A440

I have both the NHF800 and the NH700, and the remote definitely works with both. If I remember correctly, it's the same remote that came with the NF610 and NF810 back in the prehistoric days.

PCM will be moderately better than Hi-SP and a world better than Hi-LP. The .wav convert option is pretty well buried. Tools/Options/Transfer/(highlight) Hi-MD/Transfer Settings/Advanced . Leave it on Standard (As-Is) transfer under Transfer Settings.

I just got around to uploading legacy MD with my new MZ-RH1. It worked fine with my formerly installed SS 3.4 using Hi-MDs--until I popped in an old MD. Then Windows went through the Found New Hardware--NetMD and couldn't figure out what to do. Unplugged it, put the old MD in my NHF800, connnected it and no problem: SonicStage recognized it, etc. But the RH1 needed a little something more. I installed SS 3.4 from the disc that came with the RH1, and all's well--uploading LP2 and all. I'm still struggling with disbelief that it's so easy now. Obviously, despite the same version number, SS 3.4 is not the same program. And of course, upon installation SonicStage dumps a bunch of shortcuts on the desktop and tries to seize playback of .wav and .mp3. Not on my PC, Sony.... Mods--should we post the full revised SS 3.4 in Downloads? If you've got the FTP, I've got the disc.

.net is from Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;DisplayLang=en

Cheryl-- Try this for setting Manual Level: Put in a disc and press REC/PAUSE. Then: Menu button (hold it a few seconds to get the menu), five clicks down with pointing stick (REC SET), Enter, one click down (AUTOMATIC/MANUAL VOLUME), Enter. That should put you into Manual Level. On the MZ-N707, if I remember right, Manual will go to your last Manual level setting if it was above 13/30, or back to 13/30 if your setting was below 13/30. So if you set it once at 14 or 15, you should be able to just use that sequence of clicks, without having to read what the level is each time you go into Manual Volume. And if it somehow goes back to 13/30, that's still a reasonable level anyway.

Since you're in Europe, get greenmachine's microphones, which are smaller, quieter and more hi-fi than the Sony. You will need to use them with a battery box (greenmachine makes one) or an attenuator (Maplins VC-1, around £3) to prevent overloading. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=14388 Or send greenmachine a PM through this forum. Ask for the MDCF discount. The ECM DS70P is fairly big and shiny if you're planning to take it stealthily to concerts. It has a frequency response of 100-15,000 Hz rather than the 20-20,000 Hz that your unit can record, which means it won't get much bass. And it also introduces more noise into the recording than necessary. Despite what you may have seen in pictures, simply plugging the DS70P into the unit and letting it sit right next to the unit is a bad idea because it will pick up the sound of the MD whirring, so you need to use it with the included extension cord. Here are some live-recording tips. Although an attenuator (as suggested) through Mic-in will work if you're on a limited budget, a battery module through Line-in is better. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showt...amp;#entry49993

The first thing you should do is try another disc to see if it's just a problem with the disc itself. If you've already tried that, then: Are you connecting through a USB hub rather than directly to a USB port? Do you have a lot of other programs running that might make the computer processor hiccup? Do you have another USB cord you can substitute, in case it's a bad connection?

Might be a bit of terminology confusion here. If the "programs" you mean are the radio programs, once you have uploaded them (and perhaps converted to .wav), using SonicStage, they're all yours to edit/copy/transfer as you please, just like any other .wav files. The computer program SonicStage is PC-only. But I don't think that's what you meant.

Got a friend with a PC? You could get the MZ-RH1, install SonicStage on the PC and upload all those old MD recordings directly. The RH1 is the only unit that will upload the old formats.

Yes, after Pause it just continues--though Pause adds a gapless, silent track mark. Record Position is more about what happens when you're using a partially recorded MD. On the first MD units, if you were playing back a disc and pushed the Record button, it would start recording wherever you had stopped, like a tape cassette. Remember those? Around the time the MZ-N707 was made, they still came out of the box recording where you had stopped, but they allow you to switch permanently to recording from the end, which is better. Since you can move tracks around on a minidisc, it makes more sense to always start recording from the end. If you ever want to insert your new recording between tracks that were already on the disc, you can do that.

The settings will stay if you use Pause. It's just Stop that sends them back to defaults. You're right, it's the joystick. Sorry, I haven't had an MZ-N707 in hand for a while. It's the horizontal axis of the joystick, right for higher level, left for down. You can't change the recording level during recording on the MZ-N707--the only time you can adjust is in REC/PAUSE, paused while recording. I just looked at the manual, which is online here: http://www.minidisc.org/manuals/sony/sony_mzn707_manual.pdf Another thing you should do in the REC SET menus is make sure that REC-POSI, Record Position, is set to End Search, so it starts at the end of the previous recording instead of recording in the middle of whatever you were listening to. That will stay as a default, so you only need to set it once. If you have a used unit, someone probably already did it, but it's worth checking.

As you know, square waves are tough. Since that deck is SP at best, it's going to compress the input, so it depends on what you mean by "undistorted."

Doesn't the RH10 have a Line-out setting? That would do the same thing.

To upload your old recordings, you have exactly one choice: MZ-RH1, around $330. To make new recordings you can upload, you can get just about any Hi-MD that does not have D in the model number. The one that will seem most familiar after the MZ-N707 is the MZ-NH700, which is less than half the price of the MZ-RH1. I have the NHF-800--same unit plus (unnecessary) radio remote--and it's a little workhorse. http://www.minidiscaccess.com/item.html?PRID=1553220 at about $150 Both units have mic-in, line-in, uploading, etc. They'll play back your old discs. Only the RH1 will upload old MD recordings, and it has some other refinements, like holding on to your previous Manual Volume settings rather than going through menus each time, and looking snazzy. The NH600 has a line-in jack but no mic-in jack. The NH600D (for Downloader) doesn't have the line-in jack either. If you're content with only a line-in jack, you could track down the NH-600, but make sure your seller isn't "confused" and offering the NH600D.

Is it possible you're using an AC adapter that's not right for the current where you are? A Japanese adapter may not provide enough juice in the USA. Assuming the adapter is correct and the unit simply won't charge batteries, you could also buy a gumstick charger. Investigate the Sony BC-7HT or Sony BC-7DT2 or Sony BC-7DC2 chargers But the MZ-R900 doesn't have any USB computer connection. So I don't understand how you would transfer files unless you're recording out of the headphone jack, which isn't covered by the AA pack.

Can you take out the LIP-4WM battery and just run the RH1 from the charger?

Nope. Maybe it's my charming personality.

If a wand detects my recorder (MZ-NHF800), I take it out of my pocket, smile and say, Oh, yeah, my mp3 player. No one gives it a second look because minidisc is so unknown, and most gizmos that size are just players. The RH910 looks even more like a Creative or Sansa player, so you might just try bluffing. The worst you'd have to do is take it back to your car. Or you could keep your cell phone in the same pocket, and when the wand beeps, pull that out....

I use the SoundPro BMC-2, which are the same microphone capsules without the in-ear mounts. They can handle loud music well when you use them through Line-in with a battery module like this: http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm The battery module gives the mics more power, so they can handle louder sounds. Going through Line-in bypasses the built-in preamp, which gets overloaded by loud music. SoundPro probably makes something similar. The Mic Madness one is only about the size of a car-alarm remote. You need to set levels with Manual Volume, probably around 15/30 with loud music. They will hear what your ears hear. That includes loud people nearby, so if people are yelling a conversation near you, move away from them. Look through the albums in Live Recordings to hear some of the results.

Don't install that old SonicStage. Use either 3.4, available here as a full installer: http://forums.minidisc.org/downloads/details.php?file=21 Or use Sony's online installer for 4.0 from a region of your choice: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=9586 Yes, they're XP compatible. Personally, I have stayed with 3.4 because people keep reporting odd problems with 4.0, mostly about .mp3 handling. Either one should upload your recordings easily. You were looking at some old instructions for MD, the pre-2004 units, not Hi-MD, which is what you have. SonicStage will upload from disc to computer, and can convert the uploaded files to .wav . When you get SonicStage, look through all the Options under Tools. Among them is one that automatically converts every uploaded file to .wav after it's uploaded. But if I were you, I would uncheck it. Upload the files first, then convert them to .wav in a separate step. Doing it all at once takes a lot of processing power. You'll want to record music in Hi-SP at the very least, and PCM (CD-quality) for the highest fidelity. But all Hi-MD formats including Hi-LP, which is more compressed, will upload from your NH600. Once you have your recordings, open SonicStage on your PC and connect the NH600 with the USB. It will be detected, and a second window will pop up showing its contents. Put a title on the group folder, highlight what you want to transfer, click on the red left-pointing arrow to transfer, and you'll have the recordings on your computer fairly quickly.

You can definitely use the Pause button on the unit, and you should feel the disc start up. The only reason not to is for stealth--especially if you're in the front row. You could check Ebay for some of the cheaper stick remotes--some are under $10. The very basic one that came with the MZ-N707 was the RM-MZ4R, but others (except radio remotes) should be compatible, like the RM-MC10L or RM-MC11EL. All of the remote functions, and more, are on the unit itself, so it would only be for convenience. Here's a guide to most of the remotes: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showt...l=guide+remotes Also, if by chance you have a Sony portable CD player with a remote, try plugging it into the MZ-N707 and see if it works. Sony made a lot of its remotes interchangeable.

Optical is digital, yes. Just look for a white jack labeled Line Out (Optical) on the unit. You'll have to get lucky. I have an old Sony D-EJ725 with optical out, though I've never used that connection. I believe the Sony D-EJ825 also has optical out, but some D-EJ units do and some don't, and the numbering on CD units is even more confusing than the MD model numbers. Your best bet is probably an electronics store or market that has a lot of old models lying around, and looking at each one. Bring your cable along--you might have to take a plastic protector off one end.

Welcome, Cheryl. I used exactly the same setup that you now have for a long time. The following will make a lot more sense when you have the unit in your hand. Go Mic-->Attenuator-->Mic-in. Make sure the attenuator is on its maximum volume--it's still cutting the signal even at max volume. I wish the unit were more user-friendly to a blind person. Unfortunately, you can't just push the Record button. Each time you start recording you're going to have to go through menus and change settings first, which means somehow you're going to have to read the display on the unit. Or with a little help from someone, you can probably count the clicks and get used to the routine. The essential thing is to use Manual Volume, which will involve going through menus each time you start a recording session. The settings disappear when you hit STOP. If you don't use Manual, the unit uses Auto Gain Control, and that makes the volume whoosh up and down every time someone hits a drum. Here's the drill: With a disc in the unit and the attenuator and mic plugged in to Mic-in, hold PAUSE and press REC. Then Menu/REC SET/Rec Volume/Manual. Use the joystick/wheel to set the recording level at 15/30, halfway up the bars. That should give you some room if it gets extra loud. Do all that outside the theater, or even at home before you leave. With a fresh new alkaline battery, you'll have plenty of time. Leave the unit on pause and HOLD with all its settings correct, plug in your remote and put the unit in your purse or pocket. When you want to start recording, start recording by pushing the PAUSE button on the remote, which will actually un-pause and start recording. Anything amplified needs either the attenuator or a battery box. Trying to go directly into the microphone jack will just give you unlistenable distortion. As long as the attenuator is all the way up, you won't have to worry about the recording being too quiet. There's a possibility that if the music is way too loud, it will still distort, and the only way to solve that is by using a battery box instead, so start saving up for a battery module. I use this now: http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm But I recorded lots of rock concerts with your setup and they turned out fine. You will get a better sounding recording if you use SP rather than LP2. But because you'll only get 80 minutes on a disc with SP instead of 160 with LP2, you have to decide whether you'll be comfortable changing discs (maybe at intermission) and redoing all the settings while you're at the show. Try some recording with your stereo or TV at home to get accustomed to it. The recording you'll get depends strongly on where your mics are placed. They should be about 6 inches apart (like your ears) and near your ears or above. The lower they are, the murkier the sound--exactly what you'd hear if your head were down there. I usually clip mine to a shirt collar, but if you can clip them to eyeglasses or a hat, even better. Oh, and don't get caught! Wear dark clothing so the (black) mics and wires aren't visible against them. One last thing: An ideal unit for you would be the new, expensive (about $330 US, ouch!) but much more user-friendly MZ-RH1. That's the only unit that holds the recording settings, so you could just plug in the mic and hit the Record button. It also has a lot of other good features: higher-quality recording and the ability to upload recordings directly to a computer. But the MZ-N707 is the one that got me hooked originally.

This is a very unusual problem. It apparently has something to do with the mp3 encoder SonicStage is using, since you don't have the problem with .wav files. Here are two shots in the dark. That's all they are, but you could get lucky. The one time I had a weird sound glitch with SonicStage, the problem was with my soundcard driver. I had installed TotalRecorder, it had placed its own soundcard driver as default, and SonicStage was not happy about it in the slightest. Try Settings/Control Panel/Sounds and Audio Devices/Audio and see if your Sound playback and Sound recording default devices look familiar. If there's more than one, switch it and see if that helps. Another possibility: Do you have any codec packs installed? The K-Lite codec pack, ffdshow, anything like that? Their mp3 encoders may be incompatible with SonicStage. Set a restore point in XP (under System Tools) and uninstall them with Add/Remove Programs, then try SonicStage again. If the problem persists, then back up My Library (with the Backup Tool under Programs/SonicStage), uninstall SonicStage and reinstall it, either with the 3.4 installer in Downloads (upper left) or Sony's online 4.0 installer. Maybe you'll get a good mp3 encoder working. I'll cross my fingers for you. And if those steps don't work, you might post a question at http://www.atraclife.com , where other people have had some experience with SonicStage.

It seems like what he's saying is that just leaving the batteries in the box--with no mic connected--continued to drain them. I hope that's not true. My understanding was that all you have to do is unplug the mic. Shouldn't that break the circuit and stop the battery draining? My Mic Madness battery module has to be taken apart with a screwdriver every time the batteries are removed, so obviously they don't expect you to take out the batteries between session. I used it a few times a week for six months before having to replace the batteries.