Hi-MD 1GB blanks becoming rare?

[jaylen]

No offense, but I think you're also paranoid.

There are still online sources for blanks and whether they're new, repackaged old stock, or covered in 4 inches of dust, duct tape, and dirty bandaids from the 1990s, they are still available for purchase and usable. Thanks for the lesson on Guitar Center. Didn't really need or want it, but good to know (I guess). By the way, you kind of are hastening the death of MD by sending everyone into a blank-buying panic. "It's the end of the MD world! Buy 'em while you still can! No matter what the price! Everything's discontinued!"

Anyway, I'm not going to argue with you about this. Your life, your paranoia, your disposable income. Good luck and I sincerely do hope you find time away from your realist and MD-hunting ways to just sit back and enjoy the music.

[rayzray]

just think;; with over 800 MD Discs,, i can build an 8 foot "Stereo Listening Booth" with them;; well,, maybe only the front part;; or a plastic Ginger Bread House..

this thread will certainly make me go out an buy up a few more Hi-MD blanks..

and,, i was a realist too;; i bought 27 MD-Decks;; i will never run out of MD Bliss..!!

[RobShaz]

BTW...no one has made actual 74min MD's for YEARS. What is still for sale was repackaged old stock actually made years ago.

That's not true. 74 min blanks are usually always made alongside the 80min ones for the simple reason that some very old MD equipment doesn't support 80min ones properly. It's the 60min ones that were phased out many years ago.

[DATfan]

To offset the negative FUD.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?s=&am...st&p=111243

Another Hi-MD unit in the works, you bet!

Too bad there won't be any blank Hi-MDs for it.

[ZosoIV]

To offset the negative FUD.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?s=&am...st&p=111243

Another Hi-MD unit in the works, you bet!

Too bad there won't be any blank Hi-MDs for it.

Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. If the market isn't even there in most places for blank discs, why would Sony even bother with another recorder? They didn't even advertise the RH1.

Edited December 16, 2006 by ZosoIV

[DATfan]

Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. If the market isn't even there in most places for blank discs, why would Sony even bother with another recorder? They didn't even advertise the RH1.

He didn't say it recorded, actually. Therefore, ipso facto, buyers can't have a need for new, blank, Hi-MDs.

Oh, why didn't I think of that?

On with the panic!

[ZosoIV]

The problem, though, is that Hi-MD never appeared to be geared towards playback-only purposes, like an MP3 player, but rather, recording analouge signals, like concerts or LPs. The RH1 was especially notable in that regard - it's not well suited for use as an MP3 player with its one-line, title-less screen and lack of a group button. So in all, I'm doubtful that a market exists for another Hi-MD playback-only unit.

I do believe that the RH1 was the format's swan-song. Sony might also be cutting back on 1GB blank production because regular old MD discs also work on Hi-MD recorders, and those are still relatively plentiful - it's not like people throw them away or anything. So, it's not like Hi-MD players would be media-less if the 1GB blanks were suddenly to disappear.

That said, I am getting out the MD world soon - while it has been a great ride, they no longer meet my needs (Hi-MD included). I don't think this means that others have to follow suit - I mean, people still use reel-to-reel tapes and listen to 78s, and how long ago did those "die?"

[DATfan]

it's not like people throw them away or anything

Oh, I do. I got fed up with randomly losing recordings on 80 minute MEMOREX MDs, so out they went.

I will continue to use MD as long as it is the most convenient method to make and play back my recordings.

The key for me is up-speed playback. Show me any non-PC portable media device that both make the recordings, unattended, and I can playback at +50% or +100% with pitch control.

(Of course I can do that tethered to my PC, but ...)

[rayzray]

Oh, I do. I got fed up with randomly losing recordings on 80 minute MEMOREX MDs, so out they went.

...)

yes;; i have had those problems only with the Memorex MD;s;; but only them.. no big thing;; i used them strickly for editing songs (one songs at a time) into bitsa and pieces..

i found useing the 74 min MD's for DJ'ing were much more reliable than the 80 min ones..

when any MD gives me a slight problem;; i mark an "x" on it;; when it get's 4 "x's",, it get's thrown away..

two "x",, and i it get's another job in my studio;; i would NEVER try to sell them and pass on unwanted nightmares and fligorettos..

[ozpeter]

Just went to the Minidisc Australia site to order some Hi-MD's and it says "there are no products in this category". Gulp. I nearly ordered some last week, put it off for some reason and now.... ?? Wassup, Sefu?

[WaywardTraveller]

Just went to the Minidisc Australia site to order some Hi-MD's and it says "there are no products in this category". Gulp. I nearly ordered some last week, put it off for some reason and now.... ?? Wassup, Sefu?

Yeah, I'm in the same boat...wanted to snag the 20 HiMDs w/ carrying case...what be the deal?

peace

WaywardTraveller

[ozpeter]

Elsewhere on that site I have now spotted single Hi-MD disks at the new price. So... that's the deal, as warned previously in this thread! But the site needs an update to get rid of that depressing "we're not even listing any" message.

[WaywardTraveller]

Elsewhere on that site I have now spotted single Hi-MD disks at the new price. So... that's the deal, as warned previously in this thread!

Yeah, I saw that this morning too. Looks like the honeymoon's over. I can't really complain, seeing as I already have about 100...but still..

peace

WaywardTraveller

[ferzala]

I live in Monterrey (North Mexico) and it's pretty easy to find Hi MD blanks at Sears and other similar retailers they are around 15 usd, but they can be found, I just got a MZ-HR710 at Sears with 70% off at an equivalent to $90 usd while. Office Depot offers some NetMD units but basically nobody know what are these MiniDisc stuff for.

[WaywardTraveller]

I live in Monterrey (North Mexico) and it's pretty easy to find Hi MD blanks at Sears and other similar retailers they are around 15 usd, but they can be found, I just got a MZ-HR710 at Sears with 70% off at an equivalent to $90 usd while. Office Depot offers some NetMD units but basically nobody know what are these MiniDisc stuff for.

Hi-MDs are pretty easy to come by in Toronto as well...in fact, 99% of the Sony Stores I've been in stock normal and Hi-MDs - it's just that the price sucks. You can often find them at FutureShop (FutileShop) and Best Buy (Best Lie), but don't ask the staff to find them for you as they'll usually come back with DVD discs.

peace

WaywardTraveller

[rayzray]

the sony surplus store in Wrentham, Ma had only one Hi-MD unit on display Sunday and NO Hi-MD discs on display..they always had Hi-MD discs there before..

[jaylen]

Hi-MDs are pretty easy to come by in Toronto as well...it's just that the price sucks.

Same here in my area (in the US). That's why I've only bought Hi-MD blanks online.

[Sefu]

Sorry guys, there was a small mix up on the site.

We sold the last of the "cheap" blanks last week, we have officially raised the price to $11.95 per blank

[UMWOOFWOOFF]

I find it very strange...

Why can you find Hi-MD discs in Mexico and Canada at regular big-box stereo stores, but they are NOWHERE to be found in the USA, even when the format first appeared???

I mean, Best Buy, Sears, Circuit City, Target in the USA...they all stocked the RECORDERS, but NONE of them ever carried the Hi-MD discs in the states.

What the **** was Sony thinking on this? Did they really think there was MORE of a Hi-MD market in MEXICO or CANADA?????

Just came from Target today...the 5 pack of Memorex MD's they used to carry was recently replaced by the latest Sony MD blanks (you know, those lame ones that have the ENTIRE top covered in clear silkscreen looking cheap as FU*). Well, low and behold, suddenly, the Sony's are gone. The space on the shelf that used to be reserved for blank MD's is gone. This is at both local Target's.

[Sparda]

What is with all the negativity, I'm sure e-tailers still have lots in stock. I don't know why the States don't have any blanks but surely its not the end of the world. And IIRC you can always ask them to order something for you at most big-stores such as Best-Buy. I'm sure the Sony Store would order some for you if they didn't have any in stock. Anyways just my 0.02

Edited December 20, 2006 by Sparda

[rayzray]

just as the South Park "Underwear Nomes" hoarded underwear for "Steps 1 and 3";; they,, the South park nomes are now into hoarding Hi-MD blanks;; they are only on Step one,, waiting for further instructions from Sony.. (IMO)..

Edited December 20, 2006 by rayzray

[jay209]

hahahah

<p>

don't worry too much. the internet is a great thing. if you can't find it on the internet, then it probably doesn't exist

mind you the mini-disc is no longer catering to the masses. its purpose is portable recording

Edited December 20, 2006 by jay209

[BobS]

It is certainly NOT Sony's fault that US Best Buy stores do not stock 1GB MDs. Vendors DO NOT tell stores what to stock, the stores make those decisions.

[rayzray]

It is certainly NOT Sony's fault that US Best Buy stores do not stock 1GB MDs. Vendors DO NOT tell stores what to stock, the stores make those decisions.

mmmm,, not sure about that;; a GOOD sales person can "Sell" anything;; Sony "Chose" to be Hyrogliphic (sp) about it..

they must have been aware of what was going on;; they could have done something IF they wanted to..

possibly a "deal" or a "little Cut";; or down right "Duress"..

late edit]] mmmm.. even though i way i neve had a job;; i had a part-time job once in a Yamaha Organ/Music/Band instrument store..

the owner need something to compete with the big Provicence stores;; and chose the Yamaha line..

the owner wanted certain items BUT;; Yamaha said;; "If you want our line;; you take EVERYTHING;; we will give you deals;; but you sell everything in the music line..

soo,, Sony cudda said to Best Buy and da others;;

"If you want to sell out Cameras,, Camcorders etc at good deals;; you MUST take and sell the MD/Hi-MD line..

if they don't want to;; give it to the lesser stores and make "Sweet Deals"..

i think if i (rayzray) wudda ran Sony;; they wudda kicked a**..

personally ,, i think CC and Best Buy sucks..

Edited December 20, 2006 by rayzray

[DATfan]

It is certainly NOT Sony's fault that US Best Buy stores do not stock 1GB MDs. Vendors DO NOT tell stores what to stock, the stores make those decisions.

Most big chain stores (in the U.S.) charge for shelf placement. If you don't pay, you don't get any shelf space. This is true for most everything from cereal at grocery stores to electronics at Wal-Mart.

Edit:

The Wall Street Journal had a story on this. One major (unnamed) retail chain charges USD 55,000 per hook. Selling 10 styles of MD packages would cost over half a million U.S. dollars, for that one retailer.

Edited December 20, 2006 by DATfan

[Sparky191]

I expect you'll see MD/HiMD will only be available from the web in the future.

[DATfan]

Did they really think there was MORE of a Hi-MD market in MEXICO or CANADA?????

The answer is, unsurprisingly, "Yes."

Items to note.

One.

MD is going away. We've known that ever since Sony announced, over a year ago, that it was rationalizing its product line. Going away means that more and more stores will not have any more MDs.

One day, there will be no new MDs, except on eBay, and in the closets of MD-forever-ists. Perhaps, in a post-apocalyptic world, another civilization will arise, and it will develop minidiscs. Until then, there will be a "slight delay."

Two.

The release of the MZ-RH1 was extraordinary, and exceeded (for most of us) our rational expectations for what Sony would ever do with MD. This was the aging prizefighter on a last comeback, going out on top.

Three.

Going forward, any properly-functioning MD setup will continue to work exactly the same as it does now.

That is all!

Edited December 20, 2006 by DATfan

[jay209]

md is fading away. but i still use it. just like those antique cd players that i still see in the subway

Edited December 20, 2006 by jay209

[exe]

HiMD is still the best alternative, just as the "old" Palm OS still is totally superior for smartphones and much more easy to use than the closest competition...

After I found out that DVD-R (that not even is rewritable) dies incredible fast and reported about that, here... www.vantechmag.com/bestbuy/video.html#dvdr

Did I also add...

"But the rewritable MiniDisc for audio, use a unique stable recording layer, that you only can change with a combination of a hot laser spot and pulses from a focus magnetic beam, which make MD recordings extremely stable!"

[cirdan]

Just picked up 5 Hi-MD 1 Gb discs for $20A last week in South Australia. They seem to have plenty there.

Cirdan

Edited December 23, 2006 by cirdan

[tekdroid]

was just about to pick up some extra Hi-MDs...only to be greeted with outlandish Australian online pricing. WTF? I check this thread after a long absense and all is clear:

Sony has gone insane again

I suppose this is all about marketing the product as a premium product in Australia again? And to offset the rampant piracy on Hi-MD

That said, you bet I will be grabbing some of the last AU$4-5 dollar ones about - and never purchasing any more after I'm done

12 bucks per disc is ridiculous. How am I supposed to spread Hi-MD fever at those prices?

Oh well, at least the we are in line with our US and Canadian friends now

[Sefu]

Sony's reason was that they were making a loss so they were forced to increase the price.

[mdmania]

Sony's reason was that they were making a loss so they were forced to increase the price.

I have a feeling that Sony is focusing on PS3 and Blue-Ray disc technology right now, so Hi-MD is somewhat overlook and not

a priority at the moment.

[tekdroid]

Yeah.

Was in at JB Hi-Fi in Eastland the other day picking up a Hi-MD blank for a recording I was going to do.

Looked on their media shelf. Found plenty of regular MDs (all with stickers now that says "works with Hi-MD" but no 1GB blanks. I managed to find one left buried in the back. I asked them whether they had any more and was told they were a deleted item and that they were no longer made ?!?!

anybody got any more info on this?

JB Hi-Fi stock levels:

http://www.jbhifi.com.au/stores/statestore.php?store=VIC

Maribyrnong (HighPoint)

Melbourne (Bourke St)

Melbourne (Elizabeth St)

--------------------

MD: Yes

Hi-MD: No

In the past, the Bourke St store used to stock them. Dunno if the Elizabeth St store did. I guess they are no longer getting them in. At 12 bux (RRP), I don't blame them. IMO, they are not worth getting. Good thing the blanks are pretty robust which makes re-use easy. SD cards (and so on) plummeting fast, and Sony, I think, is just doing what it's always wanted: positioned the format to the semi-pro market. Bye bye mainstream user attracted to faux silver units, shiny plastic and 5 dollar blanks

[jay209]

I have a feeling that Sony is focusing on PS3 and Blue-Ray disc technology right now, so Hi-MD is somewhat overlook and not

a priority at the moment.

i'm sure for every md that's sold, there's 50 ps3's sold. eheh.

[tekdroid]

anybody got any more info on this?

managed to snag 10 Hi-MDs in the Keilor store, plus an extra a coupla days later. Receipt seems to indicate they're 'finished' (not getting any more in, I'd say). They had one left but the package was partly opened. I rejected it.

I think I've got about 16 Hi-MD now. Plenty for what I use it for.

Last time I picked some up in was in February 2006 in the Bourke St store. They didn't say (finished) in the receipt back then, so I would say it's pretty final for JB Hi-Fi and Hi-MD. They have officially broken up

[lynel]

Sony central here in Sydney has them for $5 dollars each, will go up as soon as present stock finishes.

[darrell.bennetts]

I'm in japan for a few months, and can't see many 1 GB blanks in the large retail chains here. The one sole chain store that stocked them was asking Y680 each (USD$5.70). And then, it had only a few in stock. the best japanese e-tailers are asking is Y640 (USD$5.36). But there's heaps of regular blank MDs here: 74 mins; 80 mins, and brands ranging from "Sony ES" to generic '$1 shop' stock. I was surprised at the number of different brands offering MD portables and blanks (no fear of the format's demise here).

[DATfan]

I'm in japan for a few months, and can't see many 1 GB blanks in the large retail chains here. The one sole chain store that stocked them was asking Y680 each (USD$5.70). And then, it had only a few in stock. the best japanese e-tailers are asking is Y640 (USD$5.36). But there's heaps of regular blank MDs here: 74 mins; 80 mins, and brands ranging from "Sony ES" to generic '$1 shop' stock. I was surprised at the number of different brands offering MD portables and blanks (no fear of the format's demise here).

I picked up a bunch of new, blank MDs at < JPY 40 ( < USD 0.35) each, last time I was looking at some discount store in Fukuyama.

[MDman53]

Best Buy still carries blank Minidisc's. They have the 5 pack of Preminum Gold 80's priced at $11.99. at least in the Minnesota stores...that I can confirm in January 2007!

HI-MD can be found on line at prices as low as $4.69 each.

Don

umwoofwoof wrote:

Best Buy has also discontinued blank minidiscs. I bought the last Fuji 10 pack, which apparently was packaged by Fuji to get rid of old stock. It was SUPPOSED to be the dark black tinted transparent discs, but it was the colored discs like Fuji used to sell in the 15 pack in the 10 pack packaging. Fuji no longer sells minidiscs either. Best Buy still had 20 packs of 2002 Sony "Premium Gold" minidiscs in the packaging that they were originally sold in 2002...they have been on the shelves nearly 5 years; Sony changed the packaging of these back in 2004.