Topic: is there a hack for uploading minidisc to PC via USB?

[elimarcus]

hello follks,
I'm a newbie to the forum, and I'm a newbie with the minidisc too.
I have years of analog taping and sound production experience and I'm also a computer professional by day, so I'm computer savvy.
Is there a hack or some other method to get my minidisc recordings onto the PC via USB or in some digital format?
At the moment I am simply using an analog cable to record WAV files on the PC from the minidisc using EAC ( Exact Audio Copy) on the PC.
I just recorded 4 hours of a Jazz show last night right off the SBD, so the thought of rerecording that into the PC is a bit of a pain....

[zhianosatch]

Yep, that's what you'll have to do. Re-record. No regular portable MD has digital output. Solly :-/

[elimarcus]

So, are you saying that some minidisc machines (decks?) have the capability to upload data to PC?
Maybe I can find a friendly studio that can do the transfers for me and then I can process the files on my PC?

[zhianosatch]

You have to stream the audio either way, as far as I know. Maybe there's professional equipment I don't know about that could extract the data from the MD.

[zhianosatch]

Some decks have S/PDIF output, which you'd use to transfer through a capable sound card.

[mde420]

You can transfer the data from MD to PC via USB.  You can use a Xitel MDPort-AN1 to convert from analog to USB, but if you record in digital it won't transfer from the deck as digital.  The only way is to use a standalone deck that has digi outputs or get a drive for the PC.

[zhianosatch]

Is there a MD drive? Wow.

[Sean Gallemore]

I know some of the newer high-end Sony portables have UBS ports, like the N10.  Otherwise I've always had to playback my MDs at real time either thru optical or line

[mde420]

Is there a MD drive? Wow.

Yeah, Sony released and MD drive with a number of their Viao computers.  Not exactly sure if they are any "newer" models, but you might be able to find one out there.  Sony is starting to push MD even more in the US.  Saw a couple of different MD commericals.  The technology does keep getting better & better each year for MD

[Sean Gallemore]

yeah, MDs are definitely coming along
You can get a Brand new sharp MT180 for $80 now and it is perfect for stealthing>
Too bad for the compression factor.

[Simp-Dawg]

some decks has usb hook up capabilities to be able to transfer the file digitally straight to your computer...the sony netmd models come to mind.
if you bought a home deck (as in the size of a stereo component) those should have digital outputs on them and if you had a digital soundcard in your pc you could keep the transfer digital.
i actually have a sony md deck that was purchased in japan, it has a portable md recorder that docks in a larger "station", which has optical outputs.  when i was doing md recording i used this in conjunction with my soundblaster live! 5.1 card with the add-on digi i/o module to do optical transfers to keep it digital.  i know soundblaster has a bad rep among tapers for it's resampling, but my recordings always sounded very good and for the money it worked for me.

[mde420]

yeah, MDs are definitely coming along
You can get a Brand new sharp MT180 for $80 now and it is perfect for stealthing>
Too bad for the compression factor.

The compression has always been an issue.  I believe Doug posted the specs awhile back on his board.  MD grabs about 80%, and that was around the earlier ATRAC's.  Going into LP2 mode does drop that number even further.  I'd be curious to see specs of MD vs DAT.  DAT will still be on top, but I'd bet that MD in LP1 grabs a more than 80%.

[Stumptown Matt]

The first sony portable MD units had an optical out.  I have seen these units on ebay occasionally, but the older ATRAC scemes are very poor sounding.  I wasn't until version 3 of ATRAC that MDs started sounding good.  Not all MD home decks have optical (or other digital) outputs but the more high end models do.  Sony also has a new stand alone unit that is designed to work with a computer.  Here is a link http://www.minidisco.com/mds-nt1.html
but it seems the USB only works one way.  I guess you can make a digital copy of material you download but you can not upload to your computer.  I imagine Sony did this to prevent overriding the copyright protection (SCMS) since PCs don't read SCMS.  You best bet is a sound card and a stand alone with a digital output.

[zhianosatch]

yeah, MDs are definitely coming along
You can get a Brand new sharp MT180 for $80 now and it is perfect for stealthing>
Too bad for the compression factor.

The compression has always been an issue.  I believe Doug posted the specs awhile back on his board.  MD grabs about 80%, and that was around the earlier ATRAC's.  

Nope, ATRAC throws away approximately 83% of the "data" it could be writing instead.

I'd be curious to see specs of MD vs DAT.  DAT will still be on top

Only because of the non-compression and longer rec times. In I think almost every other category, MD wins. Doug posted these stats a while ago; they're in the archives.

but I'd bet that MD in LP1 grabs a more than 80%.

No such thing as "LP1" . And no, all versions of ATRAC toss 5/6 of the data.
My MZ-R700 is my friend. Never failed me ONCE! I do hear the goddamn compression, though.
Also, I need to talk to my buddy Brad about his HEBs, because my 4061 > MPS-6010 > AD-20 > MZ-R700 sounds a bit better than his HEB (4061) > Zefiro Inbox > D8. I think he might need to clean 'em or something.

[InfiniteOhms]

After MUCH searching (this was before i got my JB3) i found there was only ever ONE drive that could extract audio from minidiscs ... i forgot the brand but it costs around $5,000 ! if you have a friend who works at a local radio station you might want to check if they have one (a friend of mine works for a community radio station and was able to transfer a bunch of MDs to WAV data cds)