We will be at CES 2006!

[Christopher]

I'm very pleased to announce that Minidisc Community Forums, a division of the Sony Voice Network, will be at the largest consumer electronics expo in the world - CES (2006). This expo has seen the debut of many technologies, including the Minidisc, CD, DVD, Blue-Ray, etc. The majority of Sony's products for FY2006 will be on display, Sir Howard Stringer (CEO of Sony) will be holding a keynote, and much more.

In recent weeks, Sony’s management team has outlined a new vision of the company’s future. It is a vision that is streamlined in terms of product lines, manufacturing sites and efficiencies. The death of the Minidisc format has transcended from a trollish opinion to a near-reality, and as a representative of the community, I will seek answers to where the format is heading and/or if it will evolve. No rumors, no run-around; just the truth.

To keep our true strength and status as a premium website for all things Minidisc, we must deliver truly differentiated, champion news stories that afford our visitors the unique, compelling and personalized experiences they desire. I look forward to visiting CES to ensure that there is no void in regards to information that is relevant to the format, and that together, we have a mature voice that will speak on behalf of the community.

[The Low Volta]

give Stringer my regards...while you drag the MD truth out of him and if you see some wonderful do-all recording machine stached away somewhere, feel free to bring me one

no really, I think that's a great idea and I look forward to reading about your experiences and the news you heard

[Christopher]

Thanks. Expect full pictorials/reviews, full summation of the new Connect Player, interviews recorded by my NH900, and much more.

[garyc]

I 2nd Volta.. be sure to bring a digital camera with you :-)

[Christopher]

Don't worry -- this is going to be a rich multimedia experience for everyone.

[reefbeef]

The CES link has January dates. Do we have to wait 'til January 2006 to find MD's fate?

[Christopher]

Possibly; everything in that regard is pretty much up in the air at this point.

[doclloyd]

I'm excited to hear a member of the boards (and in this case, main admin) is going to such an event... it seems funny and ironic to possibly interview all these people, possibly Stringer himself with a device that is maybe on the chopping block. We all look forward to what you find out and report back to the community!

[MZ-NH1]

To keep our true strength and status as a premium website for all things Minidisc, we must deliver truly differentiated, champion news stories that afford our visitors the unique, compelling and personalized experiences they desire. I look forward to visiting CES to ensure that there is no void in regards to information that is relevant to the format, and that together, we have a mature voice that will speak on behalf of the community.

As the saying goes, Boys with their toys!!

I bet you'll have a fantastic time Chris! And I was also gonna say take a camera, but it looks like enough people have requested that!

Have a good time.

[bmanalansan]

Good luck and have fun.

I can't wait what comes out "straight from the horse's mouth."

[Bananatree]

Can I come? I'll take some time off school to do some reporting.

[atrain]

better start clicking google ads then BT

[MZ-NH1]

better start clicking google ads then BT

AHAHAHAHA. I'll start clicking them for you

[bobt]

Appreciate your effort and dedication to us and this forum, If Sony knew the ups of what goes on in here there would be a proliferation instead of thoughts of demise of our beloved medium. Enjoy and conquer

Bob

[Christopher]

Thank you for the kind words. I just secured my plane tickets and hotel reservations at the majestic Luxor hotel. This is going to be sweeeeeeeeeet.

[Albert I]

make photos, and ask about the products!!

specs, price, all

[MZ-NH1]

Thank you for the kind words. I just secured my plane tickets and hotel reservations at the majestic Luxor hotel. This is going to be sweeeeeeeeeet.

Ahahahah!

I hope you got 1 of their 'Pyramid' Rooms

[AMPlitude]

Thank you for the kind words. I just secured my plane tickets and hotel reservations at the majestic Luxor hotel. This is going to be sweeeeeeeeeet.

wow... enjoy yourself

[indeego]

CES will even be more interessting because Sony wont be at Cebit 2006, its not the right place for them, Sony says.

[Christopher]

What?! "Not the right place for them" -- was that the actual justification? That's really crazy, indeego. Maybe they didn't have the budget from all the cost-cutting they've been doing recently. Sorry to hear that though, I'm sure you were looking forward to it.

[indeego]

What?! "Not the right place for them" -- was that the actual justification? That's really crazy, indeego.

Yes. I'll translate a bit more:

"Die CeBIT ist nicht mehr die richtige Plattform für uns", sagte der Deutschlandchef des japanischen Elektronikriesen, Manfred Gerdes, der Welt am Sonntag. Für Hersteller von Unterhaltungselektronik sei die Messe nur noch wenig interessant. Trotzdem gelte diese Entscheidung vorerst nur für 2006. In diesem Jahr war bereits der Elektro-Konzern Philips der CeBIT ferngeblieben, um sich auf die Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) zu konzentrieren.

"The CeBIT is no more the right platform for us", Sony Germany Boss Manfred Gerdes says to the Welt am Sonntag. For producers of entertainment technologie the CeBIT is of low interest. Nonetheless, this decission is only for 2006. This year, Philips already stay away from ceBIT to focus on the IFA.

Maybe they didn't have the budget from all the cost-cutting they've been doing recently.

Yes, thats what I think. This year they gonna cut 1/4 of their employees travel-budget.

Sorry to hear that though, I'm sure you were looking forward to it.

Indeed

[doclloyd]

Hey Kurisu,

Are you getting excited about this trip? It's coming up very quickly! I for one will be most interested in hearing about what you find out. How much will you be able to update the site while you're there? I imagine there will be LOTS of activity, but faithful readers of the site will definitely want to know as much as possible while it's happening. Have a great time!

[Christopher]

I'm excited, but at the same time very stressed because of other things going on in life. I will definitely be able to update steadfast as I have an ultraportable laptop. I'm not so sure how much will be going on for MD, though..

[akijikan]

So the ad-revenue is enough to furnish a trip to CES...nice.

I'll remember to click more often.

[Christopher]

Please do, it helps alot more than you realize (the google ads, not the sony).

Edited December 30, 2005 by kurisu

[akijikan]

I do ad-sense myself. So knowing just what every click means, I know clicking on ads for causes I like can be a good means of contribution.

[Weaves]

Kurisu,

Have a safe trip. IMHO, I think this one will really tell us Sony's plan with Hi-MD. I think there are three or four options:

1) NO New Models - This would confirm what we have all been thinking and trying to avoid - No more mini disc from Sony.*

2) New Models introduced - Then Hi-MD will be around a bit longer.

3) A re-presenting of the M100 models - Then Sony will probably try converting Hi-MD to a "professional" only type of format.

* My own wish is that Sony would just sell this piece of the business to someone else (Sharp!).

Best Wishes

Weaves

p.s. If you get a chance to ask ayone important (not just the marketing people at the booth), ask about the disaster of the new Connect software. I never had many problems with any versions of SS, and 3.3 is great. How could they have gone through all of that before, and still release a beta version of Connect for the new line? Do they even realize how much the crappy software has cost them?

[tripleeye49]

Kurisu,

Have a safe trip. IMHO, I think this one will really tell us Sony's plan with Hi-MD. I think there are three or four options:

1) NO New Models - This would confirm what we have all been thinking and trying to avoid - No more mini disc from Sony.*

2) New Models introduced - Then Hi-MD will be around a bit longer.

3) A re-presenting of the M100 models - Then Sony will probably try converting Hi-MD to a "professional" only type of format.

* My own wish is that Sony would just sell this piece of the business to someone else (Sharp!).

Best Wishes

Weaves

p.s. If you get a chance to ask ayone important (not just the marketing people at the booth), ask about the disaster of the new Connect software. I never had many problems with any versions of SS, and 3.3 is great. How could they have gone through all of that before, and still release a beta version of Connect for the new line? Do they even realize how much the crappy software has cost them?

The future of Hi-MD?

I sincerely hope that when you go over there, if at all possible try to get an interview with Stringer about this, if not at the convention, at a later date. Also, maybe we need to work with Sony, Sharp (amongst others) in perhaps having a MDE (MiniDisc Expo) of our own, perhaps someplace in New York City one year, in California the next, etc. for both the people who just love the format as well as the musician/broadcast industry.

For one it would be nice if they actually made a U.S. Hi-MD MiniDisc deck for professionals. Also would love to see if this is the year that they come out with Hi-MD Video.

A little rant:

Someone at the Sony Store (550 Madison Avenue, NYC) told me that not one unit of the Hi-MD Camera sold at that store, yet. I'm not surprised by that only because of the fact you do not have any inputs, rendering it simply as a playback device/downloader, plus 1.3 megapixels wouldn't do the job for a pro.

Would love to see the AAC codec added to MiniDisc as well. Was a little upset that UMD's were used in PSPs, seemed to be a great way to keep the format alive.

MiniDisc America: The few, the proud, the ___________ (Fill in the blanks)! LOL!

[Bananatree]

Fight that new boxing robot!

[garcou]

The future of Hi-MD?

I sincerely hope that when you go over there, if at all possible try to get an interview with Stringer about this, if not at the convention, at a later date. Also, maybe we need to work with Sony, Sharp (amongst others) in perhaps having a MDE (MiniDisc Expo) of our own, perhaps someplace in New York City one year, in California the next, etc. for both the people who just love the format as well as the musician/broadcast industry.

For one it would be nice if they actually made a U.S. Hi-MD MiniDisc deck for professionals. Also would love to see if this is the year that they come out with Hi-MD Video.

A little rant:

Someone at the Sony Store (550 Madison Avenue, NYC) told me that not one unit of the Hi-MD Camera sold at that store, yet. I'm not surprised by that only because of the fact you do not have any inputs, rendering it simply as a playback device/downloader, plus 1.3 megapixels wouldn't do the job for a pro.

Would love to see the AAC codec added to MiniDisc as well. Was a little upset that UMD's were used in PSPs, seemed to be a great way to keep the format alive.

MiniDisc America: The few, the proud, the ___________ (Fill in the blanks)! LOL!

MZ-dh10 is not so bad camera but only in daylight, because sadly there is no real flash on this unit

[Miho]

Hi,

I have checked the Sony releases for CES and there is not a single mention of any HiMD.........

Hope it's not as bad as it seems....

[bland10000]

there wasn't any mention last year either. A few days after the event what we got was a picture taken of units on display without any mention of the inclusion of oled in the top-line recorder. I'll wait to hear from Kurisu...

[SleepingInRlyeh]

This has me on the edge. I'm considering getting a HiMD, but if Sony doesn't introduce anything new, I'm not hopeful for continuation of the series. Even if it's pro stuff, that's fine by me. I just want to see some investment by them in the product line. And clarity. Is it a musician's product? A listener product? It's kind of schizophrenic right now outside of Japan. I was hoping for a clear announcement from them.

Recordable UMD would be an OK move as well. I was thinking we would see that at CES, but apparently not.

I guess I'll wait to see what Kurisu says like bland suggests.

[Ishiyoshi]

We have some news outlined by our sister forum's main blog portal. More news will follow shortly - trying to get them out as soon as we can. Stay tuned!

[guyj1]

I hope Sony CEO Howard Stringer attended this conference. He might learn something...

http://www.cesweb.org/attendees/conference...p?ID_session=V1

[garcou]

That is nonsens: 2nd Gen of HiMd don't record in true SP . I could understand this is in purpose to stimulate sails of Himd decks and himd car unit. But Sony doesn't produce any HImd car unit nor USB in car unit!!! For the consumer who bought only 2nd gen HImd, it is impossible to hear his music in car! that is SCANDALOUS!!!

[anont]

This has me on the edge. I'm considering getting a HiMD, but if Sony doesn't introduce anything new, I'm not hopeful for continuation of the series.

There will not ever be a significant upgrade to the HiMD format. That's just the way it is. Buy a HiMD based on whether you like the current generation of products.

I don't see recordable UMD as very likely. For one thing, what would be the point? 1.4 GB on a relatively big disk is an anachronism for music.

[SleepingInRlyeh]

I don't see recordable UMD as very likely. For one thing, what would be the point? 1.4 GB on a relatively big disk is an anachronism for music.

You could store both video and music on a disc. Or data files. It would work out nicely with their eReader.

Anyhow, just a thought.

[tekdroid]

I don't see recordable UMD as very likely. For one thing, what would be the point? 1.4 GB on a relatively big disk is an anachronism for music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Media_Disc

UMD = 1.8GB

I don't see recordable UMD as likely either. But for other reasons (piracy and cost-related). Sony are making a killing of UMD licensing, so the last thing they want (and the last thing the companies licencing the format for their content want) is the risk of cheap piracy by making it recordable.

That said, I think it has great applications for music (and data), if I can put my imagination cap on for a moment:

A 1.8GB recordable UMD/Hi-MD would be great for:

*recording a full concert in linear PCM, without worrying about swapping discs after an hour and a half (as you do with Hi-MD)

*put more music on the disc

*put more data on the disc

*faster transfer rates, given that the data is packed on disc at a higher density

But UMD and Hi-MD are based on two very different technologies.

While I'd love to hear Sony's CEO, Howard Stringer, actually say something about MiniDisc, I think it's clear it's not a really important product at Sony as far as revenue-generation is concerned.

All his talk of 'fighting commoditization' and maintaining Sony as a premium brand makes me laugh, 'cause Sony, if we can use Hi-MD pre-SonicStage 3.2 as a particularly jarring example (let alone the rootkit fiasco), they have been very very anti-consumer. I don't see it changing much

I think it's hard for him to put those words in action on the electronics side, when he's competing against companies with no publishing interests. Sony's a software/content company first and foremost, with electronics carefully built to build revenue for the content (and Blu-ray continues that trend...). MiniDisc has no pre-recorded content going to it these days (and who wants pre-recorded ATRAC?). MD is for those who make content, primarily. Very few choose it for listening to pre-recorded tosh

That is nonsens: 2nd Gen of HiMd don't record in true SP . I could understand this is in purpose to stimulate sails of Himd decks and himd car unit. But Sony doesn't produce any HImd car unit nor USB in car unit!!! For the consumer who bought only 2nd gen HImd, it is impossible to hear his music in car! that is SCANDALOUS!!!

The second-generation Hi-MD were built to encourage sales of 1st-generation Hi-MD at the current blow-out sales in Australia

Actually, the only reason I can think of them doing that is reducing costs (and power consumption?) of any ATRAC hardware inside the unit. Just a guess. If Sony can reduce the per-unit costs by a dollar, they can make 1 million dollars making a million units by simplifying their design. But it doesn't make sense for the old-skool MiniDisc user, who (quite rightly) expects some backwards compatibility - especially for older units with no new Hi-MD replacements. Also, plastic painted silver and gloss finish seem to be the order of the day to make the average consumer go "wow" and still be interested, not actual metal casing.

Sony see anything pre-Hi-MD as dead, I guess, especially in the current portable market where they are being eaten alive by competitors who traditionally never even had 'walkman' aspirations. Some belt-tightening was inevitable, I guess.

[akijikan]

Dream CES announcement from Sony.

"We are going to spin off our entertainment division in favor of focusing on consumer electronics..."

Of course this would never happen because the electronics wouldn't have enough revenue to push R&D without the money from the entertainment side of things. I mean look at the way things are now, still kinda slow anyway.