Terence Kelly

I'm no technical expert, but I seem to recall that the original minidisc format was only accurate to about 1/12 of a second in terms of placing a track. Many of the errors listed here fall within that leeway. Are the errors cumulative? I.e. does the misplacement of the first track affect the misplacement of the next? 30 milliseconds off seems like it could be expected, but 400 ms shouldn't be happening if the software is working properly. On gapless opera cd's I haven't noticed this error, but it would probably have to approach .5 seconds before it would be audible. I'll be curious to hear if Sony can fix it. TK

The computer would work if it's near your turntable, but this would take more active attention. Computer software is easily fooled by the wide dynamic ranges and starts and stops in classical and jazz music. Editing on the computer for the purpose of just splitting tracks is much more combersome than using the minidisc directly. That's one of the strengths of the format. Put on the LP, walk away. You can mark the tracks in two minutes anytime later. If you want to burn a CD you do have an extra step, but not one that takes active attention. TK

I do believe MD is the way to go for converting LPs to a digital format. Most computer software fails to detect the gaps between the tracks properly, especially with Jazz or Classical music. It's much faster to edit and title the tracks on the minidisc. I've had my best results with Sony's top of the line home deck - JB980, but most portables will do a good job. If you do want to put it on a computer then get a Hi MD portable. They are designed for uploading. If you want to stick with minidisc then a legacy unit will do. The best sound I have ever heard from any portable unit is from my Sharp DR7, and I've listened to a wide range of HD, HiMD and flash players. TK

Personally, I find the necessity of using a remote a drawback as well. The only true advantages of the new unit are that it will remember record settings and that it will upload legacy formats. If Sony were to upgrade the RH10 to do those, I think it would easily be the most popular unit. I do use the three line remote with my RH10 while biking to have easy access to the controls, but the unit's display is so much superior to the remote (larger, faster) that I almost never use the remote otherwise. I'd love to see Sony put those features in an RH10-like unit. I'd buy that ... and a HI-MD deck! TK

I think the topic was using Hi MD as a player. Certainly it's very practical for that. I bought my two oldest daughters HD3s for players, and one did die after a short drop to a carpeted floor. The sound quality on the HD3 in High SP was decidedly inferior to what I was used to on minidisc. My youngest daughter (11) was wishing she had her own music player, and after some consideration I bought her the 600D. It was cheap, it's more durable than HD player, and uses a standard battery. It is bigger than a flash player, but she's prone to lose things, so bigger was better. She really likes it so far. I think flash players shine for people doing vigorous exercise. Size and weight are important in that situation and superb SQ is not. It's great we have many choices, and Hi-MD is an excellent choice for playback. TK

The shipping cost is what makes or breaks the deal when buying online. You can get multipacks on e-bay for around $6.oo a disc including shipping. I have had my best luck bidding on one disc at a time. I have paid between $4.25 and $5.75 for a Hi MD blank that way(shipping included). TK

I notice the Amazon listing says it has both a line and mic input. If I remember correctly it has neither. They could end up with unhappy customers.

I think the likely complaint here is no convenient way to put Hi MD through a stereo system. Sony could solve the stereo enthusiast's problems with either a Hi MD deck, as this thread requests, or by supporting SP downloads so people could use their current decks without having to use LP2. I occasionally see references to some patent/copyright issues with regards to SP downloads. Does anyone know why Sony is reluctant to support SP in Sonicstage?

I'll have to second that. I too have the X5 and it's a solid player and excellent portable hard drive. As a recorder it doesn't even come close to legacy minidisc recorders and I only use it for voice/non-critical recording. For that it works very well.

Someone else asked what SS did with the SP uploads. Did it automatically convert them? I'm hoping Sony will finally support SP in software going both directions. I still think that would make this product more valuable, especially since the RH1 will be inconvenient as a player unless they fully support the 3 line remote. The added recording versatility is great, but the only point in recording something is to listen to it. I do almost all of my portable listening with minidisc and probably will for quite a while yet. None of my legacy units have failed yet and they've had heavy use. The format has been remarkably durable.

It always seemed to me that it would have to be a Sonicstage bug since the RH 10 had no trouble playing the tracks correctly. Can anyone else confirm dex's results?

MDfreak, I'm sure you have plenty of things to test but here is one more. Can you reliably upload tracks that have been edited with a combine on the MD unit? That bug was what made me return my RH10.

Although I am very pleased that this new unit will support SP uploads, I feel that SonicStage should be upgraded to support SP without conversion. My JB980 makes better recordings than the MZRH10 and I would be happy to put those recordings AS IS on a HI MD disc. The new unit could serve as a bridge for users who have decks and older portables and don't care for the decided drop in quality one gets with LP2. It seems like it would only be a modest effort to support SP in software, since some support would have to be there already in order to convert it. It would increase flexibility alot and is one of the things Sony should have done a long time ago. Now that they're making an honest effort to respond to their customers with SS 3.4 and this unit, I think full SP support would be a small effort that would garner even more interest in the RH1.

I think you should add the option of home HI MD deck. Something along the lines of the JB980 would be what I would want. I think anything too expensive would rule out most of the people using minidisc.

If Sonicstage can play the MP3 file, it can convert it. However you must then delete the MP3 from the library or SS insists on sending the unconverted file to your minidisc. If you use the RH10 in NetMD mode, (use a standard MD) SS will convert the file automatically and send the atrac file without your intervention. TK