Mini Disc Rec that Uploads?

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I was looking forward to getting a mini disc recorder that would transfer to PC>CD.

Guess it's not that simple.

Unless there's a new wrinkle in the Sony Proggy that's been promised, the only way to do this appearantly, is with some Beta or Demo proggys from the Pajama Brigade..

Those little Sonys look good, but unless there's a MD>PC>CD function, I"d think they're pretty usless for most recording.

Anybody else have any ideas?

EJL

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

The Sony MD recorder in my studio rack has S/PDIF digital input and output. If you have a soundcard in your computer with digital input you can do a digital (zero loss) transfer.

If digital transfer is not important, you can just plug the MD into the input of the analog input of the soundcard (they ALL have that) and record what's on the MD onto the hard drive of the PC. From there you can burn to CD. (assuming you have a CD burner and software to burn wav files to an audio CD format).

No matter how you do it from MD, you will have to record onto your hard drive to be able to burn a CD from it. UNLESS you have an audio CD burner -- the standalone kind. They can take any audio source and burn directly to CD. You just pipe the MD into the burner and that's it.

You're not gonna find a MD player that can burn directly to a PC mounted CD burner. The MD is encoded differently than a CD.

Hope that isn't too confusing. It can be.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I'm lead to believe that the sony file type is a wierd type that cannot be converted to wav cda mp3 or other files without the type of demo or beta I mentioned.

I've looked at the minidiscs from sony, and the reviews all say that.

I'm indeed confused at what kind of proggy I'd need to make mp3s wavs etc. HDD space isn't a problem. I've got an audigy 24bit soundcard, as well as a firewire, a half gig of ram, and a 2gig P4. No problems computerwise.

How do you adress the file type conversion Larry?

EJL

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

My 2 year old Sony MD can not do a digital transfer to computer. They claim some nonsense copy protection reason for this limitation.

I do an analog transfer to the computer.
Don't notice a change in quality, it works quite well.

My only complaint is the transfer is real time, not fast like a file transfer would be.

The MDs have a built in compression algorhytum, so it sounds a bit different than a high end recorder.

Gere Mullican · From: LaVergne, Tennessee, USA (deceased)

I just plug a cable from my Sharp MD recorder/player from the headphone out to the line in on my PC and crank up Goldwave and record away. Then I can save it as MP3 or WAV or whatever I want to. It works just great for me.
Gere

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I'm getting that you just have to use a real time .wav transfer to a cakewalk or other proggy and go from there via the analog stereo plug?

EJL

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I recently got a Sony NET MD that came with a USB cable and a software CD, etc.
But I think most of that stuff is to record from CD's and internet to the MD.
I don't use any of that stuff.
I like the fact that it can record entire multi set gigs or multiple gigs on one MD (I think this thing records up to 320 min, which won't transfer to CD anyway).
My car, home stereo, and computer all have aux inputs that I fire the portable MD into, so no need to burn anything to CD.
I mainly use the MD to record and review shows for purposes of continuous improvement.(placing the mic in a steel intensive location).
Looks like this is the website for this thing: http://www.sony.com.hk/Electronics/netmd/

My last MD crapped out 3 days before the "instant replacement with the current best model" extended warrenty expired.
They were pretty "Good Guys" about it!

If you plan on traveling with the MD (gigs, car, home, plane, etc.) I reccomend you get a good extended warrenty.
A few drops or bumps and the heads can get out of line, then it won't record correctly, or won't disk protect, etc.
I've never owned a home MD stereo component, but I have 2 handhelds and a Yamaha MD-8. I personally like the MD thing. I wish it would have caught on!

Joe Alterio · From: Irvington, Indiana

Unfortunately, Sony did not make ANY of their standard MD recorders/players with the ability to upload to a computer. Basically, you are limited to real-time uploads via the analog and/or digital outputs.

This is, IMO, what has absolutely killed the MD. Sony has its head so far up its you-know-what that it doesn't realize that many MD users are not people out to illegaly coppy/trade music, but legitimate musicians and journalists that need a way to upload what they have recorded.

Apparently, the new Hi-MD recorders that Sony just came out with DO have the ability to upload....but only so long as the source material was analog-recorded (mic or line-in). You'd think that solves the above problem.....but you'd be wrong. You are forced to use Sony's abysmally poor "Sonic Stage" upload software....and you can only upload as ATRAC files (no mp3 or wav capabilities....yet).

It appears that in the next year or so, Sony will have tackled the ability for MDs to read/record MP3s and upload (or convert) audio from ATRAC to mp3 or wav. Of course, this is too little, WAY too late. I've already stopped archiving my audio using MD, instead using 320kbps mp3 (I know....mp3 uses a poorer audio compression codec, but my ears honestly cannot hear a difference...and I'm quite particular. I thought MDLP2 and MDLP4 were horrid, while others did not. And these days, with 200GB HD's going for $100, you can record all day at 320kbps and have tons of room on the HD left over).

I was a HUGE supporter of MD while everyone laughed at me....I heard many comparisons of MD to 8-track tapes. I still admit ATRAC is a great archive codec, but Sony just killed the MD with their stupid copyright protection, thus disallowing necessary functions that musicians and journalists needed from the format. Meanwhile, Rio, Apple, Creative, etc. are now killing MDs in the marketplace. As soon as those integrate quality recording in .mp3 and/or .wav format, you can kiss MD goodbye.

Joe

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I guess I'm missing something...
What's the reason you guys want to move the music from MD to CD?

[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 04 October 2004 at 10:59 AM.]

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

sharing live recordings made with the MD with "MD challenged" individuals...

making mp3's of said recordings for web use etc...

basically the things I can't do with my MD recorder; it would be nice to have the flexibility of editing and distribution afforded by interfacing with a PC

I'm a cross platform kinda guy

[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 04 October 2004 at 11:16 AM.]

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

You guys have it. All the info above is right on.

I use my MD like I used to use my old pocket cassette recorder. Compared to that, it's wonderful!

In Japan, comercial albums on MD outsell CDs. That's why Sony thinks they have to prevent transfer.

I never even tried the extended record mode or the MP3 transfer. Like I said, it's just a recorder for me, and a darn good one.

Be sure to buy one with a line-in.
Some cheapos don't have that feature.

Smokey Fennell · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I have been using a MD recorder for a long while but would like a unit that has a digital out. I have not been able to find anything. Any suggestions?

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

I understand you have to get a "console unit" (rackmountable not a small portable) to get the digital output...

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Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff.

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Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Thanks all.

Boy. All ya gotta do is ask..

I'm gonna pick up a Sony this week, and use it as Pete said mostly, but to be able to cop usable "demos" and other stuff as well as having editable stuff for swapping, sending, etc.

I think that X warrantee would be a good idea too.

My hillbilly mainframe has a good 60 gigs and with an audigy24 P4 etc I'm always coming out on the better end of what most can computer wise.

I'll check into a usb one or a digital in/out in case they come up with the software. Like I said there's some "Pajamaware" out there for doing it in beta form.

Thanks

EJL

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

One thing you might consider is getting one of the iPod like devices that are out now. The iPod only has a low res analog input, but the iRiver unit has an adequate interface. These guys store 20 or 30 gigs, so you could record all your gigs for a few years with no compression and it should do the trick. The guys at core sound (the mike makers) recommended this unit, they say it sounds as good as the hi fi MD units (or better).

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www.tyack.com

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well Dan and others I read and clicked, and read and clicked and read and read.

I'm not going to get a Sony until they can see themselves clear to release a converter for their file uploads. It just doesn't make sense.

The Iriver doesn't mention music recording with a mike, but they look like a more sensible, less paranoid product.

Sony promised to release this conversion this fall.

Leaves are falling fast.

EJL

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Eric, I agree with you about Sony, they are almost as bad as Apple regarding proprietary formats. The IRiver looks quite good, you should talk to the folks are core audio (the mike guys), they seem pretty knowlegeble.

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