Uploading Tracks Analogue Recorded On Classic Md

[ppMD]

I have some live recordings (mine and friends music, no copyright issues) on classic/original MDs recorded by a goodold Sharp MD. I don't have a machine with optical out and I want to transfer these recordings in the best possible shape.

What can I do?

Hi-MD upload doesn't work with classic MD tracks, right?

Can "other" software help with this?

I've heard of something called openNMD but the homepage is down. Would that have helped?

To clarify, I don't currently have an MD machine. I would consider getting one again if there was a way to transfer my old analogue recordings along with any new ones I make.

edit:

Could I do this with a NetMD?

Any suggestions?

Edited March 27, 2005 by ppMD

[bobt]

Hi There,

Your easiest method, although timeconsuming, would be to upload your tracks reatime int the input of your soundcard, or mic input.

I don't know if you copy the tracks to a Hi MD recorder if you would be able to digiatally upload the songs afterward, but the recordings on mic input should work,

Good luck,

Bob

[ppMD]

I think you are describing an analogue transfer. I'm trying to avoid the DAC/ADC quality loss. I know how to record the tracks if I borrow an MD device. I just want to know if there is a possibilty of digital transfer. If I borrow a home deck with optical out, then digital transfer is possible. I don't think I know anybody with one of those. I sold mine a while ago (damn).

I'm quite clear on how to make an analogue recording. What I'm curious about is whether a netMD or a HI-MD will let me transfer these files via USB.

Thanks for answering.

[Michael1980]

Minidisc Deck with optical out - PC Card with optical in (if it is SPDIF then use converter).

No USB transfer for older pre HiMD recordings.

[dex Otaku]

Michael1980 hit it on the nose.

There is no way to losslessly transfer recordings from MD/MDLP discs using consumer equipment.

This is a limitation purposely imposed by Sony because netMD has weak DRM.

[ppMD]

So, although HI-MD machines flag analogue recordings they make so as to allow upload, they cannot distinguish analogue recordings made on older machines. Right?

NetMD does or does not allow upload? Is there a flagging system?

No one has produced any alternative software interface that allows upload? I just want my own data, no one elses.

If the situation is really that grim, I will try to rent a home/pro deck. I do have opti-in on my PC.

Thanks for the answers, evn if they weren't the answers I wanted.

[samplehunter]

I think you are describing an analogue transfer.  I'm trying to avoid the DAC/ADC quality loss.  I know how to record the tracks if I borrow an MD device.  I just want to know if there is a possibilty of digital transfer.  If I borrow a home deck with optical out, then digital transfer is possible.  I don't think I know anybody with one of those.  I sold mine a while ago (damn).

I'm quite clear on how to make an analogue recording.  What I'm curious about is whether a netMD or a HI-MD will let me transfer these files via USB.

Thanks for answering.

←

if you own a HiMD unit and can borrow a MD unit with optical out, you can connect the opt. out of the deck with the opt. in of your HiMD and then do a pcm-recording on a 1GB disk.

You are making a 1:1 copy of the PCM output from the MD deck.

Next, you can transfer the tracks from the 1GB disk to your pc via usb.

As you were recording from the digital in, the wav-converter will not work but himdrenderer would do it without problems.

The result are "drm-free" wav-files from which you can burn a cd or edit in your favourite audio software.

The only thing you can't do is cloning atrac encoded data directly to another MD as the digital out is always PCM, but the quality loss from an atrac->pcm->atrac chain is very marginal at the first generations.

Take a look at the minidisc.org faq where some guy has made a test over 100 generations of recompressing atrac with audio samples on the site.

I would say the first 20 generations are quite unhearable.

[dex Otaku]

Unless you have portability issues, I don't see much point in going MD -> HiMD and then HiMD -> PC. This is the same as going MD -> PC [via optical] except for the extra run of however long your original disc is. I'd consider this a waste of time, myself.

netMD / MD do tag tracks as copies or originals using the same SCMS system used by CD, CDR, DAT, and virtually any consumer equipment that uses SP/DIF - but SCMS is easily defeated with inexpensive equipment. My theory [and many will agree with this] is that Sony chose not to allow uploads because of the inherent weakness of the SCMS DRM chain.

So - netMD does not upload. It's unclear whether this is actually a software or hardware limitation, but I can assure you that Sony have done it on purpose. To my knowledge no one has ever cracked the system to enable uploading.

Your best bet for copying MD / MDLP recordings is to find a home deck with optical SP/DIF I/O and ATRAC type S. Such beasts can often be found on eBay.

[francisco_mx]

Sup!, yeah I had lots of good olds MDs with great albums and said, whadda? how am I supposed to transfer 'em to CDs or else??? So I bought a Sony machine, those mini components, and it has an MD reader/writer, cool, and one CD-RW, and so, problem solved! I can record both ways, MD>CD or CD>MD

Now I have tons of CDs made out my old MDs, whaddya think? Hope it helps

Salud!

Francisco

MX