SonicFields

Thanks Mosaic, Jan, Stephen - Hope you all have a Happy Christmas & New Year - if you don't celebrate either of those for whatever reason; then may your minidiscs keep spinning! Lawrence

Film now finished - have updated the player above - includes many MD recordings, recorders and players in action.

You may be interested in one of my own 'Sonic Fields Site' blog posts back in November 2011....sorry about the text version attached here as the MHTML file is too large to upload. Beginner's Guide Part III.txt

I use a similar process with my JB940 and Edirol R-4 Recorder using the digital coax ports as it overrides the SCMS. This is useful for those MDs which have been recorded using analogue microphones, as they are categorized as 'Master Copies' by the SCMS, and will only allow one digital copy to be made. You should find the audio copy to be excellent quality!

You may find the contacts in the battery compartment lid becoming a bit corroded - it may help giving them a clean!

This is a common problem recording with portable MDs, they're prone to generating noticeable noise when writing data to the disc, which is easily picked up by sensitive condenser microphones. You don't mention where the microphone is mounted - avoid microphones which mount directly to the recorder socket. Best practice for field recording is to hold the microphone well away from the recorder or slip the recorder inside your pocket. Best of luck!

You can use either stereo or mono with their plug-in-power supplied by the MD. Many use the small in-ear binaural microphones similar to those produced by http://www.soundman.de/en they record a good stereo field if listened to on headphones. The only problem is using them with those fluffy windjammers, so they're often mounted inside an old set of headphones - the other advantage with that is that people think you're just wandering around listening to music, so they tend to act more naturally than if they spot you holding a microphone in the hand with a fluffy windjammer on the end! The only other problem is trying to keep your head still whilst recording, as quite naturally the average person looks around whilst walking or even standing still, which can result in a stereo field which appears to keep moving from side to side, and that sounds terrible when listened to afterwards. Never dismiss the good old mono recording - they can sometimes produce a more solid sound field, so you will find naturalists often record with mono mics to capture specific bird calls etc.

You see - you've caught the recording bug already and as you've mentioned, the whole process in itself can be quite enjoyable and relaxing (but not always). It certainly makes you more aware of your surroundings! ps. don't forget a decent windjammer for the mic.

sfbp Yes ..clear as mud, thanks! My reference to 'self-recorded NetMD files' refer to MD80 discs recorded via analogue mic input to a NetMD recorder. No, I don't have a problem with that part of the procedure ....it's that old nutshell called 'digital uploading' from MD to PC which tends to be problematic and is often skipped around with the mere mention of using the MZ-RH1 ( the answer to all prayers). From personal experience the MZ-RH1, together with other NetMD portables and decks will with SS and this Forum's installed driver, recognise, interrogate and control playback on these units of any installed MD via the USB port and will also digitally upload recently recorded analogue mic-in recordings; but try the same procedure with earlier recordings made with the same recorders and similar MD80 discs, then it will still enable operation from SS, but when it comes to a digital upload it's a no-no! This makes sense in accordance with the DAT reference book which I mentioned above, which states analogue microphone recordings have their file scms 'category' bits encoded as 'master copy' and hence are considered copyrighted with only one digital copy allowed. This is ok of course if the file had been digitally copied onto the PC and stored as the converted WAV file; but if the original computer file was not archived, due to the fact that reliance was better placed on the longevity of the MD itself (which is correct), then you're stuffed, as the single digital copy has been made and the scms copyright bit on the MD file changed to 'no more digital copies'. So this is the part that requires a detailed explanation of its workaround, and my request for the magic software which will basically strip the scms bits out of the MD file to be able to upload them once the copyright limit has been reached. I note you referred to this 'stripping out of scsms data in one of your other posts by using the file converter ref OMA/oma file differences, and of course WAV files, but failed to mention how you could access the files to be able to do that in the first pace, given the scms limit may prevent this. (I believe you mentioned that WAV files do not encompass metadata.... in fact they can be tagged with metadata in the INFO chunk which I use on a regular basis with the likes of Helium Music Manager... they can store quite a large amount of useful data). Thanks for info.

So where is this magic software that overrides the DRM system and enables users to make multiple digital transfers of self-recorded NetMD files? Perhaps a more accurate explanation as to how it works and how effective it is can be read in the Digital Audio Technology: A guide to CD, MiniDisc, SACD, DVD(A), MP3 & DAT, written by the Sony boys who know what they're talking about!

Just a follow up on those that mention the MZ-RH1 as possibly being capable of uploading to PC. It is a big 'possibly', especially with some of the earlier recordings, Net MDs' etc. The DRM system still rules whether or not your lifetime transfers have been used up. It doesn't matter whether it's an optical out, coax out, USB or whatever...if it's digital you still have to contend with the DRM system which is built into the file bits - these bits record how many transfers you've made in its lifetime. The only dead certain method is going to be real-time analogue via the line, record or headphones out for those earlier recordings (some will digitally transfer others will not - depends). It's only those recent recordings made with the likes of the MZ-RH1 where you have a relaxation of the DRM system. Ref Sonic Stage, I've never had problems getting it to work with the Windows System and the latest drivers (incl 64bit OS) on this Forum work ok and recognize all the USB connections with my own gear (JB decks, Net MDs & HiMDs). Apart from the obvious advantage of digital transfers (where possible) with the MZ-RH1, the Sonic Stage USB link is good more as a control link from the PC for discs held in the decks. They can be real-time monitored, read, played back and recorded via the PC line-in or the USB in (using Xitel) if you've got a poor PC soundcard. It's good to sit back and listen to your recordings - it's a pity that too much time is spent nowadays just shunting digital media backwards and forwards with it never actually being listened to!

Thanks Mosaic. Not too bad considering the problem in rendering a mixture of 16/14, 24/48 etc.. sound tracks into a single full HD video (24fps film) format suitable for uploading to Vimeo /YouTube. The end result must go through about 2 chains of format recompression. So what you actually hear listening to the Vimeo audio is nowhere near the dynamic range or quality of the original audio. With all that gear, you don't need the motivation for field recording, do you?

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.

Meanwhile here's another compilation made with the MZ-N910

Thanks ShriDurga for the 'heads up' on my blog.....must also compliment you on your Varanasi Station recording! For those interested the MDS-JB940 is featured playing in one of the scenes in my film 'The Field Recordist', along with the MZ-RH1, there are also shots of the MZ-N710, MZ-N910. There is still a full year before filming is complete, but I may release some trailers possibly showing the MD's on my other blog which is linked through from the one you show.

That's what you call 'well used' ............take a look at some md recorders shown in the various posts at http://theretrorecordist.wordpress.com/