The Low Volta

welcome to the forums... and yes, you are right all the troubles you mention have been noted before and have been reported to the creator of the standalone installer... but next time, perhaps search through these forums a bit, as then you would have noticed a lot of threads already discussing the problems with the installer (it is still beta, you know) and wouldn't have created yet another thread mentioning the same all over again... so two lessons... ocean: next time look around a bit before you create a new thread and mods: put up a (bigger) warning @ the standalone installer that it is still beta and that several problems have been reported

sorry, missed the edit and you're right, everyone is free to choose the bitrate they prefer... ppl here on MDCF seem to agree that Sony exaggerates their battery life quite a bit... the supplied battery won't give you so much hours of use... but (as I did), you can get a higher capacity gumstick NiMH battery for a very decent price (see powerbank or anything similar) and the results will be very pleasing...(allow new batteries to 'grow', let them go through a couple of full charge/full recharge cycles before you complain about rediculously short battery life... they are NiMH and need to be primed a little bit before they function optimally)

still, to give a quick and dirty guide to what to watch when choosing mics (only my opinions though, you could always disagree and I could even be outright wrong ): - Frequency Response (or Range): for music-> 20-20,000Hz (=20Hz-20kHz) (if the lower value is too high, let's say 100Hz, you will lose bass, if the upper value is too low, you will lose crisp/clean highs) - Signal To Noise Ratio: the higher this value is, the better (means less noise when recording quieter sounds); values range from 40dB (not really good) to 80dB on real good mics... (although 60dB is already very good) - channel balance: the difference in sensitivity between the two mic-elements in a stereo mic; values between 0.5 and 1.5dB are pretty good (the lower the better) but with home made or eBay mics these can go up till very noticable differences (4dB and higher) - max input sound level (or something similar): the max dB the mic can handle without distortion... there could be 2 values here, one with plug-in power (like you used with your sharp) and a higher one when used with a battery box (external mic power supply)... watch out, an indoor rock show can reach extreme dB's (120+) but then an attenuator can help to avoid distortion - omnidirectional<>cardioid: omni means records from all directions around it; cadioid only from straight in front of the mic (= unidirectional) but biggest difference is that the freq range of cardioids is often more limited...so they sound thinner/more plasticy - mono: only one channel...avoid for music recordings! - stereo/binaural: two channel recording... can be plain stereo which gives a slightly different sound hrough each of the channels so a sense of depth is created or binaural which actually means: 'two ears' so it is meant to record exactly the way we hear things. stereo or binaural mics are actually exactly the same, as this referres to a way of use, and not to the type or make of the mic (althoug binaural use could be made easier by allowing the mics to sit in your ears for example), for stereo: separate the mics a couple of inches and point both mics forward towards the sound source; for binaural, separate the mics with a physical separator (like your head) in between and point them sideways like your ears. for both ways to work optimally, spatial separation is needed, so unless really needed, avoid single point (i.e. both elements fixed close to each other) stereo mics. and a couple of usefull items explained: - battery box: an external powersource for your mics, placed inbetween the mic and the recorder (line in), that powers a mic with +/- 9V in stead of 3V (max) plug-in power, this allows the mic to handle much louder sounds and enhances the mic's overall prestations - pre-amp: a. in your recorder when you use mic in, gets easily overloaded and causes distortion, usefull when recording speech and quieter sounds... and where quality isn't that important you can even use the AGC (auto/audio? gain control) which adjust the volume automatically, but is crap when recording anything of importance like a concert (even though it has a 'rock music' setting), but get used to recording with manual recording levels as soon as possible b. an external pre-amp which you place between the mic and the recorder (line in) which amplifies the output of the mics, so mostly usefull when recording (very) quiet sounds, but a lot of models double as a battery box and have a gain control (like the boostbox) and are more versatile than just as an amplifier - radioshack volume attenuator: (very low cost and has it's own thread on MDCF, so check it out...UK verson available at Maplins) lowers the signal from the mics so the recorder pre-amp doesn't overload (placed between the mic and the recorder mic in) - bass roll-off/cut-off: mostly an option on batt boxes and pre-amps that allows the user to roll (lower and eventually fade out) or cut (simply cut as it says) the bass-frequencies below a certain level... a lot of different types of roll-off/cut of exist and they do not all allow to choose at which frequency to cut/roll, so look into this (also a few threads on MDCF focus on bass roll-off) this isn't a 'how can I get better recordings' guide, but it could help your search for a good mic, which at least won't disappoint you... a few N-Am retailers (like Sound Professionals and Core Sound) carry good and low-budget stereo mics, but (for Belgium at least) import taxes and TAV (BTW) make even the low-cost quite expensive... there is a German manufacturer (Soundman) which seems to make good mics, but I haven't heard any reviews of these yet (I'm looking into buying the OKM-II Pop/AV with A-3 adapter combo myself, but it could take a while before I can afford 'em...I'm still a poor student )

a 68min interview (by me) with a visual artist, about her work, studies and inspirations, that I still have to type out... doh! (and still got two more of those waiting for me, double doh!)

yep... more clear textlinks and a structure that (mostly) fits one screen please! links to excellent posts with beautifull pics are ok... but nothing is more annoying to me than seeing half of a pic or to have to scroll within a scrollable page...makes my scrollmouse go and if I might add...way to busy with the pics and all, quite hard to focus on the relevant info (not to mention the load) But! big thumbs up for k. and 'the webmaster' (sounds like some supervillain from some cartoon ) for attempting this revision...keep up the good work and hurray...a minidisco link that actually takes me to minidisco and not to yahoo frontpage (even though it has a 'Y' in the adress bar...hm, wonder how long the access will last...)

when I need real long action from my NH900 I use the AA-add-on on top of the NiMH gumstick yes... it works without 'flipping' though, seems (I read this here on MDCF that is) that the AA add-on will just charge the gumstick a little bit all the time... so, for continual use it's good, but don't let the AA-add-on stay on for long stretches if you're not using the machine... that way I have managed to get 8 hours of playback and 6 hours of recording in one day... and the battery indicator still showed some juice left

hehe, watch out, SP also have a mic hidden in an Altoids box...so if they patent that one too, just like the headphones...

3 really should be mentioned in the manual...and most manuals can be found on MDCF, yes you can title without a PC, 6 battery life is also mentioned in the manual (but take the mentioned hours with a grain of salt ) and for further info on batteries, check out the "Battery University" after you get a decent pair of 'phones (check the 'phones-section of MDCF for cheap but good ones) it could well be that you never want to go below Hi-SP again (at least I don't) but if you only listen in very loud/rowdy environments like public transport or on the streets of a busy city, Atrac3 132 will be more than enough... hope you enjoy the Hi-MD experience ... greetings Volta

Post edited.

ah, yes...as I started at Hi-MD, I forgot there could be another incompatibility issue hope that's it... would be the lowest cost-problem just try to record/download a disc in SP to check it (or won't that work?)

that is what I meant, so now we have two ppl saying that you CAN perform basic combine/divide-editing (and no more) in SS3.1 BTW...the warning about combining PCM is right it takes forever... best way to perform any editing is to convert first and to use a real editing program like the free audacity or adobe's program,... (non-PCM types like Hi-SP, can take a while, but do combine beautifully in SS, so I will continue to combine 'em, convert 'em and then edit them...) greetings Volta

as for now...there are NO other means/programs to upload digitally than SonicStage, except for the Totalrecorder method (search these forums, but I don't think it works on Mac anyway) which still requires SonicStage to play the tracks... so tha analog realtime way it must be... and this all because Sony can't live with the fact that people might just want to record a lot and don't want to build a music library (at least not in resource hog SS) and 'cause Sony doesn't realize that the Mac niche (it is a niche) is a very wealthy, interesting (for Hi-MD at least) and COOL niche... so grow up Sony, and good luck 2sax...hope you can live with the analog way or with the (ssslllooowww indeed) V-PC + SS way Volta

PCM (uncompressed) is possible with Hi-MD...and there are some rare instances where SonicStage has been seen working on Virtual PC on a Mac

try searching the MDCF-forums a bit and scan through a couple other posts here in the "find your minidisc" section, as there are already a lot of reviews and discussions about RH10<>RH910 and about battery types, mics,...you name it if (after some serious searching, wisdom don't come for free you know ) you still have some concrete questions I think ppl will be glad to answer them... but is a bit vague hope you find what you're looking for... Volta

those RH-models mentioned above are 2nd generation Hi-MDs; 1st gen Hi-MDs (NH600-1) will allow digital transfers just as well; so as long as you buy a Hi-MD you're safe in that department... BUT watch out for 'D' models like the NH600D or the RH710D as they can't record from a mic or a line in! for further specifications and looks...see the equipment browser as skmetal07 already pointed out and scan through the rest of the "find your minidisc"-section, as there are quite some usefull tips (burried) in other threads as well... good luck in your search, and if there are still some questions left afterwards...feel free to ask and a warm welcome from Volta too

it isn't an MD<>Hi-MD compatibility issue... I'm no tech expert... but if it happens with all the discs, I would think that there is something wrong with the car stereo. Does it play from other sources? Radio,... if so, that would rule out speaker/wiring problems... If you bought the car new, contact your dealer...if it's second hand... go and break someones kneecaps ... just kidding, but it could be wise to ask the person who sold you the car whether he/she knew something about this...

forgive me if I'm wrong...but I really think (or even better...I know) I have combined recorded tracks I have uploaded using SonicStage 3.1... On what kind of tracks would these features work then? surely not on tracks from commercial CDs or anything, as this would endanger the copyprotection... if you meant: there just aren't real editing features in SonicStage, I agree, but you can combine tracks -> export as one big wav-file -> load in a audio-editing program like (the free) audacity -> export to wav/MP3/... and reimport in SS or do whatever you want, as it's DRM free -> download to MD in the edited version ok, there are quite a few steps here, but it does let you do with your recording whatever you decide, and if you recorded in a high quality (Hi-SP or PCM) in the first place there will be no (or only very little) quality loss

welcome to MDCF, what is the model of the walkman? NH600D, NH600, NH700, NH800, NH900, NH1, RH710D, RH710, RH910 or RH10... in that case, the MD's will probably be recorded in Hi-MD mode (or even be 1gig Hi-MDs)...that would explain the incompatibility, as there are no Hi-MD car sets yet... and in that case, you have a very good friend, just to give you a Hi-MD-player and MD's (and then search these forums for extra info on the Hi-MD medium so you learn to appreciate it in its full potential) if it isn't any of the above...you still have a very nice friend , but then I wouldn't know what the problem could be... to make it easier on the ppl wanting to help, post the names (model numbers) of both the walkman and the car player... hope to have helped, Volta

as I already said: so for analogue (with a microphone) recordings made with your MD, you can only record them in realtime on your PC (analogue, by line out on MD to line in on PC and recording in a program like the free audacity, perhaps even digitally - even though I doubt it - by connecting the MD to your PC with USB and playing the tracks through SS if this is possible and capturing the signal with Totalrecorder...but read about these methods here or search for them as I already suggested earlier) yes, 'cause the first is from PC->MD which is supported, and the second is MD->PC which isn't please try to understand that the software will and can NOT enable this... it is a limitation of the Net-MD hardware... and now you understand why a lot of recording-afficionados transferred to Hi-MD. But before you ask... no, not even a new Hi-MD will allow you to transfer those recordings you already made, through USB, faster than realtime to a PC... they were recorded in MD-mode, and that will always be limited to realtime transfer. perhaps that others who were trying to upload recordings with a NetMD got them, but it is also possible that they have read the software FAQs and quickly understood that this is very logical behaviour of the software, as their hardware just wasn't made for this kind of transferring hope to have helped, Volta

you can convert recordings in any type (atrac or PCM) to wav (built in in SS3.x) and then all is possible (editing, reinporting in SS, sharing with other ppl, burning to cd and so on...) I don't really think I qualify as a technical expert but I do know that (on my NH900 at least) 'line out' actually is the same as a 'headphone out' but with full volume and with the equalizer turned off... so it is fairly simple to imitate by turning the volume up and the equalizer off if it still isn't loud enough...check whether you have a European (volume capped) version (only sold in Europe though normally ) hope to have helped, Volta

yes, you can use it, no it will have to be charged seperately in a dedicated charger yes it is and how much use? if you mean how long it runs, with the supplied one I could get 12 hours of playback (max) and less when recording... but as I said, I bought a higher capacity (Ni-MH) gumstick from powerbank that runs quite a bit longer if you mean how much charge/uncharge cycles... I don't really know but here is a good source for battery info when you upload your recording I believe that SonicStage adds a timestamp (but of the time it was uploaded, not of the time it was recorded) but you can always title a recording and put the time, in any form you want, in the title... hope to have helped greetings, Volta

I bought a PowerBank 1450mAh battery for my NH900 (for €9 so about $10) and now I can get over 15 hours (haven't counted 'em really) of playback without the add-on... I only use it (and therefore keep it with me almost all the time, but not screwed on) if I'm about to record long sessions (longest was 6 hours continuously, and another 8 hours of playback) or if I have to record something unexpectedly and I have too little left on the gumstick alone... so, for commuting...you can travel a lot to and from work before you run out of batery I guess (even without the add-on) so it isn't needed at all

try searching these forums a bit before you ask a question as there are, if my memory serves me right, at least two threads which discuss and solve this problem! hope you find it... [edit] this is what I came up with after searching for well... one minute[/edit]

welcome to MDCF, and I hope these forums can help you make up your mind, but I would advice you to search the formus first for a bit (using the search function function or scanning a couple of topics in the 'Find your minidisc' , 'HiMD', 'software discussions/faq' and 'technical topics' sections)... as most of the questions you pose either are answered in the RH10's manual (search it on the net) or have been answered here on MDCF (many times over and over again ) and probably nobody will therefore take the time to summarize it all again... if you still have questions after a couple of searches...feel free to post 'em, I'm sure ppl will try to answer them... greetings Volta

disclaimer: I actually do believe that I'm going slightly off topic here, so feel free to chuck this post and the post referred to in a relevant thread, mods even though I have nothing against Atrac(3+) and definitely nothing pro MP3, I have a few questions with your audio test technique...but DJ The Crow, I'm not trying to flame you, just tired of all these differing audio-test methods that ppl use and then present as 'objective' views/results: first of all...isn't this all about the listening experience of our preferred music? I mean...I actually couldn't care less about the scientific view, as long as it sounds right, I can live with it... so the actual test should be held with a demanding but real (and unmodified!) piece of music you would like to listen to (or the wellknown 'castagnets'-thingy that is so hated by anyone who has tried audio tests ) ... perhaps ripping in Mono and optimizing a CD-track might bring out the differences more (which you are trying to do here I guess) but unless you actually do this with all the music you listen to, I personally couldn't really care less how the resulting track sounds... the second question I pose...if you are really serious about testing audio files (which you are, if you go through the trouble of mono'ing and optimizing tracks, I guess) why not use the very objective and universally agreed ABX-method (a link to a little but very usefull ABX-test program is presented in the first post in this thread ) If you can reproduce significant results without any biass and without any visual aid (which only adds to the biass in a normal/non-blind listening test) then you could convince someone... hope you try the ABX-method with a normal (but taxing, couple of crisp highs, some deep lows and so on,...) and unmodified(!) piece of music... greetings Volta PS: and just to repeat...all this ranting doesn't mean I do or don't agree with your results (that is besides the point, as I almost exclusively use Hi-SP ), I only question the method