Md To Pc To Himd

[md-max]

I've got a lot of live recordings (radio, live performances, etc) on MD and want to save the best bits to create a (much!) smaller number of HiMDs (lovely new player).

Given that I can't upload the old MD recordings to the laptop, what's the best way of doing this with the minimum drop in quality? (I assume some drop in quality is inevitable.) I'm guessing there's no alternative to analogue into the laptop (any tips on maximising quality at this stage?) and then... SonicStage? or analogue out? What methods / software would you recommend?

There's a LOT of these recordings so if it's too complicated then I just know it's never going to get done... (In the last always imagined the best method would have to be buying a second MD player so I could record direct one to the other - not that I ever quite got round to that - and by the way no I can't do that now as the original player is dead.)

Cheers

[dex Otaku]

The highest-quality method for you to copy your MDs to your PC would require having an MD deck with an optical output on it, along with a sound card or SP/DIF adapter for your PC with an optical input.

The simplest means would be to just use a high-quality PC sound adapter, and go the analogue route. M-Audio offers a $99USD MSRP USB adapter intended for notebook use which has 24-bit/96kHz analogue recording as well as SP/DIF optical in AND out. There are many other options than just this open to you, though. Browse a few audio-related websites [http://www.minidisc-canada.com has several, just to give you ideas] and you'll be sure to find a high-quality adapter to suit your needs.

In both cases, the copies you will end up with [depending on the recording software you use] will be "trackless" and will require at least some editing to be made usable or burnable.

Also, in both cases, copying can only be done in real time.

The last option would be to hire someone to do the job for you. Perhaps you could find a high school or college student with the necessary equipment and enough time on their hands to just do weeks worth of dubbing for a flat rate. [i have done this myself, in the past.]

[md-max]

Thanks.

Do you have a software recommendation for storing the (analogue) audio on my laptop?

... and how about the best way of putting it back again onto the HiMD player?

[dex Otaku]

Recommendations for editing [from any source]:

Free stuff -

* Kristal Audio Engine seems very promising, and has a nicer interface than Audacity, though I haven't put it through its paces and can't attest to the real differences.

* Audacity, an open-source multi-platform editor that does multitracking et al.

Not free stuff -

* Any version of Sound Forge is my preference for stereo or mono editing

* Cool Edit / Adobe Audition are sworn by by many of their users [i have never liked Cool Edit's interface but its functionality is excellent]

There are tonnes of free utilities out there for simply recording audio. What you really need depends on the extent of the editing you end up doing. For any given recording, I usually require at the very least:

* Parametric EQ

* Normalisation, both RMS and peak-based

* the ability to mark regions and/or simple markers

I'm not a great reference to use for suggesting software, really. I use several different programs for different reasons at different stages, because they do certain things better than others.

By no means is it that my needs are beyond yours, it's just that I like doing things a certain way.

If anyone else has some good suggestions, please make them.

[md-max]

Cheers

... and what's the best way of getting the good stuff back onto the HiMD? Analogue out from the PC? Or is there something better?

[dex Otaku]

SonicStage. The quality difference between SS and an optical copy would be minimal at best. Considering the time savings.. SS or Simple Burner [for disc images] are the best ways to go.

SB also permits putting PCM audio on HiMDs.

[bobt]

Hi There,

Another alternative, buy a couple of MD's one need not be Hi MD, direct record from one into the other, line out to line in. Don't know if optical will work, might be worth a try also.

Good luck,

Bob

[mrsoul]

Also be sure to look at

http://www.milosoftware.com/cdwave/

I have used this CD WAV product a good bit in the last year or so. It lets you make tracks easily once you get uploaded via optical/analog/USB input. It writes the file as it is uploading, no problems forgetting to save later,etc. It lets you choose the source for the input and where to save it. It will also do the converting to mp3 or FLAC if you want after you have the WAV file. I couldn't live without it.

Be sure to register $15 after 31 days of use. Full use and no nags about registering either. Can't say enough about it for uploading and making tracks. Small footprint on the CPU as well. Worth checking out and highly recommended.

Etree.org actually has a basic tutorial on the program as well.

http://www.etree.org/cdwave.html

Mark

Edited February 21, 2005 by mrsoul

[8track]

I think Bob has the right idea.Why get the PC involved? You don't realy need it to dub. Why not connect your old MD to the new Hi-MD. You know line-out to line-in.There soundn't be any noticeable audio loss...Or am I missing something?

Edited February 21, 2005 by 8track

[dex Otaku]

Why get the PC involved? So you can make a backup, as well as CDDA copies.

If backups are not a priority, then by all means, go directly from player to recorder, as it will save you time.

[md-max]

(erm what's CDDA?)

Yes going direct from player to recorder would be lovely but the whole reason I got the new one was because the old one had died. Sigh...

[dex Otaku]

Compact Disc Digital Audio, aka standard audio CDs [this is the distinct name for the format].