A440

Hmmmm. How about disabling some video codecs? And I know you don't have Windowblinds, but how about elaborate skins on other programs? I have a few dozen Winamp skins, various browser and media player skins, etc., with no problems, but do you have any elaborate skinning going on with individual programs?

What's odd is that you had previous SonicStage versions working. So it's something installed between your last SonicStage upgrade and 4.0, or it's some bug in 4.0. Have you changed internet security programs, installed a new media player, or put in something else that might confuse SonicStage? To see what codecs are installed, go to Start/Settings/Control Panel/Sounds and Audio Devices. Click the Hardware tab, highlight Audio Codecs, click Properties and then the Properties under Audio Codecs. See if there's anything peculiar in there--use Google to find out about the filenames. If you have any FFDshow codecs in there, uninstall them (with Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel). You can disable individual ones and try SonicStage again after rebooting. Here's how to disable: http://www.updatexp.com/windows-xp-codecs.html To check for general Windows problems you could try: Start/Run and type in sfc/scannow Here's some other info on sfc (system file checker), though with luck you won't have to go to this level of geekness. http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

As far as I know, the tracks on the MDs are still locked. But the tracks in the computer are yours to play with. Convert the tracks in My Library to .wav with SonicStage (Save as .wav), and you can do whatever you want with the .wav files: burn as CDs, convert to mp3, transfer back to MD. Or you can use Hi-MDRenderer (from Downloads) to convert the My Library tracks to other formats.

Dang, it's never the easy ones. I haven't switched from 3.4 to 4.0 yet, and reports like this and other bug problems aren't making me very eager to do so. I don't know what else to suggest other then using Task Manager (press CTRL-ALT-DELETE just once) and shutting down other running applications or processes (selectively) to see if you can find a conflict. SonicStage is very greedy for computer resources, so other running programs may be using too much RAM. If that fails, either cross your fingers that one of the real computer experts here has an idea, or uninstall 4.0 and go back to the reliability of 3.4. You can get a standalone 3.4 installer from Downloads here if Sony has removed it. Be sure to use the Backup Tool (under Programs/SonicStage, not in SonicStage) on My Library, if you can, before uninstalling.

Just one guess, but are you using very long titles? It's possible that you've filled the memory of the unit. Otherwise, it may just be one more quirk of SonicStage and MD. Do upgrade to SonicStage 3.4 as soon as possible if you're not already using it. I have had no trouble in SonicStage 3.4 with uploading tracks that have been separated or joined with track marks edited on the unit. In previous versions of SonicStage, that used to guarantee disaster. I don't do much titling--just the Group name before I upload--so I can't offer you any experience with the problem you're having. BobT is right: the best way to edit files is to upload them first and then either use SonicStage to title, combine and divide them (both Combine and Divide are under Edit), or just convert them to .wav and use any sound editor like Audacity. Before playing with the tracks on this disc any more, upload them so you'll have a copy. That's the most important thing. If you have trouble uploading then record them in realtime--the best way is with SonicStage and TotalRecorder (see Uploading FAQ). Then edit them in SonicStage and download them onto a fresh disc.

Have you used a previous version of SonicStage? Or is this your first? Do you have some space (200 MB?) left on your disc? Some possibilities for conflicts: Do you have installed: a windows skinning application like Windowblinds? Definitely turn it off. an Nvidia graphics card? Search these forums for Nvidia. FFDshow codecs? Seach these forums for FFdshow. Also, if you have a firewall runnning, disconnect from the internet (to prevent anything bad getting through) and turn off the firewall and see if that is stopping SonicStage. Those are the easy fixes. Do any of them apply?

When you open a .wav track for editing, Audacity does all its editing in its own format, .aup. The Save command in Audacity actually saves an .aup file. However, Audacity always offers you the oddly named option to Export as .wav--that is, to save the track as a .wav file. So edit each track and then Export it as a .wav into a folder with the other tracks. (It's probably a good idea to name them in numerical order, like 01-Artist-Songname, when you Export them.) Then just open Nero Express, Add them to a CD Project and Burn. No cue sheet necessary.

Just make sure that the R90 is working when you buy it. Repairing it will be more expensive than a new MD. The R90 records only in SP, which means it only records for the length of the disc: 74 or 80 minutes. There is no computer connection, so if you want to burn the recordings to CD you will have to record them in realtime out of the headphone jack into the computer. (Or buy an RH1 someday to upload them from the disc.) As long as you understand what you're getting, then go for it.

Versions of SonicStage before 3.3 allowed only one upload. Once they were uploaded, that was it. Have you tried file recovery software like http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm Maybe the .oma file hasn't been overwritten yet. That's really your only hope.

The latest 1000 members joined in the last two weeks! That is astonishing and wonderful. Talk about momentum... Newbies, feel welcome, and speak up too. Minidisc is a peculiar and quirky format, and at some point it has annoyed and delighted all of us. The more people offer ideas and experiences and tips--and the more help, arguments, suggestions and workarounds this forum can offer--the better.

BobT means the RH1. There are basically four kinds of minidisc recorders: 1)original MD (like the R50), which recorded only in SP. (MZ-Rx or Rxx) 2) MDLP, which recorded in SP, LP2 and LP4 (compressed formats, twice and four times the length of SP) (MZ-Rxxx) 2)NetMD, which was MDLP plus fast download of music from PC to minidisc, but NOT upload (MZ-N*) 3) Hi-MD, which allows you to upload your recordings to your PC for archiving, editing, etc. Hi-MD can handle a new kind of disc, 1GB, and pack more onto an older disc. Hi-MD also records, if you want top quality, in uncompressed PCM, which is the same as a CD--90 minutes on a 1GB disc--or to compressed formats. (MZ-NH* or MZ-RH*) There are also MZ-M* units that are compatible with Mac computers, but if you have a Mac then wait for the RH1, which is more flexible. The Browser tab at http://www.minidisc.org has all the models. For field recording at this point, Hi-MD is by far the best investment. Same recommendations as above--NH700 or NHF800, available for under $200 on Ebay or at http://www.minidisco.com or http://www.minidiscaccess.com . Both run on AA batteries, which will be the easiest thing for you to find in exotic places. If you buy an old MD recorder, especially something a decade old like the R50, it may be used, it may be worn, and it will be far more inconvenient to use than a Hi-MD. The small extra initial investment for Hi-MD will be well worth it.

Because MD units have moving parts, they do break down eventually. The only preventive is to treat the unit as gently as possible. I have a MZ-NHF800 that I got in August 2004. I have been using it constantly since then, carrying it in my pocket, dropped it a few times, etc., and it's going strong. How long did you have the N505? Also, the N505 was the low-priced model, so it may have been less durable. For no moving parts, you could look for a flash recorder with Line-In: Iriver and Cowon make them, and probably others too. [A hard-drive recorder--the ones with 20 or 40GB--has moving parts that make it as delicate, or more so, than MD.] With flash recorders you are limited to the amount of built-in memory (probably 1GB or less) and to the recording quality (usually mp3), and you have to keep emptying out the recorder. A Hi-MD would allow you to record in CD-quality sound (PCM) and just use a new disc if you hadn't uploaded what was on a full one. Nothing is perfect, but I prefer the Hi-MD. There's also one more option. If you don't need portability, how about recording directly into your computer? If your computer doesn't have a stereo line-in jack--many laptops only have mic-in--you can add one with a Griffin iMic, about $35 (uses the USB port). Then just record from the radio with a free program like Audacity (you can get it from Downloads at the top of this page).

It seems like all you need is a NetMD portable, which would be a lot more convenient than a deck. And you could certainly look for one used. Simple Burner and SonicStage will transfer your CDs or mp3s easily. However, NetMDs are old, and you have no guarantee that what you get isn't worn. You can find new Hi-MD portables--2004 models that Sony dumped for low prices--for as low as $125-150 (US) at http://www.minidisco.com and http://www.minidiscaccess.com . They will make SP/LP2/LP4 MDs that are compatible with what you have now, and if you want to explore Hi-MD, you could. Look for MZ-NH700 on Ebay, too. You can probably find NetMD a little cheaper, but for the reliability of a newer unit I'd get a Hi-MD.

Does the amplifier have an AUX input? Connect the headphone output to the AUX input and crank it up.

I just looked in the user manual to see if Macs were mentioned at all--they're not, just PCs . Apparently (see p. 18) there's a separate instruction sheet for Macs. But I did come across this lovely little sentence on page 19--I don't know if it's in the previous user manuals or not, but it's classic Sony: "We do not ensure trouble-free operation on all computers that satisfy the system requirements." Some lawyer is taking home a big bonus for that one. java script:emoticon('', 'smid_5')

Sorry, I guess I confused things. You can place track marks during recording or playback. The track marks stay on the disc unless you remove them. I don't know about a bookmarking function--I've never had one in any of the MDs I own. But if you're listening and need to stop, you can simply turn off the MD and have it resume where you were. When you switch discs, that info will be lost. You'll have to note what track you were in and skip to it next time you play that particular disc.

Well, that might have been me. All of your points are well taken--especially the economy of 1GB discs versus flash memory. It's one of the big reasons I stick to Hi-MD. Although I'm a recording zealot, I got a NH600D myself and use it quite often as a portable player. At current steep discounts, it's a great bargain. But at its original list price, it was overpriced. There are advantages and disadvantages on both sides. For someone who has their music collection as CDs, I would lean toward Hi-MD for a few reasons: sound quality (even in Hi-SP) and, just as important, Simple Burner, which is much more sensible than ripping the CD onto the hard drive, storing the files there, and transferring them to an mp3 player. It's the one piece of software Sony got right. If the collection is not CDs but mp3s, it's a different story. I have an Iriver 795, and I compared some mp3s (dragged and dropped in Iriver's Music Manager) and mp3s converted to Hi-SP. The extra round of compression did bad things to the mp3s, particularly an Ennio Morricone soundtrack that had some percussion in it--the artifacts made the ATRAC version unlistenable. There's also the matter of size: the Iriver is like a fat triangular pack of gum, and they make even smaller ones. All of us here are used to the quirks of MD, but if you think about it, the menus are not exactly as intuitive as they could be. (The Iriver is just as bad in different ways.) You can pick up an Ipod Nano and figure it out immediately. For a newbie who's just looking for a portable player for the mp3s in her computer, MD is big, clunky and weird. I'm entirely fond of it, but for someone deciding on a new player now, MD would seem outre. As a recorder, however....

Now that SonicStage 3.4 is out and reliable, I do a lot of track marking and editing on the unit. The old bug was about removing a track mark: that is, hitting pause, going back to MARK x and hitting the Track button to have it say MARK OFF. That no longer causes problems with SonicStage 3.4. Unlike Raintheory, I have never had a problem with adding track marks: only if I added them and deleted something. That is, I marked Track 1 into Tracks 1, 2 and 3, and deleted 2. The unit didn't like that one bit, and called the disc unplayable. However, I found I could still play back and upload the disc by controlling it from the computer with SonicStage (disc in the unit, USB connected). I didn't try that experiment again, though. As raintheory suggests, just for paranoia's sake, you should upload everything for safety. But you can upload multiple times. So if it's convenient, mark off the spots of chat on the disc: add track marks before and after them. Don't delete anything. Then retitle the group (just so you can find the new upload) and upload everything. Ignore the chat tracks, convert the ones you want to .wav and work on them with Audacity. If for some reason, a song was split during recording, combining tracks in SonicStage works fine on the uploaded tracks and makes a seamless join: just make sure you highlight them in the order you want them combined. (That is, if you have Part A and Part B, highlight Part A first: otherwise you'll have a combined track that goes BA and will be difficult to split up as it was before--SonicStage doesn't have Undo like a real editing program.) For any serious editing, convert them to .wav, out of SonicStage's clutches.

Clarifying slightly from Tiesto's post: ALL Hi-MDs allow you to push the Track button during recording and make a track (or a bookmark) you can easily find later. The units he lists have a time stamp to tell you exactly when the recording was made. Line-out is a matter of naming. Some Hi-MD's have a Line-Out menu item that turns off all EQ and raises the volume to maximum. On the others, you can do the same things yourself. It's all coming out of the headphone jack, not a separate jack. You'll be fine with an NHF800 (AA battery, radio remote). It doesn't play back mp3, but the conversion is simple. Even the units that play mp3 don't let you drag-and-drop them--everything goes through SonicStage. All Hi-MD's upload recordings to PC. That's what they're for. Look at http://www.minidisco.com and http://www.minidiscaccess.com for NHF800 deals, or on Ebay.

How about a mixer output (headphone, perhaps) into Line-in instead of the mic? It's important to know what mic you're using. With loud music you may not need a preamp; you could get by with a battery module like this one: http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm Before your order it, though, tell us what your mic is.

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http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7070

In the US, you can get nearly any Hi-MD now for under $200--except the NH1, which is too fancy for its own good, and the new RH1, not available here yet. The RH models (except for the new RH1) are 2005 models. They play back mp3, but with reduced sound quality, along with Sony's own ATRAC format. The NH models are from 2004. To play mp3s on them, the mp3s need to be converted into ATRAC, a simple process. All these recorders have the same recording hardware and all can upload the recordings to your computer (PC only, not Mac), as well as download music from the computer (mp3s or ripping directly from the CD drive). MZ-NH700 and NHF800 (the same as NH700 plus AM/FM/TV/Weather radio in the remote) both run on an AA battery--you could easily buy an AA battery recharger, which I use, and I like them because you can usually find an AA battery when you need one. http://www.minidisco.com and http://www.minidiscaccess.com both have them for around $150, and you can also find new ones for slightly less on Ebay. Check the seller's feedback, etc. NH900 uses a rechargeable gumstick battery, but has had bugs and has some design features I don't like: hard to read display, loose battery latch, Pause and Stop on the same button (complicated to explain but a bad idea). RH910 runs on a rechargeable gumstick battery, and seems to be a reliable unit, although the case is prone to scratches and fingerprints. RH10 is the same as the RH910 plus a very pretty lighted display on the unit. If you are absolutely sure you will never need microphone recording, you could look at the MZ-RH710 or the MZ-NH600 (NOT the NH600D, a different unit), which have line-in jacks (for recording an electronic output) but not mic-in jacks. Don't get: MZ-NH600D (no input except USB), MZ-DH10P (no input except USB, pricey because it includes a camera).

Something about the ID3 tags in Winamp can disagree with SonicStage. See if you can figure out which track is starting the crash--try importing half of them, half of what's left, etc. until you can isolate the track that crashes. Then VIEW FILE INFO in Winamp and try retitling it something simpler--with V1 tags, not V2.

You can't transfer music out of a NetMD. It's a dead end. The best you can do is record it in realtime. http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7070 The new RH1, which is being released at various times in different countries, will upload NetMD recordings to computer, but won't upload tracks that were downloaded to the NetMD via computer (presumably from copyrighted CDs).