Have a Hi-MD question that doesn't need a thread? [part III]

[The_Stamp]

where can i get them?

[johnas]

Hi there, first post. I have never owned a MD player. I am thinking about buying an Hi-MD maybe the 800 or 900 model, even after reading the forums I have a few questions.

1) Here's my main concern. I don't really understand how hard / easy it is to put the music on the player. Every review I read about HiMD is that it takes long and is hard to put Mp3s on the player. I like to listen to different music every day, in my car, at work etc. I have a lot music of on my computer in FLAC, MP3 and OGG. Is it easy (like only a few steps) to put 1 gig of music on the player? Is the conversion to ATRAC or whatever format transparent? About how long does it take to transfer say 500megs or 1Gig?

2) How does it organized the music on the player? Can I use playlists? Folders? Sort the music around album artist etc?

3) This is going to sound stupid, but if I wanted to connect the player to different audio devices like a stereo receiver, car stereo aux input or one of those FM car adapters should I get the player with a line out or will the headphone jack be good enough?

4) How are you guys/gals using this in your cars? Are there accessories available like for the iPod and other PDAPs?

Thanks for any responses!

[Christopher]

I'm thinking with the questions you've listed that the MD format is simply not for you [as you'd have to transcode flac, mp3 and ogg]. The write process isn't unbearable, but it isn't steadfast either. Something like the iAudio M3 or M5 or other alternative digital audio players would probably suit you better.

@ #3: Line out or headphone out will be sufficent in most scenarios.

@ #4: I've seen the usual tape adapters, FM transmitters, the eventual Hi-MD DIN unit and more. Most of the standard car accessories that exist for DAP's and such exist for MD, and most are interchangeable, actually.

[Borys Medicky]

Is it just me, or does the display on the MZ-NH900 suck?

When I tilt it back and forth, I see a kind of rainbow-coloured smeary surface. It's nearly impossible to see the display under any lighting conditions because of this.

At first I thought that the display was covered by that clear plastic film that often shields electronic displays during shipping. But picking at the corner to see if I could peel this back only proves that there was no such film in the first place. Cleaning it doesn't do anything either.

Why is it that my wristwatch, which also has an LCD display, is easily viewable, while the NH900 display isn't? I really like my unit, but this is annoying. Do others find this with their NH900s as well?

[StarCapt]

The display of the MZ-NH900 is outrageously bad design: black on dark grey with light glancing off the plastic into your eyes!! It can't be read in anything other than perfect light.

I wish the Sony officers who OK'd this little monstrosity would be condemned to read all their correspondence by this means.

The remote is backlit, but not all commands are possible on it.

The university radio station on which I have a program has some older Sony MD minidisc recorders; their display is black on light yellow ground -- very easy to read in almost any circumstance.

SC

[aeriyn]

I see a kind of rainbow-coloured smeary surface

OMG, I remember this from my N505! It's like a pearlescence on the plastic protecting the LCD and it made titling a pain in the ass, a game of find the angle where the light doesn't reflect and obscure the LCD readout.

[dvdsrule]

Some quick questions:

1. How good is the quality on the 45 hour recording capacity on Hi-MDs? I understand there is a SP, LP, and EP modes on the Hi-MD. The EP being the 45 hour and the SP being 2 hours? How long is the LP mode? Also, if I were to record in LP or EP mode on a Hi-MD, would it be recorded in Mono or Stereo?

2. If I were to record in the 45 hour mode, would the quality be horrible compared to SP? Or is that the bit rate will be less but I won't be able to hear the difference?

Thanks

[dex Otaku]

1.  How good is the quality on the 45 hour recording capacity on Hi-MDs?  I understand there is a SP, LP, and EP modes on the Hi-MD.  The EP being the 45 hour and the SP being 2 hours?  How long is the LP mode?  Also, if I were to record in LP or EP mode on a Hi-MD, would it be recorded in Mono or Stereo?  

2.  If I were to record in the 45 hour mode, would the quality be horrible compared to SP?  Or is that the bit rate will be less but I won't be able to hear the difference?

Not to be totally glib, but the straight truth:

1. If you have even remotely discerning ears, 48kbps HiLP is garbage. I would consider using it for recording [on the unit, not through SonicStage] mono voice recordings only. Music through it is completely unacceptable IMO.

On the other hand, if you're happy with formats like mp3pro [i.e. formats that generally sound terrible] you might might be happy with 48kbps HiLP.

64kbps HiLP, while not to my taste, is surprisingly decent and a number of people here have expressed how happy they are with it.

2. HiLP vs. HiSP or SP: night and day. The average person would have no difficulty telling the difference between SP and HiLP at either 64 or 48kbps. Whether they would find it annoying enough to totally avoid using it [as I do] is another matter. So basically, yes - the quality would be horrible.

Mind you, that's all subjective. The only real way for you to tell is to do your own comparitive listening test.

[dvdsrule]

Is the SP mode in Hi-MD 2 hours in length? How long is the LP mode? If the LP and EP modes both have horrible sound quality and the only good quality mode is the SP, then why upgrade to Hi-MD? Why not just stick with regular MD with SP mode?

Thanks

[Christopher]

dvdsrule: http://www.sony.net/Products/Hi-MD/capacity.html#3

[Happy Hopping]

I am looking at the NH1 PDF manual. It requires DC 6V adaptor on the NH1.

But what is the current needed on the NH1? I'm reading p.79 of the pDF manual, it doesn't say.

[bjsilva]

[xeroxide]

How can one tell if the mznh700 is the euro or other model (ie 3mw or 5mw)?

[jadeclaw]

Maybe by looking on the sticker on the box it came in?

Mine says EU8 MZ-NH700/SM4 .

I think, the EU8 is the giveaway here...

( Unit acquired via Amazon.de )

[dvdsrule]

A couple of questions:

1. If I make a live recording I know I can upload it to my PC. But will it erase the file after it transfers it to my PC? Also is is true that I can only upload my personal live recording once to my PC? What happens if I want upload it again? Would it erase the disc?

Thanks

[jadeclaw]

A couple of questions:

1.  If I make a live recording I know I can upload it to my PC.  But will it erase the file after it transfers it to my PC?  Also is is true that I can only upload my personal live recording once to my PC?  What happens if I want upload it again?  Would it erase the disc?

Thanks

First, the upload can only be done once.

Second, it is possible to leave the original on the disc.

Third, if you don't allow SonicStage (the transfer software) to delete the track from the minidisc, you cannot edit the uploaded track on the PC.

Fourth, if you try to upload again after deleting the track on the PC, the track is simply deleted, if you have allowed SonicStage to delete the track from the MD.

[xeroxide]

Maybe by looking on the sticker on the box it came in?

Mine says EU8 MZ-NH700/SM4 .

I think, the EU8 is the giveaway here...

( Unit acquired via Amazon.de )

ahh, thanks. Can't believe i didn't see that. Need 2 get my eyes checked i guess, too much time looking at comp screens. It does things to you

[Sparda]

hi everyone! i have a question that i think was not mentioned before, does the 1 Gb disk have the shock resistant coating layer that the 80 min disks had? btw, i think Sony should have made the disk clear or tinted!

[smkranz]

Greetings, I have about 735 songs recorded thus far onto a 1GB Hi-MD. The last CD I transferred to the MD using Sonic Stage transferred all of the tracks, but left some of the Titles as "untitled"...cannot edit them in Sonic Stage, and trying to edit them on the MD results in a "Title Full" message. The manual indicates this message is a result of having a total of more than approx. 55,000 letters in titles. Seems hard to believe I'm maxed out (as 55,000 / 735 songs = 75 average letters per title, and the ave. title is probably less than 20 letters long). I deleted some of the artist's names on some tracks, which allowed me to enter some add'l title names. Sheesh...do I have to delete artist names (and what else?) to get the thing to take all of my title names?

[Christopher]

hi everyone! i have a question that i think was not mentioned before, does the 1 Gb disk have the shock resistant coating layer that the 80 min disks had?

Yes.

Sheesh...do I have to delete artist names (and what else?) to get the thing to take all of my title names?

Depends on the CDDB info attached to the track, I suppose. You pretty much answered your own question, though.

[wuzup28]

Hi all,

This is my first time posting. I just have two quick questions:

1: Is it possible to edit/delete tracks on the 600D? (I couldn’t find any info in the manual)

2: Does the remote for the MZ-NHF800 work with the 600D? (And if so where can I buy one)

Thanks much

[Damage]

1) No Edit's possible on the unit, though perhaps in the future, there may be a warranty voiding method of doing so. You can use Simple Burner and/or SonicStage for those functions however.

2) No. The Tuner Remote's only usable with tuner enabled models (NHF or NF models only).

[deafplayer]

Third, if you don't allow SonicStage (the transfer software) to delete the track from the minidisc, you cannot edit the uploaded track on the PC.

Can you still use Sony's .wav converter on that file?

Fourth, if you try to upload again after deleting the track on the PC, the track is simply deleted, if you have allowed SonicStage to delete the track from the MD.

Sorry i dont understand... are you saying if I upload a track to my PC without deleting the original on the MD, and then I erase the copy on the PC and try to upload it again, this time the track will be deleted from the MD without transfering?

[jadeclaw]

Can you still use Sony's .wav converter on that file?

You should be able to, if it is an analog recording.(LineIn/Mic)

Or use Marc's tool (HiMDRenderer)

Sorry i dont understand... are you saying if I upload a track to my PC without deleting the original on the MD, and then I erase the copy on the PC and try to upload it again, this time the track will be deleted from the MD without transfering?

Correct. Happened to me with the SonicStage 2.1.

You have one shot...

[davidrobe10]

:grin: i just got my NH1 for 380 AUD including shipping... off the top of my head about 310 american wich is better then the standard 799 or the best price 650 (AUD) and i was looking for some H4X0RZ for my 1337 md player :rasp: if you know any it would be grouse, i got sonicstage 2.3 and i found it much faster then 2.2 ! Good work sony exept anyone who has a NH1 does it make a bit of noise when it copys. :grin:

[MZ-NH1]

Yes it does make some strange mechanical noises when it copies, so nothing to worry about there.

Do you live in Australia? as I do, and bought my MZ-NH1 for $590, from a Retravision store, this was by far the cheapest price in Sydney at the time.

If you do live in Aust, can you please lets us know where you got your MD for!

[tw]

I got my MZNH700 at JB Hifi in Brisbane for $420 a few weeks ago. They've since gone up to $450 (for the xmas rush?), but I think JB are pretty much the cheapest place to buy MD stuff in Australia, either on or offline.

[MZ-NH1]

Yeh I bet!

A new JB store has just open up in the city (Sydney)

Will be a lot better, as it will take 20 mins instead of 40-50 now to go to a JB's store!

[tw]

Forgot to add, JB stock 1Gb minidisks for $8.95 too!

[MZ-NH1]

I got mine for $8 from JB's

[deafplayer]

Correct. Happened to me with the SonicStage 2.1.

You have one shot...

unbelievable...

You could still play it back over USB and capture it digitally in realtime though, right?

i cant believe they delete YOUR recorded material!

that has to be one of the best examples of Sony's ridiculous attitude towards their customers

[ROMBUSTERS]

wut exactly is ATRAC3 105kbps equivelent to in terms of MDLP modes or is it new?

[jadeclaw]

@deafplayer: It is simple: Sony has a music business.

That is the reason. But as long as it isn't deleted, playback through USB is possible,

then capture it with TotalRecorder or a similar Software.

@Rombusters: Normally, LP2 is 132kBit, but with the introduction of Atrac-CD-players and NetMD, the 105kBit rate was added. Why? I really don't know.

If you don't mind a small quality loss compared to 132kBit,

you can add about 1 hour playing time on a standard disc in Hi-MD-mode and about 4 hours on a 1GByte disc.

In NetMD-mode, the playing times for 132 and 105kBit are identical, so use 132kBit for these.

[mgdimo]

Newbie/slacker(not fully reading the manual) question in subject line.

What's the best or most recommended recording mode for say a 1 1/2 to a 3 hour set of live music on my NH900? Thanks.

[jadeclaw]

Standard disc: Hi-SP. Maximum time here(80min disc): 2h:20min.

1GByte disc: Hi-SP as well (7h:55min.). Unless you want the highest quality AND the show is 90minutes or less, then use PCM.

[ROMBUSTERS]

@Rombusters: Normally, LP2 is 132kBit, but with the introduction of Atrac-CD-players and NetMD, the 105kBit rate was added. Why? I really don't know.

If you don't mind a small quality loss compared to 132kBit, 

you can add about 1 hour playing time on a standard disc in Hi-MD-mode and about 4 hours on a 1GByte disc.

In NetMD-mode, the playing times for 132 and 105kBit are identical, so use 132kBit for these.

thanx

in all of your people's oppinions is there any noticable difference between the two? I mean i know it sounds rediculous with the only difference being 27kBits but that can add up to a 65 song or 4.34 hours difference in the long run (average 4min per songon a 1GB disc)

[MZ-NH1]

At 256 bitrate for ATRAC3plus, i can fit around 700 songs i think it was onto my 1GB disc if i'm not mistaken.

There is a definate differnece between 256, and 64. I was able to notice a substantial difference

[ROMBUSTERS]

At 256 bitrate for ATRAC3plus, i can fit around 700 songs i think it was onto my 1GB disc if i'm not mistaken.

There is a definate differnece between 256, and 64.  I was able to notice a substantial difference

sorry i think u misunderstood me. i was refering to the difference between 132kbps and 105kbps

[MZ-NH1]

oh, sorry

[cromulent]

i just got my nhf800 yesterday and i have been trying to transfer music from my mp3 library using the crappy sonicstage program and it just locks up every time. am i doing something wrong? is there something that works better than sonic?

Thanks