LowMD

Here's what I was wondering. Since Wav Converter essentially strips the DRM from the uploaded files--and it seems to do it pretty quickly, which suggests it's not re-encoding them but just unwrapping them--are there any programming experts here who can figure out how it does that? If so, perhaps the files on the disc could be drag-and-dropped and then stripped? Or am I being way too naive?

You only get one upload with Hi-MD and SonicStage tags the files somehow to prevent you from doing it again. Your safest bet is to record in realtime out of the MD's headphone jack--either into your computer (with Audacity), then save as mp3s and load onto disc with SonicStage. Or record directly into another MD if you can borrow one. Whatever you do, don't hook up SonicStage to the 1GB disc. it may delete the original files from the disc.

Hold the Shift key down when you insert the CD. That will stop Autoplay of their copy-protection "player." . Or better yet, disable Autoplay completely on your CD drive by going into My Computer, finding the CD drive and right-clicking on it. You should do this anyway given the number of sleazy copy-protection malware programs appearing on CDs and DVDs. Now Explore the CD, rip the .wav files with dbpoweramp or your ripper of choice, burn to MD with SonicStage. And go back to your record store and complain that the album is defective. Transferring music you have paid for to another medium for your private use is legal, at least for the moment.

It just said "DAE Error," no number or explanation of which program. Clicking OK stopped it from loading. It's gone, I just restored.

Kids, don't try this at home. I was eager to try the fabled Protools. The setup program wouldn't run under XP, so I switched to Windows 98 Compatibilty and, yes, it installed. Then I set Protools.exe to Win98 compatibility as well. But when I ran it, it found a DAE Error and stopped. And XP won't uninstall it because apparently the uninstaller wants Win98 compatibility. Time to find that restore point....

If you're willing to put up with realtime transfer, then you can use virtually any older MD model with a mic jack (check the Equipment Browser on this site). I've used MZ-N707 and MZ-R700, both fine for live recording. Other people love Sharps for live recording. You'd have to find older models on eBay, but plenty of folks got MDs and then didn't use them much. Read the listings carefully, look at the pictures, check the feedback and see what you can do. But here's the "but" on realtime uploading: your computer has to have a decent soundcard, which rules out most laptops. Preferably you want a line-in connection. If you don't have one, but do have a USB, you can add a line-in connection via USB with a Griffin iMic for abougt $35. You're doing an analog transfer, not a digital one, but the quality is pretty darn hi-fi. Still, if you can scrape up the extra $100, you could get a NH-700 or NHF-800 (depending on where you live), a pair of basic binaurals from Sound Professionals or elsewhere, and have an extremely convenient recording setup for about $300, complete with uploading. Audacity recording/editing software is free for the downloading, just Google it.

If you just want to use the phone, go to a Radio Shack or whatever the local equivalent is for little electronics, and you probably have various choices: a simple suction-cup mic that sticks to the headset, a box that connects to your phone jack (you put a splitter on your phone jack so it has two connections), or possibly a phone with a headphone jack. The output may be mono, so you may have to get a plug that's mono-in and stereo-out, or you'll only be recording on one channel on the MD. Or try some software that popped up on Google and just record directly to PC: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/...-Recorder.shtml http://www.modemspy.com/en/index.php

Ya snooze, ya lose--they're back to $39 on the website. But they're still selling off a few for $25 on ebay. WAS: Just a heads-up to live recording fans: SoundPros is having a sale on its basic binaurals for only $25 through Sunday. http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/...d/item/SP-BMC-2 I just grabbed a pair for use as a backup, thought some people here might want to do the same.

Turn on Record, then press Pause [iI] while recording. That should leave the sound coming through your phones. Push Pause again to start and stop recording. You can also skip the MD and record webcasts directly onto the PC with StepVoice. http://stepvoice.com/

Thanks--somebody grabbed it. Selling my little Sound Pros mic preamp. Bid early and often.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...ssPageName=WDVW