MDfreak

If you do some thinking you might have known what you try is impossible. Why? With USB you have a "host" (a PC or MAC) that controls the communication and a "client" (your device) that follows orders from the host. Normally you connect the USB to optical device and the Hi-MD are connected to a PC and the PC starts the communication by asking which device it is and than you install the appropriate drivers. After that your PC knows what devices they are and starts to use it. If you connect the USB tot optical converter to the Hi-MD you connect two clients who patiently wait until some host asks them to do something. There is no host so there will be no communication between the two devices. That is also why there is a special USB cable for connecting 2 PC's (2 hosts). Two devices that want to give orders also does not work so that kind of cables with some electronics in it that act as clients. So both PC's don't directly communicate but via the "client"-device hidden in the cable (see the thing middle part of the cable): Your next question might be: but why does a MCMD-R1 cardreader work with a Hi-MD without a PC? The cardreader acts like a PC (host) and gives the order to sent data to put on the memorycard. That is also why the MCMD-R1 does not work if you hook it up to your PC. You connect 2 hosts and that gives problems. Furthermore a MCMD-R1 is not a full computer so it only knows how to communicate with Hi-MD devices. So the main conclusion with connection different USB-devices is that you can only directly connect a client to a host. Otherwise it might also be possible to let's say connect a USB printer to a USB scanner (to act as a copier). Sadly that also does not work because that are also two clients who wait for any orders from a host. Only by putting a host (PC) between them with the correct drivers/software the software knows how to make a copy with one push of a button.

I don't know the pinout of your adaptercable but probably that is wrong because the connection you want to make isn't standard (connect a balanced XLR to a stereo microphone input). You have to make sure the adapter makes matches the following pinout: For more info: http://www.mdcenter.nl/artikelen/mdcpro/kabels.php And if you need your own phantom-power for condensor-mics: http://www.mdcenter.nl/artikelen/mics/portablephantom.php

The recording/playback times we put on the site are actually calculated from some tests we did. We did not have the time to actually do an accurate test over the times required to drain the batterypack in e.g. mp3-playback-mode. The real test we did was recording PCM modus and it really got quite annoying to come back to the batterypack over and over again to format the disc because it was full without seeing any improvement in emptying the batterypack. Finally after recording about 20 Hi-MD discs the batterypack finally went dead Another nice use for the batterypack is when during commuting the RH1s battery goes dead, you connect the RH1 to the batterypack. But it in your bagage, forget about it and after about an hour you get yourself a freshly charged RH1 (without ever touching a computer or plugging it into the wall somewhere).

Not that I know of.

To let the RH1 know that a charger/powersupply is attached.

Currently very busy with other things but I will try to have the plans ready as soon as possible.

Anyone mentioned the Netherlands yet?

From looking at some service-manuals of different NetMD/Hi-MD devices there is some protection but that is very limited. Furthermore a good engineer designs it's devices in such a way it complies with the standards used and does not rely on protections in other devices. Also most USB-connectors will indeed output not exactly 5 volts. From the outputs I measures all were below 5 volt and none above. That is in line with the service-manuals I looked at where overvoltage-protection is very limited but it was not a real problem to let USB-devices work on lower voltages that 5 volt. But as said before, to have a reliable batterypack without any strange behaviour in the pack and connected device I designed it in such a way that will output close to 5 volts as USB requires exept when the batteries get realy drained.

Yes, also tried that but you still end up with variating batteryvoltages. Furthermore, most batterychargers charge batteries in pairs (2 or 4 of them) so to get about 4 volts you need 3 batteries. So if you have drain an additional 4th battery before you can charge the other 3.

No, uploading still does not work with a write-protected Hi-MD disc.

MZ-RH1 is your solution.

Nice to see that all your findings up to now match the things I already found out with the prototype and already mentioned in the review. No need for a review of the review at the moment The upload-speeds of legacy disc I found were: Pentium IV 2.8 GHz PC SP -> PCM 10x SP -> Hi-SP 8x mono -> PCM 16x mono -> Hi-SP 12x LP2 15x LP4 26x

Nice pictures! Also nice to see the first picture of the AC-adapter with USB-connector. Also very nice close-ups. Did you try powering the NH1 or RH10 via the AC-adapter of the RH1? I tried something similar with my batterypack but I failed to get those 2 models to start charging or operating on USB power. I only got sometimes the "PC-->MD" message in the display.

The DH10P has a 6 volt DC-in if I'm correct? If so and after testing what supply-voltages the RH1 accepts I would say the only thing you need to do is changing the type of USB-cable and connect the right pins.

I think you are confusing MAC-upload of Hi-MD recordings(which is described above) with PC-upload of old tracks via SonicStage. By the way: yesterday the first European MZ-RH1's arrived @ the Dutch webshop where I always buy my stuff. They also said they would get some more of them today. So the RH1 is finally available in the Netherlands (2 weeks ahead of schedule) so probably in whole Europe the first models are shipped.