Can this be a partial answer for our dreams? New Sony bookshelf.

[peare]

Still not a deck but Sony is not letting MD down.

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/netju...M7HD/index.html

Still not a deck but Sony is not letting MD down.

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/netju...M7HD/index.html

and this one, but only mdlp

http://www.jvc-victor.co.jp/audio_w/produc...d1-m/index.html

but still hope for MD... and sorry if posted earlier.

[rainbow69]

I think those of us in America may be out of luck on this one...it looks so pretty

[bland10000]

This unit and the Sony Anymusic unit released in January only have an FM dial that goes from 76~90, but if your three favorite stations are in the 88 to 89 range then no problem there.

To clarify something implied in the first post, the Sony unit does not play hi-md. The advertising of it does have the "Linear PCM" logo but that has to do with storing on the hard-disc and playing...it does not mean that the md player is hi-md.

[peare]

This unit and the Sony Anymusic unit released in January only have an FM dial that goes from 76~90, but if your three favorite stations are in the 88 to 89 range then no problem there.

To clarify something implied in the first post, the Sony unit does not play hi-md. The advertising of it does have the "Linear PCM" logo but that has to do with storing on the hard-disc and playing...it does not mean that the md player is hi-md.

I think you are wrong. look at the bitrates, 256 and 64 are HIMD formats.

Machine translation:

40GBのハードディスクにリニアPCM/ATRAC/MP3形式で録音

As for the MD and the CD of course, the FM/AM tuner and the analog sound source, the linear PCM of the CD and homophony quality, the ATRAC of treble quality compression, sound recording is possible with three types of the MP3 whose is widely used. It corresponds to wide music life.

As for the ATRAC, 6 modes of the 256/132/105/66/64/48kbps, as for the MP3 you prepare 5 modes of the 256/192/160/128/96kbps. The sound recording type which is adjusted to use can be chosen.

[garcou]

I think you are wrong. look at the bitrates, 256 and 64 are HIMD formats.

Machine translation:

40GBのハードディスクにリニアPCM/ATRAC/MP3形式で録音

As for the MD and the CD of course, the FM/AM tuner and the analog sound source, the linear PCM of the CD and homophony quality, the ATRAC of treble quality compression, sound recording is possible with three types of the MP3 whose is widely used. It corresponds to wide music life.

As for the ATRAC, 6 modes of the 256/132/105/66/64/48kbps, as for the MP3 you prepare 5 modes of the 256/192/160/128/96kbps. The sound recording type which is adjusted to use can be chosen.

Hope you are right, but I m afraid you have to look at Onkyo for Himd.

[atrain]

just because it plays atrac3+ bitrates himd also uses does not prove that the unit plays himd, atrac3+ bitrates will play from the units hdd, network walkmen & atrac cd players too

[pauljones52]

just because it plays atrac3+ bitrates himd also uses does not prove that the unit plays himd, atrac3+ bitrates will play from the units hdd, network walkmen & atrac cd players too

"As for the ATRAC, 6 modes of the 256/132/105/66/64/48kbps" Would suggest HIMD, as the middle of the range atrac3plus bitrates are not included (which I believe they are for HDD players etc). However I agree it is not definite by any means.

[dex Otaku]

This unit and the Sony Anymusic unit released in January only have an FM dial that goes from 76~90, but if your three favorite stations are in the 88 to 89 range then no problem there.

Just curious - anyone know in what region 76-90Mhz is used for FM radio? The range here in Canada is 87.5-107.9..

Is this a Japanese thing? Seems odd that such a short range would be allocated .. unless they reallocated the old bandwidth for DRB or something.

[Richard]

Just curious - anyone know in what region 76-90Mhz is used for FM radio? The range here in Canada is 87.5-107.9..

Is this a Japanese thing? Seems odd that such a short range would be allocated .. unless they reallocated the old bandwidth for DRB or something.

Yes it's the Japanese FM range.

[metal]

I feel it is very unlikely that the MD are of HiMD. Unfortunately the MD picture seems shown on Sony's picture seems using a 'HiMD' disc, which may give a wrong impression.

[bland10000]

Just curious - anyone know in what region 76-90Mhz is used for FM radio? The range here in Canada is 87.5-107.9..

Is this a Japanese thing? Seems odd that such a short range would be allocated .. unless they reallocated the old bandwidth for DRB or something.

Yep, here in Japan. Here is a little bit of info about it from Wikipedia:

"Japanese bandplan

The FM band in Japan is 76-90MHz. The narrowness of the Japanese band (14 MHz compared to slightly more than 20 MHz for the CCIR band) limits the number of FM stations that can be accommodated on the dial with the result that many commercial radio stations are forced to use AM."

Stopped by Yodobashi Camera this afternoon and for a second time inserted a hi-md disc into the unit, which doesn't play hi-md. The Linear PCM symbol is part of the advertising because Sonicstage 3.3 is installed on the hard-disc. This allows for the transfer of music to the portable devices. Yes, you can plug your hi-md into the unit via usb and upload or download music but the onboard md deck is mdlp only.