Topic: MiniDisc question (no, really!)

[JLMoore3rd]

I have a Sony MZ-R30 and have found a Tascam MD-301mkII locally...

My question: Can I make field/live recordings with the Sony & then output the recording from the Tascam via SPDIF out to my computer? Does the MZ-R30 add any copy protection to the digital file?

TIA!
John Moore

[earmonger]

Does the MZ-R30 add any copy protection to the digital file?

I'm pretty sure it doesn't. But you'll get a pretty fast and definitive answer from the experts at the former minidisc.org

http://forums.sonyinsider.com/index.php?showforum=15

[boojum]

This may be kind of silly, but why would you want to copy to the Tascam?  Just pop in another disc and recdord some more and then xfer them to the computer when you go home.  Is that not a workable option?  It seems to me you are added needless risk and use of time to the chain of events.  Just a question.

The link above to the former minidisc would be the answer to the question itself.

I still have two MD: MZ-N1 and a MZ-RH1.  Both great machines.  But I rarely use them.  I just do not need a small machine anymore.

[John Willett]

If you copy MiniDisk to MiniDisk you will degrade the quality as you will do a new compression every time you copy - the second machine assumes the S-PDIF signal is uncompressed and will compress again, throwing away more data.

Record MD once and then transfer to CD for editing and CD burning.  Never copy to another MD.

[Ozpeter]

The OP is wanting to take the MD out of one machine and play it (into his PC) with the other.  He's not wanting to make an MD copy.

[Todd R]

Without knowing about the R30, I'd guess it would add copy protection to your master.  But I'd also guess that the computer and s/w you use to make the sound file from the spdif stream won't pay any attention to the SCMS status bit.  And the Tascam isn't trying to make a digital clone (which SCMS tries to prevent), it is just playing back the master recording with a digital output (functioning no different if the tascam were playing back the master and outputting digitally to an external DAC).

Bottom line, that should work fine would be my guess.

[JLMoore3rd]

Thanks for the info... I was thinking that the Sony is something that I could install in a field location & not worry if it wasn't there when I went back to pick it up.

[Ozpeter]

I was thinking that the Sony is something that I could install in a field location & not worry if it wasn't there when I went back to pick it up.

Now where exactly will you be leaving it?