jmsla

Well, having done some A-B comparisons between recordings in SP from an analog signal versus an analog signal first converted to optical digital, I often hear a better result from the recording made with the signal first converted to optical. This deck is the only device I have that can convert and output an optical signal (other than my DVD recorder) Are you suggesting that when recording in SP it does not matter if the input signal is analog or digital? I'm quite certain I hear a difference. I'll play and record a cassette tape or LP directly on the 520 through its analog inputs and on another MD recorder with the optical output from the 520 and compare again. If I'm correct that the converted optical signal yields a better sounding recording in SP, then I'm interested in finding a deck or other device that may have a higher quality digital-analog converter. The 520 is a rather old deck after all.

Hi Stephen, If I understand you question properly...I'm using the JE-520 MD deck as a 'pass through' device to convert the analog signal, (from the cassette player or turntable), to optical because it has an 'optical out' jack. So, I have only portables to receive the optical input and make the recording. I am doing this on the observation, (assumption), that a better sounding recording results if the recorder, (portable or deck), is receiving an optical digital signal rather than an analog signal. Is that not correct? I understand, I think, that any MD recorder will be converting an analog input signal to digital as part of the recording process but, I thought that the 'analog to digital' converter on a deck would possibly be better that that on a portable. -J

Hi All, I am seeking any opinions or comments on the quality of the optical digital output from different Sony MD decks upon converting an analog input signal. I am currently putting many of my old cassette tapes and vinyl LPs onto minidisc in SP by recording in real-time using the optical input on a portable unit. I am first passing the source analog playback signal through either a Sony JE-520 deck or a Phillips DVD Player / Recorder that has an optical output. I occasionally perform an A-B test with the same source material and sometimes notice a slight but discernable difference in the quality of the optical output signal from the two different machines. The difference in quality I hear is in the form of what I'll call 'presence' or 'dimension'. It often depends on the source material i.e., a cassette tape that contains a live recording versus a cassette tape that contains a recorded vinyl LP. Some vinyl LPs sound slightly different as well. *I should also mention that I do not play my components through a stereo amp/pre-amp setup, so there is no eq coloration or other manipulation of the input signal to factor in. I will appreciate any opinions, comments, suggestions on this issue as I would like to get the best consistant result within reasonable cost limits. Most likely any used MD deck would be within my budget for example. And I would like to keep this process as simple and straight forward as possible. Thanks In Advance and Cheers, JMSLA -Jim *I use a 'source controler' for my components. It receives input signals via four sets of 1/4" stereo input jacks and has several output jacks that all recieve the same selected input source. There is only an attenuation control at each of the four inputs and a main output volume control. My speakers are Alesis 620 M-1 Active, which have some eq controls on the back if needed.

Randy MD, I often clone a new TOC to discs that I have recorded w/ digital input or mistakenly erased. As an experiment recently, I deliberately interrupted the power to a recorder as it was in System File Writing or Data Save mode to see if TOC cloning would recover the recording. It did recover the recording. And just now, after reading your post, I cloned a TOC to a completely blank disc to see if the cloned TOC would be accepted. It was and produced the expected single track of silence, which I believe is what you would want to see happen. If something had been recorded on that disc, it would have reappeared instead of the silence track. If you want to take a shot at recovering your concert disc, I would be glad to put a TOC on the disc for you. I don't use a Tascam for the purpose. I have two Sony machines that do the task, a deck and a portable. All I need to know is what ATRAC mode you recorded in: SP, LP2 or LP4. PM me if you are interested in pursuing. -James

Hi jasnopp, Welcome to the Minidisc Forum. I got my first M-200, (exactly the same machine as the RH1), almost three years ago by now. It is functioning just fine and dandy and I use it and another used oneI acquired just about every day. I think as with any small, complicated device with moving parts, if you don't handle it 'ham-fisted' it should last a good long time. Using the remote for as many functions a possible helps as well. As for the up-loading question, I only use PC, not Mac. See the recent post in the Hi-MD thread called MZ-RH1 and MZ-M200 Capabilities ?!? to start. Another person new to the Forum had just asked the same question about up-loading his old NetMD discs. There is also tons of other information in threads and posts about up-loading with the RH1 / M200 and some folks on this Forum who are real experts and will no doubt be answering your query shortly. See you around the Forum, -ja

Azteka, Yesterday there were two M200s on Craigslist. One unused still in it's box for $275 (negotiable) and the other "lightly used" for $200, sounded firm. The first was in Worcester, (MA I assume) and the other in Pitsburg (Morgantown, WV). Use Advanced Search in Google to get listings from all CL sites across the country. Search term should be exactly Hi-MD minidisc in the first window and in the forum window all the way at the bottom is exactly craigslist.org. I'd get one myself but I already have three and am more interested in acquiring high quality microphones at the moment. Goo Luck, -james

What I'm describing is a method for replacing the Table Of Contents (TOC) of a disc with the TOC of a different disc. The TOC contains all sorts of information, descriptions and instructions about the disc and it's recorded contents. Say, for example, you inadvertently erased all of the digitally recorded tracks on a disc. The information is not actually "erased" as in 'swept away' but rather, an instruction is added to the TOC telling the disc that it's OK to record over the material that was "erased". This "erased" material can be recovered by placing a new TOC on the disc that does not contain that particular instruction. Magically, the "erased" tracks re-appear. So let's say that, in this example, the 'replacement' TOC just happens, (by terrible mistake and regrettable oversight), to also contain a description identifying the disc's contents as being analog recorded material. Anticipating your next question...no, you would not first have to erase the contents of your disc in order to put a new TOC on there...just for the fun of it of course.

Typo correction.... "It [DH710] comes without a remote...

Well, good luck to you. I hope someone local agrees to help you out. Something to consider, however, and the reason I was asking how many discs are involved in this project, is that any owner of an RH1 may be reluctant to subject their machine to the wear and tear to up-load someone else's collection. Have you considered purchasing your own RH1 or M200? Used units are available on E-Bay and Craigslist. -J

Very nice...all my boxes of Hi-MD discs have a different graphic but, I assume the discs are the same dark translucent blue.

Hello All, I acquired a unit called an MZ-DH710. It is a player, up-loader and down-loader only. Mine is still in is clam shell package. Has anyone seen one of these before? It's not listed in the Equipment Browser section at MD.org. It come with a remote which seems strange for a portable player and I can't tell if it even could accept a remote because the port for the headphones has a piece of paper or some such covering the area. Anyone know this machine? -James

I probably don't need HiMDRenderer. I was under the impression that it was a more sophisticated uploading program than SS and possibly avoided some of the DMR nonsense. But I don't really know too much about it. The other seems quite complicated. I'll read the posts you suggested to get a better understanding. Partly, I'm trying to gather information to help a friend using Mac who makes extensive use of an older Hi-MD machine in his home computer based studio for music production and mixing jobs. He has to up load finished jobs in real time and I was looking to see if anything mew has come along in that regard. I don't use Mac so I've not paid much attention to those issues. -J

I agree, I would rather receive your MD collection and some thumb drives or blank CDs than send my exprnsive, rather delicate and soon to be irreplaceable RH1 off to an unknown entity, no disrespect intended. Just out of curiosity, exactly how many discs comprise your library? -ja

Well, thanks so much again for the reassuring guidance. Now if I can only find some documentation or specific user instrructions for HiMDRenderer which I've got on my computer but, can't really figure out how to use. The Discussion and Support link appears disabled. And where can I read abiut QHiMDT, it sounds familiar but, I can't seem to find it? Sound Forge is where I originally got Audacity, what do they have for minidisc? -JA

stbp, OK, once again many thanks. I did go back into the Device Manager and good thing too. There were a ton of unused drivers in there. Where could all those Net MD drivers have come from? Does the NH900 have the older Net driver? A shame if I have to stop using that, it's very convenient and I'd rather wear it out up-loading and down-loading that my RH1 or NH1. Anyway, the install of SS Ultimate went just fine and 35 minutes of SP up-loaded fromy my RH1 in 3 minutes, 44 seconds. Everything seems exactly the same as the official SS except the CONNECT logo is gone and Product Support in the Help dropdown points to this forum. I'll make a habit of checking for dead drivers every so often as well. Best, James

SFBP, Thank you. But, I don't see the step about removing unused USB drivers. I seem to remember quite a while ago an issue raised about slow uploads regarding the NH1 because of drivers installed from connecting a Net MD. I performed that purge and have not connected any Net MD units to my computer...only Hi MD units. (can't seem to find that topic now either) So, assuming I don't have any unused USB drivers, do I just use the one 'download link' - "Sonic Stage 4.3 Ultimate..."? I'm a bit confused by the multiple links including the "System prerequisites from Microsoft" links. If I'm going to fix something that doesn't appear broken, I want to make sue I at least perform the proper steps Thanks again for any direction / instruction. James

Arvin, I have SS 4.3 on my PC with Windows XP. I have never had any problems with it however, I get the impression that I should be using your Ultimate 4.3 anyway. My question is: Should I uninstall my current version of SS before installing Ultimate 4.3? I seem to remember installing a package of about three things from the Sony software site. I just want to make sure I proceed correctly. thanks in advance for any advice, -James

Hey PPK, Good story about your mike experiences. I've used some of those other mikes you mentioned and came to the same conclusions. One thing I wanted to point out about your experience with too much bass...the AT822 has a "low frequency roll off" position on the switch. Basically it limits bass below a certain frequency level, I can't remember what but it's on the spec sheet. I've used it and it works very well. It's the second click position on the on-off switch. I have no experience with attenuators and don't know how to use them so maybe they are a better way to go. You can certainly do an A/B test. I'm just reluctant to pass the signal through any accessories. I notice I get the best sounding recordings when I plug the mike directly into the MiniDisc's mike or line input as opposed to when I have the mike going through my mixer first. I seems that anything the signal passes through adds something to the signal...some hum, hiss, or other interference even if it's subtle. Not saying I get bad recordings using my mixer but, directly into the recorder is best. Do you notice that sort of thing with an attenuator? -James

Msteein, I have both the AT 822 and just picked up the AT 8022 this week to compare. They are both excellent stereo condenser mikes. I have gotten many great sounding recordings from my 822 both in my studio and in field settings like jazz clubs or in one instance on a subway platform. Audio Technia is no longer making the 822 but, it can still be found pretty easily with a Google search. That said, the 8022 is considered the alternative to the 822. Both mikes come with two sets of cords, one set with left and right quarter inch plugs for use with a mixer or other professional level equipment and another cord that terminates to an eighth inch stereo plug for going directly into the mike input of a minidisc recorder or such. I am finding that for the same price as the 822, at B&H anyway, the 8022 is in fact an even better sounding mike. wider dynamic range, less flat sounding...brighter and wider sounding. I would actually like to sell one of my 822s (I have two) and get a second 8022. In another topic on the forum called Live Recording I posted a link to some A/B comparison recordings between the 822 and a Sony mike called an ECM-MS957, a very expensive and awful sounding mike. The thread is called Live Recording Using MD and Transferring To CD by Samantha D. I'm pretty sure my links are still active. I'll try to upload and post a link for an A/B comparison between the AT822 and the AT8022 and that mike that comes with the M200, that DS70P. The difference will amaze you. I sympathize about the cost of a high quality microphone but, having a high quality digital recorder for mike recording is pointless unless you have a really good mike. That is the first link in creating the signal that will be recorded. And remember that all live recordings start as an analog signal. If your mike is low quality, the results on you high tech recorder will be disappointing. The DS70P is really best suited for recording speaking, not music. I'll try to get that link set up soon for you. Best, -J

In my opinion only, the best alternative is a much much better microphone. Look at the AT 8022. B&H in New York City is selling it for a great price.

In my experience, if you happen to change the name of the track in its destination folder and maybe inadvertantly alter the end of the file name in some little way, SS cantt find it because it no longer comports exactly to the file name in the SS library. That's one possibility. -ja

Well now, this has been an interesting exchange, ranging from the commodious to the absurd. I suppose I should comment at this point since it apparently was my declaration (confession? admittance?) that I purchase copious, and in the view of one, lavish, wasteful and conspicuously consumptive quantities of minidisc media. (and BTW Star, it isn't "more or less [my] money", it is indeed entirely my money, dutifully earned and spent as I desire, thank you.) Where to begin? Let me state first that I am not challenged either technically or physically by the hardware or software at issue. I do save quite a bit of material on my computer's hard drive. And perform quite a lot of editing in programs like Audacity. I do not, however, trust that any hard-drive is robust enough to be considered a safe storage device. I've seen hard-drives fail and back-up hard-drives fail right after. Every computer expert I've spoken with about this say essentially the same thing, 'It's not a matter of if the hard-drive will fail but rather, when it will fail.' Even the User Manual for my stand alone DVD HD recorder advises not to consider the hard-drive as a storage medium but, to burn anything you want to keep to a disc because "hard-drives tend to fail". Music I've recoded that is really important for me I keep on the disk as well. Basically I store files on my computer so that I can easily down load some material, (temporally), to a disc to use on the go or take to a another location for use. And I use the SS Library only as kind of index, and at that less and less. Next, I actually do use large numbers of minidiscs because my relationship and activities with music extends far beyond planted myself in a chair at my computer. That being among the one least desirable places to listen to music from my perspective. One could reinterpret 'MD' to mean 'mobile disk-drive'. As well, Bwil's comments do in fact speak for quite a large number of MD users so his use of 'We and 'Us' is entirely appropriate. I also record live practically everyday and need to carry those discs around with me while I review and edit on the machine if I hear something I want keep. With so much live recorded material I may not get to a particular recorded session for a few weeks or more. These are but some of the reasons I require so many discs. Minidisc in general, in my experience, is a very fluid medium and users tend come up with all sorts of interesting ways to use and interact with it. NickyJay makes a good point I think. I find fascinating, as I read posts in this forum, the myriad ways that users shape the medium to their particular needs and desires. As well adapting it to other evolving hardware and software. One really can't do that with IPod which also has just abysmal sound quality, in my opinion. Lastly, Star, if no one else takes up your offer, I'll gladly take all your unwanted discs off your hands for you. PM me to make arrangements. Cheers All, -ja

Ha.. I thought the 520 was MDLP capable, ( I dont record a lot in LP2 or LP4), but it works and the portable,, G750 is definately and MDLP unit. The one long silent track on the 'source disc' just has to be in the same recorded mode as the target disc. So I've got 80 and 74 min discs that cantain one long analog track in SP, LP2 and LP4.

Well, I've got both a deck and a portable that support MDLP and can perform a TOC cloning. (It's actually a bit quicker on the portable, a modified G750, than on the deck, a JE520.) I'd be happy to help out Operator or anyone else who needs a new TOC and doesn't have a machine to do it. Operator can PM me and I can explain the track mark implications and a few others such as whether the disc he recorded to was virgin or had been previously recorded on and "erased" before being recorded on again. -ja

Would a new 'cloned' TOC on those discs allow Operator to upload those discs via an M200 or RH1? I never used NetMD myself but, when I make a real time recording, of a CD or LP for example, in SP mode by way of optical input, I will clone a new TOC to the disc afterwards so that I can be free to move tracks around or insert a temporary track mark in a song, etc.