Can Hi Md players read MD multitrack discs?

[dgelting]

I'm wondering if you can upload the raw data files of a minidisc multitrack recorder to your computer using a Hi-MD player's usb hookup. My friend has an old yamaha multitracker, but it dosn't have any digital outputs. I'd like to mix down recordings made with it in my computer - I'm thinking maybe I cn just put the disc into a Hi-MD player, and voila!?

[raintheory]

Unfortunately, I have tried this myself out of curoisity, and the HiMD unit just displays "TOC DATA ERROR" and won't do anything with the disc.

You'll have to go the analog route with the Yamaha multitrack if you want the recordings on your PC. The only alternative is to find a Tascam 564 Multi-Track recorder which has a digital out if you really want digital recordings... Then again you would also need either a soundcard with the RCA S/PDIF connector or some sort of adapter...

[dgelting]

Unfortunately, I have tried this myself out of curoisity, and the HiMD unit just displays "TOC DATA ERROR" and won't do anything with the disc.

You'll have to go the analog route with the Yamaha multitrack if you want the recordings on your PC. The only alternative is to find a Tascam 564 Multi-Track recorder which has a digital out if you really want digital recordings... Then again you would also need either a soundcard with the RCA S/PDIF connector or some sort of adapter...

Thanks for the info. I'm looking forward to getting a minidisc anyway, but that would have been a cool feature.

[Ral-Clan]

No it doesn't.

Just transfer the tracks one by one (or two by two with one track panned hard left and the other hard right) via that analogue method. In order sync them all once they are in the computer, record a clap or sharp noise across all the tracks on the MD-8 or MD-4. You will be able to use this clap to visually align the waveforms once in your computer.

Otherwise, you can also sync the Yamaha to your multitrack program in your computer via MIDI Time Code or MIDI Clock. If you have the two machines synced, then when you record the tracks over to your computer, they will probably already by aligned with each other. Basically, you want your Yamaha to start playing the audio when you hit record in your computer's multitrack program. Thereby avoiding any random length audio gaps at the beginning of the recording (which is what you get when you do it manually).

As for the Yamaha having no digital out: This was never an issue for me. The other MD multitrackers had digital outputs, but their mixing boards were all ANALOG. So the digital-out on the TASCAM, etc. was sort of a gimmick, since the audio had to go through an analog stage anyway before converting back to digital. With the Yamaha, you are merely converting back to digital a few feet further along the chain, once your audio enters the computer's soundcard.....so same difference.

[dgelting]

I really wasn't concerned about the analog/digital sound quality isuues with the transfer, I just wanted to save some time. I would have to do all the transfer in real time, but if the HiMD would read the files as data, I could transfer them at high speed to my computer.

We record lengthy free jazz jams with the MD multitracker, and by the time we would put all the audio into the computer in real time, we can already get a good mix using the analog board.

[raintheory]

I really wasn't concerned about the analog/digital sound quality isuues with the transfer, I just wanted to save some time. I would have to do all the transfer in real time, but if the HiMD would read the files as data, I could transfer them at high speed to my computer.

We record lengthy free jazz jams with the MD multitracker, and by the time we would put all the audio into the computer in real time, we can already get a good mix using the analog board.

You should post some clips in the gallery when you get them to PC.