More Quirks With The Nh900

[ALadIn sane]

Hi there. New to the board and all (though I've actually followed it for a while) but I've used Minidiscs for a long time and just got a NH900 the other day (European version, black.) Anyway, I've heard a lot of people describe the 900 as quirky and I think I've found another one:

Under certain conditions (I haven't been able to figure out what the hell they are but it always occurs after I've been for a walk, listening continuously for about an hour) pushing the stop button on the unit doesn't cause playback to stop, but instead causes it to skip to the start of the next track! However, hitting the stop button a few times does usually result in it stopping in the end (albeit a few tracks on from the one that was playing.)

If it gets into this state and I do manage to stop it, but then start playing back again, it will stop normally as long as I either press playback less than about 4 seconds after starting playing again, or I pause the unit for about 4 seconds then hit stop.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had or heard of this kind of problem with the unit? (I did search around, but couldn't find anything.)

[dex Otaku]

This sounds more like a hardware problem than anything.

I would look at exchanging it, myself.

[ALadIn sane]

  dex Otaku said:

This sounds more like a hardware problem than anything.

I would look at exchanging it, myself.

←

Hmm I was thinking that but I'm not so sure. I mean, when I got my N910 it wouldn't stop properly when synchro recording from an optical source which I assumed to be a hardware problem but alas.. 3 exchanged units later I found it wasn't the case. That said, this doesn't occur when stopping with the remote so you could be right.

[Kaotic]

sounds like you got a faulty unit.

Agrees with Dex, you should exchange it!

[The Low Volta]

hi there,

know how you're feeling...I have exactly the same problem and even more (unable to enter the menu a lot of the time) with my (brand new 18/12/04) NH-900!

We'd already started a thread in technical support aptly named 'Entered the NH-900 twilight zone?' but to no avail, even the alknowing ;-) kurisu didn't have a clue what to do with it...

just for the record i'll post a resume of my former posts here... maybe someone pops up with a little advive after all:

"In this next bit I'm talking about the buttons on the player... I haven't noticed any problems with the remote.

But still, even with a functioning remote, I would like a functioning player too...

so to recapitulate the problems:

- pushing 'stop' on the player while playing a track resulted in jumping to the next track (and playing on)

- pushing 'pause' on the player resulted in either jumping to the next track and playing on er did nothing at all

these problems disappeared TEMPORARILY after I had repeatedly jumped forwards and backwards in between tracks using the intended ('<<' & '>>') buttons (on the player)

My player was connected to my stereo (line out), so I couldn't use the remote

later I also encountered the problem that entering the (basic) menu, by holding the 'navi/menu' button on the player down for two seconds, was impossible. I only got the 'navigation menu' or a 'cancel' message (or a rapid alternation of both).

(these are the problems Jenna too encountered)

so... I hope this more precise explenation gives you an idea of my problems...

thank you for your attention and I hope you could help us"

P.S.: and just to reassure you, it's still under warranty, so I won't be dissecting it (yet) ;-)

P.P.S.: I've also posted my problems at the Sony Hi-MD helpdesk, wonder if they will have any suggestions (haven't heard anything yet)

Edited January 16, 2005 by The Low Volta

[ALadIn sane]

  The Low Volta said:

hi there,

know how you're feeling...I have exactly the same problem and even more (unable to enter the menu a lot of the time) with my (brand new 18/12/04) NH-900!

We'd already started a thread in technical support aptly named 'Entered the NH-900 twilight zone?' but to no avail, even the alknowing ;-) kurisu didn't have a clue what to do with it...

just for the record i'll post a resume of my former posts here... maybe someone pops up with a little advive after all:

"In this next bit I'm talking about the buttons on the player... I haven't noticed any problems with the remote.

But still, even with a functioning remote, I would like a functioning player too...

so to recapitulate the problems:

- pushing 'stop' on the player while playing a track resulted in jumping to the next track (and playing on)

- pushing 'pause' on the player resulted in either jumping to the next track and playing on er did nothing at all

these problems disappeared TEMPORARILY after I had repeatedly jumped forwards and backwards in between tracks using the intended ('<<' & '>>') buttons (on the player)

My player was connected to my stereo (line out), so I couldn't use the remote

later I also encountered the problem that entering the (basic) menu, by holding the 'navi/menu' button on the player down for two seconds, was impossible. I only got the 'navigation menu' or a 'cancel' message (or a rapid alternation of both).

(these are the problems Jenna too encountered)

so... I hope this more precise explenation gives you an idea of my problems...

thank you for your attention and I hope you could help us"

P.S.: and just to reassure you, it's still under warranty, so I won't be dissecting it (yet) ;-)

←

Well I'm certainly glad to know it's not just me It's just annoying. I've been playing around with the thing for the past couple of hours trying to find a surefire way to deal with it, but I can't.

Have you tried using the line out on your unit? I just did a little experiment with mine and found that turning the line out on had the exact same effect as simply turning the volume up to full. Is this the same with your experience?

[The Low Volta]

  ALadIn sane said:

Have you tried using the line out on your unit? I just did a little experiment with mine and found that turning the line out on had the exact same effect as simply turning the volume up to full. Is this the same with your experience?

←

asides from turning the volume up, it ignores alle eq settings... so you don't get distorted sound from double equalizers (MD and stereo), line out gives the clearest sound if you've got a decent stereo. Have noticed that with small boxes (without a real eq) 'headphone out' and the players eq work better.

hope to have helped...

by the way, I'll wait for the Sony reply about our problems (jenna's got them too) but if they don't come up with anything usefull soon, I'll be exchanging my player... it's way too nice and brilliant to piss me off in this irrational way :-)

[ALadIn sane]

  The Low Volta said:

asides from turning the volume up, it ignores alle eq settings... so you don't get distorted sound from double equalizers (MD and stereo), line out gives the clearest sound if you've got a decent stereo. Have noticed that with small boxes (without a real eq) 'headphone out' and the players eq work better.

hope to have helped...

by the way, I'll wait for the Sony reply about our problems (jenna's got them too) but if they don't come up with anything usefull soon, I'll be exchanging my player... it's way too nice and brilliant to piss me off in this irrational way :-)

←

Yeah I figured as much. It's probably due to the capped volume. I've been used to using a 910 where when you turn the line out on it completely distorts the sound if you listen to it through the headphones (not to mention destroying your eardrums.)

As for the stopping problem I may have found something of a solution (though not a great one); turning quick mode on. I've not tested it out much so far but in terms of playing for any length of time (as if you were causually listening to music) then stopping it seems to work the trick. However, I can still easily get it to screw around if I play it back then try to stop it quickly.

[Christopher]

I've actually had a few issues with the NH900 turning off, but this was only occuring when I would stay up till inane times at night, it seems..but yes, I have woken up and found my NH900 still playing a few times [not often]. I've made it a habit to press stop multiple times instead of just once to turn off the unit.

[ALadIn sane]

  kurisu said:

I've actually had a few issues with the NH900 turning off, but this was only occuring when I would stay up till inane times at night, it seems..but yes, I have woken up and found my NH900 still playing a few times [not often]. I've made it a habit to press stop multiple times instead of just once to turn off the unit.

←

The thing that bothers me isn't so much it stopping but it stopping where you want it to. Being able to resume where you left off is always nice. That said, I tend to skip back or forwards a track when starting playing again (as long as it's less than about 10 minutes) so it's not really a huge deal.

[Christopher]

Have you tried Stop on the remote?

[ALadIn sane]

  kurisu said:

Have you tried Stop on the remote?

←

Yeah that works fine, but I never use the remote.

[Christopher]

That's funny, I never use the on unit controls.

[Colonel Samuels]

I bought my MZ-NH900 two weeks ago and had the exact same problem with the stop button on the unit (not with the one on the remote): not stopping, skipping to one of the next songs, ...

I exchanged it for a new one. The stop button on this one works fine, but now I have another problem ... The unit does not automatically switch off after 10 seconds (when using with batteries) or 3 minutes (when using with adapter). The display remains on ... I can only turn it off by removing the disk!

I will exchange it again, but I'm afraid the entire batch might be faulty. The two serials numbers I have are 5035002 and 5003505. I bought the unit in Ghent (Belgium ...)

Somewhere on this forum I read something about entering the setup register ... Maybe the function to switch off automatically can be solved by changing a setup entry?

[The Low Volta]

well, that's the second mentioning of Belgium and faulty NH-900's...I bought mine in Hasselt (Belgium) and my serial number was 5034820 (how big IS a batch?)

I've just returned my player to Sony (the shop wouldn't exchange it immediately ) so for now I'm Hi-MD-deprived and anxiously waiting for Sony's solution (will they 'repair' it or will I get an exchange like most of you??)

I will keep you all posted on the progress and of the solution...

update:

I also sent a report with my remarks to Sony.be service centre: here's what they responded:

"Gezien de aard van het probleem raden wij u aan om een Erkende Hersteldienst van Sony te contacteren."

or in English (my own translation): "Due to the nature of the problem we advice you to contact a Sony Approved Repair Service Centre."

...well, that's some great help! Am I guessing wrong, or is this a very standard mail? By the way, they also included the adresses of two possible forementioned Service Centres and a small remark that this centre will also determine the price?!? (didn't I state in my report that my player is still under warranty? I'm very positive I did!)

Well Sony makes brilliant players and in my modest oppinion invented a great medium (not so sure about the atrac-format or ss) but the service stinks a bit

Edited January 25, 2005 by The Low Volta

[Colonel Samuels]

I called the number I found on the Sony Belgium Service webpage this afternoon and the guy said they were unaware of any of such problems with the mz-nh900. According to them it's a very stable piece of equipment.

As I said, I at least got the change to exchange mine, so i no longer have the "stop button issue". About the new problem I'm experiencing with the one I have now (not switching off automatically after ten seconds), my dealer offers to exchange it once more. I'm a bit suspicious though, 'cause I still think it's not a coincidence that two units with serial so close to each other have problems.

The guy from Sony I spoke to also gave me the number of a service center, but he assured me it would be free of charge. But fact is, I don't want them messing about with a brand new md-player ...

[The Low Volta]

  Colonel Samuels said:

I called the number I found on the Sony Belgium Service webpage this afternoon and the guy said they were unaware of any of such problems with the mz-nh900. According to them it's a very stable piece of equipment.

well, I took my player back to the shop where I bought it: Electro Service (Selexion) in Hasselt, so I could show them what happened (or didn't happen ) but the reaction was quite similar... "what? this is the first HiMD we ever got in for repairs... are you sure something's wrong?" and even after I showed them, one of the guys there said I couldn't enter the menu 'cause I was bad at pushing the button, even though he admitted the stop/pause button was quircky!?! "see I got in the menu at the first try!" duh

  Quote

As I said, I at least got the chance to exchange mine, so i no longer have the "stop button issue".

It could still be that they will just exchange it, but the shop wasn't allowed to make that decision by themselves, so now I'm waiting...

hope that whatever they return (new or repaired player) works fine... but otherwise, I would suggest that we bundle forces and write a (paper) letter of complaint with both the stories and signatures to Sony Belgium or something that will teach them (lol)

[Colonel Samuels]

Before I exchange mine for the second time ... Did you have your problem right from the start? Or did it start only after a week, month ... ?

I plan on doing a thourough check in the shop, to make sure this time the unit is ok! Of course if the problem only occurs after a while, this is no use ...

[The Low Volta]

  Quote

Did you have your problem right from the start? Or did it start only after a week, month ... ?

the problem with the menu button did occur pretty immediately...

I only noticed the stop/pause button-problem after a couple of weeks... so I don't really know if a check in the shop is sufficient...sorry