Transferring Hi-md Disc Files Without Sonicstage

[ParabanSenk]

I recently bought a MZ-NH700. The guy at the Sony shop told me that it is possible to backup a disc with the following method:

1. Connect the minidisc player to a windows pc via USB.

2. Browse the files on the minidisc using windows explorer.

3. Copy the data files to the hard drive.

He told me that at this point I'd be able to erase the tracks on the Hi-MD disc, and put it to further use; when I need to retrieve my original audio, I can restore it by:

1. Connect the player to the windows pc via USB.

2. Browse the files on the minidisc using windows explorer.

3. Delete the files on the minidisc (or back them up to the computer's hard drive).

4. Copy the files from the hard drive onto the minidisc.

I have tried this a few times with no success.

Whenever I copy old files over the current ones on the disc (completely replace all of the files on the disc), and then try to play the disc, my player displays "cannot record or play".

When I look at the disc in windows explorer (after having erased the audio from the disc), I see these files:

HI-MD.IND

\---HMDHIFI

00010012.HMA

ATDATA03.HMA

MCLIST02.HMA

MCLIST03.HMA

TRKIDX02.HMA

TRKIDX03.HMA

_0010012.HMA

_MDHIFI.HMA

It looks like the music data is in h:\HMDHIFI\ATDATA03.HMA. It's the one that gets larger when I transfer or record audio to the disc. I have tried replacing only this file on the disc, without success.

The file that I backed up before erasing the audio was numbered 02 (ie "ATDATA02.HMA"). When I copy this file into h:\HMDHIFI\ so that there are now 2 ATDATA files (numbered 02 and 03), the player displays "no track". When I change the name of ATDATA02 to ATDATA03 (and delete the original ATDATA03 file) the player displays "no track".

Has anyone else tried this sort of thing? Was the guy at the Sony shop mistaken?

I am aware that it would be preferable to use SonicStage to transfer the audio files between the player and the computer. The reason why I am interested in making backups without Sonic Stage is that I am planning on taking my player when I go travelling and making some field recordings; the only computers that I will have access to will be in internet cafes, and I may not be able to install software on these machines.

[mrsoul]

You CANNOT transfer via USB to PC with Hi-MD WITHOUT Sonic Stage. There is no way (yet) to do that. Sony's DRM prevents you by adding encryption to the HMA files. You can't even upload to another computer once it's completed the first time.

Sorry. Congratulations on your NH700. My suggestion, buy a bunch of standard MDs and reformat them to Hi-MD and just keep recording until you get back to your PC with your field recordings. You can get 160 minutes in Hi-SP with the standard MDs.

[ParabanSenk]

Thanks for your help.

I'm starting to think that "digital rights management" is a euphemism for "giant pain in the ass", but I guess that's a topic for another forum.

[LowMD]

By the way, you should go back to the Sony shop and tell that guy he's engaging in deceptive sales practices and can be prosecuted for it.

I can understand a clerk at a regular electronics store not understanding MD, but Sony?

And if he claims you got his explanation wrong, whip out your MZ-NH700 and USB cord and demand that he show you what he meant on the spot. They should have some VAIO computers around.

If Sony is going to sell crippled products, its employees should not pretend otherwise.