tommypeters

Try eBay, I don't know what they eventually will go for but there are some auctions like: http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-MZ-R50-WALKMAN-MI...1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-MINIDISC-RECORDER...1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-MiniDisc-WALMAN-M...1QQcmdZViewItem

A somewhat cumbersome variant, but nevertheless has it's uses: If you have a complete CD in FLAC files, but without tags and non-descriptive names like "Track 1" a combination of Nero/M-Daemon can be used. Possibly someone gives an easier way of getting exactly the same result. Download the FLAC plugin for Nero from http://www.bitburners.com/option,com_remos...c,select/id,16/ and install it. Burn all the tracks from the CD to an (CD Audio) image file with Nero. This goes really fast, since it's written to HD instead of a CD. Mount that image file with Daemon Tools. Rip the CD (from the mounted image) using either SonicStage or SimpleBurner. Also this reading goes really fast, since the image file is on HD. All track information is fetched from freedb and the tracks get properly named.

DOes this mean that if I want to use SonicStage with a NetMD MZ-N710 and record LP2 or LP4 version 3.2 is unusable? Or more cumbersome, can I rip the CD to a higher bitrate and then a transfer the MZ-N710 will convert it to LP2/LP4? Or will SonicStage do the conversion?

OK, thanks. I will se if I will reinstall SimpleBurner or just continue with SonicStage. I guess I'll wait until I have upgraded my second computer and installed XP on it, it could have SimpleBurner/Autoplay/Service Pack 2.

He didn't point out the (non-Hi) MDS-JE480 but rather pointed out that the only non-portable Hi-MD Sony makes are the "Home Systems" CMT-AH10 and LAM-X1.

How lucky I am to usually want to listen to records from beginning to end, that was an unusually user-unfriendly way of implementing playlists.

Yes, you can't do it only using Sony's programs but with Hi-MDRenderer you can take the 16/44.1 PCM you recorded through optical in and convert it to WAV, FLAC or other lossless formats. And it goes through no lossy format "in-between".

Yes, and since a DVD-R cost about twice as much as a CD-R and holds six to seven times the data and only needs the same storage space as one CD-R I recommend DVD-R. Just don't trust them too much, burn with "Verify Data" on and make duplicates of the most precious recordings. Store one copy at home and one somewhere else, DVD-R's are that cheap.

Looks very similar (also the specs) to this: http://cgi.ebay.com/STEREO-POWERED-MD-DAT-...oQQcmdZViewItem ...where they clearly state "If you only have a socket marked 'Line In' or 'Optical' coloured white then although you can use your recorder with this microphone it will only be suitable for recording loud sounds."

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?act=announce&f=98&id=5

You mean to print it out in triplicates...?

Of course, I didn't think about the encoding. One thing I have noticed though, is that you can get better result playing a CD from the HD (ripped by EAC) than directly from the CD-ROM unit. That difference is only noticeable with good speakers/connected to a Hi-fi system, so I'm not sure it will make any difference when converted to Hi-SP. Regardless, the speed when using SonicStage and also the help from CDDB is worth a lot and I will go the PC route.

Well, with that decent price I understand why Sony don't want to deliver and rather sell the disks elsewhere. I have wondered when the prices on Hi-MD discs would fall, since it in most countries is set based on how much more it will hold than a normal MD disc - not at all the difference in manufacturing cost. Is it you that use to export Hi-MD discs, when you have them?

Is there any special advantage in using optical, will the fast USB transfer give a lower quality sound? (as I understand it the Hi-SP mode isn't "fake" as the SP mode is, when transferring by USB) Or is it just that your source isn't CD?

Seems to be an extremely good price, AUD$44 for ten compared to AUD$105 here in Sweden (including AUD$21 VAT), and that's a good price compared to elsewhere in Europe. AUD$44 = 249SEK = 17.80GBP = 26.30€ = USD$32.20

Well, the last part was a joke... I do have it in this small Samsonite Trekking digital camera case, but I hang the strap over my shoulder and have the case under my arm. I can run around without thinking about any skipping.

Best would be if the suppoerted formats weren't "hard coded" so you could use FLAC (for example) that uses less space and has no 2/4GB limit.

I have ripped what I wanted to rip for the moment, have a little too many CD's to for ripping all of them to Hi-MD's/ATRACs on HD...

No, it's not "Next in line" after the last HD letter, and no - it's not a good idea to change that drive letter bnecause of several reasons. But I will install the program another time on a machine where such is the case, I just have to find one with a good enough specs and OS.

Maybe since the VAT is so high here they also bother more not to let items pass by the customs unnoticed, good for you...

Well, SonicStage 3.2 is a big step forward, for sure. Maybe I should tell Sony Sweden about it, I just got an email from them telling me that 3.1 now is available... I can't get SimpleBurner to work on my machine, but since I can rip a CD-->HD-->Hi-MD with SS3.2 and then just delete the files on my HD the difference in needed work is minor.

This "gift" tricks works if the customs people are stupid, lazy or both. Here they are usually neither, RMA replacement doesn't work so well any longer either. But it may work well for you.

Interesting, will see if I can put some time into it as well...

Well, that memory isn't for "constantly shocking"... I can go out running in hilly terrain for an hour/say with my NH600 in Hi-SP mode and never get any skipping. But not if I believe that it's "Sony's problem" and treat it like a yo-yo... I have it in a small "Samsonite Trekking" digital camera case which I hold in my hand, pretending I'm a waiter serving four glasses of champagne.

I found the key FirstRun and set that to 1 and rebooted. That opened up the possibility to give a username and password and later also allowed me to register the program with CDDB. If I mount an image with Daemon Tools and reboot, G: is still there at boot-up and SB goes to CDDB and recognizes the CD. Trying to copy it however gives an error message that there's something wrong with the CD. SonicStage can read and copy it, though. Trying the physical drives gives the response as before, an immediate "No Audio CD in drive!"