Downloading as a file to PC

[UpperStrings]

Hi, I've just registered as I got an MZ-N910 v cheap off German eBay and have just recorded an opera performance live - even in the cheapest seats with just a clip-on mic I'm amazed at the quality. I hope to make decent single instrument recordings away from my PC for eg uploading to YouTube, as well as taping further concerts!

I did my research quite well before selecting the model but not quite well enough. I assumed that the USB interface would enable 2-way operations but having done some more research on the Web I'm now not so sure. I appreciate that questions like this get posted every couple of weeks by new users like myself and can be a pain, but can anyone fill me in on the current state of affairs - is it now possible to download tracks to PC as files using the USB interface, or must they still be recorded on the PC via the LineIn?

If the latter I'd also be grateful for recommendations for a decent sound card as I'm using the motherboard's inbuilt one - some people have recommended the Juli@ one or is this overkill for just a simple LineIn requirement? - ie would just need decent quality, not fancy connections etc.

[tekdroid]

can anyone fill me in on the current state of affairs -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-MD

Basically you'll need a Hi-MD unit to upload digitally through USB

[bobt]

Hi, I've just registered as I got an MZ-N910 v cheap off German eBay and have just recorded an opera performance live - even in the cheapest seats with just a clip-on mic I'm amazed at the quality. I hope to make decent single instrument recordings away from my PC for eg uploading to YouTube, as well as taping further concerts!

I did my research quite well before selecting the model but not quite well enough. I assumed that the USB interface would enable 2-way operations but having done some more research on the Web I'm now not so sure. I appreciate that questions like this get posted every couple of weeks by new users like myself and can be a pain, but can anyone fill me in on the current state of affairs - is it now possible to download tracks to PC as files using the USB interface, or must they still be recorded on the PC via the LineIn?

If the latter I'd also be grateful for recommendations for a decent sound card as I'm using the motherboard's inbuilt one - some people have recommended the Juli@ one or is this overkill for just a simple LineIn requirement? - ie would just need decent quality, not fancy connections etc.

The only MD's that allow you o upload what they record are the Hi-MD models, those are the ones with the H in their numbers, such as NH700, NH1 o RH1, etc. The best of the bunch is the RH1, it will allow you t upload pretty well anything, some small restrictions, unfortunately yours will have to be a line in recording, if you look through the forum there are a lot of helps and hints.

Good luck

Bob

[sfbp]

Not only that - the HiMD unit must have recorded IN HIMD. To upload "legacy" recordings to PC you have only two methods:

a. a MD deck with optical output into a sound card (Terratec, also in Germany, is nice) or

b. an MZ-RH1. This is the ONLY unit that uploads to USB stuff that was recorded on your N910, for example.

(I exclude using lineout to your sound card... of course anyone can do that but you are completely at the mercy of the quality of that connection).

Sorry if this puts a damper on your plans.

Stephen

[MDane]

an MZ-RH1. This is the ONLY unit that uploads to USB stuff that was recorded on your N910, for example.

Let's not forget the M200...which is basically the same unit as the RH1 with a newer mic (I believe that's the only major difference). It will upload anything you can record on MD equipment, of course.

[UpperStrings]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-MD

Basically you'll need a Hi-MD unit to upload digitally through USB

So mine is only Net-MD not Hi-MD. I read something about hacking / Sony publishing the protocol to allow MD-PC communication but you're saying it's simply not supported with what I've got.

I don't have any "legacy" recordings on MD, it will be just home-recorded stuff. Thanks for the sound card advice, the price of the Terratec is good too. Can I get an Optical LineOut if this is better? - there are 2 LineOut sockets, a normal stereo minijack and a flat one.

I suppose it doesn't matter too much if some quality is lost - after all eg Windows MovieMaker will compress to.wma quality anyway even if a wave quality audio file is used.

Thanks a lot for the advice guys and I will carry on checking out the forum.

Edited February 10, 2009 by UpperStrings

[sfbp]

Can I get an Optical LineOut if this is better? - there are 2 LineOut sockets, a normal stereo minijack and a flat one.

The Terratec has optical IN and OUT; at least you must get the model that has that feature. There's no need to get the fancy one that does 7.1 surround and higher data rates, 5.1 Aureon (and the cheapest one of these) is all you need.

I suppose it doesn't matter too much if some quality is lost - after all eg Windows MovieMaker will compress to.wma quality anyway even if a wave quality audio file is used.

Yes but the basic thing digital I/O does is guarantee no further degradation through distortion, hum or "wrong" compression. The original ATRAC (SP, 292kbps) is so good that you will not hear artifacts in the 1411kbps sound that you get from any MD that does digital out.

This magic (and why I got into MD as a way of saving old analog stuff with only one analog step in the chain) is probably why Sony spent so much effort protecting the rights, only releasing them (via RH1/M200, same thing) when the format was almost dead.

[UpperStrings]

The Terratec has optical IN and OUT; at least you must get the model that has that feature. There's no need to get the fancy one that does 7.1 surround and higher data rates, 5.1 Aureon (and the cheapest one of these) is all you need.

Yes but the basic thing digital I/O does is guarantee no further degradation through distortion, hum or "wrong" compression. The original ATRAC (SP, 292kbps) is so good that you will not hear artifacts in the 1411kbps sound that you get from any MD that does digital out.

This magic (and why I got into MD as a way of saving old analog stuff with only one analog step in the chain) is probably why Sony spent so much effort protecting the rights, only releasing them (via RH1/M200, same thing) when the format was almost dead.

Thanks - I have ordered this exact soundcard but am unsure whether the MD unit supports optical out, eg this from the Maplins FAQ where I would buy the cable from:

Frequently Asked Questions

Q) is miniTos a 3.5mm jack? - chigz

A) It is the same size and shape a 3.5mm jack plug.

Q) My microhi-fi has optical connector. I want to transfer cassette to my PC which only has standard 3.5mm jacks. Can I use optical to connect between the two units? - richard656

A) no - optical is a digital signal and the 3.5mm jack is analogue - see if your hi-fi has an aux output (usually on red and white phono sockets)

In fact I'm pretty sure it doesn't, re-reading the manual. Things have moved on a bit from my erstwhile Sony Walkman Pro!

[sfbp]

There's no optical out on any unit except a MD deck. Even then, not all decks have it, so you need to read the browser carefully.

Mini toslink is basically a toslink plug the same exact size as 3.5mm jack, but connected to optical (usually the square one) at the other end.

Almost every walkman ever made has optical/analog line in through the SAME SOCKET - ie you can also (instead) plug in a regular stereo jack and record the signal from that.

You can go from MicroHiFi to your PC using the card you have ordered, I think.