Help! - NetMD newbie

[Celtic Flatpicker]

I need some help/advice. I have a Sharp IM-DR80 (NetMD) portable recorder, which is connected to my Windows XP laptop via the USB connection on the recorder’s multi-link docking station. I’ve downloaded Sonic Stage 4.3 and installed it, but the NetMD device option doesn’t show up at all under the Transfer menu. I've read through the Newbie postings but haven't yet found a discussion that's really relevant to my situation.

Here’s my situation – I make live recordings of my band and jam sessions with the portable, and what I’d like to do is download these to my PC then burn them to a CD for distribution to the band (for critiquing, listening, & praticing). Is there a simpler way to do this? How do I get Sonic Stage to recognize my NetMD device? I don’t need to download TO the portable, but just FROM it so I get it to CD format. I use the portable exclusively for live recordings, & does a fantastic job, but I’m the only one in the band with MD, so you can understand my need to get the recordings to a more mainstream format (CD). If there’s another way to do this other than NetMD, I’m open to suggestion, especially since it’s not working for me.

[Avrin]

I am really sorry to be the first to tell you, but there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY to upload anything from a NetMD device to a PC. Only SONY MZ-RH1 can do this. Or its MZ-M200 "professional" version.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Avrin

[greenmachine]

You can go the analog realtime copy route though.

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=7070

[raintheory]

If you can find a relatively cheap 1st or 2nd gen Hi-MD unit, you can upload anything you record in Hi-MD modes using it.

You will, however need an RH1/M200 in order to upload anything you've recorded with a NetMD recorder, as stated by Avrin.

Edited September 20, 2007 by raintheory

[A440]

Those first-generation Hi-MD recorders--MZ-NH700 or MZ-NHF800--are disappearing fast. Minidisc Access and Minidisc Canada aren't carrying them any more. Check eBay.

If you like minidisc recordings and already have a library of recordings from your Sharp, the RH1 is a good investment. It makes higher-quality (PCM) recordings than the Sharp does, and as everyone else has noted, it is the only unit that will upload the old MD recordings. (The NH units will not do that.) The MZ-M200 is exactly the same RH1 bundled with a mediocre Sony microphone, and more dealers are making it the only option, so snap up the MZ-RH1 if you intend to stay with the minidisc format.

This is the best deal I know about on the MZ-RH1.

http://www.minidisc-canada.com/shopexd.asp?id=734

Edited September 24, 2007 by A440