some minidisc questions
05-01-2004, 01:50 AM
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MDs don't record in MP3 format.
They use ATRAC3 IIRC... but there is a crapload of software that will convert MP3 into ATRAC3 or you can just get an optical/regular cable & connect your home CD player to your non car MD recorder & just do it the long way.
They use ATRAC3 IIRC... but there is a crapload of software that will convert MP3 into ATRAC3 or you can just get an optical/regular cable & connect your home CD player to your non car MD recorder & just do it the long way.
05-01-2004, 08:15 AM
#6
No, they use their own compression method.
Even the Sony NetMD stuff will require you to convert all your songs over into their format - the packaging is misleading claiming that it will play your mp3s. You have to use either sony's horrible software or realmedia's player to convert your existing songs and save them.
Now.... the ATRAC3 format isn't a bad format, in fact it's pretty good, the problem is, if you're going from MP3 to ATRAC3, you're compressing a compressed file. Lossy -> Lossy isn't good and you loose sound quality each time you do it.
Even the Sony NetMD stuff will require you to convert all your songs over into their format - the packaging is misleading claiming that it will play your mp3s. You have to use either sony's horrible software or realmedia's player to convert your existing songs and save them.
Now.... the ATRAC3 format isn't a bad format, in fact it's pretty good, the problem is, if you're going from MP3 to ATRAC3, you're compressing a compressed file. Lossy -> Lossy isn't good and you loose sound quality each time you do it.
05-01-2004, 12:00 PM
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standard MP3 quality = 128 kps.
ATRAC3 quality = 132 kps.
effectively a wash, but you can get the higher quality MP3 & lose the quality but unless you're an audiophile, you probably won't be able to tell.
ATRAC3 quality = 132 kps.
effectively a wash, but you can get the higher quality MP3 & lose the quality but unless you're an audiophile, you probably won't be able to tell.
05-01-2004, 12:04 PM
#8
There is more to it than just file sizes, sjt....
ATRAC3 is somewhat similar to ogg, in that the smaller sized files (higher compression) can sound fairly decent without as many artifacts as mp3.
ATRAC3 is somewhat similar to ogg, in that the smaller sized files (higher compression) can sound fairly decent without as many artifacts as mp3.
05-03-2004, 11:42 PM
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I bought into a minidisc player/recorder a number of years ago, when they looked to maybe have some play in the US market (it never really materialized). This was prior to the MP3 craze.
Sony was really trying to push the minidisc as a data storage unit as well, but made the mistake in the fact that data minidiscs were "different" from audio ones in that they needed to be made with different tolerances. The confusion, and the fact that CD-RWs were coming onto the scene, pretty much killed any hope for minidisc data storage.
However, Sony basically uses that for their MP3 minidisc stuff; I'm not 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure that they're basically recording the MP3s in "data format" onto the minidisc. However, as a result, I'm also fairly certain that this format is pretty much incompatible with any other minidisc player out there. Unless the minidisc player says it plays MP3s (I note the minidisc option on the RX-8 does not), I would seriously doubt it would work.
I have to admit, though, I was pretty surprised to find they offered a factory-option minidisc player. Benefit of buying from a Japanese company, I guess, where minidiscs were basically taking over the recordable media market in the late 90's (and the Japanese love small gadgety things
)
...Paul
Sony was really trying to push the minidisc as a data storage unit as well, but made the mistake in the fact that data minidiscs were "different" from audio ones in that they needed to be made with different tolerances. The confusion, and the fact that CD-RWs were coming onto the scene, pretty much killed any hope for minidisc data storage.
However, Sony basically uses that for their MP3 minidisc stuff; I'm not 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure that they're basically recording the MP3s in "data format" onto the minidisc. However, as a result, I'm also fairly certain that this format is pretty much incompatible with any other minidisc player out there. Unless the minidisc player says it plays MP3s (I note the minidisc option on the RX-8 does not), I would seriously doubt it would work.
I have to admit, though, I was pretty surprised to find they offered a factory-option minidisc player. Benefit of buying from a Japanese company, I guess, where minidiscs were basically taking over the recordable media market in the late 90's (and the Japanese love small gadgety things
)...Paul
05-04-2004, 01:35 AM
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Originally posted by CryoMax
I bought into a minidisc player/recorder a number of years ago, when they looked to maybe have some play in the US market (it never really materialized). This was prior to the MP3 craze.
Sony was really trying to push the minidisc as a data storage unit as well, but made the mistake in the fact that data minidiscs were "different" from audio ones in that they needed to be made with different tolerances. The confusion, and the fact that CD-RWs were coming onto the scene, pretty much killed any hope for minidisc data storage.
However, Sony basically uses that for their MP3 minidisc stuff; I'm not 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure that they're basically recording the MP3s in "data format" onto the minidisc. However, as a result, I'm also fairly certain that this format is pretty much incompatible with any other minidisc player out there. Unless the minidisc player says it plays MP3s (I note the minidisc option on the RX-8 does not), I would seriously doubt it would work.
I have to admit, though, I was pretty surprised to find they offered a factory-option minidisc player. Benefit of buying from a Japanese company, I guess, where minidiscs were basically taking over the recordable media market in the late 90's (and the Japanese love small gadgety things )
...Paul
I bought into a minidisc player/recorder a number of years ago, when they looked to maybe have some play in the US market (it never really materialized). This was prior to the MP3 craze.
Sony was really trying to push the minidisc as a data storage unit as well, but made the mistake in the fact that data minidiscs were "different" from audio ones in that they needed to be made with different tolerances. The confusion, and the fact that CD-RWs were coming onto the scene, pretty much killed any hope for minidisc data storage.
However, Sony basically uses that for their MP3 minidisc stuff; I'm not 100% certain, but I'm fairly sure that they're basically recording the MP3s in "data format" onto the minidisc. However, as a result, I'm also fairly certain that this format is pretty much incompatible with any other minidisc player out there. Unless the minidisc player says it plays MP3s (I note the minidisc option on the RX-8 does not), I would seriously doubt it would work.
I have to admit, though, I was pretty surprised to find they offered a factory-option minidisc player. Benefit of buying from a Japanese company, I guess, where minidiscs were basically taking over the recordable media market in the late 90's (and the Japanese love small gadgety things
)...Paul
Not here though... I bought one of the first MDLP compatible MD head units here in the states back Dec. of 2000(waited almost 6 months to actually receive it), it wasn't awesome in terms of power but it could play MDLP so I really didn't care about anything else but I just WISH MDs were more common so we could get some of that cool stuff!!!
I still have my old one in the garage, too attached to actually sell it... I can't wait for the factory one to arrive( just ordered from Trussville today!!!) so I can return to the days of old... I hate CDs, so annoying & unwieldy...
05-04-2004, 01:30 PM
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well others besides sony play mp3s (or at least convert them) so could if i had another brand and put 'mp3s' on them would they play in the 8? basically, i want to have an mp3 player (something i can put tons of music on) but dont want to give up my 6-disc.
05-04-2004, 06:36 PM
#14
He's as bad as Can
I have the Mazda MD Player and yes it does play MiniDisc's recorded in LP2 & LP4. I also have a Sony CD/MD deck the MXD-D40. It has digital in which I connect to my Dish Network receiver which has a digital out and record 320 minutes of the power rock feed
05-05-2004, 12:21 AM
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Sony is coming out with a new format of MD called "HiMD." or is it High MD. regardless check it out:-D
It doubles as a hard drive, and you can buy MD discs with 1gig of space. Or you can reformat your old MD's to 300mb discs. It uses some new type of burning style or something. For more info you can find it at
http://minidisc.org
I think.
It doubles as a hard drive, and you can buy MD discs with 1gig of space. Or you can reformat your old MD's to 300mb discs. It uses some new type of burning style or something. For more info you can find it at
http://minidisc.org
I think.
05-05-2004, 12:22 AM
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Here we go
from
http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4270
http://www.minidisc.org/
SONY INTRODUCES HI-MD WALKMAN DIGITAL MUSIC PLAYERS
Hi-Capacity, Hi-Battery Life and Hi-Quality Combine to Create Ideal Digital Music Solution
LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #N109), Jan. 7, 2004 -Taking the MiniDisc™ a big step forward, Sony today announced its new Hi-MD™ Walkman® digital music players.
With Hi-MD technology, users can record up to 45 hours of music at up to 100 times transfer speed on one disc, while still enjoying the extensive battery life, compact design and robustness for which MD players are recognized. Removable, re-recordable Hi-MD media provides music lovers with unlimited storage capacity to build an infinite library of their favorite songs.
"Net MD Walkman recorders have been the top-selling digital music players for the past 18 months and with Hi-MD players, we're giving music lovers more choices," said Todd Schrader, vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics' portable audio products. "Nothing's been left out. We've created the best overall portable music solution that addresses digital music fans' needs for high capacity storage and long battery life in a small and extremely durable device."
Hi-MD Walkman recorders incorporate the ATRAC3plus™ codec. The ATRAC3plus format is a high-quality audio compression technology that Sony developed to effectively reduce the size of audio files while preserving more of the sound quality.
With ATRAC3plus compression, more audio files can be burned to Hi-MD media or for that matter, to a standard MiniDisc. Music can be compressed to 132, 105, 66, 64 or 48 kbps (kilobits per second), so you can store more music or record at higher fidelity. By compressing at 48 kbps, users can enjoy 45 hours of music on one Hi-MD disc or 13 hours of music on one standard, 80-minute MiniDisc.
Record, Manage and Play Back Your Music
Hi-MD recorders connect to the PC via a USB cable for high-speed music transfers. They are compatible with the new Connect™ online music service. They also come bundled with SonicStage® version 2.0 software and the Simple Burner application, which makes it easy to import, manage and transfer music collections. With SonicStage software, playlists or track information created in the jukebox are automatically transferred to the Hi-MD recorder. Additionally, SonicStage 2.0 jukebox supports many Internet audio formats, including MP3, WMA, WAV files.
Hi-MD recorders make it convenient to locate favorite tracks and customize listening options. The devices feature Sony's Jog Dial™ navigation system, offering a single-hand way to scroll through playlists and songs. Albums, artists and song titles can be viewed on the Hi-MD player's three-line liquid crystal (LCD) display. Hi-MD recorders also include flexible editing tools so you can change the order of tracks or delete unwanted songs right on the device and without having to re-visit the PC.
Advanced Features, Added Functionality
The new Hi-MD players are packed with extra features that add convenience and utility to the digital music experience. For example, with the new upload function musicians or note-taking students can use the mic-in feature on several of the models to make a self-recording on the device and transfer the content back to the PC. When connected to the PC, Hi-MD recorders act as an external drive enabling users to store and transfer such data files as presentations, digital images and spreadsheets on the discs. Since the USB will feed power to the unit when connected to a PC, there is no need to worry about draining battery life when transferring to the Hi-MD device.
And speaking of battery life, Hi-MD Walkman players let music fans make the most of all that capacity by providing more than 25 hours of continuous playback using just one "AA" battery (MZ-NH600D and MZ-NHF800).
The Hi-MD digital music players are backwards compatible, so they will play back and record music on standard MiniDisc media. All of the players come supplied with a Hi-MD disc and will be available in April.
Top of the Line MZ-NH1 Model
Graceful and chic best describes the MZ-NH1 model. With its full magnesium body and ultra-compact shape, this new recorder sets a new standard in digital music design. The recorder has all of the Hi-MD convenience features, including the mic-in function, and comes with a three-line backlit LCD remote. The elegant USB cradle makes for an easy PC connection and convenient charging of the supplied rechargeable battery. The MZ-NH1 model will be available for about $400.
Entry Level MZ-NH600D Model
For about $200, the MZ-NH600D model is an ideal solution for digital music fans looking for a high-capacity portable player that won't break the bank. With enough battery life to support hours and hours of music, and the rugged endurance to survive a marathon, this Hi-MD recorder is ready to go anywhere.
MZ-NHF800 Model
Stepping up in the line, the MZ-NHF800 model has an AM/FM/TV/Weather Band tuner remote, making favorite radio and TV programs and on-the-fly editing just a click away. This player also has a line-in and mic-in to enable easy recording from multiple sources and is expected to sell for about $250.
MZ-NH900 Model
The MZ-NH900 model has an LCD tuner remote that makes managing music on the fly a breeze. It is supplied with a charging stand and rechargeable battery. The MZ-NH900 Hi-MD recorder will be available for about $300.
Hi-MD Media
Like standard MiniDiscs, Hi-MD discs are small, durable and re-recordable up to a million times without degradation in audio quality. Each 1GB disc can hold up to 45 hours of music compressed at 48 kilobits per second (kbps). In addition, Hi-MD media can store PC files, including Microsoft® Word® documents, PowerPoint® presentations and JPEG images. Hi-MD discs are expected to cost about $7 each when they become available in April.
from
http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4270
http://www.minidisc.org/
SONY INTRODUCES HI-MD WALKMAN DIGITAL MUSIC PLAYERS
Hi-Capacity, Hi-Battery Life and Hi-Quality Combine to Create Ideal Digital Music Solution
LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #N109), Jan. 7, 2004 -Taking the MiniDisc™ a big step forward, Sony today announced its new Hi-MD™ Walkman® digital music players.
With Hi-MD technology, users can record up to 45 hours of music at up to 100 times transfer speed on one disc, while still enjoying the extensive battery life, compact design and robustness for which MD players are recognized. Removable, re-recordable Hi-MD media provides music lovers with unlimited storage capacity to build an infinite library of their favorite songs.
"Net MD Walkman recorders have been the top-selling digital music players for the past 18 months and with Hi-MD players, we're giving music lovers more choices," said Todd Schrader, vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics' portable audio products. "Nothing's been left out. We've created the best overall portable music solution that addresses digital music fans' needs for high capacity storage and long battery life in a small and extremely durable device."
Hi-MD Walkman recorders incorporate the ATRAC3plus™ codec. The ATRAC3plus format is a high-quality audio compression technology that Sony developed to effectively reduce the size of audio files while preserving more of the sound quality.
With ATRAC3plus compression, more audio files can be burned to Hi-MD media or for that matter, to a standard MiniDisc. Music can be compressed to 132, 105, 66, 64 or 48 kbps (kilobits per second), so you can store more music or record at higher fidelity. By compressing at 48 kbps, users can enjoy 45 hours of music on one Hi-MD disc or 13 hours of music on one standard, 80-minute MiniDisc.
Record, Manage and Play Back Your Music
Hi-MD recorders connect to the PC via a USB cable for high-speed music transfers. They are compatible with the new Connect™ online music service. They also come bundled with SonicStage® version 2.0 software and the Simple Burner application, which makes it easy to import, manage and transfer music collections. With SonicStage software, playlists or track information created in the jukebox are automatically transferred to the Hi-MD recorder. Additionally, SonicStage 2.0 jukebox supports many Internet audio formats, including MP3, WMA, WAV files.
Hi-MD recorders make it convenient to locate favorite tracks and customize listening options. The devices feature Sony's Jog Dial™ navigation system, offering a single-hand way to scroll through playlists and songs. Albums, artists and song titles can be viewed on the Hi-MD player's three-line liquid crystal (LCD) display. Hi-MD recorders also include flexible editing tools so you can change the order of tracks or delete unwanted songs right on the device and without having to re-visit the PC.
Advanced Features, Added Functionality
The new Hi-MD players are packed with extra features that add convenience and utility to the digital music experience. For example, with the new upload function musicians or note-taking students can use the mic-in feature on several of the models to make a self-recording on the device and transfer the content back to the PC. When connected to the PC, Hi-MD recorders act as an external drive enabling users to store and transfer such data files as presentations, digital images and spreadsheets on the discs. Since the USB will feed power to the unit when connected to a PC, there is no need to worry about draining battery life when transferring to the Hi-MD device.
And speaking of battery life, Hi-MD Walkman players let music fans make the most of all that capacity by providing more than 25 hours of continuous playback using just one "AA" battery (MZ-NH600D and MZ-NHF800).
The Hi-MD digital music players are backwards compatible, so they will play back and record music on standard MiniDisc media. All of the players come supplied with a Hi-MD disc and will be available in April.
Top of the Line MZ-NH1 Model
Graceful and chic best describes the MZ-NH1 model. With its full magnesium body and ultra-compact shape, this new recorder sets a new standard in digital music design. The recorder has all of the Hi-MD convenience features, including the mic-in function, and comes with a three-line backlit LCD remote. The elegant USB cradle makes for an easy PC connection and convenient charging of the supplied rechargeable battery. The MZ-NH1 model will be available for about $400.
Entry Level MZ-NH600D Model
For about $200, the MZ-NH600D model is an ideal solution for digital music fans looking for a high-capacity portable player that won't break the bank. With enough battery life to support hours and hours of music, and the rugged endurance to survive a marathon, this Hi-MD recorder is ready to go anywhere.
MZ-NHF800 Model
Stepping up in the line, the MZ-NHF800 model has an AM/FM/TV/Weather Band tuner remote, making favorite radio and TV programs and on-the-fly editing just a click away. This player also has a line-in and mic-in to enable easy recording from multiple sources and is expected to sell for about $250.
MZ-NH900 Model
The MZ-NH900 model has an LCD tuner remote that makes managing music on the fly a breeze. It is supplied with a charging stand and rechargeable battery. The MZ-NH900 Hi-MD recorder will be available for about $300.
Hi-MD Media
Like standard MiniDiscs, Hi-MD discs are small, durable and re-recordable up to a million times without degradation in audio quality. Each 1GB disc can hold up to 45 hours of music compressed at 48 kilobits per second (kbps). In addition, Hi-MD media can store PC files, including Microsoft® Word® documents, PowerPoint® presentations and JPEG images. Hi-MD discs are expected to cost about $7 each when they become available in April.
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