fuzzy_aladdin

The Hi-MD system is great. I've been using it ever since I got it as a quick and dirty way to copy cassettes and LP's into a digital format without having to dedicate a computer to the task. And since Sony ditched at least SOME of the DRM in regards to uploading a track to the PC (I noticed, no more one-transfer limit), it's become even more reliable. But I have a ton of standard MD discs laying around and had an inspiration. The media could be used to back up data on my computer. Seeing as how it inherently provides filesystem access, one could use a synchronization program, or a back up suite, and back up files to the MD for safekeeping. How reliable is this? I have some pretty important data to back up, and presently I use CD-R's. They're reliable, but still somewhat fragile (that silver recording base is much closer than you think to the top and it HAS and WILL scratch and flake away! I use Verbatim Digital Vinyl's for backing up now since the recording surface is much more well protected.). Hi'MD discs seem inherently stable and if they can hold onto audio data for years I'd assume they could also hold on to backup data. It's easy to store MD's, and damn it's coooool to think of MD's holding your life's most important and precious data (The Matrix anyone!!). Thanks for any responses

Well it seems we still don't have a REALLY CLEAR CUT answer as to when the actual flagging occurs - I might just test it myself by recording something unncessary and just pulling the cable during transfer. I'll let everyone know for sure then. Sony's DRM makes sense for tracks copied to MD (they want to ensure you don't just hand your friends MD's of your music), but I really think the one-upload limit for YOUR OWN RECORDINGS is silly. Chances are most of what people are recording either is not really copyrighted at all (meetings, lectures, their own bands, etc) or even if it is, a person would be exercising timeshift rights (recording from a radio, TV, etc.) or the right to have their music in whatever format they want (copying from CD or DAT to MD directly via optical.) You can buy voice recorders that allow you to upload as many times as you want. You can even get MP3 plaers with built in recorders that can do the same. Roland even has a device that records MP3 files directly to CF cards and it's marketed for musical recording. Sony really dropped the ball by enforcing strict DRM on a person's own recordings. It is a step ahead of NetMD but really...why not just make your own recorded tracks unprotected? Yeah, a dude who had time on his hands could record his CD's to MD using an optical line, and then distribute the discs...But seriously. How many people have that much time? And you could only master a single disc - if you copy the files to PC then to another MD you already enforce the DRM. BTW, is it true that if you do attempt to upload an already-uploaded recording a second time, it actually gets wiped from MD? Another rumor I've heard.

Can someone enlighten me to the limitations of transferring a recording from Hi-MD to PC? Here's how I'm understanding it: 1. A recording can only be transferred once from Hi-MD to PC. What I'm *not* understanding is when the Hi-MD is flagged that the recording has been transferred - is it before the transfer starts, or after the successful transfer? 2. The recording will still remain on the MD but can no longer be transferred anywhere? 3. If you record a file from PC to MD, you can only return it to the same PC - meaning if you lose your HD and want to restore songs from MD, you're out of luck. The thing that worries me most is when the Hi-MD is flagged. It seems rather nfair to flag the disc *before* transferring as many things might go wrong during transfer -program crash, system lockup, hard drive failure, who knows what. Right now when I transfer songs from my MD to PC I sit on pins and needles praying nothing will go wrong because I worry that if somethign does I'll lose the ability to transfer that recording. Shed some light on these ideas please? Flint

I have an MZ-NHF800 recorder. I have been recently using the recorder to transfer audio books and other various cassettes I own to MD format for later transfer to computer. (It makes it so I need not dedicate a machine to copying the material!) The recordings work and sound great, except for one minor detail. I'm using the line in port on the recorder and a standard line cable connected to a professional-level cassette recorder deck. The recorder seems to be automatically adding track marks when silence is detected in the audio source for any length of time - and it seems incredibly sensitive (anything over a second seems to be considered silence.). This is not a major issue, but it is annoying to later play the recording on the MD, skip to each track mark and delete it. For example, recording a single side of an audiobook resulted in 22 tracks on the MD. I could of course transfer he tracks as is to the PC, but I'd still have to go back and combine the WAV files. Anyone know why this is happening? I have ensured REC SYNC and automatic time marking is off and I see no other option that might be causing such activity. HELP? Flint

I am seeing on eBay for sale some ATRAC CD players that have a remote stick. The description states the stick to be a backlit one. From the picture it looks almost identical to the stick I have save for the radio. The particular player model is D-NE1. Since I've been in the market for an MP3 CD player, I'm considering an ATRAC player so I can not only burn direct MP3 cd's but also play ATRAC CD's. So my question is, Is the remote stick with this player compatible with the Hi-MD? Or is it just totally different? I'd lean towards assuming different but you never know.

Hi, I recently got a used NHF800 recorder. It came with its stock remote, but I've been reading and have heard that I could possibly use other remotes on the unit. In particular I'd like something with a backlight for night use. Is there such a remote that will interface with the NHF800? Can it be had off of eBay? What would be the average going price? I'd also probably sell my current remote.

No firewall in place except for XP's default firewall. I checked with SonicStage itself, same thing; when I insert a CD, it pops up a dialog telling me I need to register with CDDB; I click Yes, and nothing happens. Seems there's some bug somewhere - advice please?

I'm having a problem with Simple Burner 2. It's not retrieving the track names for CDs from the Internet. Sometimes I get a popup window that say "Unknown CD". I am asked if I want to rip the tracks with no names (or enter them myself in the interface) or begin CDDB registration. Clicking the Registration does nothing except refresh the (unknown) track names. It does this with all of the commercial CD's I've thus far tried. I'd think the Register button should do something but it doesn't seem to. Help?

I recently got a used Hi-MD NHf800 recorder off eBay. The seller didn't include the original software CD, so I'm trying to find downloads for all of the bundled software on the Net. I was able to find SonicStage 3, but I can't find SonicStage 2.3 (if it's any better than 3, I dunno) and Simple Burner for Hi-MD. (I did find a Net-MD Simple Burner but it froze on my computer.) Anyone know where I can get this software?

Great, thanks a lot. I probably won't chuck my Zip 250, but for a simple temporary storage solution to shuttle around a document or two or twelve, MD sounds like it will do my bidding fine. Even 2Mbps is enough to even use it as a portable MP3 transport device, and then when the MP3 player units arrive, I'll be able to pop that MD in and listen to them. What I'm thinking of doing is picking up a cheap NH600 now (and using it for listening and storage only, which is pretty much what it can do) and then picking up a recording model when the new generation hits the market. Are they still quoting April/May? (yes, i know release dates are never highly accurate, but still.) I don't really need to be able to play MP3 right off the disc (encoding to ATRAC shouldn't be a big deal), but to be able to connect the MD to a PC and play the MP3's is only that much more convenient. (So, of course, NH600 works as a USB mass storage and all that as well too? Oh, and about the checkout thing: Is it true that for the current generation you're limited to only "checking out" any given file on your PC three times? I'm not exactly looking to put an MP3 on 12 MD's, but I worry about stuff like this. I always want to know exactly how DRM will restrict me. I asked about the drivers because I have seen other drive-letter access devices that DO NOT conform to the USB mass storage standard and required a driver even on Win2k (not XP, but still). Obviously those devices wouldn't work on OS X or Linux. I will avoid ANY product that is designed to store files but doesn't conform to the USB mass storage specs! (still got a Nomad 6GB original jukebox - would actually use it more often if I could access it as a drive letter! Woohoo for the iPod!) What is the point of a portable data storage unit if you have to carry around a CD or floppy of drivers with it? Not to mention loading them onto people's computers... Flint

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm probably going to go for the US equivelant of the NH700. What exactly would that be? One more question: A friend informed me that he heard that the drive letter access only works on 1GB discs. Is that true? The real reason I want to get it as a storage drive is because you can waltz into any Target, Wal-Mart, etc. and pick up a 5-pack of MiniDiscs for $10 or less. If each disc could be accessed as a drive letter, and hold 305MB of data, that to me sends the Zip into the wind. Even an NH600, if it offered drive letter access, would be a far, far cheaper solution than Zip! (if you can really get an NH600 for $60 or so, and each 305MB is an average of $2, plus the added music ability...) So to reiterate, can the Hi-MD units use classic MiniDiscs as data devices, or only the new Hi-MD 1GB discs? Even so, since 1GB discs average $8 each nowadays, it's still cheaper than Zip 250's or even 750's for price per MB. Also I know everyone says it's Windows compatible, but (while not highly important) it'd also be nice to be able to use the drive letter access on other platforms, e.g. Mac. (I'm not talking about using a Mac to transfer music; just to use the unit as a storage drive.) Basically someone could maybe clue me in: if you can walk up to an XP box at someone's house, plug in your Hi-MD, and use it as a storage drive with NO DRIVERS (only XP's built in ones), then it would work since most other major OS'es recognize standard USB mass storage units. If drivers are required for the drive letter access, it won't work. Not saying I'd shun MD, just something I want to be aware of. thanks again Flint

Hi forum. I'm considering a new audio recording/playback device for portable use. I've been debating over several different types of devices, and the Hi-MD has caught my attention. I'm an "opponent" to highly-restrictive DRM so that is one thing that's turned me away from NetMD, but Hi-MD seems like it may be easing up a bit. DRM isn't bad, I just don't like being totally at someone else's mercy when it comes to my music or data. If DRM offers fair use, it's OK. Here's specifically what I need to know: * I know the higher-level units can record. NetMD units couldn't transfer those recordings to the PC except by analog cable (time-consuming and unacceptable to me), so it was an immediate "no" in my book. I read the FAQs on transferring recordings from Hi-MD and it seems it may actually work for me. Even with a one-time upload limit, providing there was no system crash I could still just convert my recordings to MP3 and re-load them back onto the MD if needed. Recording is a big reason I'd buy the unit in the first place. * I'm not clear on this checkout thing. I've heard that the first-gen HiMD's limit any given file on your PC to be transferred only three times. I've also heard that the second-gen units will remove that restriction for unencrypted files and also be able to play MP3 directly. Explain this to me please? * The MD has an optical in. I've read that you cannot transfer recordings made on the optical-in port even on a Hi-MD unit to the PC (only analogs can be transferred). True? * From what I've read, the unit offers drive-letter access. Is this true? If a standard MD can be formatted to hold 305MB of data with drive-letter access, it'd be a wonderful supplement or replacement for my Zip 250. Standard MD's are a dime a dozen these days (MUCH cheaper than Zip250 media!), you can find them at any department store, and 305MB is already more than a 250MB zip. Also in regards to this though, if drive letter access is possible, are special Windows drivers required for it, or will it show up as a standard USB mass storage unit so it can be used sans drivers on 2000/XP? (Not for music transfer, just for pure data.) * Is there any benefit to waiting for second-gen units besides playing MP3 files directly? I read something about recording straight to MP3 files (128kbps). What's up with this? * Not highly important, but some MD's have radio tuners; can they record from radio to Hi MD? I could get a cheap MP3 player/radio combo to do this, but if the MD can do it that's one less item to carry. * Preferably would like a unit that uses AA batts, BC I already have a nicely-sized collection of rechargeable NiMH batts and a couple chargers. Besides MD, the other option I'ved looked into is a Roland R-1 MP3 recording/playback unit retailing at $449. The Roland has built-in mics and records to CF, but I could ust pick up a decent external stereo mic and use that with the MD instead, and MD media is already cheaper. As long as I can get my recordings in either WAV (which will be converted to MP3) or MP3 itself, I'm fine. I understand I'll need a record-capable unit to record, and from what I've read they run around $200 or so for base models. Since I've previously shunned the MD for it's prohibitive DRM features, I'm not too well-versed in the community. The latest offerings definitely have me interested, however. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, Flint

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