Himd Discs, Radio Shack, And The End?

[mmp64]

To amuse myself, I've been going to random Radio Shacks in Western PA (and today in Central PA) and seeing what kind of MD/HiMD gear they have. Inevitably, I'll end up buying their last HiMD blank. They appear to no longer sell units of any kind - not even NetMDs. Last week the clerk said "I wondered who the heck was going to buy this."

Today was particularly amusing - I was in Harrisburg, PA and bought the last HiMD blank in stock (after the clerk, who seemed like a pretty intense gadget geek assured me that they did not carry blank HiMD discs). When I pointed out the disc hanging behind him, he said "I'll be darned - didn't even know we had it. Let me check something... yep - that's the last one we're scheduled to get. We've had it in stock for 6 months. You see, most people like to use Flash or SD cards for their cameras." When I explained that with one exception, MD units were for playing music, he seemed confused. He then pulled out his little Memorex Flash Player.

I've been using the format for 7 years or so, and I have to say, my gut feeling is that it's over - at least for hope for anything other than a "cult" item for audio enthusiasts. No advertising, no discs, no units in stores (except maybe those horrible "Psych" NetMD units). What I don't understand is why Sony went to all of the trouble of bringing out the 2nd generation units, and then did nothing to promote or support them. Why? I could go on but this is already too long.

[Skradgee]

I really don't think we're at 'the end'. You make some good points about how there has been very little advertising, and low availability, but I really doubt that Sony will just abandon the format. If you look at some of the news articles about how Sony is planning to relaunch the Connect store, and reorganize the company, there is at least some light at the end of the tunnel. So...I'd hold out hope...maybe Sony will finally get it right and 3rd generation minidisc equipment will be really, really cool.

Edited July 12, 2005 by Skradgee

[ROMBUSTERS]

also i don't know how its going in the states, but here in Canada Radio Shack has been purchased by Circuit City, which would explain why 'Radio Shack' would not be expecting any new items in

[LupinIV]

Report for So.Cal.:

Same S@#$T!!! Radio Shack's clerk most common answer:

"Uhm.... I know it says we have it in stock, but the truth is....we don't have it.... but you can order it...." Ya, right.

I have noticed that they keep (or should keep) ONE per store. Once it's gone, it's gone. It also seems like they really do not have a clue of what you talk about (which does not surprise me considering the good job SONY is doing in making this format a competitive one!!!!)

Cheers

[andysnap]

I really don't think we're at 'the end'.  You make some good points about how there has been very little advertising, and low availability, but I really doubt that Sony will just abandon the format.  If you look at some of the news articles about how Sony is planning to relaunch the Connect store, and reorganize the company, there is at least some light at the end of the tunnel.  So...I'd hold out hope...maybe Sony will finally get it right and 3rd generation minidisc equipment will be really, really cool.

←

Hmm, I think Sony are reeling at the impact Apple has had on 'their' market, with both hardware, and the iTunes store.

Minidisc is disappearing from the consumer scene, smothered by publicity, and sales, of so called 'MP3' players.

Also the Connect music store simply is not on the radar of most consumers, blown away by iTunes.

We are the converted, we know about and enjoy Minidisc, but Sony need to massively get their act together very soon to let Joe Public know about the format, or both Sony and Minidisc will be fading away.

Andrew

[mmp64]

Hmm, I think Sony are reeling at the impact Apple has had on 'their' market, with both hardware, and the iTunes store.

Minidisc is disappearing from the consumer scene, smothered by publicity, and sales, of so called 'MP3' players.

Also the Connect music store simply is not on the radar of most consumers, blown away by iTunes.

We are the converted, we know about and enjoy Minidisc, but Sony need to massively get their act together very soon to let Joe Public know about the format, or both Sony and Minidisc will be fading away.

Andrew

←

Right. As a follow-up - I wanted to add that I don't think a format can survive long-term as simply a niche thing for enthusiasts... which seems to be their strategy, if you can call it that.

Maybe they should hire some trendy band like Green Day or something, and produce a bunch of cool TV commercials -

[Andicillo]

Right.  As a follow-up - I wanted to add that I don't think a format can survive long-term as simply a niche thing for enthusiasts... which seems to be their strategy, if you can call it that.

Maybe they should hire some trendy band like Green Day or something, and produce a bunch of cool TV commercials -

←

Yeah, I agreee with you. They SHOULD advertise and be proud of one of the greatest products in the history of mankind. However Sony is one of the most chaotic companies in the world. All their different sections seem to work selfishly and some sections seem to ignore and to discriminate MD... I really hope the new adminidtration does something for the format... I don't want to let this baby die... there would be a lot of sad "parents" .

I love Md's

Edited July 13, 2005 by Andicillo

[Cornholio]

I’m a big fan of MD. However, I don’t like all of the DRM baggage that comes with it now. The HDD argument is quite persuasive, but I won’t be buying a Sony (nor an Apple). iRiver make devices that seem to be pretty much DRM free, so for me that seems to be the way to go.

I still find it hard to accept that, having made a recording of my band, playing our own songs, on my Hi-MD Walkman, Sony only allow me to make one copy onto my computer.

[Bananatree]

Is Radioshack a respectable store for buying audio products in the states?

I know where I'm from the radioshack is the only place to buy anything electronic, so it is stock with mostly phones, blank media and some computer stuff. They overcharge a lot hoping that people won't have time to drive to a place like FutureShop to pay a resonable price for electronics.

The radioshack even got bought out and became "The Source By Circuit City"

Edit: He uses a Memorex flash player? You should've given him a little lesson in audio fidelity.

[mmp64]

Is Radioshack a respectable store for buying audio products in the states?

I know where I'm from the radioshack is the only place to buy anything electronic, so it is stock with mostly phones, blank media and some computer stuff. They overcharge a lot hoping that people won't have time to drive to a place like FutureShop to pay a resonable price for electronics.

The radioshack even got bought out and became "The Source By Circuit City"

Edit: He uses a Memorex flash player? You should've given him a little lesson in audio fidelity.

←

Not necessarily - I would not, for instance, buy a home theater system there (maybe a secondary one). But they have become a reasonable source of low-medium end audio gadgets in recent years, and the only bricks & mortar place I've ever seen HiMD blanks (outside of the Sony store in Las Vegas). There are just so ubiquitous here (there must be at least 20 in Pittsburgh and environs).

RE: The Memorex Flash Player - agreed. I believe Radio Shack sells them - no doubt he got it at a discount.

[MDGB2]

I think the format has a bright future, if not on the consumer market then certainly the professional sector.

Problems are there but will be ironed out, mp3 compatibility was added to 2nd Gen but might not have been in Sony's original plans. Maybe they still have more to add to the format??

Must admit I'm baffled by Sony's lack of marketing, you've seen the shabby 2-colour iPlop commercials, surely they could do something better than that (or anything at all)

On e-bay the other night I saw an old Juventus football shirt. The sponsor on the front was "Sony Minidisc"

Maybe they can strike a deal with Malcom Glazer at Mudchester United?

Edited July 13, 2005 by MDGB2

[Syrius]

You see, that's the problem. At least in Europe Sony is putting money into letting some soccer fans know that there is a digital recorder/uploader thingy. While here in the US, they are simply sitting back and expecting people to come across it by luck.

Or maybe, they are expecting that Apple might start telling people about Minidisc. Yeah. I'm inclined to believe that Sony is actually considering that by some sort of cosmic coincidence, Apple will start advertising MD for them.

*sarcasm*

Even the Bible says something about similar stuff: How will they believe in the one they haven't heard of? And how will they hear if no one tells them?

[ROMBUSTERS]

adertising for something other than video games would be nice

[jadeclaw]

A bit about Radio Shack:

The fact, that RS stops selling MD-gear means nothing.

RS is in the process of throwing out everything, which is not mass market and Joe Sixpack compatible -

Or in other words: Where you need a higher IQ than a piece of bread.

And the quality of RS clerks should be well known by now.

Sig found in a Hamradio forum:

""Radio Shack: You've got questions, we've got blank stares. ""

[mmp64]

A bit about Radio Shack:

The fact, that RS stops selling MD-gear means nothing.

RS is in the process of throwing out everything, which is not mass market and Joe Sixpack compatible -

Or in other words: Where you need a higher IQ than a piece of bread.

And the quality of RS clerks should be well known by now.

Sig found in a Hamradio forum:

""Radio Shack: You've got questions, we've got blank stares. ""

←

True in some cases, not all. Have you ever seen HiMD blanks sold in any other store in the States?

In fact, that is kind of my point - I think Sony has to make "Joe Six-Pack" understand MD in the States, or the economy of scale won't be there.

Edited July 15, 2005 by mmp64

[ROMBUSTERS]

i thought i saw some at circuit city

they have them at future shop by us, which is owned by Best By (i also saw them there)

[lyceemoliere]

i thought i saw some at circuit city

they have them at future shop by us, which is owned by Best By (i also saw them there)

←

Circuit city near me (2 stores) used to have them but dont any more. They are now unloading all of their discs.

[Guest MeanieDix]

Yeah, the RadioShack's here have one hanging in some strange place. No one's gonna buy them cuz no one knows what they are. Sony's pulled the plug. Pretty soon blank plain old md's will be on the way out too (although I did get an MD lens cleaner from RadioShack-but they also had a blank sealed red Realistic 8 track 40 tape as well-this is an independent store). No decks, abandoning the pro market, abandoning the audiophile market; nothing but a half-a**ed attempt at a portable market. Sadly, but I'm fraid its over. As a portable format its doomed; as a pro and home linear PCM market it would have been great with uploading possibilities. But, sadly Sony doesn't have a clue. I bet they still sell more of the overstocked DAT recorders. I'm starting to feel like I missed the boat off the island when I fire up the old 20es...a great idea who's time has passed, whose rightful time NEVER came.

[Syrius]

Fry's Electronics carries them.

[mmp64]

Fry's Electronics carries them.

←

Is that a chain? And if so, in how many states. Just curious.

[hobgoblin]

as a pro and home linear PCM market it would have been great with uploading possibilities.  But, sadly Sony doesn't have a clue.  I bet they still sell more of the overstocked DAT recorders.

←

if you look into the news about some repackaged 2nd gen hardware you will see that they are going to pitch it as a PCM DAT replacement. complete with microphone in the package and a apple mac wav upload app.

[ROMBUSTERS]

if you look into the news about some repackaged 2nd gen hardware you will see that they are going to pitch it as a PCM DAT replacement. complete with microphone in the package and a apple mac wav upload app.

←

hopefully it works somewhat for them

[banjo]

I passed through Singapore last weekend.

I have been travelling through there irregularly over the last five years and I can recall the (not so distant) days when minidisc was stocked in virtually all the consumer electronice stores.

I have to say that I was a little shocked, on this trip, by the speed of decline in MD popularity as measured by store exposure.

Minidisc was available in only a handful of the stores* I visited along the usual shopping strips and in these stores the units were either on clear-out (at not-so-great rates) or they were gathering dust on the back shelves. Even blank discs were hard to spot. The new models were not on prominent display. The rh910 was on display in the Sony shops. Nothing else.

In contrast, there were hundreds of different model flash- and disk-based MP3 players on hand. Many models that I have seen at home in Europe but also many other models and brands that I haven't seen before. These units were selling like hot-cakes.

After this trip it is clear to me that the format is finished as a high-volume seller: if the shops in Singapore are not pushing md to the passing shoppers then it means that it just doesn't sell.

*Just a note here: I'd guess that minidisc has not disappeared totally from all stores in Singapore, but it does appear to have disappeared, more-or-less, from the mainstream stores.

[greenmachine]

It seems to loose its significance as a primary playback device, but at the same time it seems to gain reputation as a high quality, pocket sized, energy efficient -almost- all in one recording solution. Sooner or later it'll find its place - i'm certain that more people would adapt it if it had less restrictions (DRM, encryption, upload only once restriction, buggy software...). These make life unnecessarily difficult IMO.

[Fray Adjacent]

Fry's Electronics carries them.

←

I've only seen a few NetMD players at the Fry's here. No blanks now either. I checked at a Target in Houston, and only found one NetMD player and no blanks either. Walmarts around here in Austin carry some blank MDs, but only standard MDs. I haven't really checked any Radio Shacks, but one I was in a few months ago didn't have squat.

I am really afraid Sony screwed the pooch on this one. What could be a GREAT portable player solution will be relegated to a niche market of enthusiasts like us.

Damnit Sony! Pull your head out your a$$!!

[mmp64]

It seems to loose its significance as a primary playback device, but at the same time it seems to gain reputation as a high quality, pocket sized, energy efficient -almost- all in one recording solution. Sooner or later it'll find its place - i'm certain that more people would adapt it if it had less restrictions (DRM, encryption, upload only once restriction, buggy software...). These make life unnecessarily difficult IMO.

←

Yes - if I'm not mistaken, they seem to have changed the focus of the description of the HiMD units on sale on SonyStyle - they are targeting them exactly as you describe. It starts out "Perfect for a musician or a hardcore audiophile..." Certainly that's new verbiage. Very interesting indeed.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP....isc_HiMDWalkman

[Fray Adjacent]

Yes - if I'm not mistaken, they seem to have changed the focus of the description of the HiMD units on sale on SonyStyle - they are targeting them exactly as you describe.  It starts out "Perfect for a musician or a hardcore audiophile..."  Certainly that's new verbiage.  Very interesting indeed.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP....isc_HiMDWalkman

←

Yep... this seems to go back to how Sony crippled MD in the first place. They ONLY wanted it to be a recording medium to replace cassettes, when it could have been SO MUCH MORE! It could have been as versatile as CDs, but NO. Sony had to cripple it. HiMD has potential to compete with the likes of Ipod and it's clones, but NO, it's got to be crippled.

Wake the **** up Sony!

[greenmachine]

Even if it would be perfectly functional and non-proprietary, i would see it loosing its significance as playback device, being limited by the medium itself. People seem to head for non-mechanical media and/or higher capacity, fast read/write speeds nowadays. To be honest, although it may loose lots of users because of this reorientation, i don't regret their recent focus on recording capabilities. It'll find its new clientele.

[sallymae_hogsby]

If MD does become "the new DAT", it will be likely that other manufacturers will join in. Under the guise of being "pro" equipment, they tend to be less restrictive than Sony, doing things like allowing SCMS to be turned off. There's no reason (unless Sony doesn't allow it) that a pro MD deck couldn't incorporate the software to create WAV files directly. It will be interesting to see where Sony goes with MD as pro equipment. If MD is no longer under the watchful eye of its Music Division, things could really develop.

[Fray Adjacent]

Green, I hear ya, most people (sheeple) will go for whatever is trendy, and don't want to mess with anything more complicated. So MOST people will go with Ipods and clones.

I find the drawbacks being that if the drive in that device fails, all of your stuff is gone.

With MD, if your device fails, you have not lost your music.

Anyway, if Sony marketed this like they SHOULD, we'd have unrestricted copying/playback of commonly used audio files. We'd have home stereo decks and car head units. The ease of portability of music on SUPERIOR removeable media between multiple playback device formats (home, portable, PC, car...) would appeal to many people.

Ideally, I'd have a portable player/recorder, a data/recording drive for my PC, a home stereo component unit, and a car head unit. Buy me a dozen or so discs, and I'm set.

With the Ipod and like, sure, you only have one device, which may end up being less expensive, but then you need cables and adapters and you need to have a stereo or car deck that can interface with it, and have to have the cables and adapters for those.

I'd rather just take my disc out, and put it in another device. BAM.

Sony is going to screw the pooch on this... again... I fear

[greenmachine]

I see a bright future for flash cards, but there's still a place for mechanical media such as CD, HD or MD as long as they're rather expensive and limited in capacity. Time will change this.

[hobgoblin]

Anyway, if Sony marketed this like they SHOULD, we'd have unrestricted copying/playback of commonly used audio files.  We'd have home stereo decks and car head units.  The ease of portability of music on SUPERIOR removeable media between multiple playback device formats (home, portable, PC, car...) would appeal to many people. 

Ideally, I'd have a portable player/recorder, a data/recording drive for my PC, a home stereo component unit, and a car head unit.  Buy me a dozen or so discs, and I'm set. 

←

like i have stated other places, this can only happen is sony sells of their record label and their movie studio. then they can go back to what they at one time did best, make tech gadgets

this would basicly turn the md into the new casette, and we all know what a killing sony made with that and the walkman brand

hell, given that aol and timewarner split up not to long ago should be a indication that its not allways good to mix both sides of the coin in one company. even less so if diffrent sides cant agree or have diffrent view on how the world should be shaped (round or flat, guess who have what view).

but if this where to happen, i think that md would hold its own until the day that small, cheap, fully rw (cd/dvd-rw is a joke, you cant delete a file and reclaim space without reburning the disc), holographic media came around.

it would basicly make md the new floppy

so, i wonder what kinds of limits sony have on licencing out their md format...

[Syrius]

We can always find our way around that stupid 1-upload. (If anyone feels like complaining, get Hi-MD Renderer and render to Wav/flac, and get back to me.), so that's not a problem.

Sony simply should advertise and tell people:

"Record, upload. Burn. Share. Don't get I-PO-ed, get a MD."

Or:

"I-Pod users have a dream. Minidisc users don't. They are recording their reality and sharing it with their friends."

But nooooo... Sony's arcane way of doing things ensures their right hand team doesn't know what their left hand team is doing. Proof? The previous versions of SS. Sony Japan management was completely unaware how badly it sucked.

Help us, Obi Wan Stringer. You are our only hope.

[Christopher]

Here's a plausible reason as to why Radio Shack may be discontinuing support of Hi-MD: http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/6341/