philpem

Version 1.060 on mine too - with the same code on the right side. According to the service manual, it's normal. On the left display you get "Ver 1.xxx", on the right display you get "BEr******". There's nothing in there about what BEr-whatever actually means. Maybe it's a software release number or something. My first thought was "block error count", but that's hidden in the Diag display (service manual page 14 - Self Diagnosis Result Display Mode). Total recording time on mine (according to the diagnostic mode) is 00ED (237 - if that's hours, that's probably about right). It did report a few 0003 (focus error, no change), 0005 (fault of disc discriminate) and 0012 (could not read data with SYNC) errors. I guess some of my discs are a little iffy - my MZ-N710 showed basically the same thing when I read out the error counter when I did the 'unlock functions' hack. My RH1 is still under warranty (until the end of August '07), so I'm not going to touch any settings - not for 0.5mW. The KSC-75s I'm using don't really need the extra power.

Not really. The EU version includes an optical line cable (Toslink to optical minijack) which IIRC you don't get with the US version, and the Japanese version probably includes a remote that can display kanji and katakana/hiragana script, but that's about it - accessories. You might notice differences in the amplifier's output power between territories (EU is 4.something mW, JP and US are 5), but it's not a huge issue. Oh, in Japan you might be able to get a silver RH-1. Elsewhere (or at least in the EU) you can just get the black ones. I don't consider that a problem - IMHO the black one looks nicer

Let's see... MDs: 27x. 25x 80-minute Sony 'Colour' discs. Bought a pack of five with my MZ-N710, then bought three packs of five from HMV when they were selling them off. 4x still shrink wrapped. Also 2x purple Sharp MD-R80 that a friend gave me. HiMDs: 4x, all Sony HMD1GA. Blue with clear case. Two shrink-wrapped new, two used. What I'm using: 1x HiMD for my 'music for the ride to work/university' collection (Hi-SP format). 123 tracks, 8h21m31s with 10m 1x HiMD for recording university lectures (Hi-LP format). 3x MDs for my recordings from the 'Kevin Bloody Wilson' DILLIGAF concert at St. George's Hall (Bradford) back in November '04. Wrecked due to the singing of the guy next to me throwing the AGC off, but I kept the recording anyway.. A bunch of MDs with music on them - one album per MD.. These days, if/when I do stealth recording, I take two HiMDs and a couple of MDs and record in Linear PCM - much better for archiving. What I really need is to make up a new stereo stealth microphone (or buy one), and finish building the Active Microphone...

It's probably worth pointing out that most of the UK Sony Centres keep them in stock - Leeds are still pushing the RH1 (there's one in the display cabinet, so I assume they've got a couple in stock). 1GB HiMDs are currently £12 for a pack of two, so £1 more expensive than Discount Discs, but still not a bad price for ones-and-twos...

Subject says it all really.. Has anyone found a decent case that fits the MZ-RH1? Just been down to the Huddersfield Sony Centre - "we don't sell Minidisc kit, there's no demand"... I figure Argos might be worth trying, though they seem to enjoy changing the products they sell without updating the catalogues (not to mention the quality of a lot of their stock is pretty poor at best) Anyone got any suggestions?

Here's the quick-fix I found: Plug the USB cable into your PC Plug the other end of the USB cable into the RH1 Wait for the RH1 to display "Low battery", then wait for the display to go blank Remove the RH1 end of the USB cable, wait a second then plug it back in again You should get the "whooshing circles" startup screen, then the battery-charge indicator. You can probably do the same thing with the RH1 charger brick as well - replace "PC" with "charger" in the above paragraph The Sony MZ-RH1. 'Tis a quirky little thing...

They're earbuds, basically. $250 intra-aurals (they go right into the ear canal, as opposed to sitting outside e.g. like the Sennheiser MX-series or the Sony 'standard' earbuds); see http://www.ultimateears.com/superfi/item__...__prod-979.html He must be rich - no way I'd spend that much on a pair of earbuds... Are they made from solid gold or something?

If you're using Win2k or XP, Windows should just pick up the card and set it up automatically. I've never installed a USB PCI card in an XP or 2K PC and had problems with drivers. The hardware interface between the CPU and USB is standard - it's called UHCI, OHCI or EHCI (depending on whose hardware you're using). All the PCI->USB chipsets I know of follow one of those standards, and Win2k and XP have drivers for all three built in. It's as close to plug-and-play as you're ever going to get... The RH1 stops charging when the battery is full. Leaving it on the USB will make it take power from the PC instead of the battery pack.

If this is one of the models with the 'virtual surround' or sound profiles, push the SOUND button on the remote until the far-right display is off (it'll be showing SND then a letter/number if it's enabled). IME virtual surround is pointless at best.

Plug the iPod into the hub and give the MD the port the iPod was plugged into? You can get USB PCI cards fairly cheaply - in the USA probably about $20 if not less.

Hm. I was told the UK warranty on the RH1 is one year parts and labour...

I've just formatted it. I'll transfer the CDs back to the disc tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks.

What if the MD is in Line Out mode (e.g. when it's hooked up to a home/car hi-fi)? Then you can't use the remote, and thus can't (easily) find out what's playing without a track list. That said, 9/10 times, my RH1 sits in my pocket with the remote on my belt clip. In that instance, I'd rather have the RH1's display turned completely off and use the LCD on the remote. It does get pushed in a bit easily though. The display cover could do with being a few mm wider on the left, just to match up with the guard on the other side of the button. But if you did that, you'd get people complaining that it was too hard to push in.. It's a balancing act, and I think Sony have got it pretty much right. If you're really fussed for an external battery, build one. Mini-USB plug, 5V regulator, 2xAA NiMHs. Job done. I'm thinking of building one myself, once I get a Round Tuit... I think I've said this before, but the RH1 is the first MD that I've had that didn't need an insane amount of EQ tweaking to sound "right" with my Sennheisers. The whole "it just works" aspect is really nice... Sure it has a few minor issues, but that's all they are - minor issues. And it's harder to see in a dark concert hall. All the better for stealth recording. Not that I'd do that, of course....

Hi, I've just started an MD (Sony HiMD 1GB) playing on my RH1, then did a Group Skip to go from Gp1 to Gp3. After I did that, the RH1 started making the usual seek noises, but never started playing the track. About a minute later, it gave up and displayed "READ ERROR" on the OLED. None of the remote/panel switches did anything. Ejecting and reinserting the disc got it out of that state, and now it seems quite happy to play the disc. Doing a "half eject" (push the button in far enough to trip the sensor but not far enough to release the disc tray) seems to work as well. What bugs me is, it's done this a few times, and seems quite prone to doing it after the MD's been sitting idle for a day or so. The fact that it can read the disc after reinserting it suggests that the disc is fine, and I can't see any dust/dirt on the lens (based on the highly scientific method of "shine an LED torch into the disc bay"), so I'm stumped... Anyone got any ideas? Thanks.

Well first I'd try using another disc. Maybe your disc is a bit dirty or worn out, and it's making the MD recorder fail. Does the NH700 have a Format Disc option? You could try using that to reformat the disc, just in case you've damaged the system file.