StarCapt

Thanks for the underlined reference to the NH1 manual. Those of us who are relatively new here don't know that such manuals are archived here. SC

I've tried Sony Store and the Sony Products websites, looking for a manual in English for the RM-MC40ELK. My experience is that these websites don't even recognize the existence of this remote, and I certainaly can't find reference to any English language manuals for HI-MD products. I simply would like to have reference to an operation manual, so I don't have to learn everything by experimentation. SC

Just got my Sony RM-MC40ELK remote from AudioCubes. Where can I find an English-language manual for it online? Thanks, SC

My NH900 is used, not for music mostly, but to record interviews, one-person performance pieces and sound effects for a radio drama series. For this I do use SonicStage 2.3 to transfer these files to my computer, and the Sony Wave Converter to make them usable in my sound editor. My main complaints so far: (1) File names given in the SonicStage right hand column are not transferred to the "Music Library" when the files are copied there (though they are of course copied to the files on the Hi-Md disc): (2) The dreary length of time needed to transfer files from the minidisc to the computer. SC

MrSoul -- I have the MZ-NH900 and might be interested in the Sony RM-MC40ELK remote you mention to replace the remote included with the minidisc. Does the Sony RM-MC40ELK, like the NH-900 remote, have a line connection opposite the cable attachment to the recorder? I would assume it does, since how else to plug in the headset, but can't tell from the available photos. Thanks, SC

The display of the MZ-NH900 is outrageously bad design: black on dark grey with light glancing off the plastic into your eyes!! It can't be read in anything other than perfect light. I wish the Sony officers who OK'd this little monstrosity would be condemned to read all their correspondence by this means. The remote is backlit, but not all commands are possible on it. The university radio station on which I have a program has some older Sony MD minidisc recorders; their display is black on light yellow ground -- very easy to read in almost any circumstance. SC

My NH-900 hisses momentarily when recording is inititated. Otherwise, I've not experienced any. (Relativel new user.) SC

Marc -- For those of us unable successfully to install SonicStage 2.2, couldn't you make HiMDRenderer useable for those who only have SonicStage 2.0? Thanks, SC

Dex -- Thanks very much for the helpful reply. What is "SPL"? And what do the ratios 13/30 and 25/30 refer to? SC

I recently bought the Sound Professionals battery-powered stereo mike mentioned here when it was on sale for $99. (I don't remember the Model designation and it's not printed on the mike itself.) I bought this mike to record Foley-type sound effects for a radio drama series I produce and direct. I have no previous experience with a stereo mike. When using the mike to record on my Sony NH-900 some sound effects at home -- pouring drinks, door open and close, etc. -- I could barely hear what was being recorded through my Sennheiser headphones. So I held the mike very near the sound source. When played back through SonicStage, however, and as recorded via Total Recorder, the sounds were so loud as to be unuseable and Total Recorder's bar was blasting into the red zone. The Sony recorder had the automatic recording level on as the default. I'm puzzled as to how to judge, while recording, what is an acceptable recording level through the headphones, which are a good quality consumer level set. Thanks in advance for any helpful replies. SC

Mark A's experience is exactly my own. Can only use the SS 2.0 that came with the MZ-NH900. Very frustrating.

I have had a lot of help in this forum and need more. SonicStage 2.0 came with the Sony MZ-NH900 when I ordered it. I can now successfully use the "real-time" method of uploading Hi-MD files to my computer in .wav form by using methods described here that employ Total Recorder. But I can't use the now-popular HiMDRenderer program since SonicStage 2.2 will not successfully download to my computer. I always get the message that some file is missing. I followed a previous thread of someone who had the same problem, then when he said he solved it, he said he didn't know what he did right. Can anyone solve this problem for me? Thanks in advance for helpful replies.

I too got the "omgibox.ext" message after downloading latest Windows updates. Did a restore to previous point before updating to eliminate the problem.

The external (AA) battery pack on the NH900 fastens to the bottom of the recorder. The connection to the recharging device is also on the bottom of the recorder. With the battery pack in place, the recharging device cannot be accessed.

I'm a new user of a minidisc. I recently bought the Sony MZ-NH900. I'm astonished at the limited amount of recording time I get on this MD before "Low Battery" begins to flash. I've followed the advice seen on this forum and ordered a new rechargeble battery with the designation specified (forget it now.) For the first time, I've use Ebay for this purpose and ordered the batttery from Hong Kong for $10.50 including shipping. The seller had a good customer rating, but I'm still crossing my fingers as I await the product's arrival here. Here is my experience to date: I record for a few mintues. At the next press of the "Record" slider, the MD beeps and "Low Battery" flashes on the screen. I press the "Record" slider again and there is no beep and I continue recording. This process repeats at each new track to be recorded. At the end of recording the battery does seem to be depleted. Is this the usual phenomenon with this MD? Another question: I always keep the (loaded) battery pack attached to the MD, both for safety while recording and also because the two together actually fit better into the mesh compartment of the Sony LCS -VA4 bag I'm using than the MD alone. Does the battery indication on the MD screen refer only to the rechargeable battery in the MD-- or does it refer to the remaining capacity of both the rechargeable battery AND the AA battery in the battery pack? Thanks for helpful comments.

Re carrying cases for the minidisc: I'm a new user of this technology. I recently bought the Sony MZ-NH900 and a Shure MS 58 microphone. When thinking about cases, it occurred to me that one needs two: one for taking along recorder, mike and associated equipment for a remote recording session; and another just to hold the recorder on the arm or belt while recording/playing. For transport, I've settled on the Sony LCS-VA4, a camcorder case of ballistic-style nylon. It has a main compartment with a removable false bottom and a narrower front compartment that contains two half-width tight mesh pockets and one full-width zippered tight mesh pocket. A padded flap folds over the front of the case ("messenger style") secured at bottom by a metal cinch. At the top is a carrying handle. A wide detachable, adjustable padded shoulder strap is provided; its swivel attachments and the case attachment rings are metal. At present, I keep the minidisc charging stand and AC adapter in the false bottom compartment under the (hopeful) assumption that I'll need it less often than the other stuff. (There is a bit more unused room in this compartment.) In the main compartment, above the false bottom, I keep the microphone in its zippered case, the coiled 24' mike cable, my Sennheiser MD 570 headphones, and the minidisc remote with attached cable in a clear plastic bag. In the front compartment, I keep the MD (with attached battery pack) in one of the half-width mesh pockets where it fits snugly and securely. In the other half-width mesh pocket is the USB cable in a plastic bag. The instruction manual just fits into the full-width zippered mesh pocket. At first I found the fold-over front flap annoying; when unfastened it can flop around. But I soon established the habit of folding it under the pack when I want to lay it flat. (The metal cinch can bonk on something if you're not careful when folding the flap under.) I also have come to see that the extra padding and protection the flap provides to the MD in the front compartment is desirable. Overall dimensions of the LCS-VA4: Height: 10.5"; Width: 11"; Depth: 6.75" . Cheapest price I've seen on the Internet: $26.55 at "getapc" (Not including tax and/or shipping.) (I have no connection with any equipment company.)

Thank you ... THANK YOU!! From being in computer hell for days I have, within a few hours, used the SonicStage re-installation info to which you pointed me to get the software working properly again. (For some reason, it took me two full passes through the procedure to succeed, but "All's Well That Ends Well.") I also sucessfully followed dex's recommended procedure to transfer files recorded by mike on the Sony MZ-NH900 to my computer via Total Recorder and thence to Audacity in .wav format. I'm producing and directing a series of radio dramas for KCSB-FM (91.9), the radio station of the University of California at Santa Barbara. I recently bought the Sony to record interviews in my own home with my actors to be able to include these interviews with the recorded performances of the plays we do. I desperately wanted to be able to get in one additional interview for editing and inclusion in next week's show and now I can do it! If you want to listen, the Santa Barbara Theatre of the Air broadcasts each Tuesday evening from 6-7 pm, PDT at www.kcsb.org/webcast/ SC

I very much appreciate the prompt reply from an admin. Sorry if I seem to be dense, but I've examined the entire "Net MD Topics" FAQ and I can't find a reference to reinstalling SonicStage. (I find "What NetMD software packages are there?" with a reference to "SonicStage"; it's an article on Version 1.5 and makes no reference to re-installation.) If you'll point me to the exact page, I will certainly be grateful. I want to make this rig work. SC

I hope I can get some help here. I recently purchased the Sony MZ-NH900. I can't get SonicStage to accept uploads from the recorder. It posts message: "This disk initialized by program other than SonicStage" etc. I have done the initialization by SonicStage; no change. I've uninstalled and re-installed SonicStage: no change. I've reformatted the mini-disc; no change. I contacted Sony Product Support and got an answer that I couldn't understand -- it certainly didn't include any step-by-step procedure to correct the situation. I've uninstalled SonicStage 2.0 and installed 2.1; no change. I followed the suggestion in this forum to download and install two Windows XP patches - the "JetDrive" and the other; no change. Since the Sony product is now useless to me for the purposes for which I bought it, I'm on the point of returning it but I post here as a last ditch effort. Thanks in advance for any helpful replies. SC