gconoh

I've continued to use minidisc rather than iPod and the like because it's the only digital format (besides the cheaper but inflexible and easily damaged recordable cd) that you can use with both your computer and your home stereo. Your options for recording music digitally without a computer are few. Oddly enough, both of the widely available models are from Sony (their MD and recordable CD decks). I record in sp mode, which provides great sound quality, but I'd love to be able to create mixes on my home deck in an uncompressed mode, which you can do with Hi-MD (PCM). I haven't bought a Hi-MD portable because it doesn't adequately support the original SP mode. Sony (and others) need to realize that there are folks out there who don't want to be tied to their computers to create/edit their music. And minidisc is still the best way to record from and edit analog sources. Minidisc should have been the worthy successor to tape for home audio enthusiasts. The fact that many electronics stores still sell (and several companies manufacture) cassette tape decks suggests that Sony has missed out on an underserved market segment.