HiMD as portable drive

[Edinah]

Do I need to install any Sony software (drivers, etc) to use the RH1/MZ200 as a portable storage device? Is it safe to use it as such without installing anything for it? I used it on my Mac and it seemed to work OK, and I'm wondering about Windows XP. I installed the included software on my home computers but I'd like to be able to use it on several work PC's, without depending on additional software. I know I can just try to see if it works but I'm concerned about safe/optimal use.

The manual doesn't say anything about using the recorder for data storage on a Mac, only PC (and it doesn't say if special software must be installed first).

[Edinah]

Thanks Wizard. My new recorder will come in handy for file transfers.

I also figured out how to do searches properly and found this old thread, in which the usefulness of MD for storage is debated:

http://forums.minidisc.org/index.php?showtopic=13505

The last comment states that MD is like the MO drives that were once popular in research, etc. and I used to use one of those drives before Zip became more popular and much more readily available. Now flash drives are super popular but I've had more problems with them than any other storage device.

[A440]

I can't imagine using Hi-MD for data storage nowadays.

You'd be carrying a relatively huge device for just 1GB of storage, paying an expensive $7 per GB of storage (or more outside the US) and you'd be putting wear on a record/playback head you are not going to be able to replace. Personally I'd want to reserve Hi-MD use for music.

For around $100 you can buy a 250GB portable USB drive, like a SimpleDrive or WD Passport, that's comparable in size to the Hi-MD unit. For the price of a Hi-MD disc you can probably get a thumb drive that holds more. Either one seems like a better way to get the job done.

[Avrin]

A simple USB flash "whistle" doesn't cost that much nowadays. And it stores several Gigabytes.

But the real trouble is that these "whistles" no longer have a write-protection switch. And this may be a problem when you plug it into a virus-infected 'puter.

[ZosoIV]

In fact, USB sticks have come down so much that for most uses, even a hard drive isn't always necessary. Case in point: I think the online retailer New Egg still has a 32GB flash drive available for $73 (after rebate). Unless you're backing up your entire computer, 32GB should hold a ton of files/music/backups while taking up no space in your pocket and transferring files some 10-20x faster than Hi-MD. Plus, at $73, we're talking about $2 per GB, a opposed to $7+ for Hi-MD. Hi-MD's are best saved for music, IMO.

[Levanel]

If you want to hide from government snoops, I think Hi-MD would be an ideal solution to data storage.

Just think of it:

1. Sony has ceased/limited production of Hi-MD units and media.

2. Hi-MD media can only be read by Hi-MD units.

3. When people think of MD, they think of audio generally. Data? Meh..

You can also create an encrypted container file using TrueCrypt and then transfer it to your MD for an extra layer of scrutiny.

[theblueraja]

If you want to hide from government snoops, I think Hi-MD would be an ideal solution to data storage.

Just think of it:

1. Sony has ceased/limited production of Hi-MD units and media.

2. Hi-MD media can only be read by Hi-MD units.

3. When people think of MD, they think of audio generally. Data? Meh..

You can also create an encrypted container file using TrueCrypt and then transfer it to your MD for an extra layer of scrutiny.

1) "Government snoops" would have no problem tracking down a unit to read a HiMD disc if it were important enough.

2) What are you hiding that is so important anyway?

[BIGHMW]

I basically use my arsenal of MZ-RH1 units for only two purposes, playback/recording of my favorites and field recording, and uploading of my legacy MDs to my PC for transfer to my NW-HD5 DAP. Other than tha, that's all I use a Hi-MD for, I can definitely buy the theory of not using Hi-MDs as storage media, especially if you already own a DVD burner, in which you can store a whopping 4.7 GB of data on one DVD, and for only a few cents per disc, as opposed to about $7.00 per Hi-MD, but, the durability edge goes to most magneto-optical media such as Zip, MO, MD, and Hi-MD, so what should I use for mass storage of either DVD-R/RW/RW-DL or Hi-MD?

[1kyle]

I basically use my arsenal of MZ-RH1 units for only two purposes, playback/recording of my favorites and field recording, and uploading of my legacy MDs to my PC for transfer to my NW-HD5 DAP. Other than tha, that's all I use a Hi-MD for, I can definitely buy the theory of not using Hi-MDs as storage media, especially if you already own a DVD burner, in which you can store a whopping 4.7 GB of data on one DVD, and for only a few cents per disc, as opposed to about $7.00 per Hi-MD, but, the durability edge goes to most magneto-optical media such as Zip, MO, MD, and Hi-MD, so what should I use for mass storage of either DVD-R/RW/RW-DL or Hi-MD?

Even better Blu Ray BE disk --25GB per side (50 Gb in total).

Of course external hard drives are really cheap these days -- 250 / 320 GB wd passport drives (usb connection and no external power unit required) can be found in UK for around 70 GBP / 120 USD inclusive of all taxes. Blu ray is fine for permanent archives. The external usb disk solution is also a "go-er".

Cheers

-k

[jupitreas]

I use my mobile phone for data storage. Why walk around with different doodads if one can do more than one job?

Also, if using portable media to carry around some kind of data is not comfortable or not practical for some reason, there is always GMail or Rapidshare or the hundreds of other free websites that let you upload stuff to them. Most computers have internet, so using this method to share data amongst multiple machines is always an option. There are even virtual web desktops that let you store documents and access them from whatever computer you are using.

[jupitreas]

I have started storing some links and other info in Drafts of my GMail account, hadn't noticed there was a filesharing possibility like Rapidshare; I'll look into that, thanks for the tip.

There isnt one, at least not officially, since I think there are some plugins that allow for this. You can always just send the document to yourself though.