MiniDisc users?

Discussion in 'Movies, TV and Music' started by Coach_McGuirk, Nov 17, 2004.

  1. Coach_McGuirk

    Coach_McGuirk New Member

    Apr 30, 2002
    Between the Pipes
    Does anyone else in here use minidiscs as their digital format of choice, or am I the only man in the world who has hitched his wagon to another black hole format provided by Sony? (I still have a betamax machine in my closet.)

    If so, do you have a MD deck as a component to your stereo, just a portable, or a bookshelf system? I've actually got 2 bookshelf systems, but I'm thinking of unloading one and getting an MD deck to add to my "Big" stereo.
     
  2. Mad_Bishop

    Mad_Bishop Member

    Oct 11, 2000
    Columbia, MO
    I had a portable that I really really regret selling. I'm thinking about buying a new one, esp. since they have the NetMD feature and a better ATRAC now (although did I read that the new MD players were going to incorporate MP3 instead of ATRAC?). I want a mp3 player, but an iPod just isn't versitle enough for my needs. I don't listen to music outside of my car or work too much, so unless it can record live input (read: bootleg concerts) or I can use it in my film production it's pretty much useless to me. A portable MD player would pretty much do exactly that for me.
     
  3. Coach_McGuirk

    Coach_McGuirk New Member

    Apr 30, 2002
    Between the Pipes
    Recording live is something I, unfortunately, don't have, since my portable (a Sony MZ-NE410) has no input jacks. I was thinking about upgrading my portable regardless of what I do as far as a deck is concerned.

    MP3's are still a bit of a pain, especially since the Sony Sonic Stage software is a pain. You have to convert the MP3 file to ATRAC, but the latest ATRAC versions do a good job on compression. No real loss to speak of. One problem I do have is that both my bookshelf units are older (no one has imported a bookshely system to the US for awhile) and they don't recognize the newer ATRAC versions, so I have started making almost all my discs with the one bookshelf system I still have hooked up right now. Going to an MD/CD deck will allow me to use discs I created with Sonic Stage in something other than my portable.

    Minidisc.org has a great equipment browser to sort through all the features on the newer units. One thing I have heard, though, is that it's a bit hard to find the the compatible media for the new "Hi-MD" units that can handle about 1 gig. of data on one disk. They can use the old discs, so Sony didn't screw up completely.

    I think the one thing I couldn't live without, if I ever switched to an I-Pod or the like, is how simple the editing is on MD. I have XM Radio, and when I leave the house I put on one of the jazz stations and just hit record. When I get back, it's "bye-bye" to all the songs I don't want and then I can adjust the playlist and whatnot. Hands down the ease of editing is it's strongest point.
     
  4. metroflip73

    metroflip73 Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    NYC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I still have my MiniDisc. It's collecting dust. Purchased it in 98 off of eBay, it was solid for many months, I just got tired of using it. I'm sure it still works.
     
  5. Real Ray

    Real Ray Member

    May 1, 2000
    Cincinnati, OH
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I actually have two. I still use the older Aiwa. It has an analog as well as digital input to record. My dvd player has a digital-out, so a lot of my concert dvds I have in minidisc format to take with me when I travel. The other one-a new Sony-I don't really use, even though it plays more formats.

    If you're a musician the minidisc is still a pretty good tool IMO. I've used it to take basic guitar or vocal parts, uploaded them to my PC, and with studio software, flesh 'em out into songs. I like its size and simplicity, so yeah, it stays in my tool box.
     
  6. Coach_McGuirk

    Coach_McGuirk New Member

    Apr 30, 2002
    Between the Pipes
    What model is it, metroflip? I've been telling my brother he should give MD a try, and I'd be glad to take it off your hands for a reasonable price. I've got the Sony portable, a Sharp MD-M3 and a Sharp MD-X5 (it's a long story on how I ended up with 2 bookshelf systems, but it involves ebay, simplycheap.com, and my bad memory).

    Seriously, though, if you'd be willing to part with it let me know.


    It seems to me that most MD users are like you: musicians (or others who do field recording) who can really use all the features and editing capabilities to the fullest. And then there's guys like me who just enjoy bucking the trends. Now, though, I really love all that I can do with it. I just hope enough people out there don't give up on it so I can continue to enjoy it without having to fly to Japan just to buy blank discs (although I do order blanks from a company that imports them from Japan). I really like the TDK "Bit Club" discs, but I wish I could find a case of the "Flame" Bit Club discs.

    Do you just have the portables, or do you have a deck?

    On (another) weird format note, I almost bid on a DAT recorder on ebay yesterday, but I couldn't figure out any reason whatsoever for me to have any use for itother than to say "Hey, I've got a DAT deck".
     
  7. Real Ray

    Real Ray Member

    May 1, 2000
    Cincinnati, OH
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just the portables.
     
  8. Ronaldo T Willemski

    Ronaldo T Willemski New Member

    Nov 2, 2004
    Brizroy
    Everywhere that Ronnie goes the MD is sure to follow.

    $300.00 well spent.

    Would love an IPOD though.
     
  9. metroflip73

    metroflip73 Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    NYC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll check the model, but no, I don't think I'l be parting with it anytime soon, cuz I have several dozen mini-discs with music on it, and I wouldn't be able to listen without my MD player!

    I like the fact that an MD player kept playing if you shook it. But if it's in your pant pocket then it shorts out often when it would bump into your keys or when you walked down the street New York City Rat Race-style. My buddy used to borrow it for the reason Real Ray did, he was a guitarist. I'll check the model later, but I have to remove the caked-on dust.

    I'll challah back in a bit.
     
  10. Coach_McGuirk

    Coach_McGuirk New Member

    Apr 30, 2002
    Between the Pipes
    No sweat. I thought by "collecting dust" you meant "not being used".

    One thing I like is that I don't have to search through playlist after playlist to find what I want to listen to. My discs are clearly labeled, so all I have to do is browse through my MD case and pop in just what I want. I gurantee you it would take longer than that to scroll through list after list to find the cuts I want.
     
  11. metroflip73

    metroflip73 Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    NYC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Totally. MD's are cool that way, my discs were clearly labeled (on the disc itself and when it showed on the display).

    I'll challah back.
     
  12. Ronaldo T Willemski

    Ronaldo T Willemski New Member

    Nov 2, 2004
    Brizroy
    Ive got the TOOL catalogue on one disc.
    Radiohead on another
    A chill out disc
    A rev me up disc

    And so on and so forth
     
  13. scd84

    scd84 Member

    Jan 1, 2003
    Columbus
    I bought a MD player/recorder back in the day. I've had it about 4 years now. I loved everything about it, battery life, recordability and sound quality. Can anyone who maybe has an iPod or other hard drive based player let me know if it's worth sticking with the MD format (probably $50 to $150 cheaper and now up to 1GB per MD) or switch to the hard drive style like everyone else? I'm headed to Europe next semester and I gotta have my music with me. Since I'm not going to put it onto a thousand CDs (1 iPod or 20 MDs would be much better) I probalby need to pick up one of these two things. I am desperate to know. Thanks in advance for the help.
     
  14. Coach_McGuirk

    Coach_McGuirk New Member

    Apr 30, 2002
    Between the Pipes
    The only problem going with one of the new "Hi-MD" player/recorders is finding media, but if you're going to Europe you'll probably find a better seletion of disks. MD just never hit the heights here in the States, but it does well in Europe and even better in Japan.

    The place I order my blanks from imports them from Japan. It's funny: I can get 10 nice TDK "Fine" disks or Sony's "Bianca" for less than what I could buy a 10 pack of craptacular Memorex disks (which lead the planet in "UTOC" errors if you try and rush the "Delete All" when erasing a disk). Circuit City sells Maxell disks which are still higher in price than the TDK's and yet only marginally better than the Memorex ones.


    Anyway, if you need blanks, MD carrying cases, or any other MD related products, just go to MiniDisc Access. If you decide to place an order, type "FREE MD's" in the "Special Shipping Instructions" text box and they'll send you 2 free 74 min. disks with your order for no charge, and if you also type "Sampler" in the same text box they'll send you one of the many "sampler" CD's they get from record companies.

    And, do, I don't have anything to do with MiniDisc Access, I have just had great luck ordering from them...
     

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