony began stating the capacity of a disc in MB or GB versus minutes of storage space. An 80 minute disk prepared with HiMD format has access to the newer ATRAC3plus compression options as well as the original ATRAC3 options. Using ATRAC3 you can store approximately 5 hours LP2 and 10 hours LP4, using the newer ATRAC3plus CODECs for compression, an 80 minute disc prepared with HiMD format can store approximately 2 hours 30 minutes of 256Kbps (Hi-SP), 10 hours of 64Kbps (Hi-LP). There are some other ATRAC3plus CODEC options as well, however some cannot be transferred to MD regardless of the format placed on the disk. Using a 1GB HiMD disc, which can only be formatted using the HiMD format, you can store many more hours of ATRAC3 and ATRAC3Plus content. The disc is has roughly 3.25 times the capacity of an 80 minute disc and can hold around 8 hours of ATRAC3plus 256Kbps (HiSP) which is great. It can also store around 16 hours of ATRAC3 132Kbps (LP2). PCM can be stored on both disk types as well, although at the cost of capacity. An 80 minute HiMD formatted disc can store around 30 minutes of PCM, a 1GB HiMD disc can store around 94 minutes of PCM. I personally use new old stock 80 Minute MD disks in two modes, optical recording of SP (292Kbps) straight to disc for fantastic sound quality, but only 80 minutes of storage (same as CD). I also frequently use two other combinations of format and CODEC. 80 minute MD prepared with HiMD format using ATRAC3plus HiSP (256Kbps) for about 2.5 hours per disk with great sound quality as well as 80 minute MD prepared with HiMD format using ATRAC3 LP2 (132Kbps) for about 5 hours per disk with decent sound quality. I own around 10 HiMD discs but find that I do not use them often. Have fun figuring it all out, the RH1 is a sweet unit, I love mine and use it nearly every day.

I usually press pause and then slide the record button. This doesn't produce that empty track. I guess the RH1 is quicker with starting the recording.

ive had the walkman x for about 4 weeks now and i love it but does anybody know if sony is going to release a firmware update for it because it really needs one.

Oh ! no, don't say that I wish, I could ask you to come here and do DJ work in one my parties .Keep it up !

Actually the MD units are usually rated at 3V which is what the concern was about. I don't know about the new Hi-MD units but the older non-Hi-MD units mainly came pacakaged with transformer-type AC adapters. The float output from a 3V AC adapter is therefore above 5V and as you explained (very well I might add ) which is why the original person thought that 5V from the USB was okay. There was a concern that since the transformer adapter would go to closer to 3V under load that 5V constant (from the USB) is too much. However that just isn't true because of the fact that I described above--the newer MD units have a degree of protection--if they are overvoltaged they display a warning on the display and lock out the power to the unit. Actually I'd say it was a pretty darn good breakdown!