NetMD uploads still not supported via SS3.4

[ndevans]

Thanks for this thread, guys - it's highly informative!!

I note your frustration at ignoramuses (like me) asking "erm, can I transfer recordings from my non-HiMD old disks into the new SS?" on various threads all over the shop. But if you're not a hard-core user and you just want to find this stuff out, it's not that easy to track down on this site without scolling through about 10 pages of tech-talk... so let us off!!

I'm cheesed off cos ALL I wanna do is transfer my old recordings to my computer. I've had enough of Sony now - sonic stage is no itunes and the MZ-NH1 I have is prone to crashing and the attachment controller thing you have to use cos the main unit doesn't do everything is too fiddly. I want someday to transfer all my old stuff to a shiny new MP3 player. I got dead excited when I got the e mail from Chris expounding the virtues of the new 3.4 software cos I thought it would let me do this. But no, there doesn't appear to be an end in site for me. Apart from some professional thing I found on the internet that costs about a million quid and is used by radio professionals.

Anyway, you guys all sound like you know what you're talking about - couldn't one of you make some kind of program to let us do this? I'd certainly pay a few quid.

Chris - thanks for putting the time into this site and keep up the good work!! I'll be looking out for any response you get from your mates at Sony about whether this functionality will ever come about! Now surely it would be worth sending an e mail to us if you do find anything out...................

[fixminze77]

Just some thoughts after reflecting on the some of the misconceptions expressed in this thread..

* ATRAC [292kbps SP mode] itself does not currently exist as a codec on the PC, not even in Sony's [formerly Sonic Foundry's] professional software [i.e. Sound Forge, which has netMD support built-in and has for quite a while]; an actual ATRAC SP codec would be needed for anything to advance, not that this would actually be difficult to arrange

Hi dex,

this is not quite true, as there was a guy in GB who wrote such an ATRAC.SP.292kbps codec on his PC. I dont know why Sony hasn't been comming out with such a codec aside from all the hardware issues discussed here -- the codec itself is simple. Sony did after all come out with a ATRAC.LP.66.105.132kbps codec without any DRM issues (you still can find it at www.minidisc.org). The real pitty is that you could get the ATRAC.SP and ATRAC.LP data to your PC with the MDH-10 and a firmware hack and even use the codec found on minidisc.org to play ATRAC.LP data. But it seems that the md-community somehow has been loosing interest over time.

kind regards,

[atrain]

I'm cheesed off cos ALL I wanna do is transfer my old recordings to my computer. I've had enough of Sony now - sonic stage is no itunes and the MZ-NH1 I have is prone to crashing and the attachment controller thing you have to use cos the main unit doesn't do everything is too fiddly. I want someday to transfer all my old stuff to a shiny new MP3 player. I got dead excited when I got the e mail from Chris expounding the virtues of the new 3.4 software cos I thought it would let me do this. But no, there doesn't appear to be an end in site for me. Apart from some professional thing I found on the internet that costs about a million quid and is used by radio professionals.

Anyway, you guys all sound like you know what you're talking about - couldn't one of you make some kind of program to let us do this? I'd certainly pay a few quid.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=12683

it'll be real time but you'll keep your track title details.

[dex Otaku]

But if you're not a hard-core user and you just want to find this stuff out, it's not that easy to track down on this site without scolling through about 10 pages of tech-talk... so let us off!!

Pinned at the very top of the "NetMD / MDLP" forum:

Pinned: Uploading information for confused users.

Want to upload audio from your NetMD?

Pinned at the top of the "Software" forum:

Pinned: Uploading Information For Confused Users.

Pinned at the very top of the "Live Recording" forum:

Pinned: Uploading Information.

[how to upload hi-md + regular md audio]

[noting that the first two are links to the third here]

So, uh, what was that you were saying about not being easy to track down? Or is it more that people simply don't read what's right in front of them?

I'm cheesed off cos ALL I wanna do is transfer my old recordings to my computer.

You're not alone in this. Even those of us who are HiMD-only users would like to see this happen.

I got dead excited when I got the e mail from Chris expounding the virtues of the new 3.4 software cos I thought it would let me do this.

I'll repeat myself again .. You have to keep in mind the fact that enabling this functionality is not a simple matter of turning it on in SonicStage. The firmware running netMD and HiMD units would have to be updated to allow it as well; no single update to SS will enable this functionality [unless of course it's already in the firmware and Sony are just being bastards].

Anyway, you guys all sound like you know what you're talking about - couldn't one of you make some kind of program to let us do this? I'd certainly pay a few quid.

See the above answer .. and also go take a look at the HiMDRenderer thread. Yes, it's still making analogue copies, but it's at least far more functional than doing a track or disc at a time with editing software and then having to fiddle about with all the resulting WAV files one by one afterwards.

Side-note: The pinned topics all should have the same title, and the title should immediately imply that it's about "uploading" MD recordings. Since it appears that 95% of users are missing these rather prominently-placed threads, something about them needs to be changed to make them more obviously what they are. Also, the thread itself needs to be updated to reflect changes to HiMDRenderer and such.

[zerodB]

I still see LP4 as an option when transferring to a NetMD formatted MiniDisc with SonicStage 3.4 (see attached screenshot)

Yes, you can transcode your tracks to LP4, but you certainly can't rip in LP4 format directly.

Sony did after all come out with a ATRAC.LP.66.105.132kbps codec without any DRM issues (you still can find it at www.minidisc.org).

You mean the ATRAC3 ACM codec? Sorry, but it's not the genuine article - This audio codec was assembled from publicly available bits on the Web and hence may not represent the ATRAC3 codec Sony currently supplies with their MDLP and MemoryStick audio devices.

As for the PC SP codec, I'll believe it when I see it.

[fixminze77]

You mean the ATRAC3 ACM codec? Sorry, but it's not the genuine article - This audio codec was assembled from publicly available bits on the Web and hence may not represent the ATRAC3 codec Sony currently supplies with their MDLP and MemoryStick audio devices.

As for the PC SP codec, I'll believe it when I see it.

Yes, I mean the ATRAC3.ACM codec .... and you are absolutely right, the codec (the zip-file) was assembled from publicly available bits on the web -- but the binary (the acm-file itself) was definitely written by Sony. This ATRAC3.ACM file plays back the binary ATRAC3 structure found on minidiscs. (although you have to convert it first: the ATRAC3 data is embedded in the ATRAC.SP structure -- so extract the ATRAC3 data, create a correct wave-header, save it as a .wav file and double-click on it, it will play)

[nd.evans]

Thanks for your help in pointing out the obvious stuff I missed.

>>>>>>Side-note: The pinned topics all should have the same title, and the title should immediately imply that it's about "uploading" MD recordings. Since it appears that 95% of users are missing these rather prominently-placed threads, something about them needs to be changed to make them more obviously what they are. Also, the thread itself needs to be updated to reflect changes to HiMDRenderer and such.

I think the problem is that many people (like me) who use MDs aren't really used to forums, they just key stuff in on google and see what help flashes up. Forum websites are confusing to the uninitiated. Maybe an "IDIOT'S GUIDE TO MINIDISC ISSUES IN THE 21ST CENTURY" icon on the title page in big flahsing letters in in order!!!!

Cheers, I'll have a go with the software you mention.

[A440]

This ATRAC3.ACM file plays back the binary ATRAC3 structure found on minidiscs. (although you have to convert it first: the ATRAC3 data is embedded in the ATRAC.SP structure -- so extract the ATRAC3 data, create a correct wave-header, save it as a .wav file and double-click on it, it will play)

Can you translate this for non-geeks (me)?

This is about computer playback of files that have already been transferred, I presume. A regular MD-formatted disc in a Hi-MD unit doesn't pop up as a data drive, so I still can't get those files off the disc.

Does having this codec mean I can add ATRAC3 playback to Windows Media Player, Real, etc? Or do I have to do some kind of conversion on every file?

[imkidd57]

As for the PC SP codec, I'll believe it when I see it.

Well, whether or not it's something that could possibly be visible to anyone, a bit of reading around would provide confirmation that it exists as 'fixminz77' says. It is not widely available because it's embedded in an application and the function closely tied to a firmware-modified MDH-10.

I've used the non-commercial version, and can confirm that it does allow for 4x transcoding of SP (292) to .wav, no matter how the tracks were originally recorded or what the SCMS bitsetting is.

Assuming NetMD behaves like a disc drive when transferring back and forth, there really isn't any reason why Sony couldn't write something similar.

Edited March 1, 2006 by imkidd57