Hat Trick For MDCF? - Service Mode + 2nd Gen Hi-MD

[Christopher]

We did it for the MZ-R900/700/500, again for first generation Hi-MD, and now..

With frightening restrictions facing Europeans such as reduced output [2.8mW], and no real custom equalizer on the MZ-RH10 and presumeably other second generation Hi-MD units, can we save the masses once again?

---------

Here's how you remove this limitation - by entering service mode you take full responsibility for your actions and cannot hold minidisc.org or it's associates liable for any damages occured - don't worry though, you'll be fine:

With the 'Hold' switch on, and while pressing 'Menu', press FF FF RW RW FF RW FF RW Pause Pause.

[FF = Fast Forward | RW = Rewind]

1.) Press the 'Vol +' key to enter the Manual mode.

2.) Press the 'FF' key five times to select the item number 0113.

3.) Press the 'Vol +'/'Vol -'key and set the value that is after "DistFL", or if you don't see that, when you press 'Vol +'/'Vol -' a value will increase/decrease - change it to 24.

4.) Press the 'Pause' key on the unit to set the change.

5.) Press the 'Stop' key four times and then remove the battery or whatever is powering the unit. Turn it back on and enjoy!

For those of you in Europe, you now have a full equalizer, no restriction on volume, and Kanji/etc support. North American unit owners can do the same for better language support.

A big thank you to Ishiiyoshi for supplying the service manual for this unit!

p.s. For information on how to get into service mode with first generation Hi-MD units, check this thread:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7434

To remove the volume limitation on first generation Hi-MD units, check this thread: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=8157

[Christopher]

bump for version .1, with full hack. Please report any issues, and thank you in advance to the testers!

[MDfreak]

The RH10 is still rare in Europe but nice to know the hack is already there because using a RH10 with e.g. EX71's without the possibility to have a custum EQ is suicide for the soundquality!

Now I can go and buy a RH10 as soon as it is available without having to thing about the European version as a "downgraded" and not real Hi-Fi device.

Thanks a lot to you great people!

p.s. I soon will contact Sony NL and ask them who I can kick very hard for getting the custom EQ removed from the EU-model. That was about the stupidest thing they could think of. It had been better if they removed the remote at all or but in a NH-10WM. Those things are easy for a customer to upgrade but removing a nice function as a cutom EQ and only having 4 useless standard settings is real stupid. How do they dare to still call it a 6-band equalizer when there is nothing to equalize!

Do I sound pissed? I realy am!

[pichu64]

you can buy it on canadian or american web site, it's nearly the same price as in europe (that's what i've done)

[MDfreak]

you can buy it on canadian or american web site, it's nearly the same price as in europe (that's what i've done)

←

And then I have to buy another adapter, when I have something with warranty I have to return it to the US and when I'm lucky and the customs check the package I have to pay a lot extra. No thanks, I only buy European stuf.

[erictioh84]

We did it for the MZ-R900/700/500, again for first generation Hi-MD, and now..

With frightening restrictions facing Europeans such as reduced output [2.8mW], and no real custom equalizer on the MZ-RH10 and presumeably other second generation Hi-MD units, can we save the masses once again?

The below text is beta - DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK

Here's how you remove this limitation:

With the 'Hold' switch on, and while pressing 'Menu', press FF FF RW RW FF RW FF RW Pause Pause.

[FF = Fast Forward | RW = Rewind]

1.) Press the 'Vol +' key to enter the Manual mode.

2.) Press the 'FF' key five times to select the item number 0113.

3.) Press the 'Vol +'/'Vol -'key and set the value that is after "DistFL" to 24.

4.) Press the 'Pause' key on the unit to set the change.

5.) Press the 'Stop' key four times and then remove the battery or whatever is powering the unit. Turn it back on and enjoy!

For those of you in Europe, you now have a full equalizer, no restriction on volume, and Kanji/etc support. North American unit owners can do the same for better language support.

A big thank you to Ishiiyoshi for supplying the service manual for this unit!

p.s. For information on how to get into service mode with first generation Hi-MD units, check this thread:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7434

To remove the volume limitation on first generation Hi-MD units, check this thread: http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=8157

←

does this work on RH-910?? i have my RH-910 which does not have custom EQ as well.

another question: my RH-910 cannot play mp3 transferred using sonic stage, it shows the message "Cannot Play" when i'm trying to play it. how can i solve this problem? any firmware hack on this?

[pichu64]

I have the RH10 and some MP3 can't be played (not in 44.1kHz or bad encoded) but most of my mp3 are fully playable.

Edited April 28, 2005 by pichu64

[Ishiyoshi]

does this work on RH-910?? i have my RH-910 which does not have custom EQ as well.

←

Since RH10 and RH910 is somewhat identical, it may work but of course there are no guarantees.

[erictioh84]

regarding the custom EQ, when i reached the 2nd step where i came to item number 0113, the numbers below it keep incrementing and i can't find "DistFL" on screen even i pressed vol+/-

[Christopher]

What happens when you press volume +/-, though? Do you see hex values you can adjust?

[sonyslave]

Hi having the problem.

Can see hex values with no way to adjust that I can see

[schnitt]

We did it for the MZ-R900/700/500, again for first generation Hi-MD, and now..

With frightening restrictions facing Europeans such as reduced output [2.8mW], and no real custom equalizer on the MZ-RH10 and presumeably other second generation Hi-MD units, can we save the masses once again?

The below text is beta - DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK

Here's how you remove this limitation:

With the 'Hold' switch on, and while pressing 'Menu', press FF FF RW RW FF RW FF RW Pause Pause.

[FF = Fast Forward | RW = Rewind]

did this work on a european RH10??? I try this on my Euro-Model but nothing happend! I can't see any service mode... Please give me an hint!

maybe I missunderstand this message? did you realy get into the service mode at the RH10?

[pichu64]

my model is canadian and it works, you must do it fast to work.

another question: my RH-910 cannot play mp3 transferred using sonic stage, it shows the message "Cannot Play" when i'm trying to play it. how can i solve this problem? any firmware hack on this?

http://home.pichu64.net/discour128.mp3 you can try with this file, it worked for me (it's a legal file, so you can download it)

Edited April 28, 2005 by pichu64

[Christopher]

You need to enter service mode exactly how I've described it. Please re-read and try again.

did this work on a european RH10??? I try this on my Euro-Model but nothing happend! I can't see any service mode... Please give me an hint!

maybe I missunderstand this message? did you realy get into the service mode at the RH10?

←

[erictioh84]

yeah i saw hex number below the 0113 item number. and when i press vol+ the last digit of the hex string incremented. but i never seen "DistFL" on my MD screen.

hi kurisu, my RH-910 is asia version and i believe that it's originally doesn't support mp3 playback. do u know the way to hack it?

[schnitt]

You need to enter service mode exactly how I've described it. Please re-read and try again.

←

Thanks for your beeing a helping hand... but..

I switch the hold buttom - hold down "menue"

FF FF RW RW FW RW FW RW - Pause key (the Jogwheel?) 2 times

- by holding down the menue I press vol +

- I do this fast and slow... maybe 20 times.

- nothing happend!

at the display you can only read "Hold"

what I do wrong?

Yes, I have a real (fxxxing) RH10 Euro Model.

[erictioh84]

Thanks for your beeing a helping hand... but..

I switch the hold buttom - hold down "menue"

FF FF RW RW FW RW FW RW - Pause key (the Jogwheel?) 2 times

- by holding down the menue I press  vol +

- I do this fast and slow...  maybe 20 times.

- nothing happend! 

at the display you can only read "Hold"

what I do wrong?

Yes, I have a real (fxxxing) RH10 Euro Model.

←

you are wrong. the pause key is not jogwheel but the key beside REC.

here is the steps:

1. switch on ur MD (by pressing anykey)

2. slide on the hold key

3. hold down the menu key

4. press the key sequence : FF FF RW RW FW RW FW RW || || (|| is pause key)

5. now release all keys.

[Christopher]

Thanks eric..I was hoping he'd figure it out.

p.s. There is no mp3 limitation, you probably just have some mp3's that Sonicstage doesn't like.

[erictioh84]

cool kurisu, it works on my RH-910 also... thank you..

now i'm trying to figure out complete steps working on my RH-910

1. switch on ur MD (by pressing anykey)

2. slide on the hold key

3. hold down the menu key

4. press the key sequence : FF FF RW RW FW RW FW RW || || (|| is pause key)

5. now release all keys.

6. u will see the screen is blinking ( version and black background)

7. now press vol+ 1 time and u will see a word "manual" on screen

8. now press >>(fast forward) for 5 times and 0113 string will be displayed on screen, as the same time u will see the string below it is incrementing

9. when u press vol+ the last digit will be incremented by 1 opposite for vol-, so you have to change the last 2 digits to 24 by using vol+/- key. you should know hex number right!!

10. press || (Pause key) once

11. press stop key 4 times

12 remove ur batt.

Edited April 29, 2005 by erictioh84

[schnitt]

cool kurisu, it works on my RH-910 also... thank you..

now i'm trying to figure out complete steps working on my RH-910

...

@erictioh84 and @kurisu GREAT it's WORK!

I confoundet Pause with Stop. So I quote your last describe to our german minidiscforum - thanks a lot!!!

schnitt

[erictioh84]

0110

NV

0111

ResAll CC

0112

Clock CC

0113

DistFL 24

0114

DistFH 80

0115

ClrVNV 00

0120

Laser

0121

Lrefpw 14

0122

WrPwx4 A9

0123

SettHM3 CC

0124

HMD3RH 36

0130

Temp

0131

SetTmp 19

0132

Dsptmp 25

0133

TmpOfs DC

0200

SET

0210

DiscPr

0211

NomiRP 2E

0212

NomiRT 1E

0213

NomiWP 8D

0214

NomiWT 28

0215

OptiRP 22

0216

OptiWP 69

0217

Adrs H 18

0218

Adrs L 14

0219

ResDrp CC

0220

AdjUID

0221

040706

0222

000000

0223

131253

0230

MD1Pr

0231

DscSel 01

0300

OTHER

0310

LED

0311

Ch0p H FF

0312

Ch0p L 3F

0313

Ch0p0F CC

0900

LINE

0910

MngFlg

0911

MngF1 00

0912

MngF2 00

0920

Other

0921

TsbSsb 00

these are the codes for my MD RH-910. can anyone compare and check whether any field is not same as yours? because mine one really cannot play back mp3 directly. whatever files i have tried on. so i would like to compare these code with yours to see what are the differents. who knows it might be the firmware's problem that i can easily fix it using modify the value..

Edited April 29, 2005 by erictioh84

[pichu64]

erictioh84, did you try the mp3 file that i posted?

[erictioh84]

erictioh84, did you try the mp3 file that i posted?

←

yeah, i have tried the mp3 that u posted on this thread. it's not working on my RH-910. i've found from a forum, they said asian version doesn't support DIRECT-MP3, so mine is asian version.

so anyone with RH-10 or RH-910 please compare your firmware code with mine, any different please let me know thanks.

[MDfreak]

yeah, i have tried the mp3 that u posted on this thread. it's not working on my RH-910. i've found from a forum, they said asian version doesn't support DIRECT-MP3, so mine is asian version.

so anyone with RH-10 or RH-910 please compare your firmware code with mine, any different please let me know thanks.

←

.... sorry useless question....

[lixuelai]

Quick question, would there be anything to improve on on a JE version of the RH10? Im guessing not but who knows what sony did.

[erictioh84]

may i know why is it useless?

[lixuelai]

Maybe the firmware version of RH910 and RH10 is obviously different. Just a guess. More profitable might be a comparison beteen a RH910 and an RH910JE

[llywelynbren]

yeah i saw hex number below the 0113 item number. and when i press vol+ the last digit of the hex string incremented. but i never seen "DistFL" on my MD screen.

←

I have RH10, and I too could not see 'DistFL' under 0113. However, I changed the last 2 digits of the sequence to 24 (whilst all the other digits were constantly changing), and exited the hack as per instructions.

I now have the full Equaliser selection (yes!), BUT I can hear no appreciable difference in volume when playing back, ie I still need the volume at 90%+.

Is it possible that only part of the hack has worked? Is there any way of actually confirming that output is now 5mw? And, final question, is there any reason why 'DistFL' did not appear anywhere on my machine?

Sorry for idiot questions, but 'hex numbers' means absolutely nothing to me!

And, by the way, thanks for the time and effort taken in working out this hack - it is much appreciated by us Europeans.

[erictioh84]

I have RH10, and I too could not see 'DistFL' under 0113.  However, I changed the last 2 digits of the sequence to 24 (whilst all the other digits were constantly changing), and exited the hack as per instructions.

I now have the full Equaliser selection (yes!), BUT I can hear no appreciable difference in volume when playing back, ie I still need the volume at 90%+.

Is it possible that only part of the hack has worked?  Is there any way of actually confirming that output is now 5mw?  And, final question, is there any reason why 'DistFL' did not appear anywhere on my machine?

Sorry for idiot questions, but 'hex numbers' means absolutely nothing to me!

And, by the way, thanks for the time and effort taken in working out this hack - it is much appreciated by us Europeans.

←

after u have changed it to 24, u try to to enter it again, u will find it DistFL already..

[lixuelai]

Kinda off topic but i REALLY dont get why in the hell would Sony bother to do this. Wont it be a whole damn lot easier to have it all turned on? The only reason i can think of is maybe Europe have some regulations on this. Else i dont see why Sony would bother to do this.

[erictioh84]

I have RH10, and I too could not see 'DistFL' under 0113.  However, I changed the last 2 digits of the sequence to 24 (whilst all the other digits were constantly changing), and exited the hack as per instructions.

I now have the full Equaliser selection (yes!), BUT I can hear no appreciable difference in volume when playing back, ie I still need the volume at 90%+.

Is it possible that only part of the hack has worked?  Is there any way of actually confirming that output is now 5mw?  And, final question, is there any reason why 'DistFL' did not appear anywhere on my machine?

Sorry for idiot questions, but 'hex numbers' means absolutely nothing to me!

And, by the way, thanks for the time and effort taken in working out this hack - it is much appreciated by us Europeans.

←

after u have changed it to 24, u try to to enter it again, u will find DistFL already..

[erictioh84]

Maybe the firmware version of RH910 and RH10 is obviously different. Just a guess. More profitable might be a comparison beteen a RH910 and an RH910JE

←

but as what kirusu said, his MD got DistFL this word, and mine got that too. in extra, the custom EQ hack on RH-10 is applicable to mine too. so i think that is a big possibility that RH-910's firmware is the same as RH-10 but just some hrestriction as been done in the firmware. just a guess... if anyone got free time help me check the firmware code whether same or not. just a checking, better than not right? this is the only way and only hopes for my MD.

Edited April 29, 2005 by erictioh84

[milomind]

I just entered service mode and successfully changed the value to 24. My entry was also on a changing hexadecimal number that ended in 22 I believe.(I meant to write it down) I had some trouble getting some poorly encoded mp3 files to play on my RH10, and manually encoded them to Atrac last night. I tried uploading an mp3 that I knew was a good encode just now, and it worked and played fine, so I know mp3 support is ok.

Edited April 30, 2005 by milomind

[erictioh84]

if i simply change any value, will it cause my MD unbootable or unstartable?? who can confirm it?

[Ishiyoshi]

if i simply change any value, will it cause my MD unbootable or unstartable?? who can confirm it?

←

Should you deviate from the prescribed destination codes, your unit will likely not function. Of course, I can't confirm that. But to be on the safe side, use only prescribed destination codes given by the service manual.

[erictioh84]

service manual? do u have it?

[Ishiyoshi]

service manual? do u have it?

←

Yes, I do. You can read the first post of this thread for details.

[erictioh84]

actually what do u mean service manual? what i'm requesting is a manual with full explaination about which value to set and what are the meaning of every value of the MD. but i cant find it at first page of this thread

[Ishiyoshi]

actually what do u mean service manual? what i'm requesting is a manual with full explaination about which value to set and what are the meaning of every value of the MD. but i cant find it at first page of this thread

←

The procedure highlighted in the first post - changing destination codes, specifically to "24", is with the intent to enable European and North American models to attain functions such as Japanese/Chinese character support, full EQ selection and no volume restriction (especially for the European model). This procedure, “Destination setting” is quoted from the service manual itself. So, what you read in the first post is essentially part of the service manual.

To answer your query, the Service Manual does provide explanation to all abbreviation, codes, shematics and part numbers; and the adjustment value “24” represents the following destination: Hong Kong, Korean, Australian and Tourist model.

If you need further information just post accordingly and we will try and answer your query. However, I think the aim of the initial post is clear.

[gregtsai]

The procedure highlighted in the first post - changing destination codes, specifically to "24", is with the intent to enable European and North American models to attain functions such as Japanese/Chinese character support, full EQ selection and no volume restriction (especially for the European model). This procedure, “Destination setting” is quoted from the service manual itself. So, what you read in the first post is essentially part of the service manual.

To answer your query, the Service Manual does provide explanation to all abbreviation, codes, shematics and part numbers; and the adjustment value “24” represents the following destination: Hong Kong, Korean, Australian and Tourist model.

If you need further information just post accordingly and we will try and answer your query. However, I think the aim of the initial post is clear.

←

I found that in 0113 DistFL

if you set the last number 0,1,8,9

The language option include En,Fr,Deu,It,Es

set 2,3,a,b, there will be Jp,En(Japan Version default is 23)

set 4,5,c.d, Jp,En,Fr,Deu,It,Es,Chinese simplized,Chinese Traditional

set 6,7,e,f, Jp,En,Fr,Deu,It,Es

And there's some option that the 1st gereration himds don't have

1800 Info

1810 DistFL

1811 DistFL 23(same as 0113)

1812 DistFH 80(same as 0114)

1820 FirmF

1821 FirmFL 98

1822 FirmFH 80

1823 FValid 00

1830 HardF

1831 HardF0 61

1832 HardF1 E4

1833 HardF2 40

1834 HardF3 AE

1835 HValid 00

1840 Pwr F

1841 Pwr FL F1

1842 Pwr FH A0

1843 PValid 00

Mine is Japanese Version RH10

And I must apologize for my English......I'm not a native English speaker....

If there's anything you don't understand I'll try to explain it....

Hope it's useful for you guys.....