I need help understanding how it works...

[nick34]

I have read tons of stuff on the internet and the more I read the more I don't understand. Specifically what I need to know is

1. How are files from the PC downloaded into the minidisc?

2. If I donwload a music file do I have to play the music and have the minidisc record or can I just downlead the file into the minidisc?

3. When recording music from a microphone I understand that in the Sony models I can transter this music only once to my PC...is this correct?

4. Can any files be downloaded from the PC to the minidisc or only music files? I am assuming that only music files are allowed.

5. Is there someplace I can go that explains how the device works in plain english?

Thanks heaps for your help. I am a technical person but so far have not found the right article that explains how this thing works.

[Sparky191]

Well it depends on the MD unit you are talking about. But...

1. USB transfer via SonicStage

2. See 1. above

3. No unlimited in the latest versions of SS.

4. Any files. Data via drag and drop, Music via SS.

5. These forums are the best you get. Alternatively the manual.

[sebastianbf]

Hello Nick. First of all welcome to the forums.

I will complement the info a little.

1 and 2: There are four ways to record music that's in your computer to your minidisc:

A) you can connect aa analog cable from your computer soundcard's line out or speaker out to your unit's line in. This recording mode will be in realtime. I mean if you want to record 1 hour of music, you will have to wait 1 hour to complete the recording. You end up with an analog recording.

B ) you can use the same method described above but with a soundcard with digital out and connect it via the optical cable to your minidisc. You will end with a optical recording. Realtime also.

C)you can connect your computer to the minidisc via a PC link. A pc link is a signal converter. You connect the pc link to the usb port in your computer and it will convert the signal to optical/digital or analog (depending on the pc link) signal. Then you connect the pc link out with a cable (analog or gigital, it depends on pc link) to your minidisc in and you start recording. This is a realtime recording process too. You will end up with an analog or digital recording (one more time, it depends on the pclink type).

D) You can connect your minidisc's usb port to your pc usb port via a provided Usb cable and use SonicStage software to transfer the files to your minidisc at much faster speed than the realtime recording process (don't remember exactly right now but 80x or something). You will end up with a digital recording and it's very fast procedure to transfer music from computer to minidisc. As you may know there are two generations of himd portable minidisc. Both of them use SonicStage to transfer music from computer to minidisc, so you can't just drag and drop music files onto your minidisc.

If you use a 1st generation himd minidisc, you will have to convert your music files (let's say a mp3) to Atrac with SonicStage and then you will be able to transfer them to the minidisc (the program will automatically convert and transfer the files). There's no way to play a mp3 music file or wav file in your 1st generation minidisc without converting the file to Atrac before.

In a 2nd generation himd minidisc you will be able to tansfer mp3 files to your minidisc without having to convert them to Atrac before, but you can transfer the files only with SonicStage. Also, you can convert the files to Atrac and then transfer to minidisc, just like in 1st generation himds.

4: You can download any file to your minidisc. You can use the minidisc as an usb storage device, so you will use it as a giant floppy disc.

5: If you need more info you should take a look at: www.minidisc.org . Check for "what are minidisc" title and the info above title.

Hope that helps

Edited November 7, 2005 by sebastianbf

[nick34]

That helps a lot and thank you. I should have stated that I basically want this device to record live violin music played by myself and others. Someone told me that the Sony models have a poor mic input amplifier and was frequently overloaded (perhaps too sensitive). Can you confirm this? Also, I was perhaps under the misconception that the HiMd recorders took the analog input signal from the mic and converted it to digital form for storage and/or transfer to PC. Is this correct? But apparently you can also record an audio signal (say from the audio output of the PC sound card)....but is it recorded and stored in analog form or digital form? My guess again is that everything that goes onto the MD disc is digital. Right?? Nick

Hello Nick. First of all welcome to the forums.

I will complement the info a little.

1 and 2: There are four ways to record music that's in your computer to your minidisc:

A) you can connect aa analog cable from your computer soundcard's line out or speaker out to your unit's line in. This recording mode will be in realtime. I mean if you want to record 1 hour of music, you will have to wait 1 hour to complete the recording. You end up with an analog recording.

B ) you can use the same method described above but with a soundcard with digital out and connect it via the optical cable to your minidisc. You will end with a optical recording. Realtime also.

C)you can connect your computer to the minidisc via a PC link. A pc link is a signal converter. You connect the pc link to the usb port in your computer and it will convert the signal to optical/digital or analog (depending on the pc link) signal. Then you connect the pc link out with a cable (analog or gigital, it depends on pc link) to your minidisc in and you start recording. This is a realtime recording process too. You will end up with an analog or digital recording (one more time, it depends on the pclink type).

D) You can connect your minidisc's usb port to your pc usb port via a provided Usb cable and use SonicStage software to transfer the files to your minidisc at much faster speed than the realtime recording process (don't remember exactly right now but 80x or something). You will end up with a digital recording and it's very fast procedure to transfer music from computer to minidisc. As you may know there are two generations of himd portable minidisc. Both of them use SonicStage to transfer music from computer to minidisc, so you can't just drag and drop music files onto your minidisc.

If you use a 1st generation himd minidisc, you will have to convert your music files (let's say a mp3) to Atrac with SonicStage and then you will be able to transfer them to the minidisc (the program will automatically convert and transfer the files). There's no way to play a mp3 music file or wav file in your 1st generation minidisc without converting the file to Atrac before.

In a 2nd generation himd minidisc you will be able to tansfer mp3 files to your minidisc without having to convert them to Atrac before, but you can transfer the files only with SonicStage. Also, you can convert the files to Atrac and then transfer to minidisc, just like in 1st generation himds.

4: You can download any file to your minidisc. You can use the minidisc as an usb storage device, so you will use it as a giant floppy disc.

5: If you need more info you should take a look at: www.minidisc.org . Check for "what are minidisc" title and the info above title.

Hope that helps

[Sparky191]

I don't know about any mic problem. I jst plug in a mic, adjust the levels and record. Theres a Live Recording section in these forums specifically for those type of questions. I'd suggest reposting that question down there.

Cassette or vinyl is analog. Pretty everything else is digital. MD, CD, a computer hard disk (or MP3 player) is all digital.

MD have a AD convertor. Which is a Analogue-to-Digital Convertor. Usually you try to convert Analogue-to-Digital as few times as possible. As the music is altered everytime you do it. Theres also a DA convertor aswell. Which converts digital to analog. You'll find a lot of discussion on which DA or AD is best.

If the music is on the PC (digital) you would try to do a digital to digital transfer to MD. Which would be either by using USB or an Optical connection If you recorded from the PC analog out, to MD you could be converting digital to analog then back analog to digital. (DA>AD)Basically converting it twice. Usually you want to avoid that. Usually you'd only do a optical transfer if USB isn't available. As USB is quicker.

A CD optical out to MD would also be a digital to digital transfer.

[sebastianbf]

I think that Sharp recorders has better mic input. But you can't find Sharp HImd recorders so you won't be able to upload recordings in digital mode via usb.

[Poodle]

You should be fine to record violin music with a Sony. It's only extremely loud situations like rock concerts that would over load a sony mic input. Even a full blown symphiny orchestra isn't usally loud enough to cause any distortion.

[Archivist]

Just ensure that you set your mic levels correctly. Dial the setting up and down until your most strident double or triple stop barely redlines. Also, experiment with the distance of the mics from your violin.

I personally like the Sony mic preamp a lot. While it is very sensitive at upper levels, the sound quality is good and clear, with very little noise (I have a NH1, a NH900, and an old MZ-R55). When correctly adjusted, they are fine.