lamewing

Renew the players? Ha! We haven't gotten anything in the states since the E-series flash players and the NW-HD5...which is no longer being sold. I was supriesed to see Sony introducing a new flash player when they haven't even released the A-series here in the states! What is with Sony's desire to redesign a product so often? The HD5 was in the US for about a year and it has already been discontinued...with no replacement?SONY, this constant changing of the product line just make it difficult for the consumers to keep track of them all...especially when there are different versions for each country. Gaah.

ALL units sold and shipped. Thanks.

I am with you on buying CDs. I import most of my Jpop/Kpop/Cpop CDs from www.yesasia.com. Although, the iTunes music store is great for checking out Japanese singers and bands before importing.

It isn't that hard... First, burn the songs to a CD and then rerip as mp3 or ATRAC (your choice). You will lose a bit of sound quality (not much really, especially if you use a higher bitrate ATRAC). After that, you can just transfer them over to your device. OR You can just record in realtime... OR use a PC/Mac digital recording program to "record" the song while it is playing. Now, how to use the US gift card. All you do is open iTunes, click on iTunes Music Cards. It will ask you to enter the code to redeem your card. After you enter it, the program will ask you to create an account. Normally, you would need a U.S. credit card, but this is the way to avoid the cc nonsense. Go ahead and create the account. You will need to use a U.S. address and phone number. The address doesn't have to be legit, just make sure it looks like a real U.S. address. I did the same thing with the iTunes Japan. Heck, I used the Apple Store Japan's phone number!!! After that you are set. Pick your songs and download them. Make sure to keep a back up, just in case. Joe To be truthful, the sound quality of the iTunes store is no different that any other pay-per-download service. The DRM is different, but they all sound about the same. This is the weakness of online music purchases. If we could merely download them in a lossless format (at least as an option) then transcoding would only require one conversion. I guess these companies are willing to provide the server space or bandwith at this point.

I haven't used MD for pure playback in quite a while. I might consider it again since I cannot find a HD/flash player with that doesn't have downsides: 1. iPod nano...no direct drag/drop/play. No radio. No voice recording. 2. zen microphoto...cannot looks at photos and play music. OLED is useless in daylight. Radio has weak reception (compared to a Cowon X5L). 3. Sony DAPs - no color screens (except for the pocket vaio, and it has limitations related to the cradle). No radio. No drag/drop/play capability. MP3 playback isn't nice as ATRAC. No voice recording. 4. MD - realtime recording. Limited music on a disc. 5. HiMD - no drag/drop/play. Limited music per disc (better than MDLP). No radio. Slow transfers. All have weaknesses. I guess it depends on your preference. After considering the weaknesses of each, I see no reason why the MD/HiMD would be any worse than the others. On another note. If my apartment neighbors were playing their stereo loudly at 2am, I would be an arse as well. joe

It won't support that nice 3-line remote? By the gods Sony, what the heck is wrong with you folks? This recorder should come STANDARD with that remote. It seems that we are one again taking a step forward, only to take another back. /sigh Also, it is Mac (as in Macintosh), not MAC (as in MAC address).

I wish I was wrong and that we (here in the U.S.) could just pick up a new unit at the local electronics store. As of last month... 1. Circuit City - No 2. Best Buy - No. 3. Fry's - Nope ... and they used to carry a fairly large collection. Heck all Fry's carries now are flash players and a wide range of iPods. 4. Target - None. 5. Wal-mart - don't know, as I never shop there (ick) 6. Ultimate Electronics (now defunct) - never carried anything more than a S1. Minidisc is pretty much dead here in the States, except as a recording medium, and then you have to buy online. Has anyone had better luck? I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (4+ million) and we are minidisc-less. As of now, I am using a Cowon X5L and a Creative Microphoto as my players. The new "3rd gen" model is my next recording purchase(s).

A HD player "WILL" fail in the field? Nonsense. I have take an HD based player to the field (ie in the army) and even in the harsh conditions it did wonderfully. WILL fail is a bit overdoing it, don't you think? I have had 2 MD unit break on me (one in the field) based on the simple fact that you have to open them up. It doesn't take much to damage one once dirt or sand is in it. In the end they are about equal in regards to reliability. The comment about just putting the disc in another unit is rather hard to swallow. If it is that reliable, you probably aren't going to have anohter unit with you. Also, try FINDING another MD unit, at a moments notice! Once again, they are about equal in reliability. For day to day use, they are also about the same. I use both and each has its place.

The HD5 has g-protection to protect the HD against falls. Also, the chance of a hard drive failure is no greater than the chance of an optical block failing on a minidisc. The minidisc can record versus a HD player using a computer. This is true, but this shows the difference between the purposes of the devices. Also, the Cowon X5L can record line-in (analog) in up to 320kbps mp3 format. There are others that do this too. Overall, the use of a computer is pretty much standard issue, unless you are recording live, and this applies to HiMD as well.

It is too bad no one reads the classifieds here, until it is too late. I sold 5 NEW HD5 for about $220.00 this week on ebay. In regards to the X5L, YES, it does sound as good as the HD5 and doesn't deal with any DRM nonsense. True drag-and-drop capability for both PC and Mac. If you get the iAudio, get the XL version as the battery is around 30 hours of capacity.

I 100% disagree. If the 3rd party battery meets or exceeds the Sony specifications there is no reason why it would damage the HD5.

From past Sony history, the US release will have: 1. A silver only color 2. A downgraded remote - probably without a LCD.

One black has sold. There is now one (1) black HD5 left and 2 (two) red HD5s left. I will list the next black model this evening and provide a new item number... I have TWO (2) RED Models left: One currently listed - NEW - Item number: 9702551272 I also have a NEW condition - opened - model that I tested which will go on ebay after the above one sells. This opened model will sell for $195.00 Joe

The Cowon units don't require DRM or software. They are drag-and-drop. The iAudio 6 is supposed to read ID tags versus just using a file tree. I have an X5L and love the thing. SOLID construction. Someone mentioned the video earlier. Video on these Cowon units (except the Cowon A2) is a bonus. It works well, but it isn't the main point of the player.

Because he doesn't like to carry around several discs, most probably. A NICE pmp unit for audio and video is the Cowon A2. A bit big, but the video support is quite broad.

Okay, The HD5 units are on ebay at this point for a price of $215.00 + $12.00 shipping. Buy it now gets it for $220.00 shipped. Joe Item number: 9702551572 Item number: 9702544459

Musicman, I sent you a PM. Could you check it out please. Thanks. Joe

Crying for missing a DH10p at $225.00 is okay? So what do you do when you miss TWO (2) of them? Oh, I understand. It was bad enough at my home when my wife saw all five of the HD5's in my car. "FIVE!!!??!!" growl growl. I am pretty much in the dog-house til I sell them after my vacation is over. (No I am not supposed to be posting on my vacation) Joe

If the DH10p only had inputs. I could live without line/optical in, but it SHOULD have had a mic input. Think about it. It would be the perfect little gadget to take on a vacation. You could: 1. listen to tunes 2. take pics of whereever you were visiting 3. you could take voice recordings during your trip. IF it could do this...and output the slideshow to a TV, with music background and/or voiceovers it would have been stupendous. I would pick up a couple. I HOPE Sony chooses to provide a direct USB connection to the base, like with the DH10p. If it can charge and transfer (standard on 99 percent of mp3 players now - and the DH10p. Do any other Hi-MD allow this?) Sony would have a couple of definate sales.

The same here in the U.S. until recently. They are gone from almost all stores now...and Sony US too. This Frys sold these at a discount and also sold two (2) DH10p minidisc units on discount. Fry's held these two DH10p units for a year at $500.00 and they dropped the price to $225.00 each. I missed the sale of them by 1 day. I know this because the guy who sold them remembered how happy the customer was. /cry

Hey folks, I ran across five (5) NW-HD5 units, unopened, at my local Fry's and picked them all up. There are three (3) Red units and two (2) black units. The are the 20GB models also. If you are interested in buying one before I put them on ebay starting March 20th, just send me a PM. I won't be able to answer after 3pm tomorrow as I will be on spring break. I will be returning on March 19th, so you have a week plus to make up your mind. I have been posting on minidisc.org and here for some time, so I am not a fly-by-night guy. Check out the ebay handle lamewing to check my feedback. After taxes, these cost me $195.00. I will sell them for $210.00 plus shipping and packing supplies. WHY? I only want to make a small profit and also help out the local (non-ipod, heh) community AND...ahem..AND even if I don't make much profit on them I still earned almost 1000 frequent flyer miles making the purchase. My free trip to Japan looms closer. Thanks. Joe

The point being made is that while the transfer speed is faster, the write speed of HiMD is less than USB 1.1. In other words, it doesn't matter what type of USB is used, so just mark it USB 2.0 compatible and be done with it. HiMD, in its current iteration will never use any of the speed USB 2.0 can offer.

Audiocubes no longer lists the EH1 on their website.

There is always ebay. The biggest selling point in ebay is a GOOD and HONEST DESCRIPTION in fine DETAIL, as well as a MULTITUDE of PHOTOS from ALL ANGLES. People go gaga for details because they know the seller is not hiding anything. You mentioned it was locked with Sony Connect only. Are you saying Sony locked the A-series out of SonicStage 3.4? I wasn't aware of that. Joe

And what would be the point in doing this? Just to be an ass? So what if he is selling units that have the audio defeat added to them. He isn't selling the defeat, he is selling the SERVICE of removing it. Look at bottled water. Water is free. Anyone can go get water for free. BUT, bottled water cost money. Are they charging for the water? No, they are really charging for the service of supplying the spring water. Also, purposely destroying someones feedback is not only childish, but would be legally libel..and that isn't good at all. Grow the heck up and stop trying to cause unnecessary trouble. Keep this kind of nonsense in the kiddy iPod forums please. Jeez. Maybe the moderator should do something about this rabble-rousing.