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@Azureal Great thank you! Message sent.

Hey all, I'm looking for a simple portable MD player to use for road trips and the like. I also need to re-build my collection of blanks. For both blanks and player I'm not looking for rare, special or highly valuable. Just looking for simplicity. The MD portable doesn't even need to record. Just want something to play in the car.

I've been slimming down my vinyl collection to save $$. But before I sold them I recorded them to MD so I can still have a version with that vinyl sound. Anyone else have vinyl recordings on MD and want to trade? I have a few Led Zeppelin albums and some other things. I'm mostly looking for rock right now but am open to other things.

I have some Led Zep live recordings. Though they are in circulation. Are you only looking for uncirculated original recordings?

How cool! That's exactly what I was hoping for. I'll get in touch with them thanks. And Philipe if you can 3D print things, I would totally buy 3D printed PRMD cases from you! The other thing I might try is 200ft reel to reel boxes with a foam holding the disc in place.

Thanks! I actually have a labeling system. What I'm asking is cooler cases. I want the labels to be bigger. I want the physical packaging to be bigger. I like the PRMD cases but they are hard to come by and pricey. So I was wondering if anyone has done anything interesting like modding a CD jewel case or something.

I've been selling off my vinyl after recording them to conventional MD. I know the quality isn't equal but I wanted to keep a physical copy of the vinyl in some form. Anyway, I want to make cover art for them. But more than that I want a good sized presentation for the discs. I have those MD flip cases that are like mini jewel cases but I'd love to store them in something a little bigger. I was thinking of modding a normal MD case into a CD case so the cover art is a bit bigger but was wondering if anyone here has any creative solutions that they use? PRMD cases would be so cool but they are hard to come by and I'd never be able to justify the cost since we're talking about many records being recorded.

1. How old were you when you first 'bought into' the format? 11 2. Do you still regularly use your very first player? I still have it and when I use MD, yes! 3. Do you regularly 'use' your items, or are some purely of interest as a 'collector'? I don't collect anymore. 4. Do you listen to 'new' music on your discs, or prefer to keep the format for music 'of the era'? I have an iPod for music and podcasts now, sorry:-( But I'm thinking of using my MD for audiobooks and radio shows. Most of these kinds of tracks are mono so if I record them that way, I can fit a lot of my MD. Works better than having two iPods and is cheaper than using some kind of streaming subscription service. 5. Do you own more items than you can 'practically use'? Not any more! 6. Did you 'go away' from MiniDisc', only to return to it at a later date? I go back and forth. Yeah. I only use it when I can justify it. 7. Do you associate use of your player with 'fond memories', or is it a purely 'practical' consideration? Both

Thanks for that. The volume wasn't the issue though. There were artifacts.

I will probably still do that for my fav recordings but for having something to workout with or to download my podcasts, that isn't practical. I was hoping that the Hi-MD would combine my specialty dubbing audio world with my periodical podcast and audiobook world.

That's sort of subjective. Digital out would give you the best sound. So a deck with optical out to a nice receiver with nice speakers will give you a better experience than an analog headphone jack. Technically if both the deck and the portable are Type-R the sound should be identical. The change in quality happens at the output stage.

I might be wrong but I think I remember someone here mentioning that the pre-recorded albums are higher quality due to how they are manufactured.

Perfect! Just snatched them up. Thanks for the link.

I'm selling the pre-recorded cases. Those are taller. The PRMD ones are square.

Hey all, Looking for these again. love the cases! Anyone have any PRMD blanks or just the cases that they want to part with? I'm buying. Send me a PM.

True that this is technically not legal. Though I don't see these Minidisc recordings impacting record sales. As long as he's not tricking anyone, this is a minimal infringement. Way worse things are happening on torrent sites and youtube and even then, not a lot of it is getting enforced. It doesn't impact the industry enough.

Yeah I grant that. And I totally see that's why others stick with it. I just wish there was a Hi-MD that supported Mp3 well and AAC. Maybe if it stuck around longer, Sony would have introduced that.

Thanks for the info. I already own a Synology server with DLNA, UPnP, SMB and other streaming abilities. They make a music app for Android and iOS that will allow me stream any file that ffmpeg supports. The same goes for video. It's essentially a VLC player I can play anywhere. It also supports streaming of video up to 4k (maybe 8k, I haven't tested), which I use for previewing projects shot in UHD. My point was that if the Hi-MD could reliably support Mp3 at the very least, nostalgia would win over anything else.:-) Between my PS Vita and my upcoming Nexus 4, I'm covered with format support and music streaming. The lack of full mp3 support on Hi-MD combined with the fact that I don't use Windows, makes sticking with Hi-MD a chore. I'd need to boot into a Windows partition to use Sonic Stage every time I download music or I'd need to mass convert my music to ATRAC which would take days. I've heard that the RH1 plays back Mp3 better. But since they can cost as much as a new iPad, I can't justify the fanboyish devotion to buy one. Maybe if my salary was bigger, I would do it.

Hi there. Don't worry, this forum is not losing a member nor is it losing an MD user. I'm still in MD but I'm limiting myself to professional use. I've decided to go the way of the cloud for personal music listening. It was a tough choice to make but what it came down to is that what I really want is an RH1 and can't afford it so I'm offloading my music collection. I can't manage piles of standard MD music and the mp3 support on MZ-M100 isn't perfect. Here's my list: I have a few pre-recorded MDs left: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321085296687?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 A Huge lot of MD blanks with three 24 disc binders: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321085301122?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 Empty pre-recorded MD jewel cases: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321085294936?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 Finally, my crown jewel. My recently purchased MZ-M100: http://www.ebay.com/itm/321085281211?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 You can check old threads of me talking about the MZ-M100. It's in great shape except the sell I bought it from said the volume button is tricky. I didn't notice that being an issue. It will come with a remote though. Really, if the MZ-M100 worked with Mac OSX Mountain Lion for transfers and the Mp3 support was better, I wouldn't even be doing this but I don't want to run Windows just for the sake of staying with Minidisc. I thought if the minidisc would fit well into my life with me adding extra steps, I would keep it. It's a shame, the MZ-M100 is beautifully designed, the OLED display is great, the button feel great but that Mp3 support is what did it for me. I can't spend time converting my library to ATRAC3Plus. I have gigs and gigs. And I don't want to run it through Windows every time when I do everything else on a Mac. The nostalgia isn't worth the extra work anymore:-/ I have a few more decks and a car unit I might list. If I do, then I'll include them in this thread. Hope these go off to a good home!

That's interesting I once filmed a gig at a church near me (CT) and the soundboard/PA system was hooked into a MiniDisc system. That was only 2 years ago. I should check to see if they still have it or have any plans to get rid of it. It's what the used to record events and church services. I guess for places that need something but don't need the best thing. Just something that will last, MD is a great choice. It's not lossless but the deck still works, it's better than tape and you can constantly reuse the same MDs over and over.

I see MDs listed with music on them all the time. I even make labels like this myself. But still, I think the issue is how it's being presented. If it was listing blanks that happen to have music on them and happen to have home made labels, all of a sudden it's less of a big deal. As long as people understand they aren't buying the real thing, it's their money to waste. I don't think the music industry is going to get hit hard by a MiniDisc bootlegger. The only real issue is if he's getting money by duping people. If so, then he needs to be stopped.

Hello all. I'm starting a new video series about media formats. I'm going to cover a different one each time. Laserdisc, Betamax, Super8mm and more. Since Sony's production of the minidisc is ceasing in March, I thought I'd cover the MD first. I've never been too happy with how the MD is portrayed in some written and filmed pieces. Don't get me wrong, my love of the format doesn't dilute me into thinking that it is somehow flawless. But I just think that coverage isn't as well researched as it could be. So I'm posting here asking for your help. Much of the content of this documentary will be archive footage, filming of my own collection and pictures that I find on the web. But if anyone would like to contribute something, a rare promo video, trade show/CES footage, pics of their devices or blanks, anything. I'll credit you for you contribution and can provide a link to your site if you have one. I'm not selling this. It's just going to be a video series on my blog: blog.npeaches.org Feel free to send me a PM!

Just out of curiosity, I'd be interested in hearing if people are currently using MDs for professional use in any capacity. HiMD or standard. While Sony is shutting down the assembly line, Tascam is still making MD decks and HHB is still making blanks. Pro users: are you a musician, journalist, audio engineer, filmmaker etc? I'll start this off. I'm a filmmaker and I've amassed a lot of media over the years. I used an HHB MDP unit (the one w/phantom power for shotgun mics) for live sound for a feature film I worked on. My group has since switched over to the Zoom line of recorders for ease of transfers. But believe or not I still use MD. Not for production but for archiving. Might not sound practical but here's how I came to that conclusion. I have a three level system for archiving. While in production of a short film, feature film, web series all of the assets that make up that certain project sit on a single folder on a server of active projects. That folder is broken down into sub folders ie foley, raw footage, images etc etc. Once the film is complete and needs to be set aside to make room for new active projects, it enters the archive system. Primary Archive (Complete Project): All assets are stored as the unified Master Folder of any given project on an external drive with RAID 0+1 protocol. This is an external containing two drives: the main drive and a live mirror clone. Whenever a change is made on the main drive it is automatically duplicated on the mirror. This primary archive serves as the main access point for archived projects. This is the only backup that contains all the assets of a given project in a single place. It is very important that it only be used when absolutely necessary to consider the stability and lifespan of the drives. Secondary Archive (The Master): This is an Apple ProRes 4444 master copy of the film. It is burned as data onto a BluRay disc. This contains the highest bitrate, color space, resolution and audio samplerate/bitrate. If anything happens to the raw files and all other assets in the primary backup there will at least be a master copy that can be copied for web, DVD, Blu-Ray, screening etc. The content is a master copy of the finished product. Not raw materials. Final edit of product and final mix of audio. Tertiary Archive (Long Term Storage): Audio and video live separate physical media that is designed for longevity. This raw or multitrack final edit material. These aren't accessed unless a project is being re-mastered, re-edited or the preview archives have been lost or damaged. Each audio track as it appears in the final edit. Audio dialog as its own stereo track. Music as its own stereo track. Foley as its own stereo track. Whenever there is a need to go back to access a specific clean sound byte, these multi-tracks are available. The video is another story. For the projects that were shot on motion picture film, the original negative is cleaned and spliced on reels to act as the tertiary backup. For projects that are digital from the start, I may consider Sony's forthcoming optical archive solution for raw footage. One thing I've learned is that when all else fails, make sure you have a back up on a format that you can trust. I don't know if MDs will live the 50 years that HHB promises but I know I've had MDs since 1997 and have never had an issue. It's lossless quality but it's durable, long lasting and cheap (Hi-MD not included in that statement). When everything fails, I'll be glad to pull tracks from the lossy MD over optical in to my MacPro. Especially when my alternative is to have the project lost. I even did some digging and considered other last resort media options, here's what I came up with: DAT and Digital Tape: I've DAT and MiniDV and they have both have faded over time. Scanning and managing tracks is more clumsy compared with MDs. When the heads fail, it's hard to find replacement parts or a replacement deck for cheap. Analog Tape: I have 1/4" tapes that have shown definite signs of ware. Plus as far as discontinued/obscure formats go, it's still cheaper to get MD blanks than it is to get more reels. BDs/CDs/DVDs: Taiyo Yuden is really great when it comes to longevity. They are really cheap and I can simply burn then when I want tracks put on and I can simply rip them when I want tracks taken off. That being said, they don't hold up to environmental challenges as well as MDs do. I've had the dye peel off on me even on official Taiyo Yuden CDs. I do my best to keep this stuff stored in a cool dry place but MDs are ready to adapt to changing circumstances. Not to mention the more the CDs get handled the more they get scratched. Flash Storage: I really was sure that now that SSDs are $.80 to the gig, it would be my sure thing. You just mount the drive, drag and drop. The write speeds aside, I've still experienced issues with drives crashing. I had a Kingston drive as a startup disk. It was great for a while but then after a month or so it would take longer and longer for my computer to boot until one day it stopped booting. Then SD cards and USB flash drives were also considered. The issue here is that they are not meant for anymore than active use. The contacts on SD cards breakdown over time and the tiny components in USB drives break over time as well. Sometimes that can after heavy use or sometimes after moderate use. Data Tapes/LTO: I'm not made of money! Besides I worked in a studio that used this, it was a nightmare. It always broke down, the heads require constant cleaning because all the gigs of data made it go into overtime. If flash storage better develops a solution targeted toward archiving, that may eventually replace the MDs role here. Or perhaps Sony's optical drive solution once it comes out. Till then I don't see a last resort option that beats MD either because of size, durability, logevity or cost.

Hmm, seems like if Hi-MD lasted longer it would have had a more unified and robust support system for these things. It got live through three gens but it probably needed one more gen to be really modern.