kgallen

Yes I realised after re-reading your post that you hadn’t meant the full side (but I cheekily left my original comment in case it helped others understand the difference). I think there is a recent techmoan where he discusses the Mark Ronson release on MD/8-track/CD and expands a little to talk about today’s offerings for MD (BandCD.co.uk) and 8-track duplication. In it he talks about labelling and I seem to recall the video author comments had a bunch of links including label templates. Sorry if I’m sending you on a wild goose chase...

(ETA apologies I’ve mis-answered your post. There are MD templates about but I can’t put my finger on a URL yet. Have a search on ‘techmoan’, he’s a YouTube Vlogger who has done a number of excellent minidisc videos. I’m pretty sure there is a label template linked on one of his 2019 minidisc videos.) You can only have a square label on a pressed ‘CD’ minidisc. You can’t have a square full side label on a recordable (magneto-optical) minidisc because there has to be a hatch on both sides. The top side hatch is for the overwrite head which is needed during record. Pressed commercial minidiscs can’t be recorded (they are pressed just like CDs) and so only need the hatch on the underside for the read laser so the top side can just be full plastic allowing for the whole side label.

Worth confirming if it’s play only or play and record (actually while recording not record pause). I noticed this week that both of my MDS-E12 are ‘noisy’ with some discs during record. These are old discs I’ve had for many years and during record the overwrite head is in contact with the reverse of the disc. During play (laser only) they are silent.

Is this noise through the audio or a noise that can be heard from the unit?

One of the cheapest sound cards I’ve found with optical toslink in and out, that works with Windows 10 is the Startech PEXSOUND7CH which is around 50GBP. I have this permanently connected to my MDS-JE520.

I don't think there are any Hi-MD decks (at least from Sony), only portables. I think the MDS-JB980 is the "creme de la creme" (sorry!) of Sony home Hi-Fi components.

Well I finally got hold of a Laser Power Meter (Sanwa LP-1). I thought I'd give it a try on my not-so-happy MDS-JE530. So the head does actually fit under the OWH head and I can take a reading from the laser - thanks sfbp, you're absolutely right in your recommendation, it does fit, hurrah, at last! So went into service mode, [Check] menu and use the LDPWR to make the measurements for 0.9mW and 7.0mW. Convert for 780nm witht the x0.73 scaling factor. LDPWR is a little high (about 7.5mW on the 7.0mW power). Go to the [Adjust] menu and do a couple of cycles of Adjust and re-measure until I'm happy with the power settings. Easy to do (well done Sony). However the 530 still won't read discs reliably. About 2 successes out of 30+ trials. So it's not failed laser or laser power that's the issue! Time to think again - even though the missus says "It's broken, put it in the bin, you've been messing about trying to repair that thing for years now!". Well of course, it won't be going in the bin, but I'm back to the drawing board! Happy MD-ing everyone!

I think your suggestion to try another power strip is a sound one (excuse the pun!). Those error codes are fairly typical to find in a deck of a fair few years old. If you clear them, then you can see what new ones come back. But as your decks are generally in good working order I don't think they'll tell you anything of interest.

This is Service Mode entry for the 440. The 940 is the same product line so is probably the same. DONT go into the [Service] menu and dick with any settings. 1. While pressing the AMS knob and [STOP] button, connect the power plug to the outlet, and release the AMS knob and [STOP] button. When the test mode is set, “[Check]” will be displayed. 2. Rotate the AMS knob and when “[Service]” is displayed, press the YES button. 3. Rotate the AMS knob and display “Err Display”. 4. Pressing the YES button sets the error history mode and displays “op rec tm”. 5. Select the contents to be displayed or executed using the AMS knob. 6. Pressing the AMS knob will display or execute the contents selected. 7. Pressing the AMS knob another time returns to step 4. 8. Pressing the MENU/NO button displays “Err Display” and exits the error history mode. 9. To exit the test mode, press the REPEAT button. The unit sets into the STANDBY state, the disc is ejected, and the test mode ends.

Depends on the deck - you'll need to pull the service manual to find out. It tends to involve pressing 2 or 3 buttons at the same time as plugging in (with the mains cord) the deck - plus standing on your head and holding your tongue at the appropriate jaunty angle (I kid you not!). Yes, but this is codes like C13 that are documented in the user manual (that's what Sony mean when they put "Self Diagnosis" stickers on stuff). (I'm not aware of any "super user" diagnostics codes beyond going through a knowledgeable service sequence, taking measurements with lab equipment and comparing to information the deck displays.)

Your Muji page gave me a 404...

Don't do this. It's unlikely to show you anything useful and potentially extremely dangerous unless you have a genuinely decent Class IV DMM, like one from Fluke and know how to use it safely with high energy power sources. Internal power supplies are regulated DC so unless the mains supply to your house is seriously out of spec (in which case I'd expect your DNO to be well aware) then the internal rails are likely to be fine. Also these decks use transformer-based (rather than SMPSU) supplies so I'd think it unlikely that their PSUs have all failed - unless you've had some local lightning strikes in which case I'd expect most of your household appliances to be dead and smoking. Kevin

Can you go into service mode on each one and then exit to cause the deck to "Initialise". The only other option is, I know internally there is a microprocessor reset link - however this never changed anything on any of my decks when I tried it! Probably not worth opening up yet, but if you exhaust all other external attempts, may be a last resort. On some desks I believe this is a soldered link. On the "higher" decks I have like E10, E12 it's a removable "handbag" link.

OK. Welcome and good hunting! I've not heard of Muji before so you've done well to narrow the search down! There's a similar one in this bundle but it's a 74 not an 80: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35x-Minidiscs-Various-Types-Colors-Japanese-Rare/223745738062?hash=item341849054e:g:GYAAAOSwMmJdyedC

Please add your location to your profile. I'm going to assume you're in the US. Either of these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/One-1-Minidisc-VICTOR-Clear-MD-80-2006-new-and-sealed/264526483528?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-Sony-MD80-Blank-Mini-Disc-80-Minutes-Recordable-MD-Japan-Genuine-F-ship/322993600431?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Don't get me started on this one... yes the factory-fit CR2032 in my (theare) lighting desk did last for 5 years. However the Dura**ll pile of c**p I fitted next only lasted 2 years and I lost the last 20 lighting cues of Act 2 (fortunately during the dress rehearsal, not a performance). However I digress again and we're no closer to fixing ck10's machine!

Yes I see you're right about the thickness/diameter - I was leading myself to the wrong conclusion thinking about the ML2020 I see in my E10 versus the smaller diameter one I see in my 440 (which I probably erroneously took to be an ML2016 but haven't actually looked...). However I think we're looking at different types of battery here - CR20xx are primary cells - exhaust once and throw away. The batteries in these decks are ML20xx which are rechargable. CR series are usually in a socket/holder so they can be replaced. The ML20xx I see have tags attached and are soldered into the PCB. Yup, CR20xx are small change. The ML20xx are in the 10 USD/GBP/EUR range from what I can see. I did buy a "pair" of ML2020 for my E10 and I got genuine Panasonic ones for about 5GBP each. At which point I must note that in desperation trying to repair my E10 I thought the battery voltage was a bit low and it needed replacing. Turns out that wasn't the issue - my working E12's had even lower voltages. So... this battery distraction I've taken you on (sorry!) might well not be the issue with the 510, it was just a thought!

I just dug out the 510 SM. It's an ML2016 (rechargeable Lithium Ion), so probably the same as the 440 (the "16" bit is the diameter so it is a 16mm dia battery, compared to the 20mm one in the MDS-E10/E12). Not saying this is the issue, just updating my post from above now I've got the data! (These batteries are not "dirt cheap", around the 6GBP/8USD mark - not sure where in the world you are ck10).

Internal battery duff? Or just flat through no use? Not sure what is in the 510 but in my E10/12 it’s a Panasonic ML2020. I seem to remember my 440 has similar but a smaller size. It’s soldered in to the PCB. Leave the machine turned on a couple of hours to charge it up and see if that helps.

If you can’t edit the track that suggests it’s already fragmented too much. Can you copy the track to a fresh MD and start from there? assumes: - the record tab isn’t across on the disc (you’ve checked) - you have or can borrow a second machine

Good work! Although I tended to find plumbing O-rings a little thick and stiff. I hope you found one that fits the pulleys nicely and is not straining the axle geometry at either end. The beltsI've looked at, even those that are still working well, are not under much tension and they are not particularly chunky belts. Kevin

Of course you're welcome! Especially as you're MD! My Google-Foo has failed me on searching for any documentation on your machine. At an outside guess, is the clamshell not closing/seating properly? Kevin ps Jim could you add your location to your profile?

There really is no hope. 18 months on from my previous comment in this thread, I "somehow" seem to have 12 machines... one Sony MDS-JE530 and MDS-E10 in the "still trying to repair" category (in theory I'll finally get hold of a suitable Laser Power Meter within the next month or so...), two Tascam MD-CD1 (MkI) in the "repaired and in use" category (for dubbing), two beautiful Sony MDS-E12 and a pristine Tascam MD-350 flightcased for use in theatre sound, plus my trusty original Sony MDS-JE520 in my home-office-cum-sound-studio and portable MZ-R700 at work where it gets pretty much daily use. An MDS-JE440 and a MDS-JE480 bought as "tatty and broken" donor/investigative machines for the ongoing E10 repair, but both of which are now fully functional too. Oh and it's 12 machines now (rather than the 11 I mentioned recently in another thread), as I've imposed the format on the rest of the family having picked up (and repaired the CD changer section of) a Sony DHC-NX5MD MD/CD based "mini-hifi" stack which is now in use in the Dining Room...! As I say... no hope. But honestly, I really don't have (physical) space for any more, even if mentally there's still room for the odd one more...!

Great news! For the future reference of others, I assume you just pressed the "Play Mode" button to get out of Program? Regards, Kevin (apologies for not signing off on my first post!)

Sorry for the daft question, but you haven't accidentally put it into "program play" mode have you? I'm not familiar with this particular machine, but an MD-based Sony Hifi I have gives this exact message when you try to play a "program" and you haven't created a "program" with any tracks in it. See page 25 of the manual: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/res/manuals/3866/38666781M.pdf Page 42 lists the error messages and gives: "No program!! You tried to start Program Play when no program exists."