BearBoy

Great that you've got your machine working again, @multiwirth 🙂 Gerry also sells stuff like this via the r/minidisc Reddit under the name gerry88inHongKong (in case anyone's interested but doesn't use Facebook):

Well, I decided to give it a spin. Really simple to use. Put a CD in your PC and connect up your (NetMD) MiniDisc recorder. The CD and MD appear on the different sides of the window and then you can transfer all or some of the tracks across. You can also edit the titles on either side and create groups etc on the MD side. I did some tests with a 4 track EP (total runtime of 14 minutes and 6 seconds) using an MZ-N910: SP mode took 5 minutes and 56 seconds LP2 mode took 8 minutes and 35 seconds When transferring in SP mode, each track went through two stages: CD-Rip and then MD-Transfer. In LP2 mode there was an additional "External-Encoder" stage in the middle.

Came across this on the r/minidisc Reddit the other day: https://github.com/Jo2003/cd2netmd_gui#readme Anybody tried it yet?

Good to see you back @bluecrab 🙂

Did a couple of follow up tests: Using the same set of files I burned a 3 track CD-RW and then a 6 track one. On the 3 track disc, all the titles were correct. On the 6 track disc, however, I got: Track 1 - correct Track 2 - correct Track 3 - incorrect (had track 4's title) Track 4 - incorrect (had track 5's title) Track 5 - correct Track 6 - correct Think I need to find some new software...

So I just gave this a go with some singles I had bought from Bandcamp that I wanted to put on a MiniDisc. Now, I know there are a number of other ways I could do this without burning a CD-RW (e.g. digital out from PC to MiniDisc deck or by using Web MiniDisc) but I was intrigued by the issue @kgallen and I had encountered a while back. The CD-RW had 10 tracks for a total of 35 minutes (we had wondered previously if the issue occurred when burning CD-Rs/CD-RWs with a higher number of tracks e.g. 20+). Artist and Disc Title transferred across successfully. Track 1 - correct Track 2 - correct Track 3 - incorrect (had track 6's title) Track 4 - incorrect (had track 8's title) Track 5 - incorrect (had track 9's title) Track 6 - incorrect (had track 10's title) Track 7 - incorrect (had track 8's title) Track 8 - incorrect (had track 9's title) Track 9 - correct Track 10 - correct It doesn't really matter particularly for this specific purpose as my CD player does not pass CD Text information to my MiniDisc deck but CDs burned with iTunes were causing Kevin some issues with his equipment, which does pass CD titles across.

Glad to hear it's holding up! Working from home and MiniDisc seem to be very good bedfellows 🙂

It works intermittently for me with Safari on my phone. Currently working. On PC it seems to be okay with Edge (as long as you ignore the security warnings).

There's someone selling mugs on Etsy with that logo on: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1143461051/minidisc-30th-anniversary-ceramic-mug Not sure if it's the same person who is making the blank MiniDiscs?

Do you know if they did anything in 2012 for the 20th anniversary, @Richard? I did a Google but all I came across was a single picture of a "20th Anniversary" MZ-E75, presumably marking the 20th anniversary of the the original cassette Walkman in 1999.

I don't really need any more batteries at the moment (I've got a variety of Vapex, Double Pow and Jinmasi ones) but was quite intrigued by a "high capacity" option. But, as they say, if it sounds too good to be true...

TBH I'm just grateful the site is back up 🙂 I'd much rather it be a bit flakey but accessible rather than completely offline.

Hmmm. Maybe not as interesting as I first thought:

Might try Chrome then. Using Safari, it works for a bit and then I get the error message and have to clear my cache (which logs me out of every other site I use 🙁 ). Having said that, just tried it now and it worked first time 🤦‍♂️

Yeah, I'm having no joy with my mobiles now. Only access is via Edge on the Win10 PC...

Oh, I completely agree. I wouldn't expect them to release any new MD hardware at all. Just wondered if they might do some commemorative blanks (if they are still making them). Alternatively, they could release a solid state player that looked a bit like a classic MiniDisc player.

Correct. It was just one of their standard solid state MP3 players with a case that was styled like the original cassette Walkman: I think the "app" on the player could also show a picture of a cassette tape whilst it was playing:

I'm never really sure what sub-forum to put things in so feel free to move this to somewhere more appropriate if necessary. Anyway, just saw these 3000mAh gumstick batteries on the r/minidisc Reddit. I guess these would last around twice as long as the normal 1400mAh ones? I cannot vouch for the quality of these batteries but I have purchased from this seller before without any issues.

When it was the 40th anniversary of the original Walkman (i.e. the cassette one), Sony released a special edition network Walkman styled like the original. I suppose it's possible that they might do something similar for MiniDisc? Although I am not sure MiniDisc, at a global level at least, would be considered as iconic as the Walkman. The format seems to be viewed as a failure by many people so maybe not something 2022 Sony would necessarily want to make a big thing of...

I suppose the fact that they have them on their website and they're readily available from Amazon.co.jp doesn't necessarily mean they're still in production. Might just have some existing stocks still available? Did the person at Tapeheads have a source for Sony stopping production?

There are photos of all three types (MDW80T, MDW80BC and MDW80NED) on this site: https://juri.su/minidisc.htm Shows the packaging, discs and stickers. Given that it looks as though Sony are still making/selling the MDW80Ts, I wonder if there is any chance of them releasing any 30th Anniversary specials this year?

I quite like the minimalist design of the MDW80Ts 🙂 but I imagine some might find them rather dull compared to the more colourful discs from the past (especially some of the more exotic ones @Richard has in his collection). I seem to recall someone posting up the differences between the MDW80T and MDW80BC discs at one point. From what I remember, I think you may have got fewer stickers with the "Basic" ones but aside from that, and the printing on the disc caddy, they were pretty much identical. I don' have any of the MDW80BCs but I do have some of the later Neige discs (MDW80NED) and they are, Neige logo aside, identical to the MDW80Ts. The MDW80Ts are the only normal MDs still listed on Sony's Japanese website (https://www.sony.jp/rec-media/products/MDW80T/) but interestingly they also still have the MMD-140B MD Data discs for sale (https://www.sony.jp/rec-media/products/MMD-140B/).

Yeah, they are individually wrapped in cardboard boxes of 5. All my MDW80Ts have come like this (I've bought 50-60 of them, I think, over the past few years). Yours looked like they weren't in cardboard boxes?

Haha. I wish. No, it is just an unnecessarily large box for 20 MiniDiscs. Very painless process tbh and works out cheaper than any of the eBay sellers I have seen with these particular discs.

Well, it turned up early! Not such a "small" box either 😆