Analog Audio Application

[NeoAtreides]

I need hardware (or software) suggestions for minidisc I intend to buy a high-end Hi-MD recorder In August/September..

First, I have over 1000 hours of audiobooks on cassette I want to transfer to Minidisc, preferably Hi-MD. I do, however, want to get the benefits of compression. This is my primary reason for using minidisc. For these cassettes, I want to make one archive copy, and one use copy. I need to be able to copy one minidisc (the archive copy) to another blank disk. If recording directly to MD is not appropriate for this application, is there any software (PC) one may suggest to help make these potentially HUGE audio recordings? (90-120 minutes per file).

Second, I HATE CD. What is the point of a high quality digital media if using it regularly scratches it! I want to back up my music collection to Minidisc, with the option of creating new copies from these.

Another option: If I cannot make new MD from my archive copies, then I can create CDs for the archive copies (if they're not daily use, I guess its okay), and copy them to minidisc as needed, but I'd much rather go full MD.

Any suggestions would be great.

PS- Where can I find a decent cassette player with a line out that doesn't cost a small fortune?

[BJ]

Okay...not speaking Hi-MD (since I'm not completely knowledgable on them yet)...

On current MD units, you'd be able to record the analogue signal from your cassette deck (check some online wholesalers to see what's out there for cassette players) to your MD recorder, thus creating your archive copy. If it's voice only, LP2 will be more than enough for an archive (you can fit 2.5 hours on an MD, 16-20 hours on a Hi-MD).

Sony's SCMS already lets you make as many digital copies of your analogue archive MDs as you'd like (and of course, analogue copies), you just can't make a digital copy of another digital copy. With Hi-MD, you'd be able to upload your analogue copy to your computer and burn it to a CD if you ever need to.

The problem with all this is you'll be doing an awful lot of realtime recording. 1000 hours of audiobooks will take 1000 hours to copy. I suggest doing your copying while you sleep. :grin: Also, watch your recording levels--you'll want to avoid noise and clipping as much as possible, since making copies off your archives will increase the amount of compression the sound goes through. Again, for voice, you probably won't hear anything strange unless you start making a copy of a copy of a copy. Not a big problem if you just keep using your main archive copy.