Hi-MD, Bye-MD?

[mikehend]

<P>This is disappointing at best because DAT is going out (tape manufacturers are saying they will probably no longer make DAT -- or other -- tape, including 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 2- inch analogue tape), now it sounds like MD may also be on the way out. The issue is not just the ability to do digital recordins, but PORTABLE digital recordings. DAT was so small that a portable DAT was almost as small as many of the portable MD units on the market in the early nineties. Being able to use such a small form factor instead of a CD Deck-sized unit is a DEFINITE plus in many cases! <I>Also, MD recording has always generally been much more reliable that recording to a CD, at least for me. I have NEVER had a failue recording to MD, but have had several "bad" CDs after a recording. </I> This is why I use more than one unit to master with, especially if the recording is critical. MD IS FAR MORE FORGIVING and less likely to be scratched or otherwise damaged from handling. (How does MD media hold up in a hot car?)</P>

<br>

<P>

As it is, I have two Hi-MD recorders that will not export to the Macintosh because I didn't want to wait, thinking they would NEVER write an app for us Mac users. Now there is one, but it was only intended to work with two specific new HiMD units. <B>This is so unfair!</B> <I>Has anyone heard of a hack that allows downloading of personally-recorded music from an MZ-NH1 or other earlier model to a Macintosh instead of the PC using the software for the NEW HiMD units??</I> I hope someone will come up with one very soon and let us all know about it. </P>

[Shozzer]

Well, I've read the many replies and seen the sharp differences of opinion between those who dread the thought that Sony may no longer develop minidisc and others who are looking for newer methods of recording/playback. I'm sure that something will emerge in due course that provides all the features that we have come to love and appreciate with minidisc. So far however it seems to be just an emerging market and with that in view I have ordered today a new NH900 to be in addition to the one I have already got, together with an rm-mc40elk remote. I'm not saying I will never buy new technology but I will want to see that it does all that I need.

Net MD was a disappointment to me (MZ N1) in that I discovered after buying that you could not upload to the computer via USB. How many others were conned into buying thinking that this was possible? Despite that, I became hooked on mini disc as I found that I could archive old material on cassette (which often sounded better after archiving), record from DAB, copy my CD's etc. I could split tracks at whatever point I wanted, delete, name, move them on a unit that could be carried about wherever I go and cause my wife to be seriously jealous of the attention I was paying it.

When Hi-MD came out I bought an NH1, took it home, read the manual and then took the player back the next day to the shop as at that time it was not possible to convert uplifted tracks to WAV and you could only burn to CD if you had a Sony Vaio... Then the Wav converter was made available on the web as a stand alone program and I purchased my first NH900 and then Marc's HI-MD renderer was produced which opened up the field completely. Finally, Sony produced SS 3.2 with option to remove DRM and unlimited uploads. Finally MD had arrived. I have so many discs that the very thought of transferring these to a new format just does not appeal. I love the thought that I might lose a disc, but not my whole collection and that I don't have to backup some how onto PC just in case...

I guess that what I am saying is that having invested heavily in MD so far it makes sense to continue with it until there is a compelling reason to change. The technology may not be developed further but for me I have a medium which answers all my recording and playing needs. I have backups of SS and SB together with Marc's HI MD renderer should I need to load them up again. Oh, and for the record, I have had no problems whatever with Sonic Stage either in loading it onto the PC or using it. I know from other threads that I am in the minority here but thought I would mention this to redress the balance.

Anyway, I'm off now to use SB again. See you all around.

[garcou]

A NEW SONY MD UNIT?

CMT-3

[Ishiyoshi]

A NEW SONY MD UNIT?

CMT-3

I don't recall when this unit was first announced, but it's just your typical Sony bookshelf with MD, CD, Cassette and FM/AM tuner module. Nonetheless, it's relatively new for this quarter.

[Richard]

I don't recall when this unit was first announced, but it's just your typical Sony bookshelf with MD, CD, Cassette and FM/AM tuner module. Nonetheless, it's relatively new for this quarter.

Ishii is right, I think it is new this quarter as it wasn't in the catalog from a couple of months ago. Anyhow more info is at:

http://www.ecat.sony.co.jp/audio/systemste...13762&KM=CMT-M3

[WyldDogg]

It has taken me some time to go thru this entire thread & I share everyone's feelings about the thought of MD/Hi-MD technology being discontinued by Sony. I just purchased a Hi-MD recorder over the Internet just a couple weeks ago, and now this announcement. I love the ability to transfer & organize my music with my Mini-Disc & now Hi-MD players. I have been a fan of MD for a long time. My first MD unit predates NET MD technology, still working & recording. I wouldn't give up any of my units for all the I-Pods in the world. I defend MD technology to my dying breath against any I-Pod or Flash Drive enthusiast that tries to pass judgement my 'old-fashioned' ways. I have been a Sony supporter for a long time, but if they want abandon MD technology - that's their loss. As for me, I will find what accessories & players I can still find out in the retail market, keep monitoring these Community forums, & enjoy the technology that I have supported for years. Along with my vinyl turntable, cassette player & cd player. If 'Family Guy' can get cancelled & come back stronger than ever with nothing but Fan Support, then I know MD/Hi-MD will never die!!!

Sometimes the best ways are usually the OLD ways.

[mafija]

I know that Minidisc never took off big in the US, and that Sony could discontiue the format and not support it at all here and you wouldn't hear that much about it (except from us), but aren't there millions of minidisc users in Japan? And isn't that Sony's most important market? I have difficulty believing that they are going to dump the whole thing right away without some kind of support. Perhaps some of our members who live in Japan could comment. Is the minidisc entrenched enough in that market to make it difficult for Sony to just dump it? Will everyone there really just jump on the HD bandwagon?

The point is that it would seem foolish (and yes, I know that we are talking about Sony) to not provide players/recorders and discs for some time to come, even if they don't put any more development money into the minidisc format. I hope.

Also, what's the deveopment cycle like at Sony? How far ahead is their product design? Are there already some prototype 3rd generation Hi-MD recorders?

Are the plants that are manufacturing the current Hi-MD stuff the plants that are going off line? How much of the process do they outsource? There are a thousand other manufacturing issues that could influence this decision one way or the other.

And maybe Sony will still make Hi-MD stuff for the professional crowd. And maybe they will sell the technology to someone, though it seems like that would be difficult if there are a lot of third party patents involved. I guess that we will know Friday, right?

Man oh man, I was really getting jazzed up about those mythical 4-5GB discs.

Hi,everybody

I start read this tread just yesterday,but i found it very sadly right away.I'm living in Japan for 4 years already and if everything wents fine i'm planning to live here for ever And what can i say about MD in Japan?1-3 years ago when you ride in train and see what kind of music player people using to listen their music you'll find out that more than 70% if not more using all kind of MDs,old,big,new,etc.But 1 year ago when flash memory and HDD players become cheaper and cheaper,people start to refuse using their MDs,because of its size,discs,unit price and of course check in/out abnormality in Sonic Stage(i don't hear any good words from my friends,including myself, using MDs about SonicStage software{i've never used MDs from Sharp,Panasonic or other maker than Sony,so i don't have any idea what kind and how good software these makers is giving for their MDs costumers to deal with their musics transfers}).Especialy now,when i ride in the train if i'm not reading a book,i see in people listening music what kind of player they are using-FLASH FLASH and 1 more time FLASH ,mostly I-Pod.But it's not that much bad news coz in stores is still a lot of new models of MDs,Panasonic,Sharp is still delivering MDs with 1-bit digital amps and so on,smaller in size,lighter in weight,longer life in battery time..Another big brake for MDs future is that Hi-MD is made only by Sony and a lot of new home components don't have support for Hi-MD.Before this problem was MD-LP,now Hi-MD and if Sony will not do something about it and/or other MD makers will not start to use/produce Hi-MD walkmans and support for home components it will not be so strange if Hi-MD will die soon.

Edited October 5, 2005 by mafija

[mafija]

Spot on! Hence why MD is so popular in Japan. For such a technologically advanced society it's (initially) surprising to find out how few people actually own a computer. That is, until you see a typical Japanese shoebo- erm, apartment. Where the hell are you going to put a desk, chair, PC and monitor/keyboard/mouse in a Japanese apartment. That's also one of the reasons why so many stereos

come out with CD/MD players with direct copy. Optical-in = much happiness

It's already 2 years when laptop pcs is more than cheap.Why,because of its specs,but not all users wants super duper laptop,mostly who is getting laptop they need cheap and small size,if they need hi spec pc,they go for desktops!That's why MDs popularity is going down rapidly(i don't know how about sales,but the best way for ordinary person is to check what kind of player people using in streets,trains..).

[NorthStar]

Got kurisu's email a while ago, though I've been busy reading all the stuff you guys had to say (still reading!!), as well as all the other online stuff I gotta keep up with (been too long since I've updated my own site), but I wanted to at least put up my few thoughts on my beloved little disc.

As far as these things go, Sony really dropped the ball on this one. You can blame two major things for their lack of support and popularity beyond Europe and Japan: lackluster marketing and their stupid obbession with copyright. Many times when I was first fighting with the original version of SS (before I started working around it with my little tricks, and relying on direct recording), I wished I had the power to teleport to the Sony corporate building and throttle teh chairman, or whoever was responsible for all the crap we've had to deal with. Then I'd probably yell something like:

Look you morons; everybody wants to be able to record their music in peace. People have been doing it way before the digital age came out. there was another medium back then. Remeber it? It was called the cassette tape, you know, the media you were trying to replace with the Minidisc? What did you think people were going to use it for? Decorating their homes? Wearing as jewlery? They were going to record music! So what if they're recording off of a cd they bought? Leave us alone and let us do it! We paid for it, we can do what we want with it! If I want to archive my music from a cd to my minidisc in order to keep my master copy free from scratches and other damage, then let me! If people want to record something from an outside source with their md recorders and then store them in their computers, LET THEM! Do you have any idea how much more of this stuff you'd sell if you would have just let people use them the way they wanted to?? I've constatnly wowed iPod users with the fact that anytime I wanted to lift something from their precious little devices, I could just use a stereo plug, conect my recorder to their iPod, and a few minutes later, I'd have their tune, something they can't do at all. Don't you realize how cool that is?? Cna't you see that should be a marketing point?? "Freely record from any source with our reccorders, and experience playback with digital clarity, plus easy storage in Minidisc and easy uploads to the computer, via Sonicstage." People are willing to pay money for that! So give it to them, and leave them the hell alone!!

Yeah, that's what I'd say to the suit at my most wrathful voice possible. If I had the power to do so. But I don't. And Sony continued to be stupid about things, all while things like the iPod kicked their asses in teh digital music realm here in the States.

Now, I'm not entirely certain they are going to totally do away with Minidisc. Yeah, things don't look good, but I'm still seeing these things being sold in places like Fry's, and even in places Like Walmart and Target (albeit in rather small amounts), so maybe there' some hope. What I think should be done though, is some kind of mass petiton from the MD users. There's no better time than now to Let Sony know how we feel about Minidisc, and what we'd like done with it. Trust me, if enough noise is made, something can come of it. If a bunch of ravers could cause Oprah Winfrey to freak after she was stupid enough to make a show filled with mis-information about them ( http://www.ishkur.com/articles/oprah2.php ), then I'm sure millions of people worldwide can make some kind of difference in how Minidisc is handled. It can be done. After all, I'm sure these guys some way to contact them....

[mafija]

I agree completely. I have seen plenty of Sony commericals. "Like no other..." is pretty common on TV,radio, and print, but I have only seen two MD commercials (MD and NetMD): one from Japan with Hamasaki Ayumi and another one with a drive-thru setting in Australia. NOTHING in the U.S. and I have been using MD since my first MZ-R70.

Joe

And she wasn't making CM for Sony,that was for Panasonic/National!

I think you've been out of the loop, mate. You can upload unlimited times now with Sonicstage 3.2.

Ya,but is that not idiotizm when i record my md with some other recorder and i put that disc in recorder i use right now and even SSv3.2 never lets me to transfer songs to pc????Or maybe i don't know how?PLS.HELP.

That's why a lot of people goes to flash,i already had order Rio Unite 130 2GB for myself and sister just for 20,000 yen each!Isn't that cheap for all specs it provides?

[mafija]

LOL! You are absolutely right...progress must progress.

My problem is the cost. I simply can't afford to keep upgrading things. This new player cost me a pretty penny and it has to last a while. Right now technology is seemingly progressing at the speed of light. My Mastercard can't handle that velocity!

If your mastercard can't afford that kind of velocity,get visa one.

P.S.Just joke

And i think that is not bad to much that things is changing very fast coz mostly new product is much better in all ways than the previous ones,and if we all start bark about velocity speed,we could start Internet not in early 90s,but in late 2050s!What do you think about it?

[Jimwright_98]

oh well guys we lived the dream before other people had any clue.

79p for one song from iTunes or why not just got to your local library (in the UK at least) and get a whole album for £2. Slip it on to MD (your £2 pays a copyright royalty so its not SO bad), sorted. Or what about people talking about "Podcasting"?

Well, these people would be at the dawn of a new age....if it wasnt for me using Streambox to do exactly the same thing and transfer BBC radio to my MD, ages ago. We did it our way....(is that the sound of frank sinatra turning in his grave?)

Incidently i went to a friends house at the weekend, he is a massive music fan and of course he has an iPod. But here's his set up:

He's plugged an iTrip into his iPod and tuned his minisystem into the radio frequency it transmits on. So here we have the biggest music fan i know listening to 128kbs mp3s over fm on a mini system. Is this the bright future? full rate SP on my seperates set up still sounds absolutely amazing.

One more thing: With MD dying i managed to pick up an mz-nh1 top range hi-md for....£90 from John Lewis.

Jim (still keeping it MD).

Edited October 5, 2005 by Jimwright_98

[bobdibest]

haha

Yea im a major MD fan, and whilst I now use an ipod for my out and about listening I still record all my albums to an MD in SP because the quality is unrivelled by mp3 at such low bitrates.

However Sony never managed to convert me to HiMD, why? Because year after year Sony release new products each with small baby steps towards what the customer wants, this year came direct mp3 and jpeg. If we see a third generation im sure we will see all the codecs supported by the PSP supported by MD, Id hope for mpeg support anyway. The new hard drive players they announced now support direct wma (unencrypted) another baby step!

If sony were clever they would combine himd and umd to make a multimedia format, that plays high quality music and movies (umd) and allows you to mix and make your own (himd)!

But alas, lo-fi is the future

Edited October 5, 2005 by bobdibest

[t0fler]

i hate to say it, but we all new that MD was marketed terribly and would never be around for ever, economically its no surprise that its getting canned. but its a shame sony decided to make it happen

[bobdibest]

well we dont know its getting canned. to be honest id be surprised if it went.

time we tell

[lamewing]

i hate to say it, but we all new that MD was marketed terribly and would never be around for ever, economically its no surprise that its getting canned. but its a shame sony decided to make it happen

And we can accept the end of the MD. BUT, my concern is that Sony will continue to make poor judgement calls on their new equpiment, dooming more equipment to a short life cycle. I was looking at the HD5, but the 9 - 12 month life cycle and the numerous cracking buttons has scared me away from one. I would expect a new iteration after 1 year, but to drop the product and totally replace it after such a short time. Why not fix what is wrong instead of making a new product with new problems?

Sony did this to me (and many others) with the PS2 hard drive. Support in japan, but none in the states. Also, they killed the Sava-7 speaker set which was out in 98. I still have them and they are the best multimedia speakers I have ever heard!

Sony PLEASE get it together and look to the future...LONG TERM.

[teamgood]

for those of you that never converted and don't intend to go to hi-md, minidisc has basically been shut down a couple years ago. other then a few low-end models there's been no new units, and those have basically been just new colors of old models. part of the reason minidisc is on the way out is because those many loyal minidisc users that never bought their new hi-md units. nah, i'm just joking, but it kinda makes sense. i don't know how many old md users never went hi-md anyway.

all i'm upset about with the end of minidisc possibly in sight is not having new models to look forward to and be excited about. thats probably the majority of our feelings, because we all had to know minidisc's time was coming to an end. but now for us yet...

Edited October 5, 2005 by teamgood

[bland10000]

No, there have been high end legacy md models recently, if you can consider 10/2004 as recent. Sony released the e730 and e630 both with the hd amp. Sharp has released two legacy models this year but the headphone output on both models is 3mw instead of 5mw.

First, as a legacy user, I intended to go hi-md when a full-size hi-md component came out for my hi-fi system. I have a deck for my legacy md's which allows me to play my discs without the wear-and-tear on my portables. Since I can't get this same deal with hi-md, I'm not all that interested in it.

Second, as a legacy user and not a hi-md user, I can trade discs much easier with other people...I'm in Japan so disc trading is plentiful.

[mxdupbro]

I've been hooked on md since there was only standard record mode. Truthfully, the only people that i see enjoying md's are the ones that don't mind a little effort creating them as long as they get the quality they want. Most people just want something easy to use and with a lot of capacity. I think that the HiMD format has solved both of those issues in the latest models. The problem is (like everyone has been saying) past formats were too constrictive, and the marketing has been too little for WAY too long for the masses (at least here in the US) to notice now. I hate when I pull my himd out of my pocket on my commute into manhattan and someone asks me "wow...what kind of IPOD is that?" If the evil genious that marketed IPods had worked for Sony on the MD project (without all the old school MD rules of course) MD would be just as big today. I hope this rumor is a miss... I didn't hesitate buying my HiMD portable because everything is backwards compatible. I can record digitally and then create files to transfer to MDLP format for my home deck, mini system, and car stereo. And let me tell you ...the bus speed on the newer units is SO much faster. I can record in NETMD format on a regular MD in at least half the time(depending on what laptop I'm using). Now if I didn't have to keep those transfered files on only one computer I'd be happier, but like someone already said... baby steps to MD freedom ( a la "What About Bob") Bill murray movie...i might have said too much

Edited October 5, 2005 by mxdupbro

[theblueraja]

I joined MD LATE in the game (almost a year ago), so I'm a hiMD-only guy... I own 3 hiMD units, 1 more on the way, and I own tons of standard MD discs, all hiMD-formatted.

So obviously I love this format, and what scares me is the thought that there will be no Sonic Stage support a few years from now, meaning should I need to upgrade my XP operating system... I'll have no way to transfer new CDs to my hiMDs??

[raintheory]

I joined MD LATE in the game (almost a year ago), so I'm a hiMD-only guy... I own 3 hiMD units, 1 more on the way, and I own tons of standard MD discs, all hiMD-formatted.

So obviously I love this format, and what scares me is the thought that there will be no Sonic Stage support a few years from now, meaning should I need to upgrade my XP operating system... I'll have no way to transfer new CDs to my hiMDs??

Do any of your standard CD players have optical out?

[theblueraja]

Do any of your standard CD players have optical out?

Oh, I'd never do real-time... I love the convenience of the automated tracklisting data of gracenote, etc.

(and to answer your question - no)

Edited October 5, 2005 by theblueraja

[mxdupbro]

I think that Sonicstage is used for more than just MD's. It is used for the Sony flash players also. I don't think they'll stop developing that software package.

Edited October 5, 2005 by mxdupbro

[teamgood]

Now if I didn't have to keep those files on one computer I'd be happier, but like someone already said... baby steps to MD freedom ( a la "What About Bob") Bill murray movie...i might have said too much

you don't have to keep the files on just one computer. hi-md atrac files (.omg?) uploaded from hi-md or recorded to md with sonic stage 3.2 can be transferred between different different computers with sonic stage 3.2 installed on it. when i tried it, it said i could register up to 5 computers on my account and they'll work on those five, but i think that was referring to connect purchased songs. someone told me these files should be able to play on any computer with sonic stage 3.2 with drm restrictions, like mp3s almost. i tried transferring .oma files from previous versions of sonic stage but they do have drm restrictions and can't be transferred.

[teamgood]

I joined MD LATE in the game (almost a year ago), so I'm a hiMD-only guy... I own 3 hiMD units, 1 more on the way, and I own tons of standard MD discs, all hiMD-formatted.

So obviously I love this format, and what scares me is the thought that there will be no Sonic Stage support a few years from now, meaning should I need to upgrade my XP operating system... I'll have no way to transfer new CDs to my hiMDs??

i don't see why you won't be able to continue to use sonic stage? the automated tracklisting data will continue to be supported, its not just for sonic stage. other programs use that same service, one i use is a program called 'replay music' that records streaming music and splits tracks and titles them. so as long as you have internet service or sonic stage burned to a cd you can always reinstall it if you need to and keep on using it as you do now. correct me if i'm wrong, but don't see why not

[theblueraja]

I think that Sonicstage is used for more than just MD's. It is used for the Sony flash players also. I don't think they'll stop developing that software package.

I thought I read a posting that said not only is 3.2 the last version, but next year Sony is ditching SS with the new itunes looking one (connect-something...).

[raintheory]

I thought I read a posting that said not only is 3.2 the last version, but next year Sony is ditching SS with the new itunes looking one (connect-something...).

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=12184

[theblueraja]

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=12184

Yeah.. SEE??

If "connect" doesn't interface w/ my HiMD... it will only be a matter of time... or matter of the next Windows operating system

[teamgood]

Yeah.. SEE??

If "connect" doesn't interface w/ my HiMD... it will only be a matter of time... or matter of the next Windows operating system

you will still be able to use sonic stage with the next windows next year, no? obviously just wouldn't use connect.

[raintheory]

you will still be able to use sonic stage with the next windows next year, no? obviously just wouldn't use connect.

Theres really no way to determine if software that was designed for 98/2000/XP will work at all on Vista. Not until it is available anyway.

[FezzFest]

One of the big advantages of (Hi-)MDs is that you can use them without a computer

[NorthStar]

One of the big advantages of (Hi-)MDs is that you can use them without a computer

Atually, you can do the same with the older minidiscs. I've recorded off my cd's during break at work, with no computer whatsoever, just with my MD recorder, CD player, and power adapters (of course). As long as you had gotten yourself a decent model, you really didn't need a computer to nab yoru music. Granted, it's faster with a computer, but it isn't yoru only source. In fact, it's that versitility that kept me from getting an iPod.

Speaking of regular md's versus HiMd, I haven't moved to the latter format for the simple reason that they haven't bothered making a deck for it yet. They got bookself models and decks for the older discs, but I have het to see anything for HiMd. Until they do that, I'm not touching it. I don't want my little player to be the only thing that can play my discs. That's just stupid. If Sony really wantred to push their HiMD stuff, they should have come out with stereo systems, decks and the like to support it. Futher proof they fubared a good thing.

[garcou]

No, there have been high end legacy md models recently, if you can consider 10/2004 as recent. Sony released the e730 and e630 both with the hd amp. Sharp has released two legacy models this year but the headphone output on both models is 3mw instead of 5mw.

First, as a legacy user, I intended to go hi-md when a full-size hi-md component came out for my hi-fi system. I have a deck for my legacy md's which allows me to play my discs without the wear-and-tear on my portables. Since I can't get this same deal with hi-md, I'm not all that interested in it.

Second, as a legacy user and not a hi-md user, I can trade discs much easier with other people...I'm in Japan so disc trading is plentiful.

It is totally incoprehensible that Sony has still not released a himd deck and car unit, considering 2G units cannot record (on the unit itself) in the old md formats ( sp, etd)!

[The Low Volta]

check the other news thread and the like here on MDCF... there are HiMD decks and mini systems available (from Sony and Onkyo) but granted, no car-units and the decks aren't fully equipped (no optical out etc)

[garcou]

you don't have to keep the files on just one computer. hi-md atrac files (.omg?) uploaded from hi-md or recorded to md with sonic stage 3.2 can be transferred between different different computers with sonic stage 3.2 installed on it. when i tried it, it said i could register up to 5 computers on my account and they'll work on those five, but i think that was referring to connect purchased songs. someone told me these files should be able to play on any computer with sonic stage 3.2 with drm restrictions, like mp3s almost. i tried transferring .oma files from previous versions of sonic stage but they do have drm restrictions and can't be transferred.

you have to use the original MD disc to upload to an unlimited number of computers

[ozpeter]

Just a thought - I hope that if there are further concrete developments concerning the future of MD (eg specific Sony announcements) that the moderators won't bury them in this excellent but rather long discussion - when/if that time comes, a new thread might draw more attention.

[carlesraf]

Hi guys

My experienci with sonicstage it was betwen love and hait, but in global it's not a bad program just a litle bit confusing and it needs a huge use of processor when it transfrom from cd or mp3 to atrac.

But I'm very disaponting with Sony by the fact of this software only works with Windows....it's strange don't you think?

There aren't any software for Linux (licenced by Sony), only a few developements creates by Linux users that report a litle (but not depreciative) functions, such naming tracks or moving it, but no uploading or donwloading.

Sony must be open minded and develope a software that runs on Linux (and Mac also) for many reasons, economicaly (more users can use the product) also for users thar currenly run Windows on theirs PC, that can know that if one day they want to migrate fron Windows to Linux their products will be used whitout problem on the new.

[django248]

Update: Nothing was specifically mentioned at the Sony Group's Fiscal Year 2005 Corporate Strategy Meeting webcast on 9/30. Judging by the focus of the webcast, it was clear as to what Sony's immediate future will be, and I can honestly say I do not see MD in the equation. The 15 divisions of Sony that will be terminated are going to be revealed by Sony very soon. More information will come in this thread, as it arrives.

It is becoming clear with the recent restructuring of Sony that the Minidisc format may soon become extinct. Hell, QUALIA's out the door, what's really stopping us from thinking MD isn't next?

Even in Sony's Annual Report for 2005, which in every previous year has featured a MD unit mentioned positively or pictured in one form or another, cited:

Reliable sources within Sony that have given me consistant and 100% accurate information in the past, recent documents that have been passed along my way, and the blantant obviousness of Sony's direction from not only the recent webcast along with their Annual Report for 2005 and other various public presentations have given a clear indication as to what's going to occur to the format. Right now there's a very slim chance that Hi-MD may even see a third generation, and if it were, it would probably be the definitive last. I'm not so sure anymore that the Connect Player will even support MD. There's something else on the horizon now, a unified approach. I can't say any more than this, but it will boil down to one of these scenarios, trust me: (I) Minidisc is no longer developed, focus on other products and introduce similar functionality. (II) Put a radical spin on MD (Video, DVR, etc) and see what happens.

Regardless, fifteen years is a damn short product lifecycle. If they had played the market a little more efficently and not fallen into the deep hole that Sonicstage was, it would've been different. But alas, such is life, such is Sony.

Kurisu,

In the portable audio market, trends and ways of enjoying music are changing rapidly as consumer preferences shift from CD-based and MD-based products to those with flash memory and HDDs.

Trends are often mis-leading and short-lived; I had a HDD MP3 player that I had to send back to Japan twice and which is now dead as a dodo in the back of a cupboard somewhere. The greatest thing about MD is that the disk can have a problem but it is separate from the player in so much as the player's engine room stays independent of that which carries the MP3's, i.e. the disk, which is not the case with a HDD; where a seizing up of the MP3's means a seizing up of the player itself 'cos the two are one!

The mention of a flash memory stick is totally unrelated to playing MP3's etc 'cos it's just a storehouse and not a player, and even if you have a player like RealPlayer within the flash disk things can still go wrong that wouldn't go wrong with a Sony MD player. Let's face it, the main thing apart from sound quality that sold us all on the MD player is the reliability, dependability and outright durability; these are adjectives people will not be labeling HDD's and Flash Memory sticks with in the future.

In the light of what's been said about the possible phasing out of MD players, I'm so glad I got two, one for recording with a mic, and a Hi-MD; mind you, there will always be loads of Sony MD players about, the sad thing being that there will possibly be no more work on improving what's already out there!

Your's truly,

Dave

[Syrius]

I like the above post. Even if Sony were to kill MD and Hi-MD, those 2-dollar discs will always provide me with ~270 MB for less than a flash card. (Slower, but I can live with Hi-Sp transfers)

[bluesman77]

Wow!

If only minidisc could of generated this much buzz around 1997 or so. We all know that Sony mishandled it from the start. They should of touted it as a replacement for the cassette, but they didn't. They should of gave it MP3 ability much sooner, but they didn't. They should of defied the RIAA and the other divisions and killed off the DRM, but they wouldn't. Finally, when the 2nd generation HiMD makes so much progress towards functionality, they just give up on the format (or so it seems).

I was in Best Buy today and the MD choices were getting pretty thin. Looks like they are just burning off their inventory. Of course the NANO's were locked up in a cage and in short supply because they can't replenish inventory quick enough. My son wants a NANO. It seems the MD is for for your Father's music.

I regret not getting a MDS-W1 unit when they were available in the USA. I'd like to have a 2nd gen HiMD unit if I could get one on my budget. I have a MZR-50 unit that is a bit tempermental, but still functional. My JB920 rejects at least 10% of new discs probably due to a design flaw (slot too tight). The battery door on my E33 player broke from a fall. I mostly record stuff now to my hard drive and burn to CD when I need to. The CD is universal at least for now.

The limitation of the older equipment that bothered me the most was the lack of internal storage to be able to move tracks from disc to disc - hence the desire for the MDS-W1.

Wouldn't it be cool if Sony and Apple got into bed together and in exchange for access to the Sony music catalogue they cross licensed ATRAC and AAC. Imagine the possibilities. Drag and drop iTunes onto HiMD's. Load your iPod with ATRAC files. With 80% market share Apple is in the driver's seat and Sony is reeling so I don't forsee them making any deals.

I'm sure MD will just fade away and we will be the only ones who notice.

Edited October 6, 2005 by bluesman77