Yep, another (overwhelmed) newbie

[atterol]

I have been saving for a little while and am just about ready to buy my first MD. Need a little advice first though :wink: .

I have decided to go with a NetMD rather than an IPod as battery length is important to me (long haul flights etc). I also want a Net MD that has replaceable batteries for when I am travelling. I would ideally like a radio (however I have not read anything terribly favouable about the radios - generally poor reception/quality). I have very basic needs - no recording, something which I can just burn CDs onto or download music from the web. So...

1. Are the radios any good (I don't want to limit my choice if they are crap)

2. The non Hi-MD players seem to be more in my price range however I don't want to buy something and then find in 6 months time that it is out-of-date and I am unable to buy discs for it etc. Should I save more and go for a Hi-MD player?

Can you please recommend which player would be good for me. The ones that I am looking at are the MZNF610/810 (depending on the response to question 1) or another Hi-MD (without a radio) - if so, which one would suit my needs?

thanks

[aeriyn]

1. Are the radios any good (I don't want to limit my choice if they are crap

The radios actually suck. :whatever:

2. The non Hi-MD players seem to be more in my price range however I don't want to buy something and then find in 6 months time that it is out-of-date and I am unable to buy discs for it etc. Should I save more and go for a Hi-MD player?

Since standard MDs have been on sale for almost 12 years now, and Hi-MD units are backward compatible with the std-MD media, I doubt very seriously that MD will be going anywhere at all.

But where will your music source be? Is it MP3s downloaded from the Internet, or is it from your own CDs ripped to MD using Simple Burner (or whatever). As long as you're ripping from CD directly to MD, you're okay and good.

Since most high-capacity MP3 players have short battery lives (even the Creative Nomad Muvo2, which I adore, only lasts about 12ish hours with reasonable quality MP3s) going with an AA-formfactor MD is a good idea. Maybe even consider one of the Li-Ion or NiMH equipped units with an external battery pack?

Btw, for your price range I suggest the Sony MZ-N505 or the N510. Both units are pretty nice (they are virtually identical, with the N505 usually cheaper and the N510 easier to find).

[atterol]

Thanks for the info - it is useful. Just a question about the AA form something... what is this? Does this mean that it is a rechargeable battery that cannot be removed? I understand what dry packs are and gumsticks but not sure about the form thingy??

BTW - I don't think we can get the 505 or 510 in the UK? Haven't seen them on any websites

[KJ_Palmer]

AA form factor - just means that AA batteries can be used with the unit. The higher level MD units have a (removeable) non-AA battery, but some (eg. NH900, N910) can also use an AA either alone or to extend the battery life.

Some top level Sonys (NH1, E10) can't use an external AA, presumably so as not to spoil the sleek looks etc.

Thr N505 has been available here in the UK for some time, but now has been largely superseded by the the N510. The N520 is, I believe, a non-UK unit for import only.

In fact, as you're in the UK it might be best not to buy the Sony Net MDs from here - these have been capped under EU regulations for output levels. I recommend you either go for something like a Sharp IM-DR410, which aren't capped, or import.

[atterol]

Again - thanks a lot for the info. I think I will continue to save my pennies and get the MZNH900 when it is released in the UK (I think about 14/8?). That way, hopefully I will be getting something that won't be out-of-date quickly and has all of the features I want and has the bonus of increasing battery length (with the detachable dry pack).

Cheers guys - I am now a :grin: camper!