TOC cloning MZ-R70?

[AudioArtist]

Can the MZ-R70 be modified in the same fashion as the R700 to enable TOC cloning?

Any help and even yes-no-maybe answers would be appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[punkrockaddict]

If this is the only unit to try you should do it.There´s no point in my knowledge something could horribly go wrong.

I never tried any of the multiple Methods for Toc cloning myself- there was no need to it. At least since i know about.. before that i could have recovered a very important recording that was lost due to a worn oout battery in my old old sharp recorder in the 90´s.

did you erase something by mistake as the battery drained out while recording ?

wish you good luck

[AudioArtist]

Honestly I have no clue how the "damaged" disc got this way. It was given to me by one of my clients. Basically he asked me to try my best to recover the data and if I can't he'll just cry for a minute and forget about it.
I've never had the issue of an erased TOC personally, but I'm really meticulous and careful just out of necessity. I work with other peoples music and recordings constantly. I take pride in the fact that I'm super careful and truly invested in my work.

The MZ-R70 I'd have to have shipped to me from Oregon US, and my buddy would most likely be OK with me fiddling with it. I've been sounding out all of my friends who I knew had units circa '98-'02-3. I also have access to a MDS-JE630, a JVC-XM-448BK and an, as yet, unknown Tascam deck.(perhaps a sony built one?)

This disc is really important to this particular client, he says that it was his best live recording ever and it also happens to be of one of his favorite musicians whom is now deceased. I posted another thread in the non-specific area of the minidisc board introducing myself and asking a few questions. I apologize if that post was misplaced. I takes me a bit to get used to the layout of a new forum.

In any case thanks for the reply punkrockaddict and thanks for the well wishes! I do hope that I can recover this for my client. And I feel you about the old Sharp units. I had several friends who owned one of those models know to be capable of TOC cloning but all of them have died. The recorder/players not my friends!

-Gabriel

[sfbp]

I'm sure someone here might offer. You're probably better with some one in the US, which I am not, otherwise I could easily do it.

[punkrockaddict]

I Could do the Job but iam in Europe .

Its your Choice.Maybe there is someone coming up to help from the US..

[jmsla]

Greetings AudioArtist,

If this is a straight forward matter of the tracks having been mistakenly erased, leaving what appears to be a blank disc, I have the necessary equipment to write a new TOC to the disc and would be glad to perform that procedure. Understand, however, that I am making no promises just now as there is a lot I don't know about this disc.

For example:
You mention ..."the issue of an erased TOC". Did you mean to say erased 'tracks' or literally and erased TOC; because I've never heard of a disc completing missing a TOC and I'm not sure this such a condition is possible. I ask because I want to be perfectly clear about what is wrong with this disc.

Also:
Can you find out exactly how the music on the disc came to be "erased"? // Was the disc new when it was originally recorded or was it a reused disc? // In what mode had the disc been recorded: SP, LP2 or LP4? // Is it a 74 minute disc or an 80 minute disc? // Is the disc damaged in any way, such as having a missing or malfunctioning shutter door or a warped case? // Does the internal disc spin smoothly inside the case?

I have a MZ-G750 that I modified for TOC cloning and I have a MDS-J520 Deck. I typically use the portable because the procedure is much simpler with fewer steps.

I'm in the States - you can PM me if you wish.

Best,
-ja

[AudioArtist]

Thanks jmsla!

Can you find out exactly how the music on the disc came to be "erased"? // Was the disc new when it was originally recorded or was it a reused disc? // In what mode had the disc been recorded: SP, LP2 or LP4? // Is it a 74 minute disc or an 80 minute disc? // Is the disc damaged in any way, such as having a missing or malfunctioning shutter door or a warped case? // Does the internal disc spin smoothly inside the case?

OK, I'm unsure about the "erased TOC issue" thing. It's odd when I put it into most of my recorder/players it just reads as a Blank Disc. However, when I put it into my JE-320 it reads Disc Error sometimes. Other times it reads as Blank. I'm guessing that's just an issue with my 320. Anyway, here's some answers to your questions;

1- I have no clue how the disc got erased

2- According to my client the disc was new and unused prior to the recording

3- Again, according to client, it was stereo mode best quality (SP?). Here's where things get sketchy; He doesn't remember the make or model# of the unit that he used. (Sharp?)

For the rest, it's an 80min. Memorex disc. There is no physical damage to the casing, shutter, or function - "spinning" of the disc.

I've still got a few units to try but if I can't get it done I'll PM you and we can discuss.

Thanks again!! I really appreciate the help! -Gabriel

[jmsla]

No problem.

it's very good that the disc was new because sometimes remnants of prior recordings that were 'erased' and recorded over can pop up in spots like, for example, the silent space between the recover tracks. // When I reuse a disc for an important recording, I have a procedure to completely purge the disc of prior recordings so that it starts as essentially a new disc.

I think the 'disc error' message you get occasionally is just an anomaly, especially since it mostly reads 'blank disc'. I think that simple 'blank disc' message is encouraging. And, I don't think it matters what brand of machine was used to record the disc - SP is SP as far as I know.

It is curious how the disc got erased. Since this disc was so important, I can't imagine that your client put it in a player / recorder and mistakenly went through the menu to 'erase all tracks', or mistakenly formatted the disc. It might be helpful to ask the owner of the disc if he/she remembers how that happened. I hope it wasn't a situation where a malfunctioning machine somehow mangled or scrambled the TOC - if such a thing is possible. You would probably be getting more 'disc error' messages if that were the case. I'm just guessing here.

You know where to find me if you want to get in contact.

Good Luck,

James

[AudioArtist]

I talked with my client tonight. He said that he was using some computer program and that he made some mistake because of a clunky user interface or whatever? Perhaps SonicStage or maybe something prior? He couldn't remember and said that that computer was dead.

So, that's all that I have to go on for that aspect.

Otherwise, he gave me the go ahead to send the disc to you if necessary.

Thanks again for the help and insights James! I'll definitely let you know if I fail with the other units I have yet to attempt the recovery on!

-gabe

[AngusMac]

I bought the MZ-R30 on its initial release to the European market and subsequently, as the tech has been superseded and prices fallen, have added several other portables to my collection, including my favourite the MZ-B10. Since 2005, I have been very frustrated at the MZ-R30's innate ability to erase track marks from three previously recorded full discs which all now initiate the dreaded error message on insertion "Blank Disc". I contacted Sony about this problem as soon as it occurred, as I had some precious live recordings I did not want to lose, but their response was a virtual shrug of the shoulders. So, over the years since I have bided my time and hoped that someone would eventually come up with a solution to recover 'lost' MD recordings.

I can't tell you how pleased I was to recently discover Raintheory's explanation of how to hack a MD deck or a Sharp portable and clone the 'blank' disc but can someone advise me how to hack the MZ-B10 or my MZ-R900 or even my original MZ-R30? Also, I'd like to know just how the track info came to be erased or lost in the first place? One of my prized discs, recorded at a private concert in Germany, had been played many times before I got the error message. Keeping fingers crossed and looking forward to reading replies from our learned members here!

[sfbp]

almost certainly you played this disk in a unit whose overwrite head is gone. The first time u pressed REC or TrackMark, the resulting write would have blanked the TOC.

[AngusMac]

You've hit the nail squarely on the head there, I reckon. My old MZ-R30 got doused in chocolate milkshake which burst out of a bottle in my backpack during a flight several years back. At first it wouldn't operate and I was prepared to consign it to the recycling bin, however, after it had dried out for several weeks I was surprised to discover it returned to life once more. Unfortunately, not being aware of this TOC error potential at the time, I continued to use it as a player and the TOC info was erased on three recorded MDs by this machine.

I'd be indebted to any member as to advice on what machine I can use to recover the lost TOC, so I can play these lost recordings again, or copy the discs to my computer. I have read that there are hidden menus in some portable recorder/players which I'm hoping may solve the problem.

[Another MD fanatic]

I've been reading a few articles recently about TOC cloning so I decided to give it a go. I had a handful of discs that I'd erased some time ago ready for using again at some point so I had nothing to lose, it was just an experiment to see how successful (or not) the operation would be.

So following some guidelines elsewhere on this site I used a Sharp MT20. I'm pleased to say it was really quick and easy once I'd recorded a "blank" disc.

The results however were a bit mixed. A couple of discs that had only ever been recorded on once turned out perfect, only had to divide up the tracks. But a few other discs that had been used a number of times, and been subjected to a degree of editing, resulted in a bit of a mess. Half a song here, another bit of a song there, etc, with just a few songs surviving intact.

Also doesn't work so well if you've got different recording modes on the same disc. I generally stick to SP mode but one of the discs had some mono tracks on it. Once cloned the mono tracks played back at double speed!

So overall I think it's worth a try if you really want to rescue something, just be aware of the potential pitfalls.