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Xitel MD-Port I/O Review

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CarbonLogic

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I own four minidisc players, and I thought you might be interested in my experience with the Xitel MD-Port I/O. One of my minidisc players is a NetMD so I'm very familiar with Sony's SonicStage software. I've also made a lot of recordings using the Simple Burner/ImageDrive method.

As has been well documented on this forum the SonicStage software is less than perfect and the check in, check out process can be rather tedious.

The Simple Burner/ImageDrive method (which is also documented in this forum) works OK and does bypass the check in, check out process, but it is a very clumsy way to make digital recordings.

A saleswoman at my local Sony retailer, Sony Central in Adelaide, recommended the Xitel MD-Port I/O as a method of connecting my non-NetMD deck (Sony MDS-JE470) to my computer. I was extremely skeptical that I would be able to make digital recordings using the Xitel MD-Port I/O; however I decided to take a chance and bought the Xitel gizmo.

Installation of Xitel MD-Port I/O was incredibly simple. I just connected together the cables and plugged the thing into a spare USB port. The supplied digital cable was OK for a walkman style minidisc player, but it had the wrong connectors for my deck. Luckily I already had a spare digital cable with the correct connectors so my deck was soon connected to my computer. I followed the setup instructions for Windows XP and after some minor confusion I soon had the system working. The USB plug-and-play worked perfectly and didn't have to install any software or drivers.

The first big surprise was discovering that Windows Media Player could output a digital signal via the USB port (USB Audio) I thought computer media players (Windows Media Player, Winamp, MusicMatch, etc ) had to play through a sound card - you live and learn:-)

Next I queued up some tracks and tried to make a digital recording on my deck. I set the T.Mark LSync on the deck to on and used Music Synchro to make the test recording using the decks default digital recording level of 0.0dB. After a few test tracks I listened to the results through a pair of high quality Sennheiser Ovation headphones. The recorded sound quality was excellent.

A few comments on the results:

- The recorded sound quality was excellent, easily as good as files transferred using the SonicStage software

- Most of the music on my PC I ripped from my own CD collection at very high bit rates in either .wma or mp3 format.

- I use Windows Media Player 9.0 and have volume leveling enabled

- I mostly make semi-random compilations of mixed genre music that includes a mixture of classical, opera, blues, rock and electronica.

- Windows Media Player volume leveling appears to work very well with the USB Audio output, that is a BIG bonus if, like me, you make compilations of mixed genre music. No more radical changes in volume every time a new track plays.

The one big disadvantage is that recordings HAVE to be made in real time, not a big problem for me, but others may find this a significant issue.

The three BIG advantages for me in using the Xitel MD-Port I/O are:

- I don’t need a NetMD recorder to make digital recordings from my computer.

- No more check in, check out hassles.

- No more blown eardrums resulting from radical variations in volume between tracks.

One final point; the Xitel MD-Port I/O may be the solution to getting copy protected CD's onto my computer. First make a digital copy of the CD using a CD to MD digital recording. Then transfer the recorded music to the PC using the Xitel MD-Port I/O. The transfer will be analog, but it will bypass the sound card and write the wave file directly to the hard drive. Xitel claim this method works well, but I don’t own any copy protected CD’s yet so I haven't had a need try this method yet.

Hope this helps someone

Regards, CL

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Anonymous

I bought mine from SonyCentral, but when I tried to buy a Xitel HiFi Link from SonyCentral on Friday afternoon they didn't know about the HiFi Link and referred me to Graham Lock at:

http://www.minidiscaccessories.com/

Xitel also recommend Graham for Australian buyers and the prices on his web site are in Australian dollars.

I ordered the HiFi Link from Graham on Friday afternoon and received a confirming e-mail within an hour or so of placing my order. The HiFi Link should have been posted on Monday morning and I expect it to be delivered to me on Tuesday or Wednesday.

SR

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Guest Anonymous

Further follow-up:

The Xitel HiFi Link that I purchased on 18 July 2003 was faulty, the unit only works intermittently whenever I try to use it. It will be returned by post to Xitel for repair or replacement on Monday morning (28 July 2003)

The Xitel MD-Port I/O continues to work flawlessly and I am very pleased with the quality of the recordings made via this useful gadget.

CL

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've got a question for you guys.

I have previously owned a xitel unit kinda like the one described above, but it only worked as an optical output for my computer. It worked well when playing back mp3's and such, but when I wanted my computer to playback a CD and record it to MD via Xitel, I had a difficult time getting it to work and I didn't get any trackmarks. Have they resolved this issue with the newer Xitel models (i.e. MD-Port I/O or the Hi-Fi Pro link)?

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The number one irritating part about trackmarks from a optical-equipped computer is -- that there are none. Only CD decks seem to be able to send out a ping or a chirp or something that signals a trackmark instead of a pause in the music stream. Like if you're listning to a CD that likes to blend the songs togather so there's not pause, you'll likely just get one big ol' track thats 70-some minutes long. :wink:

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My PC have optical out from the soundcard, doesen't that kinda replace the need for this Xitel MD-Port I/O device? I can hook it up from PC to MD with my oplical cable and record, those recordings should be a direct copy just like the one made with Xitel.

Don't wanna sound lika a partybuster but isn't it more cost effective to get a soundcard with opical connections (if you don't have one already) instead of Xitel? If you get a card with optical in as well as out, then you can record copy protected Audio CD from a CD deck with opical out (in real time).

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well the xitel is the only alternative for some people who want hassle free digital connection to your MD from your PC...my soundcard also has an optic input and output as well but for those who didn't think of buying a soundcard with such features would probably prefer this device rather than getting a new soundcard? it allows you to just simply plug the device into a free USB port and not having to open up the PC and upgrade the soundcard...also it's good for taking it around to other people's houses... tongue.gif

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I bought an MD-Port I/O...but it isn't making automatic trackmarks like my old PC link did (it was the digital PC link that came with my R700...called a DG2, I think.) Dammit, this is a royal pain.

A possible solution to the problem would be to make a program that rather than putting a 2 second break inbetween the song, it puts a very short "no signal" out so the md (that is set to sync rec) thinks it is stopping one recording and starting a new one. Does a program like this already exist?

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Guest Anonymous

I'm currently on a business trip, and while I was in Singapore, I found one of these...http://www.soundblaster.com/products/MP3+/

It's basically a USB interface external soundblaster card in a box slightly bigger than a pack of cigarettes, and has digital in and out, etc. Works well with my MD for optical recording as well as general audio when I am on the road. I've pumped a few mp3s through it already and the resulting recording quality is excellent. Although my MD has NetMD capability, I don't generally take my cradle etc when I am travelling, but if I happen to pick up a CD somewhere, it's great to be able to pipe it across to my MD to enjoy as I travel.

It cost me Sing$99, which was about AU$88 at the time. (Probably ~ US$57).

I bought an MD-Port I/O...but it isn't making automatic trackmarks like my old PC link did (it was the digital PC link that came with my R700...called a DG2, I think.) Dammit, this is a royal pain.  

A possible solution to the problem would be to make a program that rather than putting a 2 second break inbetween the song, it puts a very short "no signal" out so the md (that is set to sync rec) thinks it is stopping one recording and starting a new one. Does a program like this already exist?

There is an answer. Foobar2000. There is a plugin for this low footprint, feature packed media player called "insert silence after track" which, you guessed it, inserts x seconds of digital silence after each track. I record with Synch on with my MZ-N1, and it works with track marks perfectly.

You can find it, and links to the plug ins, etc at www.foobar2000.org.

If you have a laptop with a crap sound chip set inside it, or want digital out for your PC without opening it up, these soundblaster digital music, or soundblaster mp3+ as it is called in the US, seem a good buy from my experience so far.

Later,

Den

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Right, but if you have two tracks on a CD that run into each other continuously, then you end up with this two second gap in the music and that sucks. Does anyone know a way to insert trackmarks without making huge gaps in the audio?

By the way, my old DG2 does indeed insert trackmarks between mp3's and my new MD-Port I/O doesn't. I wonder why Xitel removed that function and if there is a way to turn it on or off?

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Guest Anonymous

Right, but if you have two tracks on a CD that run into each other continuously, then you end up with this two second gap in the music and that sucks. Does anyone know a way to insert trackmarks without making huge gaps in the audio?  

I'm not finding the gaps so noticeable, but perhaps it depends on the music you are listening to. I actually get a mini-track between each tune, of 0 seconds in duration each time, but I can live with this.

I think at the end of the day, you will have to choose which you prefer, the gapless playback, or easy to navigate tracks with marks. I personally can live with both, depending on what I am listening to.

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Guest Anonymous

I gotta have gapless tracks, I guess I'll be making my own trackmarks. If I figure out a way to get gapless tracks and trackmarks via an MD-Port I/O, I'll let you guys know.

In the meantime, my DR7 just came in the mail, and I have an N10 vs DR7 review to do...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Anonymous

I'm using the optical output of my soundcard to record my mp3. I use Windows Media Player to play the mp3.

But I have a doubt.

At what level of volume do you play the mp3?

I set the volume to 100%. Is that bad?

I noticed that in my MZ-N1, the recording leds are almost all black!! Do I need to set the volume to 95, 90 %?

Thanks!!

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I'm using the optical output of my soundcard to record my mp3. I use Windows Media Player to play the mp3.  

But I have a doubt.  

At what level of volume do you play the mp3?  

I set the volume to 100%. Is that bad?

full volume (on the soundcard output) should be fine since the optic out (well on my card at least) corresponds to the volume control in windows...i.e. the higher the volume "louder" the output...and i usually play mp3's at 100% volume (in WMP) and set the soundcard's volume + wav levels in the sound control to max...

I noticed that in my MZ-N1, the recording leds are almost all black!! Do I need to set the volume to 95, 90 %?

on the unit the volume should'n really matter since it is not the output volume but rather the input volume that u want to change...and i'm not too sure about if you can adjust the recording levels through digital (i doubt this though) but yeh if the sound's not coming out (or the song is feint) check the cable connection as well as the source of the tranfer (i.e. ur PC's optic out connection) and see if it's working correctly and that you've set the volume levels to max...

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  • 4 months later...

I bought an MD-Port I/O...but it isn't making automatic trackmarks like my old PC link did (it was the digital PC link that came with my R700...called a DG2, I think.)  Dammit, this is a royal pain.

A possible solution to the problem would be to make a program that rather than putting a 2 second break inbetween the song, it puts a very short "no signal" out so the md (that is set to sync rec) thinks it is stopping one recording and starting a new one.  Does a program like this already exist?

this plugin for winamp supposedly does exactly that, I am trying to get it to work properly...but i dont' think it is working for me.

and you need winamp 2.91 for it to work (at least for me)

give it a try:

http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=79370

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