Minidisc direct file transfer to PC ??

 

I really need this feature. Does it exist in any Minidisc player/recorder yet, either as a USB link, or a unit to fit directly into my PC.

At the moment, Im recording on Minidisc, then I have to playback in realtime to transfer to HD fro sound editing and CD production.

Cheers

David

PS : please reply to david@g8ina.enta.net
 

http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/ss5/home/homeaudio/minidiscdigitalrecorders/mds-pc3.shtml
 

Anonymous
MD -> PC is nt possible with the MDS-PC3.
At the moment no NetMD device exists that can upload tracks to the PC.
 

alan
Try looking for a pc minidisc drive. I have seen them so they do exist. They are still new so be carefull with reliablity and expect to pay a hefty price.
 

Anonymous
I have recorded live at a religious program from a mic.

I have MZ-N707. and the program I have is OPENMG JUKEBOX. It would NOT let me transfer from minidisc to PC. (it says you can not transfer anything that is recorded from a mic)

IS there any programs out there that will let me do this???
 

Paul August
Try the SoundBlaster USB-MP3. This is a USB Sound Card and has both analog and digital inputs. If you have a MD Player that has optical out and input, you can connect to the SB device and Creative bundles "MiniDisc Center"... $60 at Compu-USA
 

Anonymous
I have heard that Sharp units are able to transfer from MD to PC. Is this not true? Would the soundblaster extigy allow me to transfer from MD to PC? Are sharp units better than sony for live recording? I'm fairly new at this, and would appreciate any input that you could provide. Thanks!
 

Derek
Not a direct file transfer, but another option.

http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/press/pr2719.html
 

Bishop of Leicester
http://www.minidisco.com/mdport-io.html

Xitel MD-Port I/O does it
but not in europe as usual!!!!
 

I bought the Extigy EXTERNAL USB 1.1 sound "card" from www.buy.com a
few days ago for $125, free shipping, and a $50 rebate...total=$75.

I think it is a great solution for everyone with the MD to PC and PC
to MD needs. It is NOT a NetMD solution. It is for real-time
recording. It has every input/output needed for MD usage and many
others. It is an EXTERNAL unit, about the size of two VHS tapes
side-by-side (a little taller). If you don't want to lay it flat, it
comes with two little rubbery "feet" so it can stand upright.

I was afraid it might "stutter" with my old tired computer (PII-400Mhz
and Win-ME) but it works fine. When it is turned on, it is the
soundcard in use. If it is off, your built-in card is in use. The
sound is GREAT; much better than my old SB AWE64 ISA card. It can be
used with a desktop or portable. And I don't have to stand on my head
with a flashlight and a mirror to hook stuff up!

The software it comes with is OK, but nothing really "special". I use
PC-2-MD to record from the optical out and it makes perfect MDs from
MP3s or CD (with all track marks). I don't run any other program or
screen saver while making MDs because I don't want to stress my system
or get any background noise. I just set it to record and go do
something else until it is finished. Since the card is external,
there is no electrical interference which can be a problem with
internal cards...And no NetMD check-in/check-out...I don't really
think NetMD sounds all that great...sounds like more trouble than it
is worth, from all the problem comments I read here! I just make
recordings ahead. If I need instant transfer, I use my RIO 500 with
additional 128MB card (196 MB total). NetMD Rant Off....sorry!


Back to the Extigy...It even has a remote control but I haven't used
it yet. The Extigy has many uses and many solutions for your sound
needs.

I suggest that if anyone is interested they do a search for "extigy
review" in their favorite search engine, and look at www.epinions.com
too.

I think this card can be a great addition to anyone's sound system!
This might be a better solution than stand-alone CDRecorder and the
new Xitel offering. I was using the Xitel DG2, but this is much more
versatile, for not much more $$$.
 

Guys, have you looked at the WinNetMD product on http://christian.klukas.bei.t-online.de/files/netmd/winNetMD.htm
It is a .NET application which requires v1.1 of the framework runtime code. Try it as it has a "trial" version which allows 1 random track on your NetMD to be copied to your PC as a MP3.

Priced at 14 Euros not bad for a app which allows MD -> PC transfer.

1 downside it is realtime transfer ie 1x not 32x or 64x.....
 

Hi there,

I just recently had a look out for MD to PC data transer.

What the www came up with or should I better say, XITEL, is documented in the link below or else look out for MD-Port I/O on http://www.xitel.com/

I haven't tried it yet but from what I read about it this USB converter sounds to be a pretty useful and also cheap enough tool.

For $69.99 is not too bad ...

Good luck!
Stefan
 

... and again. If you look at the XITEL website under distributors you'll find guys who ship it within EU too. They might ship to whole sellers only but there should be a way around that!!!

Stefan
 

red
yeah but the xitel does not TRANSFER data, it helps you record if you have a crummy sound card. highly overrated.
WE ALL NEED MD -> PC transfer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Derek
You mean you guys haven't noticed this

It does direct, hi-speed transfers.
 

Anonymous
Derek, your link doesn't work. Tell us what it is please.
 

Derek
Sony makes a minidisk player with direct file transfer. There's blue one and a silver one and I first saw it on TechTV.

One model is called MZN10KIT and it copies at 5x normal speed.

Hope this helps.
 

Derek
The other one is called the MZNF610KIT and it copies at 32X.
 

Anonymous
does anyone know what the best mic is for the sony mznf610 md recorder is. Looking to record religous songs . how is the quality of the playback
please email me at prince_paze@yahoo.com
 

Francesco
i was caught in the same trap as other folks here...i bought a sony net MD MZ-N710 for recording my demos and edit them on PC...

now i don't know what to do with such a machine which has a mic plug but doesn't let you use what you record...

any hint or rumours about sony releasing software to use this damn machine both ways?
 

Ottus
I've just checked the Derek's MD. There was no mention about MD-PC transfer. In reply to Red, the xitel stuff still seems to me a good option nowadays.
 

Anonymous
Of course the problem with the Xitel option is that it's still analog. The whole point of recording to minidisc is that it's entirely digital, and when you output to the Xitel box, you lose quality.
And if you still like that solution, try getting a Male->Male 1/8" stereo audio cable... you can plug it into the headphone jack on the MD and the line in jack on your PC's sound card and record using your favorite program - which is *exactly* what Xitel is doing for you.
 

Derek
Ananymous, try http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/category.cgi?category=130&template=mics for cheap microphones. They sell small power/preamps too.

Ottus, the MZ-N10 shows 5x for audio and up to 64x for some wierd extended-long-long play mode on Sony's site.
 

Anonymous
just buy a edirol ua-5, simple
 

I tried the 1/8"-1/8" connection, and recorded using Microsoft Sound Recorder. It works and sounds ok, but it appears the amount of record time on Sound Recorder maxes out at about 1.5 minutes.
Any suggestions how to get more time out of this program?
Any suggestions of other programs to look at?
 

Derek
Sound recorder is designed to record short clips. You need to use a more sophisticated recording package. Most sound cards come with better recording software.
 

Huckleberry Finn
Greg, I think I used WInamp to make a line-in recording but love Sound Forge now but very expensive.
 

when you transfer audio onto a computer its easier for it to get messed up becasue there is no perfect hard drive, so i think the best bet would be to take a md player with a optical output and burn it directly to a cd with a unit specificly designed for burning analog and optical/digital audio. then you can edit with a pc or you can edit it before you burn it. here are some units that will do this..

an item for sale
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D3047439354&category=14976

spec sheet
http://www.usa.denon.com/catalog/pdfs/cdrw1500LIT.pdf

another item for sale
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D2557089390&category=29922
 

Ben, I'm affraid I can't share the nature of your sugested problem, nor your solution... In fact, burn audio to a CD in raw CD format is 'THE RISC' in place on your suggestion. Computer files have parity check and file formats like WAV or AIFF have complementary bit check. There will be problems on the "real-time recording" operation if your system is REALLY outdated (more than 5 years old) or your OS is cramped with "undertasks". If it's not the case, no worries.

On the other hand, CDs are recorded WITHOUT any verification other than "wordstart", since it was designed to work just like a digital version of an old "Vinyl" player. When you listen to a recorded CD nowadays, it is read with oversamples, witch almost "perfects" the reproduction. But, when recording, it is made only ONE time. One chance... One shot. Period.

So, its IS preferable to transfer the audio file to the computer, in a digital way. Optical and eletrical SPDIF have parity checking AND hi speed resend standards that allow you to trust the end file, since it is a PURE WAVE format (non-compressed), like .wav or .aiff.
BTW, I use an old Sony MD-3 with a dockstation that have optical IN and OUT, connected to my Audigy LIVE!-Drive front panel. It's 1x speed, saddly, but do the work perfectly.

Oh! And I DO want Sony to enable their software to send MD recordings to PC through USB. Then I can use hi-speed transfer, instead the "slow" method I use today.

Mister KreK
 

Anonymous
So what method do you use Mister Krek?
What is the best and easiest way to copy from MD to HDD?
 

I'm a bit of a novice with this and am not understanding all the postings re: tranfer from MD to PC. I was told by Sony to use a stereo mini cable (in line) and 3rd party software, which they could not identify. Has anyone successfully uploaded this way? If so, what software do you recommend?
 

Hello, "Anonymous".
I don't know about "best", but the way I use is stated above: I use an old Sony MD-3 with a dockstation that have optical IN and OUT, connected to my Audigy! front panel (it looks exactly like a Live!-Drive III). It's 1x speed, saddly, but do the work perfectly. Slow but faithfull!

That's it. I have my very old MD docked to its station. The station is connected to the Audigy! front panel throught a fiber optical cable, and I use nothing more than Sound Forge (or even Creative's WaveStudio) to record the sound in pure PCM .wav format. From there, I can record it as sound to a CDR (demo CDs), or, more likely, back it up as an uncompressed soundfile track to a DVD-R (cheap and large).

If it matters to anyone, I used analog on Mac, before I had this Audigy! Platinum board. Had a Golden Hawk "Storm" optical to hi-quality analog audio converter (better than 'line out' from MD's station) linked to my Digidesign Audiomedia III on the Mac. THEN I had problems generating sample files, even with latest Pro-Tools software... Hard drive wouldn't get stable. Had to buy a new Wide-SCSI hard-drive to solve it.

Katy Dale, the "audio stereo mini cable" method works, but you have some quality loss. It's preferable to transfer files optically, if your hardware support it. If not, just connect your MD to your sound-card with the recommended cable and then use ANY sound recorder (Windows includes one, very simple) to get the sound in a file on your computer.

Mister KreK
 

penes!!!!!!!
 

Monkey
My God... i took my 25 mins to read all that and by the end the best advice is to plug you mindisc in to your sound card and press play..... you people should just do that and get out a bit more.
 

Hi everyone,

Like other people here, I'm trying to find a solution to do Full digital recording, from the Mic to the final CD.
Does anyone know of any portable MD recorder that has a digital out, so I can do like Mister KreK?
(MD-3's are not on sale anymore are they?)
Even the cheapest MD recorder seems to have digital IN but no mention of digital OUT (optical or electrical, I don't care)
 

Per K Lind
sad but true... there isn't now way to transfer sound from an md to a pc with usb speed transfer. the only way is the "hit enter - press play on tape" way. Now i have a useless NZ M710.....
 

pkl
all i need is some hacked software that can do the job
 

www.esdl.co.uk DOES do it, MD to PC at 5x
but it costs £3000
 

Sony has two desktop MD with optical in and out:

JE640 and JE9xx

I have the JE640 plus a soundcard with optical in and out installed in the computer.

I'm able to transfer digitaly to and from the pc with this setup.

I use it for my son band live recording performances.
(record on MD, edit than transfer to cd).


Hope it helps.
 

kyle granger
Hi All,

Great discussion, though a bit tragic. Like Francesco, I was an idiot today and bought an MZ-N710. When I couldn't tranfer a track I recorded, I thought the software was faulty, and reinstalled the NetMD drivers. Then I managed to transfer a CD audio track to the unit, and then get it back again. And then I noticed those little checkout icons, but found no explanation as to why the tracks I recorded, could not be sent to my PC, but the commercial CD stuff could be sent back. I never never ever would have thought that my own digital recordings are not allowed to be downloaded.

And then I found this discussion. ARGH! This is the stupidest thing Sony has ever done. I just do not understand the reasoning. I am very disappointed. I should have looked for a pre-NetMD portable unit on Ebay.

And yes, it seems all of the NetMD units behave this way (the MZ-N10 is merely $100 more expensive, but just as useless to me). And I have not found one with even optical out. Why is blazes is there even an optical cable with the N710? If I want to clone a CD, I will do it on the PC. (yeah, maybe DVD...OK)

I was looking into DAT, before I happened upon the MD world (I need to do digital field recording). The Xitel solution is not viable, if it truly is redigitizing the analog out, and has no access to the digital data. If they could get at the files via USB, someone else could, no?

So, my plan to get an older deck or portable unit (e.g., JE500) off of Ebay, with optical out, and go into through a sound card.

bad, bad, Sony...

thanks for the info!

cheers,

Kyle
 

smidge
Does anyone know a program to use that will recognize each separate track when uploading to PC? I'm using an MZ-R30 and don't want to have to recut all my track separations after uploading. Thanks.
 

ss
Unregistered guest
I have a relatively new sony mini-disk on which i record mixes from vinyl. What i need to know is the simplest way to transfer it to my computer(windows) so that I can burn a cd for myself. The problem is that i am very technologicly challenged. So I need to know steps A through Z.
If it helps I do have the EASY CD CREATOR 5 by roxio.
Any info will help, thanks!
cheers,
shannon.
 

Anonymous
 
When phillips bought out their first home cd recorder, i assumed sony would do the same.
I went into a sony shop and asked them if
they sold a cd recorder. I almost got thrown out
of the shop for insulting them. "mini disc is the
future" i was told, not recordable cd.
Anyway, I never bought a cd recorder as they
were still too expensive. even now you cant get
them that cheaply so i purchased a net minidisc
thinking i can record my own productions to mini disc and then to my cd burner on my pc meaning i
also had a walkman. but low and behold you cant
do this. needless to say obviously sony now
do a cd recorder.
they are losing their grip, what a complete waste
of money and time. as if your going rip off and copy pre-recorded minidiscs (which you'd have a
job finding these days), and yet how easy is it
to rip off a cd. what are they playing at.
 

New member
Username: Qwerty67

Post Number: 1
Registered: 01-2004
Hi,
this is the solution:
http://www.esdl.co.uk/body/mdte/mdte.htm

only one bad point: expensive (3000 UKP =5000 €uros)
 

Sniper
Unregistered guest
That program is for minidisk drives, not Net MD's.
 

Unregistered guest
Hello Smidge

I use Magix music cleaning lab. It's cheap and does the trick
 

Unregistered guest
sony sucks, to bad they came up with such a neat little item such as the minidisc.
I've had my md player for 2½ years and love it, santa visited my wife this year and now she has one. Open MG jukebox sucks, Sonic Stage sucks!
SONY HELLO, Quit being cute, give the public what they want! Why do I want a program that uses Shockwave and is difficult to use and understand?
is there training available for this "s"!
HEY SONY, FIX IT
WE WANT MD TO PC TRANSFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Asuka
Unregistered guest
i want to cry. i want to cry. all i want to do is get my live recordings on my pc quickly. i used cakewalk in realtime to record it and its such a pain. i am crying.

I bought the sony mz-n910 in japan last week and luckily returned it before i left the country. I didn't even get to experience the pain of sonic stage b/c the darn this was in japanese, and i don't read of speak. ha. so yes, like everyone else i am looking for that simple machine that will let me get my recordings to pc, fast.
 

Asuka
Unregistered guest
i want to cry. i want to cry. all i want to do is get my live recordings on my pc quickly. i used cakewalk in realtime to record it and its such a pain. i am crying.

I bought the sony mz-n910 in japan last week and luckily returned it before i left the country. I didn't even get to experience the pain of sonic stage b/c the darn thing was in japanese, and i don't read of speak. ha. so yes, like everyone else i am looking for that simple machine that will let me get my recordings to pc, fast.
 

Unregistered guest
Hi everybody. Excuse my english.
The costumer of the shop were i've bought my netmd fooled me. (As many of you). I'still trying to improve my recordings (Obviously analogic!).
It seems to me that lot of quality may be loose because of the amplification of the soundcard from the mic input.
I've tried to connect many hi-fi (mine and of friends) and always noticed a big loss of quality.
The better was the hi-fi the bigger was the loss.
So i simply tried connecting PC's audio boxes (i don't know the word) to the headphones output and "surprise" the quality is good.
I haven't resolved anything, but now i can happily listen my recordings without headphones.
 

Anonymous
 
Sniper, which is the problem whit the solution of qwerty? The program in http://www.esdl.co.uk/body/mdte/mdte.htm seems to be a good solution, doesn't it?
I don't understand the difference between Minidisc recorder and NetMD?
 

Unregistered guest
Anonymous, that program only works if you have a dedicated MD-R/W *DRIVE* installed on your PC, and not with standalone MD-recorders or players, be it portable or desktop (except some EDL model, which doubles as desktop and drive, through SCSI interface - US$ 5,000.00 tag). If you care to read the docs, you'll find that the DLL controller is, btw, dedicated to SCSI devices, I.E., Sony. If you are lucky enough to have one of the very rare Sharp MD-R Drives (no one i know ever, never, saw one... only heard about its very existence), which is IDE, it probably won't work. I, particularly, only saw a MD-R drive once: a friend did bring it from Japan. Nowadays, there are 2 Notebook models from Sony that come's with MD-R drives. They-re specifically designed to the musicians market and have a japanese keyboard... sad... really sad. As I don't speak japanese, I could only read the specs table and the "engurish" titles and the likes.
 

Jaime
Unregistered guest
Hi friends!
I found some software for MD-PC transfer:

Minidisc suite.

Does anyone nows something about that software? Does it works?
Greetings
 

Unregistered guest
Hi!

I have seen the page of Minidisc Suite: http://www.mironics.com/

This is a paralell port hardware (+ software), which can controll some MD-walkman,
so this "MD-PC transfer" is via the sound card. :-(

May anybody hack the protocol of NetMD and write a program for MD-PC transfer?
 

DJ Klippa
Unregistered guest
The thing what we really need to know is if the actual data can be sent to pc even with a reversed driver. If there is only control functions going from the unit (e.g. checking in a track, where it DON'T actually transfer any audio to the PC, it just tells the PC that the song has been checked in and deletes it from the MD),then it may not allow bigger amounts of data through. So basically a REAL hack of this software could not be done until somebody has actually worked out if this is possible. If anyone knows anything about the actual workings and where the data goes they should post. Im assuming that if anyone has actually written a hack they would not post it on the net, because sony are not nice to deal with legally. So keep your eyes open on filesharing programs like winmx, or check out some newsgroups to see if they have anything. Ive had my £200 piece of junk for nearly a year now and never found anything. Good luck.
 

Anonymous
 
Hi from Sydney,

I heard from a vendor today that Sony plans to release MDs that will upload to PC later this year. What will we all do with our older MDs??????

Foongie
 

Anonymous
 
Hi again from Sydney,

in the meantime, the best bet seems to be play the sound from the headphone jack to the input sound jack of the PC and get one of the freeware sound programs. Of course it is only in real time.

Foongie
 

karl sanchez
Unregistered guest
i think this is what you're looking for, it's a little messy, but it works for me... http://www.minidisc.org/charman/mdtomp3.html
 

Unregistered guest
is it possible that the USB port on our netMD recorders is a one way jack? Meaning that it is impossible to even take a signal from it?
Fill me in i am dying here..I have recorded a whole album on MiniDisc live and spent a lot of money to do so and now i see that i have to defeat the purpose of using it in the first place which was to go digital.....
I have to keep this in ones and zeros can anybody help me i am desperate

Thanx
 

Snoopy!
Unregistered guest
MD to PC advice:

1) go analog: MD out to PC in, or Xitel I/O
2) go digital: buy an MD deck and use its optical out
3) glare at it intensly, maybe something will give...
 

Anonymous
 
Hello everybody. I found this forum and thread in Google. It was really informative. I belong to the group that has a MD MZ-R70 and some interviews stored in my mini-discs.

If I understood well, if I use an external sound card or if I attempt to transfer my sound from MD---> PC it IS possible even in a low speed?

Thank you--The Galloping Greek
 

ant
Unregistered guest
What about this?
http://www.xitel.com/product_mdpio.htm
 

Byron
Unregistered guest
I have a NetMD Sony Minidisc recorder and, like everyone else, I would like to go from MD to PC. From the above, I gather that the only DIGITAL way to go is thru a MD deck with optical out. Is this the case? Is there a deck you suggest? Will there be a minidisc player in the near future with a digital uplink? Thanks!
 

Anonymous
 
Hey, you can buy CD rewriter decks for hifi systems, sony does one (CDP-XE 570)you can plug in the MD to the optical in (MD link) and burn to your hearts content Philips does one Im not sure of the model
 

Anonymous
 
My friend has MZN10 and he had software I can't remeber the name of the software and he burned stuff onto pc. Also the open mg jukebox manual says something about freeware for md to pc in the back.
 

Anonymous
 
Oh yeah i forgot to say the cdrewriter deck for hifi has digital input aswell
 

Disgruntled Dave
Unregistered guest
I too have just bought an n710 for the purposes of recording, only to find there is no way of doing a digital transfer...

So Sony, I can check in and out downloaded music as long as I put it on a cd first...

but I can't transfer perfectly legit recordings that I have made to edit and archive on pc...

Now you have lost a sale (I'll be returning this pile of junk asap) and pi**ed me off enough to not buy sony products again.

Did it escape your attention that civilized countries operate on presumption of innocence not on guilt?

Congratulations on destroying what could have a great format and making hordes of honest consumers very disgruntled, has Comical Ali been doing consulting work for you?
 

New member
Username: Vertu

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-04
EVERYBODY - READ THIS AND UNDERSTAND!!!!!

As DJ Klippa wrote, there is no two way cumminication between PC and NETMD - at least not for actual datatransfer. There might be some impulse cummication from the MD to transfer song info and other numeric information.
Nevertheless this means that THERE IS NO WAY actually transfer audio data from MD to PC (the other way). People with Sony NetMD's can transfer only the songs they have sent FROM their PC TO the minidisc back to their computer -

BUT THIS IS ONLY A COSMETIC TRANSFER

What's really happening is that the PC recognizes a given song (earlier transferred from the pc) and matches it with the one ALREADY STORED in the computer. The only thing SonicStage or OpenMG has to do, is send a command for the minidisc to delete the song on the given disc - and then fool YOU to think it actually transferred the data. But We stupid consumers is only looking at the exact same song we imported to the program when we wanted it on our minidisc.
This is why one can't use other computers to transfer the same song and this is why You will loose this "backtransfer" option if You reinstall your operating system without backing your data up.

My dear consumer friends You have all, just like meself been feeded with confusing knowledge when You bought this your piece of worthless MD junk - just like mobile phone operators camouflages their prices, Sony and other brands have camouflaged the information about their digital NetMD's for us to be fooled.

I have read through this forum, and none of the posted solutions actually offeres what everybody want's. If you want to use the esdl.co.uk solution you need to buy their very expensive MD data disc. Then you need to buy special MD-units which allow data storage - and even then the MD --> PC transfer does not even go through the USB port - but uses SCSI technology for this transfer which by the way is only 5X - but after all true digital transfer.

Sorry

better luck in the future :o/
 

Timlos
Unregistered guest
I've only just bought my NZM10 and don't yet have sonicstage installed on a pc from which to download. So it's all new to me...

However I have been doing a bit of research. Sony are just about to release a new ipod style minidisc (I think the only real difference is storeage capacity) and a new release of SonicStage comes with it - V2. Apparently they have removed the check in/check out limitations that used to apply.

whether that is going to help is not something i am able to verify right now, being pc-less. I think the number of checkin/outs has become limitless; what this means for usb upload - i am unsure of.

sony are however offeing v2 as a free dowload at:

http://www.sonydigital-link.com/dna/sstage20/SStage20_download.asp

I'd be interested to see if anyone thinks this is will improve the MD to PC data transfer situation.
 

Gregg
Unregistered guest
Hi,

I too bought a MD (MZ-B100) with the idea of recording on it, then transferring files to my PC.

I was shocked to find out that Sony has not provided for this and I spent an hour on the phone with them today getting my "case" escalated and escalated and escalated. Finally, a supervisor told me that I could buy this device

http://www.minidisco.com/co2.html

coupled with this software

http://www.minidisco.com/sbsf7000.html

to transfer files (vs. re-record in real time) from MD to PC.

Does anyone know if this will work?

I am not knowledgeable enough about sound equipment to know.

Thanks, Gregg

 

John G
Unregistered guest
Have a look at
http://www.esdl.co.uk/body/mdte/mdte.htm

It does what most of you want , at a price!
 

Paul W
Unregistered guest
In response to Timlos (May 26th), I have downloaded SonicStage v2, to use with my MDS-JB980 deck, and it makes no difference - tracks recorded on portable MD machines in the field (this is linguistics research data) still come up as non-transferable. Seems the check-in restrictions have not changed
 

Unregistered guest
I concur with Paul W (May 30th) after testing version 2.0 on my MZ-NF810 - interestingly, the program seems to try to do the transfer, which then fails, unlike the brainless version 1.5, which did not even recognize the MD as a "transfer-from" device (as opposed to a transfer-to device). Just perhaps, they plan on coming out with a MD that can act as a source as well as a destination unit. But, perhaps, old devices are out of luck, because they were not set up to do MD-to-PC transfer. JMHO.
 

Anonymous
 
Well Sony...wondering why your mini disc player/recorders never really took off in popularity?

I just bought the MZ-B100 recorder, thinking that it was going to solve my entire hi-fi field recording issues, but there are inherent problems, as I have quickly discovered, and are stated here in this forum. And now you've accomplished turning many people away, making your MD recorders even less popular.

Tomorrow I will be returning my MZ-B100.

Maybe you have someone at your offices that can read English and report all these user frustrations back to your "engineers".
 

Anonymous
 
Where is the logic Sony?.

Change your slogan from "go create" to "go try to create".

It is time for all MD users to return their md players in protest until Sony wakes up.
 

Unregistered guest
Perhaps the best way out is for readers of this list to post mini-disc alternatives.
1) What is there out there that is light and portable, and records well from a mic ( ideally with phantom power) in digital format.
2) Allows fast uploading via simple USB connections.
If there is such, (or we can get some company to to invent it), then Sony will get what it absolutely, justly has asked for. The market will speak.
 

bye_sony
Unregistered guest
I'm gonna be calling sony soon to complain and perhaps launch a class action lawsuit for false advertising and deception.

here is the limited technical information for net md protocol:

http://www.marcus-brinkmann.de/files/freemd_4.html
 

Anonymous
 
Can anyone help me? I want to transfer data from SONY minidisc to PC, how can I do?

Thank you
 

Anonymous
 
New to recording with NetMD N510. What are some mics that people suggest for recording? I plan on recording with a lapel mic but don't know what I need since it "technically" doesn't have a mic input. Do I need mics that are self powered and/or self amplified? Thanks.
 

fucksonyandopenmg
Unregistered guest
if this didnt phase them i think all hope is lost

http://www.minidisc.org/upload_petition_collected_850.html

anyone want to buy an mz-n707 blue???
 

Snafu
Unregistered guest
Hello Everyone, I've spent hours in the net, looking for a solution to exactly THIS problem. next to me on my desk is a brand new Sony MZ-N710. In this very moment I realize, that this really nice looking thing is and always will be JUNK.

The most interesting post in my view is the one from "Kaare B" , which describes exactly what's up. I have no idea if what he/she says about the transfere back to PC is right but it sounds damn
plausible to me.

Ask yourself:

1: why the hell would Sony do such crap - a company which hasn't been known for stupidly designed devices in the past? - AND why don't they or others react on such a great demand from ALL NetMD users?
2: why isnt there any alternative MD brand which does what we all want?

3: why isn't there any hacker out there who can turn this mother out?

4: what is the REAL reason - why it is only possible to send files back to the PC which originally came from there?

Let me tell you why - in Kaare B's words:

"not one single file containing musical data has EVER passed through an USB cable from an MD direction PC!"

Not ever ever - All the NetMD says is "hey PC, the user wants -this- file back in the PC" - then deleted the file on the MD.
And all the PC (rather more the software) does is getting the originally sent file from the background (where it is saved for the time beeing) and fools the user by faking a transfere back to the PC - BUT REALLY THE FILE HAS REMAINED ON YOUR HDD THE WHOLE TIME!

That's it -I'm sorry, but please forget all of your plans and hopes - it is probably not because they don't want to please your needs as faithful MD users, IT IS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T!!!!!

That's it - go looking for an alternative rather than wasting your time and try to avoid buying sony products, because it really seems like they are telling fibs to their customers...

I will return this junk right now - do so, too!

nuff said

S:N:A:F:U
 

Unregistered guest
I've recently found this possible alternative: the "iRiver H140 40GB". It is currently PC Mag's Editor's choice ( http://www.pcmag.com/print_article/0,1761,a=131337,00.asp ), and it has an external mic and line-in/out jacks.

Check out the review on this site: https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/92.html
a snippet follows: "IT DOESN'T USE SOFTWARE. You heard me; the iRiver DOESN'T REQUIRE THE USE OF SOFTWARE. Please, don't mind the caps. This has to be the most exciting feature of any Hard disk based mp3 player on the market. Every single one of them that I've come across requires the use of software for copying music over to it, but not this one. All you need to do is copy and paste music from any computer into the mp3 player. You can even use it to store a backup of your music. In the event of data loss on your desktop, you can copy your music right back. This makes the iRiver a hard drive based player in its truest sense. Windows recognizes it as a hard drive and you use it like a hard drive. This means that the iHP is compatible with any operating system capable of reading the FAT32 File System. That's right -- even Linux users will be happy to use this. My Mandrake partition runs the iHP140 flawlessly." ...
"Another major and extremely useful feature is the ability to record voices using either the built-in microphone or an external one. It allows you to record either in MP3 format using bitrates ranging from 40kbps to 320kbps, or in 1411kbps WAV files"

Now, my only question is: how well does the IRiver record? (minor question: does it have phantom power?) I suspect it does well - the analog to digital conversion is probably done right at the mic input. Who's going to be the first to try it out and get back to us?
 

k Rushton
Unregistered guest
RE: iRiver's H120/140 recording hard drive.
take a look at this discussion group
http://www.iriver.com/community/ -
To summarize, the units has flaws, but seems to be what we were looking for in the MD.
Ken.
 

Unregistered guest
I have SonicStage, but i don't like it. And I was wondering if there is a winamp plugin or something like that that can let me use winamp to tranfer files instead of using SonicStage. Does anybody knows?
 

Unregistered guest
What a useful discussion. I have the exact same problem. A no-good salesman sold me the MZ-N710 for the use of recording my own music, and upload it to the computer. After reading this discussion I got very sad - but could it be true? One email to Sony cleared everything up.
This is their answer:

"Sony does not produce or provide hardware or software designed to assist in the transfer of music from a MiniDisc unit to a computer. The following things are needed to perform this function:

1. The computer must have an analog or digital input connection.

2. The MiniDisc player must have an analog or digital output.

3. The correct cable needs to be connected between the MiniDisc player and the computer.

However, the supplied SonicStage software is only for recording and managing audio off the Hard Drive of the PC and Checking in/out to a Portable Player only. Audio recorded onto the MiniDisc Recorder from the MIC/Line inputs can not be "Checked In" to SonicStage. SONY has not tested any third party software that has been designed to meet this requirement. We can neither recommend nor endorse any third party products for use with your unit.

If this path is of interest to you we recommend you check with your favorite computer retailer, major computer magazines, or search the Internet for available options."

This apparently says it all in very clear words. It's not possible. Not now. Maybe not ever. What a waste of time and money for all of us.
 

Sphinx
Unregistered guest
But I do use SoundForge 6.0 and it does quite a good job from the analog output. I can recommend it.

And to Yiyo: I don't know about Winamp, but I tried Realplayer's transfer option. And it does the job just as good as SonicStage.
 

someone in texas
Unregistered guest
I just transfer the recordings to my standalone cd burner, and then use EAC to cut the tracks up and produce a finished/tracked cd. Problem? It is analog-- it aint digital, and that standalone burner cost me a nice $$ about 4 years ago.
 

Unregistered guest
i have just purchased an mz-n910 but the sonic stage software is not compatible with mac osx is there any software out there that can help.
this may seem a daft question but i'm new to all this stuff &
have very limited knowlage on the subject.
 

Me, Myself & I
Unregistered guest
At the moment I see only these solutions if you want to tranfer fully digital:

1. Go for a harddisc based recorder (iRiver rules, the iHP120 and iHP140 can do USB Transfer without ANY software than the driver)

2. Go for a MD Recorder with digital out and get a soundcard with digital in.

So, I already have a soundcard with digital in, IS THERE ANY RECENT PORTABLE MD RECORDER WITH DIGITAL OUT?



 

Unregistered guest
I WANT A MINIDISC DRIVE FOR PC INSTED OF THE USUAL FLOPPY DISC DRIVE , IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENCE BECAUSE MOST DATA I WANT TO TRANSFER IS USUALLY TO BIG FOR A NORMAL 1.44MB FLOPPY DISC OR IF IT ISENT I NEED REDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF DISCS TO TRANSPORT DATA. I DO HAVE A FLASH MEMORY STICK (USB) BUT IT WOULD ALSO MAKE SENCE AS I ALSO HAVE A MINIDISC PLAYER AND INSTED OF PLUGGING THAT IN I COULD JUST USE THE MINIDISC JUST LIKE A FLOPPY DISC BUT WITH THE ADDED FEATURE OF MORE MEMORY, & WITH THE NEW 1GB MINIDISCS THAT ARE NOW INTENDED FOR DATA TRANSFER/TRANSPORT ALL PC'S SHOULD HAVE A MINIDISC DRIVE. IT JUST MAKES SENCE.

DOES ANY ONE KNOW IF YOU CAN GET MINIDISC DRIVES FOR PC'S? IF SO THEN , WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM? &, HOW MUCH RUFFLY? ALTERNATIVLY A WEBSITE WILL DO!

CHEERS!
 

The Last Zodiac Is Dumb
Unregistered guest
stop using caps retard
 

k Rushton
Unregistered guest
The new sony HD minidiscs are out. Supposedly they allow 2-way file transfer.
I'm a skeptic, given Sony's history.
Does anyone want to bet that there will be some kind of limitation on file transfer on this new hardware?
Ken.
 

Bren4q
Unregistered guest
I've just got the new MZ-NH700 Hi-MD player. It comes with SonicStage 2.0, a USB cable, an optical cable and a blank Hi-MD disc (1 GB capacity).

I can confirm that it is not possible to transfer normal MD audio from the MD to PC via USB. I have quite a catalogue of normal recorded MD's and I cant transfer the tracks onto PC digitally using this supposedly latest and greatest technology.

It can store normal data files on it and transfer them back and forth via USB, but it still prevents a normal MD from transferring music to PC. Discraceful.

I am very disappointed with this 200 euro gadget. The new Atrac3-plus compression that this format supports gives very small files but the quality is not up to scratch. I can hear the lispy sounds of the high frequencies. I'd say its just below 128 kbps MP3 in terms of quality.

The spec for the MZ-NH700 also says "supports MP3, WMA and WAV formats". I assumed this meant it could play them. I was wrong. SonicStage can read those formats and converts them on the fly to Atrac3 and then transfers them to the MD.

In short, the new Hi-MD technology has the same shortcomings of its predecessors, but just holds more low quality audio.
 

thereisorderinchaos
Unregistered guest
I just bought an MZ-NF610, and encountered this common uploading dillema, but i got it refurbished for dirt cheap, no doubt a return from another unhappy customer. Sony is so stupid, almost as functional as 8 mm tapes
(ha ha)

anyway, The iRiver H140 looks great with optical in/out , but its got a hefty pricetag 429.99 MSRP. They also have a 1 GB flash drive player with the same basic functionality (iFP 799 or iFP 899) at only 249.99 MSRP, both with a line in, just like our paperweight netMDs. This is the solution to the problem. Buy one of these, and find some use for your old netMD. Be creative, a doorstop or something. heres the iriver link http://www.iriver.com (duh)
 

El_Gato_Negro
Unregistered guest
Hi!
Try searching this software: SonicStage Mastering Studio 1.2
It appears that you could write audio & mp3 cd from OMG files & unlock the writing cd options in SonicStage 2.0
At this time, i only found a version for Sony VAIO.
Try also: SonicStage VAIO recovery Installer.
 

sleekmonkey
Unregistered guest
I know this is a PC discussion but you all seem to know what you are talking about and may point me in the right direction for a new MAC user.

I am looking to buy a minidisc (ASAP) and would like to learn more about ways to upload (direct file transfer) into my ibook. (to do interviews with a Sony mic I already have).

I will be going to a place where technology is of another age and would like to get this resolved beforehand. Please do let me know if you have any suggestions on minidisc recorder/software etc. would be very grateful! Thank you. merci. shoukrane. gracias
 

k Rushton
Unregistered guest
I've just purchased and tried out a iRiver H120. It works! I can record live stereo sound, with good, perhaps excellent quality (I'm in a chorus, and the better my recordings, the faster and more accurate my learning). The mic plug even has phantom power, a very pleasant surprise. I can transfer the files to my computer in seconds (USB 2 speed). I can even edit them right in place on the H120. The controls are a bit clumsy, but the convenience factor and capacity is enough so that I may just dump all my music to the h120, instead of burning cds to paly in my car. There are some quirks (like no recording level indicator), documented on the iRiver dicussion groups. but thus far, it's the best unit I heard of.
Ken.
 

orelha~o
Unregistered guest
Ola,
wish I'd read this a year a ago, might have bought an MP3 recorder instead... but since then my MZ N710 has been around the world with me, recording music and sounds from the amazon to the Paris metro... and I've just found out like many before me (thanks to this disussion and others, and to kaare b for clarifying things) that it cannot do what I bought it to do, ie digital transfer of my recordings to PC... really F#@%ING dissapointing (and sonicstage is the insult to injury) so drying away the tears, swearing never to buy sony again etc, and consoling myself that it could be worse, I could be using wax cylinders... I'm trying the alternatives... just had a go recording from the MD analog line out to PC, and immediately noticed the drop in quality, with increased hiss and loss of depth... being seriously new to this game, I do not know if this is a cable, soundcard or software issue... can anyone recommend any solutions? for example, a decent downloadable sound recording and editing package would be great.... and speaking of which... the WinNetMD site has been down for days, is there an alternative source for that software?

cheers
 

shitworth
Unregistered guest
It seems to me that the most important posts on this very lengthy thread are those by Kaare B (11/05/04), who states the apparent futility of attempting to copy quickly and digitally from minidisc to pc, and Snafu (17/07/04) who emphasises Kaare B's points more clearly. However I do not share their pessimism.

If there's one thing I've learnt in nearly a decade of using the net it's that nothing is uncrackable. Clearly this problem is a hard case for the aspiring world-renowned hacker but not an impossible one.

Cracking the Sonicstage software should not be difficult since it appears, by all accounts, to have been written by monkeys. My guess would be that modifying it to accept incoming files from minidisc would be hacking childsplay.

Unfortunately, if what Kaare B says is true (and I think it is), then a hardware modification to the Net-MD itself would also be required to allow 2-way data transfer through the data port. I think, given a limited knowledge of electronics, that this should also be fairly simple. (the link provided by bye_sony (25/06/04) may be helpful)

Surely someone should be working on this so that we can all get our Net-MDs chipped just like everyone did with their Playstations.

The sooner the better!
 

Anonymous
 
Does anyone make a MD Drive that fits into a PC?
 

buh
Unregistered guest
I bought my NetMD player when it first came out about two years ago... At the time discussion like this was sparse on the net, but always with the same conclusions. Every 6months or so I check again. I've already written Sony and signed the petitions and I try not to be too bitter as I wait in realtime to transfer my recordings in analogue via my soundcard and edit them that way. Doesn't work - I'm pissed about it every time.
In answer to your question sleemonkey - You can't do it. It's not possible.

Sony was on the cusp of something great - STILL ARE- but instead they've chosen to gnaw at their foot some more.

I'm going to start carrying my NetMD in my pocket for the off-chance I see some Sony exec somewhere - I'm gonna beam that sucker right their head.... that is if I don't chuck it into a lake, river or wall before that.

 

buh
Unregistered guest
ATTENTION!!!

LADIES AND GENTS:

Check this out - http://sonyelectronics.sonystyle.com/walkmanmc/wav.html

I have not downloaded or looked at it yet ; appears it may only work for new Hi-MD devices but I'm going to try anyhow. Seems it's at least possible with the new devices.
 

manxfiddle
Unregistered guest
Well if you can't transfer tracks recorded on Mini disc via a mic at high speed, how do you do it in real time? I don't mind waiting at the moment - I'm desperate because I use a mini disc player to record pupils in the classroom, but I don't want to have to keep deleting stuff, or buying new mini discs.
 

markusbh
Unregistered guest
Has anyone resolved the transfer of MiniDisc to PC dilemma without having to ditch the MD recorder? Appears Sony has yet again been so "head in the sand" about this. It appear that even the AppleMac has its problems in this department.
 

sonic1
Unregistered guest
all i do is cry cry cry. silly me i recorded a bunch of my live dj mixes and live recordings...about 1 years worth, before i even tried to md > pc transfer. so i guess returning my mz-n10 is not an option. what a big waste of time and money... "its a sony"

hackers unite and please solve this problem
 

New member
Username: Aeronaut

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-04
Sony has a well documented history of shooting themselves in the foot. Remember the Betamax? It was a better video recorder than JVC's VHS. Sony kept the spec. to themselves, but JVC licensed the rights cheaply and it sold for a lower price.

Once apon a time, IBM brought out a new PC called the PS/2, with different contacts on the motherboard. It flopped completely, because IBM kept the rights to themselves and charged a lot for the licence.

I bought a Sony Minidisc, but took it back when I found out about NET-MD. The man in the shop told me that the copy protection and lack of digital transfer was because Sony has the rights to a lot of recorded music and want to protect their music catalogue.

What Sony didn't think about is that the MP3 player replaces the mini-disc, but people who want a better portable tape recorder are left out in the cold.

In the end, I bought a cheap Sharp mini-disc for field recordings, and will have to put up with the loss of quality.
 

Unregistered guest
Ok here is my problem:
With my NetMD, i recorded a my own music on to it using a microphone, now is there any way i can put this on my computer to listen, burn etc.

I have an optical slot and and a USB slot, with the correct cables. But whatever i do, i cannot get it onto the computer.

Can anyone give me some information on how to do this, and what software i can use??
any help would be appreciated.
 

SHARP IM-DR80 rocks
Unregistered guest
Agreed Sony Sonicstage is terrible! It seems realtime is the only good option to get your own recordings onto a computer as MP3's.
I have a sharp IM-DR80 (way better than sony's bs, and a lot better looking too). Using it's own docking station (included) with an optical output into my optical input on my sound card, i can record using any simple wav recording device, and then convert to MP3, u can then use the MP3's to make CDs or MP3cd's or whatever. There is also a good way to get songs onto NETMD's without the stupid check-out crap with sonicstage. Use Sonicstage2 or nero etc... to make an audioCD on a CD-RW then use the old version of Sony SimpleBurner (which doesn't have any copy protection encoding) to copy whichever songs u want directly to your NET-MD. ONCE AGAIN... SONY SUCKS - sharp MD's are better quality, and easier to use.
 

SHARP IM-DR80 rocks
Unregistered guest
Agreed Sony Sonicstage is terrible! It seems realtime is the only good option to get your own recordings onto a computer as MP3's.
I have a sharp IM-DR80 (way better than sony's bs, and a lot better looking too). Using it's own docking station (included) with an optical output into my optical input on my sound card, i can record using any simple wav recording device, and then convert to MP3, u can then use the MP3's to make CDs or MP3cd's or whatever. There is also a good way to get songs onto NETMD's without the stupid check-out crap with sonicstage. Use Sonicstage2 or nero etc... to make an audioCD on a CD-RW then use the old version of Sony SimpleBurner (which doesn't have any copy protection encoding) to copy whichever songs u want directly to your NET-MD. ONCE AGAIN... SONY SUCKS - sharp MD's are better quality, and easier to use.
 

New member
Username: Northernbell

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-05
I have a crazy question. I have a MD player and was wondering if there any programs out that can transfer other files besides music files. I am also having touble with Sonic Stage. I can not transfer anything over to disk. I can get the program up but can not import or transfer songs on to disk. Every time I launch Sonic stage, a minute later it crashes. Does anyone have any sugestions?
 

A PLENO
Unregistered guest
I found this review of the SONY MZ NH1. A portable Recorder/Player that according to the guy who wrote the Review ALLOWS TRANSFER FORM MD TO PC via USB.

http://www.epinions.com/content_167300599428
 

Mitra
Unregistered guest
OK, so this reasonably high-end Net MD (MZ-NF-810) is useless for recording PC-editable digital files except via the corrupting mechanism of playing out of the earphone jack into line-in of my soundcard, in my case doing the recording with Sound Forge Studio. I was in complete denial and clobbered with disbelief that Sony would pull such a crappy stunt, but now realize I really did get suckered.

The question: Since my field recordings are all lectures, readings, interviews, etc. (i.e. not music), how serious is the degradation if I go this route? Target use: MP3, etc. files to be posted on a website for download or streaming.

I would really appreciate a reasonably informed opinion from some audiophile in the know. Like, is this going to sound pretty trashy to a discriminating ear?

Thanks in advance.

Mitra
 

1234letstartawar
Unregistered guest
Sony Sucks! They are simply an international record company who want to suppress us real artists who actually want to do digital recording. Result: Stay away from Sony - they are lying cheating scum.
 

Timmins
Unregistered guest
Its easy to record from a MiniDisc to your PC. Simply take a cable with a 1.5mm jack on either end. Plug one side into your speakers port, one side into your microhpone port, open Sound Recorder and record :D.

Timmins
 

Unregistered guest
IF ANY ONE OUT THERE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO TRANSFER THEIR MD'S TO THEIR PC PLEASE TELL THEM TO GOT TO THE WEB ADRESS BELOW, THEY CAN PURCHASE A MOBIBLU DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER/RECORDER. ALL THE MD'S THAT I HAVE PURHASED, HAVE BEEN TRANSFERED SUCCESSFULLY TO MY PC USING MOBIBLU.

http://www.dealtime.com/xPP-MP3_and_Digital_Media_Players---hyun_won

FROM EUGENE U.S.A
 

New member
Username: Aeronaut

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-04
Would Eugene like to fill in the details? Did you use the optical output from a low-price mini-disc? I had to buy a Hi-MD recorder (at twice the price) and its lack of control buttons is driving me crazy. But the latest Sony software does support uploading to my computer.
/Andrew
 

Amitios
Unregistered guest
I've got over 200 MDs with various albums recorded over the years. I don't have the originals and i'll be damned if i'm gonna re-rip them all back onto my PC. Like everyone else here i want MD to HD with lossless pure digital sound without paying £2G for it.

I've tried the new sony NetMD and realised just how gash they are. BUT, what i did notice is that the software included does recognise the MD data! It said how many songs and how long each one was which would suggest data from the MD is being sent to the player hence recording is possible.

Personally i'm thinking of buying a MD deck with digital out and and external extigy soundcard with digital in (optical). Cheap and chearful chaps!

Alternatively u could visit the 'freeMD' website and try to work out how he managed to do it!

Finally, since there seems to be such a large demand for this transfer i think it's only a matter of time b4 someone releases a decent answer at a wallet friendly price.

Mean while, i'm gonna try and figure how to transfer itunes to wma -another pain the 4rse.

 

paulwarnock
Unregistered guest
to all who have the problem
"i recorded using mic and want to transfer digitally" or similar
THIS WILL NOT WORK!!!!! FOOLS!!!!!!
mic recording is by nature analog - therefore, digital copy not permitted
for those wanting to copy tracks recorded via optical-digital input
THIS WILL NOT WORK EITHER!!!! FOOLS!!!!
has no-one read the manuals!!!
"SERIAL COPY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM" - i.e. only lets you have one copy/you can't copy a copy.....etc
- rant over for now
 

New member
Username: Aeronaut

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-04
I downloaded Sonic Stage 3.0 yesterday. Today, I recorded a test file on a Hi-MD disc and was able to transfer it to my computer's hard disc. And convert it to .WAV format!
Sony have at last seen the light and taken one step into the real world! The new software is still full of restrictions, but it is now actually possible to use an MD as a portable recoder for serious work.
My Net-MD recordings can't be transferred this way, of course.
It is difficult to find MD on Sony's web site now. I guess that even they have realised that MD has been betamaxed by the MP3 player..
 

Carlwa
Unregistered guest
Aeronaut,

Where can I find a link to download Sonic Stage 3.0 please?

Thanks
Carl
 

Carlwa
Unregistered guest
Aeronaut,

Where can I find a link to download Sonic Stage 3.0 please?

Thanks
Carl
 

Unregistered guest
The Yamaha MDXE300 MD deck has optical digital OUTPUT - if you can still find one. Richer Sounds are advertising them for £170.
 

Unregistered guest
The Yamaha MDXE300 MD deck has optical digital OUTPUT - if you can still find one. Richer Sounds are advertising them for £170.
 

Anonymous
 
SUCKERS SONY RULES:-)
http://esupport.sony.com/perl/swu-download.pl?template=&upd_id=1468&os_id=3,4,6, 7,16&mdl=MZN707

chech it out
 

Schpengle
Unregistered guest
well, Ill try again, posted this once, it gave me the bird!

Hello there Ive just got a sony MZ-NH700, looks a bit like a barbie accessory, but there you go!

I have read through all the stuff here, after experienceing the "go half way (50%), file transfer of live recording from MD to pc then halt" annoyance. This was with MDs recorded on my older MZ-R35, which Ive had about 5-6 years -one speed and thats it!

BUT! It allowed me to UPLOAD LIVE RECORDINGS to my pc, via the sonic stage 2.0. *** software! - yaaaay! instantly, no problem... aprt form them being in some godaweful atrac, omg, thingy format.

So, I then downloaded and installed the zillion programs that make up the sonic stage 2.1.*** package.

AND this

-quoted from Buh above - cheers mate

"ATTENTION!!!

LADIES AND GENTS:

Check this out - http://sonyelectronics.sonystyle.com/walkmanmc/wav.html

I have not downloaded or looked at it yet ; appears it may only work for new Hi-MD devices but I'm going to try anyhow. Seems it's at least possible with the new devices."

SO that I could play them in other programs and back them up to CD- I am In uni and this was part of a Disability package that the university I am in bought for me to allow me to record my lectures -so all legit!

SO! All seems good, but when I Transfer LIVE ( :-) ) files from my MD to my PC, they appear in my library- yaaaay!

But, whne I then open the wav converter tool and look in th elibrary - theres nothing there..Booo!

Im not sure, but on reading It says that

And, Agin I quote

"The WAV Conversion Tool is a software application designed to convert OMA files to PCM WAV files. Specifically, this tool is intended only for OMA file that have been recorded through the MIC or LINE-IN input from a Hi-MD device and uploaded to SonicStage software.

These 'self-recordings' can be converted to WAV format using the WAV Conversion Tool (hereafter referred to as 'convertible' files)."

but when I check the properties of the things Ive recorded, I think they are that odd OMG, atrac format, with an option to convert to atrac3.

So, peoples,

live recording to my PC works with Sony MZ-NH700.
and sonic stage 2.0.****

also, it works with Sonic stage 2.1.****

And, there is a WAV vonverter tool-much more flexible.

BUT<> I cant get the wav converter to work, because the library (which has content in sonic stage) Is empty when I look in th elibrary in Wav converter tool.

So, thanks a lot for the advice here, I hope this long winded post is of some help, and I really hope that things start to work for you guys!

also, Some help with these file format for conversion to wav would be really handy!

OK, thanks and bye,

ME! :D


 

Anonymous
 
The solution to all your problems is here:

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2005/04/sony_pitin_mini.html
 

schpengle
Unregistered guest
Got it all working! sweet.
first I had sonic stage 2.1
and upgraded to 2.2 .ro was it 2.0 to 2.1? whatever!

downloaded sonic stage 3 from
http://qw-cx-ssd.sonypictures.com/download/installer/common/whatever_filename.zi p

where "whatever_filename" is one of the following.

msi.zip
dx.zip
wmf.zip
mdac.zip
msc.zip
driver.zip
openmg.zip
sonic.zip
addon.zip

many thanks to th echap who posted the .ini file that I got that info from.

download each one ( you need them all except maybe the msi.zip- which didnt run for me.also I didnt bother with dx.zip, since im pretty sure win XP has modern direct x!)

then install each one IN THE ORDER ABOVE.

fumble around if some package tells you run the installer and look in its folder for a "set up" or whatever file.

dint work at first because i got the order wrong, so when sonic stage started up - all libraries etc, but no himd on th eright hand screen. uninstalled, reinstalled , the omg bit seemd to give th eproblem.

then it appered with my HiMd yaaay!

I am now transferring all my audio notes over!

thoooper!
the way it should have been from the beginning. bit sad really wasnt it!

ok, bye all

cya, got disks and a fat belly to burn off!

ta ta
 

bmdeluxe
Unregistered guest
Hey all, Ok i had sonicstage 2.3, byt now sonicstage 3.0 is out. However i dont seem to be able to transfer files from sonic stage on to MD. On sonicstage 2.3, under tranfer it had that option, now that option is gone. Any one else have Ss 3.0?
 

Unregistered guest
Message to schpengle - the lnk below does not work:
http://qw-cx-ssd.sonypictures.com/download/installer/common/whatever_filename.zi p

Can you advise please, or even better email me those files you said were contained in the link please...?

Thanks
Carl
 

provey
Unregistered guest
Anyone know how to get the software working on a Windoows server 2003, works on XP but crashes on server!!!! what a pain!

Cheers
J
 

youkyouk
Unregistered guest
Hi,

I read all the posts from 2001 up to may 2005 and I'm now wondering if it is really REALLY possible to transfer recorded files (from microphone and line-in) to PC. ?

And if so, which of the newest HI-MD models are supporting this feachure?? MZ-NHF800 or MZ-NHF900??

Is the new sonicstage 3.0 software included in the package?

And finaly does it also work for the european models?

thank's a lot to all the people that have posted on this list! An THANKS to those who will answer to mine ;p

youkyouk
 

Unky Si
Unregistered guest
I'm still trying to find a decent way of recording my MD's FROM my PC, only seen the MDS PC2 kit on ebay so far without the software, which I can only find on the web in Japanese! So Net MD it is with my portable for my WAV files, home deck and MD deck for my CD's then.

One day someone will bother to write a piece of software berrter then sonicstage s**t and we will all be ok.....then they'll stop making MD's!!
 

quasimondo
Unregistered guest
This wouldn't irk me so much if I didn't lose my laptop, all of my songs, and the original CD's in a house fire. Now all I have of my music is the MD's. Even iTunes isn't this bass ackwards. They at least let you put the stuff to a cd.
 

Normal NetMD?
Unregistered guest
OK, so it sounds like mic-recorded tracks can now be transferred to the PC from "Hi-MD".

Does that leave all the old standard NetMD disks out in the cold?
 

Abnormal Hi-MD
Unregistered guest
Ok, Sony sucks.
Even with hi-MD recorders-players, problems are, as always, many:
1. You cannot use USB mass storage mode to upload music to your PC. (No linux, not even mac os). You can ONLY USE SadicStage to do that. Only proprietary encoding. Then reencode to wav. Only with Sony provided software. Only Windoze. Period.
2. USB Mass Storage mode is ONLY available for NON AUDIO files. (Just in case you didn't understand the former). Period.
3. You CANNOT upload music recorded on regular MD's to your pc. Only hi-MD's. So in case you wanted to upload music from your old MD's, you CANNOT. Period.
3. You CANNOT upload music recorded with other means than mic or line inputs. Period.
4. I FIRMLY hope Sony goes ot of f*cking business with their idiotic atracs', SonicStages', and hi-md's. Just like BETAmax.

BOYCOTT SONY.
 

Abnormal Hi-MD
Unregistered guest
I have to specify point 2.
Audio files recorded on the HiMD are NOT stored as regular files, therefore NOT VISIBLE with "mounting" the device on the system (equals to "double-clicking" in Windoze, equals to using USB Mass Storage). USB Mass Storage can ONLY be used as a storage method for files on your PC, NOT transferring files recorded on your Hi-MD.
 

Angry of Essex
Unregistered guest
Here is the solution

Place NetMD on concrete or other hard surface.
Take sledge hammer
Raise sledge hammer to above head height
Swing hard as you can and hit NetMD
Problems over find something else to worry about
Never buy another Sony product
 

MD dead.
Unregistered guest
GuFF.

I've had a standard MD recorder (i.e. not netMD or HI-MD) since 1995. At the time it was MD or DAT as CD-RW was unaffordable / non-existant. I have about 500 MDs of music... DOH !

... And I STILL cannot import them onto my PC.

Surely someone somewhere must have the expertise to hack the new HI-MD players / software so that we can upload our music to HD for convertion to .mp3 or .aac for itunes !

I will pay hansomly.

I will also NEVER by another sony product.

PS - I've also got about 3000 x 12"s. No. I wont go there !!!!
 

New member
Username: The_replicant

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-05
Happy Birthday to You!!! Happy Birthday to You!!! Happy Birthday MD's POST!!!! Tomorrow is the 4th year that this MD's Post is ON!! and we still haven't got any possible solution!!!!
CONGRATS!!!!!!
 

Anonymous
 
Can anyone tell me if the ling for win nmd is still working? I wish to activate win nmd but I can't.
 

P Floding
Unregistered guest
Sony is acting idiotically!

Once sound is encoded into the ATRAC format there has already been degradation of the sound, and their copy management is pointless. Its ONLY effect is to stop legitimate backing up and transfer of original recordings!

For pirate copying, SPDIF can be used to get a digital copy, and once captured in this way it can be manipulated easily. BUT, why on earth would ANYONE bother to pirate MDs rather than go straight to the CD? (Which, today, people are sending, complete, around the internet!)

All this special propritary software that is needed to make it "work" also means that it will all stop working (what little did work before) as soon as Windows gets updated a couple of times!

I'm extremely dissapointed in Sonys fumbling and stumbling and failure to understand practically anything at all. They seem to live about 10 years behind the rest of us!
What idiots.
 

ariostomartire
Unregistered guest
I'm reposting a two years ago message:

YES ! It's possible to transfer from MD to PC.

First : record on the portable.

Second : Put the md on the desktop player like this one:

http://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_MDS-JB930.html

Third: On the pc you need a sound blaster or equivalent sound card with optical In/out.

Fourth: Use the software which comes with the sb to acquire the optical spdif stream.

Fifth : manipulate, edit, etc on the pc software with soundforge, etc;;

Sixth : Record your CD or put it back to the MD.

Happy Birthday List !!!!
 

TiredofSony
Unregistered guest
I've waited for four (4) years now for a viable way of transferring my personal analog recordings to my desktop for editing reasons (amateur musician here). Regretfully to this day, I still have to do an analog transfer to my sound card or by a "desk top player" per the previous post -- Is anyone aware of a comparable MD recorder by one of Sony's competitors I can buy? I give up . . .
 

Sony Doesn't Get It
Unregistered guest
Here's how I'm planning to solve my problems getting my recordings digitally onto a PC instead of giving Sony more money for new stuff: save up my money, buy a Fostex FR-2 field recorder, then ditch all my MD gear!

The Fostex FR-2 field recorder: costs $1,500, but is very high quality and records lossless Broadcast Wav Files on memory cards for easy transfer to your PC, up to 24 bit samples, up to 192,000 samples / second, no lossy ATRAC format to degrade the quality, plus it has phantom mic power. See http://www.fostex.com/index.php?file=products/pfr/fr2 for info.

I can't even transfer my live recordings from my Sony NetWalkman ATRAC3 player from my laptop to my PC. That's okay though because wav files are higher quality anyways.

Thanks for the MiniDisc Sony. Nice idea, lousy implementation.
 

jgchicago
Unregistered guest
What about the "Stand Alone CD-Rewriter" option? Does anyone know how this works, and whether any rewriter will work?

I have a normal old fashion Sharp MZ-MT15 recorder
 

amy gdala
Unregistered guest
please help! I have a Sony MZ-N910 and Sonic Stage. My laptop died on me and so the only copy of some music tracks i have exist only on a minidisc. I've since bought a new laptop and want to transfer the tracks digitally back onto Sonic Stage from the MD, but because they were recorded on a different computer, it won't let me. This is seriously annoying, given that I created the darned music in the first place so there is no copyright issue! Is there no way to do this? I'm broke so I can't afford new software.
 

Unregistered guest
HI EVERYBODY! I AM A SPANISH GUY. I HAVE SEEN THE FORUM, AND AS I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, THAT IS I ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER THE SONGS FROM MY MD'S TO THE PC, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST SOMETHING TO YOU ALL.

AS IT SEEMS, THE BEST, AND PERHAPS THE ONLY ONE PROGRAMME WICH CAMES OUT THE TASK WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS IS: "MD STUDIO MINIDISC TRANSFER EDITOR" FROM EDL (YOU CAN SEE IT AT:

*http://www.esdl.co.uk/body/mdte_es.htm
*http://www.esdl.co.uk/

YOU CAN CALL THEM TO THE PHONE NUMBERS GIVEN, AND YOU WILL GET ALL DESIRED INFO.
THE ONLY PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE PRICE. THE COST IS 3000 GBP (ABOUT 5000 €UROS) AS IT IS A PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM TO BE ISED BY BROADCAST AND SOUND PROFESSIONALS.

MY SUGGESTION TO THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED, IS THIS:

IF WE COULD GET TOGETHER 50 PERSONS INTERESTED IN GETTING IT, EACH OF US COULD CONTRIBUTE WITH 100 €UROS. AND IF WE ARE MORE, THEN THE AMMOUNT SOULD BE LESS. ONCE WE BUY IT, WE CAN USE IT IN TURNS, OF COURSE THERE IS THE ELEMENT OF MIS-TRUST AS WE DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER, BUT IF EACH ONE IS REALLY INTERESTED AND SERIOUS ABOUT IT, WE COULD DEVICE SOME WAYS OF SECURITY FOR EACH ONE, I E: GIVING FULL IDENTITY AND MEANS OF CONTACT, HOME ADDRESS, TO WHICH THE PRODUCT WILL BE SENT, AND SOME OTHER DETAILS THAR IF WE WERE TO GO AHEAD, WE COULD ADD.

REGARDING THE WAY TO USE IT, COULD BE SET UP IN THE SAME ORDER AS THE MONEY ARRIVES, AND THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGHT WESTERN UNION.

WELL GUYS, THE IDEA IS THERE, IT NEEDS MORE "TUNNING", BUT TO DO IT, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FIRST TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS, SO, HERE IS MY E MAIL ADDRESS:

ipantojafm@hotmail.com

START WRITING AND IF I RECEIVE SUFFICIENT SUPPORT, I WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH ALL THE DETAILS.

I HOPE FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE THAT YOU LIKE THE IDEA.

TILL SOON.

PACO.

 

Duster
Unregistered guest
Just trash the MD, since no hacks were made yet. Get a darn iPOD.

Typical Sony garbage, half baked Ideas.
 

Unregistered guest
My Pipe Dream: a HiMD stand alone (or "desk-top") unit WITH A DIGITAL OUT. No computer necessary. It would be analgous to the standard minidisc desk-tops (eg. MDS-JE500), with similar editing features and the capacity to digtally out via spdf (in real time) recordings I have made in the HiMD uncompressed PCM mode to a stand alone CD burner.I assumed when I bought my HiMD walkman that such a unit would be available. Without it, my HiMD walkman has been rendered all but useless. Is anyone from Sony listening? Please make my dream come true. It would finally give everyone a perfect recording alternative to portabe DATs, with all the reliabity advantages of Minidisc.


 

Edward blobbdobb
Unregistered guest
I have spoken to someone from Online support over this issue, here is what they said.

Warren_ > Welcome to Sony Online Support. I will be glad to assist you.

Edward > I purchased a Net Minidisc Player which came with the Sonic Stage software, (Which I later upgraded to version 2) I am annoyed that although the sonic stage software says it can transfer files back to the PC it cannot actually do that. Instead my PC goes and retreives the audio files and then deletes the track on my minidisc player. So therefore the Computer has not actually transfered the file back from the minidisc player. This means that whenever I updated my sonic stage software I couldn't "transfer" the file back from my minidisc player. Is there anyway that I can actually transfer files back from my minidisc player?

Warren_ > Please give me a moment while I analyze this issue.

Warren_ > Edward, I am sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Warren_ > What is the operating system of your computer?

Edward > Windows XP

Warren_ > You will be able to transfer back only the songs transferred from the particular computer to the MZN710 Player.

Warren_ > But, you will have to back up the database of SonicStage Library before doing any changes to the software or computer in order to transfer the songs back to the computer.

Edward > I didn't do that because I was under the impression that I could "transfer" files back to my computer from the minidisc player to the computer.

Edward > Thanks for the help anyway,

Warren_ > If you have not backed up the database, the reference file created in SonicStage Library during the transfer of the songs to the player will be deleted and you will not be able to transfer those songs back to the computer.

Warren_ > You are welcome.
 

Jodyjody
Unregistered guest
We need some genous software people to crack the SCMS so we can upload digital recordings. I'm getting increasingly cold feet with minidisc and starting the worrying about my large collection becoming obsolete.

I don't want to be forced to change to crappy mp3's!!!
 

New member
Username: Rodineinunes

Sorocaba, Sp/Brasil

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-05
I have a MZ-NF610, and I would like to know if a way exists to transfer the audio one of the recorded MD in it saw entered analogical for my computer using connection USB
 

Anonymous
 
Probably worth giving up on minidisk altogether. However, to transfer all music off your MDs for the last time (before you buy an ipod or something!) there are services available to transfer music off MD. I found this link - based in uk. http://www.vinylreplica.com/prices.html#what who will transfer MDs for £3 each. Still expensive though
 

New member
Username: Rodineinunes

Sorocaba, Sp/Brasil

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jul-05
Unhappyly I do not live in UK, but exactly thus very obliged for the tip. I'm from Brazil
 

Need some advice, thanks
Unregistered guest
Hey all,

I have a NetMD (NZ-707) but I am now after a Hi-MD. I was wondering if they are worth getting and if they meet my needs. I'm looking at the model MZ-RH910.

I beleive you can now upload your recodings, is this true??
Can you actually record in lossless format or is that bulls**t from Sony??
If I recorded them in Wav. (PCM) can I upload them in WAV. without losing any quality??

Thanks for any help,

Simon.
 

cheese monkey
Unregistered guest
I found difficulty with PC->Md transfer, problem was that I could not use sonicstage, it kept coming up with error messages
I found this link sorted me out
http://www.sony.net/Products/OpenMG/support/840987/
it was some problem with microsoft secuirty update

with a MD->PC transfer it don't seem you can do it digitally (i.e using your usb lead) i had to get a lead into the headphone socket of my MD and put the other end in the speaker socket or aux line in socket of my pc, i then use a program aviable free! at
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
and press play on the MD and record using the audacity, it reocrds it as a .wav file (i think)
this is obviously realtime and i hav seen no quicker way

 

Simon_LDT
Unregistered guest
I found difficulty with PC->Md transfer, problem was that I could not use sonicstage, it kept coming up with error messages
I found this link sorted me out
http://www.sony.net/Products/OpenMG/support/840987/
it was some problem with microsoft secuirty update

with a MD->PC transfer it don't seem you can do it digitally (i.e using your usb lead) i had to get a lead into the headphone socket of my MD and put the other end in the speaker socket or aux line in socket of my pc, i then use a program aviable free! at
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
and press play on the MD and record using the audacity, it reocrds it as a .wav file (i think)
this is obviously realtime and i hav seen no quicker way



Yeah, but apparently with the new Hi-MD you can transfer to PC the same way you transfer from PC, is this true??
 

New member
Username: Wrekk

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-05
I can not believe I just read all of this crap to come to this sh*tty conclusion. My first studio was built on MD technology back in 97. I still have these MD's today. Just hooked up the NETMD with the USB thinking it would be a snap to rip these off of there to my PC. Now I'm finding out I cant. Unbelievable. And to the people who are posting these dumb posts about recording the tracks in real time..... PLEASE STOP!!! We do not care about this procedure!!! If we did, we wouldn't be here. I realize that you're trying to help and all... but come on!! USE SOME COMMON SENSE!!!

If anyone knows of a way to rip an MD with some type of software... please post. Thanks.
 

Nukeleus
Unregistered guest
*sigh*
:-( thanks everyone for the information left here.
guess i'll be buying an ipod after all.
fkn sony...
 

New member
Username: Debragrant

Post Number: 3
Registered: Aug-05
I've used Xitel MD-Port I/O i could transfer music but could get any sound.

My problem now is i have the cable but no software for it
 

Unregistered guest
hello can anyone tell me how i can use my MZ-R90 with windows XP i have an optical port on the front of my PC but everytime i plug in my MD player it says no signal anyone have any solutions, I am new at this oh yeah can anyone tell me if 40 bucks for the MZ-R90 is a good price it came with remote and headphones and the little gray pouch and the charger with a travel battery deal any email me if you can help thanx
Nylaspop@aol.com
 

Unregistered guest
hello can anyone tell me how i can use my MZ-R90 with windows XP i have an optical port on the front of my PC but everytime i plug in my MD player it says no signal anyone have any solutions, I am new at this oh yeah can anyone tell me if 40 bucks for the MZ-R90 is a good price it came with remote and headphones and the little gray pouch and the charger with a travel battery deal any email me if you can help thanx
Nylaspop@aol.com
 

Unregistered guest
hello can anyone tell me how i can use my MZ-R90 with windows XP i have an optical port on the front of my PC but everytime i plug in my MD player it says no signal anyone have any solutions, I am new at this oh yeah can anyone tell me if 40 bucks for the MZ-R90 is a good price it came with remote and headphones and the little gray pouch and the charger with a travel battery deal any email me if you can help thanx
Nylaspop@aol.com
 

gcolby
Unregistered guest
OMFG, I just did it!

I transferred a song FROM my HiMD player to my PC, and was able to open the imported (transferred) file and manipulate it! (Deep breaths, deep breaths...)

Okay, here's what I did. First, I grabbed a 'regular' 80 minute MD and recorded on it in Hi-MD LP mode. I then broke my recording into tracks, and hooked the HiMD player to the PC via the USB cable.

To my surprise, SonicStage told me when I clicked on 'Properties' for the tracks on the disc that they were allowed to be transferred *once*.

Okay, I said, what the heck. I transferred it. I was prompted to save it in .WAV format, but hey, IT SAVED TO MY PC.

I'm in total shock.

This does not help me with my old discs that are in regular MD LP format, but I'm pleased to see that *future* stuff I record onto disc via my Line In jack will be transferable!
 

RedbeardRedbeardRedbeard
Unregistered guest
Gee so many manuals but so many sad stories of those who don't read manuals before they buy a product.
The amount of time you guys spend on trying to figure out how to transfer files from the MD to the PC must be hours compared to the few minutes it takes to do a bit of web research, look at a user manuals (ask to see one in a shop), defining your exact needs for a recorder etc.
Now my story: I'm a muso that wanted an audio recording device to give me a good quality take that I could convert to CD. I hade done a little research and very obviously knew I could not do digital file transfers. One of my options was to get the top of the range that had an analog line out, but I opted to get the next version down which was $100 cheaper, (tight on cash at the time). That left me with headphone out only. Now I put into the MD a live mix from the mixing desk into the line in, the mix was for the recording and next I transferred the files from the MD to the PC via the headphone jack. I used a very good sound card $1000 worth, and when I finally burnt these songs to a CD the sound was awesome. I know how to get an excellent audio recording cause I've been in the industry for years and that helps to get the best sound with whatever you have got.
A true audiophile will spot the difference but I've tested some of my friends and they can't tell the difference in quality between the original on the MD to the CD.

So, yes I have to wait for the duration of the recording compared to USB speed, but I knew if I wanted real quality, I would save for a real recording device and never have bought the MD. But I love my MD it's the MZ-N707 and I have hours of me and my friends recordings, burnt onto CD's and enjoying every minute of listening to them. DO SOME HOMEWORK! Love ya all.
 

jono63
Unregistered guest
lol well iv had my MD 4 about 4years and i finally decided 2 record into it, and then i go 2 copy it 2 my pc and realise i cant, iread the whole thread and come2the conclusion that with out fkn 1000 buks im not gonna b able 2 do it, unless i do it in real time, which ill try 2moro by usin a normal guitar lead and to jacks to allow me 2 plug it into the head fone jack of my sound card (or Line in) and the headphone jack of my MD, and if this dusn work well i say HELL to the MD and im gonna buy my Iriver H320 and use that 4 the rest of my recordings.......
lol 4 yrs is a long time to not solve a problem....


Laters
Jono
 

Unregistered guest
HELP! I have a school project to work on. and We put our movie from VHS onto a DVD now i want to use my windows movie maker and edit the video, but my computer isnt registering anything on the disc in the drive...whats going on?! someone PLEASE help me asap. E~Mail me at lifeordeath143@comcast.net
 

Ace1013
Unregistered guest
What absolute crap!
I am so glad I read this thread, as I was just about to buy an MZ-M100, for recording new material and transferring over an old MD I recorded more than a year ago.

Analogue rips through the headphone jack are lossy and not interesting. Digital transfers of all sorts could be a breeze, but Sony has obviously decided to be complete a$$holes. I will never buy a Sony again! I hope Sony Music BMG goes bankrupt, hard, fast. Boycott Sony, and tell your friends to do it too!

Trust me guys, you don't want a player that needs some "rights management" software installed to transfer anything. Whether you will just use Hi-MD recording (which can allow you to transfer) or not.

Edirol (www.edirol.com) makes what looks to be an excellent alternative to these minidisc recorders: The R-1. It is solid state, 24-bit, noiseless and looks pretty rugged. It is also made by a daughter company of Roland, so presumably these guys know a bit about sound. Been around for about a year.

It has both S/P-DIF and optical out, and USB, in addition to capturing on a compactflash card of up to 2 GB capactity. And an internal mic, although not everybody seems to be happy with its quality (you can plug in an external one with a jack though, like for an MD-recorder).
They seem to be sold out just about everywhere, but I am getting one of those instead. They sell for the same prize as Sony's flagship MZ-M100, but without the bull.

Sony can go stick their copyright management up where they don't get tanned. I'm going to find some Sony-distributed music I don't even like, to rip and share just because of this. This all has to do with Sony trying to kill file sharing; professional pirating has nothing to do with it. If you're a pro, selling pirated copies, you can afford ways around this easily. Even if you were stupid enough to buy your audio in minidisc format in the first place.

Die Sony, die....
 

New member
Username: Tbasker

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-05
hi all yaa sony sucks, well som say that its posible to trensfer ,md to hd, with a optical vire i have a kenwood DMF-9020 jubii!! what du i need? "some software" or what, i got a soundcard whit optical in, and the vire. i'm danish so sorry for my english.
 

New member
Username: Pstar44

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-06
I have recently got an i-pod and prev had been using MD's and have tried to transfer my MD tunes onto the PC via optical cable from a Sony MD player to a recently bought Apollo soundcard with optical in but. I am struggling to even record the MD music to the PC let alone convert this to be able to be used on my iPod. Has anyone got any advice as i am pretty new to this whole thing? You can reply to my email address Pstar44@hotmail.com

cheers
Peter
 

Avasa
Unregistered guest
To transfer from MD Net connect a 1.5mm plug into the headphone socket of the MD and the other end into the Mic socket of the PC, it has to be loaded in real time. Any MD should be able to do it this way.
The best recording software that I have found for this is POLDERBITS,( which can then convert to mp3 etc) although there are probably many others. The only hassle is that it is in real time. I do lectures and the result goes onto CD and the quality is very good. I use a MD-N710.
If anyone can tell me how fast a 5 hour mic recorded talk will upload via usb with a Hi-MD i would appreciate it.
Hope it helps you guys out Avasa
 

Unregistered guest
HiMD is so close, but so far.
Seems like everyone is pretty frustrated in trying to get through to Sony on the HiMD to PC issue. And why is there no free standing home unit that would function intuitively like a standard MD unit.
PERHAPS Minidisco, who has a lot to lose, and probably some clout with Sony could go to bat for us? Has anyone tried flooding them with phone calls, emails,etc... Are they even aware of this board?
Any good rabble rousers out there? I'd be glad to do my share.
 

gonz
Unregistered guest
Well the Sony sounds like it sucks dog's b*lls. Anyone have any good experience transfering from the Aiwa AM-F70 to PC? I've got a sh*t soundcard, but at least the Aiwa has digital output.
 

incredulous
Unregistered guest
Simply unbelievable. Sony hands over the personal music player market to apple ON A SILVER PLATTER.
 

incredulous
Unregistered guest
Simply unbelievable. Sony hands over the personal music player market to apple ON A SILVER PLATTER. Returning my just-purchased MZ-RH10 for most likely a Roland R-09. Any other good 24-bit uncompressed SD-card recorders out their? I will NEVER buy anything music-related from sony again...except I need a digital out to backup my MD recordings...what's the bottom line as to what to buy???
 

New member
Username: Ironleaves

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-06
Hello,
it seems SONY has done some thorough thinking and came up with this brandnew thing:
Sony MZ-RH1 Hi-MD
Recording AND transfer possible to PC of standard, long play and hi-md files, including therefore our beloved old md discs !!!!

I'm not sure about the prize though!?
God luck for all of us free md recording artists!
 

New member
Username: Ironleaves

Post Number: 2
Registered: May-06
ATTENTION, the MZ RH1 is not to be confused with former models sold before may 2006 in Europe:

"With the latest introduction of Hi-MD MZ-RH1 in Japan at Mar 2006, Sony officially enables full upload function of any music recorded in a HiMD or traditional MD disc.

It's marketed as both portable player and pocket-sized recording studio. The MZ-RH1 can play files downloaded in Linear PCM, ATRAC (ATRAC, ATRAC3) or MP3 format, or which have been recorded onto the device from a live music session.

Furthermore, it is now also possible to record at 352Kbit/s ATRAC3plus through line in.

It's Mac-friendly, backwards compatable to the old MD format has a battery life of 19 hours and each Hi-MD holds 1GB - that's up to 45 hours of music.

Also the USB date transfer speed has improved significantly!

Plus they re-worked their Sonic-Rage software, which now finally turned user-friendly (v 3.4)

The question concerning the price is, whether SONY considers it as a portable MD audio player (< 300€), or rather as a professional recording device (< 500€)?

Fact is, this is so far the only option of transfering ANY MD audio recording data onto a PC/Mac, so it'll be difficult to argue with!

So I consider myself very lucky when I was hesitating so many times to buy a NetMD (which is likely to make history as the CrapMD series)

For in depth details read here:
http://www.mdcenter.nl/artikelen/mzrh1/index_en.php

All the best.
Namasté
 

New member
Username: Ironleaves

Post Number: 3
Registered: May-06
Last Update:
the MZ RH1 is available in Belgium for 349€, but they already ran out of stock !
In Germany it'll be in the shops by June for the same price, despite the fact that they have 4% less VAT than Belgium (21%).
My advise, don't loose your time calling Sony Customer Service (like I did), rather call your local dealer straight away.

Peas & Laugh
Namasté

PS: And it has a metal case! Yes!
 

New member
Username: Lamby

Dundee, Scotland U.K.

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-06
Hi all,Like a lot of people im looking to get minidisc to my pc!! I have a Pioneer MJ-D707 home player with optical out,Iv just bought a New? XITEL MD2-PORT,on ebay.my question for anyone who can please help is,i have MUSICMATCH JUKEBOX 10 software when i hook it up the softwra see's the MD2-PORT as an output to minidisc but like most on this forum im looking to input to my PC? PS. on looking around the MD2 i bought has no minijack input on the unit?Have i bought a "Donkey"??? Any help Please!!!
 

New member
Username: Skexxie

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-06
know what you all need? An mp3 player that can digitally encode data. That way you hook up your creative muvo make it encode, sync it with your net md and then just copy every single file off the minidiscs to your muvo and then you can transfer those files to your pc. Cause creative is not big brother like Sony is!!
 

New member
Username: Anonynous

Post Number: 1
Registered: Oct-06
Just read the whole thread. Fantastic bit of history.

It began in 2001, before the war on terror, when we were innocent and optimistic, when we believed that this new century could be a time of change-for-the-better.

Five years later, and thanks to the cynicism of Sony, our simple dreams of a better and easier life have been shattered. Thank you Sony. Thanks for being part of the problem.

Sony: please die. Please, please, in the name of all that is free and good and right, please just leave us alone and die.
 

New member
Username: Rageprophet

Post Number: 1
Registered: Nov-06
Um... I thought there was an optimistic end to the thread? The introduction of the Sony MZ RH1, which FINALLY has the feature every one on this thread wants: fast digital USB transfers of old MD recordings.

I've been waiting over 5 years for this, with a stack of 200+ band recordings waiting to be transferred. Needless to say, I'm happy. So Sony can go and die, sure, but let's just be happy that they released this product before they go and off themselves.
 

New member
Username: Marty0055

Sydney, Nsw Australia

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-06
After 4 years saving everything on minidisk (1999-2003 on a Denon Deck) and 3.5 years since Ive used it last, this complete thread is a sad testament to the Mini disc.
So taken, I not only stored all my music to the MD, but the title, artist, Label, year, chart position, etc for each track in text.
I thought by now, you could connect the MD with digital out to the computer, and with the help of downloadable drivers and/or software, could transfer your songs and text to your computer and media player (who cares if it is wav, mp3,wma or any format - at least get it on your computer WITHOUT loss of quality!) WHY CAN'T THIS BE SIMPLE?
(as basicly no mention has been made of the retention of text in this thread - I really needed to raise it!)
Surely there's a programmer/mercenary/benevolent soul out there with a solution? Please? It would save many of us from almost unavoidable therapy.
 

New member
Username: Neilski

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-07
I have owned an IPOD now for nearly a year, which is small and easy to use. Now I want to transfer all my session DJ discs over which are 2+ hours long. I thought that since I bought the minidisc back in 1998 software might have moved on, but sadly no !!! What are you doing sony??? Minidisc will now become a museum spectical if you dont do something. I will happily go back to APPLE IPOD! Sony you suck !!
 

New member
Username: Ppmoore

Post Number: 1
Registered: Mar-07
Edirol has a new version of their MP3 recorder, the R-09, which is miniaturised version of their R-1. It could be a good Sony minidisc killer:
http://createdigitalmusic.com/?p=1130

This is probably the reason why Sony gives the impression that they are finally "listening" to their customers, and making MD->PC uploads available. When more of these solid-state recorders start appearing on the market, with more competititve prices, why buy MD, unless you already have a library of discs? For myself, after the fiasco with the NetMD, I will never touch their products again.
 

New member
Username: Room237

Bristol, Outside the USA United Kingdom

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-05
I have a way of transferring material from Net Md to PC without losing any sound quality, It might be a long winded exercise but it is one which works for me.
The problem with transferring material from net md to pc via the socket on the back of the pc the mic input is that there is going to be a loss of quality in sound.
Also that is providing you can access the back of the computer. Like mine it means pulling out the pc and probably disturbing other cables running to the back of it.
Now this is the way I do my conversion without losing any quality.
If you have a DVD recorder either harddrive or disc it is likely that it will also allow you to record onto CD.
I have a LiteOn LVW-5055GDL+ HDD+DVD Recorder. All I do is take the rca leads on the output of the mini disc player straight into the front of my DVD recorder L Audio R.
On the smaller Netmds you can get a lead which has the small mic plug at one end and the rca leads at the other.
This again is transferring material in real time but with no loss of sound quality.
All the material you burn to a CD-R is than after finalise transferred to PC as with most CD-Rs ripping the material from that disc.
I have three Net Md's portable, two stand alone one of which has USB connection.
The two Stand alone MDs are wired into a hifi mixer so if I want to mix two sources to the DVD recorder I can do this.
Other than that there is no real way except the jack on the back of the PC to transfer material but this is rubbish. Quality is below average.
 

New member
Username: Brihmair

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-10
Has anyone tried out this software? This MD thing is a real scam for sure. I read someware that they did a firmware upgrade...with the software.

Minidisc Transfer Editor
http://www.esdl.co.uk/2/mdte_uk.shtml
 

New member
Username: Pwarnock

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-10
Carlito Corway - you are an idiot!
"Now this is the way I do my conversion without losing any quality.
If you have a DVD recorder either harddrive or disc it is likely that it will also allow you to record onto CD.
I have a LiteOn LVW-5055GDL+ HDD+DVD Recorder. All I do is take the rca leads on the output of the mini disc player straight into the front of my DVD recorder L Audio R. "
exactly the same loss of quality as pc line in because you're using an analog connection!!!!!!!!!
I also would like to point out TO ALL OF YOU that the reason MD-PC digital transfer could not be done is due to the DCMS (digital copy management system) that has been on MD format since it was launched over 10 years ago which means the format prohibits a second digital copy being made from the disk, sort of anti-piracy protection, if anyone had read a MD unit manual they would know this. (I havent even seen mine in 10 years and I remember it)
 

New member
Username: Room237

Bristol, Outside the USA United Kingdom

Post Number: 3
Registered: Aug-05
https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/board-profile.pl?action=editpost&postid=1 886724&page=1/92
pwarnock Hey dopey who do you think you are calling me an idiot.. So anyway Plonker which desrves the name. Yes you do lose quality by connecting your lead to the input on the PC and the two are not the same. Connecting to DVD Recorder is better! I also forgot to mention that it also depends on what sound crad you have.. Be A Brave man and keep your insults to your self. My post is basically in protest at what you have said in case moderators think my language is to colourful.
 

New member
Username: Room237

Bristol, Outside the USA United Kingdom

Post Number: 4
Registered: Aug-05
But anyway has anybody yet found a way of getting around this problem? I have come back to this because although MD maybe old hat now ther is still a good use for these players. I am going to re look at this problem to see if there is anyway at all despite all i have tried before getting around it.
I would have thought there maybe someway of flashing the unit to switch this off. I know it is possible as in DVD Recorders the Macro or code read on the disc itself the chip basically is switched off. I have read about one piece of software which does claim it can get around this problem i cannot find a downlink for it. So how good this software is i have no clue?
I would rather be able to allow PC to remove the tracks from the MD rather than playing back everything in real time. Not interested in direct linking and my results from DVD Reccorder have been very good but it is time consuming.
 

New member
Username: Room237

Bristol, Outside the USA United Kingdom

Post Number: 5
Registered: Aug-05
Its ok now not been around here for ages and it seems now there is a system which will allow you to transfer the data from any MD to PC. So finally without buying any further equipment or using that crap direct line input i am able to transfer all my music from MD to PC.. Oh at last and trouble free!!
 

New member
Username: Dellanderson

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-10
>>>it seems now there is a system which will allow you to transfer the data from any MD to PC. So finally without buying any further equipment or using that crap direct line input i am able to transfer all my music from MD to PC.. Oh at last and trouble free!!<<<

And are you willing to share this plan for free digitally transferring or is there a catch?
 

New member
Username: Room237

Bristol, Outside the USA United Kingdom

Post Number: 6
Registered: Aug-05
Sorry guys for my delay in replying. No i got it wrong but still at least i have come on here and told you so! I do apologise if i frustrated anyone wishing to know what it was. Well because i had not been around the MD for so long and then looking to see if any software had yet been relased to allow MD to PC transfers. I found this sonic stage but did not know that it would not allow transfers still on the old system. So this was it and this was what i thought would do the trick well it did'nt . I think this is an absolute con expecting you to go out and spend maybe upto $300 on another player.. No chance i am sure there must be something like a chip that will turn what ever is stopping PC to PC transfer. Why as yet has no device been adapted is it Sony preventing this. If i do find something and it does work before i post up here again i will let you guys know. But if any of you guys find something before i do and not a new player, please get on here and let the rest of us community here also know K!
 

New member
Username: Kharstin

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-11
Seems that real time transfer of the audio is the only way. Many years ago I purchased a component MD player with optical digital audio out. I purchased a USB device that accepts the optical digital audio. I use an audio recorder program called Goldwave on my computer. Press record on the computer and play on the MD player. Not great but at least it is loss-less and noise-less. Wish I could just do this directly as a file transfer.
 

New member
Username: Me_beginner

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-10
I have a collection of vinyl that I painstakingly transferred to MDs long ago. I should have done my homework first.

So I know I can burn them to an external CD burner for example.
The thing is, it will take forever to do it song by song in real time.
Is that the only way?
And will it at least recognise the start and end of each track?
Or do I have to listen to everything and cue the start and hit the correct end?
 

New member
Username: Timothyd456

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-15
I can't let this awesome thread die! I find it comical and want to hear more stories!

A lot of people spent years griping about real time MD to PC transfers, looking for (obviously, a USB) a better way, but in that time span, they could have done the real time transfers of hundreds of discs!

I bought an MZ-R1 the first year it arrived in the USA (1993?). I invested heavily into the format, buying a CD player with optical out, bought a couple of nice microphones, all those optical cables... I was a DJ at a college radio station. Recorded bands, friends playing guitar, dumb show promos, psa's... just goofing off recording every moment in life!

I ended up back before the year 2000, buying a Sony JE510 and hooking optical into a sound card and doing all my real time wav transfers on a Pentium 3 PC.

I digitally transfered over 60 discs way back in the day and ten, 15 years later there are people unable to figure this out. I wish I found this thread 10 years ago and could have saved so many people the trouble.

Here is the deal with copying:

SCMS is a one bit flag in the bitstream of your recording. It has nothing to do with USB. You may digitally copy from one digital source to another, only once, via spdif (optical or coaxial). Once you copy md to pc via digital, the flag is not in the .wav file anyway, so you can freely copy your .wav

The SCMS copybit flag only prevented a CD (or other digital original track) to be copied from destination copy to another... To prevent multiple generation digital copies. The flag is not in a .wav recording on a PC as I stated above, it only exists in the spdif domain (coaxial or optical domain from DAT or MD or CD hardware)

NetMD was designed from day one, to only allow convenient copying of material from CD or mp3 to MD only one way. Most people who did 5 minutes of research back in the day knew this. The name implied uploading of personal MD recordings, but if you read any marketing material, you would have understood immediately. Net MD wasn't a bad thing, it was a nice way to copy a lot of music (especially lp2 was nice) to a disc and enjoy it, that's all. Yes, the software was total crap!

HiMD was Sony's last breath. It does allow unrestricted copying of mic or line (correct me if optical too) inputs to the pc into wav format. You have to use a himd disc or format an older MD to himd format first, then record, then upload. You should use Sonic Stage 4.3 as it eliminated several drm restrictions. Any himd unit will do USB transfer of content recorded mic or line on himd formatted disc.

Way too little, too late, forum readers! Typical Sony.

Lastly, the RH-1 can upload via USB, ANY MD ,no matter what atrac version, bitrate, sp\lp mode, etc. The only limitation with RH-1 is it will NOT transfer NetMD tracks (the ones copied from your PC, which presumably, you should still have).

If you are stuck with NetMD tracks somehow that were recorded on your own (you used a voice recorder, copied to.wav on PC, then ripped to MD for instance) you must use analog copy or perhaps a home MD deck with mdlp and optical out will work.

This was a great format, hindered by typical Sony fears and guarding their own record label (also, pleas from other record labels and artists).

Those of us who studied MD format from a long time ago, all understood that real time spdif copying was the only way, and until the RH-1... It remained true, and unfortunately so.

I love MD. With all the new and easier technology available, I still have a stack of old discs and listen to these precious recordings now and then. I even have several NetMD compilations that I enjoy. There is something about the magneto optical, mechanical stuff that adds to the experience, like listening to an old, dusty, LP record on a turntable. Ahh, romance!

Good luck to all MD recorders and listeners in 2015. I am sorry to report the 1gb discs are so rare now, they are hard to afford on eBay.

I am buying my first himd portable soon, I don't know why, but I imagine explaining this technology to someone some day!

Cheers
 

New member
Username: Me_beginner

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-10
timmyD or anyone:

In laymen's terms then.
I have a stack of old MDs which I copied old reggae vinyl onto.
Is there a way to copy theses MDs to PC so it automatically recognizes each separate track?
Otherwise, it's going to take forever and it's not worth it. Thanks in advance
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