650MB MD Data2 or high capacity blue laser MD

[Benny]

I would like to see Sony adopt the 650MB MD Data2 disc technology for a next generation MD recorder. Or perhaps with the Blue Ray technology looming around the corner a multi-gigabyte blue laser MD, either utilizing the current ATRAC encoding or newer generation ATRAC encoding with the same non-LP bit rate or higher. NO MORE LOWER BIT RATES PLEASE!

Finally this may be far fetched but how about multi-channel MD: 5.1 channel recording with Dolby Digital & DTS converters.

[Shorty]

When the MD Data2 disc was invented, there was talk of greater capacity on an MD or even dumping ATRAC altogether and allowing uncompressed audio to be stored. I doubt it would happen, though, because Sony's invested a lot of R&D money into ATRAC and the ATRAC3 architecture recently employed in RealNetworks's software suite so they're not likely to just chuck it all away.

As for multi-channel 5.1 sound, I'm not sure if that would be necessary, considering that it's already covered by DVD-Audio, SACD et al, so to have it on MD (which is primarily aimed at portable audio users) would probably not be necessary.

[Squelch]

...the real reason Sony and their ilk want to stick with ATRAC and even lower bitrate schemes (indeed, quite likely the reason they were permitted any of this in the first place) is that any CODEC acts, in itself, as a very effective form of SCMS whch can't be contravened - it's simply not viable to make sequential copies of ATRAC or MP3 material without degrading sound quality to unacceptable extremes...

Ever see a portable CD recorder? For that matter, ever see a portable MD with a digital out?

I don't think we're ever going to see a 2GB uncompressed MD...

[Bazirker]

I hope they keep the ATRAC format around even if they do make larger capacity MD's. I'm much rather have SP mode ATRAC and a HUGE storage space on a disc than uncompressed audio and a normal storage space. Taking ATRAC away from any minidisc system would essentially defeat one of the original purposes of the system, right? If ya want uncompressed audio, go with cds.

[Andy]

I really don't see the point of 5.1 for music. Maybe it is because I haven't experienced it but... you go to a club, and you sit at a seat and the band plays at a stage. Maybe if I was used to going to a club and sitting down in front of the drum kit then it would have some effect... anyway - we only have 2 ears, so why have more speakers?

[mAjEsTiC]

maybe he wanted 2 get the effect of surround sound??? who knows...

[Benny]

We have only two ears but in the world around us sound doesn't just come from two directions it comes from all around us hence surround sound.

Here's some food for thought...

The idea is not too far fetched. What I'm proposing is two fold. For the people with home MD decks multi-channel MD will allow you to record your favourite songs off DTS-CD, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio & SACD and be able to listen to them in the surround sound format of the original disc. Perhaps Sony could install Dolby Digital & DTS convertors into the MD deck allowing you to send the bitstream signal directly into the digital input. For DVD-Audio and SACD they will have to provide 5.1 analog inputs. You would then have ATRAC 5.1.

Connecting the multi-channel MD to a reciever is one sticky issue though; digital or analog. There's currently no such thing as multi-channel PCM so the technology would have to be changed (all current MD decks with digital outputs output PCM). Do you upgrade recievers with new decoders to handle the ATRAC 5.1 or PCM 5.1? Do you convert the outgoing digital signal of the MD deck to something common like Dolby Digital? Do you only use 5.1 analog outputs on the MD deck like SACD or DVD-Audio?

For portable listeners they could use the Dolby Headphone technology (or something similar) and install virtual surround DSPs into the portable units (and the home decks for that matter) allowing the listener to experience something close to surround sound via headphones. Having listened to the Dolby Headphone technology before I know it works and it is something that Sony is playing with now with DSPs in their latest portables.

On another side note isn't it about time they upgrade the sampling rate convertors to allow for 96khz input.

[highlandsun]

There's already an MD-Data2 ATRAC recorder, it's called the Discam. Sure it can record 20 minutes of video, but it also can be used audio-only for something like 5 hours of ATRAC audio.

Multi-channel recording is completely unnecessary. All you need to make good recordings is a binaural mic setup. For convincing playback on a multi-channel amplifier you just need to decode the directional cues. Dolby has done the reverse of this already, mixing surround-sound audio into stereo for "Dolby Headphone" mode. The HRTFs are already well enough understood to make it happen.