A440

Use the File Conversion Tool on both of your libraries. Under Tools. Run it (it will close SonicStage), un-check Add Copy Protection. You can let it delete the OMG files. Then you will have .oma files that will play anywhere and not be tied to any one computer. Burn them, copy them to a portable drive, etc.

You don't really need the backup tool any more. Use the File Conversion Tool (under Tools). Uncheck Add Copy Protection. It removes the DRM from the files and then you never have to worry again about SonicStage going wacky. It tells you to back everything up, but I've never had any problems with it. More info here: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=16088 I also have it delete the omg files--they're just clutter.

You should send an email to Mic Madness. And maybe try www.taperssection.com . sales(at)microphonemadness.com

First install SonicStage. There's a full installer for 4.0 here: http://forums.minidisc.org/downloads/details.php?file=21 Then install Simple Burner. http://forums.minidisc.org/downloads/download.php?file=93

You could get a battery-powered mixer with multiple inputs to go into the mic socket. Someone else here may be able to recommend one, or consult a pro-audio store. Wireless mics are going to get expensive, and you're going to have to secure them so a running actor doesn't create handling noise with the mic bouncing around. Have you considered using the boom for ambience and dubbing in the dialogue later?

You never mentioned what your unit was. And, well, you are on forums.MINIDISC.org By the way, there's another forum at http://www.atraclife.com that discusses Sony ATRAC gadgets that aren't minidiscs, like your NW-E505. They're unlikely to have a solution for this problem--Sony's encyption is a dead end--but you might find some other information you can use there. I don't think dbpoweramp deals with ATRAC/.omg/.oma at all. It's a proprietary Sony format.

Do you still have the walkman and the minidisc with the music on it? The files copied onto the CD are encrypted--I assume the CompUSA people just used Windows Explorer and drag-and-dropped them--and they are useless without your original hard drive and computer, because the encryption is keyed to your hardware. The idiots at Sony made no provision for sudden hard disc failure. What unit were the files originally recorded on? What format (PCM, Hi-SP, Hi-LP, SP, LP2, LP4)? Apparently you uploaded them to the hard drive. Do you know exactly which version of SonicStage you were using? Unfortunately, all of these questions matter. Marcnet's program, and probably the other one too, is made for files that are already in My Library in SonicStage, and playable by your computer. It's not going to work with files outside the computer. IF: 1) You still have the files on a minidisc AND 2) you uploaded them through a version of SonicStage 3.4 or above Then you can simply upload them again from the disc through SonicStage installed on another computer. BUT: IF YOU UPLOADED THEM THROUGH AN OLDER VERSION OF SONICSTAGE, LIKE 3.0, YOU CANNOT UPLOAD THEM AGAIN THROUGH ANY VERSION OF SONICSTAGE, NEW OR OLD. IF YOU TRY TO DO IT THE FILES WILL BE ERASED FROM THE ORIGINAL MINIDISC WITH NO WARNING. I'm yelling because you don't want to lose those original files. The original disc is probably the only way to get your music back. Unless you are absolutely sure the files on the minidisc were not uploaded with an old version of SonicStage, I recommend you contact Sony Media Services, http://www.sonymediaservices.com/ . That's Sony and for a price--probably around $45--they may deal with the encryption and recover the music for you. You could also ask them if they can convert the files from the CD, or if they can get them from the hard drive. With new recordings going into the new version of SonicStage, as soon as you upload them you should go into Tools/My Library and run the File Conversion Tool. That will change the files from encrypted .omg to .oma, which will play in any SonicStage, not just the one on the original computer. But it won't work on the encrypted files you have. Yes, the whole encryption system is stupendously idiotic. Unfortunately, that's what you're stuck with. "Back through the system with the riffraff again..."

GM is right as usual. You never need both attenuator and battery box. The attenuator into Mic-in is just a cheap-and-dirty substitute for a battery box into Line-in. I was using it when battery boxes were much bulkier than the little modules now, and I still keep one in case the harder-to-find batteries in the battery box die--though they do last a long, long time--but the attenuator does degrade the mic signal, while the battery box enhances it. The problem with going direct into mic-in is that even with levels that look like they're OK--nowhere near peaking--moderate bass will overload the mic preamp and you'll get distortion. The attenuator helps prevent that, but for the best mic-in recordings you need a source like voice that doesn't have a lot of bass. Incidentally, the battery box is on whenever the mic is plugged in. The batteries last hundreds of hours, but do make sure you're unplugged from it when you're not recording.

I don't mean to rush you, but it seems Sony isn't even manufacturing the RH1 any more, so if you care about uploading those old MDs you should find an RH1 now rather than later. You could use the SonicStage 3.4 disc that comes with the RH1 or get 4.2 online. Once you have uploaded the files, you can convert them to mp3 with Marcnet's Hi-MDRenderer, available in Downloads up there on the right.

I use the battery box for everything musical. Without it you need to go through mic-in, and mic-in is way too sensitive to bass. Lately I thought I would just go mic-in for an unamplified church choir and organ (with BMC-2 mics, same specs as the TFB-2) and it was a disaster when the organ pedals came in or the choir hit some high notes, despite not peaking the level. (I was in a place incredibly close to the choir....would have been a good recording through line-in...sigh...) The only time I skip the battery box is for speech. For anything with low notes and anything even slightly amplified, the battery box is a must. And I'd use it for an acoustic-guitar folkie type too. I was just at a superloud show last night and the Manual Volume level was 13/30. If I crank it up to the mid-20s, I can get good volume on lower-SPL events. I don't think I've ever had to go above 25. (Conversation close to the microphone--plain old speech--is also picked up fine through the battery box when I've accidentally left it recording at the end of a set.) Other people may have different results. People complain about low volume through batterybox/line in. But I simply haven't had that problem with levels set correctly.

greenmachine, that makes sense. The bass roll-off is in the chain after the mics, so if they overload, it's already too late. Good point. Bobbyo Using the attenuator actually limits the dynamic range--because while reducing the signal to prevent distortion, it also reduces the plug-in power going to the mics. So a battery box would give you some improvement. Get one, it's worth it. I think the TFB-2's use the same WM-61A capsules--compare the specs. I have always wondered about putting the mics actually in the ear, because the outer ear acts like a funnel for sound. So you're getting the sound pre-funneled as your own ears do--instead of open-air sound waiting to be funneled by your ears. Sound Pro says it's more realistic--but is it? Wouldn't it depend on whether you were using earbuds, within your outer ear, or over-the-ear headphones? It might be a mostly philosophical question. You could try recording your home stereo with them outside your ears--a little awkward, but you could do it--and inside your ears and see what you like better.

I like the Mic Madness module in that link too. I don't see the point of bass rolloff unless you have a very good idea that it's going to be a massive subwoofer type show: reggae, hip-hop, death metal. Those are the only kinds of shows that have overloaded my mics (Sound Pro BMC-2) when using the Mic Madness module. If you go regularly to those kinds of shows, then sure, get bass rolloff. But use it sparingly or....you'll roll off all the bass. What kind of mics are you using? And are you using Manual Volume? Those are more crucial to what you're recording than the battery module. Also, are the mics near your ears or above--not on the floor, waist level, etc.? Placement makes a huge difference. What gear was the other taper using--not just recorder, but mics? Battery module?

It's not really worth getting involved with Realplayer. The best sound the MD modes give is LP2, and Hi-SP is far better. Does Realplayer even have drivers for Hi-MD units?

You won't find one for under £100. Grab that one.

The problem is that the encryption in Sonicstage is somehow coded to the original hardware, and it may have something to do with the motherboard. I don't know how much you can fool around with the setup of the new PC, and I have no idea if it would work, but could you make the old hard drive the C: drive and try again? If it's a lot of time and trouble, it's probably not worth it because there is little chance it would work, but if it's easy, why not. Save the files anyway on a disc. I am hoping, probably irrationally, that when Sony finally dumps ATRAC completely--it's in the process now--that it will give up its stupid encryption codes.

Here's a whole thread on synching. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=11869 Since you are making short recordings I don't think you will have sync problems. They would build up very gradually over a longer recording. You'll get a SonicStage disc with your unit. DON'T USE IT. Instead, go to Downloads here (upper right) or go to Sony online and get a newer version. 3.4 or 4.2 are excellent with Windows XP. 4.3, the current one, is the only one that works with Vista. You upload the recording into the computer, then convert to .wav to remove the encryption. The unit will make a very clear recording of whatever comes through your mic. This is a world of quality away from little voice recorders. You can record in PCM, which is the same as .wav, CD-quality. Little voice recorders use lower quality. If what's coming through is very quiet--like wind rustling in trees, distant birdsong--then you may hear some of the hiss from the built-in preamp, since there is no such thing as a noiseless preamp. But for dialogue and regular sound, you should be fine. You can hear all kinds of recordings in the Gallery up there on the right. Just out of curiosity, where are you getting an NHF800?

You can adjust Manual Volume while on Pause. Not ideal, but at least you can do it. How does the mic record your voice just plugged into mic-in? I ask because mic-->preamp-->line-in with the preamp on full should not be giving you a weak signal, and it sounds like something in the chain is not working. New batteries in the preamp? Gain switch in the right spot? 30dB gain should make the microphone roar.

You need to use the SonicStage on the old computer. Under Tools in SonicStage, open File Conversion Tool. It will scan the database and tell you how long it will take to convert. Un-check "Add Copy Protection" and it will scan again. Then run it--it will take a while. That will remove copy protection from the files and you can play the converted files on any SonicStage.

Ishiyoshi!!! Happy birthday! Hope you have both analog and digital fun.

Simple Burner needs SonicStage, yes. SonicStage has the proprietary Sony codecs for ATRAC, the format played by minidisc. Other CD rippers don't. Minidisc's advantages are mostly in recording. If you're just looking for a music player, there's no need to get involved with the complexities of minidisc. For sound quality, get a Cowon. For convenient interface, get an iPod or a Sansa. Minidisc has good-sounding playback, and Hi-MD can play back .wav files (renamed PCM). But the maximum capacity of a disc is 1GB, so you'd need to carry around extra discs to match the capacity of most current mp3 players. And you'd have to deal with SonicStage. Probably NETMDSB.exe (NetMD-Simple Burner) was looking for a piece of the SonicStage you haven't installed.

Get Hi-MDRenderer from Downloads. Then use it to convert the .oma files in SonicStage's My Library to mp3. (Set it to high quality, at least 192 kbps.) It should copy over the tag information. Then you can put the mp3s on the iPod. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=12683 And send Marcnet, the lone programmer who made the program and kept it free, a donation for saving you so much time.

My 3000th post here. Entitles me to a moment of irrelevancy, doesn't it?

I'm pretty sure unity gain for MD recorders was also 17-18/30. But for your own success, don't go by numbers. Experiment. What you get is going to depend on what the preamp is putting out. At a LOUD concert I usually record at 18-20/30 through line-in. But it's not with a preamp--it's with a battery module, which is simply sending power to the mics. That would be like zero boost from the preamp. In my very brief experiments with preamps, having them do any amplification at all at a loud concert results in horrible distortion. Maybe other people use them with less sensitive mics or something, but after a few disastrous attempts I just gave up on them. As far as I'm concerned, preamps are for sounds on the quieter end of the spectrum that need cleaner amplification than what the MD can provide. Actually, the MD's own preamp is pretty good. How your recordings work out is going to depend on how loud the concert is, on the sensitivity of your mics--a crucial question--and what kind of output settings you have on the preamp. The best way to get an idea is to do some home recording with your stereo, and then--if it's a typical rock concert--guesstimate that it's going to be even louder. Maybe your mic-and-preamp combo will work out better than mine did.

To upload to a PC (and it has to be a PC for most units) you must get Hi-MD. All Hi-MDs have identical recording quality. All of them record in CD-quality PCM, 90 minutes per 1GB Hi-MD disc. There is a slight delay, tiny fractions of a second, in headphone monitoring. If you're hearing the live sound as well you might get phase distortion. So you need isolating headphones. Uploading requires installing software (SonicStage) and then converting the uploaded tracks to a non-encrypted format, so uploads are a two-step process: upload with SonicStage and convert (with SonicStage or Hi-MDRenderer) to .wav. Sony has stopped making minidisc units. So you're going to have to look for unsold units at electronics stores, or look on eBay. Use common sense about getting anything used. There are moving parts on MD recorders, and they do wear out. (For what it's worth, I own the RH1 and the MZ-NH700.) All the models are listed here: http://www.minidisc.org/equipment_browser.html The best Hi-MD of all is the MZ-RH1. More capabilities, best playback, Mac-compatible, USB 2.0 transfer and some small conveniences (like holding the setting for manual volume for recording), cutest. It's also called the MZ-M200 when it is bundled with a Sony DS70P microphone. You might get stuck buying the bundle, but you could always sell the DS70P on Ebay. The other Hi-MDs are: MZ-NH700 MZ-NHF800 Those are both the same hardworking unit. The NHF800 has an FM-radio remote. Both take a AA battery, useful in field recording. MZ-NH900 Better playback through its own headphone jack, less readable display, rechargeable battery plus outboard AA pack. Stop and Pause on the same button (bad idea). MZ-RH910 MZ-RH10 The RH10 has a fancy display, but a high failure rate. MZ-M10 Mac-compatible (more expensive) version of MZ-RH910 MZ-M100 Mac-compatible (more expensive) version of MZ-RH10 MZ-NH600 and MZ-RH710 only have line inputs--not a mic jack. MZ-NH600D, MZ-DH10P and any MZ-E unit do not record in realtime. Those are all your choices. ANY OTHER minidisc will not upload--the only way to get the audio is to record the analog signal out of the headphone jack. Any minidisc unit not made by Sony--Sharp, Aiwa, Kenwood, Panasonic--will not upload. The RH1 will upload old (before Hi-MD) recordings from those units, but then you might as well just get the RH1 to begin with. You can also look at flash recorders, which upload through simple drag-and-drop: Samson Zoom H2, Edirol R09, M-Audio Microtrack. But all of them reportedly have built-in mic preamps that are inferior to minidisc, and you have that excellent Rode mic to go into the mic jack.

If you've already tried to open them with SonicStage as well as SoundForge, and you're getting the rights message, I'm afraid the backups are useless. Were they uploaded with a version after (I think) 3.2? If you still have the discs, you could upload them again. Just make sure they weren't uploaded with 3.0, since Sonicstage--any version, new or old--will not only not upload those tracks but will also wipe the files off the discs without warning. Save those DVD backups anyway, though. Since Sony is phasing out ATRAC, it may someday throw in the towel and provide the encryption keys. Wouldn't that be a nice parting gesture....