sfbp

You can also buy an MD deck with optical out, probably for $50-$100 if you are lucky. This will allow you to send via the optical channel to your PC, at playback speed only of course. You'll need either a dongle for optical->USB or a sound card with optical input that you can plug into your PC, I think. Not sure about Macs whether they have any (direct) optical i/o.

His pattern is to sell some stuff amazingly cheap to establish feedback. Take a look at his latest MD players/recorders. Not cheap! However initially they were bargain basement. You can probably see this in the feedback, if you drill down. I haven't bought anything but I follow the career of this guy with some small interest.

That indeed raises a totally different question. Are you sure the battery is correctly (fully) charged? Try removing the battery and running on (only) the charger. The manual says you can do that.

Since when has Windows 7 been called "The Axe"? I'm aware of Windows Azure, but that is a server-centric technology; whereas W7 is a "standard" standalone Windows client.

I'm not a a rush to find out, but Sony probably figured out that the server's absence was going to cost them more in support and goodwill than the money saved. Let's hope so. Perhaps you could explain how it is supposed to work and I will deliberately crash one of my machines (not the one with all the ATRAC stuff on it).

... thereby becoming a truly galactic hitchhiker

AFAIK it's not W7-compatibility so much as 64-bit compability. The same problem exists in Vista, namely you cannot do certain things (not exactly sure what, someone here can tell us) in 64-bit mode. Same problem with 64-bit XP (which has LOTS of things it cannot do).

REALLY???? There's a current Sony product that still plays ATRAC? From what I can see they are systematically withdrawing it from the feature list of all consumer products. Eg. in another thread I noted that it is gone from Car headunits as of 2009. Unless of course they quietly support it but carefully omit it from the feature list. It always bugged me that none of my Sony-made CD players for the home will play ATRAC CD's, either. At least the MXD-D400 plays MP3's.

The major thing the MXD-D3 doesn't have is optical out. It also lacks Type-S which makes a HUGE difference for playback of LP2 in a decent stereo system.

Avrin????? You surely read of several folks using SS in version 7 of Windows. I duly reported myself as one of them. The ONLY thing that might not work is NetMD drivers on 64-bit version. However even this ought to be possible, either as XP compatibility mode, or a virtual machine. For sure, no problems with SS 4.3 on W7-32.

Well you can recover NetMD recordings this way. LP2 cannot be uploaded via USB except with RH1 (and even then the RH1 won't let you upload a NetMD download). You can even edit them, but I don't know exactly on which models. I have the first and last in that list - the 640 allows it, the D400 doesn't. But in between, somewhere Sony decided to restrict that. Coming back to your question about uploading (presumably NetMD since there is no problem with HiMD) with the project, the answer is a big fat "I don't know". Yet.

well.. you specifically said HiMD. Yes, long before Sony confused things with NetMD I was happy as a clam uploading via optical out. Not sure that LP really matters, if it's quality you're looking for. In any event, the following commonly available decks have MDLP and optical out: MDS-JE640 MDS-JE770 MDS-JE780 (has Type-S also, and USB *in*) MDS-JB930 MDS-JB940 MDS-JB980 (Has Type-S also, and USB *in*) MDS-JA333ES MXD-D400 (the only Combo deck with MDLP and optical out, also the only combo with Type-S)

Very simple. There is NO HiMD unit with optical out. Now there's an idea, how about a MOD to build one?

FYI, the one I got was the 80 minute one on the top row. Sorry, I do not grok "ministry of sound design". Where's that specified? Cheers

This thread is now locked. I think you've had enough exposure, Chris - and let's just call it a draw, there are points on both sides of the fence. Cheers Stephen

The other weird thing about the RH1 that's completely unique to it, is the dynamic normalization feature. My personal recommendation is NOT to use it. I agree that especially with D-Norm turned on, the RH1 is hard on the ears. I prefer the EH70 or the N910 or NH700, and now keep the RH1 for its special purpose - uploading things, that no other unit can.

Don't understand. Is there some variation in the XS-iv's that we each bought from that guy in Lancashire? (Mine look exactly like the pic in Sami's post).

Having said that, there is a very nice JB940 (ie with keyboard input) if you didn't get the 920, currently at 30 quid + 10 shipping.

There are many many items allegedly free of tarifs. However when they enter the country they become liable to Sales tax both federal (GST) and provincial (PST) or in some cases combined (HST). So a typical scenario might be: $10 GST $10 PST $5 duty on certain items only $40 fees (depends on the customs broker). I would be extremely surprised if it isn't exactly the same in almost any country. I won't even tell you about the c**p we got into last year trying to get someone to send us a package by FedEx whilst we were on holiday in the US. Bottom line, no way no how, and we were liable for the reverse shipment if the item was not to be destroyed.

I think much of the import fees are down to the importer. The duty and tax on $100 item should be of the order of $15. UPS is way worse than Fedex, more like $35 fees (that's before the government). The government is NOT charging you a fee. Even when I get something through the post, there is a fee of $5 (if they have to open assess and clear it) and I suspect that goes to Canada Post, not the Government of Canada.

I'm sure you would pay import taxes and duties just the same as here. I paid zero on the B10, heheh. What a deal!

Either way, the 920 is one of the few that has the top quality D-to-A (so-called "current pulse" DAC). So I think you just need to look for a unit with signs that it has been well cared for and not used too much. Good luck! (the remotes are pretty interchangeable although the machines seem to have a preference for narrow vs wide). The only feature I would really like on this that it doesn't have (and which the 930 and up all do have), is a PS/2 keyboard for titling.

Agree with all that, except: 1. Best way is for someone to bring it back as "luggage". Literally no way to get heavy objects here by courier. 2. Voltage problem - you really really don't want the European ones to import here, IMHO 3. I'm not so sure it's that fragile, unless not in original packing (people here have bad habits about that) I would think the most basic parcel service might do it. It does look as if both models will record from all sources.... nice. I will add the NA model (thanks) to my wish list.

This is one (from 2002) I have often wondered about as being a really nice bookshelf unit. There are 3 on sale in the UK Ebay right now, but they seem to be keeping their value at least. They may be intended solely for 220V. Also the Tuner and Cassette portions will only provide analogue signal to the MD, but that's ok.