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baturjan

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Posts posted by baturjan

  1. You have to understand that I never used the MD for music until some exploring/experimenting the last few months I used them. Had I used them for music earlier on, I might have kept them. The 10 years I used them was for field recording of speech for language learning (a Turkik language and Chinese). Of course, I used it a lot during language lessons in class too. I did do some recording of folk music of people playing in my house, but my use was very specific to learning languages.

    The features of the MD that make it ideal for language learning are: sound quality, dividing/joining tracks, deleting segments of a track, repeat playback, labeling, and with HiMD bookmarks the greatest of all is the speed control.

    The first time I stopped using MD's was when there was a couple of years where I wasn't needing them for language. I've now been working in the Arabic speaking world for a year, and that's when I started using them again (M200; NH900; R55). I replaced the MD with the Sony PCM-M10 because it does everything I need for language learning, works a lot easier with my Mac (mainly just less steps in the upload process), quicker in operations, far less buggy, a lot less accessories/equipment (I only use a 1/8" cardoid and a USB cable). Oh, I almost forgot, nice huge, straightforward buttons and a manual dial for recording level! Last, and certainly not the least, the sound quality is incredible. Of course, the price goes without saying when it's less than $300.

  2. baturjan, sorry to hear you're leaving the fold. Please consider mothballing all your MD gear rather than selling it off. I went through a similar thing and sold off all my gear and disc (including some MD compilations that were very dear to me). I regretted it and wished I'd put it all in deep storage instead.

    I already sold everything before posting. I'm pretty confident this time around, since it is the second time, sort of.

  3. This is my goodbye to minidisc that I used for 10 years. I recently purchased the Sony PCM-M10, which does almost everything I did on the MD. Aside from being a workhorse for me, the MD is just plain fun and sounds great to boot. There are priorities I have to make in my life and the MD didn't make the cut. :sad:

    Thanks for a great ride and all the help many of you have been over the years.

    Enjoy!

  4. Maybe some of the illogical arguments in this thread steam from a subconscious appreciation of a device that restricts uncontrollable cravings to have more.

    Definitely recording is the MD's strength. One strength that vsherry didn't mention is the tactile experience of the MD. For those people who like to work with their hands, this aspect is especially appreciated: handling discs, putting in discs, ejecting, labeling, stacking. It's something I appreciate about them, that I didn't realize until exclusively using an MP3 player.

    Finally, I feel that the minidisc is obsolete for me since I just purchasing the new Sony PCM-M10 solid state recorder. I just sold all my minidisc equipment. The M10 is smaller sibling to the PCMD50, and is designed as a more affordable recorder for musicians (can be had for $300). Although, I use it exclusively for voice recording.

    The editing features on the M10 is very much like an MD, and it's interface with the computer is dead easy and simple. For those reasons, I made the switch. And, it can record in 96/24 quality to boot!

  5. really baturjan? can you tell me how to achieve that? I have an RH1 and am trying to get it to connect to a Mac G5 to do HI MD transfer but with no results. I tried the "HI MD music Transfer" software (admittedly version 1.0) that came with the RH 1 and nothing; you can see the gear connected and LOOK AT the track listing on the media within the machine but not do ANYTHING with it- not even play it.

    You should remove version 1.0 and install version 2.0. Do a google search for the link. Hi-MD Music Transfer will enable you to transfer:

    Mac to RH1: WAV and MP3 (there is a stipulation on the type of MP3, you can read the pdf for Hi-MD Music Transfer 2.0 for that. I no longer have the file)

    RH1 to Mac: PCM, HiSP, HiLP recordings, and WAV/MP3 files that you put there from the Mac.

    Hi-MD Music Transfer allows you to look at these files on your RH1. You can title the tracks and folders as well as rearrange them.

    Is "Virtual Box" a PC emulator for Macs? Does the Sony HI MD Music transfer thing just not work on Macs?

    Virtual Box is Sun Systems virtualization software for the Mac, that enables you to run Windows on your Mac. It's freeware and can be downloaded from their site. After you install Virtual Box, run Virtual Box to install Windows XP. Then install SonicStage 4.2 in Windows and you can do everything that SonicStage can do, and now on your Mac.

  6. Yes, but I posted it for sale on ebay yesterday. In fact all my md stuff was posted yesterday. I don't use md for listening to music, though I think it's the coolest Xgen music listener. I record a lot and just purchased a Sony PCM-M10.

  7. My B10 started to insert a 1 second scratch/white noise sound rhythmically. I removed the batteries and just tried the 3V power cord and the scratch noise disappeared. The B10 uses 2 AA batteries, but can also run on just one.

    I use Ni-MH 2000mAh batteries. When I noticed the problem, the batteries showed half on the MD LCD. I recharged the batteries and the problem went away. I only have one Duracell AA right now. I tried with only that in the B10, which showed half full, and the noise was there too. My recording times are daily but only 15 minutes maximum for any single recording. Since I'm using 2 AA batteries in the B10 and record short sessions, I'm not recharging that often. What I don't know is if I'm recording for a couple hours will the noise appear when the battery level drops to half. I'm testing that right now, but I'm only 20 minutes into the recording. I wanted to write this post anyway.

    Interesting characteristics of the noise:

    1) The duration is 1 second

    2) The time between the scratches is proportional to the REC MODE (SP 2 = seconds; MONO 4 = seconds; LP2 6 = seconds; LP4 8 = seconds).

    3) It is applied to both tracks. For example, using a mono mic and SP recording, I split the tracks on the computer and I could hear the scratch on the unrecorded track in the same location as the recorded track.

    4) It apparent the the problem stems from low power and not the mics.

    I've attached a screen shot of the unrecorded track that was amplified 6000% to see the waveform.

    I've also attached a 4 second WAV file of the unrecorded track, as is without amplification.

    scratch.wav

    post-59939-126047858865_thumb.jpg

  8. Adrian,

    I have an older version of QHiMDTransfer installed which does launch, but doesn't work very well.

    I downloaded and put the Mac Intel version on my MacBook OS 10.5.8. However, it doesn't load. This the log from Console:

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM [0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835] dyld: Library not loaded: @executable_path/../Frameworks/libmad.0.dylib

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM [0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835] Referenced from: /Applications/QHiMDTransfer.app/Contents/MacOS/QHiMDTransfer

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM [0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835] Reason: no suitable image found. Did find:

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM [0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835] /Applications/QHiMDTransfer.app/Contents/MacOS/../Frameworks/libmad.0.dylib: unknown required load command 0x80000022

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM [0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835] /Applications/QHiMDTransfer.app/Contents/MacOS/../Frameworks/libmad.0.dylib: unknown required load command 0x80000022

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM com.apple.launchd[68] ([0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835]) Exited abnormally: Trace/BPT trap

    12/10/09 5:45:14 PM com.apple.launchd[68] ([0x0-0x323323].com.yourcompany.QHiMDTransfer[9835]) Exited abnormally: Trace/BPT trap

  9. I have a further query, is it possible to use the RH1 to format standard MDs in 80 minute format. It is because my Yamaha deck only plays this format and it would be a an easy way to put together some of my compilations.

    Yes, but your would need to use SonicStage. The Hi-MD Music Transfer does not support anything but Hi-MD. If you are wanting to put iTunes music onto a standard MD (SP, LP, etc.) then you need to copy the iTunes music into SonicStage and then transfer them to your RH1 with standard disc. I use VirtualBox running Windows XP. VirtualBox is freeware and works great. I have had zero problems with it in almost daily use over the past 6 months. Granted I'm only using VB and XP to run SonicStage.

  10. Here is Sony's link for Hi-MD Music Transfer.

    http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?upd_id=2236&PASSVAL2=SMB&mdl=MZM100

    The software works with the RH1 and discs formatted in Hi-MD. It will allow you to

    1) download WAV and MP3 onto the RH1

    2) rename tracks on the RH1 (WAV, MP3, PCM, Hi-SP, Hi-LP)

    3) upload recordings (LinearPCM, Hi-SP, Hi-LP) from RH1 to Mac.

    Keep in mind that this software is PowerPC. I don't think that PowerPC applications are compatible Snow Leopard.

    If the development of QHiMDTransfer continues as it has been, then it has promise to far surpass Hi-MD Music Transfer in features for the RH1 and the Mac.

    https://wiki.physik.fu-berlin.de/linux-minidisc/doku.php#linux-minidisc

  11. One his requirements is to have a play mode button on the unit (not the remote or buried in a menu). The R909 doesn't really offer him any additional advantages vs what he has already.

    That's right. And, I'm getting used to using the remote for my NH900. One thing I've learned is that when ever you divide a track, the single-track-repeat play mode stops, and it returns to normal play. I'm sure there is a technical reason to explain why this has to happen.

  12. Oh, you misunderstood. I didn't mean that you'd fail to accomplish your goal of learning more languages. I meant that I'm not aware of any units with the combination you want. You can do as I did and study the Gear Browser, but I think you'll come to the same conclusion.

    Ok let's fumble over misunderstands. This is exactly as I understood your comment. My response was to communicate that I am content to continue using my units.

    I do know through the Equipment Browser that the Group function seemed to start around R909. So I'm looking at units starting from there, and not with Net units because I don't need the Net feature.

  13. It seems that with so many restrictions you're setting yourself up for failure. Basically the key to success here is to be happy with the one-line remote. I've happily discovered that the little backlit remote that came with my RH1 works with every single unit I currently own.

    I'm on my third language using minidisc since 1999, and I've been using the ones I have. I don't know enough about other units. Thinking that others do, I thought I would post such a request. I will continue to use the ones I have just as I always have.

    The other option, of course, is to abandon MiniDisc altogether and investigate other solutions. If this is that important to you this is no time to stand on sentimentality.

    I have looked at digital recorders over the years, but non to date (that I'm aware of) have the T-Mark splitting versatility of the minidisc. Some will cut tracks, but you can't rejoin, nor is it nearly as precise as the MD. T-mark button is the one feature (aside from sound quality) that makes the MD great for language learning.

  14. I use MDs almost exclusively for language learning. I'm looking for another non-HiMD device (I only record in mono or SP with my B10) that has the following features:

    physical features:

    1) play-mode button (not buried in submenus. I use track-repeat every time I listen.)

    2) T-mark button (ideally in a convenient location like on top)

    3) Multi-line LCD (so I don't have to buy the 40ELK)

    4) NiMH battery, and not AA

    "non-physical" features

    1) Groups (absolute must)

    2) Bookmarks

    The devices I have, and why I don't like using them for reviewing language lessons:

    1) MZ-B10 (this is what I use for all my language recordings). The play mode is buried in submenus, and it's too big for my jeans pocket.

    2) MZ-R55: my first unit and most nostalgic, but no group or bookmarks

    3) NH900: The play mode is buried in submenus. I have to be under a light or in the sunlight to read the LCD. Of course, I could use the remote, but I'm usually holding the unit about 65% of the time that I'm listening. And the remote is only one line. Maybe there are some ways to setup this unit. I know there is some customization options. I just haven't taken the time to go through the manual. But the LCD is still an issue.

    4) RH1: Exclusively for computer upload/download.

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