Avrin

The question is actually quite serious. SONY seems to have discontinued any support of CONNECT, including authentication. The server used for that is supposed to be down for good starting from the beginning of this year. But it seems to re-appear on the net sometimes even now. But noone can guarantee successful authentication anymore. As for my version of the program - the original authentication mechanism is not changed in any way. All components are original, there are no "hacks", etc., which would hamper the usage of purchased material. Provided that you can reauthenticate successfully. The only difference from the CONNECT version is that the Electronic Music Distribution (EMD) plugin, required to purchase new tracks and stream OpenMG files, is no longer installed. But I don't think that this would affect already purchased tracks. Overall, upgrading to my version of the program is the same as upgrading to an official SONY version w/o CONNECT support. You either run into problems or not. As for converting to other formats, the only way is to burn the music to Audio CDs. This is what SONY officially recommended to do with purchased music before the CONNECT store was closed. I would also recommend burning all your purchased music to Audio CDs in whatever version of SonicStage you already have, before trying to upgrade. In this way you won’t lose what you've paid for, if anything goes wrong. An additional recommendation is to install the PxEngine update from the link in the first message here, before burning. It won't affect authentication, but will provide better support for modern drives and media.

So, the NH700 should be called NHF700, since it supports an FM remote, even if it is not included. And it should work, even without resoldering. In first generation Hi-MD units, Firmware Flag service mode addresses were not used (always had 00), and Hardware Flag service mode addresses did not exist. Actual physical hardware flags were used instead, which consisted of four pins of the System Controller selectively connected to the unit’s ground. These flags differentiate the NH600D, the NH600, the NH700, and the NHF800, affecting the availability of VPT, recording, and battery charging functions. But they don’t seem to affect tuner remote power supply, since that is taken from the unit's own power supply circuitry. It would be interesting to compare the circuitry of the NH700/NHF800 and older units with tuner remotes.

Looks like I was wrong to some extent. Checking the service manual shows that the NH700 really has the infamous VB and STAT contacts required for a tuner remote to operate. So the hardware of the NH700 and the NHF800 is absolutely the same, with the exception of the R829 jumper that tells the System Controller that the unit is an NHF800. But I hope it's possible to persuade the System Controller without soldering the jumper in. Like, by setting address 0113 to 30 or 50 for a start. Still, no other Hi-MD units have these contacts.

The FM tuner remote has two extra contacts providing power to the tuner. No other Hi-MD units are equipped with the respective mating contacts. So the answer to the first question is no. The only difference between the NH700 and the NHF800 is in these contacts. The NH700 also has VPT circuitry (disabled at the factory), and both units have Speed Control circuitry (also disabled at the factory to make top models more attractive). You may try the NH600 method to add VPT and Speed Control to the NH700, and to add Speed Control to the NHF800 (it already has VPT): http://forums.sonyinsider.com/index.php?showtopic=24406 - the corresponding hardware of the three units is the same.

In case of the NH600 both modes do work, since the unit has the required hardware. The RH10 doesn't, so both these modes are useless. And the NH3D has VPT out of the box, but can also have working Speed Control enabled. And it looks like it also has line out hardware, but no way to enable the mode (since it may only be enabled with the remote disconnected). EDIT: Speed Control does work on the NH3D.

I will be really obliged if you do.

First of all, I assume that anyone reading this has adequate experience in service mode setting changes. And in no case I assume any responsibility if anything goes wrong. Those who may have used the "old school" resoldering method to get VPT functionality (which also caused Quick Mode to become inoperable, and introduced a useless (not supported by hardware) Charging mode), remove the jumper before continuing. The method is now obsolete, and the jumper may interfere with the new service mode settings. Ready? OK. 1. Set the value at address 1941 (or its copy at address 0113) to 21. This removes any possible output power limitations, and enables the Backlight (Auto/On/Off) item in the Option menu on compatible remotes. If you also want Katakana titling on the unit and Japanese menu support on compatible remotes, then set this address to 23 instead of 21. 2. Set the value at address 1942 to 20. This enables the V-SUR item in the Sound menu, giving you you full VPT support without affecting any other functions (as before). 3. Set the value at address 1943 to 01. This enables the SpeedCtrl item in the Useful menu, giving you Digital Speed Control. Regretfully, the unit does not have any line out circuitry. It is possible to enable the respective menu, but switching the mode to Line Out makes it produce no output signal at all.

Additional effect of the second byte at address 1811 (0113), common to all three generations of Hi-MD units (at least all those I have share this): Odd values (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, B, D, F) enable the Backlight menu (Auto/On/Off) on the remote. Even values (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, A, C, E) disable the Backlight menu.

Since the "Ultimate" 4.3 version seems to have gained quite a popularity, and appears to be less glitchy than any previous one, I decided to build a second release. This is purely a cosmetic update. What's changed from the first release: 1. Updated Registry Information Setup is used now. This doesn't affect minidisc functionality in any way, but may add support for some newer ATRAC phones (you still need to provide the respective drivers). 2. The link to Minidisc Community Forums in the Help menu is replaced with a link to Sony Insider Forums. 3. Installation package extraction path is no longer saved to registry. 4. Windows Installer 2.0 distribution package is not included. The complete list of changes from the official VAIO version (including changes introduced in the first release): 1. System prerequisites from Microsoft (Windows Installer 2.0, DirectX 9.0c, Windows Media Format 9, Windows Media Format 9.5, Data Access Components 2.5) are not included. 2. OpenMG Secure Module version 5.0 with the respective Registry Information is used instead of the original patched version 4.7. 3. Sony CONNECT Store support is no longer installed. 4. SonicStage Security Update is installed automatically. 5. Latest Personal Audio Drivers for SONY devices are installed automatically. 6. The VAIO support link in the Help menu is replaced with a link to Sony Insider Forums. NOTE: If you have applied the experimental SonicStage patch 4.3.02 for Vista/Windows 7, you'll need to re-apply it after installation. Download links: SonicStage 4.3 "Ultimate" Release 2 for Windows 2000/XP/Vista (you must register at Sony Insider forums to download) Mini-mode skins Recommended PxEngine update

You may either contact Dr. Ebbetts in some way - he mails his issues on a subscription basis (the 2008 Beatles Upgrades were mailed for free to those who had earlier received his previous issues of the MFSL Beatles albums, which were already much better than anything you may ever see on a CD, the only exception being the semi-official 1983 Toshiba-EMI "Black Triangle" CD issue of Abbey Road), or look for these issues on P2P networks.

Dr. Ebbetts never makes any remasters. He only makes true transfers from vinyl to CD, preserving as much of the original quality as possible during such transfers. The only actual changes he makes is removing some clicks here and there, or changing levels a bit.

Currently listening to the version of "Beatles 1" made directly from original master tapes w/o any remastering and not available officially. This is the way Beatles always sounded and should continue to. Even the pseudo-stereo version of "From Me To You" kicks ass. And the only version of studio albums I would recommend is Dr.Ebbetts 2008 Upgrade bootleg re-release sourced from MFSL vinyls. Though some may prefer his release of "The Blue Box".

1. Compression was applied to the stereo set in its entirety. On most tracks it resulted in "brickwalling" the signal level, while others still have some headroom left. In any case, the signal is distorted (any amount of compression = distortion) throughout the entire stereo set. 2. Compression was applied to Mono Masters CD1 in the mono boxset with the same result as above. Other mono CDs are not compressed. Original Stereo Mixes of Help! and Rubber Soul in the mono box are not compressed. 3. Some of the original mixes certainly had some analogue compression, at least on some instruments. But that was how the producer and the group intended the music to sound. The mixes still had enough headroom, and sounded the way they should. In no way was there any artificial "brickwalling", which we have now, and which makes the music scream at you. So vocals and many subtle sounds are no longer subtle.

Despite all promises and oaths, Mono Masters CD1 from "The Beatles in Mono" box set is compressed. The other twelve (including its twin Mono Masters CD2) are not. The stereo box is compressed in its entirety, and all Beatles intimacy and dynamics are lost. Looks like I'm not buying any of these remasters.

Just discovered another effect of using address 1821 to enable the MD REC Mode menu. Tracks and groups are now displayed "first-generation"-style when you scroll the jog wheel. Before that, when you moved the jog wheel one notch, it displayed tracks in the current group, and you could use the REW button to go to the group level, then use the jog wheel to select another group, and use the FF button to enter that group. Now the list is displayed exactly as it does on the NH600 - it contains all groups as folders, with the currently playing one expanded, and you can use only the jog wheel for navigation. The FF and REW buttons no longer have any effect in this mode.

AFAIK, SONY (and most other) players support very few video stream types, and have very strict requirements to their encoding parameters. As for chapters, this feature looks like an additional extension to the standard with some support by software players, but probably no support by hardware ones. There is even an extension of ID3V2 to enable chapters in MP3 files, but it is also hardly supported by anything.

I have no idea about chapters in MP4 files, and have no hardware to check this, since my player only supports MP3 and WMA (though it can be "persuaded" to play WAV).

Some combinations for older MD player-only E-series units: E10: Enable HOLD and hold down STOP on the unit, then enter the FF>FF>FR>FR>FF>FR>FF>FR>GROUP BACK>GROUP BACK sequence from the remote (obviously won't work with the 40ELK because of missing GROUP buttons). E30, E60, E80, E90: Enable HOLD and hold down STOP on the unit, then enter the FF>FF>FR>FR>FF>FR>FF>FR>PAUSE>PAUSE sequence from the remote (may or may not work with the 40ELK, since it has no dedicated PAUSE button).

This is a notice in Japanese that HOLD is enabled.

Seems like the EH70 is not really rich in buttons, so there must be an alternative combination. Try holding down the STOP, VOLUME UP or VOLUME DOWN button on the unit.

Exactly. The hack only enables SP and MONO recording, but I mentioned LP2 and LP4 transfer just for the sake of completeness. No. Nothing new could be obtained from the RH1 by manipulating the above four addresses. Thanks!

Just tried on my NH3D with "The Mighty Forty" connected, and it worked: 1. Switch on HOLD on the unit (as usual for entering service mode). 2. Holding down the GROUP button, use the joystick to send FF, FF, FR, FR, FF, FR, FF, FR, PLAY/PAUSE, PLAY/PAUSE. 3. Use "The Mighty Forty" to navigate in service mode and change settings. And press PLAY/PAUSE on the unit to save changed settings. The NH3D initially has 03 (Japan) at address 0113, and the Language submenu in the Option menu on the remote, where you can select Japanese or English. Setting the address to 01 (US) switches menus to English (even if they were previously set to Japanese) and removes the Language submenu.

Just to sum the stuff up. With the latest hack (1811: 23, 1812: 7F, 1821: 97, 1822: 14) the RH10/910 may now be used to create legacy discs of any type (even the RH1 can't do that!). SP and MONO may be recorded on the unit, while LP2 and LP4 may be transferred from a PC (I recommend using Minidisc Simple Burner for that, so tracks can be transferred back using the RH1). Thanks for inspiration! Anyone to try the hack on an RH710?

Which value does the unit have at address 0113 in service mode?

I don't think that any first-generation SONY units have MP3. As I've said above, putting an MP3 decoder in requires something to be removed, e.g. the ATRAC3 encoder. Even the first ever Hi-MD MP3-playing unit, the BUFFALO MD-HUSB, was only a downloader, so the unused ATRAC3 encoder was probaly also removed to enable MP3 playback.