grf

Hi, The best place for blanks and for quick delivery is http://www.discountdiscs.co.uk/ and they have new Hi Md players in stock (NH600). I have used them a lot and they are excellent. They are physically at Unit 18, Town Yard Business Park, Station Street, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 8BF, England Best regards Grf

Hi, I have seen lots of posts about the death of minidisc and wails about the lack of a minidisc deck (apart form Onkyo ). I was wondering if I could suggest what may be a useful portable minidisc addition. I have seen elsewhere the codes for the remote to the minidisc have been decoded as switched resitor values. I also feel that decoding the serial text from the minidisc for display might also be acheived. If this was done, a small box with a large display could be constructed which would be connected in place of the remote and allow the track now playing to be displayed in a large backlit display. It would also allow timed recording of radio programmes (using an internal timer and external infra red control of the tuner). It would also allow remote control of the MD using a 'standard IR' remote from across the room. With an on screen keyboard the titling would be easier than on the current remote. These features would then make the portable MD look more like a deck. What does the list think of this idea? Cheers grf

Hi, Thanks Wizard, I think that many people may have been experiencing the same problem. Two things that you might want to add to the sticky. - You only need turn off the background file AV checking; the intrusion detection SW can still remain active. - If you notice that many of the files stick at 50% complete before you get he error window then there is a fair chance that this AV file checking is causing the problem and causes SB or SS to fail communicating with the MD on USB transfers (they occur during the last 50% of 'progress'). - You need to restart the PC to re-initialise the USB drivers/HW after the fault has occured. I did mention this problem in this forum previously but there were no replies to the post. I think the probabilities that I am the only one effected by this conflict are very low. I have used Kaspersky 6.0 and 7.0 on XP and the problem occurs in both versions. Look forward to the sticky. Best regards MD folks ! Grf

Hi, I have had a similar problem while trying to record from PC to HiMD using simple Burner. I found that the transfer stopped near he end of the first album with the 'error in transferring' flag. It did not occur unil one or two albums had been transferred. The problem was traced to the anti-virus SW running in the background which casually accessed the new disk it found when I connected the HiMD drive. The accesses from the AV SW checking the new files it had found conflicts with the writing of the files by SS or SB. Disabling file anti virus checking solved the problem. Cheers grf

Hi, www.discountdiscs.co.uk has the Sony MZ-NH600 Hi-MD Walkman in silver at 74.95 GBpounds with free delivery to the UK. I am sure that they would deliver abroad but you would have to ring them on +44 (0)1538 399911 to check. Dicount Discs have given me excellent service now and in the past, and I have not seen a better price for this unit. Still looking for the jewel cases though, if anyone does ring, remind them that there is still a need for such items. Best regards Grf

Hi, Thanks for all the great replies. I invested in an heir and a spare for my minidiscs from discount discs and their response was excellent, mailling me when the units were in, before they updated the website. I think we are clearly on the last knockings of the minidisc as we know it, which is why being able to buy new units boxed and sealed is so great. May the RH1 live long and prosper but it is not the ideal bench/pocket model workhorse. A little worrying about the jog dial on the NH600 - has anyone else any experience of having one fail ? Happy rotational-removable-high-quality-media-and-audio-listening everyone, Grf

Hi, Just a quick heads up that www.discountdics.co.uk have the MZ-NH600 workhorse available again even though the website says out of stock. Has anyone found a source for the nice flip open jewel cases for MD blanks? I hate the envelope type and change the case on all my new blanks, but I cannot find a good source for the clear or coloured jewel cases. Can anyone help ? Best regards GRF

Hi Wizard, I had previously done exactly the same tests as you when I first got my MZ-RH1. I was comparing earbuds for quiet listening and for completeness I also compared the various remotes as I had bought a MC40ELK to replace the MC38EL. I came to the conclusion that the MC38EL sounded best (! gloom) but I have just now repeated the test with the NH600 and I cannot confirm that it is. I was sure that the previous test was conclusive but repeating it now with the lower spec model (and I have just repeated it with the RH1 again ) confirms to me that the differences are not audiable, which makes me feel better about the purchase of the MC40ELK. There are differences between the NH600 and the RH1 audio quality of course but thats a different question. Sorry to have thrown in a wild herring. grf

Hi, I am in Europe so have the MZ-NH600 model (line in). I have just done a crude frequency response (sine test disk, FFT on scope) and the -3db point from a 0db reference at 10KHz is at 20 KHz. No EQ. LP2 mode. The MZ-NH600 sounds great to my ears but not as 'rounded' as the NH1 or RH1. I have noticed audiable differences introduced by different remotes (!) and of course ear buds. However the 600 is my workhorse and I have no complaints. Best regards Grf

Hi, Just a quick note to say that I have diagnosed that Simpleburner 2.0 can have the communications to the MD player broken by the Kaspersky software scanning the startup objects which may include scanning USB attached disks. The result is that the recording session aborts and the PC needs to be restarted to reset the USB communications. This was with and ASUS Pundit PC running Windows XP and Kaspersky 6.0. The fix is to suspend Kaspersky until recording is complete. This fault may happen with other anti-virus SW. Best regards Graham

Hi, We have all seen the slow demise of an excellent piece of technology from Sony. We all have a soft spot for MD and Hi MD for the reasons which have been often stated on these forums. What sometimes happens in a case like this is that the user-base takes back control of the parts of the technology which would be most beneficial. I do not mean try and manufacture Disks or Recorders but hack the interface to the PC to be able to give us the drag and drop, unlimited file exchange, copy/move/delete without restrictions etc. Not to mention Linux versions etc. I have great respect for the technical abilities of the members here, and I am wondering if any more of the world wide user base is thinking the same or more importantly if anyone has the technical expertise to start the project, recruiting members from this list (and others). I would hate to see the technology we have just wither on the vine without at least a valient attempt to claw back control as Sony turns its back. Are there any supporters for this ? Or are the technical problem too difficult ? Best regards Graham

Hi, I have experienced drop outs in a similar way to the one you describe. I put it down to poor writing of the data to the disk by the Hi Md laser. When the data is read back the high error rate causes the correction circuitry to mute the audio. I have got around this problem by deleting the faulty track and then re-recording it through the line in of the MD recorder. Why this works better I do not know. I thought it might be due to differences in the write speed in the two methods of laser action producing different resuts when the media is marginal on its write specification. The laser is used to heat (in a very short time) so this might be the reason but the main thing is it worked for me. grf Hi I forgot to metion that I have also had failures in sonic stooge. I have changed the recorder (from RH1 to NH1) and the same disk was burnt successfully. I now have a favourite NH1 which seems to burn disks most reliably. Its all due to heating tolerances on marginal media I am sure . Best regards Grf

Hi, I am sure many of you have spotted the MZ-NH600 for 75 GB beer tokens including p+p at http://www.discountdiscs.co.uk/ I have just weakened and bought one. Super fast delivery (1 day) and a nice (but clunky ) pouch. Great service. As an everyday knockabout machine it is excellent and it does have line in (analogue and digital) as it is the European model. No remote or mic input though. >Just tried the RM-MC40ELK, the 600 seems to drive it correctly as a full 3 line display (unlike the 710) The HiMD blanks are a good price here also. Best regards to the forum. grf

Hi, I have replied to threads like this one before. I have personally purchased batteries from ebay (LIP 4WM) and have not found any problems so far. I have been using the batteries for 6 months continuously in the RH1. My impression is that they are 'factory leakage' from the Chinese factory and they are from the same production line that supplies Sony.... Grf

Hi, I too have a circular depression roughly in the middle of the lable on the back. If this was full of air it would look like a small (5mm) raised bump. grf

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the replies to this topic. I have de-bugged the problem to a faulty earth on the headphone connector on the MD player. When I grounded it on one of the screws then all the distortion when away and the vocalist came back ! Without an earth the signals that are equal on the left and right channels tend to cancel out as do similar signals. Putting the earth back with my soldering iron worked a treat. Best regards graham

Hi, Thanks to everyone who has commented on this strange behaviour. I will try all the suggestions ! Best regards Graham

Hi, I have a friend who I converted to minidisc and he bought a MZ-NH800. He used it everyday for 2 years and it has now developed a fault which is unusual. When a disk is inserted, the track and contents are read as normal by the unit. However when it plays the sound is extremly distorted and sound like it is put through a 'flanger' type distortion. He has cleaned the laser lens, tried different disks, changed the output from headphones to an amp and still the distorted sound continues. Could the firmware be corrupted ? Any suggestions would be welcome. Graham

Hi Philpem, I am glad you got your RH1 OK. You can safely remove the Ferrite cores from all the leads of the RH1 (USB and low volt supply) they are only put on to get it through the EEC Electrical Emission rules. With them removed I have not detected any interference from the wires. You PC laptop or screen emits far more... I would start a thread in the SS software help section about your SS 3.4 error. I am sure its fixable. You could always ring Sony UK for a fix. I have rung them before and the help desk was very helpful. Best regards Graham

Hi, Ogormans seems to dispaly the RH1 in stock (other MD are clearly marked out of stock). I would give them a ring at the number on the 'order on line ' page indicated. The RH1 is great btw and worth the wait. Version 3.4 of SS also seems to work faultlessly which is a change.... Best of luck at university, I did electronics, what are you going to do ? Any one sensible enough to choose minidisc over mp3 seems to have their head in the right place. Best regards Graham

Hi, Browsed through Bennetts Electrical in Chelmsford who featured a 'Overstock Clearout' (that has to be a good sign for low minidisc prices) You can get a MZ-NH700 for 90 GB pounds and I am sure they would barter. I also saw that Ogormans have a low price on the RH1 at 209 GB Pounds (+pp) http://www.ogormans.co.uk/minidisc.htm Best regards Graham

Hi, I have bought 3 batteries for my NH1 and RH1 recorders from the chinese source on Ebay. I think they are 'production shrinkage' from the same factory thay Sony use. They work and are in all respects the same as the originals. I weighed both and they are identical. I have had the 'chinese' one in the RH1 for some weeks and the charging and playing times are the same as the originals. There ARE very cheap chinese batteries around which you should avoid at all costs (they do not last long enough to get them out of the packet) but these from ebay are worth having. The delivery takes about a week. Best regards graham

>fabric case with a belt-clip. Do Sony still bundle these with the MZ-RH1, or not? GRF - I am afraid not, all the R+D dollars were blown on the unit itself. It comes with a usless cloth bag. What's the download (PC-to-MD) speed like, in comparison to NetMD (MZ-N710 or similar)? GRF- The dowload speed seems faster but I have only tried this on a slow PC. Has anyone done a real-world test on the lifetime (i.e. charge to full, hit play, see how long it lasts) of the RH1's Li-ion battery? GRF - I am sure there are many posts on this but my personal experience is that the playing time is so long that it is hard to get to the end and fully discharge the battery. btw I have got Chinese RH1 batteries from eBay and they are genuine Sony ones at 10 GB Pounds. They are obviously production shrinkage but worth geeting a few in at that price. Does anyone know what earbuds the UK-model RH1 comes with? I've got some Sennheiser MX500s so I'm not too fussed if the bundled 'buds are junk; I just want to know for the sake of curiosity GRF - The ear buds are junk and unmarked so stay with you MX500's Finally, does anyone know which remote control is included with the UK-model RH1? GRF The remote is a nice Black RM-MC38EL which is a good remote. I have tried it with a RM-MC40ELK and it is not worth it as the display does not show the full information possible (Group AND Track for example). GRF - The RH1 is a very nice machine, its definately a show-off item which will impress. Best regards Graham

Hi, The black is very sexy. The remote port is as standard but as usual in these things not all the main units functions are available on the remote. It was surprising to me to find that although it has a 3 line display not all the available functions were visible on the RM-MC40ELK. Top level on the unit:- Edit Display Play Mode Sound Rec Set Option On the 3 line remote: Edit MainPlaymode Option Sony must have had a special team of firmware writers tasked to make sure of in-compatibilty. Regards Graham

Hi, No worries. I only picked on 64Kbps as a clear (and demonstratable ) example to the salesperson of how ARTRAC sounds better (bit for bit) against other formats, not as a quality goal to aim for. Any really technical discussion would have passed over his head at about 30,000 feet. I am really pleased with the 710 at that price and I am sure it will become my 'travelling player'. Best regards Graham