raintheory

If you transferred tracks to MD using SimpleBurner, you can upload those just fine. It's only tracks transferred by SonicStage/OpenMG that won't upload.

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

Audacity is definitely a good choice. I'd go with the beta version available though, have had no problems with it. I've been a fan of GoldWave for years as well: http://www.goldwave.com/ The trial version of GoldWave is unhindered AFAIK, the full version is relatively cheap when compared to other comparable software (except the free Audacity, of course).

You can upload any format to PC with the MZ-RH1 ( SP/MONO/LP2/LP4/PCM/Hi-SP/Hi-LP ) As long as it wasn't transferred to MD via SonicStage/OpenMG

Chances are that the ribbon cable that connects your recording/overwrite head is wearing out. This is happening more frequently now with these older units. It is repairable with some soldering skills... There's a post about it here somewhere.

Yes, 4.3 only adds vista compatibility AFAIK Otherwise it should have the same features.

If you want to be able to upload your recordings to PC digitally (and faster than realtime) you will need a Hi-MD recorder. The older NetMD recorders have a USB connection but it is only one-way PC>MD

If you're not using Vista, you might be better off with 4.2 A number of users here (including myself) have experienced problems with 4.3

Great to hear you were able to get your Hi-MD audio recovered! Thanks for this information!

Plug the unit into mains power and press STOP, which (in theory) will write the system file and unlock the eject mechanism. Usually the only time it gets locked like that is if power is removed before a pending TOC update is done.

Yeah, you can get a soundcard with optical output for relatively cheap anyways ( http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=5165 I have one of these and it works great )... Might be easier than trying to fiddle with that old Xitel thingy. Here is a review of the "thingy" for those interested: http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/xiteldg2/

Here is a photo of what he has: What it does is converts the audio signal from PC to Optical via USB... The optical signal can then be used with any recorder that has optical/line in. There is no actual USB connection to the recorder itself, per-se... So no, the computer won't recognize the recorder but should recognize the MD Optical port thingy. In Guitarfxrs terms it converts the square hole into a round peg I still don't think it uses SonicStage though...

The MD port you have just sends an optical signal of the audio from your computer to the unit. I believe you have to manually press record on the unit itself, and it records in realtime. I'm not sure if it is compatible with SonicStage, which is designed for NetMD and/or Hi-MD devices.

Have you tried different USB ports?

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

Received both an NHF800 & NH600D very quickly from him. Great communication and a great deal! A+ all the way!

If you can find a relatively cheap 1st or 2nd gen Hi-MD unit, you can upload anything you record in Hi-MD modes using it. You will, however need an RH1/M200 in order to upload anything you've recorded with a NetMD recorder, as stated by Avrin.

Most likely the small ribbon cable that connects to the recording/overwrite head is wearing out. This happens eventaully to almost every unit in time. Be careful when playing/editing discs you've already recorded because there is a chance that the unit may corrupt the TOC on those discs as well. There's a post around here somewhere with some instructions on repairing the ribbon cable... I'll see what I can find.

Received a partially-working G750 for a great deal, which will provide me with some great experience with MiniDisc surgery and repair. I was a bit surprised at the overall condition of the unit, practically mint condition with the exception of the stated headphone jack. He takes great care of his equipment and was a pleasure to deal with. Super fast shipping. Great communication... Couldn't ask for more! Thanks again! A+ in my book.

I've noticed this behavior with my unit when uploading SP files.

Sorry guys, this unit has been claimed and is on it's way to the Land of the Rising Sun.

From MiniDisc FAQ: "...Prerecorded MD's are read exactly like CD's (the player focuses a laser on pits and valleys within a transparent polycarbonate substrate backed by a coating of aluminum thus reflecting or dispersing the beam). Recordable MD's are similar, but a pre-groove replaces the pits and valleys and an MO coating replaces the aluminum one. When recording, a laser is focused from one side of the disc onto the pre-groove and heats a spot on the MO recording layer to its Curie point while a magnetic field from a head in contact with the other side of the disc aligns magnetic domains within (read: magnetizes) the heated spot on the MO layer (the N/S orientation corresponding to 0s and 1s in the data). During playback the MD machine focuses the laser on the pre-groove again, but at lower power, and the data is read back by measuring changes in polarization of light reflected from the previously magnetized regions (the Faraday effect)." Probably a few manufacturers. Here is a photo of a Maxell 74min MiniDisc w/plastic shutter:

I don't think there would be any difference in sound quality between manufacturers. Some brands may outlive other brands so in the end errors they may develop because of poor manufacturing may reduce the sound quality, but not as long as they do what they are designed to do (store digital data). I could be wrong, but in my experience with MiniDiscs (since '93) I have noticed no sound differences between discs. I also haven't had more than one or two die out on me, and I assume these were the result of a manufacturing flaw. I have noticed though that some brands are made much better than others. I have even seem some with plastic shutters instead of metal, which is a horrible design IMO.

This unit's departure is pending...

Thought I'd keep up the trend here and offer something myself that I've had laying around... Free to a good home (just pay shipping of $9 in the states. PM me if international and we can figure up a shipping cost): Casio XG-3 Portable MiniDisc Player http://www.minidisc.org/part_Casio_XG-3.html This unit works great and is in perfect, near mint condition. It is an SP player, so it will not playback MDLP recordings, only SP/MONO. It uses one AA battery. Included is the unit, remote, and a set of Sony MDR-A34 headphones. The unit comes in it's original box. Here is a review: http://www.minidisc.org/casio_xg3_review.html And some pics: