Roamer

If you recorded via optical, then you should use MarcNet's HiMDRenderer (download section or MarcNet's website) or TotalRecorder to get a wav file.

Only recordings done with HiMD in HiMD mode can be transferred via USB to PC. Check this: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=6330

Actually, the very first MD had a optical out (check MZ-1). But it support only the first type of Atrac, and you will be lucky to find one in good working condition.

Hi, I am currently in France ... Ext. Recording Level: It is not needed, and i don't known their price and specifications. You can actually adjust directly on the RH10. Myself I use the RM-MC40ELK remote with my NH900, and that is very nice to check/adjust lelvel (check posts from mrsoul who use something similar ). It should be possible to enter a venue with Batt. Box. , mics, and HiMD if you hide every thing properly. Train yourself before the 2 concerts ...

Yes, the main difference is the OLED screen and the body. The screen might still be usefull when recording in dark situation.

Same on the norvegian and danish site (there used to be more models available), when the RH10 and RH910 are available in the Netherland ... Looks like they don't care much about Scandinavia ...

Much better to have the battery case ! Myself i was using non rechargeable Lithium batt. (last longer than alkaline), so you don't have to carry a lot of them. I was also using HiSP except for my favorite band (where i was using PCM).

The MZ-M100 is mostly a repackaged RH10 with uploading tool for the Mac, and a Sony mic. But if you have a PC, it could be better to get a 2nd gen RH10 (or 1st gen NH1) and find a better suited mic.

If you have a legacy MD, there is no way to upload via USB. Only HiMD will do. As Syrius suggests, try to make a wav file. Then you can split/burn/convert to other format (FLAC, mp3 ...).

I did just come back from a 3 days festival, and the external battery is unvaluable. I don't known if the Ni-Cd batt. is of the same size , but i will also doubt that the NH-900 will properly charge it, and figure when to stop charging it. I would suggest to get some NH-14WM or similar before the festival.

You can transfer data files as long as you format them in HiMD mode.

Yes, the level beeing low from the start, by increasing the volume in Audacity, you will also increase the noise, so the quality will not be as good as if the level were picking to the max (or as close as possible, without saturation). But since it's a lecture recording (as you said), this could be good enough. Otherwise try manual setting.

1.Depends on your ears, but HiLP is probably good enough for voice recording. 2. You can try setting the level manually and checking your recording level on the unit, and see if you can get better result. After that, you can also take the converted wav and increase the volume using some sound software (you can get Audacity for free for instance).

If you're prepared in advance, it's ok, but if you want to start immediatly, that's still a few seconds lost fiddling with the menu. It shouldn't be that difficult to store the prefered option (auto/manual) or the last one used (certainly easier that making a larger HiMD format for instance). And if Sony want to replace DAT and target semi-pro/pro users, they should think about this kind of feature for the next generation HiMD. Just my 0.02 $ ...

No, there is actually some time that Sony MDs can be set to manual recording. This includes all HiMD (with recording capabilities) and newer NetMD units. Still, you have to enter the menu in pause mode and select Manual in the Recording option ... Sony could make this easier... But it's there, and back to subject, HiMD let's you record in PCM if you want, have bigger capacity and you can upload records afterwards, enough improvements worth the upgrade IMO. Edit : KJ Palmer has been quicker ...

If you want to make your own compilation, you will have to use SonicStage. Upload is meant to get recordings done from mic/line-in, not from SimpleBurner. Alternative : Make our own CDs (or image CDs) and use Simple Burner with them.

Yes, i had the case happening (especially when recording in PCM). And always having that external cell can save your record (it's actually possible to plug it while recording if you're carefull).

Read #161 and #180. I have over 100 legacy MDs with personal recording, and i no longer expect Sony to provide us with USB uploading for those. So i convert them analog, and all new recordings are with HiMD.

OMA files normally have DRM, so simply copying those files doesn't help for a backup. You didn't tell how you saved the oma files, and which version of SonicStage you are using (the last 3.2 actually helps having files without DRM), but it's quite possible that you will have to reconvert your music. Read also this topic : http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=11393

I'll go to a 3 days festival in Germany by the end of the week. I plan to tape like 15 hours of shows, some uncompressed. That would mean a rather larger compact flash (not really cheap). And the built-in battery would be drained long before the end of the festival (power supply is very limited on the camp site). I already have several blank HiMDs, 6 gumsticks + AAs are easy to get. Interesting product, but not (yet) a killer. Built-in battery that can not be replaced is a big mistake in my opinion. I hope this could push Sony to improve HiMD : skip all DRMs with recording, provide more bitrates for recording, and eventually produce larger capacities HiMD ... (SS3.2 is a good improvement, keep going ...)

Well, other options to get a record to the PC are real time. So if we can have a 'faster than real time' way of getting a record to the PC, with as little constraints as possible (why should we have DRMs on self recorded material ?), that's good news. It took some time for Sony to improve the situation, but they seem to be on the right track ...