Sony Minidisc NetMD ?

[mcs328]

I heard the first commerical for Sony's new NetMD for the Minidisc and I've been reading up on it the past few weeks too. My question is how does the transfer of mp3 the minidisc work. There's bundled software and you need an optical cable I think, but I hear the major drawback is the software. There's this weird check-in/check-out system that only allows up to 3 transfers at a time. Anyone know more about this?

It looks to be pretty cheap too. Player/Recorder go up to $200 while the ones before had that PC coverter thing what started at $200 to $400.

[Speedfreak]

I had never even heard of this before I saw it here. Probably becuase I never cared for MD. So until now you couldn't transfer stuff to you MD off of the computer??? That's weird.

[aglio412]

Originally posted by mcs328
I heard the first commerical for Sony's new NetMD for the Minidisc and I've been reading up on it the past few weeks too. My question is how does the transfer of mp3 the minidisc work. There's bundled software and you need an optical cable I think, but I hear the major drawback is the software. There's this weird check-in/check-out system that only allows up to 3 transfers at a time. Anyone know more about this?

It looks to be pretty cheap too. Player/Recorder go up to $200 while the ones before had that PC coverter thing what started at $200 to $400.

http://www.sonystyle.com/electronics/prd.jsp?hierc=8627x8650x8647&catid=8647&pid=28901&type=p

[Speedfreak]

Figures the info would be on a Sony site. :P

[spigidygak]

You don't need a to get the netmd specifically to record mp3's off your computer. You can just use the output on your sound card to your minidisc deck or portable recorder. There is a cleaner way by using a usb adapter that does the sound processing outside of the box to prevent more emf distortion inside the box. But the point of the netmd is more integration through a cleaner program to make titling and such easier. The 3 time processing you are referring to is something with the optical use. You don't have to use it, you can use coaxial digital instead. I hope this answers what you are wondering. Also, just so you know, mdlp4 is REALY compressed and is comparable to 96kbps mp3. I would use at the most mdlp2. And considering discs are only $2 or so, conserving discs is not that big of a problem.

[mcs328]

Well you can record ir from the sound card to the MiniDisc but the problem with that is the speed is 1x. That's why I never bothered for it either.

The new NetMD method claims 32x speed. So I'm thinking it analagous to ripping mp3s from your computer and burning it to a CD-R and playing it in your portable cd-player. Now the ripping speed to MD is now 32x instead of 1x thru their NetMD software.

The benefits are smaller the a cd player, way cheaper than flash memory cards, long battery life and the price is right. The holdback is I read on I think www.minidisc.org is that it has this weirdo/uptight/piracy prevention scheme where you can only transfer 3 mp3's from your computer to the MD recorder/player. Like a library check-in/checkout thing. Or better yet like Netflix. When your done with the song you have to check it back in to your computer before you can transfer another mp3 song to the MD.

How wrong am I in thinking this?

[spigidygak]

As far as I know, I have never heard of such a thing. If there is any type of piracy avoiding scheme, its more like once you record it on an md you can't put it back or something. . . but I really haven't heard of any piracy protection on md's.

[Speedfreak]

Man, I am just stickin with MP3 players that are not MD. It is compatible with more stuff.

[hubb]

Originally posted by mcs328
My question is how does the transfer of mp3 the minidisc work. There's bundled software and you need an optical cable I think, but I hear the major drawback is the software. There's this weird check-in/check-out system that only allows up to 3 transfers at a time. Anyone know more about this?

Where did you hear about this check in/out system? I am also interested in buying the NetMD, and i think i will end up buying it soon. I called crutchfield and the guy there said that he doesn't know of any check in/out system, but he hasn't used the NetMD yet. He said that they have a 30 day guarentee, so i'll probably buy it anyhow and return it if it sucks. I'll keep you posted.

-hubb

[mcs328]

Originally posted by hubb


Where did you hear about this check in/out system? I am also interested in buying the NetMD, and i think i will end up buying it soon. I called crutchfield and the guy there said that he doesn't know of any check in/out system, but he hasn't used the NetMD yet. He said that they have a 30 day guarentee, so i'll probably buy it anyhow and return it if it sucks. I'll keep you posted.

-hubb

I don't think you'll find it on the sony site but if you do a search on the NetMD and Minidisc you can find it. I read an update on it and this library system works sorta like well...a library.

You have an mp3 song on your PC. You can only check out 3 copies of the mp3 song at a time to your MD(s). You can't transfer another copy unless you return one of the copies back to the PC. So you can't have the song more than three times on a disk or disks. It doesn't too restrictive but I'm wondering what happends if record over this 'checked-out' song. I can never check it back in b/c it's gone.

www.minidisc.org or minidisco.com has a review I think