Brfff Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 It seems that our MDs are on the way out - fair enough I guess as technology has moved on quite a bit since their debut.I thought I'd write a little bit about my minidisc story - not sure if this is the right forum, but I'm sure it will get moved if necessary.I remember back in my UQ days (University of Queensland) in the mid 90s having a long debate with a friend over which new digital format would reign - MD or DCC. I was firmly in the MD camp and he was adament that DCC was superior.Well, it seems we know which technology triumphed in that competition. In those days I had managed to splash out on a CD player and so had started buying CDs. These were my master copies with quite a few mixtapes being created for portable use. I could see where the MD would be superior - I could make a digital compilation disc of music from both my tapes and CDs. I couldn't afford an MD recorder then but I always held out hope.Fast forward a few years. I've graduated from uni (finally!) and have moved from Australia to Finland (big move I can tell you!). I can finally afford my first MD system! After some shopping around I picked up an Aiwa XR-MD85 mini system (tuner, tape, CD, MD). I bought it duty-free at the Helsinki airport and lugged it to Germany and back (hey, I was earning Finnish markkaa, most of which went to the Finnish government so every saved Finmark was precious!). The first MD I made was a compilation of my 80s tapes and CDs. Cool! I was in love. A few months later my South African girlfriend (who I'd met in London and was living with me in Finland ...) bought me a Sony MZ-R90. Now I could listen to my MDs on the move. Even cooler. I could make compilation MDs and play the tracks randomly ... try that on a cassette player! She also got me my first pre-recordered MD. Couldn't see much point in them back then - prefer to buy the CD because I could at least then copy the songs I wanted from the CD to MD on my Aiwa ... I couldn't with the MD.Those two MD machines kept me going - copied CDs onto MDs, etc. And bought another two pre-recorded MDs whilst in Finland - Midnight Oil. Thought it was pretty cool buying some Aussie music in Finland on an "obscure" format!Anyway. Moved to the UK, got a Mac, then an iPod. MDs weren't as much use anymore ... I could rip CDs straight into my computer, carry 20GB of music around with my on my iPod, make compilation CDs ...Moved back to Australia. Earning more money, paying less tax. Discovered Ebay. Never got rid of any of my MDs ... hoped one day to be able to transfer my pre-recordered MDs onto CD and/or my iPod. Found a Sony MDS-JE520 (with digital in AND out). Cool! Also picked up a Tascam CD-RW700 CD recorder (uses normal CD-Rs). Okay, okay ... would've been much cheaper to just buy my three pre-recorded MDs on CD ... but this was proof of concept!So I copied my MDs digitally onto CD-R, and then into iTunes. Sweet! It even came in use when I couldn't import certain CDs into iTunes on my Mac (such as Jakatta's Vision album). Easy - digital copy from CD to MD, and then back again. Yeah, yeah, loss of quality, etc. ... but I don't have golden ears. I've refined the process even further - any CDs I can't import on my Mac, I simply copy onto a cheap CD-R: my DVD player has optical out so source CD goes in the DVD player and I copy it onto my Tascam, and then import it into iTunes. No matter how difficult music publishers may try to make it for me to enjoy the music I've paid for, I will find a way to listen and enjoy it!So, now we are in the twilight of the MD era it seems. I still love my MD ... I have bought a Sony MZ-RH1 and MZ-NH600 plus have bought a whopping 57 pre-recordered MDs on Ebay (crazy, but I love them) in the last year. Sony seems a little silly though - I would buy a Hi-MD deck tomorrow if they put one on sale. As it is, I may have to scoop up a second RH1 before they disappear andd use that as a deck. Also ... why do they sell portable stereos, minisystems, etc. with cassette recorders still?! Anyway. Sony is losing enough money, probably need to stem the flow somewhere.This is in addition to the four Macs in my house plus six various flavours of iPods. I will keep a hold of my MDs for as long as possible - my main use now is recording the soundtracks of concerts on DVD onto my MD (my Mac has optical audio out) - I can then create a CD of the concert. Neat! I'm also making some CDs from some old tapes I rescued from my parents' place - childrens stuff I had when I was growing up that I want to play for my five month old (no matter how much my South African wife objects! yes, she married me even though I subjected her to several Finnish winters). It seems the tapes are originally from the late 60s so they're a bit older than me, but I have fond memories of those songs when I was growing up in Papua New Guinea.And I still have the first 80's compilation MD I made in Finland. And my little Aiwa is going strong - it's now in our lounge room as a tuner, CD/MD player, tape->MD recorder, as well as connected to an Airport Express for streaming from iTunes.Okay, a little long winded. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 Tears ,.... that was beautifull man ,, absolutely beautiful , Our first Finnish member to the M.D.A assocciation ( did i spell that right ?) BobT you gotta chime in on this .this is a thread in the making , pour it out everybody . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted June 12, 2007 Report Share Posted June 12, 2007 Tears ,.... that was beautifull man ,, absolutely beautiful , Our first Finnish member to the M.D.A assocciation ( did i spell that right ?) BobT you gotta chime in on this .this is a thread in the making , pour it out everybody .Absolutely, we welcome you to M.D.A. repeat the pledge, I (insert name here) have been addicted to MD's for(insert duration here), and do not want to be cured of this addiction, I will pledge my allegiance to this board (if thats ok)TTFNBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 (edited) Now, now guys, not too sarcastic on such a genuine moving testimony. Have respect for the emotion MD provokes in people. And more so with its near extinction...There is no sarcasm in there....... we are serious , Bob and I have started the M.D.A association in relation to a great many more posts content than this one . This just Happens to be the first heartfelt testimony , and kudos to the guy for being able to show it ! Signed TC Deane Acting President of the Mini Disc Addicts association Asia Branch . Bob T Acting President of the Cayman Islands Branch Edited June 13, 2007 by Guitarfxr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 Does that mean you want to joins as well??Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayzray Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 it was i nice sobbing story;; but mine was bettah.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 it was i nice sobbing story;; but mine was bettah.. no one upsmanship in the MDA , just the facts mam , just the facts . So .....now , Do you swear to tell the Truth ,....the Whole Truth ,....and Nuttin but the Truth. You have to swear on a Jar of extra Crunchy "Super Chunk " Jiffy Peanut Butter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayzray Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 no one upsmanship in the MDA , just the facts mam , just the facts . So .....now , Do you swear to tell the Truth ,....the Whole Truth ,....and Nuttin but the Truth. You have to swear on a Jar of extra Crunchy "Super Chunk " Jiffy Peanut Butterok.. you win!! (was the mam a typo??)but,, i can swear on a BETTER Jar;; a Jar of Marmite;; my wife took my jar of Jiffy Cruchy away from me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 ok.. you win!! (was the mam a typo??)but,, i can swear on a BETTER Jar;; a Jar of Marmite;; my wife took my jar of Jiffy Cruchy away from me.. Kept gettin the peanut butter all over everything HUH? , LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Rayzray can definately be Chapter Pres in Rhode IslandBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Rayzray can definately be Chapter Pres in Rhode IslandBobLets see. 21 MD decks , just as many DVD recorders , Portables , , standalones ......hmmmmm. I think maybe more Obsessive/Compulsive , than Addictive. Maybe Leiutenant , or Vice Pres, Pres need just a little more Stability to be able to deal with Newbies. You know how fragile they are ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayzray Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 (edited) Lets see. 21 MD decks , just as many DVD recorders , Portables , , standalones ......hmmmmm. I think maybe more Obsessive/Compulsive , than Addictive. Maybe Leiutenant , or Vice Pres, Pres need just a little more Stability to be able to deal with Newbies. You know how fragile they are ! as the great philosifer (sp),, Billy Joel once said;; "You may be right,, but you may be wrong"..Guitarfxr,, you may have hit it on the nose;; i may be the most interesting person you would ever meet;; yet as my piano students all collectively told me;; "Mr L******,, you are as stable as the weakest stone on the bottom of a Pyramid";; (the most interesting assumption of me i have eva heard;; cause that stone has been there for thousands of years..)within my 7 personalities and working on the 8th (to make it even);; i would most certainly lose a few "newbies" along the way;; but as the job of a Marine/Army recruiter must be to weed out the bad ones;; yes there could be some bad newbies out there.. (bad for the MD reputation)..it would be safe for yous to "Pass this subject on" for a while;; at least another 1000 years to see how that stone on the bottom of the Pyramid ends up..did i eva tell yous the "Story" of how i (rayzray) got INTO MD's;; it's a tear jerker;; maybe someday on a spot of tea;; or a rant in arm-wrestling.. Edited June 14, 2007 by rayzray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 as the great philosifer (sp),, Billy Joel once said;; "You may be right,, but you may be wrong"..Guitarfxr,, you may have hit it on the nose;; i may be the most interesting person you would ever meet;; yet as my piano students all collectively told me;; "Mr L******,, you are as stable as the weakest stone on the bottom of a Pyramid";; (the most interesting assumption of me i have eva heard;; cause that stone has been there for thousands of years..)within my 7 personalities and working on the 8th (to make it even);; i would most certainly lose a few "newbies" along the way;; but as the job of a Marine/Army recruiter must be to weed out the bad ones;; yes there could be some bad newbies out there.. (bad for the MD reputation)..it would be safe for yous to "Pass this subject on" for a while;; at least another 1000 years to see how that stone on the bottom of the Pyramid ends up..did i eva tell yous the "Story" of how i (rayzray) got INTO MD's;; it's a tear jerker;; maybe someday on a spot of tea;; or a rant in arm-wrestling..ROTFLMAO .. you go Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 did i eva tell yous the "Story" of how i (rayzray) got INTO MD's;; it's a tear jerker;; maybe someday on a spot of tea;; or a rant in arm-wrestling..We'd love to hear it, I'll send you a cuppa if need beBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brfff Posted June 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 @ Brfff & others looking for (Hi-)MD decks/bookshelf unitsHi Wiz Of Oz,Was considering one of them on import - they're 110VAC though, aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strungup Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 (edited) Hi Wiz Of Oz,Was considering one of them on import - they're 110VAC though, aren't they?Just get a Step down Tranformer with it , 40or 50 watt should be sufficient , they are on 100 volts , the US 120 ( which ranges from 117 - 135 depending on the time of day and Load ) would be to much indeed.Step down trans are much cheaper than step up , and much smaller too. Edited June 21, 2007 by Guitarfxr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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