Edinah

I have that file and it's been very helpful but I don't think it is complete. I'm probably not missing much though. Also, it is incorrect that the dubbing and one-touch track recording (with automatic rec level detection) can only be done with other Intec-275 series components. I have an Onkyo DX-7555 CD player and these functions work perfectly. Probably Onkyo components with the RI connection between them will work. I am grateful to have some translation but it is a shame that such a nice unit was restricted to the Japanese market. I'm just grateful that the unit itself is completely in English!

I would be super grateful for and English manual (preferred, or various European languages okay too) for the MD-133. I love this deck and can use it fine but I feel I'm missing out by not knowing everything about it.

Bwil, Thanks for your response. I know my current setup works fine for digital recordings, but I'm curious whether the quality is even better with a deck. I've heard that it is (not on this board but I didn't search carefully) and it doesn't make sense to me, but maybe that's because I don't have a deep understanding of how these things work. From my understanding, for digital input and output, it should be ZERO benefit to have a deck, as far as sound quality (obvious benefit with things like speed control, etc. and other extra features that decks can have). I was told I was "missing out" on quality by using my little portable CD player (or computer, playing a CD) to make MD recordings, and that it was foolish when used decks on eBay are so cheap. Likewise, used MD decks for recording are not so expensive (but quality may be affected by ATRAC version; my RH1 should have the best). I just don't like having a lot of "stuff" and prefer smaller equipment, and purchasing new, though I'm open to buying used. I will probably buy one of the two decks I mentioned, but if I get the Onkyo, then at least for a while I would be using it with my portable CD player and/or computers, for digital input. I also wondered whether I'd miss the digital out. (I really don't mind recording in real time, so 4x recording on the Tascam is not a huge plus.) I know this may sound like it should go in "which player should I get" but my main curiosity is about quality of digital in/out in decks vs portables and computers, and since the Onkyo in HiMD (and what I'm leaning towards), I thought posting here would get the best results.

Hi Minidiskers, I'm pondering the Onkyo MD-133, for recording from various audio sources, and noticed it doesn't have digital out. This is just meant to keep one from making numerous digital duplicates, and shouldn't handicap the deck much, right? I have an RH1 and so I could always upload recordings to my computer, so they won't be "stuck" on the minidisc. My other question concerns the benefits of having a deck. I can see it being better for making recordings from an analog source, but for digital, does it matter? Digits are digits and doesn't everything that has optical in, record the same digits, and everything that has optical out, output the same digits, that is, the exact data that is on a digital source (MD, CD)? One reason I'm asking this question is that I've been making MD and HiMD recordings from a portable Sony CD player with optical out, using my RH1, because I don't have a CD or MD deck. Shouldn't this, or my computer with optical out, work as well as a deck for the digital source for recording with the Onkyo? The other deck I'm considering is the Tascam MD-CD1, which would give me the CD deck at the same time, and it has optical out. But it is not HiMD and considerably more expensive. Sorry if this question is too "basic" for you experts, but I would be grateful for any advice.

Thanks Wizard. My new recorder will come in handy for file transfers. I also figured out how to do searches properly and found this old thread, in which the usefulness of MD for storage is debated: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=13505 The last comment states that MD is like the MO drives that were once popular in research, etc. and I used to use one of those drives before Zip became more popular and much more readily available. Now flash drives are super popular but I've had more problems with them than any other storage device.

Do I need to install any Sony software (drivers, etc) to use the RH1/MZ200 as a portable storage device? Is it safe to use it as such without installing anything for it? I used it on my Mac and it seemed to work OK, and I'm wondering about Windows XP. I installed the included software on my home computers but I'd like to be able to use it on several work PC's, without depending on additional software. I know I can just try to see if it works but I'm concerned about safe/optimal use. The manual doesn't say anything about using the recorder for data storage on a Mac, only PC (and it doesn't say if special software must be installed first).