Jack Swindell wrote:
> I had posted some musings about this on usenet a couple of weeks ago as
> well. Maybe there are enough of us thinking about this now to make
> something happen.
I agree, if not directly a practical thing, this might turn out to be a good
(and fun) brain exercise.
[schnipp, schnapp]
> 1) Is a single bit two tone stream best, or is a multiple simultaneous
> frequency stream best given the ATRAC scheme's operation and data rate?
Given that MiniDisc (ATRAC) produces a high-quality sound output, I suppose
multiple frequencies is a plausible option. The amount of data contained in
each frequency is then 2log(n) (where n is the number of distinct
frequencies used in the encoding scheme). By using stereo recording, the
amount of data is squared (n*n). That only leaves the (important) decision
of which baudrate to use (how long should each pulse last).
Like a modern modem, it would then become possible to achieve a bitrate
(data speed and content) that is a multiple of the used baudrate.
Heck, a modern modem achieves a bitrate of 56000bps. I daresay that when
this signal is recorded to MiniDisc, it can be played back and still will be
recognized by the modem. That roughly boils down to 75 * 60s * 5.5kB/s =
about 24MB of data using off-the-shelf modem techniques.
> 2) How do we label files, or do we just use the MiniDisc's TOC, and if
> so, do we try to interface the TOC data from the MiniDisc Audio recorder
> somehow to a PC? If we do, it makes it less standard and more custom as
> there are many different MiniDisc recorders...
Not to mention the fact that (through boneheaded copy-protection schemes,
which have held MiniDisc from becoming an accepted data storage medium in
the first place) most MiniDisc recorders don't allow access to the raw data
stored on the disk.
The file system would (alomst surely) have to be sequential, ie with
start-of-file and end-of-file markers embedded in the data stream. The
MiniDisc's track searching features could of course be a great help.
> 3) Can we come up with "sound card modem" software that will work with
> PCs and Macs? This would be nice to keep things more interchangeable.
> 4) How would we promote this as a standard? The chances of getting an
> audio MiniDisc recorder are a lot better and easier to accomplish than
> getting a MiniDisc Data drive in my opinion. Also, using audio MiniDisc
> recorders lets us use inexpensive audio MiniDisc media which is
> available everywhere.
True. However, through this scheme, the MiniDisc essentially becomes a
sequential storage medium, meaning it cannot compete with other (disk-based)
storage solutions. Competition exists more in the form of backup media such
as tape drives. The advantage of MiniDisc then mainly consists of the fact
that the disks are cheap, the players are small and versatile, since you can
still use them to record high-quality audio. (It'll be a sad day when I have
to lug around a tapestreamer to listen to some music on the go... ;)
,xtG
.tsooJ
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