A Beautiful Revelation -- the Epic MZ-RH1 Arrives

[smkranz]

FYI, The Sound Professionals have a page up on their site with the price of $299.

Sound Professionals' $299 price includes either your choice of one of their "single point stereo" microphones (which they sell for $40) -or- a $20 discount off any other mic...or with no mic at all. I don't need any other mics, and asked if they are going to sell it without a mic for any less than $299. The answer I got back was basically, "no".

[jonny mac]

I've yet to see any online retailers based in the UK offering the RH1. They had the 1st and 2nd gen at on their sites at least a month before the release date but for the RH - nothing. I don't think retailers are very excited about this.

[TheSoulMaster]

I visited a Sony retailer at the weekend and he wasn;t aware of the new model, then he said minidisc was dead & he still had stock which was over two years old & wouldn't be stocking any more minidisc. He then went to the new product guide & 'found' the new md but was insistent that he would only order based on a confirmed order. Guess what - I won't be ordering from someone who a) doesn't know what product is going to become available & was so critical of the format in the first place.

No wonder md isn't popular of even the retailers have no confidence in the product !!

[broox]

No wonder md isn't popular of even the retailers have no confidence in the product !!

if your in australia pm me and i'll put u onto a good crowd, minidisc specialists since the start.

[cthulu]

I've yet to see any online retailers based in the UK offering the RH1. They had the 1st and 2nd gen at on their sites at least a month before the release date but for the RH - nothing. I don't think retailers are very excited about this.

Same here, and I was looking for a while just out of curiousity. I don't expect a big launch for this one in the UK. I think it will be marketed as a specialist item.

[gregtsai]

There's a new interview article about RH-1's develop team released on SONY STYLE website...

http://www.sony.jp/topics/walkman/himd_dev_interview/

Looks like they do watching we user's opinion on this forum and many other similar ones...

But since I barely understand Japanese is there anyone willing to translate or summarize it??

(I myself can only gussing it base on those characters look like chinese)

although it seeems they put much enphasize on the sound quality on developing RH1.....

And some words for the guys developed RH1.....whose picture is here...

although I haven't got one and experienced it..... It is really a good job you guys.....

this is the best MD device i have ever dreamed of....and i am definitely gonna buy one...

[cthulu]

I second that, anybody fluent in Japanese/or who is Japanese and has some spare time, please translate... Looks like a really interesting article, it would be nice to know exactly what goes through the developers head when they develop something like the RH1.

[gregtsai]

There's someone in our country just went to Japan and took some photos of RH1 in silver...

http://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=...55&last=1165556

(In Chinese Traditional though.....It's a website in Taiwan)

Silver RH1 loos a bit plastic though....

[mestkidd]

The fact that the MZ-RH1 will have no external AA battery pack is down right pathetic, for that reason alone i may not get one now, sony has lost yet again another customer, because of sony's greed and stupidity look whats happend to Minidisc! there is or "was" so much potential with the format like MAC and MP3 compatibility from the start and to upload any music to 'and' from the MD and Computer and also HiMD could have existed years ago, because if DVD was possible so would of HiMD; similar technology MD=CD, HiMD=DVD...... and also a decent 8+ Magapixel camera that uses HiMD rather that a poxy 1.3 MP HiMD camera, "WHO WOULD WANT SUCH A HEAP OF CRAP" and why make it only 1.3 MP? because think about it, there are CD-R cameras so why not HiMD cameras because $7 for 1 GB disc is more than excellent opposed to $400 plus for a poxy 1 GB memory stick to save photos onto and think about if you lost that? all that money opposed to loosing a $7 HiMD disc?, its too late to save the format but there is still a change i believe though, if sony heeded my words.....but will they, course not, i am one person, sony's too big for me to speak too or for them to listen to me. The most simple features sony lets go of- like external battery pack, every thing uses AA, what happends if the rechargeable battery becomes obsolete because it's a "Minidisc" thing? 'your stuffed', if you could fall back on a AA you would be fine but thanks to sony you can't and all your left with is a rather expensive paper weight!, you can get AA's from anywhere what amazes me it older models had it so why remove such a simple and very useful feature?

Just look what happend to Betamax and DTRS and Digital 8 and UMD and DVD+ format and DAT and now Minidisc these are all formats sony invented and hogged, so no other company was alowed to use them to sell and make a profit and get the formats out there until it was all too late!!!!!!!!!!

Aaron.

[dunebug81]

The fact that the MZ-RH1 will have no external AA battery pack is down right pathetic, for that reason alone i may not get one now, sony has lost yet again another customer, because of sony's greed and stupidity look whats happend to Minidisc! there is or "was" so much potential with the format like MAC and MP3 compatibility from the start and to upload any music to 'and' from the MD and Computer and also HiMD could have existed years ago, because if DVD was possible so would of HiMD; similar technology MD=CD, HiMD=DVD...... and also a decent 8+ Magapixel camera that uses HiMD rather that a poxy 1.3 MP HiMD camera, "WHO WOULD WANT SUCH A HEAP OF CRAP" and why make it only 1.3 MP? because think about it, there are CD-R cameras so why not HiMD cameras because $7 for 1 GB disc is more than excellent opposed to $400 plus for a poxy 1 GB memory stick to save photos onto and think about if you lost that? all that money opposed to loosing a $7 HiMD disc?, its too late to save the format but there is still a change i believe though, if sony heeded my words.....but will they, course not, i am one person, sony's too big for me to speak too or for them to listen to me. The most simple features sony lets go of- like external battery pack, every thing uses AA, what happends if the rechargeable battery becomes obsolete because it's a "Minidisc" thing? 'your stuffed', if you could fall back on a AA you would be fine but thanks to sony you can't and all your left with is a rather expensive paper weight!, you can get AA's from anywhere what amazes me it older models had it so why remove such a simple and very useful feature?

Just look what happend to Betamax and DTRS and Digital 8 and UMD and DVD+ format and DAT and now Minidisc these are all formats sony invented and hogged, so no other company was alowed to use them to sell and make a profit and get the formats out there until it was all too late!!!!!!!!!!

Aaron.

First off...pull your head out of your ass and actually have some knowledge of what youre talking about.

1) The reson they went to a lithium battery was so that it would have a line out. The unit will record for just about the same amount of time with the lithium battery pack then the older models did when using both gumstick and external battery.

2) HIMD and DVD technology are not even remotely close to the same thing

3) HIMD is SLOOOOOW and would never work with an 8MP camera. CF/SD/Memory sticks are so cheap right now its crazy. A 1GB memory stick doesnt cost anywhere near $400...*maybe* $75 and prolly less if you find one on sale.

4) Quit your crying.

-Greg

[mestkidd]

The lack of a AA battery add-on is irksome, indeed, as I rely on this with my current NH900 for worry-free recording and playback capability on road trips, camping, music festivals, etc. where I don't always have the ability to recharge.

I guess the solution will be to buy a second battery (grrr).

The fact that the MZ-RH1 will have no external AA battery pack is down right pathetic, for that reason alone i may not get one now, sony has lost yet again another customer, because of sony's greed and stupidity look whats happend to Minidisc! there is or "was" so much potential with the format like MAC and MP3 compatibility from the start and to upload any music to 'and' from the MD and Computer and also HiMD could have existed years ago, because if DVD was possible so would of HiMD; similar technology MD=CD, HiMD=DVD...... and also a decent 8+ Magapixel camera that uses HiMD rather that a poxy 1.3 MP HiMD camera, "WHO WOULD WANT SUCH A HEAP OF CRAP" and why make it only 1.3 MP? because think about it, there are CD-R cameras so why not HiMD cameras because $7 for 1 GB disc is more than excellent opposed to $400 plus for a poxy 1 GB memory stick to save photos onto and think about if you lost that? all that money opposed to loosing a $7 HiMD disc?, its too late to save the format but there is still a change i believe though, if sony heeded my words.....but will they, course not, i am one person, sony's too big for me to speak too or for them to listen to me. The most simple features sony lets go of- like external battery pack, every thing uses AA, what happends if the rechargeable battery becomes obsolete because it's a "Minidisc" thing? 'your stuffed', if you could fall back on a AA you would be fine but thanks to sony you can't and all your left with is a rather expensive paper weight!, you can get AA's from anywhere what amazes me it older models had it so why remove such a simple and very useful feature?

Just look what happend to Betamax and DTRS and Digital 8 and UMD and DVD+ format and DAT and now Minidisc these are all formats sony invented and hogged, so no other company was alowed to use them to sell and make a profit and get the formats out there until it was all too late!!!!!!!!!!

Aaron.

[Christopher]

Enough, cease this useless confrontation.

[Shakuhachi]

Hi Chris,

I just went to a Bic Camera in Ikebukuro and checked out the unit.

My main purpose for getting this unit would be to transfer more than 300 hours of Shakuhachi lessons I had taken here in Japan while studying for my Masters license.

I would like to first archive them, and then convert them into MP3 and upload them onto my portable MP3 player which could easily fit all of them in one shot! and this way I will have access to all of them at any time and anywhere I go, for reference purposes.

The only thing that kept me from buying the unit was a) the price, which hopefully should come down (40,000Yen), and the fact that Sonic Stage is in Japanese. I speak the language but I am not confident about my reading skills. So I was wondering what you would advise me to do. How can I get an english version of this software, and will it work on my Mac OS X 10.3.9, and allow me to upload these old MDLP recordings and convert them to MP3?

I hope I am not sounding redundant, and any advise is highly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Roamer]

SonicStage works only under Windows, but there should new tools for the Mac some time later.

Any fluent japanese reader who could sum up the interview posted earlier ? Thanks

[Shakuhachi]

SonicStage works only under Windows, but there should new tools for the Mac some time later.

Any fluent japanese reader who could sum up the interview posted earlier ? Thanks

The software they have included with the unit in Japan works with both Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher and Windows. But the only thing is that it is not multi lingual. It is only in Japanese! Or so I was told.

[A440]

You can probably get by the with software even if it's Japanese by looking at graphics and icons.

If the Mac software is anything like SonicStage, all you'll have to figure out is the Japanese for "Transfer," find the Hi-MD in the menu, highlight the tracks you want to transfer and click a red arrow.

Sony is also bound to introduce an English-language version when the RH-1 gets to Europe or the US.

[con spirito]

please explain me

is the sonicstage 3.4 on my computer now ,different from the one that comes with the rh1? i thought its also 3.4

so if i buy a unit in japan there is no way to get an english software?

[Richard]

please explain me

is the sonicstage 3.4 on my computer now ,different from the one that comes with the rh1? i thought its also 3.4

so if i buy a unit in japan there is no way to get an english software?

The version that ships with the RH1 is different. It is still 3.4 but it is a minor build revision that contains extra options related to uploading legacy tracks, and also the Personal Audio drivers are updated to included the RH1 and also new NetMD drivers.

[vapor255]

That's great!but I want to know if it has some new function.

[undesign]

What I can confirm is that the MAC-software will be able to download from MAC to MD.

Whoa, hold on, you mean, via OS X i can take a bunch of mp3s, and transfer them onto a blank sony minidisc?

Are you sure? I dont really care too much about taking recordings from the MD to Mac, but rather dropping my choons onto the md for playback.......

[Richard]

Whoa, hold on, you mean, via OS X i can take a bunch of mp3s, and transfer them onto a blank sony minidisc?

Are you sure? I dont really care too much about taking recordings from the MD to Mac, but rather dropping my choons onto the md for playback.......

That is correct. You will be able to transfer MP3's via the Mac to MD. (But not Atrac tracks).

[undesign]

That is correct. You will be able to transfer MP3's via the Mac to MD. (But not Atrac tracks).

Holy shit. Is the end of the world upon us?

I think i'm gonna buy it. BAH.

its not available in canada before i leave for vacation in may......hmmmm....whatever i'll just get a temporary non-himd for now.

Edited April 23, 2006 by undesign

[gregtsai]

There's more pictures of black RH1 post on the web....

http://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=...43&last=1176412

In Chinese Traditional, again....

But the photos are quite good and the black Rh1 is really sexy....

Everybody can take a look at it....

The owner says that it's freakingly light....106g of course.....

[t0fler]

That is correct. You will be able to transfer MP3's via the Mac to MD. (But not Atrac tracks).

it can transfer mp3s but not atrac tracks??? whats kind of stupid idea is that, what makes MD is atrac and its quality sound

[jonny mac]

That's just for Macs, probably there's no software for handling ATRAC on a Mac yet so for the time being MP3s are easier to implement as they already exist on the Mac platform. I'd be surprised if there isn't an update before long to allow ATRAC downloading.

[Roamer]

Yes, I believe they haven't made an Atrac codec for the Mac (yet).

[t0fler]

if theres no ATRAC codec how could it even upload recordings unless they are PCM

[Artstar]

Knowing the RH1 remembers the last setting of your recording level method (i.e. pick manual and STAY manual until the battery is removed), I've now got a massive woody.

Hopefully there's a local (Minidisc Australia hopefully?) supplier looking to get these beasts in. Otherwise, I'm definitely looking overseas. I know I already forked out for a clearance NH1 (thanks MD Australia!!) as a backup to my existing NH1 but I think the RH1 will have them both gathering dust. The NH1 can be my permanent gig recorder when I'm performing or practicing but the RH1 will be the animal that does all my stealth recordings.

This will mean I'll have 3 LIP-4WM's and so even if I have power issues for one day, at least I'll have a couple good backups. Seriously, if you're out on a 3 day festival, there HAS to be power somewhere! Get a car charger and ask someone if you can plug into their cigarette lighter socket if you're camping out or something. Unless you're climbing Mount Everest or taking a walk through the Amazon forest, I can't imagine there being a complete lack of power.

If it helps, I'll look into making an external battery pack for you based on the USB when I get my hands on one

[Entropy]

I'm hoping my friend who's going to Japan for Aikido in May will be able to bring me back an RH1. Do we know if they're actually available there yet, and whether there's an export model with English as the default language? She'll be in Nagoya, I have no idea if they have electronics shops there.

Thanks.

~ Kiran <entropy@io.com>

Edited April 28, 2006 by Entropy

[broox]

dunno if anyone has posted this lil announcement but :

pricing for the RH1 in Australia has been revised and announced

it was thout to have been a $699 retail NOW IS CONFIRMED AT Au$599

there is an Adelaide based retailer putting together a waiting list for these units... if u want the details PM me, then contact the store.

minidisc forums rocks

[Stuge]

Aus $599 is still very costly it is around $455(US).

[broox]

Aus $599 is still very costly it is around $455(US).

yep, but us convicts get penalised like that..

some math:

Australia population 20 Million

US population 250 Million

maybe 5%of the population would purchase a unit...

i failed math, u get the idea... they make the money where they can. and there may always be a price drop again!

[Stuge]

yep, but us convicts get penalised like that..

some math:

Australia population 20 Million

US population 250 Million

maybe 5%of the population would purchase a unit...

But If that unit comes here(India ) it will be costilier than Australia might be $550 or $600

And population here is more than one Billion

[broox]

And population here is more than one Billion

ok, maybe the math dosent work, if it does get there i hope 4 u its cheaper than here in oz.

[smkranz]

AudioCubes is now showing the MZ-RH1 on its site at U.S. $429. These are imported from Japan. They show available colors black or silver:

http://www.audiocubes.com/product/Sony_MZ-...-MD_Player.html

(sorry if this info is redundant...I've been checking their site regularly and just saw it posted there today for the first time)

Me personally, I'll await the U.S. release rather than pay $130 more for the privilege of being the first on my block (err...first in the county...first in the State?) to have one.

[Stuge]

AudioCubes is now showing the MZ-RH1 on its site at U.S. $429. These are imported from Japan. They show available colors black or silver:

http://www.audiocubes.com/product/Sony_MZ-...-MD_Player.html

(sorry if this info is redundant...I've been checking their site regularly and just saw it posted there today for the first time)

Me personally, I'll await the U.S. release rather than pay $130 more for the privilege of being the first on my block (err...first in the county...first in the State?) to have one.

It`s rather too costly ...

[bogon07]

The AudioCubes' MZ-RH1 is probably a World Tourist Model as a multiple voltage AC adapter is listed in the accessories and probably a limited world wide warranty. Also it may have a different remote to the US version.

But If that unit comes here(India ) it will be costilier than Australia might be $550 or $600

And population here is more than one Billion

I think Sony just stick whatever price they think the local market will pay for their products. In Australia some their stuff is close to the US/UK prices with currency conversion + 10% but others are + 40-100%. It makes not sense.

Its also weird that I have to import from Canada & USA, HiMD units made in Malyasia which is a lot closer to Australia.

Stuge, hopefully Sony and others will try and get into the expanding Indian market and lead with reasonable prices.

[broox]

can anyone get me a copy of the software that comes with the rh1? pm me, work out a get it, torrent etc...

[atrain]

we'll have it online a little after the english version is released, i'm sure sony asia pacific will have the english version for streaming download soon.

[NickFuria]

Hello everyone, yesterday I had a chance to ask to a Sony rep. here in Madrid, (therefore I think this post will only be useful for spaniards).

He told me that even though the RH1 hasn´t been anounced here in Spain (we always get everything too late, too expensive), he would be recieving it late may/eary June (we´ll get it late anyway even Sony-Europe has fixed a date in May)and will be priced at ................... 350€....

Don´t know why being in Europe always means much more expensive, anyway.

For those interested, this shop in C/Barquillo (street with specialized electronics stores) always makes delicious discounts and he would probably price it around 300€.

We´ll see (but i´ll buy it hehe)