mmilovan

Well, I have similar decisions to solve, and mine is - Sony. I've read too much posts at Neuros website about hardware failure (hard disc and battery are the most often one)...

It's a proxy between USB connection and driver of your sound card. Actually it is a program that can record anything you want from any source, but in our case it can record (in realtime) digital signal from HiMD before his importation into sound card. You can obtain TR here: www.highcriteria.com BB members, correct me if I've said something wrong.

Sad to say, you're absolutely right about it. Unfortunatelly, still, if I understood what people wrote here - it is the only way to organize and transfer music digitally... My greatest dissapointment is how such piece of software looks, graphic design is terrible, not to speak of functionality itself. I will understand if the whole thing is coming from some unknown company, but for a brand such as Sony, there is so little excuse, IMO, a way to much over descent looking, and very good sounding HiMD unit. But, maybe this is only transition period for SS to something more fancy looking and perfect functioning software, who knows?

Many thanks people - that was it. I didn't notice written warning about inserting noise sound when recording on high criteria web page. Now I know. My friend told me that he installed v. 5 of Total Recorder and there is (while on startup of the program itself) message about random noise insertion protection for trial program.

Anyone thought of “locking” the discs to prevent SS trashing recorded material? While reading discussions about SonicStage problem – occasionally and random trashing recorded material and converting it into useless not accessible tracks – would like to ask if anyone managed to avoid it by locking HiMD via plastic clip at the top of the minidisc itself, after recording it, and transfer it with such protection?

Just got my new MZ-NH700, and while still trying to understand everything that is featured in this good looking device I recorded 3 tracks about 2 minutes long via mic in. Sounded very nice on headphones, and I tried transfering 1:1 it via USB cable and Total Recorder. What I've experianced is some strange strong digital noises and distorsions, when transfering all of those 3 tracks in a raw. It occured in a middle of second track till, and these disturbing and annoying glitches (they sounded like white noise added to a main signal) last to middle of third track. When I recorded track by track, saving tracks separately everything went just fine, very fine. What can be the cause of these imperfections? Anyone had the same problem? Thanks. BTW, at first glance HiMD is great unit with useless disabled mp3 encoded (why Sony, why), and too slow transfer. Add to that carefull handling during recording, and you'll got interesting device that can be improved within time to come (if Sony want to do so)... But... don't know, it looks like lost battle with 80 GB iPod, I think. Still I like it more than any mp3 player.

Hello to all. Today, I became member of our community for real, mine 700 finally arrived. :cool: While still unpacking it, just wanted to ask question what earliest version of Sonic Stage can transfer/upload recorded files in realtime via USB-Total Recorder safe combination? Any 2.xxxx or it must be some specific version? Thanks.

The same question from me (this question probably was asked on this forum some time ago). I ordered NH700 and the worst thing I can expect it to download 80 MB via dial up telephone line (33.6K only)...

Many thanks, this is very important to know!

Reading our discussion, I've read in more than one thread that clasic MD can be reformated to HiMD disk? Well, I wuold like to ask our members if such thing is possible? What is result of such attempt - can such disk record WAV PCM, and later transfer recordings via USB cable, or there are limitations. Thanks.

Haven't they stopped producing Creative JB3?

Level meters while recording? Is there anything like that on curently produced HiMD units? This could be great thing, and it is not so hard to construct – part of the display can be in use for that (no need for array of LEDs).

Quite! :cool: (Oh, but overall design of that particular gear,... looks like 1st generation TV remote control...)

Well, really this one is real cool (it uses CF cards in, uninterupted array, so there is no delay while recording, all can be done in one take): http://www.mayah.com/index.php?id=19 but, as far as i know, its price is around 1K EUR...

Well, I've decided to buy HiMD, despite offer for Neuros (right it has level meters ans looks interesting). I've read ton of messages (on Neuros forum) complaining about two things: short span battery life or errors produced with battery supply and hard disc failure! Apart from this, it is great thing, but having known negative facts about those vital characteristics described above, it simply turned me to SONY (despite copy protection scheme, slow HiMD unit for copying non-musical files, only ATRAC uploading, very hard obtainable new HiMD disks and SS program-at least I'm in hope that Sonic Stage will be fixed in the future, copy protection scheme will be abandoned, more new HiMD discs will be produced - we're waiting for TDK or other giants to chime in, and we're hoping for firmware update - but, what can someone expect from bad constructed harddisc or battery package).

Craaaap, does it mean that "PCM recordings" on this unit are encoded through some codec also, and these are NOT linear, non-compressed straight *.wav recordings? Is there any proof for that? Anyone can confirm? Well, if it is true, think of what we have here: device with restricted slow-to-death speed and format for uploading to, with restricted recording transfer and non linear type, with hard to find new type MD discs... Is this a way too much? Oh, my... don't say that, don't... don't get me so depressed...

Speaking of other products than MDs it's interesting to point out how big companies are not even interesting in making product that can do quality digital recording, and that is a bit disappointing knowing how far technology, portability, miniaturization went. In all that stuff, for e.g. MP3 players record possibility is the worst part of the whole device, and, on the other hand, they are interesting in placing possibility to have MP3 encoding, id tags, editable backgrounds, titanium bodies with blue LED screens and other fancy looking things. Of course we have pro models that can do the job, but prices are among 1000 $ rate (take for an example Mayah recorder), and, I think, these are well overpriced devices. Thanks God, thing as MD exist. And, if we’re talking abut the dream machine, I always thought of some miniature player/recorder (not bigger than cigaretbox) that can glitch&skip free record straight to memory flash card in straight 44KHz/16 Bit stereo manner, with peak meters, manual recording level control and good mic pre, connectable with PC via USB cable and pretty straightforward, fast, full potential nowadays technology used USB transfer can afford. Is it so hard to construct/produce such machine (not to speak of 8 cm mini DVD record machine, with 96/24 stereo..., and similar gears)? Well I don’t think so.

Was there any serious trouble while PCM recording with HiMD units? Well, people, I decided finally to purchase one unit (it will be 700 gear). I’ve read so many forums, and, since my pure interest is field recording, I’ve been in constant search for the unit that can do (I thought it is fair simple, but now I know it isn’t) plain little thing 44KHz 16 Bit Stereo recording. I’ve read about Neuros, than about iRiver units, and from time to time most of them shows various kind of problems such as: not recoverable skipping and deleting frames and parts of recording every couple of seconds or when recording long sessions, stopping at the middle of recording, static clicks from time to time, lack of recording control meters and so on. Now, I know that there are problems with HiMD units also (bad software, no mp3 conversion), but, as far as how it looks to me, HiMD is well designed as recording unit, and except problems with skipping while heavily bouncing it, there were no serious trouble at all. So, I am asking all you members, did you experienced any kind of problem such as described above with other digital recording units (skipping, “static”, clicking and so on)? Yours kind answers will help me I’m not investing hardly earned money in some crap, poorly designed unit. Thanks. Greetings. Milan

And this has been discussed here not so long ago: Sony Abandons Copy - Control Music CDs October 4, 2004 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 9:52 a.m. ET TOKYO (AP) -- Sony Corp.'s music unit is abandoning its CDs that use built-in technology that limits copying them, after pushing the program for two years. Such CDs let users copy their music once for free onto a personal computer, but use the Internet to charge a fee for subsequent copying of the same disk. However, Sony Music Entertainment has announced it will stop publishing them, mainly because its message against illegally copying CDs for uses such as in file-sharing over the Internet has widely sunk in, the company said. Sony Music has learned that only a small part of the population illegally copy CDs, company spokeswoman Kimiko Ohashi said Monday. The music giant recently started adapting its strategy due to the proliferation of MP3 computer files, used to store music in audio players such as Apple's iPod, which are rapidly becoming a global music industry phenomenon. Sony said last month that its portable audio players, which will soon go on sale in Europe, will be able to use any MP3 files. Previously, Sony's players only handled MP3 files that were converted into the company's own format. CD sales have plunged in recent years in Japan and elsewhere, as people increasingly use the Internet to download music. As a company with major electronics and entertainment divisions, Sony has constantly faced the dilemma of wanting to protect the copyright of movies, music and other entertainment assets it owns, while trying to make its electronics gadgets popular with users.

Yes, it could be the similar way EAC became standard tool for audio extraction.

Thing I think worthwhile mention is: Missing or wrong samples can be observed in any sound editing program (as well as hearing clicks in their position), so it would be real nice to find if such skips and clicks occurs rhythmically every 5 seconds. Anyway, skips that are not long enough can be edited with sound editing program, but that is another part of the story...

Just to shake hands with marcnet, and wish to thank him on job he had done. Now, I am more closer to obtain HiMD!

Dear members of the forum, I’ve read most of threads located in this group. It was intention of mine to buy HiMD MZ-NH700, still I have more question to ask regarding the process of transferring recorded material (via line-in or mic-in) to computer described here. So here are the questions: 1) Is this suggested method (using SS and TR) “safe method” of digital recording (actually) - to safe transfer Linear PCM recordings, while not uploading it as SONY documented? 2) Is this method repeatable if something went wrong (for example if SS crashes or something) – is it true that using this method tracks are not converted to copy protected format? 3) Is this method real-time 1:1 or it can be done faster? 4) Can we upload regular .wav file onto the computer (as SONY documented “only once”) after using this method? 5) What is actual speed of uploading .wav files using SONY’s method (what is your experience)? 6) If process of transferring recorded files using “only once” SONY method with SS is interrupted by sudden rebooting of computer, computer freezes, power failure of the computer or HiMD – are files still there to convert to .wav format or they are replaced by copy protected versions? Many thanks for help, you’re doing nice work here. Best wishes, Milan

Many thanks, I understood everything except one thing that is: highspeed. Does it mean there is only one file transfer enabled at realtime 1:1 or yours "highspeed off" means about 2-2.5x speed file transfer (way faster than 1:1 realtime)I've read in some review of this product?

What is the actual state of transfering HiMD PCM wav to computer via USB cable now? Hi people, I am interested in buying some of these HiMD models (especially for field recording), but I wonder if something has changed in process of straightforward trouble free transfer from HiMD to hard disc uncompressed wav files? I've learned from SONY's reference manual for MZ-NH700 that program can allow only ONE transfer/upload of such files to PC. What is the meaninig of this sentence? Can we rally transfer wav recorded by Hi Minidisc with USB cable while not recording with soundcard and programs for recording? Thanks. Milan