uploading/coverting files

[mbhbaritone]

Two questions if I may - I have searched forum but if answers are out there already apologies and please direct me. Plus please keep any answers very simple.

1) I've recorded onto my minidisc an old interview with a relative which was on a cassette tape via my hifi system etc.

Now - how do/can I make this into a simple file that I can email to other relatives? I know I could make it into a CD but surely I can just keep it 'virtual' as it were?

2) As a singer I'm finding a lot of useful choral 'midi' recordings on the net which help with rehearsing. But I can't work out how to capture these onto to MD player to carry around. They play on computer autmatically through windows media or realplayer. I save them but when I look through files whilst in somic stage it refuses to see/display them but they are there in windows explorer.

Many thanks

Mark

PS It's been a while since I've been on this site. What's with the ebay adverts and is MD still the best reasonable price recording method for performaers like me i.e. do a gig and then want to keep a record of it? Cheers again

[Syrius]

If the recording is on a regular MD, you can upload it to a computer using the RH1 (of have someone do it for you.)

If it was on HI-MD, you can upload.

Or record to your computer using Line-in.

SonicStage will not play MIDI files. You will need to record to an MD using your computer's line out, as they are played by Windows Media Player or similar.

[mbhbaritone]

If the recording is on a regular MD, you can upload it to a computer using the RH1 (of have someone do it for you.)

If it was on HI-MD, you can upload.

Or record to your computer using Line-in.

SonicStage will not play MIDI files. You will need to record to an MD using your computer's line out, as they are played by Windows Media Player or similar.

Many thanks for the reply Syrius. Much appreciated

Slight misunderstanding on the first point.

Yes - I've got the recording now on minidisc and know I can upload it into Sonic Stage but how do I get a sonic stage library item into some sort of format that I can email to relatives - most people won't have SonicStage to listen to it on. Can I convert the file to some sort of MP3 and how do I do that? Sorry if it's an ignorant question.

On 2)

Noted about using the line-out. I guess I need to buy a single jack to single jack line of some sort then? I bought one that goes single to double to link into hifi so I guess I need to buy something similar.

Finally, Am I right in inferring from the level of views etc on forum that since I was last on the site a couple of years back the numbers using HiMD have dropped? And, as per my original query, is that because there is some new technology that has superceded it for basic gig recording?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

[KJ_Palmer]

You've got several options for conversion, since your tracks are in Sonicstage:

1. Use Sony's Sony's MP3 Conversion Tool to encode to MP3 files.

2. Use MarcNet's Hi-MD Renderer (0.54) to convert from Sonicstage to (almost) any format. Scrolll down to the last post in that link for the download.

3. Convert to Wav format. Sonicstage can do this - (something like) right click on the track(s) and select the option to convert to wav from the drop soon menu. You can then use a Wav converter (like Audacity to convert the tracks to MP3).

Hope that helps.

Edited August 10, 2009 by Barock

[Hungerdunger]

2. Use MarcNet's Hi-MD Renderer (0.54) to convert from Sonicstage to (almost) any format. Scrolll down to the last post in that link for the download.

I'm using HiMDRenderer 1.00 beta 4. Does anyone know what the pros and cons of this version are over 0.54?

Edited August 10, 2009 by Hungerdunger

[marcnet]

I do.

The 1.00 betas have these extra features:

* Better unicode / non-english character handling

* Better AT3 file decoding / handling

* Decoding of HI-MD mp3 data and mp3 files

* MP3 LAME presets

* Custom output filename definitions based on track title, album name, etc

*File list filter

* Encoding of WMA files

The reason it's beta is because it had a fairly major re-write for all the above new features. Try beta 4 first. If it dosn't work then try 0.54 instead

Edited August 10, 2009 by marcnet

[A440]

Finally, Am I right in inferring from the level of views etc on forum that since I was last on the site a couple of yearsif i back the numbers using HiMD have dropped? And, as per my original query, is that because there is some new technology that has superceded it for basic gig recording?

Sony's encryption, SonicStage and the general quirkiness of MD recording have basically killed the format.

Basic gig recording has a lot more options now, without the minidisc hassles of SonicStage, encrypted files, compressed formats, etc.

There are quite a few gadgets out there with flash memory--breaking the 1GB limit of Hi-MDs and easily transferrable.

Google around for Edirol R09 and Zoom H2--both handheld units with built-in mics. Not stealthy like MD, but useful if it's your own gig. For ultra-cheap, Yamaha has two Pocketrak gadgets that are worth investigating.

Sony has a simliar, if more expensive unit, PCM-D50, that has many fans.

On paper, Sony's PCM-M10 (no relation to the MZ-M10 Hi-MD), looks very promising if you can wait till October.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10291362-1.html

I'd still be thrilled with a MD-size unit without built-in mics, for stealth recording, but it seems the new digital recorders are all-in-one.

[mbhbaritone]

Many thanks for everyone's replies and helpful comments.

Thanks A440 for bringing me up to speed. And yes, it's for own gigs not "stealth" recording so no worries on size/mic

The new options/alternatives you mention - what is the recording quality like? Is it comparable or perhaps better than HiMD?

Also I notice that you say Sony have certain products....given that they seem to have ruined their own chances with HiMD (and I know I'm IT illiterate but hey it really wasn't very user friendly was it)...my instinct is not to buy anything they make again. Am I cutting off my nose to spite my face?

Thanks again to all for helpful responses.

[A440]

The new options/alternatives you mention - what is the recording quality like? Is it comparable or perhaps better than HiMD?

...my instinct is not to buy anything they make again. Am I cutting off my nose to spite my face?

Recording quality should be better--PCM (CD quality or above) rather than the compressed formats most often used on MD. It's a higher-quality PCM than the one offered by Hi-MD.

A lot of musicians are just pushing Record on the Edirol or Zoom and getting good rehearsal/gig recordings. Because the flash memory is larger than the 1GB of a Hi-MD disc, you can record longer at the highest quality.

As for not using Sony, read some reviews--people do like the PCM-D50, though I've never had the chance to play with one.

The problem with MD was not the hardware--MD mic preamps are way quieter than the one behind the Edirol mic jack, I can say from experience--but the idiotic software restrictions.

It's like the company was schizophrenic or tripolar--skillful engineers vs. strange software designers vs. corporate jerks who were terrified that people might copy their albums.

The straightforward recording technology of Hi-MD was impressive--it was access to the recordings that was *&^#%$ed, and since the flash recorders just use drag-and-drop, that seems to have been fixed.

[mbhbaritone]

Recording quality should be better--PCM (CD quality or above) rather than the compressed formats most often used on MD. It's a higher-quality PCM than the one offered by Hi-MD.

A lot of musicians are just pushing Record on the Edirol or Zoom and getting good rehearsal/gig recordings. Because the flash memory is larger than the 1GB of a Hi-MD disc, you can record longer at the highest quality.

As for not using Sony, read some reviews--people do like the PCM-D50, though I've never had the chance to play with one.

The problem with MD was not the hardware--MD mic preamps are way quieter than the one behind the Edirol mic jack, I can say from experience--but the idiotic software restrictions.

It's like the company was schizophrenic or tripolar--skillful engineers vs. strange software designers vs. corporate jerks who were terrified that people might copy their albums.

The straightforward recording technology of Hi-MD was impressive--it was access to the recordings that was *&^#%$ed, and since the flash recorders just use drag-and-drop, that seems to have been fixed.

Thanks again A440. Interesting stuff.

Where's a good place for me to read reviews of these alternatives? I'm recording classical music, mainly vocal rehearsals/gigs so I don't know to what extent that would favour certain equipment either.

cheers