SonicStage (?) for 64-bit Windows 11 (?) to download digital audio directly from Sony MZ-RH1 to PC..?

[ChrisPasta]

It's been a while since I looked into this.  I'm curious if anyone has recent successful experience of downloading audio digitally as audio files from MD in my Sony MZ-RH1 to my Windows 11 laptop.  If there is other software that is better than SonicStage that works with Windows 11, then I am also very interested.

[BearBoy]

Hi @ChrisPasta, welcome to the forum.

 

Are the files you wish to transfer Hi-MD files or "normal" MiniDisc recordings (i.e. SP / LP2 /LP4)? If the latter, then you can now use Web MiniDisc Pro to transfer files from a compatible NetMD portable to a computer: https://www.minidisc.wiki/guides/webminidisc

 

This doesn't currently work with Hi-MD formatted discs or with your MZ-RH1 though so may of no use whatsoever for you, sorry.

 

AFAIK, SonicStage is still the only way of getting files off an MZ-RH1. I have not used SonicStage myself but there are users here who do, and know the "tricks" to get it working on modern computers.

 

Edit: corrected some errors (see asivery's post below).

 

[ChrisPasta]

Thanks, BearBoy.  Many of my MD recordings were done on a different machine - on Sony MZ-R37 before Hi-MD ever existed.  My Sony MZ-RH1 came later and I thought it supported NetMD, but I'm not sure anymore.  I also have a Sony MDS-JB920 which seems pretty cool, but apparently it may not be a solution either.  This is frustrating, and I may have to just run the audio and re-record on a new digital audio recorder - and that takes time.

[BearBoy]

Hi Chris. Your MZ-RH1 does support NetMD but the exploit that the developers of Web MiniDisc Pro used to enable the transfer of tracks from a MiniDisc player to a computer currently only works with some devices (which doesn't include any HiMD devices like your MZ-RH1 at the moment).

 

Prior to the development of this exploit using Web MiniDisc Pro, the MZ-RH1/MZ-M200 was the only device that allowed you to transfer tracks from a MiniDisc player to a computer. All other NetMD/HiMD devices only allowed to the transfer the other way (i.e. from computer to MiniDisc).

 

You'll be able to transfer the tracks from your MZ-RH1 to your computer using SonicStage. Have you managed to successfully install SonicStage on your PC? If not, there are some (Windows 10 but I suspect it'll be similar?) instructions here: 

 

[BearBoy]

There are also some fairly detailed instructions here: https://www.minidisc.wiki/guides/sonicstagew10

[asivery]

The current version of Web Minidisc supports downloading tracks off of the MZ-RH1. That functionality has been added even before the exploits were a thing.

[BearBoy]

Well, looks like I was completely wrong then 🤦‍♂️🙂

 

Thanks for the correction @asivery! Does it work for HiMD tracks as well as old school SP/LP2/LP4?

[asivery]

@BearBoy The public version only does the normal SP/LP2/LP4, but the new version that I'll be releasing soon, which has full HiMD support [for most devices] (AT3+/AT3/LPCM/MP3) can also of course download tracks from HiMD using any of the HiMD machines.

[BearBoy]

That's great news - amazing work 👍

 

I don't know who maintains the Web MiniDisc Pro instructions on the MiniDisc Wiki site but they don't currently mention anything about the download functionality working with the MZ-RH1 (unless I'm missing something 🤔). Just gives details of the exploit you discovered. Maybe it's obvious when you connect the correct device?

[asivery]

Thanks!

I'll investigate the wiki missing instructions for the RH1, but once you connect it to the app and start selecting tracks, you have a 'Download' button instead of the normal 'Record' one (so it looks as-if it had exploits enabled out of the box). The progress dialog box that comes up is also different to the exploit one.