kgallen

4 of these are "for" the kids - I bought a pair but had issues with them (so are now sitting in a drawer) so ended up buying another pair that thankfully work. The only portable I use is my MZ-R700 which I've had from new (maybe 2000), which I have in the office at work [not been there for some months now with the C* thing] with my stack of "legacy audio media" as my colleague call my pedestal drawer full of minidiscs...

They are Class II, nothing to test really. Inspection is key. As these machines have transformers then you could do an insulation test with the probe on the metal case, but there is little to be gained with this, you can spot the main faults with your in-built test equipment (your eyes). Of course, I take care of my equipment and ensure it is in a safe state. This is common sense. This kit is only really formally inspected and tested because (a) I'm a pedant and like to button things up (b) strictly it's needed for me to take my kit into the halls we use for our shows. No I don't "PAT test" my house equipment, I'm not that bad! (Well I might if I did a repair to something where putting it on the tester makes sense). I don't want to talk about "PAT testers". Such discussions can be better covered by others, like BigClive.

Nobody yet has pointed out the clocks are different! :-D

Yes, other equipment was done on 1/Jan. Jeez, it was cold in the shed! Such is life... how sad!

No hijack - nice to see a few friends on the thread, seems I'm being watched (eh, Chris... ;-) ! Eeeek! Actually my apols to the OP, it seems I'm the one heading towards a thread and project hijack!

So yes, as I was saying before I got my cover blown... I have two E12 joined in a rack (well only ‘cos I haven’t added the third ;-) :

Oh darn, the boys have been keeping an eye on me this morning :-D I think most are listed on my profile (I think...!). But then you lot keep encouraging me to watch more on eBay!

I want to join the two E12s with coax SPDIF and a-n-other cable and do a disc clone, audio and text. I could do this with two MDS-JE530 machines if I connect coax or optical for the audio and the two A1 ports. However I only have one 530 (in amongst the maybe 20 machines I have, shhhhh :-)

Seems like the E12 has CTRL-S which is input only, doh. So that means I can't link two E12's by CTRL-S. I thought this was a newer version of the Control-A1 I have on my MDS-JE530 but it seems not. That means I need to find another way to get the track names across. I was looking for another 530 but the prices have gone through the roof... So maybe I can do the name copying with your software magic and the E12's after all?

I've got one (and just bought another as it happens!). Not sure if you'll get much inside in addition to the existing stuff. A small Xilinx Spartan on a custom board at best? Let us know what you're up to with it (on a new thread).

It was @zedstarr's and @NGY's fault, they put me through the mill with it!

Did you see our work here (page 2 on)? This could be done in a different way in FPGA but there is some analysis and info here (and the final FSM) that will be useful information. The clock recovery (not in the scope of the below thread) is one of the hardest parts - possible you could integrate part of this into digital logic in the FPGA and maybe even use one of the on-chip DLLs (depending what family you're using), or use an external PLL chip like the various Elektor designs of old. ETA: MDS-E12 has fully copy-bit control, so a "killer" is not needed. Don't know about your MDS-E11.

I would like to be able to make an MD disc clone (so I can create a backup disc of a master with SFX/music on for theatre) - well at least copy all audio and title tracks. Possibly I can already do this with the SPDIF plus CTRL-S link. But it was a thought, I'm intrigued by the control possibilities...

No problem! Personally I'm not too worried about that COMBINE command, but I'm happy to try and help debug your implementation of it! I'm interested what can be done over this interface, particularly how I might either link two MDS-E12 together or if I could create an interface to my lighting console - so being able to trigger the MD players from a DMX or Art-Net or sACN command. This of course would require me to use something like a Raspberry Pi to interface between the two, but from the software side I'd be interested if your code could run on a Pi (of which I know relatively little, generally being an Arduino user).

I have a PC with DB25 serial port running Win7, so I'll be happy to give this software a go with my MDS-E12 machines (assuming I can find an RS232 DB25-DB9 serial lead!). Kevin

Well I've been playing about with my MD-350 for a while now. Of the very many I've tried, I can’t seem to find any sort of button combination that gets me in to any Service Mode (holding buttons in whilst turning on with the power switch[*] and continue to hold buttons for a while longer). I now seem to have got a little distracted with playing with SP/LP2/LP4... so that's today gone! [*] The MD-350 has a "proper" clunky on/off switch, not a standby/on like the domestic Sony MDS decks.

Sorry for thread necromancy. I was googling for some other MD related stuff and got caught by this thread (as is usual). In early 2021, it seems the "lull" or "lack of interest" in MD feared above is, at least for now, abated. In this thread the JA555ES is a popular suggestion. I had a quick look on eBay out of curiosity and there is a unit currently at 27 bids and a healthy price for the seller of £640 (885USD) with 8 days to go... gone are the days for now for picking up even the low end decks for much less than £50. It seems the market, in the UK at least, is boyant!

Hi. Sorry I can't help, I find the same as you - no detail about this in the service manual. I had a bit of a google and couldn't find anything. Maybe worth having more of a search around Tascam or Teac's other MD machines (301, 501) to see if any resource details entering service mode then see if a similar key sequence works on the 350. On Sony decks, this usually involves holding a set of front panel keys whilst energising the device, so you might end up at some hit and miss trials on the MD-350. If you find anything, please document here for others! Kevin ETA: This is for the MD-CD1, but this has two Eject buttons for the MD and CD drives, so this won't work on the MD-350. However what it suggests to me is that Tascam don't use an overly complex sequence. Sony decks often require 3 buttons to be pressed whilst turning on, which can be a challenge!

The guy in the video got lost in the memories of his discs as he was going through playing them in his repaired machine! That’s how it is! :-)

Great one cheers Christopher! Thanks too for keeping us going, we have a new lease of life! Kevin

£14 free postage, nice one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-AC-ES305-AC-Power-Adaptor-3V-500mA-UK-Plug-Minidisc-Charger-/265099971287?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

I put one of those PSU from ukjunkmart in my ‘Watch’ list and he’s now offered with 15% off so might be worth you doing the same see if you can get a price you’re happier with. Or send them a message with an offer?

Ah sorry I was thinking you were in the US, when actually you're up the road from me! :-D Plenty of examples here (I accept not all are the cheapest and probably as much as your machine...): https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=sony+minidisc+power&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=1 I searched "sony minidisc power" / "UK Only".

Sony usually use centre negative where most others use centre positive, so that is a key spec check for your machine and be aware of. Also the barrel plug is quite a small one. I think your best bet is to look for a Sony model but not be restricted to the exact model listed for this machine. For example I have both AC-ES305 (transformer based) and AC-ES305K (SMPSU) - although note these are UK/EU types so the code is probably not right in the US. With my MZ-R700 which is at work in the office I've got a different type again. Can't tell you what model that is at the moment as I've not been into the office since December with this CO**D thing... Sadly I have a photo... it's an AC-MZR55. But basically, 3V DC output, 500mA (3W or 5W depending on type). I've just checked my NF610, N505 and N510 and they are all centre positive as my R700 must be. Ah I think you're right - since I don't believe these machines can draw power from the USB. And USB is not "low power" (in the sense of an AA cell being able to support it for long). So yes, on the mains for USB makes good sense. Good spot!

Stephen put me on some list to be able to delete spam. I don't think I'm a fully fledged Admin type (I'm still "Members") - that would be dangerous, I don't know what I'm doing on these forum things. But it would explain why no-one likes me :-( :-D