A - pause on Walkman minidisc

[ActOne]

Hi, I have used rack mounted minidisc players on stage for many years. I now would like to use a Walkman type minidisc player for solo use through one guitar combo. Is there any players available that have the A pause feature that I use on the rack mount ones?
Many thanks

Colin T

 

 

[kgallen]

Possibly something more ‘pro’ like the MZ-B10 although we’d have to check the manual...

ok just looked, it has a 1- Track mode. Whether this is the same as Auto Pause (which I too use for theatre) on the big decks I’m not sure. 
 

As it happens I have a B10 so will have a play when I get home unless someone else confirms in the meantime. 
 

Otherwise I suspect the ‘newer’ portable models don’t (indeed the gits removed Auto Pause from the later home decks from the MDS -4xx series just when I needed another MD deck back in 2001 for my drama group). However it is worth digging back to the slightly older portables pre 2000 assuming you don’t want MDLP. Even the mid 90s models with an ATRAC before our beloved 4.5 will be just fine for quality playback - most of the advances in ATRAC were in the encoder/recording side, the decoder pretty much unchanged. Any version of machine/ATRAC will play SP tracks. Don't go too early though - the very early machines had much higher power consumption so had some unobtainable rechargable battery pack. Look for something that takes AA cells, which means it will probably also work with the fairly standard Sony 3V power bricks that are pretty common. Make sure you look in the Players section too as I'm guessing you don't need record on this unit if you're using it "out on the road".

Also some of the ‘larger’ and older portables have remote or footswitch inputs. Worth having a browse on minidisc.org  - I just looked at the B3 and R3 for example but no 1 track option there.

Kevin

 

OK admittedly having had a look around I'm not finding much with A-Pause. I had a browse on eBay to see what was about. Stumbled on this Sharp MD-MT270, which whilst it doesn't have Auto Pause or 1-Track, does look like a chunkier build which might be of interest for on-the-road. No connection to the seller. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sharp-Minidisc-Recorder-Walkman-MD-MT270H-BK/264842411748?hash=item3da9d67ee4:g:AFYAAOSwSYNfQ7Jp

Manual is here: https://www.manualslib.com/download/489231/Sharp-Md-Mt270h.html

[sfbp]

It's on every deck in the Setup menu under "Auto Off".

The  portables do NOT have it. But the B10 has a footswitch which comes with it.

Some of the higher end portables (but see the article on minidisc.org) have the ability to mark at a predetermined spacing "TIME MARK" every 15 minutes.

[ActOne]

Many thanks guys, that’s really helpful information. I’ll do a bit more digging now I know more.

Youre right, I have the mds jb920 and the mds je 520 in my rack which I use all the time.

I’m now looking for a more intimate solo set up which I can get up and running in 5-10 mins.

[kgallen]

1 hour ago, sfbp said:

It's on every deck in the Setup menu under "Auto Off".

Auto Pause:

MDS-JE440 and MDS-JE480 definitely don't (I just tried on mine with and without disc). Setup Menu options are very limited on these decks. Cost reduced - no headphone socket either.

Previous model range MDS-JE520 and MDS-JE530 definitely do and hence the 9xx/7xx/6xx of their respective ranges.

MDS-E10 and MDS-E12 do. Tascam MD-350 and MD-CD1 do.

[sfbp]

You're right. The 980 has it, and the 770 and PC3, the 640 does not. Not certain about 940.

[ActOne]

Hey peeps. Many thanks for your info, it’s really helped me.

i do know the B-10 has speed control without changing pitch allegedly.

if you have a B-10 can you set it to 1 track mode. Play a song then after it stops press play. Does the next song play?

thank you in advance

[kgallen]

2 hours ago, ActOne said:

if you have a B-10 can you set it to 1 track mode. Play a song then after it stops press play. Does the next song play?

Hi. Sorry I did mean to go and do this but got distracted by the pitch/speed question!

So I have just done this now. Unfortunately it doesn’t. After playing the one track it goes into STOP. Pressing PLAY plays the same track again. How frustrating.

The hunt continues...

Kevin

[sfbp]

Auto pause is there on all the decks. It's missing from all the Walkmen. End of. The MDS-PC3 is a deck but it's quite small. Will that do?

[ActOne]

Many thanks guys, That rules the B10 out.

I’ll have a look at the MDS-PC3.

[sfbp]

Great. A very versatile little beast. The function was well hidden in the docs but is in fact there.

[kgallen]

On 9/6/2020 at 6:17 PM, kgallen said:

Auto Pause:

MDS-JE440 and MDS-JE480 definitely don't (I just tried on mine with and without disc).

I'm going to row back on this slightly... I had an idea to try the RM-D15M remote from my MDS-JE520 with these decks - this is the larger remote with the 1-24 number keys.

What I found, is that the MDS-JE480 does actually implement Auto Pause and it works, I tried it with a disc, and it tells you on the screen (see photo). You can't access Auto Pause (or Auto Space) from any menu or button on the deck as we found above, but with this larger remote, which has the A.Space button, you can indeed circle Auto Off, Auto Space, Auto Pause. I didn't try out Auto Space - but again, that is not available from the deck menus, but it is accessible from a remote. (From the Setup Menu, you can enable/disable Smart Space, which is the means to get the deck to trim the inter-track space to 3s if there is an audio break of >30s).

The MDS-JE440 didn'y play the same game though, so no Auto Pause (or Auto Space) there, sorry folks.

(Sorry for the terrible quality photo, I shouldn't have opened the blinds fully - but you can see the "Auto Pause" on the screen and the model is the MDS-JE480.)

[sfbp]

The MDS-JE640 is on the list of machines that does implement it, so it's some stoopid arbitrary firmware choice they made to differentiate the models. The 640 and 440 are so similar that they share a manual. I was about to post the manual page when I saw it says "MDS-JE640 only" at the top of it.

BTW the Auto Pause function is so well hidden, I'm not surprised I never noticed it, never having needed it either. I'll bet on the 480 its there but you have to use the same series of button presses as on most of the decks such as the MDS-PC3. Menu->Setup>Yes. Tab to AutoSpace, press Yes (whilst it's flashing) and then AMS (go to next menu item, which on the PC3 remote is FF button) rotate until you get Auto Pause. Activate or deactivate with Yes.

No need for super-size-me remote

[freddyjollo]

The B-10, are people referring to the Sony MZ-B10? if so then set to 1 track mode. when it stops then cue  then play will  move to next  track and then play it. so 2 key presses? Thats not too hard? Is that whats people here are wanting?

[kgallen]

Indeed, sir.