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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

I keep meaning to do a proper stock take as my spreadsheet's out of date but a quick rummage through some boxes in my office turned up 370 sealed blanks 🙄 I don't think I need to start panic buying more 🤔

Well, you might not consider them "pro" @Richard, but they certainly look very professional to me. And your pictorial posts are always very much appreciated.

Hi and welcome to the MD universe! Looking at your first video, I was struck by the amount of surface material present on the disc's upper surface. Normally they should be glossy and without scratches or deposited material. If there is crud stuck on there, then it could explain why the record head cannot contact the surface consistently, and stops. Do you have another, possibly cleaner disc to try? Since the machine is new to you, another possibility is that it's the record head itself which is producing deposits, so would be worth cleaning the underside of the record head with some 70% isopropanol to see if that helps. Even if it isn't the source of the deposits, it may have picked some up during the write attempts.

Not sure if I can aswer your question but I sympathise. I have two MZ-RH1 machines and one has lost its OLEDS - such a shame. I find using a sidecar helps for seeing what's going on for Playback, but recording and editing is pure guesswork - so I don't bother and use other machines to record on. I'd think that if you haven't changed any settings and Sonicstage is confirming PCM, you're probably OK. Somewhere onlineis at least one video showing how to replace the OLEDs in the MZ-RH1 (if you can find replacements). It looks fiendishly difficult and fiddly and way beyond my capabilities or level of patience.

Ah, fair enough. Just saw the output on the back and thought it might be worth checking.

Hello. I have recently rediscovered my Minidiscs and also purchased my first Net MD capable player / recorder. Even though people keep telling me not to use SonicStage, I've come to prefer it. I got SS 4.3 from these forums and installed it in a VirtualBox VM running Windows XP SP3. I like ripping my CDs to ATRAC Lossless and using those files to transfer to MDs using either LP2 or SP (if I want to play on my older MD units). However, I got sick of typing the CD info in and was looking for a way to automate this in SS 4.3 and I have come up with what I feel is a halfway decent solution. I've created a new Windows app that I call SonicStageTitles that I can paste the track listing into and this program generates a VBScript that can type the titles into SS. The basic work flow is: search the CD catalog number at Discogs.com highlight & copy the track info paste this into SonicStageTitles click the "Extract Titles" button, verify or fix anything that looks incorrect click the "Generate Script" button check what it generated in the "VBScript body" text box (make sure there aren't any bad characters) click the "Run VBScript" button SonicStage will be brought to the foreground A dialog will appear stating that after you click "Ok" you have 7 seconds to get the first track in edit mode Click OK Click on the first track (click again, if it wasn't already highlighted) See that track 1 is in edit mode with all characters highlighted Sit and watch as the generated VBScript script types all the track names in for me I know that seeing 13 steps listed there might seem like a lot but, it's really pretty dang easy and a lot easier than typing titles manually. If anyone else is interested in using SonicStageTitles, let me know and I will hook you up with a copy to try out. I've only tested it in WinXP with SS 4.3 so, I have no idea if it works in other versions of Windows or with other versions of SS. Also, I hear that the latest Win 10 update prevents VBScripts from using the sendKeys command. If that's true, then this script will not work on those versions of Win 10.

I'm wayyy off topic here, but if you like my waffle... These days (since early 1990s) we do the logic design with specialised software languages like SystemVerilog or VHDL, generally known as Hardware Description Languages or HDLs. This description can't be "anything and everything" you like in these languages, you have to use particular constructs in particular contexts to "infer" meaningful structures like combinational logic or flip-flops (an abstraction we call Register Transfer Level, or RTL). Then we use a process called logic synthesis which converts the HDL description into a logic netlist (AND, OR, NAND, NOR gates, flip-flops etc). This logical netlist then has to be "layed out" onto silicon by taking the transistors of each gate and mapping them onto silicon and defining the layers that are needed in the silicon (wells, channels, contacts), then these transistors have to be wired together by creating metal interconnects that join silicon contact to silicon contact in the required circuit topology. We also have to add power meshes and clock distribution networks and fix the timing of the circuit (setup and hold). Once the physical design is complete and the layout meets all of the logical and physical design rules, the design can be sent to the silicon foundry at a point we call "tape out". The foundry do the magic chemistry steps to actually fabricate our design onto a silicon wafer. Then there is test and packaging assembly and a whole load of qualification testing to be done before the device can be released as a production part. This is a design cycle that is typically between 1 and 3 years depending on the complexity and size of the design. That's an extremely brief and simplified overview, but I'm sure you could google for more detail! Back to FSMs we wouldn't usually (ever?) use a ROM style implementation on a custom chip, we'd use an HDL to infer "random logic" to build the next-state logic. The ROM method used in the project you are looking at is a clever way to implement "random logic" in one off-the-shelf chip - couple it with a bank of flip-flops (like IC9) and you have yourself the building blocks for your FSM. The clever bit now is to work out the ROM contents which is how you define the logic of your FSM and hence its function/behaviour. There are a couple of flavours of FSM, Moore and Mealy. These terms describe how the state and outputs are a function of the inputs (Moore -> outputs are only a function of the current state, Mealy -> outputs are a function of the current state and the current inputs). Your copy-bit killer is probably a Mealy machine (the output SPDIF flop stage is not part of your FSM state because it doesn't feed back into the EPROM). Anyway that's enough from me for one night!

It's just a standard mini USB connection afaik. Physically, at least. I've never actually tried connecting mine to a PC. I suspect Sony were just advising people to use the supplied cable as they knew it was fully wired. There's an FAQ covering it here: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/portable-music-players-minidisc-portable/mz-n710/articles/00203564 I mam sure someone here will have connected theirs to a PC though and will be able to confirm.

For those who can understand french or just can translate french text, jonathanpotato has repaired and comment a lot of portable and deck units, even made a repair guide : Articles / Accès par thèmes / Minidisc, http://www.jonathandupre.fr/ . Note that there are dozens of comments even hundreds for some of them on each unit on Sony Insider. Non Sony units like Sharp's however are not that much analysed and commented so that could be a welcome add. I don't know if your topic will have a good success and I just cross my fingers for you. Perhaps I will had my own comments when I will have more time.

The internal batteries for the timer are "nc-aa660ft" seen these batteries ? I think most if not any 1,2V AA cell will do the Job http://www.ebay.de/itm/Batterie-Telephone-sans-fil-pour-SONY-MZ-R5ST-/351516807256?hash=item51d808d058:g:pEYAAOSwPgxVSFGM I´ll check my unit later.probably my batteries are drained out too. But as i never used the timer function it didn´t happened to cause any problems.

You must have the dirver for Net-MD 32 bits or 64 bits Then use a similar procedure for Windows 10 (disabling Windows signature control)

Well, Let's see.. I have 20 portables plus 3 Sony Decks, almost 200 media, about half still sealed. Does that qualify? (Photo) My portable MD Collection.

New one

AVLS (Automatic Volume Limiter System) is there to control the volume, so to protect your hearing. Maybe you record in a MDLP mode with your new player, then try to listen on your old "SP only" player ?

I just saw this article on Yahoo. On the main page it had a picture of a Hi-MD player and a Hi-MD disc. There is a link to a slide show at the bottom of the article. The article doesn't mention minidiscs at all but photo number 15 in the slideshow is about the minidisc. Here is the link. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/sony-s-hit-factory-running-out-of-hits-193703861.html

THIS IS A FORMAL CALL TO ALL SHARP NetMD owners to send in your PIDs. What does it mean PIDs and how may find it in my Sharp recorder? A good day to all

Hi All, I normally get the urge to fiddle with Minidisc once a year. Last year the urge lasted only a few days. The reason was that I got frustrated with the recording process. I could not find any decent music player on Linux that would let me have 2 seconds between each track for the auto trackmark insert. I eventually settled on trying foobar2000 on a WINE (a Windows emulator) which worked but seemed like "yak shaving" (eg. a lot of effort to do something simple). So here in 2013, I felt the urge again but this time I wanted to solve this problem. So over this weekend I built a neat little "mp3-to-MD recording station". What this consists of is a "small form factor" PC running Debian Linux. I use a console-based music player called "mocp" for playing the tracks. I use digital optical for the MD connection. Digital optical means I don't have to fiddle with recording levels and I can use syncro-record. This makes it as "unattended" as possible right now. I can start off playing a playlist and then return to a freshly burnt disc in an hour. What is interesting is a couple of things: 1. I can run the computer "headless" so there does not have to be a monitor or keyboard attached. I can just ssh to it from another PC and control it from there. I see the same mocp interface but just in a terminal window. Also it is just "one button" power on and off. I can press the power button to turn on and within 30 seconds it is ready to rock. 2. The maintainer of the "mocp" software added a feature to include a user-configurable pause between tracks just for me. (I found 3000ms was best) He literally coded in the feature within 24 hours of me making a request. That is the power of opensource software! Here are some photos: http://opticalgarbage.com/minidisc/image/2-IMG_20130527_090642.jpg http://opticalgarbage.com/minidisc/image/3-IMG_20130527_090710.jpg http://opticalgarbage.com/minidisc/image/1-IMG_20130525_083016.jpg I really like doing things on a budget and not overspending. This solution used hardware I already had. The Compaq Deskpro EN is now obsolete and can be bought for £10-£15 (1Ghz Pentium III, 384M, 20G HDD), I used a Trust-brand Digital audio PCI card for the digital optical connection (£5-15). The Sony MZ-N710 is a secondhand unit which no longer accepts power from a gumstick (£10-15) so is a good "record-only" unit. I recorded "Daft Punk - Random Access Memories" as my test disc (in SP recording mode) and it reminded me of how great MD can sound. Daft Punk used traditional analogue recording means where possible in this album so I thought it would a good candidate for an MD test. Although I prefer to record from mp3, I find that recording via mp3 this way actually "cleans up" the source a little. Maybe a little crazy but it works for me. I listen back on a Sony MZ-R900 portable. Theres a couple of things with this setup that can can be better: 1. I'd like a little series of "beeps" or something from the PC when the playlist has finished. As running headless means you don't know when it's done unless actively monitoring it. My goal was as little attendance as possible. 2. I'd like it to automount a USB stick when inserted. If you see on the back, I added a USB2 2-port PCI card to accept USB storage. Right now I have to mount them manually. I'm sure this is easily solved within software. I might look into adapting another lowcost PC like a Raspberry PI for this project. Sadly though it does not have digital optical out although I might be able to do something with a Xitel DG2. Maybe I'll save that project for the 2014 "MD urge" :-) Anyhow just felt like sharing. I documented the set-up so if anyone is interested in trying it then I can help.

Oh here is a picture of my Sony Qualia 017 charging in it's charging station... just took it out of the box and it still works perfectly. Again, I have all paperwork, original packaging, manual, earbuds, chain (yes it came with a chain), leather carrying case, attached remote, etc. If anyone is interested, I can post more photos of everything too. I was told by someone at the Sony store in LA , that mine was probably one of only a handful made for the U.S. market. I still have no idea why I bought the damn thing since I probably only used it a dozen times and never took it out of the house for fear of it being damaged. I'd be happy to give more information to anyone. Of course escrow.com would be fine and I'm in Los Angeles if anyone might want to see it in person! Thanks! Barry

320mp3 does not sound better converted to sp. its the unit you play back the sp on that sounds better. sp does sound better straight from cd...

This is my photographic How-To guide to adding S/PDIF digital audio outputs to my Sony MXD-D5C, which was equipped from the factory with only analog outputs. No soldering to the deck is required This guide is intended to be the companion thread to my earlier discussion: ...which in turn was inspired by: ...as well as: Adding a Digital out to MDS-JE330 Adding Digital Optical Output to a Sony MDS-JE440 Minidisc Deck Digital Optical Output Mod for Sony MDS-JE470 Minidisc Deck ...which I found here: Construction projects: Adding Digital I/Os LET'S BEGIN! Sony MXD-D5C, North America model: Goal: to build four working S/PDIF digital audio outputs, featuring a relatively clean-looking installation: ***DISCLAIMER*** WARNING: Do Not Attempt. Working with electronic equipment can be hazardous. There is a great risk of electric shock. You do not want to get The Shock. Furthermore, static discharge from simply handling your components can render your equipment useless. I cannot be responsible for damage or destruction to your equipment, reversible or otherwise. I cannot be responsible for Death, Injury, or Insult yourself or others may sustain while attempting to modify your own gear or that of others. The methods described here worked for me, but your equipment and experience may differ. This will void your warranty. ****** Background: I've had this Sony MXD-D5C 5-CD Changer / Minidisc deck for over ten years, and even though I love this unit, I have always been frustrated by the lack of digital audio output on this deck. Although I don't listen to a lot of MD's anymore, this deck is my primary CD Player in my aging home audio rack (I love the 5-CD changer). This guide will depict my successful attempt to add S/PDIF TOSlink optical and coaxial digital audio output myself. Having read the "hacking" pages of Minidisc.org many years ago, I know there are still (as of this writing) How-To articles online for adding TOSLINK outputs to certain Minidisc decks which were not equipped with S/PDIF digital outputs from the factory (see links above). However, none of these articles described the MXD-D5C specifically. I thought the internal components might be similar enough that those earlier guides would be virtually identical to what I would carry out myself, but alas, this did not turn out to be the case. However, after studying the Sony MXD-D5C service manual schematics for a few days and having extended and extremely helpful online discussions with sonyinsider.com forum administrator and fellow MXD deck owner Stephen sfbp, I was finally able to discover that getting the digital outputs would ultimately be quite easy. I am no electrical engineer, but am merely a tinkerer who likes to "hack upward" the things in my life which I feel can be upgraded with a bit of ingenuity. The "figuring out" part of the project was probably the most challenging aspect for myself, a non-EE hobbyist... followed closely by the rear-panel modifications in which I attempted to make the deck appear factory-equipped with digital outputs in the end. I had also initially hoped that I would be able to simply use one digital output for both MD and CD digital audio streams. However, not only was there no single connectable point where both CD and MD SPDIF digital audio signals would be autoswitched according to the transport in use, it was also impossible to mix the two circuits into one output cable (I did test this). With this knowledge, I decided to go all-out and make optical and coaxial connections for both MD and CD transports for maximum connective flexibility, bringing the total number of digital audio outputs to four. Some of the materials I was able to easily find at my local Radio Shack retail store. Some parts I already had lying around, but the TOSlink transmitters TOTX177AL had to come from a specific online source (http://www.digikey.com/). More on these parts soon. Here is a fairly comprehensive parts list for this mod: 1x Sony MXD-D5C Minidisc Recorder / 5-CD Changer Deck: 1x Sony MXD-D5C Service Manual 2x Toshiba TOTX177AL(F,T) TOSlink Transmitting Modules with integrated dust flap and screw-mount hole (order a couple extra - you will be soldering directly onto these inexpensive but delicate components. 10+ Qty. discount): Digi-Key Corporation (TOTX177AL Data Sheet) 1x 4-pack RCA Phono Panel-mount Jacks (only 2 jacks used): Radio Shack 1x 4-Position Dual-Row Barrier Strip: Radio Shack 2x 2-pack 0.1µF Ceramic Disc Capacitor (4 capacitors total needed) (cap code "104"): Radio Shack 1x 5-Pack 1/8-Watt 330 Ohm Carbon Film Resistors (2 resistors needed) (color code "orange-orange-brown / gold"): Radio Shack 1x 5 Pack 1/8-Watt 150 Ohm Carbon-Film Resistors (2 resistors needed) (color code "brown-green-brown / gold"): Radio Shack 2x 22-18 AWG 1/4" Female Disconnects: Radio Shack (size needs confirmed) 2x 22-18 AWG #6 Stud Size Insulated Ring Terminal: Radio Shack (size needs confirmed - it fits around the threaded base of the coax jack, and the inner diameter is 1/4" or about 7mm. Marked "2 - 6" on the part I used) 1x 16-Pack #6 Insulated Spade Terminal: Radio Shack (size needs confirmed - small, narrow spade connector, inner distance between prongs is slightly less than 4mm. Marked "1.25 - 3.5L" on the part I used) Heat-shrink tubing suitable for ~26 Gauge wire: Radio Shack 24" (60cm) x4 Colors (Red, Black, Yellow, White, etc.) 26AWG Multistrand wire (I used several 12V Power Extension Wires with Mini Pin and Socket connectors at either end, similar to these PC Fan Extension Cables at Newegg.com or even better, these Y-cables). 2x Size 8 0.5" (Very small) Steel Sequin Pins: Joann Fabric and Crafts. (Maybe there is a better true electronics component for this, but pins similar to these worked for me. Be sure you don't use a type with a plastic head, as you will be soldering directly to these very small pins). 1x 10-pack 6-32 x 1/2" Round Head Machine Screws and Nuts 1x 10-pack 6-32 x 1/2" Flat Head Machine Screws and Nuts 2x Small-diameter Round Head Sheet Metal Screws (sized appropriately for mounting the TOSlink transmitters) 1x Piece approx. 6"x2" x 1/16" or 1/32" thick Sheet Steel or Aluminum (I used a scrap pop-out drive bay cover to an old ATX PC case) Here are some tools and consumables I used for this project: Clean working space with plenty of good light Grounding Strap: Radio Shack Electronics and Hobby Miniature Soldering Iron Kit: Radio Shack 1oz. .015 diameter "High-Tech" Silver-Bearing Solder" Radio Shack 2 oz. Canister Non-Spill Rosin Soldering Paste Flux: Radio Shack Butane Micro-torch: Radio Shack Mini Diagonal Wire Cutters: Radio Shack Mini Needle-nose Pliers: Radio Shack Wire Stripper/Connector Crimping Tool: Radio Shack Dremel Rotary Tool with a stack of cut-off discs and an assortment of grinding wheels: Amazon.com 3M Scotch 23 0.75"x30' Pliable Rubber Splicing Tape: Amazon.com or Mouser.com Drill or Drill Press with an assortment of sharp metal-drilling bits Mini bench vise Scissors Tweezers Magnifying Glass Phillips and Flathead Screwdrivers etc. ****** Unplug your deck from power and audio connections and carefully bring it to your flat, clean and dry work area. Use a Phillips head screwdriver to unscrew the 6 black painted screws which affix the top cover to the deck. There are two black screws on the rear panel along the upper edge, two screws on the left panel of the deck, and two screws on the right panel as well. Set them aside in a safe place where they will not get lost: Carefully lift the top cover panel off of the deck and set it aside in a safe place where it will not get scratched or bent. Use caution when removing the top panel so as not to have the front edge bind up against the fragile front panel. The top panel is metal and has very sharp edges - handle it very carefully such that you do not cut yourself. The deck itself also has plenty of sharp edges as well. This is the first view of the inside of the MXD-D5C: We can clearly see the large CD-changer mechanism dominating the left side of the deck, while the right side houses the truly "mini" Minidisc transport mechanism, power transformer, Main Circuit Board, and the smaller Audio Board slightly above the Main Board at the rear. The smaller audio board is connected to the rear panel of the deck by three screws near each connector jack. Remove them and set them aside with the screws removed earlier. Unplug the white keyboard connector from the audio board by carefully lifting straight up so as not to bend or break the pins: Close-up view of the Audio Board's ribbon wire Connector CN305, which we will soon be tapping for digital audio signals: Very very carefully remove the audio board by gently squeezing the tips of the 2 plastic support prongs with mini-needlenose pliers and lifting the Audio Board up. Use extreme caution. You may wish to also carefully remove the ribbon cable from Connector CN305 such that the audio board may be set aside without flopping over in the way on it's own (the ribbon cable is delicate yet springy). Remember to always wear your anti-static strap and carefully handle this board only by its edges, never touching the electronic components which are soldered to it. Here is a close-up of the audio board after it has been removed from it's supports:

At the 27th Chaos Communication Congress held in Berlin, Germany a small group of hackers named fail0verflow stunned the PS3 hacking community world with a massive revelation – they have eradicated a major security barrier preventing people from really hacking the console. This hack is different than the infamous PS3Jailbreak, and is rather based on ineffective security coding within the PS3. fail0verflow explained during the conference that they have figured out how to calculate the keys needed to sign everything, essentially making those private keys public. So what does this really mean? With an exploit of this magnitude, people could sign (and therefore run) any program coded for the PS3 and the system will run it as if it were a PS3 game without issue regardless of firmware. This same method, in theory, can be used to sign PS3 ISOs (full copies of games) and play them on the console off burned Blu-ray discs. This basically paves the way for easier piracy for the PS3, and also will greatly encourage homebrew software authors. The is very long-winded, going over many aspects of console hacking in general, various holes found in the PS3 software architecture, and finally a full explanation of the upcoming exploit. The video above is a four minute highlight where fail0verflow shows off how a major flaw in the PS3 random number generator their primary motivation for cracking the main security on the PS3 was mostly inspired by Sony removing the ability for gamers to install an alternative operating system on the console. Sony infamously removed that feature, known as “Install Other OS,” due to known hacker Geohot taunting Sony with a PS3 exploit. fail0verflow’s goal is to have Linux funning on all existing PS3 consoles, regardless of the firmware version. The group will not release a custom firmware, but will offer proof-of-concept and tools that should bust the door wide open for custom-authored modifications and programs. A fellow named SwordOfWar at the PSX-Scene forums has summarized the fail0verflow PS3 hack (and AbestOS.pup) quite well: First, Linux is a valid reason for hacking the PS3 and nobody can prove if that is their true motive or not, you can only speculate. AsbestOS has an advantage over the built-in OtherOS feature by Sony, because AsbestOS will most likely have more control over the PS3 hardware and have better performance than the limited OtherOS feature. So really, AsbestOS could perform much better than Sony’s OtherOS ever did, because AsbestOS won’t cut you off from the RSX (Graphic Chip) and try to keep you in a sandbox for security reasons, which has the side-effect of reduced performance. Next, for those of you who don’t understand yet, being able to sign our own files with Sony’s encryption will allow us to create our own software/homebrew and load it without even needing to jailbreak the PS3, because it will look like a legit piece of software from Sony. Imagine being able to run all the Homebrew apps you run now, but being able to run them on an official v3.55+ firmware without even needing to hack the system. They just need to be updated with Sony’s keys so that the PS3 will accept them without needing to be hacked. Basically we will have the ability to create our own custom updates that will work on a normal PS3 to update it directly from an official/normal firmware to a custom one without needing any modchips or dongles to do it, because the PS3 will accept the update that is signed using sony’s keys (which we now have). Give it a few minutes for that to sink into your brain. You could probably program the PS3 to make you some toast bread using this new exploit. So just sit back, enjoy the ride, and wait for the exploit work to be released and used to make magic stuff for us all to use. Sounds exciting. What do you think this will mean for the future of the PlayStation 3? View the full article

In the past, i've used MDLP to rrecord old talk radio, (Art Bell, Phil Hendrie, etc), and found that LP4 was absolutely fine for that. LOL back in those days, compared to cassette, LP4 was a Godsend for talk radio junkies - 320 mins on 1 disc? You could recored the whole 4 hour show on 1 disc... that was astonishing at the time, and to some degree still is, considering it's such a small device...

With millions of iPods being produced, it's a no brainer that some lemons will be out there. At least iPod support can be obtained locally. If my imported Sony MD unit breaks, it would be much harder to get support. 1 iPod goes bad, suddenly Apple is antichrist? Sony units go bad, it's an exception? Not saying Apple is perfect (thank goodness for Costco's return policy ), but Sony, Microsoft, any big company is the same. Nobody ever say Apple products are 100% reliable. There are users that have bricked PS3s, Red ring of death XBOX360s, overheating Macbooks, etc. I bought an MZ-NE410 from radioshack and it doesn't work (won't even spin the MD) out of the box (blister pack). So by the logic here, then Sony is antichrist too. 1 electronic company that I'm biased as being more reliable is Sharp. My family have TVs from Sharp and Sony, and the Sonys broke sooner while the oldest Sharp only broke after my parents replaced the Sony twice (with newer models).

Thx for the replies. Is an output of 0.7A for a charger considered high for a Sony battery? I asked this because I've heard somewhere that the charge should be around 200-400 mA.