Comprehensive list of questions on digital uploads.

[snaro]

Hello all,

Have been reading through these forums and have read many opinions on this controversial area of the new units. Can someone 'in the know' please summarise the answers to the questions below. I think it may useful to others to have all details in one place too. If I have missed anything useful, please add further details as you see fit.

SCENARIO ONE: Using a disc recorded by a mic into the line in on a new Hi-MD with the setting of PCM:

a) If this is uploaded through SonicStage will it be in a format that can basically only be played through SonicStage?

Is it possible that in the future this file may be convertible to a WAV through WaveConverter?

c) Once uploaded to SonicStage how exactly is the original Hi-MD disc affected?

d) If this disc is merely played through SonicStage, and recorded using TotalRecorder, is the original Hi-MD disc affected like in ©?

e) Does using option (d) produce a completely digitally copied WAV file, or is TotalRecorder somehow introducing a conversion to analogue along the way?

SCENARIO TWO: Playing a disc recorded on an old MD unit (again a microphone into line-in) on a new Hi-MD unit plugged into a computer through USB.

a) Can this be uploaded digitally using SonicStage?

Is there the ability to play this disc through SonicStage and record the sound digitally using the TotalRecorder software?

c) Is there any talk of Sony making uploads of old recordings possible if the answer to (a) or ( is no.

Thank you for your help!

Alan in NZ

[dex Otaku]

SCENARIO ONE:  Using a disc recorded by a mic into the line in on a new Hi-MD with the setting of PCM:

a) If this is uploaded through SonicStage will it be in a format that can basically only be played through SonicStage?

Yes.

Is it possible that in the future this file may be convertible to a WAV through WaveConverter?

Yes. This is the express purpose of the aforementioned software. it is unknown at this point whether it will comply to SCMS standards and allow "SCMS 00" [first generation] digital recordings to be converted, though. The assumption is that only analogue-source recordings will be allowed to be converted to WAV.

c) Once uploaded to SonicStage how exactly is the original Hi-MD disc affected?

The DRM info for the track is updated to not allow any further uploads. Tracks that are uploaded can still be played from their source disc, but not transferred to a computer again.

d) If this disc is merely played through SonicStage, and recorded using TotalRecorder, is the original Hi-MD disc affected like in ©?

No.

e) Does using option (d) produce a completely digitally copied WAV file, or is TotalRecorder somehow introducing a conversion to analogue along the way?

Totally digital, no conversions take place.

SCENARIO TWO:  Playing a disc recorded on an old MD unit (again a microphone into line-in) on a new Hi-MD unit plugged into a computer through USB.

a)  Can this be uploaded digitally using SonicStage?

No. Though MD and NetMD recordings do contain SCMS info, Sony are not complying with SCMS at this point and do not allow uploads from MD or digital playback via USB at all. Sony is requiring that DRM info be integral to whatever media audio is uploaded or played from.

 Is there the ability to play this disc through SonicStage and record the sound digitally using the TotalRecorder software?

See previous answer.

c) Is there any talk of Sony making uploads of old recordings possible if the answer to (a) or ( is no.

It's highly doubtful, but if enough people pressure them to re-implement SCMS compliance in SonicStage, this might be possible.

See also Suggested method for uploading recordings from Hi-MD.

Cheers.