Mp3 Compatibility

[Christopher]

No, it's impossible for certain models [at this time]. You will have to transcode the mp3 files to ATRAC3/plus with Sonicstage 3, Simple Burner 2, or via the digital/mic in. This is a relatively easy process but it does take a little longer than the convential MP3 player to get music on the device. Many people knock the Sonicstage software, but in my tests, it only takes 5 minutes to transcode a CD to 256kbps ATRAC3plus and put it on a Hi-MD disc on a NH900.

The only models with mp3 compatibility are the MZ-DH10P, MZ-RH10, MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH710.

[mviracca]

Hi,

I've been looking for this answer for a while now, glad I finally found it (obviously looking in the wrong place).

Can I just check that this is still the current state of affairs? I noticed your post was place in Jan.

Great forum by the way, very friendly and helpful people in here.

[Christopher]

Welcome to the forums! Yes, this info is 100% correct. I edited it a week ago with the bold text.

[atrain]

kuris is there a dh710? does that support mp3?

[Christopher]

As far as I know the RH710 does indeed support *.mp3. I really have little information about this unit as it's a seemingly Europe-only release. I would assume it does considering the nomenclature is the same as the rest of the 2nd generation family, but then again I thought the CMT-AH10 would and it didn't. Who knows, I'm sure a friendly European will chime in and "pwn" us all. ;P

[Zhack]

Hi all!

i just joined this forum today. I m intending to get a new md device.

Just hav a few questions in mind :

1) Which are the models that are suited to record my entire 1G + worth of mp3 files?

2) what are the differences between the models?

thanx

No, it's impossible for certain models [at this time]. You will have to transcode the mp3 files to ATRAC3/plus with Sonicstage 3, Simple Burner 2, or via the digital/mic in. This is a relatively easy process but it does take a little longer than the convential MP3 player to get music on the device. Many people knock the Sonicstage software, but in my tests, it only takes 5 minutes to transcode a CD to 256kbps ATRAC3plus and put it on a Hi-MD disc on a NH900.

The only models with mp3 compatibility are the MZ-DH10P, MZ-RH10, MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH710.

←

[Ishiyoshi]

Hi all!

i just joined this forum today. I m intending to get a new md device.

Just hav a few questions in mind :

1) Which are the models that are suited to record my entire 1G + worth of mp3 files?

2) what are the differences between the models?

thanx

←

Welcome to MDCF. Please refer to the MD Equipment Browser accordingly for the information you seek. In addition, please also use the search utility; you will be pleasantly surprised with the immense discussion regarding the differences between first and second generation units.

[FezzFest]

As far as I know the RH710 does indeed support *.mp3. I really have little information about this unit as it's a seemingly Europe-only release. I would assume it does considering the nomenclature is the same as the rest of the 2nd generation family, but then again I thought the CMT-AH10 would and it didn't. Who knows, I'm sure a friendly European will chime in and "pwn" us all. ;P

←

I'm a proud European owner of a RH710 and yes it has *.mp3 support (but the the RH710 suffers also from the "mp3 high frequency bug" like the RH10/910)

Grtz

[big_raji]

I'm a proud European owner of a RH710 and yes it has *.mp3 support (but the the RH710 suffers also from the "mp3 high frequency bug" like the RH10/910)

Grtz

←

Can someone make a sticky post in this section about the MP3 high frequency bug?

When I first saw it mentioned, I had no idea what people were talking about. I had to do various searches, and realized that for every 10 people that mention this bug, only 1 person actually partially explains what this bug is.

From what I've gathered, this "MP3 High Frequency Bug" affects the sound quality of transferred MP3 files. The MP3 files still transfer fine, and will still sound great when played through the MiniDisc -> SonicStage -> PC Speakers, but when you play the MP3 files from your MiniDisc to your headphones, higher frequency sounds are muffled. You can adjust your equalizer to compensate for this "bug".

If anyone has any other info about "MP3 Bugs" please post it here, or make another sticky for it. I'm a relative newbie, so I have no idea if my info is complete or even correct.

Edited August 10, 2005 by big_raji

[chomprock]

so i can't hack my north american NH-600D to play MP3s? damn. anything to avoid dealing with sony's god-awful software. without a doubt, the worst software i've ever been forced to use.

[Timothy]

From China mainland. It seems the new NH1 supports the MP3 Files transfer without transform to atrac..

could anybody explain it to me?

May it use the Service Mode to make the old NH1 supports this?

Sorry for my poor English.

[The Low Volta]

From China mainland. It seems the new NH1 supports the MP3 Files transfer without transform to atrac..

could anybody explain it to me?

May it use the Service Mode to make the old NH1 supports this?

hi, as far as I understand it:

- there is no 'new' NH1... it is 1st gen (released in 2004) and those do not support MP3 but there will be an RH1 soon (which will support MP3)

- all HiMD's "support" MP3, but 1st gen only by recoding to ATRAC while 2nd gen really supports the format without conversion

- in data mode, all HiMD's can 'carry' MP3's... but then they can't be played on the machine (it simply functions like a removable drive)

so i'm afraid you must have been misinformed (unless I'm really mistaken, but I doubt that)

[Squireller]

MZ-RH910 can play mp3 and MZ-NH900 can't yes?

So can't i modify my MZ-NH900 (maybe with service mode?) to make it compatible with mp3...

PS sorry for my english

[The Low Volta]

no, not as far as we know and Sony hasn't upgraded firmware on the HiMDs ever

[Stuge]

So can't i modify my MZ-NH900 (maybe with service mode?) to make it compatible with mp3...

Mp3 Compatibility depends upon the chip that is being used & How companies give give directions to the chip via Firmware ..

If a model is not Mp3 compatible than you can`t make it compatible by changing the settings in the test mode .

[Squireller]

Well, i'll continue converting mp3's to Atrac.

Thanks for answers

[MDWasSabotaged]

Sorry If This is off topic. Couldn't add a new "thread".

I wanted to know if there is some sort of alternative software to Sonic Stage to copy music to and from Hi MD minidisc players.

Like many users, I am quite dissatisfied by the lack of options, and find the program just generally useless as a music player, or for managing my music library. I generally just use the MD Simple Burner to Copy CDs onto MD, and when I do want to make a compilation I end up frustrated at how slow it is. If there were a software similar to Windows Media Player, that could burn to Hi-MD (and maybe even Music and DATA CDs) I would be "a happy camper".

The other (and more important) reason I would like to use a different software is because I have quite a number of albums on Hi-MD that I copied from my old PC, from CDs that weren't mine, and now I cannot copy this music onto my new Laptop. I would like to know if this is possible, either within the Sonic Stage Program (removing the write protection) or with another software program. Also it would be quite useful to be able to convert the ATRAC tracks into MP3, etc...

Just Read the Sony Website about the new HI MD "Global" with Photo capatability. http://www.sony.net/Products/Hi-MD/photo.html A couple of months ago I read something about it for the first time and was under the impression that they were going to make MP3 playback possible. It seems that they will always be a step behind. Seeing as how iPod leads all other competeters in sales, wouldn't it be better to conform? "If you can't beat them, join them!"

If you could reply to my email address I would be grateful!!!

[woody]

hello

I don't know the real source of this but @ heise.de you can read that sony is leaving atrac behind, (it's in german, you know where to find online translators...) I hope .ogg will be played on future md players/recorders and not only .aac ...!

cu

wood

Edited May 14, 2006 by tomdesnaker

[A440]

I wanted to know if there is some sort of alternative software to Sonic Stage to copy music to and from Hi MD minidisc players.

The other (and more important) reason I would like to use a different software is because I have quite a number of albums on Hi-MD that I copied from my old PC, from CDs that weren't mine, and now I cannot copy this music onto my new Laptop. \\

They were going to make MP3 playback possible.

No, there is no other Hi-MD software.

No, Sony won't enable you to make unauthorized copies of CDs. Lest we forget, Sony Music likes to sell CDs. You can try using SonicStage 3.4 and see if you can unprotect those files, but I doubt it. If you're desperate you can record them in analog in realtime--out of the headphone jack, into your computer--with a free recording program like Audacity, or play them back in the computer with SonicStage and record them digitally with TotalRecorder. Or if your computer doesn't have line-in, you could record them out of the headphone jack out into another Hi-MD (also realtime) and upload them from the MD.

Yes, mp3 playback became possible on the RH* units, but with crippled sound on any unit except the RH1. Still not drag and drop, though.

[xcalibur619]

just a quick question, ive heard many say that converting mp3's downloaded off the internet (eg. bitrates of between 128kbps and 192 kbps) to atrac is a long process and yields poor results in sound quality. what i would like to know, is if this opinion is coming from an audiophile's point of view (ie. someone who is very picky about their music/sound quality, or is this coming from your average joe schmo who doesnt mind the sound quality he gets from normal everyday mp3 players?

just wanted to know if it was subjective, or if it was unanimous across the board that MD is not a good media for playing MP3 converted to atrac

[Stuge]

Sound quality will be definately gets worse(very little (if any ) ) if you convert Mp3 to Atrac .

[mestkidd]

The only models with mp3 compatibility are the MZ-DH10P, MZ-RH10, MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH710.

What about the new MZR-H1? can it do Mp3 and what do you mean by these models handeling Mp3's natively or are compatible with Mp3?

thank you, Aaron....

[The Low Volta]

the RH1 like the ones quoted in the post above can play MP3 without the need for conversion to atrac... unlike the 1st gen HiMDs (NH600/700/800/900/1) that need SonicStage to convert MP3->atrac(3+)first

[frigate]

About the mp3 playback in the dh10p, 710, and 910, how much worse do the mp3s sound the normal, and what is the best way to ajust it?

[greenmachine]

About the mp3 playback in the dh10p, 710, and 910, how much worse do the mp3s sound the normal, and what is the best way to ajust it?

The high end is a bit rolled off (dull sound), which you can partially compensate by adjusting the EQ (4khz 1 notch up, 10 khz 2 notches up is usually suggested).

[doomlordis]

On the subject of transcoding there was an interesting test done by someone on hydrogenaudio , they transcoded to 128kbps mp3 from a lossless file, then transcoded the mp3 8 times , the 1st generation mp3 (the first transcode from mp3 to mp3) was very close to the original and could not be identified easily, the 8th generation mp3 was surprisingly good but had some swooshing , it showed that transcoding once creates a good file with very little difference from original.

[kaiwai]

On the subject of transcoding there was an interesting test done by someone on hydrogenaudio , they transcoded to 128kbps mp3 from a lossless file, then transcoded the mp3 8 times , the 1st generation mp3 (the first transcode from mp3 to mp3) was very close to the original and could not be identified easily, the 8th generation mp3 was surprisingly good but had some swooshing , it showed that transcoding once creates a good file with very little difference from original.

Meh, for me, I've got a MZ-RH1, using ATRAC3pro (@64k), and its very good in quality; I've listened to a variety of music genre (hard rock, metal, industrial, avante guard Jazz, classical without any problems (or atleast noticeable by me).

[raintheory]

Meh, for me, I've got a MZ-RH1, using ATRAC3pro (@64k), and its very good in quality; I've listened to a variety of music genre (hard rock, metal, industrial, avante guard Jazz, classical without any problems (or atleast noticeable by me).

that's all that counts!

as so many people have stated and restated/// let your own ears be your guide!

if lower bitrates are transparent to you / sound okay, then you can put more music on an MD.

[kaiwai]

that's all that counts!

as so many people have stated and restated/// let your own ears be your guide!

if lower bitrates are transparent to you / sound okay, then you can put more music on an MD.

True, very true. It depends on the codec used to compress too. Not all encoders are made equal; an older version might have a worse audio analyser than a later, and yet, generate the same sort of file.

I guess it also depends on the equipment one plays it back on. I'm going to give 48K a go to see what "FM Audio" is like

[kaiwai]

True, very true. It depends on the codec used to compress too. Not all encoders are made equal; an older version might have a worse audio analyser than a later, and yet, generate the same sort of file.

I guess it also depends on the equipment one plays it back on. I'm going to give 48K a go to see what "FM Audio" is like

I gave the 48k a go, and it was ok'ish, but wasn't exactly pleasent listening to. 64k is the lowest I can probably stand

Edit: Did a comparison between the 64K and 48K, I must have been thinking the 64k one was better because in my brain I have this fixation of bigger number equals better quality. It turns out I notice very little difference. Unless I really sit there and listen intensively, I found it hard to disguish the difference.

Edited June 28, 2007 by kaiwai

[frigate]

I am guessing I still have to use sonicstage to get the mp3s onto the thing so that they can be played?

[greenmachine]

I am guessing I still have to use sonicstage to get the mp3s onto the thing so that they can be played?

True, drag and dropped mp3s or other files are not playable on the unit.

[bobt]

I gave the 48k a go, and it was ok'ish, but wasn't exactly pleasent listening to. 64k is the lowest I can probably stand

Edit: Did a comparison between the 64K and 48K, I must have been thinking the 64k one was better because in my brain I have this fixation of bigger number equals better quality. It turns out I notice very little difference. Unless I really sit there and listen intensively, I found it hard to disguish the difference.

Just noticed your co-ordinates, a kiwi, neet, in the 70's my wife lived all over New Zealand gor a couple of years. And now some friends of mine who have a house on Little Cayman own a winery in NZ.

Beautiful country

Take care,

Bob