« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2006, 01:45:51 AM »
What are you using to convert the ATRAC to FLAC?
Last weekend I tried a pice of hardware called Instant Music. You take the optical out from the MD feed it to the optical in of the device and record directly into the PC. The Instant Music device converts the ATRAC to wav! Very slick. However the software was very unstable and I recorded the same disc five times (that's 400 minutes plus) and only got it to save the files succesfully once. Strange because the software is Nero. Now recording 260 discs is enough time let alone have to do it over and over. So I ditched that idea and returned the device.
This device does *not* convert ATRAC to WAV. That is done inside the MD deck. All this does is capture the PCM (optical) stream and input to the computer. Any USB interface with an optical input will do this. Whether it is bit-accurate is another question.
I really like the other poster's suggestion of using the NJB3. It is bit accurate, easy to use, and doesn't involve a computer (and associated software). You only need a computer at the end to get the files off the NJB3, and we tapirs already know how to do this quickly and easily with the Firewire port.
Good luck. It is still a big job.
I bit the bullet and purchased the iRiver H120. I've decided I'll record the MDs from the optical out of my Sony JE-520 to the optical in of my TDK DA-5900. Upload from the digital audio CDRW to the PC and convert to FLAC. That I understand I can play on the H120 with the latest Rockbox. Of the 260 discs I have about 75 are masters which I'm not going to bother with for now as I have edited versions of those shows which I'll move to FLAC. At some point in the future I guess I'll FLAC the also but for now I've got my hands full.
Thanks to all who offered advise on this subject.
OK, it sounds like you've got it under control with the Iriver. Same as the NJB3 for this function.
Richard
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Mics: Sennheiser MKE2002 (dummy head), Studio Projects C4, AT825 (unmodded), AT822 franken mic (x2), AT853(hc,c,sc,o), Senn. MKE2, Senn MKE40, Shure MX183/5, CA Cards, homebrew Panasonic and Transsound capsules.
Pre/ADC: Presonus Firepod & Firebox, DMIC20(x2), UA5(poorly-modded, AD8620+AD8512opamps), VX440
Recorders: Edirol R4, R09, IBM X24 laptop, NJB3(x2), HiMD(x2), MD(1).
** This individual has moved to user "illconditioned" **