Buying, Which One?

[James Saved]

Simple...

I need to record up to 2+ hours of good quality music and voice. Either from a mic (hard or wireless) or a Mackie Recording Mixer (I'll go from dual 1/4" mono plugs to 1/8" stereo mini, if MDs can do stereo). Which Mindisc do I need?

The problem... I would like to keep it under $150 dollars, but more important than that I don't want to buy from any old site. I need a place that I can trust, mainly so that if it just stinks I can get my money back without a ton of trouble.

ok, not so simple. could anybody help?

Thanks James E.

[A440]

All MD's record in stereo either through Mic-In or Line-In, stereo miniplug (or optical in).

What do you want to do with the recording once you have it? If you want to upload it digitally to your computer then you need Hi-MD, and the cheapest US model with Mic-In is the MZ-NHF800. Look it up on Froogle, you can find one for about $215.

If you don't mind having to make an analog, realtime copy of your recording out of the headphone jack, then you have a lot of other options--look in the Equipment Browser. Sony MZ-N7xx, 9xx, 10 or 1 all have mic-in, as do Sony MZ-R7xx and 9xx. (Not 4xx, 5xx, 6xx.) And there are lots of Sharp models as well. But you can't upload, and you'll probably have to find a used one unless there's old stock around. Try Froogle again.

[James Saved]

Going to do just that. The plan is to put it into a PC and edit for content and length. Burn to CD as a standard audio file and then MP3 for archive backup.

The issue of input is the one I'm not happy with... I currently use GoldWave to input from cassette and there is lots of digital noise generated by the computer that GoldWave "hears." I hope that the investment will take care of; cost of tapes, lack of quality; anolog noise, etc.

Thanks for the help and info.

James

[A440]

Other people have had this problem with realtime recording into the computer. Look in Settings-Control Panel-Sound and Audio under Volume and Audio and make sure the only input checked is the one you need--mute the rest.

Also go into the Sounds associated with programs and turn them all off.

But the USB should bypass them all.

[streaml1ne]

Going to do just that.  The plan is to put it into a PC and edit for content and length.  Burn to CD as a standard audio file and then MP3 for archive backup. 

The issue of input is the one I'm not happy with...  I currently use GoldWave to input from cassette and there is lots of digital noise generated by the computer that GoldWave "hears."  I hope that the investment will take care of; cost of tapes, lack of quality; anolog noise, etc.

Thanks for the help and info.

James

←

You can work around this by using Total Recorder and recording playback of the Hi-MD when they are connected to the USB port of your computer. OR use the upload capability of Hi-MD.

This covers all the 'upload' options of Hi-MD.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7436

[James Saved]

You both got it right. *L* The noise is why I was looking into MD, but the cost for a Hi-MD that has the mic & line in was more than I counted on. And then to make sure it will USB to avoid the noise also upped the price so... it will just have to wait a bit longer for me to save up. Thanks for the help. I believe I have a model all picked out and maybe, just maybe I can buy I local.

Thanks again...

God Bless

James