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Can I burn a CD with microphone-recorded music?

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Henris

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From this:

http://www.minidisc.org/himd_mdcenter_news.html

Document:

High speed MD to PC uploading can be performed with recordings made from mic, line & optical sources.

All Hi-MD formats that can be recorded with the units themselves can be uploaded (i.e. PCM, Hi-SP & Hi-LP).

Uploaded tracks can [currently] only be played back on the PC by using the supplied SonicStage2 ("SS2") software.

Extended SonicStage software will become available that will be able to burn audio-CD's.

Exporting from Extended-SS2 to WAV is still unknown.

(We have to wait to know. )

Exporting from Extended-SS2 to MP3 will not be possible (an external WAV->MP3 step is necessary).

In addition:

When playing back tracks that are on a Hi-MD formatted disc, the sound is also transferred back to the PC via the USB bus and will be heard over the speakers/headphones.

While playing back MD tracks over the PC it is possible to simultaniously record them with e.g. Cooledit 2000 (effectively a realtime upload).

---------

So you have two ways to get your music onto the PC.

Hope this helps...

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I'm not 100% sure if recording in Cool Edit Pro2 will give you a perfect digital dub-- I guess it depends on if your soundcard introduces any white noise into the background (I suspect this is what happens when I record from my MD Deck's optical out to my PC's optical in via Cool Edit 2000).

However, if you upload the recorded track via USB (no in realtime but as a data track -- omg file), then burn the omg file to CD, you should have a perfect digital copy of your recording. You could then, if you wanted, rip that CD to wav for further editing.

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WHAT THE...

"Uploaded tracks can [currently] only be played back on the PC by using the supplied SonicStage2 ("SS2") software.

Extended SonicStage software will become available that will be able to burn audio-CD's."

The upshot of this is that Sony still isn't letting go and giving microphone users control over their audio--despite the fact that in the US a good portion of MD users are journalists and home recordists. This is definitely going to make me think twice about forking over $300 for Hi-MD.

Apparently recorded uploads will be stuck in SonicStage until Sony gets around to giving it audio CD burning capacity. Personally, I'm not holding my breath. Until then, it's the same realtime workaround we're stuck with now with NetMD. All we can hope is that this will be more easily hacked, on the software level, than NetMD's hardware restrictions were once the file is on the PC.

If Sony really wants to make Hi-MD competitive with Zen, Archos, Iriver and whatever other hard-drive recorders are on their way, it's certainly not trying very hard. The promise of Hi-MD was not just bigger storage but more flexibility, and once again it looks like Sony is pulling a fast one.

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Thanks!  So if I record with cool edit pro2 or something, will it be a perfect digital dub?

Not quite - even relatively expensive sound cards aren't great, and running your computer near the analog wires will introduce a little background noise. It should still sound very good, but the digital->analog->digital process will lose a little of the quality.

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Not quite - even relatively expensive sound cards aren't great, and running your computer near the analog wires will introduce a little background noise.  It should still sound very good, but the digital->analog->digital process will lose a little of the quality.

You do know, that the signal never leaves the computer?

In fact, the sound data doesn't even sees the soundcard before picked up by cooledit. And therefore no Digital - Analog - Digital conversion takes place.

Only remember to select 'wave' as recording input and set the slider to 100%.

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Thanks!  So if I record with cool edit pro2 or something, will it be a perfect digital dub?

depends on your sound card -- if you have a dedicated hi-fi or audio pro sound card you should be OK, in some cases even the good a/d converters make it sound better!

Damn -- I am so pissed that Sony isn't letting upload/conversion to wav still be possible! That is a load of bull!

Maybe the reason is that Sony is also a record company and not just audio manufacturer anymore!

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depends on your sound card

Remember, we're talking about Hi-MD-Playback via USB-Port without ever going analog.

Damn -- I am so pissed that Sony isn't letting upload/conversion to wav still be possible! That is a load of bull!

I strongly suggest to wait with the final verdict until the recorders are out.

Maybe the reason is that Sony is also a record company and not just audio manufacturer anymore!

This might be the reason for some limitations, especially the inability for old NetMDs to upload anything and that checkout of Linear PCM is not possible.

However, this is first generation of Hi-MD recorders, so we don't know, what to expect when other manufacturers come out with their lineup - especially makers of professional equipment.

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Jadeclaw - I think there's little hope here for the upload fix if Sony isn't interested in it. I believe Sony is still holding the standard hostage as they did with the home betamax while back...

Well, if we're talking Wave record via the internal sound card architecture - that again depends on the quality of your sound card and its isolation from interference from the PC, especially the PC fan, so again on a cheapo card that equals crap.

I believe Henris didn't mention anywhere that he'd be using the new generation of MD...

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  • 4 weeks later...

I was hoping that the Hi-MD would be my next machine to replace Digital Audio Tape (DAT) which I have been using for several years to master custom audio CDs. The fast upload to the PC is VERY desirable and if the bitrate is the same as the DAT it would be a newer technology and much less expensive than to replace my DAT recorder. If it is not going to be possible to transfer my live recordings to the hard drive for editing purposes followed by the creation of a master CD then the whole idea of the better quality is lost.

I LOVE the MD format and use it for a backup to the DAT (I have four portable units and a deck) but if Hi-MD won't let me do what I need to do with the audio in the digital domain, I will be VERY disappointed.

If anyone hears differently or comes up with advice or direction I am very interested in hearing what they have to say about this subject.

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WOW... this is news to me!! I have the MZ-NH1 on pre-order, just so I can record via "Mic in" live music then run into my computer, edit and burn to CD.

If you can't burn to CD or copy to any other format... what are your options for listening back? Can you only play it back via your computer or a line out of your HI-MD player?

Please set me straight on this??

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If there is no way to get wav's from the mic recordings out of the box, give it a month and I'm sure this will be hacked:

"All recorded audio is placed in a collection of ".hma" files (of unknown format) in a single directory on the MD. One large .hma file contains all the audio-data, the other files are for index-data & titles. These ".hma" files can be freely copied back to the PC hard drive, but no subsequent playback of them is possible. (They present fertile ground for further investigation however). "

... take a simple wav file and record it optically to the MD, then transfer that HMA back and compare the files. willing to bet that the hma is basically a wav with a different header.

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You guys are all over the place! It's obvious to me after reading some of these posts that I'm amongst users who have never used iceeedtea's build of Sonicstage 2! It has cd-writing capability for your tracks, whether they be freshly ripped/converted or even uploaded. I haven't written a CD myself with Sonicstage 2, but I have no doubt that it would work flawlessly.

Ripping music off the CD is a different story, but that's not a difficult process and you can use a wide variety of programs to accomplish this.

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Kurisu, thanks for your response. Being the forum moderator I value your opinion!

If Sonic Stage II has CD burning capabilities then I'm assuming I can edit/burn my live recordings to CD. You've put my mind at ease, thanks!

It sure sounds as though there is some confusion on the subject, based on some of the posts.

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This has been pseudo-tested, I believe. The webmaster/owner of Minidisc.org was actually able to test a NH900 yesterday for a upcoming New York Times article and a interview! Should be good press for the site.

I believe when he was describing the unit and the uploading functionality there was no error with the uploading process in any aspect. I'd have to double check, but I am about %99.9 on this.

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... take a simple wav file and record it optically to the MD, then transfer that HMA back and compare the files. willing to bet that the hma is basically a wav with a different header.

Hehe, sorry but there is no way that sony just change/modify the header.

I bet the .hma files are (very good) encrypted. I read a thread in

another forum about hacking the encryption on NetMD but they failed! :sad:

I suggest there is a hidden sector with the key information on the MD disc

and only the MD player/recorder can read theses sections.

JD

(but no encryption is 100% safe!

it's just a matter of time, knowledge and effort) :ninja:

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I am intrigued to hear that the "new" version of Sonic Stage allows for CDs to be made using data from a recording made by the new Hi-MD and transferred to a PC. This is CRITICAL information to me as I want to replace my 10-year old DAT with a new Hi-MD recorder if this will work. Any further information about this as you lear will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks a million! I am glad that SOMEONE actually was able to USE the new hardware. I am VERY interested in seeing the review and any other information about it. :cool:

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