BobS

Those files have the "HIDDEN" and "READ ONLY" attributes set. If you can see them you must have explorer set to show hidden files. If you format an standard disc you will see only 1 file, a HiMD disc will show both. Since they are 0 bytes I doubt they are anything more that just to let the MD unit know the disc is in HiMD format and weather it is a standard or HiMD disc.

Their purpose is to reduce the amount of RFI (radio-frequency interference) put out by the unit. There are a lot of high frequency sources in an MD and the leads (as the AC adaptor, remote cord etc) act as antenna radiating these signals. The FCC sets limits as to these emissions and one of the ways to meet the regulations is with these ferrites. I doubt you will notice any difference in recording or playback sound without them.

Philips used just such a connector on its DCC portable (Dcc170 and 175). For analog or optical use, you used cables that we are familiar with. For COAX input you had a special cable that had an extra ring on the end. When plugged into the jack, it was sensed as the COAXIAL cable. Incidentially, they had the same setup on output. It would output analog, optical or COAXIAL signals Yes, I know you have metal for the analog section, but you would need seperate contacts for COAX since they would go to different circuitry for processing.

The block the optical plug fits into is cheap, look up prices on the 'net. It is all plastic (coax requires metal) and the optical receiver is just a single solid state device built right into the plastic jack. Solders right onto the board and your done. It requires no ground connection, one less connection to make.

Optical is cheaper to add, costs almost nothing

There is probably nothing wrong with the buffering. I am sure all the units have about the same buffer, at least 40 seconds at the highest bit-rate. The MZ-R50 had that much. It probably has to do with the type of shock you were giving the unit. The only time I have had problems was when the unit could hit my leg. Every step would cause shock. The unit is constantly recovering and the buffer just runs out. If you stop for 10 seconds or so, it will probably be OK for a while. Try to carry it differently, such as a case that clips to a belt or waist of your trousers.

What size ? You can get battery operated speakers over a wide range of sizes. If you need something samll (you said you were camping) look at the LG MSP-100. Quite small with very good volume and low distortion. Disadvantage, they use a built in rechargeable battery, but since you have your MD with you I expect you have a way to recharge

Note that for the convience of not having to carry a battery changer, you are getting a 1300 Mah battery. Also, due to the current limitations ( and probably the size of the built in charger), this battery takes many hours to charge. They claim 90% after 5 hours. Many conventional battery chargers will charge a 2500 Mah AA in an hour or so. Would be convient if having a charger is that big of a hassle for you

You will get distortion. Square waves look like a whole lot of frequencies added together. Since even 292 kps throws away 80% of the data, it will be distorted

LiOn batteries will last longer if you do not discharge them all the way. You should top them off when you need them and limit the number of times you discharge them a lot.

I would like to see some variety come back into Sony's line One of my favorite MDs is my MZ-B100. I would very much like to see a unit like that in HiMD. It should also directly support 48 Kbs and 192, on the unit, since it is designed mainly for spoken word. A DECK An MD version of the Sony ICF-SW1000T. This is an AM-FM-SW radio with a built in auto-reverse cassette recorder. If Pogo Products can make a digital recorder with AM, Sony can. Some kind of mid-range, not too large, boombox type unit. Separate line out on portable units. That way you could use the remote and line out at the same time. It would make it much easier to use in the car.

In a word, no. The RH1 connection is a USB mini 5 pin. The R30 has an entirely different connection. The R30 has voltage regulators in the input but it is expecting 6 volts. It may not charge the battery. Since you would have to cut the end off the RH1 charger and put a different connector on it, and then (I assume) get a second RH1 charger to fit your RH1, why not just get a charger to fit your R30 ? Most 6 volt Sony (or those designed to fit Sony) with a 800 ma or greater output would work. The R50 and those for their radios work. Radio Shack has models with connectors that will work.

Digital media is just 0s and 1s. Minidisc just stores data. The firmware in the unit turns that data back into audio. It is impossible for a disc to sound "warmer" or "richer" or any other "er". If the media has a high error rate, then the system error correction takes over. It has one of two results. It corrects the data, in which case you get the correct number. It cannot correct the data, in which case masking occurs. MD, like CD, will take the previous 16 bit block of data and use it to mask if it cannot recover the current 16 bits. Since their are 44,100 of these samples per second, you would not notice a block or two of data. I have seen some tests that show you rarely play an entire CD without some correction (not masking) going on. The main thing with a blank MD would be the quality of the build. Media that is not prone to errors and shutters that work smoothly. As long as the data can be read, the sound will be the same. I believe the problem is people looking at MD as an audio recording media. I, like CD audio, is really a data storage media. It is the firmware/software that makes this date audio

Combo disks are handy. I often put info about the recording on the same disk as the audio. Liner notes, pictures, biographies, lyrics etc. I have never had a problem. Keep in mind the limits of FAT16, a limited number of files and/or folders in the root (511, if I remember correctly)

Alcohol is not good for most plastic, including the LCD display on your laptop. Over time it can yellow it. I have used Klear Screen and it works very well. I has no alcohol or ammonia (as does Windex), both are bad for plastic. It was designed for cleaning laptop LCD displays. You may find it as an IPOD cleaning kit, or go to their web site.

No setting, just copy files to disk. Do not use the HiMD directory (that is where the audio files are). Do not erase the hidden files in the root. You can make directories (folders) or put files in the root.

I have a DS-HMD1. I think a few things are being overlooked in the discussion. 1. I use my DS as an uploader most of the time. SonicStage sees it as any other HiMD. Saves wear and tear on my more expensive recorder. 2. A data drive should be able to be sold much cheaper that even a portable playback only unit, no display, no buttons, no provision for remote or headphones etc. 3. I regularly put data on my Audio discs. For instance, I have a disc with Handel's Messiah, I have PDF files with liner notes, biography, score etc. I sometimes put photos on the disc relating to the content. I find that very convenient. If my PC had a built in "data drive" using this info would be much more convenient. You could just start SonicStage and be ready for uploading. Using it for data at that point would just be since it is there. If you have an audio disc that is not full and needed to carry a couple of files with you, copy them on. If you usually have your MD player with you, just hook it up and copy the files. Nothing extra to carry. Different people just see things different. I use USB flash keys a lot. I also usually have my MD recorder and a few discs with me, sometimes I will have data on them.

I have tried a couple of my PreMastered discs. Uploaded just fine.

You all seem to be very harsh on Sony for something that seems quite obvious. They simply sold a unit without the Radio Remote at a lower cost. Most people do not choose to buy MDs with the tuner remote. You could buy it with (the 800 model) or without (the 700 model). Does not seem "stupid" or a way for Sony to rip people off. They were advertised as what they were and what features they had. The customers choose which model they wanted. What is the problem ? The cheapest way for Sony to market a lower cost model is to simply rebadge the Tuner model, leave out the Tuner and sell it at a lower price.

I believe that you will find defragmenting a HiMD disk takes so long, you will want to stop it before it finishes. It would be quicker to copy the "data" off the disk, format, and then copy the "data" back on. I put "data" in quotes because you cannot copy audio files off the disk and back, their is some hidden file that does not copy. This is to prevent diskcopy from making copies of audio disks. Since MD works at USB 1.1 speed, I doubt you will notice any performance gain. For the audio stored on the disk, their would be no gain at all.

Since the unit is new, return it under your warranty and get a new one. Sounds like it always thinks a disk is in it

I have used rechargable batteries in the outboard case with no problems many times. After all, an alkaline AA voltage drops as it ages and at some point is 1.2 volts, just like the NiMh

Actually, ATRAC is used other than MD ( and various Sony CDs and network walkman units). It is the basis for SDDS, the sound encoding used by various movie studios owned by Sony. This may be where the acutal push for improvement comes from.

The new 1 Gig disk have a multi-layer coating for the DWDD recording technology to work. I don't know if this will affect the longevity of the media. The older discs are a simplier media (only 1 MO layer)

The ferrites are not to prevent noise from affecting your recordings. They are to stop emf emitted by your unit from affecting other devices such as radios.