Mz-M200

[gabgar]

We know that this unit has the USB input in the back.

Will this work with any of the newer Car receivers with the front USB input.

From what I understand, when you connect an Ipod and other MP3 player, they work but not sure if the Minidisc will react in the same manner.

Some I know have the auxiliary input which I think if you select the Line out from the Minidisc, you will get sound from that.

Has anyone ever had the chance to try this?

[sfbp]

Nope; forget USB; MD audio data is encrypted and not UMS accessible. The only ways are:

1. Sony MD Walkman line out to head unit aux in as you mentioned = sound
2. Sony MD Walkman line out + interactive remote control via Connects2 Sony CD/MD/HDD Walkman interface remote port to head unit CD/MD changer port = sound + control + track info

Are you sure? The Sony headunits refer to something called an Atrac Audio Device. I'd be rather surprised if the M200 wasn't one of them. I haven't tried it because mine don't have a USB socket. I actually was hoping someone would try it for us.

[sfbp]

The only way one could play back audio on a Hi-MD MiniDisc Walkman (MDLP won't work) through USB would be by having copied audio data via drag and drop to the Hi-MD disc as a mass storage device.

Sure. But I read those threads. I never actually read of someone who tried it.

I'm not talking about a third party USB-playing headunit. I'm talking about a real Sony with AAD specifications.

(A lot of people said trackmarking with a remote couldn't be done, too).

[sfbp]

But has anyone actually tried it?

[gabgar]

Ok, well we can officially close this subject because I took the MZ-M200 to a local Best Buy store here and I asked the guy there if the USB will work with any other MP3 player and he said yes with the exception of the Zune.

So I asked him if I could try another gadget which is when I pulled out the MZ-M200 and connect it to 2 different Pioneer Car Receivers with USB connections and all it brought back a notice saying "no Device or error"

so much for that.

[sfbp]

Ok, well we can officially close this subject because I took the MZ-M200 to a local Best Buy store here and I asked the guy there if the USB will work with any other MP3 player and he said yes with the exception of the Zune.

So I asked him if I could try another gadget which is when I pulled out the MZ-M200 and connect it to 2 different Pioneer Car Receivers with USB connections and all it brought back a notice saying "no Device or error"

so much for that.

Not quite (IMHO).

Only Sony has decks with support for AtracAD. So Kenwood and Pioneer, for example would be completely hopeless as they didn't buy into the concept AFAIK.

Even then only a limited number of Sony decks do it. The commonest is the CDX-GT610UI.

[minidix]

Last year, when I still played the Holydays Bunny , I actually tried at several electronics stores to hook the RH1 to a Panasonic car receiver, but also to a Sony one (it was probably the last ATRAC compatible unit, because it already had Bluetooth). With same result. None. The Panasonic gave me a horror surprise, because after unplugging the Rh1, it refused to play the disk, but also to stop it from spinning. I had to take the battery off than to put it back, but now the player was stone dead. Fortunately after few minutes of recharging it went back to life, probably the damn Panasonic and the crazy disk spinning somehow drained a full battery completely

[sfbp]

Sigh. Most of the bluetooth units have had AtracAD support removed from them. The only (BT) one that I know for 100% sure has the feature is the MEX-BT5000. (possibly there's a 5001/5002).

The reason the disk got garbled is that MP3 players seem to need write access to the file system... grrrr. Of course with the MD filesystem changing even one BIT will render the whole thing a dud as it is encrypted from start to finish.