BearBoy

Certainly is a very glowing review! Thanks for posting. Re MiniDisc.org, does anyone know who owns that site and whether they still make any updates? I noticed the other day that a couple of Sony portables were missing. Didn't know whether it was worth notifying the webmaster via the site somehow or whether it was run by anyone on here.

Well, it's completely vanished from eBay now (including details of the previous "sold" listing) so I think you're right that something shady was going on...

Like this:

Yes, I meant PS/2 style plug.

The page for the PC Link kit (PCLK-MN10/MN10A) says: But all the photos I can find of the PCLK-MN10 show it having a mini-DIN connector, rather than the 3.5mm jacks used by the Control A1 system. Probably best we rely on first hand knowledge from people who have used the system rather than what I am scrabbling together from, potentially inaccurate, web sources and my own speculation ;-)

@NGY, ah, okay. Thanks! I was getting a bit confused because the implementation on the Japanese MDS-JB940 seems to be different, at least it is according to MiniDisc.org MiniDisc.org says that PC Link on the MDS-JB940 works via the digital optical input (for audio transfer) and can also be controlled from a PC (via Control A1(II) or via the keyboard PS/2 port?) Unfortunately the English manual I have for the MDS-J940 makes no mention of PC Link as it looks like it was a Japan only function. Looks like the implementation on the MDS-JE770 was different with everything going through the PS/2 port on the front?

Going by the specs on MiniDisc.org (I don't have any of these machines), the MDS-JE770 is both PC Link and PS/2 keyboard compatible. The MDS-JE470 has PC Link but no PS/2 keyboard port.

The one that "sold" last night is back on eBay this evening. Bidding currently at £155 with 21 hours left. Seems a bit odd. Still just the one blurry picture and a short auction period.

Thanks for the translation Richard. Either theory would make sense.

Quite like those. I wonder what PoSHE meant to people in Japan?

I think you're right sfbp, the page for the MDS-JB940 on MiniDisc.org says that it can be used with PC Link (PCLK-MN10) but there is no mention of this in the manual for my MDS-JB940 (UK model). Looks like the PCLK-MN10 connects via the optical digital input on the deck. I wonder whether it would work with my UK model but they just didn't mention it in the manual as the PC Link kit was unavailable outside of Japan? Or whether the necessary "innards"* are absent? * Technical term ;-)

Press the "show filter" button and then amend "Read Status" from "unread" to "everything". You should then see the posts from the Technical sub-forum that you've already read.

Ha. Do you know what? I was actually thinking of posting about that this morning and checking if it was just me they didn't work for :-) Like you say, it is a small thing but it would be good if they did work properly. Weirdly, one of them does still seem to work

Kevin, try this - it might help a bit? On the top of the home screen, click on the third icon to the left (the one next to the + sign and magnifying glass): It should bring up a list of unread posts? If you choose "show filters" you can amend that to show the content you want. If you want to access a particular sub-forum then just find a post that's in that forum and click on the forum name in the filtered list (you don't have to actually open the post/thread). You'll then be in the sub-forum without the overlays you mentioned.

Don't be sorry! It's good to see the threads being restored.

I, probably unsurprisingly, have the same issue on my iPhone XR (same iOS as you). Like you I generally "work around" it but would be good to know how best to view the site on a phone.

Second one, from February 2020, is about the Sony MZP-1 MiniDisc label printer:

These two aren't that new but thought I would add them for the sake of completeness. First up is a video about pre-recorded MiniDisc packaging from November 2020:

:-) Where is it you live NGY?

That MDS-JA555ES is up to £740 now but one sold last night in the UK for £624. The ad only had a single (blurry) picture though and a brief description.

Did you make any recovery media for the Vaio? Mine badgered me constantly to do so...

I added that to my watch list. Not because I was intending to bid but just out of interest to see how much it eventually goes for. It's up to £660 now with 7 days left. Obviously these things tend to shoot up in the final 10 seconds so it'll be interesting to see what it fetches. There's a BIN one in the UK on there for £1,295 as well.

NetMD aside, I think the MDS-JB980 still has some advantages over the earlier QS decks: Type-S for higher quality playback of MDLP recordings and the group function. If you're not interested in MDLP then you'd probably be better off saving some money and going for an MDS-JB930 or MDS-JB940. They're both Type-R and, like you say, appear to have better build quality. They also have more connectivity options if you're connecting up a lot of kit. I wonder if the MDS-JB920 tends to be cheaper than the others because it's "only" ATRAC 4.5?

What were you doing, Kevin? Comparing the sound quality?

The £70 I paid for the MDS-JB940 back in 2016 seems like an absolute bargain now! I’ve been keeping half an eye open for an MDS-JE480 (in case I ever need to steal the drive for one of my 980s) but even they seem to be commanding much higher prices now than a year or so back. There was a time when I thought about trying to pick up an ES deck (555 or 333) but I don’t think I’d ever be prepared to spend the sort of money they go for these days.