JavaGeek

I just downloaded the new version, and I must say that I'm impressed so far. It does look like it's faster, the interface is more responsive. I still need to play with it a little more, and I haven't transfered any song yet. I just wish they supported FLAC. More info as I play with SS more.

I have the NHF800, which doesn't have the digital amp as the 900 (thus consuming more power, according to some post I read). I use the energizer rechargable batteries (2500 mAh), and they last for a couple of days, with around to 6 hrs/day playtime. That means that a battery usually lasts me around 20 Hrs of playtime. Maybe bug80 is right and you need to recharge it a couple of times. Note, however, that my battery has more mAh (whatever that means ) so maybe that's why mine last longer.

Well.... I did bought mine to be used exclusively as a music player. I liked the idea of using minidiscs to classify my music and switch between them depending on the mood I'm in. I also liked the fact that I can get limitless amount of storage, as long as I keep buying minidiscs. And to top it off, the FM features complete the circle, for when I'm bored from my own music (or want to listen to Howard Stern). I haven't even tried recording, and I don't have a mic. I did had an idea about my minidisc player, a 1-to-1 cable and a movie theater with audio jacks for the hearing impaired (just an idea, I'd never do something like that).

Sony Computer Entertainment's president, Ken Kutaragi, admitted that Sony missed on potential sales from MP3 players (read the full article here). I really think this is great news. It seems to confirm the rumors that new MD players will play MP3 natively, and hopefully they will also release firmware upgrades for current MD owners. I'm very happy about this information, and I applaud Sony for its maturity both in understanding they were wrong, and admitting it. It makes me glad I chose a Sony product as my main music source.

I bought the CaseLogic bag for my minidisk, and I'm very happy with it. I have it attached to my belt on the left side, and from there I take out the remote, which I usually attach to my shirt (to the pocket or between buttons). I also bought short-corded earbuds, so I don't have to deal with the long cord, and the distance between the remote and my head is ideal for the short cord. I wear my MD all day. Since I put on my pants till I take them off. Sometimes I disconnect the remote (when I'm going to meetings and such), and it only looks like I have something in my belt. I also carry a cellphone on the other side, so I'm waiting for people to start calling me Batman (I guess I still need a couple of more things to attach to my belt to fit that description, though)

Damn, you beat me to it Btw, you don't need to mail the card. You only need the card number and the pin code. That's why it says "treat it as cash" It's a shame you can't buy more credit with cash. I already tried in a Sony store and no luck.

Having just recently bought a HiMD unit (MZ-NH800), this is great news. I have most of my music collection in MP3, and I find it annoying having to convert everything to Atrac. Unfortunately, until we don't get official word from Sony, this is just a pipe dream. How long does a product showcased at CES usually makes the market? maybe we can have some kind of timeframe as to where we will know if our MD players will support MP3 natively. Another thing, I've been thinking lately about using a Lossless compression codec to re-rip all my CD's, so I can have them available on my computer. Is Sony planning on supporting one of the Lossless codecs? (AAC, FLAC, etc). I think it is in Sony's interest to do this (particularly with AAC), because that would allow MD players to play music bought on iTunes. Are there some tools currently that would allow me to convert from a Lossless codec to Atrac3+?

Well, you can also see that the 1GB discs themselves are too 'plain' compared to the regular ones. my guess would be that this first generation of 1GB is more geared towards profesionals requiring extra capacity, not 'cool dudes' with red discs. :smile:

Well, I've been searching for a music player for about 3 months. I really disliked the iPod, they are too expensive for what they do and I've seen other people having problems with them on Windows PC, to the point of erasing their entire collection. I was looking mainly for mp3 players, since that's what I mostly have. However, when I saw the Hi-MD players, I liked many of the features they offer, and I must say that I'm happy with my player so far. The ability to store music is unlimited (as long as you keep buying discs), and the fact that you can record live stuff with excelent quality is a plus. I also wanted a unit that had FM tuner, since sometimes I get bored of listening to the music I have. I do have some nitpicks, though. SonicStage is a crappy software, and the fact that only windows is supported also affects me, since my laptop runs linux primarly, which means I have to switch to Windows just to transfer music to my unit. Bottom line, I'm happy with it, but I wish Sony would improve its software and/or open a little its specs so compatible sofwtare could be made.

Well, I just bought an 800, and I keep it at Vol. 12. Granted, this is inside an office, but I'm sure the unit is capable of so much more. The unit even came with a sound guide that tells you how many decibels will make you deaf. Also, the unit has AVLS, which limits the max audio so you don't get sudden bursts of sound. If Sony implemented that, it might speak something about how loud they can get (when you turn AVLS off, that is) :smile:

only Hi-MD players will play the 1GB minidisc and the regular minidisc formatted in HiMD mode. And AFAIK, the only other unit that plays HiMD music is the new network disk. But as someone mentioned somewhere else, Sony will probably announce new units on january 2005.

I also have the same model, and I use it with NiMH batteries. However, it doesn't say anything about charging, and I've left it connected the whole night and still the battery appears to have the same charge. Oh, well, I do have a recharger and at least 4 fully charged batteries available at any point in time, so it doesn't really matter :smile:

Can I ask what's the difference between all the HiMD models? I bought the 800, and I want to know if I'm missing some functionality from the other models :smile:

Don't ask me how I know this (I read it somewhere, but I can't find the source now), but Sony actually makes 2 NHF800 models, one for USA and one for Canada. I know this because I just bought mine in the US, and it doesn't say anything about recharging. And I know that only the Canadian models are able to recharge NiCad batteries. Btw, this is my first post. I've just bought me an 800 for xmas. :laugh: Edit: OK, I found the reference. It is a small note that came with my player, that says: Does anyone know what other differences are between the US and the non-US model?