Taco

Hello Mini-discers, I am a sound recordist with special interest in film and video. Additionally, I am interested in recording vocals at clubs either via a mic or from the sound-board. I am considering buying an nh700 HiMD or better and the following questions about specifications arise: Q1 - Does the minidisc display recording levels while recording? Q2 - Is there a trim to control the sensitivity of the recording? Q3 - Are there built-in limiters? Q4 - Can one monitor the recording with headphones? Q5 - Can the minidisc overcome slight bumps without ceasing, corrupting or dropping-out the recording? Q6 - Using "Total Recorder," or some other similar program, can I plug in my MD, hit a couple of buttons and go to sleep, then arise the next morning to find all of my unique recordings real-time transferred to my computer so I can safely try the "high-speed" transfer? - Will this result in dead MD batteries? - Will the computer program stop recording automatically when the MD finishes playing back? Q7 - Assuming I have a safety backup, how long does it take from when I sit down at my computer with a 90-minute HiSP unique recording to when I have all of that data properly broken up, xferred and converted to usable .WAV files on my computer? Please correct me if the following statements are false. The actual statements, not a quick glance at them: S1 - In order to rule out the possibility of losing a recording to a corrupt disc, one must test each 1GB disc before using it in the field. S2 - In order to ensure that one doesn't lose a unique recording due to SS mess-ups, it is necessary to real-time record each disc before attempting rapid transfer. S3 - Sony thinks that it's DRM will prevent music piracy even the age of the ubiquitous iPOD. C'mon Sony.. get real. Your MD market is high-quality recordings on the cheap. S4 - No one has experienced troubles recording from a stereo-pair on a mixing board using simple radio shack adapters using the line-level setting on the HiMD's analog-in. Anyexperiences? S5 - In order to turn live recordings into a usable .WAV file, one must jump through many hoops. These hoops are often on fire, but have been known to work well. S6 - "High-speed" transfer takes upwards of 30 minutes for a 90 minute CD-quality life recording. S7 - While the audio may be recorded at Stereo 44.1 kHz, it is compressed unless recording in PCM mode. In PCM mode, a "1GB" disc only holds ~25 minutes. On a computer, a 1GB PCM wave holds 96 minutes. Is this "1GB" designation reflective of reality? I'm going to stop as I know I'm getting too specific. Please let me know where I'm mistaken. Also, help me decide whether a HiMD might do this trick (albeit laboriously) for live recording until I can afford a piece of REAL EQUIPMENT at 10x the cost. Please let me know of any other issues that I may not be aware of as Sony seems to magically create problems every step-of-the-way in their MD-line. Thanks in advance for taking care to read and understand the questions before posting information that can be read in the FAQS. I read the FAQS and would rather not see them rehashed. What I would like is people's responses to these statements and questions so that I can decide whether it is worth my money before buying it. Thanks everyone, -Taco