BJ

I've had nothing but good luck recording everything from voice to rock concerts with the following non-powered microphones: http://www.minidisc.org/in_ear_mics.html As for a cheaper MD unit, if you don't miss LP mode, see if anybody's selling an older Sharp machine (an MS702/722 or MT15) here or on eBay.

What are you recording?

:ohmy: I've never seen one with that finish! I WANT one!! ...Kurisu...where did you get that massively cool avatar?

If it hasn't been very long, I'd say take it right back to the repair shop and complain. They'll probably just blame you for something, though. It sounds like something is still loose inside the machine (as far as it turning off). See if it does this when it's plugged in. As far as the TOC taking a total of 5 minutes, that's ridiculous. A TOC update should take only 5 seconds or so. There may be a problem with the laser block (if it's misaligned, that might explain the lack of AntiShock and the TOC update). If that repair shop won't co-operate with you, I'd say send your machine somewhere else. Good luck!

I'm going to guess, here... Does the N10 operate when it's plugged in? Will it stay on when it's in its cradle (like when you're transferring songs from your PC)? If not, then there might be a problem with the power connection. Check the bottom of the N10 to make sure. Where the battery pack screws on, there's that little rectangular power/USB slot. Gently push back the black area and check the contacts (there are 10 of them, with the middle 2 slightly farther back than the others). If one is bent, broken or dirty, that's your problem. Also check your dry battery pack and/or charging cradle. If everything is clean, there may be an electrical problem in the N10 itself, with which I can't help you. The only other thing I can think to ask is are you using the N10 on a 115-120V outlet with no power converter? That may have messed up how the N10 handles power (personally, I don't believe it makes much difference) or the AC adapter might have failed. Better safe than sorry--see if you can find a universal adapter capable of providing about .5 amp (500mA, but more won't hurt) and set it at 6-volts, tip positive. Try charging your N10 with that adapter and see if that helps. Good luck!

It sounds like something damaged the disc's table of contents when it fell. If this is the case, your music is still on the disc and safe. If you can, try to play it on a different MD recorder. If the other recorder reads the disc, go into 'Edit' mode and change something small (add a space at the end of the disc title, for example) so the other recorder rewrites the MD's table of contents. Then see if your dropped player will read it. If another MD machine will not read the disc, you may want to try your hand at TOC cloning. For information on one method, follow this link: http://www-public.tu-bs.de:8080/~y0001729/...lone/index.html ...and check the bottom of the page for links to other machines that allow you to clone the table of contents. It may mean you have to re-insert track marks, but at least you'll have your music back.

If the internal battery dies, you can replace it (there are instructions for doing so in the manual). Not sure how expensive the new battery would be, though... Otherwise, just leave it in the unit and use the battery pack--it'll work fine.

This looks like a job for TOC Cloning!! You can use some Sharp or Sony machines to clone another MD's TOC (say, one really long track that spans the length of the disc) onto your concert MD so the machine plays the music you've recorded (follow the above links for more info). The concert is still there, but the disc's table of contents isn't. Whatever you do, don't reuse that MD!

Did you hack your 707 at all? And if not, can you try? The NV Error sounds like something in the 707's software, and from the little I dug around, it seems that resetting the machine's defaults might actually help. If you can get into service mode, that is. That's all I have to offer--sorry!

Check the end of this thread for links to a fileshare of Sonic Stage 2.0 (the links at the beginning have been taken down). You can download the software and convert some of your stuff to ATRAC on your computer and see how it sounds. I'm assuming when you burn ATRAC files to a CD you can adjust how you record them (SP/LP2/LP4) to get the sound you want. Good luck!

As far as the converter, I don't think you'll need it, but again, it may be a good idea to be safe (after all, HOW much are you paying for your MD player?). My Japanese Panasonic SJ-MR220 works just fine when I plug the 100V adapter in, and the battery charges as it should. But after the first day, the battery indicator starts flashing like all the charge is gone. Then, about two weeks later, the battery finally dies. I don't know if this is just a goofy thing about the unit or if it's related to the voltage difference. I'm getting the proper charge, but not the right power indicator on the machine. Taking no chances, I picked up a universal adapter for my Japanese Sony MZ-N10 and just use that with no problems. The universal cost me $17 at a local discount store. Hope that helps!

Hm. I think the easiest way to record is with your RCA cable. Recording with a digital cable will give you whatever copy restriction is placed on your DVD. Recording with the RCA cable will give you good sound--maybe not as nice as digital, but easier than hacking your equipment.

Is it that the computer won't play past that 30-minute mark, or the MD won't play past it? If it's the MD, could there be something jammed inside it that keeps the optical block from moving too far? I only ask because that happened to my Sharp 702 (it was fine once I extracted the post-it note). Also, if it's the MD player, re-installing the Sonic Stage software might not help...but it will come in handy in the future, when you buy your NH900. :smile:

I think the HMP 606 is a mono mic (from what I could dig up on the web, anyway). So recording in Mono mode will solve your problem--and double your record time! Bonus!

Unfortunately, most of the good machines aren't available in the US. That's why Minidisco.com and eBay are your friends. If you're serious about recording live, a Sharp unit is for you. The MD-DR7 or any of its siblings work wonders, but they get pricey. I use a Sony MZ-R900 (and would like to test my MZ-N10 soon) with nifty results, but the drawback for the R900 is that you can't adjust your recording level on the fly. You have to pause the recording (thus losing part of the show), adjust the levels, then resume recording. The MZ-N10 allows you to adjust on the fly, though, like a Sharp. The reasons Sharp are more recommended are 1) their controls are a little more intuitive (Sony tends to bury various functions in menus that you have to hunt through) and 2) the Sharp machines have better amps all around and give a cleaner recording. Sony machines to check for on eBay are: MZ-R900 or R700, MZ-N707 and the MZ-N10. The only Sharp I've used to record live is the MD-MS702, which is an older unit and will only fit 74/80 minutes on an MD...but once again, you can adjust your recording level with ease. These units you can probably find for under $200--the R-700 & N707 for around $100 and the MS702 for less than that. Anybody have a nice Sharp to recommend? Oh, and welcome to the forum! :grin:

I guess it is kinda intense, at that. I just figured if there was something wrong with the disc, it was because of some intense circumstances. If it's just dust, open the shutter and blast the read surface with some compressed air. I don't know if I'd go as far as a Q-tip, though. I'm kinda' clumsy, and would probably end up scratching the disc surface or the lens. Like I said, though, it's rare that you'd have to do much to clean your stuff.

Welcome to the forum, Rice! You didn't say what you've tried so far, so I'm going to start at the beginning. Skip the stuff you already know. Okay, get out your N10 and press Play. Press down on the jog dial (not in toward the unit) to activate the menu. Use the jog dial to scroll through the menu options. Look for the "Sound" option in the list. Press down on the jog dial when "Sound" is blinking to select it. Use the jog dial to scroll through the Sound Menu options until you hit "Sound EQ" Press down on the jog dial to select "Sound EQ" Scroll through the sound settings using the jog dial; you can only change "Custom1" and "Custom2". When "Custom1" is displayed, press the jog dial The bars that represent your equalizer settings start in the bass range and go up from left to right; whichever bar is blinking is the frequency you'll change. Move the bar up and down using the jog dial. To move to a different bar, press the "Play" button right (">>") or left ("<<"), and use the jog dial (or "Vol+"/"Vol-") to turn it up or down. Once the equalizer settings are where you want them, press the jog dial to save your settings. If you decide you don't want to be there, just keep pressing "Stop" until you exit out of the menu completely and the word "Cancel" flashes on the screen. Oh, I almost forgot! If you need a copy of the user's manual, you can download it from minidisc.org--I hope that helps!

Which player did you get--what's the model number? Also, what sort of budget would you have to track down an MD recorder (assuming your friend doesn't have one you could use for a bit)? If it's an older player (like, it doesn't have "MDLP" stamped on it someplace), you might be able to pick up a used Sharp MD-MT15 on eBay for about US$50 or so. That should do the job until you find the machine of your dreams. :smile:

I'm with Kurisu. The Sharp MD-DR7 won't disappoint, and if you get one, I'll be very jealous! One thing I wouldn't recommend for listening is a Y-cable (that three-headed patch cord), since you run the risk of weakening the signal to the MD (like a party line on a telephone--every time someone picks up their receiver to snoop, the signal gets softer and softer...what? Me, old?). While you record, just plug your headphones into the headphone jack, or use some portable speakers. No problem!

Wow...there's so much wub in here I think I just stepped in some... :rasp: I found minidisc.org when I was looking around for info/reviews on portable recorders (back when the Sharp MD-MS702 was the machine to beat). I had known since I first heard about MD in the early 90s that it was the format for me, but my wallet was thin. So I lurked around minidisc.org and gathered information, and finally had the funds to buy a used 702. I've been checking back on and off since, but I became a full addict of the site a couple years ago. I enjoy experimenting, I love collecting information and reading reviews, and if I find a cheap machine on eBay or wherever, I'll buy it so I can experience its quirks firsthand. I try not to relate information I'm doubtful on (which is why I usually ask for backup), but I try to be helpful. And I really like the new forum, Kurisu--it's refreshing and welcoming. Oops, sorry....more wub. :grin:

You sure can! If it's a music show, LP2 works just fine--I've used it with great results, and that 2 1/2 hours really helps. I wouldn't recommend LP4 for anything but voice, though (like spoken word shows or school lectures). If you are recording a long live program, too, you may want to set the machine to insert track marks every five or ten minutes (Auto Track Mark should be a menu item)--this will help you navigate the disc until you have time to manually insert track marks. Welcome to the forum, Gary!

Maxell makes an MD lens cleaner, but I've never used it. I've never had trouble with dust buildup on my lenses, and my MDs get a workout every day. You can pick up the MD lens cleaner at Best Buy or Circuit City for about US$15. If you're adventurous, you can open the MD unit and brush off the optical block (gently!!) with a camera lens brush, but it's tight in there. Not the option for butterfingers like me. As far as cleaning the actual MD (like, if you spill Tang on it or something), you can probably just boil it in distilled water for a few minutes (or even just soak it for an afternoon) and let it air dry for a day or two. It does some dirt to your label, but it'll dissolve the sticky on the actual disc. Make sure you use distilled water and rinse a couple times to avoid mineral deposits that may refract the laser when the disc is read.

Okay...not speaking Hi-MD (since I'm not completely knowledgable on them yet)... On current MD units, you'd be able to record the analogue signal from your cassette deck (check some online wholesalers to see what's out there for cassette players) to your MD recorder, thus creating your archive copy. If it's voice only, LP2 will be more than enough for an archive (you can fit 2.5 hours on an MD, 16-20 hours on a Hi-MD). Sony's SCMS already lets you make as many digital copies of your analogue archive MDs as you'd like (and of course, analogue copies), you just can't make a digital copy of another digital copy. With Hi-MD, you'd be able to upload your analogue copy to your computer and burn it to a CD if you ever need to. The problem with all this is you'll be doing an awful lot of realtime recording. 1000 hours of audiobooks will take 1000 hours to copy. I suggest doing your copying while you sleep. :grin: Also, watch your recording levels--you'll want to avoid noise and clipping as much as possible, since making copies off your archives will increase the amount of compression the sound goes through. Again, for voice, you probably won't hear anything strange unless you start making a copy of a copy of a copy. Not a big problem if you just keep using your main archive copy.

Yeah, the box says 5 CDs on one MD, but I wouldn't do it. My girlfriend has a few MDs like that, and they sound like a barely-acceptable FM transmission. Not bad in the car with some road noise, but not something you can stand in headphones. I use LP2 for most of my stuff (almost 2.5 hours on one MD), and it's pretty slick. When I use a portable MP3 player for my MP3s (an iRiver, not a cheap machine) I hear artifacts once in a while, and it bugs me. Very rarely do I encounter any compression artifacts on my MDs, even at LP2. Having said that, I must state that (it could be my computer, but) I do hear more ATRAC artifacts when I use SimpleBurner or OpenMG/Sonic Stage to transfer music. I had a Gary Numan compilation I did completely through SimpleBurner, and I couldn't stand all the pops and clicks, so I re-recorded it in realtime on my stereo...solved that problem. So it may just be my computer. If you get picky (say you have a nice stereo and can compare the MD to the original CD in one sitting), you can hear a difference. The MD copy seems less full than the original. But without a direct comparison, it's hard to tell. MP3s do lose some quality, but again, without the original to compare your MD copy to, it's hard to tell the difference. If there's a Radio Shack near you, they may have a display you can fiddle with (but you'd have to bring your own MD). And if you REALLY want to mess around, download Sonic Stage or SimpleBurner and the NetMD driver (probably the NE410) onto a laptop, bring a few CDs and a CD-ROM drive, and rip a few discs onto a blank MD. Radio Shack salesmen are pretty indulgent (and bored), and will likely be interested in the process. Or, I suppose you could find someone to borrow an MD machine from...

Alieninhead, give Stromkern a shot if you like industrial (there are a few samples on their website). Also, have you tried Meshuggah (abrasive, but really tight if you listen) and Clutch (just plain fun)? I'll have to track down some Zeromancer, I think...