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tekdroid

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Posts posted by tekdroid

  1. I just checked the quality of images I uploaded since conversion from MiniDisc.org to SonyInsider. They have gone down very much in quality (both previews and when clicking on them to get a bigger image).

    Plus I think that topics like this need to be moved to Audio.

    Growing pains?

    Otherwise, excellent design and colour choices on the new SonyInsider forum.

  2. Ah, this! Its function is much simpler - it lowers the magnetic overwrite head onto the disc during recording, and raises it after. In portable units it also drives a special lever to lock the lid when the head is lowered. No alignment whatsoever is performed during this.

    Reading a 3-layered DWDD Hi-MD disc is fully done by the laser pickup. Basically, the second layer is heated up to its Curie temperature..."

    I always thought reading was done at far lower power output, not necessitating the heating of the layer to its Curie temp (as opposed to recording, which is).

  3. This listing has been running intermittently on Ebay for YEARS. I mean it, years. I always get a kick out of reading it.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-MDX-U1-MINIDISC-P...id=p3286.c0.m14

    Probably not the best use of $1129.88, at least not MY $1129.88!

    $1,100 now :)

    "So here it is folks, if you want the best and cost is not a matter of concern to you (i paid well over $1500 for this), GET THIS ONE! After all you wouldn't want your HUMMER or your BENZ to have a system that was bought from K-MART!"

    Actually I wouldn't mind a KMart model :)

  4. It can't get much less vibrant than it is now. Compared to the heyday, I understand that traffic here is, to say the least, severely muted.

    I don't know, just seeing how many people are online here, it doesn't seem to be so different to 4-5 years ago. But then I could be totally mistaken. Moving it will either increase traffic or bury MiniDisc further into a site with unrelated content. I don't know which. I don't know if there are many advantages to the Average User looking up MiniDisc and coming here versus doing it on SonyInsider. I guess efficiencies count for something, though.

  5. I don't believe this move is intentionally symbolic of the format's "last legs" status. As I state above, it is purely a consolidation of resources that has the additional benefit of giving us access to an installation of IPB (the forum software) that is better maintained. It's a win-win.

    What I don't get is:

    can't the software be updated/maintained here on its own site, like it always was?

    Do we need a fresh look?

    Do we need it consolidated?

    What needs maintaining? Is it just a case of more efficiencies?

    As far as navigation and usability of this site are concerned, will things be better off here or there?

    I have no doubt this will bring a lot more traffic to SonyInsider, but will it affect the MiniDisc talk and navigation negatively? People here are really attracted to MiniDisc and not necessarily other Sony products, and maybe things will turn out less 'vibrant' in the new house regarding MiniDisc.

    Then again it could bring in more talk, I guess. I think a lot of it will depend on the implementation, but it would be a shame to see the site being diluted like so many other sites. Not really specialising in anything well, and not really attracting the fanatics :)

  6. I feel that this is the best way to unify all of this important data and bring a fresh appearance (and new software) to our existing users.

    * fresh appearance

    * new software to existing users

    Either way, I'm not too fussed, but couldn't this be done without the convergence, keeping MiniDisc-related talk separate from the rest of Sony's products (and on its own site), like it is now? I can understand it on some level, because MiniDisc seems to be on its last legs at retail and there is some probably increasing talk of new Walkmans and so forth here, but I still have this feeling inside me that it might be better if this community were kept separate on its own site as it is now. Just as in the real world MiniDisc users are total outcasts :)

    It seems like the format might not get the attention (or at least diluted attention) under the SonyInsider banner and site. At least that's a fear (concern?) I have.

  7. News just to hand:

    the unit will be selling for $299

    Excellent value (if it is what I think it is).

    Cutting down some of the more esoteric features (optical, movable mics) seems to have resulted in a nice slot, price-wise. Sony should clean up with this model, I think. Pretty aggresively going at the market at last. I can't help but be encouraged by this news. Does it show? :)

  8. Hello,

    I am wanting to purchase a microphone and minidisc for voiceover recordings. I'm putting an animation together and need to record voicers without any noise. On top of that I would like to be able to record atmospheric sound effects. I was thinking the Rode NT4 microphone would be the best, but I am so confused with what MD recorder I should get. Or maybe I don't need a minidisc recorder, as I have a canon hv30 camcorder. I think I would prefer to able to plug the rode mic into a minidisc as it is much more compact, which means I can carry it around whenever I want.

    What would you all suggest?

    Cheers

    Seriously consider using something like the Sony PCM-D50 if you are not going to be using the machine as a primary Walkman for listening (a bit large for that, along with basic playback modes). Mic is on the unit (and is damn good for the price) and the thing will probably set you back less than a separate MIC and MD unit, and you'd probably like it more for what it was designed to do (recording).

    With in-built limiter, up to 24 bit / 96KHz recording and so on. Currently sitting at $450 USD.

  9. The stuff I record sounds totally good through headphones using the device, but as soon as I get it onto the computer it comes out super quiet. Like I can hardly hear it and have to turn the volume up really loud. Why is this?

    I doubt it's the recorder if the levels dancing where they normally should be.

    May be the computer itself or the application has low audio or low audio settings.

    At the risk of stating the obvious:

    Windows machine? Tried playing with the software mixer? Tried a different machine?

    Tried to make a regular CD from the WAV files (playable in a CD player) to isolate the issue?

    There are a few things to try.

    Otherwise, you might like to try taperssection.com. Should be plenty of users with this machine on there.

  10. The demise of the bundled wired remote for easy access to basic controls while listening to music is sad. Replacing this by obligatory lookee-lookee and touch-touch on the main unit can be OK some of the time, and those buttons on the top of the unit are still better than nothing, but they still require touching the main unit. I don't like this. It is better than what Apple does, but Sony need to think beyond merely Apple.

    * Removable storage and battery are missing in this age of cheap(er) flash media and green lip-service.

    * Shipping a half-arsed browser in the unit is unacceptable in a unit priced like it is doing what it does.

    * Rudimentary codec support is disappointing in a device priced like this, IMO. Others are doing FLAC and/or Ogg Vorbis. Apple may not be doing it but forget about Apple and go beyond, especially when it's royalty-free.

    People seem to want to simply use something that's different to the main competitor. That's fine, and there are one or two nice features here, but Sony can do more, and merely relying on the "it's not an iPod" crowd is not going to do them any favours. The OLED touchscreen may be nice, but as far as usability goes, there seems to be too much do it like Apple going on here.

    * Would it kill them to:

    * license a quality web browser? If you want to clone Apple, look here. Maybe license Adobe Flash, too.

    * Offer QWERTY input?

    * Implement royalty-free FLAC and Ogg Vorbis?

    * Include a wired remote, a la MiniDisc (even as an option)?

    * Come with zero storage and offer removable microSD of your choosing, much like PSP comes with no removable storage outta-the-box?

    * Come with removable battery, like PSP and Sony Ericsson phones? Or is everything disposable and surgerytime now?

    There are parts of Sony I don't like simply 'cause I think they are sitting on their butts and being also-rans and incomplete-ists. This product would be one of those, I think. Go beyond what Apple is doing. Focus on software a bit more (how about your own store, too?). Make a portable media device that offers a completely good experience (that means a decent browser in 2009 as a bare minimum...). It doesn't necessarily mean increasing your bill of materials and slicing your profit margins, either. If you want to clone your main competitor, do it better in the (remaining) areas that matter.

    Otherwise, good job, but I ain't buying :D

  11. If the Sony M10 retains the good parts of minidisc, like quiet mic inputs and track marking, and dumps the whole SonicStage encumbrance, it could be The One, even if Sony is still trying to force you to use its Micro Memory Stick, whatever that is, rather than SD or MicroSD.

    The PCM-M10 seems to take either Memory Stick Micro (M2) or MicroSD in its slot.

    I am certain they won't go cheap and nasty on us, sound-wise; it would make no sense for their strategy in the recorder market.

  12. After a period of increasing blurry display now there is no light in the display of my Mz-RH10. The rest of the functions (recording and playing) work normal.

    Because I change recording mode often I need the display of course. So I bought a remote (RM-MC55ELK ). Now I am able to delete and format but I can't change the recordingquality in PCM or so.

    Of course I can bring the recorder to sony for repair but that cost me 2/3 the price of a new one.

    So can you help me with a solution for this problem../.

    Thanks wiro

    Heard several times in the past that the display starts to wear out (get fainter), which is a shame. I don't think there is an easy and/or cheap solution.

    The virtually identical MZ-RH910 was almost ignored due to its regular LCD display as opposed to OLED, but it didn't have this problem (and I'm guessing the MZ-RH1 has the same problem here, too). It's a shame people also had control button/dial weaknesses with these models too, just like the current RH1. Most things these days are designed to work well within warranty with minimal support costs and after that it's cya.

  13. Corrections and clarificaations (and new discoveries)

    -----------------------------------

    * transferring a folder or creating them directly on the unit's storage containing no MP3 or WAV files in the folder will cause the recorder to not show the folder in the folder list on the unit. When you think about it, it makes sense 'cause any folders you make are Playback folders only, and there's nothing to PLAY inside them... and there's no way you can move any files from any folders to any folders on the unit itself (though that would be handy)

    * In my explanation with pics, I mix LCF with Limiter in a sentence or two there. I'm sure you can make sense of the mistake.

    * MP3 tags and scrolling. I should have been clearer: the Title of the MP3 can be scrolled. The artist and/or file name cannot when doing MP3s. Conversely, WAV files, with no tag info by nature, are endowed with the ability to scroll their lowly file names (thank you Mr Sony)

    * when transferring your own folders to the unit, these folders are scrolled if they cannot fit on the screen (which is nice but it's the kind of jerky scroll you may have seen, not the smooth type)

    * the mics are very sensitive and a windscreen is an absolute must, especially outdoors (Sony AD-PCM1 comes with an MD-like grey drawstring bag that fits the unit, too)

    * I have a habit of wanting to use the (very smooth!) Rec Level dial to scroll through lists! Dials are simply better sometimes (but then again they are more prone to accidentals, I guess).

    * operations like Delete All cannot be performed when the battery icon is flashing, indicating little juice. However Deleting a single track seems to work without complaint. It's nowhere near Hi-MD's pickyness with Hi-MD media. On Sony's supplied (disposable! grr) batteries, the thing has been flashing yesterday and today, and despite hours of recording and playback since it first started flashing, the battery still won't die.

    * the battery life is freaking fantastic (can't be stressed enough)

    * the sound is freaking fantastic

    * pausing a recording and then resuming recording by unpausing it will not create a new track. Stopping the recording and resuming recording again will, though. I think this is down to taste but would be nice if it were an option in the menus to disable, a bit like Group Mode can be enabled or disabled in the menus of an MD unit, I guess.

    * labelling stuff on-unit and throwing files in certain folders would make this really so much nicer.

    * proper remotes would make this nicer

    * 99 tracks can be saved per folder

    Missing files and USB shenanigans

    * disconnecting the recorder's USB without doing it the safe way by clicking on the Safely Remove Hardware thing in Windows can and does re-set the recorder's settings! (at least on my system)

    So there I was transferring filders and files. Diconnected USB cable manually after they had all been copied. I try to browse the unit and find none of the files I transferred!

    I scratch my head, check the recorder's menu settings and find that my Memory Stick choice had been switched to the internal memory in the settings, and I hadn't saved anything to the internal memory, so I saw none of my files! FOLDER01 to FOLDER10 were there (with nothing in them), but none of my own folders. Blankness.

    Quite jarring the first time it happend :)

    Other settings were re-set, including LCF settings to 75Hz (they wre set at 150Hz when I connected it), and several others. Something to keep in mind if you want to yank the cable after you think that things are done. From a few tries so far, 'safely remove hardware' seems to mitigate this completely (in my testing so far...). Might be just a quirk on my system, I don't know.

    That is all for now.

    :D

  14. Perhaps one of the most significant differences for those who record live to HiMD is that the RH-1 doesn't have to have its settings reset each time you do a new recording.

    Yeah, that's a great feature which I totally overlooked. I like that this unit doesn't have earlier track-marking and on-disc-editing problems (or at least less of them?), to me that's a big deal. I'm reliability-focused.

    But that's all outweighed by the controls that stuff up under normal use on the RH1 - that devalues it a LOT to me. NH1 I still prefer, overall. I record in sun, too, and I like seeing track names on-unit... I like the Group button and the flexibility to release a group. It all depends what's most important to you.

    Best is a statement that's sometimes used but it's a statement I can't make, for both the RH1 or NH1. Both have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. I can't say one is best, only better or worse in certain areas.

  15. Great, great stuff. That is the closest replacement to a MiniDisc recorder, and what should be recommended to newbie recording enthusiasts.

    Not only that, but it (almost?) costs less than the current MD unit (as it always should have, IMO).

    We'll see what street prices are like.

  16. It's great isn't it...

    I think it's definitely their first portable recorder to support an SD derivative, yes. I would like to think our rants were finally heard! Woohoo. I actually feel good about Sony once more (will their video cameras follow? - 'cause their DSLRs have had CompactFlash and now SD, too).

    They have a dedicated folder button on this unit. They renamed DIVIDE back to T-Mark (MiniDisc-esque). They have a dedicated DELETE button and the MENU button is gone, seemingly replaced with that FOLDER button. The integrated mics are likely non-movable unlike the PCM-D50 and it doesn't look like there will be optical in or out on this one. So they are adding to the range rather than replacing models.

    I didn't manage to see the volume dial, though (and will it have a great headphone amp like the PCM-D50? - I hope so)

    Many people wanted something smaller (including me), so it's good to see their flash-based recorders get some more attention (and compete better with lower-priced competition). I wonder how many AAs it will take. My guess is it might still be four.

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