Uploading woes

[ForPete'sSake]

Hi guys, I'm new to this too, but am already learning some things the hard way. For some reason, I hadn't expected to face some of the problems you all are talking about when it comes to copying an audio file recorded using a mic from my MD player to my computer.

You mean to tell me that the only option I have is to "transfer" a recording to my computer, that I cannot simply copy it? This is rediculous! I have been keeping an audio journal for the past 5 years on minidisc and since the beginning, have been itching to back up all my recordings onto my computer. Is there any workaround for this, or do you think there will be?

FYI: I borrowed my brother's SonyMZ-NHF800 to transfer the recordings which were made using an MZR-90 (no USB).

If any of you have any ideas, I will be forever in your debt.

PS: When I do try to transfer a file using SS I get the following message: Unable to transfer to the computer. Why is this?

Thanks again!

[dex Otaku]

You mean to tell me that the only option I have is to "transfer" a recording to my computer, that I cannot simply copy it?  This is rediculous!  I have been keeping an audio journal for the past 5 years on minidisc and since the beginning, have been itching to back up all my recordings onto my computer.  Is there any workaround for this, or do you think there will be?

FYI: I borrowed my brother's SonyMZ-NHF800 to transfer the recordings which were made using an MZR-90 (no USB).

PS: When I do try to transfer a file using SS I get the following message: Unable to transfer to the computer.  Why is this?

←

I'm still not a mod, but this would be better placed under the tech support forum or something.

In any case, no - not exactly, re: transferring. If you have legacy MD/LP discs, there simply is no way to upload them for the time being. Debate has been going on over this topic since long before netMD was released, and Sony have simply decided to not allow uploading from MD/LP, period.

Using a HiMD unit will not help. HiMD discs can be uploaded from, yes, but not legacy discs.

The error message comes up because, quite simply, you can't do that.

In the netMD forum there is a pinned thread offering advice on how to copy your MDs in realtime to your computer. There is also the option of using a component deck with an optical output to copy digitally to your computer [assuming you have an optical input], though again - this is in realtime.

Your best bet, unless you have thousands of dollars to invest in broadcast equipment that can copy MDs digitally to your computer, is to simply go the analogue route. Browse the netMD forum for that thread if need be.

[zerodB]

The problem is largely to do with the hardware: NetMD hardware is just not capable of uploading from MD->PC. It wasn't designed that way. Then there's the issue of copyright. Don't forget that the ATRAC codec isn't owned by Sony, it contains portions which are licenced out to them by Dolby. It is for this reason, I suspect, that we don't have true-SP PC-MD downloads.

Anyhow, what you want to do is just not possible. Your best bet is to use your NetMD in conjunction with the program "WinNMD", which uses the NetMD interface to automate the process of uploading in realtime to PC. You just need to plug in the correct cables, hit START, and the program will automatically take care of splicing the final WAV/MP3 file into seperate tracks and titling those tracks just like they appear on your MD.

If you can get a NetMD deck with digital out, and a soundcard with digital in, even better.

[dex Otaku]

Don't forget that the ATRAC codec isn't owned by Sony, it contains portions which are licenced out to them by Dolby. It is for this reason, I suspect, that we don't have true-SP PC-MD downloads.

←

This is not accurate.

ATRAC does not contain anything created by Dolby Labs.

When Sony was working on ATRAC, they discovered that Dolby Labs had patents that covered certain things that they [sony] had already developed. Rather than start a patent litigation war, they contacted Dolby and arranged a licensing agreement with them. This is the extent of Dolby's connection to ATRAC.

[Christopher]

A fellow named MDX-400 summed it up nicely at another forum a coon's age ago:

Strangely enough, Dolby actually had an "unseen" hand in creating ATRAC. Sony apparently inadvertently used some of the ideas/information that Dolby already patented while making the ATRAC compression scheme. Either by lawsuit or settlement Dolby and Sony did reach some agreement and that is why to this day every peice of MD gear bears the statement:

"US AND FOREIGN PATENTS LICENSED FROM DOLBY LABORATORIES".

So not only is Dolby not just "for cassettes"--it is actually "for MD" as well--they hold patents on stuff that makes up part of ATRAC!

[zerodB]

Thanks for the clarification dex. My theory is that we don't have true-SP downloads because og the fact that Dolby holds these patents.

[bug80]

Thanks for the clarification dex. My theory is that we don't have true-SP downloads because og the fact that Dolby holds these patents.

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But we can download to MD in LP2 or 4, which is ATRAC. I personally think that this limitation has to do with copy protection. Because we're not able to copy CD's digitally in a high quality format (SP) to MD, it makes it less atractive to copy them.

Of cource, we can still keep high quality copies on our computer if we want to, so it doesn't really make sense.

I would love to be able to download in the SP format by the way. Just to listen to my CD's in high quality on the road (yes I buy CD's Sony!).