The Low Volta

have only got one real music DVD, but I like it: live aid (especially the beach boys bits)

nope, no SS... sorry skradg, he's asking about real SP (not fake-actually-just-LP2-but-it-takes-up-much-more-space-SS/SB-SP)

yes, like the free Audacity or TotalRecorder or any such program... but it isn't digital (so there is always some quality loss) and it's realtime (and I don't have enough time...that's why I'm on MDCF all the time ) Volta

welcome to MDCF jazztheglass! best thing to do IMHO... if you're moving there, you probably know at least someone over there already... order an RH10 (or an RH910) from a Japanese ( r)e-tailer and let it be delivered to the person you know... if you can do this quickly you can let that person send it over to you (as a gift to avoid import taxes) so you have it with you on the plane...but I would not do that personally. Just buy the cheapest MP3player that can hold enough music for the trip...use it on the plane and donate it later to some homeless dude when you leave the airport 'cause in Japan there's a brand spanking new RH10 (or RH910) waiting for you so what do you care... but really, I wouldn't get any other model than Japanese (not if I would buy it myself from Belgium...but certainly not if I was going to use it in Japan! imagine walking around with a no-LCD remote while every RH10-owner around you has one ) hope this helps...greetings, Volta

that seems logical to do, but your PC audio setup is probably of high enough quality to make clean/clear recordings... I wouldn't even try that with my shoddy portable Volta PS: @ MDGB2... interesting test, but what is it doing here?

thanks, but my suggestion (using clamps from chemical lab setups) would only be useful to hold the mics in place, it wouldn't dampen any noises from handling the pole (darn that sounded dirty ) ... I just posted my idea before I realized I didn't really know what a shockmount should do... although "the shock"-part should have made it clear to me that it wasn't just a clamp ... at least I got a point for trying Volta

use the balloon (puff) thingy for cleaning photo lenses! and not compressed air...there are too much brittle parts inside your MD you don't wanna freeze...'cause then a cheap fix quickly becomes a very expensive fault... Volta PS: R.Soul, please read and post according to the rules as atrain asked

yes that definitely is an option (and even a faster one), but it all depends on what soundcard (quality) and input-options your PC has (if it is a mic-in or line-in, ...) if you're not sure about the quality and sorts of your setup, just record one demanding test-track in both ways (Hi-MD->PC and PC directly) and compare the sound quality afterwards... but not really simultaneously I would say because letting SS work simultaneously with any other program at all increases the chance that SS (a processor-hungry dragon of a program) will make mistakes in converting or freeze your PC (in which case it would ruin two processes)... so just take it one step at a time: save as wav-> encode to flac -> archive (on CDR) -> import wav as Hi-SP into SS. library -> delete wav Volta

I'm sorry 1kyle, but you're wrong. Please read the pages I uploaded from the user manual: through SS you can use LP2/LP4 (but not called that, just Atrac3/132kbps and Atrac3/66kbps) on Hi-MD formatted discs (1gb and reformatted or new 80min's)... Only SP is limited to MD-mode. haha, I was actually mainly referring to the rediculously low bitrate one could use if one doesn't care about quality... I wouldn't dare stirring up the MP3><atrac-discussion again so I edited the above statement (added "or Hi-LP") My remark was only concerning Hi-MD...I didn't mean that FLAC is for storage only and you can't listen directly to FLAC-encoded files (I use winamp as well)... I just meant that if you put a FLAC-file on (Hi-)MD, it will only be possible as data and not as a portably playable soundfile so just to be clear: - for recording I use Hi-SP & PCM - for portable listening I use Hi-SP - for PC listening I use FLAC - for storage & archiving I use FLAC (written on CDR's) greetings, Volta

since greenmachine has provided so many useful links, I've deleted my bad suggestion

so anyone up 'to convince some Sony execs' (or at least let them know how we think)? or are we just going to see what happens and whine about the demise later? Volta

yes buy new ones for $15 or invest in some good ones, 'cause (especially as you got them for free) I think it isn't worth the hassle to try and repair them if that even would be possible (where has the cable broken or something? are you going to split open and replace the whole cable?, can you solder such small stuff, isn't the driver busted?...)

just check corien's link (it explains FLAC and offers the downloads you need)... just a little clarification... 1. every format CAN be used for archiving, but all depends on your needs for quality! if you don't care about quality, use 64kbps MP3 or Hi-LP as it takes up less space, but it won't sound like music anymore probably - wav/PCM are 'the best', as it doesn't compress anything and won't diminish sound quality, but they take up alot of space - FLAC is 'even better', as it is a lossless compression (which means no quality loss but less space required) but there are (to my knowedge) no recorders (and perhaps even no PC-software) that can record directly into the FLAC-format so first record in wav/PCM (best quality) then encode as FLAC 2. is MD the best to archive vinyl (part I: recording) as you should record your vinyls to wav/PCM, you should use the option that gives the best quality (but I don't really know much about this, I never archived any vinyl): - Hi-MD in PCM -> would be good I guess, but you have to upload - directly in wav on PC (audacity or something)-> all depends on the quality of your the audio-equipment of your PC (soundcard,...) 3. is MD the best to archive vinyl (part II: storing) - MD (and probably Hi-MD too) is a durable but sometimes expensive medium... you could use it to archive, but then I would drop FLAC files on them as data (doesn't require SS and allows the FLAC quality@less space bonus) and not as playable music (no FLAC-support!) - CDR and DVDR are very cheap nowadays, I would say, just burn all your FLACS to CDR/DVDR, store them well (as real archive material) and copy them once every (help me out here DEX?) five-2-fifteen years (at least before the media starts to degrade) that is at least my idea... greetings, Volta PS: you can't set a 1gb disc to MD-mode (only normal discs) but Hi-MD discs (1gb and reformatted old ones) will take atrac3@132kbps and other rates...just check your player's user manual: page 101 'recording times for all formats/discs' or something in my NH900's manual...pages added in attachment) [attachmentid=397]

since SS3.0 there is an internal wav-converter so if you haven't already, upgrade to SS3.1... when you upload your recordings you can save them as wav, then convert to MP3 with the same encoder you use to make other MP3's (I think LAME is your best option for an MP3 encoder) (Marcnet's tool is great and he probably inspired Sony but as the internal converter is quite reliable now, I'm afraid I won't be using Hi-MD renderer anymore) greetings, Volta

nope, as far as I know 1gig discs can't be formatted as MD and Hi-MD-format only allows Hi-LP/Hi-SP/PCM

as I said read the help/manuals...you can't rip CD's directly to MD with SS...but rip to library, transfer, delete files from library

1. yes, as you can't compare LP2 to Hi-SP IMHO, Hi-SP><SP would be better and you'd get much more on a disc (even on a reformatted 80min) in Hi-SP than in SP so dollar for dollar Hi-MD is a better bargain, as I like quality over quantity (otherwise I'd just buy a 20gig i-puddle or something) 2. you can still transfer atrac3 (132kbps) and other bitrates through SS (just check your software) without any hacks...have you even read the user manual or just played with it? 3. I started out with atrac3 (132kbps) but after buying some better headphones and ripping a couple of CD's in Hi-SP and noticing the difference I now only use Hi-SP for listening and Hi-SP or PCM for recording 4. why use Hi-MD as archive media? IMHO they are way to expensive for that... just encode into FLAC and write to DVDR or even CDR, they are really cheap (compared to Hi-MDiscs and if you copy them each five-2-ten years, there's only a very little chance the media will have degraded, aspecially if you stock them right) 5. if you want to listen cheap (or just because you have to as you can't find any Hi-MDiscs around any more ) buy a lot of cheap 80min-discs and reformat them as Hi-MD greetings, Volta

not very differently than before about a country that will even go to war mainly cause it suits corporate interest -> this remark isn't directed at Americans in general! I realize how many of you didn't vote for that president...and I'm sorry if this statement is too political and feel free to remove it if it endangers the nice atmosphere here on MDCF Volta

SS3.1 is a bit faster than previous versions (sorry I've got no figures...but they might be around MDCF somewhere, search a bit) but VPC will always reduce speed very much... but whether you upgrade your player or not, do upgrade SS to 3.1 IMHO if you really want decent quality recordings, Hi-MD beats the ipuddle (I don't even know if you can record at all with a mini?) and almost any other HD-player...but for listening ease and mac compatibility, an ipop could be a good choice greetings, Volta

perhaps it sounds silly and very naive, but couldn't we - MDCF members and mods (yeah, and also the administrator ) - send a joint and signed statement to sony (by email) which exactly states: - our hopes for the survival of the Hi-MD format - a couple of realistic remarks about (rich niche) markets for the format (and perhaps some marketing strategies) - a couple of (realistic!?) requests/suggestions for the future and then I don't mean "bring back full backwards compatibility"-stuff (think realisticly, it's not going to happen and we undermine our statement by demanding such a thing) but rather: "line out", "better software" (even though it's already improving slowly), "flac support if possible" (although that isn't really realistic perhaps), "different, easier going or even no DRM for ppl's own analogue recordings" (well realism didn't last long ) or even "a Sony Hi-MD deck (one good model would suffice) and a car deck (again one type would be enough)"-stuff I don't really have the time right now (masters thesis) and besides I don't really pretend to be a good choice to write such a thing (I think there are a number of guys'n'galls here that would do a better job than me) but I would immediately support such an effort if someone feels up to it... Volta

I have uploaded 60min+ recordings quite often and never had any problems (NH900, SS3.1) but then again I leave my PC well alone during uploads... too afraid that SS might not get the processor power it needs... and it needs a lot! greetings, Volta

please read and post according to the rules for posting in the software section greetings, Volta

I don't know about easy to use simple adapter solutions, but one option is to upload them to SS, save as .wav, import in Audacity (free downloadable from the downloads section), select ('stereotrack divide' or something from the dropdown menu 'stereotrack'), erase the empty halve, duplicate the other one, select both tracks and 'make a stereotrack' out of them... I have a dutch version of audacity so sorry if the menu/option names are badly translated... greetings, Volta

no problem, glad to have helped... Volta

wow, that is a complete post! if only other ppl would be so thorough Please remember I'm only giving very unprofessional advise (I'm no software expert at all ) you say that your PC recognizes the NH700 as a drive and SS2.1 even worked with it for a short moment... I see one more option (but I'm not sure if you dare to try it as it somewhat goes against all good MDCF reasoning...but it kinda worked for me) - clean-uninstall everything again (as explained here...but I guess you know that already ) - install SS2.1 from disc (and hope that it works again with the MD) - do not uninstall anything! just run an official SS3.1 installer (choose your preferred one from this list) and let that decide what to keep and what to throw out ...as I said, it's a long shot... but I myself have upgraded from SS2.0->2.3->3.0->3.1 without ever manually uninstalling anything and also without any troubles ever so it might be worth to give it a shot greetings, Volta PS:if you can find it, it could be interesting to see if SS2.3 works on your PC, as it also is reliable (<2.3 NOT!!) for uploading recordings (and converting to wav can be done with wav converter or better with Marcnet's Hi-MD renderer see this thread) and while it isn't the best idea to work with an older version... it's still better than not working with the latest one