[StrangeByte]

sh!t... same old crap as with MS Walkman...

unfortunately i can't: no hi-md (yet). the only problem could be a hidden (inaccessible) sector on the hi-md that holds additional flags like this - or a key - or anything. But generally i'm interested in hma-hacking to create a whole new 'clean' software that doesn't need anything from sony (except for the atrac encoder perhaps) I know that this isn't an easy job... of course not. But that are just ideas... :smile:

As we all know, it is possible to transfer PCM (and other format's) records done on the unit (mic/line/opt) to the PC (even though in a proprietary format that is encrypted). As many people know, the music data is stored as HMA-files in the data area (for this reason accessible for windows). These files are encrypted. As perhaps a few people know is that this transfer can only be done on one computer, and then a flag is set on the minidisc that prevents sonicstage from further uploads (which would enable the user to go to a buddy and upload his records on the buddie's computer). This flag is very likely stored in the HMA-files. Well, after a lot of "intro", here's my question: Would it be possible to dump the HMA files, then upload the PCM/Hi-SP/whatever records to sonicstage, transfer the "untouched" hma files back to the disc, and.... you know what i'm trying to say? :smile:

Yeah, I hate it... the mpeg header must be at 0 bytes, otherwise it won't work. Some ACM-Encoder programs write the RIFF header first...

maybe it is not the "digital in" you want to record (although this would be very illogical)... try enabling all sources for playback (in the windows mixer) and check if the signal is coming out from your speakers. if it works, try figuring out the right source by disabling each source.. hope this helps btw the "din unlock" confuses me... is that the SCMS restriction? not common on spdif outs of soundcards....

i just tested the whole thing and heard a very very slight noise when the volume is very low or at zero. i never noticed this before :ohmy: hmm... isn't this the same as turning the volume to zero? oh.. by the way i have an MZ-R900

:ohmy: well not really my category...

:ohmy: oh... just didn't think about that... sorry.

it's getting even more complicated... :wacky: you CAN transfer PCM recordings from PC to MD if they were transferred from MD to PC before... that means: record in PCM on the unit, transfer the song to the pc, delete it on the unit and you can download it back to the unit with the pc as source. (as i know... test it with some stupid mic recordings and don't waste your best recordings that way if it isn't true)

One moment... you can put atrac3 132kbps and 64kbps files on hi-md too... thats equivalent to LP4 and LP2. However, these md's can't be played back on non-himd units (like NetMD or MDLP units)

do you mean that there is an analog step between the atrac->pcm decoder and the digital amp? to me, that sounds stupid.... i think the digital data goes directly to the digital amp. ok ok... both, nh1 and nh900 have a high definition digital amp, don't they?

Yes.. Sony wouldn't spend years and years to develop an own codec (atrac, atrac3, atrac3+) and then just waste it all and add mp3 support.... sony and mp3... well.. maybe on cd-players but not on md.

i'll take the nh900 because i don't need the fancy remote or usb charging. eventually i'll get a second (player only) unit (and install it in my car) that features a remote connector (need it to connect it to the radio), but for now i'll put my mz-r900 in my car and record in NetMD compatible mode to play them back on the r900) but - i'm a bit out of money so - for now - no hi-md. maybe i'll wait for the second generation units :cool:

i read somewhere that PCM recordings that were once uploaded from md unit to pc CAN be downloaded to the unit again; but only those that came from your unit. YES it's from the german sony hi-md faq. on page 4 there is a table. read the footnote *1 (for those of you that understand german) :cool:

ok i have an additional question about the mz-nh900 and its time stamp functionality as i'm goin' to get one. the description on minidisc.org states that there is no such function but that information doesn't satisfy me... i guess the only thing that this unit can't do is to set timestamps on live-recordings. i think it can display existing time stamp as well as set timestamps when recording over usb due to the fact that it has no own clock. can anybody correct me?

Car units will come as soon as Hi-MD gets possible. This may take a while and portables are always the first step. You can, however, record MDLP or just SP mode compatible MDs with new units too (over line-in, mic, optical or sonicstage).

But with virtual daemon manager you can change vendor and model of each virtual drive... seems they didn't forget about this.

but even if there is no SimpleBurner 2 you will still be able to rip a virtual cd with SonicStage... :smile: EDIT: and even transfer the cd directly to your Hi-MD without ripping it to harddisk (at least it was possible with old SonicStage)

Well, I thik it is all a big mistake... I defenitely don't think Sony will decrease max number of groups to 20... But there are only 20 groups (or tracks/whatever) you can put in PROGRAM mode (or program repeat). As I know sony always limited the number of programmable tracks to 20, at least on the very first Discman and my MZ-R900 :happy:

I know that german pdf file... but that isn't what i'm wondering about. What would be interesting to me is what new title fields (ie seperated title/artist/album/?group? fields) are possible with hi-md.