freddyjollo

Like you I have just carried on using it but not to the exlusion of better alternatives, which have to some extent replaced what was once the only way to do the job. I use the BBC iPlayer radiodownloader that was mentioned in these forums elsewhere to get my favourite radio shows where I think there will be a large number of episodes of differnt shows - I dont want to get a muddle on a minidisc. I ll put them there later, if I want them portable. I am not happy with VCRs(YUK!) or 4:3 tvs. Totallly NO! Minidisc, cult? No. Current? No. Sometimes you get used to things, especially things nicely made - pride of ownership. Most people understand that? In these days of austerity, I cant afford to always have the greatest, best and latest - many people appreciated that also.

seems like some chancer is also trying to sell the JA333ES at £500 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sony-MDS-JA333ES-Mini-Disc-Player-sony-ES-very-RAREmdlp-/150448493155?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CE_Cassette_RL&hash=item23076dd263 some people lol

regarding portables - anything that uses AA batteries - nothing that uses propriety batteries ( ie most of the classy stuff ). My favourite legacy portable is the Sharp MDMT88/99. nice solid alu body decent volume and play back time, takes rechargeable AAs and has a mic and optical in, had a good big clear display and very reliable( I have 3 - the first one has lasted atleast 6 years so far - I stopped counting some time ago) for HiMd the Sony NH600 - very poor display though, but decent volume, sound and battery

well I got one from Ebay a few years ago - was cheap - I think about 7 uk pounds and was probably a fake - but it still works fine certainly for voice work. There is another possibility re these "fake" items. It is commom practice when a company orders say 20,000 item for the manufacturer to make a few more to cover quality control rejects. What happens to the rejects but more importantly the excess product? I understand from the fashion business these , hmm , disappear.... So they may not be fakes after all!

Well the one I would like to get my mitts on would be a Sony JA333ES - the best of the expensive decks as it was nicely built and also had the LP modes. I remember about 2 years ago seeing 2 for sale almost at the same time on Ebay and some guy got them both for about

I use LP4 a lot for spoken word. I find when used for music it tends to lose a bit of the sparkle of the original - Thats not too much of an issue using ear bud phones as they tend to distort the sound balance any way, but I do notice playing thru a hifi system. The 5 hrs is though very attractive.

well they used a minidisc as it looks exotic & sophisticated, especially with the large bulbous microphone? Its un familiar. Dont hold your breathe, I dont think people will even really notice it. Just a James Bond type of gadget?

The UK tuned ones also used copper screws!!!

never had a Ist generation machine unless u call a JB 930 deck that 2nd Gerneration LP models - the only one I ever used and use is the Sharp MD-MT88. A real solid aluminium body ( puts the Sony MR-RH1 to shame) and takes an AA battery, gives me about 16 hours playback. Has mic and optical input and u can recharge a NiMh battery in situ. Sound is great and loud. The machine has been very reliable. I bought 3 (I was told portables only last 3 years ) about 6-7 years ago now when my Local Argos were clearing them out. I am still on the first one - ( how many iPodders can say that!)Its getting a bit scruffy now with some of the chrome from the buttons worn off but still works perfectly. Basic editing is so easy. I am truly amazed at the build quality - and this was a budget model. This isnt a NetMd - I use other mds for that purpose. 3rd generation hmm I do have some but really dont like them that much - Sony NH600, MZ-RH1. They just do the job

well in general old technology doesnt usually sell for much unless there is a real demand and short supply. I bought recently a Fujitsu Pocket Loox 710 pda for £28 incl of postage from Ebay. Almost mint. New in circa 2005 these cost about £240, even the more advanced 720 model only costs £45 when they cost £360 new. These are still good machines and make good audio & video players amongst their talents. My favourite md is the Sharp MD-MT88 portable. - It has a thick metal body and has a mic input, and mine have been ultra reliable for the last 6+ years. They have a real classy feel to them. I bought 3 when they were being disposed off by Argos about 7+ years ago now. I am still only on the first one, everything works. lol. I doubt if I could get more than £20 for them if I sold them.

Are you sure they are scratches? The top surface has a lubricant I seem to remember as the magnetic record head actually touches the top. I remember a long time ago when I was very new to md, buying some clear mds from Richer Sounds, & when I looked at the top surface there seemed to be these marks, circular rings in places. So I returned all but one box. When I took the ones I had used apart it was clear that I was seeing lubricant "marks". The state of the top surface shouldnt really affect play back as the laser reads from the bottom surface and is non contact. So if a disk has been ok and hasnt been re recorded it should play alright - the record head hasnt been in contact with the top? I think the big worry is about mds "drying out" ie the lubricant going off and not doing its job? What is the lifespan in this repect of a md regarding its recording usefulness?

cant seem to get a picture up here if u want a picture of the knick on the front edge please contact me with an email address then I ll send u one.

here is a picture of the front knick on the top edge just over the "yes" button. it is very small it isnt on the front plate. so may not be seen if in a close fitting rack ( if at all)

ok a few more points Just tried it out on 2 points - It doesnt have the divide rehearsal mode bug when working with the last track. ( it was bought just before the 940 came out so was probably a late model) Also no problems with updating TOC when power is removed. re scratches etc I have noticed 2 tiny knicks size of a big pin head revealing bright metal - one on front top edge over the "yes" button. another on the back. very small indeed. I have found the rather yellowed manual (only English bits) and the keyboard control card(useful)

oh offers around

Any one here interested in buying my Sony MDS-JB930 Minidisc deck, Uk Special edition. UK offers only. It was the first minidisc I ever bought (new by the way)& was bought just before the JB940 came out. It was enough to help me realise(in retrospect) that SP mode wasnt for me so I promptly (about 2 months later ) bought a JB940 deck. I soley use LP2/LP4 modes. This deck only has SP & mono record modes. The deck for sale has had very little use as a result & has been packed away. Original box & remote included. It is in very very good condition. No obvious marks in the paint. I do notice if you catch the top in the light you can see see some superficial,very very faint lines, running along the top in places, possible due to a book having been on the top. To the casual eye they are lost in the black mottled surface of the top. But you would have to be looking for them to see them, they are so faint, not very deeply etched Certainly for some thing that is how many years old now, I doubt you will get a better one. Of course its fully working. Sorry no instructions. I live in London so you could pick it up, or I ll deliver if you live south of the river Thames & not too far east or west, otherwise postage would be needed on top of any price agreed. Offers please to me. I will keep this open for 2-3 weeks before I think about Ebay. feel free to ask any questions.

yep. I had been doing something like that into my MD decks, BUT to do timed recordings means then setting 2 timers - one on the freeview box, one for the deck - too much trouble. Its a shame that Freeview doesnt produce mp3 music files, then the Grundig box would have been ideal. Oh about that Grunding box I have read it wont work with hard drives that spin down when not in use

The NetMd on the MDS-JB980 is a waste of time in my opinion - very slow compared to a decent HiMd in netMd mode like the NH600. I used that feature a few times then never again - a shame really. It would have been nice for a fast NetMd deck. It has so called S version of the Atrac codec that is supposed to enhance the playback of LP modes. I could never hear any difference. Compared to the JB940 it feels a bit light weight and lacks some features ( that I never used ) I see on Ebay the MDS-JB980 sells very well indeed - I have seen some silly punters pay upwards of

Well why do I choose minidisc? Like many the reason is probably that the choice was made when there were far fewer options & it just so happens that minidisc still works (more or less). If I was starting now it wouldnt be minidisc. I must say I have got attached to some of the hardware - Sony & Sharp made some very well made devices which it is a pleasure to use. I have been reconsidering lately the best way to record radio epecially the new digital stations. In the past the only really good, effortless method was a deck that had a record slider. These days there is the iPlayer download software, Radio Downloader, recently mentioned in another thread, but the trouble maybe coverage. Freeview is another option but how to get the files off the box? Humax boxes no longer have a working usb port & the Topfield seems to be unfit for use in its stock state. I have recently come across the cheap Grundig GDB20USB3 freeview box that has 3 usb ports for attaching pen drives or self powered hard discs, that save files in a mpg_ts format as a matter of course. These play fine I read on PCs. http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.206-1980.aspx http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1136455 Seems like these are available from Tesco's here in the UK for

I use Lp2 or Lp4. Lp4 for recording spoken radio shows. I did buy a HiMd portable but now only use it as a good NetMd device. I (used to mainly) use the 940/980 brand of deck of which I still have a few, & had Sony brought out a HiMd deck that was readily available I would probably have changed my choice - but they didnt. I would have preferred they had made a deck rather than the MZ-RH1

I heard Sony was bringing out a new hi capacity minidisc using blu ray type technology oh 5gb or so hehe

I have one I only use for transferring not as a portable. it seems a bit flimsey and too expenive for that purpose. I havent had any problems with mine. The battery has never been used nor the remote. I have been busy getting all my hundreds of LP2 and LP4 recordings onto my pc. I hope it lasts the course.

well its been a useful digression - I didnt know of the radio downloader nor I bet many other people. I dont think it will replace my use of my decks & the time switch slider though as some of my shows not on iPlayer. It just means I can download more than I would otherwise as I dont like to mix different programmes on the same disc. In this way I got most of the old comedies some time ago - Dads army, Hancock's Half Hour, All Gas & Gaiters, Steptoe & Son, Yes Minister & One foot in the Grave. The only irritation is that Radio 7 where these come from is only mono - I just hope in the axing of 6 Music etc this will change - some of the good SciFi dramas like Journey Into Space & Earth Search were broadcast in stereo on freeview. I did record these again but having to set up 2 timers ( one in the freeview box ) is a pain.