sfbp

Try here

I just commented in another thread that it seems likely the major reason I had to repair an N505's ribbon cable was that there was guck on the shelf that supports the overwrite arm, as it travels back and forwards (left to right). Looking at it from POV of position and composition (sorry I didn't think to take photos) suggests to my inexperienced eye that the only way something like that could have got there was from a sticky label curling off the MD and then sticking to something else.

Why do I think this post isn't real? Anyway it turns out I did this hack yesterday. I actually ignored the exhortation to use headphone wire so I may be doing it again. But it works quite fine (at the moment). Turns out the biggest problem was some guck where the overwrite head travels. this may even be what caused the ribbon cable to break in the first place. I've a pretty good idea the guck was from a sticky label.

If Bobt is right, you can fix the ribbon cable to the overwrite head. I just did such surgery and it is very painful (to the surgeon!) but it works. If he's not right, have you considered turning off the Synch record setting? It's also possible that the recording is "jumping inputs" if you read about the priority of inputs (Page 32, top of right hand column). Another thing to try is to see if the same happens when you record with the recorder plugged into its charger (not the charge stand, use the yellow tip from the power source direct into the 707). Many record functions require more power than a rechargeable battery supplies, so if this always works, you can try using a real alkaline battery for those critical field recordings. Disclaimer: I have not owned a 707, so I cannot speak directly. However I have seen many of the above behaviours at different times. On the whole MD's are pretty reliable. Welcome to MDCF!

Auto-off on the RH1 probably helps a fair bit, though I never leave mine plugged in as some do. I'll never know with the RH10, sigh, missed my only chance when someone offered me one for $100 (Can, was only $70 US at the time) and I chickened out.

Yeah. output is nominally 230 but the power in this old house is more like 117, so not too surprising it's below spec. My bigger worry is 60Hz vs 50Hz though the spec explicitly mentions both. I assume the "special for UK" designation on many units has something to do with particular mains noise? I recall hum was always bad when I recorded stuff way back when.

Thanks. I unearthed one that produces 223V, hopefully that will be enough I was hoping for just a different tap on the Xformer, but I guess that is not to be.

my $.02: why not go the route I did, and get a relatively modern headunit + an MDX-66XLP changer (or an SP changer if you prefer, which may be easier to get)? That way you aren't committing yourself to 10-year old technology, no matter how good it was at the time. If you get something from the period 04-07 (eg CDX-GT510,610UI,710 and several others I fancy) you will even find that in addition to controlling an MD changer, it will read Atrac3 and Atrac3+ CD's which enable HiMD (quality) in your car, effectively. The head unit is very small, single DIN size, and the changer is quite tiny, easy fit into a glove box in many cars. The changer will set you back $100 or so + shipping from Japan, say $150 tops. The headunits can be had for $50 used or $75 new. This auction seems like a lot of money to me. As I say, just an idea......

However although I cannot find the CA680X, I think it dates from a period before Sony threw in Unilink "for free". Most of the newer models have it. For $50 (second hand, or $90 new from Dakmart here on ebay) you can have your pick. Unilink is sooo nice because now any addon from Sony "just works". I never noticed the lack of Type-S. It sounds pretty decent, the most I ever had to do was tweak the treble and bass (-3 and +3 respectively). However as I keep pumping again and again, Atrac3+ (no need for a HiMD unit, SonicStage does it all) sounds amazing on a CD. Cheers

Not in the least to try and cap your story - well done - but I ended up with Sony headunits (1 installed and one for backup when/if it fails in a few years) because I could do three things: 1. Listen to MD on my MDLP changer (these are still available quite easily in Japan, and last time I checked in the UK too) 2. Listen to Atrac3+ and MP3 and WMA and AAC on the single CD player. This gives about 25 hours at the speed you care about (Hi-LP or LP4) for talking books. 3. Plug in a Sony XT-XM1 satellite radio (it goes under the seat with the changer and connects directly to it in pass through mode - "daisy chain" on the same cabling that the changer uses) and for $15 a month listen to some really quite decent channels on XM Radio (sorry for the commercial content here). I did do all the work of installing it myself but I have time on my hands at present, and it was mostly chasing around getting this or that bit. If you look at the install instructions for the head unit (here), you will see the general idea of how it is laid out. Really the hardest part was getting something that fit the Sony headunit into my Detroit-made car, and there are kits. This of course is the information that the installers charge you for I am seriously wondering about a site for XM/Sirius addicts too - but as the company is in danger of becoming extinct despite many Fords, VW and other makes having Sat radio out of the factory, I think that might be rather a moot point. I would be most interested to hear from fellow users about any of the above equipment. Anyway, back to the Off-Topic on topic Bruce...... nice to hear. Stephen

Vista can be problematical with drivers. Is there any way you can try this on XP? Make sure that you are running as Administrator (or a user with Admin privileges) for any installation of ***any*** software on Vista, I'm sure you knew this already. Sony actually warns about this too. You can also do RunAs Administrator. Not sure, as I am not a great fan of Vista. You may actually find it easier with Windows 7

Sigh, last time I will post such a find on here. Sorry. I take it you're in the market?

In the downloads (see the link at the top of this page) under drivers. Already answered that one once today, sorry I forgot to come back and do so as I got muddled between the two requests.

There's a blue NH700 for 16GBP (well under $30) in 2 hours here If I didn't have 4 already I would snap it up in a heartbeat. Lends new meaning to the phrase "look 'ere" if you read the listing all the way to the end. The standard NH700 remote is the one without display, so that removes the only possible "fault" as being irrelevant, IMO.

Works for me. Did you login properly? (have to go to same page twice) Welcome to MDCF!

I am looking at the service manual for the JB930 deck here. I just saw one of these go for the vast sum of 26 GBP. My question is: it looks like the necessary hooks are there (page 44) and that a couple of components are needed like a capacitor or two. Is this mod within the reach of your average techie? I have a parent arriving in about a month and if another one pops up, I want it. But only if the mod is easy to do. Avrin?

Nah, just bend it back. But you may well be facing a ribbon cable repair, as I am.

Interesting! I haven't had a single skip and that with a low end head unit that i got for all of $50 second hand. I would actually expect a REAL CD to skip more, not less, than Atrac of whatever data rate. Also you don't have to go with 256kbps (eg a talking book type of deal you could put about 25 hours on the same disk at 64kbps), all data rates known to SonicStage are simply copied onto the Atrac disc without conversion (so you can have a mixture of LP2, LP4, Hi-SP and Hi-LP at the very least). I think the failure to play gapless is because it has to read so much of the real data on the disk at once that it only actually activates the head quite rarely. Consequently there is a spin up at the end of every track or chunk. Of course there's no point in PCM HiMD on the road: a. the result would use the same number of disks as conventional CD's b. the frequency response would be totally concealed by road noise.

I always assumed the reason for this was mechanical feedback from the noise made by the amplifier. If so then the beautiful solution is to make an MD with the power amp volume down to nothing, and then play back the (MD, or CD if you can be bothered to transcribe it) result with no possibility of mechanical feedback when the cannons go off? Stephen

Echoing over 99% of Wiz's post. However one quick comment: you can have HiMD in your car, effectively, with AtracCD (now withdrawn). All or nearly all the (Sony) headunits made between 2004 and 2007 had the feature. Gapless playback is no good (something in the design?) but apart from that the quality for 256K is superb and you will get about 6 CD's of music onto 1 physical CD.

THANK YOU!!!!! Didn't know that was where to look. Yes, still will need a microscope to see what I am doing but you are exactly right, toothpick or even regular PIN would do the job. I figure first I have to re-laminate it onto the backing, then with aid of microscope apply to the ribbon. I hope that it should be possible to make a small enough drop that it doesnt join the two sides together, lol.

Ahhhh - the Canadian dollar is now a reserve currency. Sounds good to me (I'm Canadian) but I doubt this move will win widespread acceptance.

They aren't changing their price.

MZ-N910 (NetMD) MZ-NH700 (HiMD) Are my two favourite units with this feature. You might also want to get hold of an RM-MC40ELK remote with 3 line display that does the same job even for a unit with NO display at all, of which there are literally dozens.

That's not terminal, don't panic (I'm sure you can straighten it out).