Re: MD: too much of a god thing: a drawback of MDLP
From: David W. Tamkin [EMAIL PROTECTED] It's nice to put loads of music and lots of tracks onto a single MD. But when it's a compilation and each track needs to be noted with song title and artist (in contrast to copying an album or several by one artist, where the performer need be named once in the disc title and not on every track), there isn't enough titling space! The 255 seven-character cells just don't cover it. Tonight I was titling a disc of fifty-five LP tracks (some LP2, some LP4) and made it to about the fortieth track before running out of title space, and that was without having yet titled the disc itself. I had to go back I suppose this is another problem of the MD standard not being designed with future enhancements in mind. The 2K UTOC probably seemed quite adequate for most peoples uses, enough for 20 tracks of about 80 characters. Given they have over 160megs to play with it would be easy to say the UTOC should have been 4K or 8K, maybe 64K even, but the only real solution would be a new MD formatting standard without the limitations of the existing one. I've really enjoyed the discussions about ATRAC vs MP3, and MD vs other media, but I can't help feeling something is fundamentally wrong when the new LP2/LP4 ATRAC has to be encoded onto MD such that nearly 10% of the available capacity is thrown away just to ensure the track's title is semi-readable in an older unit. I know too many formats are a bad thing, but as pre-recorded MD are almost always going to be SP, it should be reasonable to assume that anyone with an LP formatted MD would know that it is such and not stick it in any old MD unit, just like we do not normally play CD-ROMs or other non-audio CDs in a standard CD player. PrinceGaz. -- An it harm none, do what thou wilt - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sound Blaster Live Platinum
I assume you mean from the card to the portable (only the MZ-1 has a digital out). I'm not sure whether that card will output SCMS Penultimate or SCMS Final, but either way you will be able to make a copy from your PC to your portable MD. For transferring from an MD deck to PC, SCMS is irrelevant as the card will simply take the digital audio and convert it into raw audio data which will be saved on your HD and can be manipulated in whatever way you wish. At least I think thats what happens :o) PrinceGaz. From: Evan [EMAIL PROTECTED] Does anyone know if its possible to record from the digital out of a MD portable to the digital in on the Creative Sound Blaster Platinum card? Id there any SCMS? Thanks! Evan - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sound Blaster Live Platinum
a digital out). I'm not sure whether that card will output SCMS Penultimate or SCMS Final, but either way you will be able to make I meant SCMS Penultimate or SCMS Unlimited. Doh! :o) PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sound cards
From: Stuart Howlette [EMAIL PROTECTED] While not trying to rush to the defense of the Live (i dont have one anyway), this isn't a soundcard specific problem, it seems to do this with a LOT of soundcards. I have an SB Live and haven't had any problems whatsoever with the sound, except for distortion if you crank the level up too high (and that is hardly the card's fault). Then again I'm not using Win2k and for all that plug-and-pray has generally made installation of extra peripherals easier (less fiddly jumpers to set on the cards), I consider it good practice to ensure that as far as possible IRQ's are not shared, and if some must be, I set up the bios windoze such that they are unlikely to cause problems between the devices. PrinceGaz -- when all is said and done, there is usually a lot more said than done. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MZ-R50 potentially dying
AFAIK once whatever you are recording goes into the digital-domain, if something isn't functioning properly and the data is being lost to some extent, it could manifest itself at any part of the recording and in a distictly non-analogue way. I suppose its might just be on the verge of error-correcting the data but that somehow doesn't seem right to me. The things I would check first are the mic and phone contacts, and that it is getting sufficient power from whatever source it is running from. Either of those could lead to the effect I think you are describing. And also the microphone if its only been noticed in homebrew recordings. If I'm stating the obvious that you've already checked please ignore me ;o) PrinceGaz -- full-time computer nerd, who really needs to get a life :o) From: Tony Antoniou [EMAIL PROTECTED] I've noticed lately that in bass heavy recordings (or even when I'm just in the studio with the band and pounding away on the drums), my recordings are starting to get choppier and choppier by the session. I have a feeling that after about 100 recordings, the optical block is starting to show signs of wear. Can anyone confirm my suspicions? I don't feel too comfortable with the idea of shelling out the cash for a new optical block only to get the same results and if I had the right test gear, I would check it with a laser power meter, but that even outweighs the cost of a Sony ES MD component deck! Many thanks in advance. Adios, LarZ - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: length of a '74' MD
Actually it's 74m59s, but because each individually recorded track takes up space in two second clusters, the unused bits left over mean that only recording in one continuous session allows you to fill all of that space. Given that on average one second of space will be lost at the end of each session, that still allows for 59 sessions, probably more than most of us use (remeber session does not necessarily mean tracks, track boundaries if recorded in one session can occur mid-cluster without loss of space). Similarly 80min discs allow 80m59s recording and 60min discs if you can still find them allow 60m59. Longer play modes (mono, LP2, LP4) give a multiple of both the maximum recording time (eg. 149m58s) and the cluster size (eg. 4 secs). If you really need to get every last scrap of space out of a disc, if copying tracks from eg. several CDs, by leaving the record session in pause mode instead of stopping it whenever you change the source disc will avoid the loss of a second or so each time. Whenever the TOC is written to the MD, that will close the current cluster and lose any free space in it. PrinceGaz. From: Robert J. Lynn Jr. [EMAIL PROTECTED] They cant sell it as 75minute because its not - its 74 minutes 57 seconds - those 3 seconds count for a lot. From: Christoph Hertel [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello, I'm just playing around with my new MD recorder and those funny MDs themselves. I just noticed that I can record 74:57 minutes on a MD marked with '74'. I wonder why the people selling those MDs just don't say it's 75 min MD? Or does the length decrease with the number of track marks? Or have I just the wrong problems? - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Minidiscs
(I'm assuming that Mike is from the US because he used Hot mail). From: Neil [EMAIL PROTECTED] ??? I'm just curious why you said that? I've got a hotmail account (2 actually), and am in the UK. Can't say as I've come across any of the major web-based email providers that aren't international. I may well be flamed for saying this, but it's been coming some time... Hehe, that also occured to me. I have a hotmail account (which is rarely used, it may even have lapsed by now) and am from the UK. Having said that, given the number of posts on this list along the lines of MD is dying because [insert US electronics store] are no longer stocking them / are reducing their range or no one I know but me has MD that are posted here suggests rather a lot of US peeps should open their eyes to the fact that they are not actually the center of the universe :o) Oh, and I was rather amused and saddened when I read in Infobeat daily news this morning that the Labor (sic) Party had won our general election here in the UK. They mentioned the Labor Party several times in the report. I wasn't saddened by their winning however. subliminal If so many US peeps who actively participate in the global village that is the internet think like that, you have to be somewhat worried about what non-connected peeps think. /subliminal ___ ___ | || | | o |Gaz Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED]| o | | || | | o | _ _ | o | | | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | | | o | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | o | | | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | | | o | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | o | | | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | | | o || o | | || | | o | ICQ: 36892193 http://www.princegaz.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk | o | | || | | o | An ye harm none, do what ye will | o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Radio Station Just Got MD Equipment
From: Stuart Howlette [EMAIL PROTECTED] It doesn't have it over CD in every other area at all, in Europe it is still just a cool toy for most people, where CD's are the norm, the only place I know of it being bigger than CD is in Japan. And do you wanna know the reason MD's didn't take over CD's much? CD's had a 10 year head start I dont know which part of europe you are from but in the UK, minidisc has a general acceptance now amongst most people to the point that it is a mainstream recording format. Be it Dixons (a nationwide general electronics retailer), or more specialist hi-fi stores, you will find minidisc at least on a par with cassettes for shelf space. Even in music stores where two years ago they would have only CDs and cassettes, I see increasing numbers of pre-recorded MD's available to the point where it now about equals tapes. And the fact those same stores stock a variety of brands (yeah I know) of blank minidiscs says something for their demand. Many peeps I know had bought into minidisc before I met them, I wonder which part of europe this is where minidisc is just a cool toy. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Radio Station Just Got MD Equipment
Many peeps I know had bought into minidisc before I met them, I wonder which part of europe this is where minidisc is just a cool toy. PrinceGaz. I'd just like to add to what I said previously that roughly half the peeps I know own only a minidisc player, and have chosen the format for their portable music because there is finally a decent choice of pre-recs available now, and it is a lot more convenient for them than carrying around a CD player. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: DCC?
But it sounds good doesn't it. And on an oscilloscope, a 1v pk-to-pk square wave will indeed on average be using up more of the available space than the same pk-to-pk sine wave. Of course if we were to carry that analogy through to its logical conclusion, recording louder music ought to require a greater area of tape to record on also, which we all know it doesnt :o) But I bet I could convince 9 out of 10 peeps by the usual baffle them with bullsh!t approach :o) PrinceGaz. -- An ye harm none, do what ye will From: Stainless Steel Rat [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Francisco J. Huerta [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Sat, 02 Jun 2001 | So, how about explaining why he is wrong? I mean, it's very easy to say no, | nah, ni, but it is a bit more complex to say why. I know the reasons, but I | would definitely leave the explaining to an expert. Square waves taking more space. Just plain BS. The shape of a wave has no bearing whatsoever on how much space is required to store it. DDS-2 and DDS-3 (two of the DAT data standards) have nearly identically length tapes (120m vs. 125m), and have the same linear speed over the heads. DDS-3 has three times the storage capacity as DDS-2. Clearly, speed is not a contributing factor to data density. Doesn't require an expert to show that Jacob has a lot of completely bogus information. -- Rat [EMAIL PROTECTED]\ Do not use Happy Fun Ball on concrete. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Digital matching a wave (was: If MDs had come out before CDs)
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === From: Danny-K [EMAIL PROTECTED] With due respect (and perhaps I'm misinterpreting what you say), this statement is completely false. Digital achieves a wave perfectly, provided you sample the wave at twice the highest frequency you're trying to capture. Flaws can be introduced in the conversion (A/D and D/A) steps, but these are quantifiable (and appear simply as correlated noise), there's no missing, magic, element of wave-ness that a digital representation lacks. This is what I'm thinking. Think of a perfect sine wave on an old analog oscillator. Digital is in essence a series of ones and zeros. To duplicate that analog sine wave digitally, you are limited to those ones and zeros--up and over. The higher the sampling rate, the smaller those steps--kinda like how you would get jaggies on fonts a few years ago. Monitors have improved so things don't look all pixelesque, just as A/D converters have improved in their resolution. I am curious to learn exactly how sampling at twice the highest frequency changes things. I'm trying to visualize it, but I can't grasp it. Thats one that really got me at first but a quick search using Google has found a document which may be worth reading. Obviouslly there are quite a few technical bits but it does explain something I had real trouble understanding at first-- how you re-create waveforms based on a limited number of samples, and importantly, why oversampling in the D-A stage works. http://www.earlevel.com/Digital%20Audio/Oversampling.html Hope that helps! ___ ___ | || | | o |Gaz Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED]| o | | || | | o | _ _ | o | | | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | | | o | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | o | | | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | | | o | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | o | | | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | | | o || o | | || | | o | ICQ: 36892193 http://www.princegaz.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk | o | | || | | o | An ye harm none, do what ye will | o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word unsubscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: selector box question
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === Menu - Tools - Options - Send - Mail Sending Format set to Plain text. ___ ___ | || | | o |Gaz Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED]| o | | || | | o | _ _ | o | | | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | | | o | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | o | | | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | | | o | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | o | | | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | | | o || o | | || | | o | ICQ: 36892193 http://www.princegaz.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk | o | | || | | o | "An ye harm none, do what ye will" | o | |___||___| From: "Matt Wall" [EMAIL PROTECTED] all right this also has probably been discussed, but for those of us who use outhouse express (aka outlook express) what do we need to put our settings at so this group can actually see what we are posting? - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Off topic... Iomega Rebate
Hehe I saw that in the daily Infobeat news on monday... *** Iomega settles Zip drive lawsuit SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Iomega Corp. will give rebates to millions of customers as part of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit that claimed its Zip drives are defective. U.S. customers who bought a Zip drive from a store or authorized manufacturer between Jan. 1, 1995 and March 19, 2001 will be entitled to rebates worth up to $40 for various Iomega products. The settlement comes out of a lawsuit filed in Delaware in 1998, which claims the Roy-based company's mainstay product had a manufacturing flaw that often caused the drives and disks to fail. The suit also alleged that many of the drives made constant clicking noises - nicknamed "the click of death" - before failing. Plaintiffs' attorney Mike Dodge estimated 28 million Zip drive purchasers are part of the suit. Iomega will also donate $1 million in products and services to schools, pay attorneys fees for the lawsuit and provide free technical support for customers who experience the clicking. Makes me glad i didnt buy a zip drive and stuck to archiving to CD-R. An awful lot cheaper to do CD-R too these days :-) PrinceGaz. On Tue, 17 Apr 2001, Taky Cheung wrote: A while ago, we have debate here about how good iomega products are. I found this news from CNet news.com. Iomega is giving out rebates to millions of customers who purchased their zip drive between 1/1/95 to 3/19/2001. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Light years (was Re: comparing sony mzr55 w/sharp 702/722)
Blink for light years? Light Years?!? Grrr, I hate it when peeps say that as if it were a unit of time :-) PrinceGaz. (snip) things. The indicator can blink for light years while it manages to record, (snip) Leon - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: . MP3toMD--my way
Since I'm slowly gathering a sizeable collection of mp3's (given the speed and my patience of a 31.2k link), can anyone suggest to me an easy (and freeware) utility that will normalise individual mp3 tracks to near the peak-level, and better yet let you chop off unwanted silence and / or unwanted bits of stuff from the ends of mp3 files. The start end chopping is mainly to trim silent bits but sometimes bits of the following track or whatnot so a manual start and end selector in addition to an auto ailence trimmer would be ideal. Hopefully I'm not too off-topic asking this here:-) I'm not actually after a burning program, just a mp3 file tweaker to clean 'em up and make 'em roughly the same level so I don't have to adjust the recording level on my R3 for each track I copy. PrinceGaz -- "All your music are belong to us..." you can use programs other than nero, but they may not have the normalize function. you can normalize manually using sound forge or some such, but i think it's too much work. normalizing is not required, but it's a nice thing to have. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: chopping off headphone jack
I guess there are two questions which need to be answered... 1) Electrical- does the remote's circuitry use any of the headphone plug contacts, most likely, does it use the common ground contact in addition to those on the remote connector part. If so then youre scuppered, but the two parts of the plug may be electrically seperate, ie the remote may have its own ground contact. 2) Mechanical- is the remote contact strong enough to withstand normal use on the move without the 3.5mm plug to provide a sort of anchor. As the only remote I have used is the ancient R3 one (a simple resistor network without backlit displays and the like), I'm afraid I can't answer either question myself. Oh well, best of luck, someone is sure to come up with something here. PrinceGaz. From what I understand, the problem isn't that it doesn't function, it's that it doesn't work for his needs. If he plugs in the airhead after the remote, then there is a big object in the line between the headphones and the remote. He wants to "chop off" the headphone connector of the remote so he can plug the airhead into that, and his headphones into the airhead. Then he has the remote on a separate wire, easy to use. This way, he can tuck away the airhead along with the E900. I, however, have no solution for you. Dan - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: chopping off headphone jack
Strange indeed! Basically, the remote connector has two parts, the 3.5mm plug and the remote contacts. The only place the remote contacts can go is into the E900 directly and the plug takes up the 3.5mm socket on the E900. He does *not* want to plug the airhead into the end of the remote (kinda impractical arrangement) so he wants to seperate the remote contacts and the 3.5mm plug on the remote control. A Y-Adapter is therefore useless. An extension is useless. The question is: Can the remote work without the 3.5mm plug part, and (as I suggested in a earlier post) would it be strong enough to survive mobile use without the 3.5mm plug. PrinceGaz. From: "Dan Scellen" [EMAIL PROTECTED] It's strange that people are having such a hard time understanding his question. All I can think of Niels is that you make an extension like Dave said. Otherwise, I don't think it's possible. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: THIS is what Sony should have brought to market
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === Javier Marcet wrote: They seem an MD clone, as there'll be pre-recorded media, as well as blank discs which you'll be able to record on your computer. The formats supported are: Write Once (WO), Multi Session Pre-Mastered (ROM) Hybrid (ROM and WO) The transfer rate is around 1 MByte/sec (Read/Write), and the wavelength of the laser is 650nm (for recording and playback). All this, together with 3.5g of weight, and 33.53x39.5x3.05mm (WxLxH) of size, I see on it a total MD killer. Shame there is no mention of re-writable like MD. Other than that it does sound interesting. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Grundig deck?
From: "Ivica Petrovic" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I've seen on the Dixons web site ( www.dixons.co.uk), Grundig mini disc deck which is called Grundig MD-60. It's from their Fine Arts series. I suppose it's not original by Grundig, and would like to know is it a clone of Pioneer or Technics ( or even Sony, which seems less likely)? A playback only unit, from what I can see. Doesn't record. Which accounts for the lower price. Don C. It is described on Dixons' web site as the "Grundig MD-60 Minidisc Record Deck", and looking at the pic of it (using the zoom option) the three rotary dials to the left of the disc input/display are (from left) phone level, record level, jog dial. To the right side of the display are a row of six switches whose functions I cannot read but the left three are under a Record select (or similar) label, the right three are Play select. It certainly is a reasonable price for Dixons, but I'd still go to Richer Sounds any day, they are certain to have something at least as good value, probably considerably better if you don't mind last years model. Gaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Battery Charger
I have been using a 1500mAh Ni-Mh in my R-70 with great results. No real heat buildup it just takes several hours longer to charge. It's not the best way to charge a Ni-Mh as it has a slightly higher cell voltage than a Ni-Cad but works never the less. I get about 18 hours playback with it. Most Ni-Cd chargers will happily charge a Ni-MH though normally take longer due to the Ni-MH higher capacity and as noted above may not quite achieve full cell capacity. One thing to note however is that the AA Ni-MH cells I have seen are not stamped with a extra-fast recharge rate; my 1300mAH Ni-MH cells are rated as 210mA for 8 hours or 130mA for 14-16 hours, whereas my 650mAH Ni-Cd are 350mA for 2 hours or 150mA for 5 hours, or 65mA for 14-16 hours. Both cells are manufactured by Uniross by the way. Whether the Ni-MH could be safely charged at, lets say 350mA for 4 hours I know not, though I'm tempted to think doing so may shorten their overall number of useful recharge cycles, and given modern Ni-Cd generally are stated as having about twice the cycles of Ni-MH I don't think its worth risking it. So whilst I have few qualms about charging the Ni-Cd in my R3, I won't do that with the Ni-MH. Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Speeding
From: "J. van de Griek" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jeanmougin schrieb: I tought that when you burnt a CDR at speeds over 1x or 2x, u had more read errors. Well, that would be a problem with the CD burner, not with the player. If the burning device is of mediocre quality, or the media isn't all that, chances of burn errors or poorly readable result discs are higher. And that is probably what the originator of this thread meant. So, in that case, just try it out a couple of times, and if there's no problem, there's no problem! Indeed, that is exactly what I meant, does burning faster sort of produce less well defined discs, perhaps less discrimination between reflectivity of 1's and 0's, less sharp edges because the laser is having to turn on and off from a higher power and the higher heat on the disc sort of blurs the bits slightly, or something... The related topics which have come up have also been very interesting however. Many thanks. Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Speeding
I've finally replaced my Creative Labs CD burner with a drive which actually works, the Ricoh MP9060A which can burn CD-R at up to 6x. My question is, assuming the PC can get the data to the drive quick enough to avoid under-runs (which it can) is there any disadvantage to burning at 6x (the discs I have are rated for up to 8x burning) rather than 4x? I'd rather not go back to 2x burning but would a slightly slower than max speed; 4x rather than 6x give better more readable discs and be worth the extra six or so minutes needed. Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: New MD-using product?
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === I dunno if price of an MD answering machine would be too big a deal if it were part of a high-end digital cordless phone combo, you know the DECT type phones. Gaz. - Original Message - From: "Matt Wall" [EMAIL PROTECTED] ya know that's one of the best ideas i've heard around here in a long time, only real problem would be cost, i'm not sure how many people wanna pay over $100 for an answering machine just because it's MD, but it is a cool idea. - Original Message - From: "Richard Rudie" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I had an idea, and this seems like a good list to air it in. Some time ago I got a Sony cordless-phone-and-answering-machine unit. The answering machine is digital, and its sound fidelity isn't great, so I'm inferring that it uses some kind of audio compression to save memory. My grandfather is almost unintelligible on the machine, because for some reason his voice doesn't get along with the compression. I wondered what compression it uses, and could it use ATRAC? (It's a model SPP-A941, if anybody might know what it does use.) The next logical step was: why not have a MiniDisc answering machine? It would be like the cassette-tape answering machines of old, but using a MiniDisc to store the greeting and the messages. 74 minutes would be plenty for messages, and with MDLP you could go for a month without erasing messages. I know several people who lament the demise of tape-based machines, because they used to have a few tapes handy with different greetings: weekdays, weekends, vacations, etc. This could be done again with MiniDiscs. Track one would be the greeting, and each successive track a message..? Anyone else think this'd work? How about it, Sony? - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Other MZ-R900 New features
From: "Ed Heckman" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I just confirmed it. It does remember the last recording mode for all 4 modes, not just LP2 and stereo. Interesting, I assume the end-search option is stored in the memory backed up by a little internal battery along with the clock. Easy enough to test, just disconnect from the mains and take out the battery overnight and see if it kept the setting. I must admit it would be rather silly if you had to change it back each time the batteries were out for any length of time. I wonder whether other things may be similarly held whilst "power is unavailable", such as the recording mode, manual record level, display choice (title, time played, disc remaining etc), or are they not classed as "setup options" and therefore are volatile. One quick question which has probably been answered somewhere, does it have program play (and if not, why not, Sony?) PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Other MZ-R900 New features
From: "Ed Heckman" [EMAIL PROTECTED] And of course, the first thing I did to it was to set End Search to automatic! ;-) So am I correct in assuming that when set to auto end search, the only use of that button is to move the play position to the end of the disc? Nice to have, yes, but a bit OTT for a dedicated key? Also are the supported modes for record as well as playback, SP stereo, SP mono, LP2 stereo, LP4 stereo? Is there an LP2 mono available on it or any Sony deck (940?), and given that LP4 relies on joint-stereo encoding- LP4 mono is not possible? Sorry for so many questions in so few lines :-) Yours, PrinceGaz -- "In perfect love and perfect trust..." - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Other MZ-R900 New features
From: "David W. Tamkin" [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Is there an LP2 mono | available on it or any Sony deck (940?), and given that LP4 relies | on joint-stereo encoding- LP4 mono is not possible? It seems that the bit that distinguishes stereo from mono in SP mode is used to distinguish LP2 from LP4. The evidence is that a non-LP machien will play an LP2 track silently for half its duration with the MONO indicator off, while an LP4 track will play silently on a non-LP machine for half (not one- fourth) of its duration with the MONO indicator on. If that's the case, they've pretty much locked out any chance to implement LP2 mono. Thanks for that David, I suppose it sort of makes sense-- LP4 stereo is afaik like a mono LP2 encoding + channel differences (the "joint-stereo" mentioned in MDCP, and which MP3 also supports). I wonder if a mono signal encoded in LP4, given there are no channel differences in digital or only very slight analog differences, be almost as good as an "LP2 mono" anyway as there are none or very few channel differences to encode? I only wish they'd implemented an LP8 mode for dictation, lectures, or (my wish) audio books, still LP4 five hours on a "standard" disc will keep me happy provided it is at least as good as a decent 64kbps MP3. Maybe the day my faithful MZ-R3 is put into semi-retirement finally nears :-) PrinceGaz -- "In perfect love and perfect trust..." - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Other MZ-R900 New features
From: "las" [EMAIL PROTECTED] What will an 80 minute Md give you? 5 and a half?? 6? Larry Well one of my discs of Tolkiens' Lord of the Rings length came to 2h29m56s, just two seconds short of the theoretical maximum SP mono time on a 74 disc, presumably an 80 (80m59s) should allow as much as 5h23m56s if recorded in LP4 mode. PrinceGaz -- "In perfect love and perfect trust..." - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: CD quality compared to MD quality
From: "Dan Frakes" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yeah, I don't like the blue ones very much -- they just add too much, er, color to my music g Yeah, I find the blue disks muffle the treble, probably cos the higher wavelength light which is used for higher pitch sound gets reflected off the case instead of the disk. The reverse is true with the red disks which are terrible for bass response. And if any newbies are reading this, please don't take it seriously! Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: optical out is important???
From: "J. Coon" [EMAIL PROTECTED] las wrote: Forget whether copying digitally makes a copy that "sounds better". The advantages are, sync (you just put your MD recorder in sync mode and as soon as the CD starts, the MD will copy automatically and be in second for second sync). I think you can do that with analog recording too on some units. Jim Coon Actually the R3 can make a synchronised recording, its known as pressing its Pause button in REC-Pause mode fractionally before playing the CD from it's paused position. You may get 0.1-0.2 secs blank at the start but I don't care about a tiny delay. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: high speed dubbing
From: "Yaniv S. Eyny" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Does the high speed dubbing reduce fidelity when recording? If you mean when using the 4x or whatever CD - MD copy on combined units, the answer is most definitely no. Everything remains digital just the bits get processed faster, unlike analog tape high-speed dubbing, you either get a "1" or a "0" at the end of the day-- the copy will either be perfect, or pathetic, and if it ain't perfect theres a fault somewhere. By "perfect" I mean within the error-correction ability of MD format. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: CD quality compared to MD quality
"J. Coon" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have one customer that pays double the price to get his CDRs colored red because he KNOWS they sound better Wow, he sure is a fool. Everyone knows you need to use the GREEN MARKER. G LOL... good one. And don't forget to litter your listening room with those little black discs ;-) You fools, the green marker improves playback when applied around the edge of CD's, whereas the red CDs provide superior S/N ratio (the noise being light) with the red discs as it comes through the red layer. It seems obvious to me that a combination of red discs and green marker pens will make as much of a difference to CD sound as erm, errr, Oh no, what have I been saying, I'm mad I need help etc (the same applies to other marker pen disc color believers). Heheheh. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sony MD mono workarounds...
From: "David W. Tamkin" [EMAIL PROTECTED] It also affects my MDS-W1 and my Aiwa AM-F70. I should imagine that it does not affect my MZ-R3, because its manual says that in mono mode the right channel of digital input is ignored and only the left channel is recorded (it mixes the two channels of analog input in mono mode), but I really ought to test it to be sure. Yep David, the manual says the R3 ignores the right-channel in mono mode from a digital source throwing away the right channel. I haven't tested this but if I have some spare time can easily check with one of my CDs (artist Erasure, track Stop!) whose intro swings wildly from left to right several times for a few seconds. Then repeat it recording via analogue connection. I'll also do both digital and analogue in stereo to compare overall levels. I'm afraid I cant objectively test if the analogue mono losses at high frequencies. Anyway presumably the digital copy should fade in and out considerably, whilst the analogue one should be markedly more steady. Stuff that- I'm not doing much now so I'll try it out now... [/me goes to do some trials] Recordings: 1: Stereo digital recording (control sample) 2: Mono digital recording (presumably left channel only) 3: Stereo analogue recording via amplifier headphone socket (analogue control sample) 4: Stereo analogue recording via amplifier in mono mode (presumably a standard analogue mix in the amplifier) 5: Mono analogue recording via amplifier in stereo mode (the one which if the R3 shifts the channels should sound a little different to 4) 6: Mono analogue recording via amplifier in mono mode (this should also sound different to 4 if the R3 shifts things) Note 5 and 6 will be recorded with both analogue channels connected from the amp to the MD! This is gonna take some time to do and listen to, I'll be back later! Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: sound quality difference in blanks?
"Psychoceramic-- crackpot. Jim, that joke is older then the invention of the mandolin! Larry Well I thought it was funny, but then I'm a strange sorta guy who obviouslly missed out on a few old jokes :-) PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Future of minidiscs
From: "las" [EMAIL PROTECTED] "The 831 adds a layer of sparkly, burbling high frequencies to quiet passages and high frequencies .. in fact, if you record anything with a slight amount of background noise onto the 831 the background noise just sounds crazy and artificial like a load of bubbles bursting". It sounds to me like someone switched the version of ATRAC normally used in a Sharp 831 for version one. Yes I'm quite sure that is what must have happenedG. Actually that is exactly how ATRAC 1 was described as sounding by quite a few peeps, maybe Sharp decided to go "back to basics" with the 831 :-) PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sony MD mono workarounds...
Okay I've done the recordings on my MZ-R3 and and checked the results- Recordings: 1: Stereo digital recording (control sample) as you would expect, a very nice recording of the original with stereo intact 2: Mono digital recording (presumably left channel only) as the manual says, only the left channel was recorded, but plays back at the full level of the left source on both channels 3: Stereo analogue recording via amplifier headphone socket (analogue control sample) 4: Stereo analogue recording via amplifier in mono mode (presumably a standard analogue mix in the amplifier) 5: Mono analogue recording via amplifier in stereo mode (the one which if the R3 shifts the channels should sound a little different to 4) 6: Mono analogue recording via amplifier in mono mode (this should also sound different to 4 if the R3 shifts things) Note 5 and 6 will be recorded with both analogue channels connected from the amp to the MD! In what was admittedly a v.quick test under less than ideal conditions, obviously an analogue stereo to stereo remained so, while all the other analogue recordings were a mix of the left and right channels. There was no measurable difference in the recording level whether I used the amp or the MD to do the mono conversion, from the overall level of the stereo analogue recording. Whether the MD doing the mono bit supressed higher frequencies I cannot tell, at least not while my PC is sitting turned on here with me! Oh well I guess it's kept me busy for an hour or two if nought else. And I'm glad I did it too, as my R3 was in playback-pause mode when I went to do the test and it must be at least 2-3 weeks since I last used it. Apart from being slightly warm to the touch, it and the disk are both fine :-) PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: sound quality difference in blanks?
From: "Peter Forest" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Also, sorry for all my english, I'm originally French so I try my best to write what I think and what I've experienced in the best English I can use... Hey Pierre this is the internet, anyone who even thinks of trying to correct someones spelling or grammar, especially if English is not the senders first language, is the one who should be saying sorry. Best Regards, good week-end ! Pierre Forest And you mate, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: mailing list controls
Hi, Is it just me that thinks there must be some sort of running in-joke among aol memebers when it comes to unsubscribing from mailing lists. Or is it that the proprietary AOL internet software you are provided with just sucks? Well actually I *know* the AOL software sucks, but is that really the reason? Maybe it automatically deletes the end of all mailing list messages, you know the bit that says "To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]". Either that or I'm in a small minority of peeps who actually read instructions-- I very rarely turn anything on without reading the manual forwards and back, twice; and I like to think the longevity of my kit compared to most peeps reflects this. Yours, (no offence intended to AOL members btw, but it is strange...) ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: How to get a free MD recorder...
From: "J. van de Griek" [EMAIL PROTECTED] The other day I recieved my company's new gift catalog, you know, a small booklet with a list of things you can choose as presents for bringing in a new employee. And lo and behold, there it was, one of the gifts: a Sony portable MiniDisc recorder, MZ-R55. Wow. Strange thing is, they classified it as a gift of about $360, which kind of makes me doubt the mentioned value of the other goodies... Hmmm... ,xtG .tsooJ -- Joost van de Griek Applications Developer Yacht ICT http://www.yachtgroup.com/ /me mumbles about paying something like 350 ukp / US$600 for his MZ-R3. And that was because it was soon to be superceded by the MZ-R30 and was being sold at ukp 50 less than the going rate (yep ukp 400 , no kidding). At least it still works flawlessly unlike certain Sharp units. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: sound quality difference in blanks?
From: "Davini, Mark" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi everyone: I'm a total "newbie" not only to this list, but also to Minidiscs in general, just having purchased a Sony MDS-JB920. I love it! It sounds great. Excellent, always good to have another Minidisc enthusiast. I read the "Myths" within the Minidisc.org page, and everything Mr. Woudenberg writes makes perfect sense to me, BUT - - - - Could someone please tell me WHY I REALLY DO hear a difference between discs then? I was using the regular Sony Color collection discs, but then bought some Maxell GOLD, and I was amazed by the sonic difference. I recorded through the analog ins, direct from the CD player, same tune, and never changed anything (input levels) and could sense exactly what those "audiophiles" were saying - more clarity in the highs, lows had a nice roundness... Okay, okay! I know, and since I'm 41, I figured I must be deaf, and REALLY wanting to hear a difference. So I played the same test for a twenty five year old friend of mine, who doesn't have any preconceived notions about MD, (and didn't kick the extra money for the GOLD blanks) and HE could tell instantly! So I guess I need to know if anyone else out there is going through the same thing, or are you all going to tell me I'm crazy? Mark S. Davini Media Production Specialist Western Wisconsin Technical College LaCrosse, WI. 54601-0908 (608)785-9229 "If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten..." - George Carlin Hmmm, whats the nicest way to put this. I don't really want to just say "you're crazy!". First off did you and your friend do blind listening tests, that is you didn't know which disc was which while listening (so you put a disc in and your friend listens, and vice versa)-- also just to make it more interesting, sometimes use the same disc for both of the tests and see if a difference is still as noticeable [I bet it probably would be]. Still it's good to have another MD convert, and you did provide me with a good five minutes of helpless laughter which can't be bad :-) Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: sound quality difference in blanks?
From: "Charles Redell" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I don't understand why there isn't a differnece in sound quality between blanks (If that is really the case)? I mean, why are some more expensive tha others? Are some not made better/easier for the laser to read/smoother inoperation or something akin to all of that? Cassettes definitely have higher qualities amongst them... Why not MDs? Thanks, c Where do I start? Cassettes are analogue and MD are digital, with digital recording you either read the data or you get garbage, garbage shows up wuite clearly when listening as snap, crackle and pop sounds. Dodgy tapes will more likely give a more muffled playback, which will get steadily worse as the recording detiriorates. Unlike the digital media, even a really poor analogue recording will resemble the original, but a digital one where half the bits are unreadable is ready for the bin. However, unless you have a faulty disc, or MD equipment, you should never encounter digital errors that exceed the error-correction information included on a minidisc. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: JE640 vs. JB940
From: "Ian Horsey" [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- "David W. Tamkin" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: If I buy the 640 but the 940 sounds better, I might say "darn." Not even "damn," just "darn" if even that. However, the 940 owner may cry when I tell him/her how much less my 640 weighs and how much less electricity it uses. (The kwh are very expensive here.) Out of curiosity, how much power do the 940 and 640 consume, and how much is a kWh where you are? Ian Someone said the 940 is stated as using 12W against the 640 using 9W of power. Northern Electric charge me 7.78 uk pence per KWh during the day and 2.42 uk pence per KWh between -0700 UTC (7 hours cheaper rate). Both prices are including vat, ie the total amount I pay. So if I kept the 940 on 24hrs a day, it would cost a (not so grand) total of 1.79 pence per day, or to put it in perspective if I left it on 24x7 365 days a year, the year's electricity would amount to ukp6.50 or about US$10. I generally find power consumption figures are higher than actual consumption so something like US$6-8 would likely be closer. And remember thats 24x7 all year. You could always turn it off :-) I too would be interested in knowing how much peeps in other countries are charged for electricity. Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: My MZ-R3 works
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === I'd just like to say that my Sony MZ-R3 is working fine. I have no faults to report (apart from the obvious one). Why doesn't everyone who has working md equipment tell us about it and see if we can crash the server (sorry Nick). ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MDLP question
From: "Nicholas Christ" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello, I'm new to the list. I was wondering if the new MDLP records will also be able to record in the standard SP (74 or 80 minute) mode as well as the MDLP24 modes. I read the MDLP FAQ and couldn't find the answer in there (Although I apologize if it was there and I somehow missed it.) Thanks. -Nicholas Christ [EMAIL PROTECTED] I would say the answer has to be yes, there is no way they could hope to make a new generation of equipment that is totally incompatible with older units. Actually I would expect the default setting for the new units to be SP mode, and recording in LP2 or LP4 requires specifying in a record-mode selection. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: ATRAC 3 FAQs
From: "las" [EMAIL PROTECTED] After reading the FAQs, I'm not very impressed with Atrac 3. I would say from the description that is sounds lousy. Digital artifacts that you can hear? First off it's probably best if we all call it ATRAC3 - without the space to differentiate it from ATRAC 3 (the algorithm used in 3rd generation Sony units like the MZ-R3). There are peeps that claim to be able to tell the difference between standard MD and CD, dunno if they are using an R-Type decoder for the MD but personally I'd be hard pushed to differentiate tween ATRAC 4.5 and CD. Just how important is the bit rate? I never realized that ATRAC used a bit rate of almost 300! I have downloaded Mp3s in several different bit rates and really didn't hear a difference. At bitrates of about 192kbps and above, you'll need a decent setup to "hear the artifacts", assuming with mp3 you used one of the good encoders (the Fraunhoffer one seems to be considered the best all round coder). If youre just encoding to listen while on the move 128kbps will be fine or if space is at a premium, like on naff MP3 porties, you could get away with 96 or even 64kbps, though 64kbps may only be adequate for journeys in a noisy bus or busy streets :-) The high bit rates seemed to double the file size but did nothing to improve the sound quality. The lower bit rate (like 64-which I sometimes had to use because it was the only way I could find the song I wanted) sounded the same too. I'm tempted to ask just what you are playing, and what you are playing it through. Perhaps really rare old recordings, mono, encoded at 64kbps with joint-L/R (just like how ATRAC3 LP4 uses joint-L/R) will sound okay-- being a mono source, I *guess* the joint channel encoding will allow an effective bitrate of near 128kbps, if anyone knows better please correct me. So if you reduced the bit rate of an MD player to 64 you should be able to ge about 5.6 hours of music on an MD without having to resort to all of the drastic things done with Atrac 2 and 3. Personally I would expect ATRAC3 to sound better than present MP3 encoders at each bitrate. Why? Because Sony et al can put massive RD resources into the algorithm compared to most companies involved with developing MP3 coders. With LP4 and an 80min disc, you will be able to get 5hrs 24mins (nearly) of music at 66kbps. I must admit I too am amazed at Sony's lack of foresight in not having bytes "reserved for future use" and that they literally throw away 10% of the disc space in both LP modes. If you are going to copy Mp3 files to Atrac 3 with all of that compression and manipulation, the end result is likely to sound like sh!t. If you're gonna take a 64kbps MP3 and stick it on a MD in ATRAC3 LP4, I would guess most of the damage had been done in the MP3 encoding, sticking it thro' the ATRAC3 LP4 encoder won't help but probably won't harm too much. I really know very little about the effect of the bit rate on the sound quality, only what I heard using Mp3s. So if someone knowledgeable in this area has more to say on the matter, I am very interested in learning about it. Larry To be honest I'm more or less replying on what seems logical, not so much on actual training in the complicated field of lossy data-compression. So if most of what I've said above is total rubbish, please correct me as I'd much rather learn the facts than live in ignorance! Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: wireless md-fm adapter
I wrote, answering Brian, | Previous models from other manufacturers have performed VERY poorly. Since posting that, I saw a post on the MiniDiscussion board that the Arkon Sound Feeder (apparently it's *not* a different manufacturer, then) stops drifting after about twenty minutes' continuous operation, by which time it is very warm. The poster concluded that it is of no value for short trips in town, but if you're going on a cross-country road trip, where you'll be in remote areas with open FM frequencies much of the time and driving for long stretches without stopping, it can be useful. But if you have a cassette player in the car's sound system, use a cassette adaptor instead. It's pretty obvious these VHF FM adapters must be using a simple tunable LC oscillator to generate the frequency. I could understand that twenty years ago but today a crystal based PLL synthesiser costs maybe a coupla dollars more, and would give a frequency as stable as the receiver. You could tune you radio to find a clear frequency say 105.7 then simply set the xmtr to 105.7 on it's display. Why don't they do it that way? Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: External MD Power Supply for 722
You could get one of the computer cards that you can set to output any voltage you want. They are only $10 or $20 US, depending one the model, when I bought one in Germany a few months ago. Of course youwould have toi carry your computer around. Good practical advice there Jim, actually it may be easier to carry around your full size MD and Amp seperates plus speakers. H... Yours in jest, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: demor-- er, monauralizing algorithms (was volume loss)
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === I've found the best way to do monaural recording is to unplug one of the RCA connectors (for a tape recording whichever has the lowest recording level-- there is generally some discrepancy 'tween channels) and take it from there. No L/R interference, easy to set up, worked fine with an audiobook (better than letting my R3 convert the two channels into mono). ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: wireless md-fm adapter
From: "J. Coon" [EMAIL PROTECTED] So, how well does it work? Does if fade in and out as you drive? Do you have to keep fiddling with it? Aside from that, I think you have the theory of operation wrong. An FM radio responds to a frequency modulated radio frequency carrier. I don't know what an air born coaxial signal would be. I studied coaxial transmission lines, open wire transmission lines, wave guides, etc. in school many many moons ago. I don't remember a coaxial signal. what do you mean by 6 discrete channels? RF out or Coax? Coax would require you to plug the cable into the receiver, while the antenna would pick up an RF output. Isn't Dolby ProLogic surround sound derived from a normal stereo signal? Therefore provided the xmtr sends a FM stereo signal the channels can be reconstructed I would have thought. One of the problems with a small FM transmitter, is in a city with strong FM signals, near by, the FM capture effect will cause the receiver to lock on to the stronger station. This will happen even if the small transmitter is rock solid and uses a phase locked loop and crystal oscillator as a reference. A decent receiver these days doesn't need to grab a nearby signal, unless you're listening to a pirate outfit with two-bit equipment, the transmitter will be almost rock-solid frequency, the receiver is crystal controlled too and also highly stable. There is still some capture-effect in modern PLL receivers (thats an inherent part of a phase-locked-loop) but... Nearby I have Metro Radio on 97.1, and Tees FM on 96.6, but by tuning to 96.85 I can pick up the much more distant and weaker Border FM which I think is on 96.8, and it is quite listenable most of the time (the distance means it fades in and out). It certainly doesn't try to jump onto those stations just 0.25MHz either side. Thats with a tuner that does *not* have wide/narrow selectivity on FM, though it is a pretty good model nontheless (Denon TU-560L). I bet the Denon 660 if I'd bought it could on the "Narrow" setting grab that weak signal between TFM (mediocre strength) and Metro FM (massive signal) rather better. So presumably a little transmitter maybe at most three meters from your car aerial should have no problems. Yes I know a car acts to some extent as a Faraday cage but not that much, besides the radio itself might pick up the signal more than the aerial outside the car. Is the VHF FM band really so cluttered in the states there are no free frequencies in big cities? Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Napster
Hi guys, Bad news for all of use who find downloading mp3 files with Napster easier than converting to mp3 from our own legitimate CDs-- seem that from midnight Friday they may be shutdown apparently because the music industry believes it is used to steal copyrighted material. I very much doubt that ever happens- not by me anyway (ahem, cough, choke :-) So you'd best get online and steal all you ca... I mean get mp3s of your own discs quickly. Or something like that. I do not condone copyright infringement (said in a very unconvincing manner). Yours, ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Napster
From: "Matthew Wall" [EMAIL PROTECTED] OK, here is a question for you all then, if the RIAA is s against napster, why havn't they tried to ban news servers? they have been around a H*ll of a lot longer than napster and i am 110% positive more copyrighted material has been downloaded from news servers than napster can even think of. just my 2 cents :) Cos the music industry sees Napster as a blatant music piracy tool-- you go online and download anything you fancy from anyone else while they do the same with your collection available. And the more anyone downloads, the more there is for everyone else next time. I got a bud who works for Trading Standards here in Britain, he's a good guy who is serious about his job and I think he'll have no regrets when Napster vanishes. I understand how he feels but Napster do not themselves do anything wrong, they merely provide the means to exchange information- if some of that info is material you have not paid for, napster are not to blame-- I'm certain that is in the Napster aggrement when you install it. Course the net is faster than these media moguls and I've already downloaded an altrnative prog thanks to someone who replied earlier, and if US bans Napster, wots the bet some European company wont do their equivalent. These servers don't really hold anything, just relay (vast amounts) of traffic, they could be set up anywhere. Just stick an advertising banner on it and politely ask peeps to click and Bob's your uncle :-) Hell, I heard Brunei does not even recognise copyright law and you can freely copy anything. Apologies for rambling, its 0445hrs in Britain. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Good Thought !
From: "Peter Forest" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Think you may like this... "Good needs evil if it is to be able to manifest itself. Without evil, good will go to sleep, because there is nothing left to stimulate it. Evil excites good, stimulates good and good is then able to manifest itself. It (snip...) Peter I was expecting a funnmy comment about Sony and Sharp at the end here, still the philosophising about good and evil was interesting, and indeed true. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Napster NATIONAL BOYCOTT
From: "las" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I think that there should be a national boycott on buying prerecorded CDs and tapes. If the record industry's sales dropped by 25% or more, I think that they would be forced to have a change of heart!! Or should I say brain. I think that shutting down Napster is going to backfire on the music industry. Maybe when Metallash!t has to keep canceling concerts because they can't sell enough tickets, they'll have a change of heart too!! They are got to be lower then pond scum. Even lower then lawyers!!! (if you can get that low!!). They are suing their fans This has got to be a first. I think that they should be glad they can give their music away, let alone actually get paid for that crap (IMHO). Boycotts have worked in the past. When I was a little boy (a million years ago) living in NYC they started a boycott against s company called Judy Bond Clothes. They had shopping bags that said "Don't buy Judy Bond Clothes". There's no Judy Bond clothes anymore is there?? Regards, Larry Right on, lets all stop buying CDs and more importantly, tell all our friends to stop buying them and why. If you really need some music use a Napster alternative (I bet in a matter of weeks the net will be flooded with napster type servers-- the music industry is playing a losing game thinking shutting down Napster will save them and if they haven't seen that they need their vision examined. Cmon, its happened with [my fave download type] classic arcade roms-- the giants shut down arguably *the* site for everything, now there is more than ever on numerous sites which sprang up in response to serve the demand-- all with everything the original main site had. By blowing one apart, the moguls created a dozen sites all doing the same. They may be a little harder to find but the extra bandwidth is helpful and when you find one, you've found them all cos they link to each other in true web culture. When will media giants learn they can't control the internet? They have to live with it and accept things are a little different here. I spend money on the net (like my 30gig drive I installed tuesday) but bullying by large corporations seriously p!sses me off and they're not gonna get any income through that! PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Napster
From: "Mark Derricutt" [EMAIL PROTECTED] The problem here, is that when Naspter (the company) vanishes, Napster (the protocol, the program) remains. When the courts closed down Napsters main server, what happened? the service still runs, you just tell your napster program to use a different server, use OpenNapster, or whatever. Closing Napster (the company) solves nothing. So arguably, you could move from a napster server to someone else who is supporting the Napster software thus meaning you don't even have to switch to a third party program? I know there are morality issues involved but please lets leave them to one side for now. Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Napster NATIONAL BOYCOTT
From: "Ryan Hutson" [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.boycott-riaa.com/ More info on how to help fuel the boycott on the RIAA. I knew I would get some dubious info from thr RIAA site, but what I found at one point forced me to leave the computer in disgust. Most artists get bugger all of the cost of a disc, and for them to suggest otherwise is rubbish. They must think we have sh!t for brains. Sorry for getting angry but that RIAA website has seriously annoyed me. PrinceGaz - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MS Media Player 7 is so cool!
From: "Taky Cheung" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I uninstall the beta immediately also.. haha I'm not sure for this release. but for the beta version that I tried, when I double click a MP3 playlist, it takes forever to load. How many MP3's do you have, and what classifies as forever. I'm happy with it, okay the initial ecstacy of the really cool effects (I like Niagara) have sorta worn off but I certainly won't uninstall it. Yours, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: [Fwd: Maplin Promotions]
From: "Sean Buckingham" [EMAIL PROTECTED] But Maplin Electronics is a UK based electronics store, generally very competitive and a rival to Tandy (Radio Shack) here-- I think Maplins is more in competition with RS components than Tandy.. Both RS (no idea what it stands for!) and Maplins have HUGE mail order catalogues, and offer a wider range of stock than Tandy. I haven't used Maplins, so I can't comment on them, but RS have good customer service/care and prompt delivery, but you do tend to pay a bit more for their components. The catalogues apparently cost 27 to produce, as the rep informed me when he noticed the four month old 3-phone-directory-sized box sitting unopened next to my desk.! maybe i'll have to use maplins from now on. sean Maplin charge about four pound for a maybe thousand page catalog, but they are pushing the CD-ROM version in pdf format heavily which retails for ukp1.99 I agree Maplin have a much wider range but I've never seen a RS shop on the high-street, Maplin are spreading steadily, in Newcastle City Centre we just got a Maplins and boy is it handy. Tandy buys from me have plummeted as a result-- previously it meant a trip to Gateshead Metrocentre (not that any of this paragraph will mean much to 90%+ of readers so I'll apologise and stop). PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MS Media Player 7 is so cool!
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === From: "Tsuki_yomi" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi guys, Its been around for months but the first official release version of MS Media Player 7 is on the Microsoft Windoze update site, and though I shudder as I type the following words about an MS product-- this is just too cool to believe. I've just touched the surface of its features but even its audio playback screen has a fancy sound-to-light converter with loads of types to choose from. I believe it can rip CDs to MP3s but havent checked for that yet. At any rate it is light years ahead of the previous version of Media Player (everytime I went to the MS update and saw the Media Player 7 beta listed, I was tempted but resisted). Normally I tend to slag off MS but this product at first sight seems great, wots more it's free!!! Is this MS trying to kill of Real and MusicMatch and other multimedia software producers? There must be an ulterior motive behind this seemingly wonderful piece of software. You guys are the best I know to ask, any thoughts on it? Personally I'm staying away from it. I have installed it to try it out, but it was removed almost immediately. I have a lot of video clips that play fine fullscreen under 6.4. I tried them in 7 and it was like I had a low end Pentium instead of the 550@645 that I run. WMP7 suffers BADLY from terrible refresh rate and laggy control response. It may have some really cool features but if its that slow I'm willing to do without them. The one good thing I will say is that it seems to uninstall cleanly ^_^ James Budworth Its good to know it uninstalls cleanly and doesnt leave a load of dodgy "I'll use this for such and such" lying around I must say I was slightly suprised to find my K6-3/450 giving a rather jerky picture when the sound-video eindow was opened beyound a window size of about 640x400 Esp as my pretty good videocard (overclocked videocard I should say) can cope with Quake II like a walk in the park Cheers, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: MS Media Player 7 is so cool!
Hi guys, Its been around for months but the first official release version of MS Media Player 7 is on the Microsoft Windoze update site, and though I shudder as I type the following words about an MS product-- this is just too cool to believe. I've just touched the surface of its features but even its audio playback screen has a fancy sound-to-light converter with loads of types to choose from. I believe it can rip CDs to MP3s but havent checked for that yet. At any rate it is light years ahead of the previous version of Media Player (everytime I went to the MS update and saw the Media Player 7 beta listed, I was tempted but resisted). Normally I tend to slag off MS but this product at first sight seems great, wots more it's free!!! Is this MS trying to kill of Real and MusicMatch and other multimedia software producers? There must be an ulterior motive behind this seemingly wonderful piece of software. You guys are the best I know to ask, any thoughts on it? Cheers, ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: [Fwd: Maplin Promotions]
From: "J. Coon" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anyone familiar with Maplins? I got this promo from them. -- Jim Coon Hi Jim, Your promo attachment was lost so I dunno what it said. But Maplin Electronics is a UK based electronics store, generally very competitive and a rival to Tandy (Radio Shack) here-- except that Maplin have a wider range of products and are cheaper and unless Tandy pull their fingers out they'll be out of business. Unless you promo was for a holiday camp in which case it could be Maplins, the name of a camp which was the setting for a 80's sitcom. I think that rather unlikely though :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: And they say techno-freaks want Rio MP3 players?
Hi guys, Yesterday afternoon I had my first tabletop roleplaying game session for about ten years, and boy was it good to spend about five hours in some good gaming-- probably the most enjoyable afternoon I've had in years. But thats not why I'm posting! We keep hearing about the Rio and all the other solid-state MP3 stuff and how they will kill-off MD, certainly in the states where from what I read here it has yet to become known, let alone popular with most peeps. I found this group of gamers using the net, and almost all have a net connected computer so you'd think they'd be into MP3 files and Rios? Two guys had a walkman on the table, one was a sharp 722, the other was definitely a MD walkman but as I was a newbie at the group I did not ask. Out of seven guys using the net here in England, for two to have MD stuff has to be good, make that three of the seven of us when you include me :) Anyone who says MD is dead or dying is totally wrong in my experience, the guy with the 722 loves it and would never swap it for a Rio or the like- maybe MD is just especially popular in Britain? Cheers, ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Party in the Atlanta area ... list members invited (slightly off-topic)
Hi Richard (Dicky!), Much as I'm sure your party would be fabulous, it's a bit too far to travel there from England for me. Your taste in music is wonderful, my selection of discs includes Erasure, Abba, Queen, Jimmy Somerville though also quite a varied selection across all types of music in addition. I would agree with some earlier postings to your invitation that you are brave to advertise your party onto so many mailing lists, you have my best wishes for an unforgettable night (for the right reasons :-) Take care, PrinceGaz (Gareth Bell) From: "Richard Ian Tr cy" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Wow, and I thought I was the only one around with Ani and Jimmy Somerville on my MD's... ;o) Well, I do like variety ... my friends all like some of my music, but never all ... You never know what you might hear on the same MD: Ani DiFranco ... then Dead or Alive ... then Big Mama Thornton ... then Gioia Bruno ... then Sarah Brightman ... then the Cult ... then Army of Lovers ... then Boy George's metal years ... then Boy George's dance years ... then the Cure ... then Anastacia ... then Roseanne Cash ... then the Pet Shop Boys ... and so on It's scary, isn't it? Yours, Dicky Richard Ian Tr cy - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: VHF FM Radio sound quality
From: "Ralph Smeets" [EMAIL PROTECTED] With 90% of the population that doesn't even hear the difference between an FM broadcast and a CD, I bet that's not a big problem. I beg to differ, but given a good strong signal and no perceptible interference, a VHF FM stereo broadcast could well be superior quality to an MD recording. I am of course assuming the station does not do stupid things like compress the amplitude to make the music sound louder so as to grab the attention of more listeners. [On medium-wave AM some compression would be acceptable to me, especially at night when the band changes from a few dozen miles range to a couple of thousand miles and some 2 megawatt blaster in russia is doing quite well at making a small local station five miles away become unlistenable]. I can't remember whether the VHF FM multipex filter is 18khz or 22khz, but either way with a good aerial and a really strong signal, and of course a damn good tuner, my thoughts are it could beat MD quality. Of course most people listen to the radio on, well a radio, not their hifi seperates and then MD will almost certainly be better. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Data record
From: "Joni Mustonen" [EMAIL PROTECTED] How do i record any kind of data "something else than music" from my computer? I heard that soundblater live had som kind of program to do that and that i could record 140 MG to my minidisc. -Joni- Sony did produce an MD data drive but it was slow, the disks expensive and not widely available (it needed special data disks and would not use audio disks), and other storage formats even then were cheaper and faster. It is quite possible to store data by converting it to audio on audio MD equipment, but data transfer rates in excess of what a current modem can do (56kbps- so roughly 31MByte per 74 min disc, assuming the ATRAC algorithm can cope with the current v90 modem standard). Bearing in mind it would take 75mins to store that 31MB, use of audio equipment for data storage seems a non-starter. PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: VHF FM Radio sound quality
From: "Ralph Smeets" [EMAIL PROTECTED] With 90% of the population that doesn't even hear the difference between an FM broadcast and a CD, I bet that's not a big problem. I beg to differ, but given a good strong signal and no perceptible interference, a VHF FM stereo broadcast could well be superior quality to an MD recording. I am of course assuming the station does not do stupid things like compress the amplitude to make the music sound louder so as to grab the attention of more listeners. [On medium-wave AM some compression would be acceptable to me, especially at night when the band changes from a few dozen miles range to a couple of thousand miles and some 2 megawatt blaster in russia is doing quite well at making a small local station five miles away become unlistenable]. I can't remember whether the VHF FM multipex filter is 18khz or 22khz, but either way with a good aerial and a really strong signal, and of course a damn good tuner, my thoughts are it could beat MD quality. Of course most people listen to the radio on, well a radio, not their hifi seperates and then MD will almost certainly be better. PrinceGaz. I don't know for the UK, but in the Netherlands the highest frequency of a signal passed through the FM 'encoding-decoding' fase, is 15kHz. Ie, the highes are gone (at least for me!) Cheers, Ralph - Gaz, are you one of the 90%? Hmm, theres obviously gonna be some gap 'tween the multiplex frequency and the highest transmitted audio (/me knows he is moving onto ground he knows steadily less about). Am I one of the 90% you ask?. well yes if you're asking if I can't detect degradation in audio quality when listening to a VHF FM radio station which uses high quality gear, and I'm listening on my Denon TU-560L hooked up to a rooftop aerial to give a superb signal. Then again I bet 90% or more of listeners use at best a naff midi combo system and I reckon their tuner section would be inferior. So I'll say no, I am not one of the 90% but one of the 10%, and before you even think of asking Ralph, I'm one of the other 10% as well as you may remember g. Cheers, PrinceGaz. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Is 128kbps MP3 bad? MD has loadsa life yet!
Okay guys, I know we are all md freaks (or at least enthusiasts) but please don't take this post the wrong way. I know MD encodes at something like 320kbps, using an algorithm at least as good as, and in ATRAC 4 and later probably better than even the best mp3 coder (Fraunhoffer?). Actually given Sony could throw an awful lot more man-power behind any project than an internet thingy, I bet ATRAC 3 is on a par with the best MP3 encoder at the same very- high (for MP3) bit-rate. Thing is I have been using Napster lately, to download mp3 music most of which has been at 128kbps, and to be honest it is to my ears quite acceptable, provided it was recorded properly. Having just downloaded and listened to Kate Bush Wutheing Heights, there were definite probs with the high freq stuff, sorta muffled artifacts added to them but overall, in any listening environment other than my home I doubt they would be detectable. No way is solid-state media gonna replace MD in the forseeable future unless some breakthrough happens, and I think that is rather unlikely. I mean, they said 10 years back disks as storage would be dead by now, too slow, no real improvements on current speed and capacity likely, blah blah blah. Just look at hard drives now- 30gig drives for about UKP110/US$180 with seek speeds of under 10mS, the heads can find the data in under a hundredth of a second- that is one helluva engineering feat! How has solid-state storage progressed? The answer is not very much. It slowly comes down in price. Very slowly. Very slowly indeed! The cost of HDDs seems to be tumbling now, capacities are rocketing and prices tumbling, whereas increased use/demand for solid-state media is holding their prices high. I could pop into the local city center (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England) and buy at least ten or more minidiscs from different outlets. It's not an enourmous metropolis, maybe 250k population but I could get disks from: Richer Sounds, Dixons, Virgin Megastore, Fenwicks, HMV, Tandy, Maplin, at least two other independent small hifi chains with shops in the center, and I've probably overlooked shops like Comet, a Co-Op department store which sells almost everything (inc MD) and a few others. Now where would I buy my MP3 players' memory card? With the exception of maybe Dixons, Tandy and Maplins I doubt I could get one, and even then I'd be dubious as to whether they'd have the correct type-- the flash media format battle is far from over I think. My most recent trip into the city showed even the previously expensive places for blank MDs like Dixons have dramatically cut prices, okay not to Richer Sounds sub 1 ukp per disk type level, but a lot better than the old ukp3 or 4. All we need is for the next generation of portable MD to have a PC interface of some type, and the ability to playback mp3 files and the current breed of mp3 players will be as dead as the do-do. Surely the MP3 decoder is pretty straightforward and could be included in parallel with the ATRAC codec? Sorry this email is far longer than I intended it to be, I guess I had a few things I wanted to get off my mind :-) Cheers, ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | | Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ |/ _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MD Separates ?!
Peter Stockwell wrote: Cables are important, I think that the analogue lead between CD and Amp should be as good as you can make it, I think 50-60 GBP is a minimum. Ideally you need to be able to borrow the cable before making the final buy choice. Or you can try some roll your owns. Are you on drugs?!? It certainly sounds like you've been rolling your own and I don't mean audio cables :-) Fifty or Sixty pounds for an interconnect. You gotta be kidding, unless perchance you've spent about a thousand pounds plus each on your amp and CD deck. Personally my 99p (well free as they all came with the units) interconnects seem fine though I am tempted to buy the Cambridge Pacific 9.99ukp for my MD 3.5mm stereo-jack to Amp RCA link (I copy all my fave CDs onto MD and play then on my MZ-R3). BTW what do Richer Sounds do with all the "crappy interconnects" that are dumped in the basket in the store? Give them away as free spares to anyone buying kit who asks for one? I copy CD - MD digitally via a "official" Sony optical cable, you know about ukp30 but about 3mm thick (loadsa protection), Peter- should I upgrade to an optical cable with gold plated connectors? Only joking mate :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz -- apologies if anyone is offended. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: compression
Guys, This is turning into a bit of a flame war, and as it's nice and hot now I'll say my two eurocents. Conversion from analog to digital is most certainly *NOT* compression. It is a translation to a totally different representation of the data and whether or nor analog information is lost in the A-D conversion is irrelevant to "compression". Compression is only really relevant in the digital domain and implies a reduction in the size of a certain chunk of information. We all regularly use lossy and lossless compression, the ZIP format being lossless- you can't run an approximate version of a program, and JPEG etc being lossy. The lossy algorithms work because they throw away information that in "sensual data" which at present means video and audio files, is info we humans cannot generally detect. Whether it is video or audio or both is irrelevant. If the amount of raw data transmitted is reduced from the original source, then you are compressing. I don't care if you throw bit-reduction wotnot into the tank, ATRAC stores 44.1KHz/16-bit stereo info in a fifth the raw data space. In my book that is compression and anyone who disagrees needs their head examined! And as for the mobile phone debate, I would be absolutely amazed if some form of compression wasn't used by digital phones, and also the DECT cordless phones that are commonplace in Britain. It would be crazy to allocate the bandwidth for uncompressed digital signals-- just compare a 8khz 8bit WAV with a 16bit (any freq) JPEG compressed file, the MPEG is a fraction of the size and sounds a damn site better. Cheers, ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | |Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ || _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Cheap semi-pro interconnects
=== = NB: Over 50% of this message is QUOTED, please = = be more selective when quoting text = === From: "Richard Wright" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Oi! You've nicked my sig ;-( Well, the printer-papery-bit anyway. And the lines. And the bubble writing. I'll let you off, as I know it's just too cool, which is why you're using it! Chrz, Wrighty ___ _ ___ | | | | | o |=| o | | | Richard Wright - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o |-| o | | | __ __ __ __ ____ | | | o | | | | ||__|| |__| |_ __ _ | o | | | | | | | _| | _ | | __| | | | | | o | ||__| |__|___ |__|__||___ | | o | | | || || | | | o | | o | | |-| | | o | Find me on ICQ - UIN: 4050545 (http://www.icq.com) | o | | |-| | | o | Send an SMS text message (less than 140 characters) | o | | | to my mobile at [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o |=| o | |___|_|___| - Yes Richard (Wrighty) I did sorta pinch your sig, and yes you are spot on when you said it is just *too* cool. I love it, I mean really love it, but Ralph may be right about it being rather long :-) Did you copy your sig from someone or did you design it yourself? Cheers, ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | |Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | || | | || | | |_| | | | \ || _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | || | | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Cheap semi-pro interconnects
Hi guys, I think we all know spending say 40UKP/meter on an interconnect is probably madness but I have been tempted recently to buy 5UKP connects for my CD-Amp, and MD-Amp to replace those provided with the kit. After all Richer Sounds suggest a small but still aignificant portion of your budget should go on cables (including speaker), and they are normally cheap and don't bull$hit you. I can't remember how much they say but I think it is about 10% of your total hifi expenditure. That would mean my spending about 100UKP on my fairly modest hifi setup on cables! Thats crazy (though admitedlly soon after getting my MZ-R3 I spent about 25UKP on a genuine Sony optical cable, /me is mad!) Is it really worth getting these cheap (but supposedly higher quality) interconnects than those provided with the units, or is it just another scam? Cheers ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | |Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | ||_| | || | | |_| | | | \ || _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | ||_| | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: magnetic damage
From: "Shawn R. Lin" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Francisco Jose Montilla wrote: So I'd bet you can put a dynamo magnet over a MD disk if you like and it will remain intact. I don't know what a dynamo magnet is, but I was able to corrupt data on an MD using a ceramic magnet out of a microwave oven's magnetron. You most definitely could corrupt the magnetic info without heat-- on TV recently a science program featured an electromagnet that could magnetise *Anything*, they even magnetically levitated a rat (which was unharmed). I don't think such powerful magnetic fields are commonly found though, did I mention it took about 1MW of power to magnetise the space inside the short four or so inch diameter tube space! They mentioned they could levitate a human ie. simulate weightlessness but the magnet would draw over 100MW thereby requiring a more or less dedicated power station, cost maybe a few hundred million dollars or more, and it would be cheaper to use the Space Shuttle anyway for weightlessness! Wow!!! ___ ___ | || | | o || o | | |Gareth Bell - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | | o || o | | | _ _ | | | o | | __ \ _ _ _ / ___| _ | O | | | | |__| )| __)(_)| _ \| __)| _ \ | | _ ( \|__ / | | | o | | ___/ | / | ||_| | || | | |_| | | | \ || _ | / _/ | O | | | | | | | | ||_| | || |__ | / | |_| || |_| |/ /__ | | | o | |_| |_| |_||_| |_||)|_) \_/|_||| | O | | || | | o || o | | | ICQ: 36892193 http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/| | | o || o | | |"An it harm none, do what thou wilt"| | | o || o | |___||___| - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: The truth about Hi Space and Memorex...
From: "David W. Tamkin" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jack wrote, | Yes, Memorex minidisc are really poor on bass and high frequency... Incredible (very literally). MD is a digital storage medium. As long as ones stay ones and zeroes stay zeroes, it doesn't matter (and the disc (snip...) I think he was taking the p*** about them sounding different... But I've used dozens of HiSpace without any problems. Why do so many peeps think cheap has to mean rubbish? Cheers, PrinceGaz - giving his Memorex MDs a funny look, even with the metal shutter! Should be fine in a clam-shell portie I guess. - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Low bit rate / extreme compression encoding
Hey guys! For some time I have been listening to an audio stream which I'm receiving at 20kbps encoded with Windows Media Player codec. It's 1960's music and the thing is it's quite acceptable (comparable to a intermediate distance AM radio station) and I'm sure would be perfectably acceptable for audio books. When I say 20kbps thats the actual data transfer rate, not my connection to my ISP. Some quick arithmetic shows that at 20kbps, a 150MB minidisc would run for over 16 hours at this rate, fantastic for an audio book and without the terrible distortion you get with a similar speed RealAudio stream. Perhaps once MS has actually hit the bullseye and come up with a great algorithm. I know it is 70:1 compression, well okay 35:1 as it's mono but I could happily listen to it on a bus, coach or train. Thats seven times higher than MD, hell its over three times the 128kbps MP3 format we slag off and being mono halved again. I would be happy to have an audio book recorded in that format and run for 16 hours on one standard MD, hey for listening while travelling I could live quite happily with it, a stereo version would be better (eeek, only 8 hours per MD :-) Okay listening here at home on my hifi the compression artifacts are quite noticeable, this codec seems to deal with them a helluva lot better than RealPlayer does, and is actually enjoyable even at 20kbps! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sony MZ-R100 - WOW!
Hi Richard, Looks great, I guess the release date will be this saturday (April 1). Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 From: "Richard Wright" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Check this out guys: http://www.superfi.co.uk/sonyfol/mzr100/ All you people who bought MZ-R90s and 91s will be truly jealous. And someone at Sony seems to be reading this list regularly, as everything everyone wants has been incorporated into the design! Marvellous :-) Chrz, Wrighty - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MZ-R91 Problems
From: "Guy Churchill" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Experiment with your MZ-R91 to see what it takes (vibration wise) to cause it to drop out of record mode ... (sit in on the washing machine in spin cycle snip better still, put it IN the washing machine on a spin cycle big grin Cheers, PrinceGaz - whose MD is a bit dusty just now, I'll put it in the... - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: april 1st help
Hi Eric, Hi I've got a thought for a hoax (actually I've had it since last November) but can't post on Apr 1 as I'm on a pubmeet in Blackpool, England from Mar31-Apr 2 weekend. All the regulars will know it's a hoax as soon as they begin reading, but a helluva lot will try it-- and this time it doesn't involve test mode and there is no risk of damage to unit or disc. Are you interested? Let's just say its to do with sony portables and write-protection. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 From: "Eric Woudenberg" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, Well, there weren't so many volunteers, and I *know* there are funny folks on the list. If you think you can write one funny paragraph (or two) under and assumed identity, drop me a line and I'll include you in our plans. Rick - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: OT: You cannae break the laws of physics (was took apart R90)
From: "las" [EMAIL PROTECTED] (snip) For example, at the present time we have no science that can exceed the speed of light. That does not mean that someone wouldn't come along some day find a way to exceed light speed. Thus proving Einstein wrong. Larry Not strictly true, Larry. It has been demonstrated in laboratories that information may travel faster than light through "quantum-tunneling" which I confess I am not particular well up on, but has demonstrated information can be transmitted at about two or three times the speed of light albeit with high error rates, but correctable and most definetley faster than light (think of it as sending something which takes a day to arrive but you add extra stuff to correct errors which adds an hour, except the day was more like a picosecond and the hour a fraction of that :-) A German(?) laboratory sent classical music at about twice the speed of light through such a link and it was comparable to a RealAudio 16kbps stream. And I don't think they were using error correction but cannot be certain. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Problems with Creative CD-ROM drive
Hi Simon, I had two problems with my Creative CD drive both now fixed. The second is probably most relevant to you. Firstly, it increasingly thought all discs were CD-A even though I knew they were data only and always opened audio player software and displayed the contents in File Manager a single audio file. This was cured by uninstalling Adaptec DirectCD- since then I have surfed the web extensively for that and similar software and most people dislike the Adaptec products in general, and DirectCD especially. The favorite seems to be one called NeroCD which I've downloaded but not yet tried. You don't say your drive is CD-RW so I'll assume it's a normal CD-ROM so you won't use that software anyway. The other problem was very much like yours-- place disc in tray, close drive, whirrr... stop, whi... stop, whigrrwh... stop. "Drive D: not ready". This was cured completely by (bad news time) returning the drive for replacement. It took several phone calls before they would do so despite being under warranty still, and I had to pay the postage one-way. Still the replacement has never had any problems but I still dislike the way it takes a few seconds to decide to spin-up to full speed. Best of luck. I reckon Creative should stick with what they are best at, sound and video cards. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 From: "Simon Mackay" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi everyone! I have often been having problems with my Creative CD-ROM drive, where the quality deteriorates during CD-Audio playback. Symptoms include stuttering and skipping of music. They also include the CD-ROM not recognizing certain CD-Audio discs as they should be recognized (starting the CD Player software); the player spins up and vibrates as if it is trying to read the data and it sometimes stalls the whole computer. Could this be a mechanical problem I am having with the Creative CD-ROM drive and should I simply save up for a new CD-ROM drive and junk the old one? With regards, Simon Mackay - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Portable MD-recorder with Digital Output????
Hi, The MZ-1 had a digital output but that is ancient history now (was it the first MD device ever produced?) A few days ago I thought up a possible reason modern MD kit does not support an optical digi-out. The latest units operate on 1.5V yeah? An LED does, or at least did need a forward voltage of about 2V to pass any current so they would need a voltage-multiplier circuit, a not particulary efficient thing to up the voltage (conversion to AC, step up via diodes and capacitors, rectification and smoothing to DC). Given all the extra circuitry to generate lets say 3V, the need to have a way to turn it on and off (else it will suck the life from your battery), and the fact they want you to buy a home-deck as well as a portie to double their sales, they aren't gonna stick an optical-out on modern ultra-slim low voltage units. My guess is the MZ-1 probably ran on about 6 volts and drew a horrendous amount of current :-) I know a few of you guys have one still, does it double as a hotplate while recording g Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 From: "Gilbert Hangartner" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi! Does anyone know of a portable Minidisk recorder featuring a digital output??? This once existed, but there must still be currently sold models having this, no? I looked up at lot of manufacturers, but couldn't find. Greetings Gilbert - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Long-Play Mode on the JB940
Hi guys, Well it seems Sony *may* actually listen to some comments on this list (actually I'd bet a pound for a penny they do-- but always just lurk), but for once have actually implemented a common request. Whether the "long-play" mode(s), be it 2x or 4x existing recording length, plus mono at double stereo length I assume, it could have been done in two ways- 1. LP mode simply acts as an automatic 200% or 400% pitch adj, which means some older decks can cope but quality will suffer, it would be fine for voice recording where readability is more important than fidelity, though. 2. The ATRAC algorithm is used at a lower bit-rate allocation, about 140kbps for 2x length or 70kbps for 4x length. This will give better overall sound but be totally incompatible with all existing MD units unless ATRAC was originally developed with variable bitrates in mind and decoders can cope with it, rather like how an MZ-1 can happily play back R-Type 4.5 ATRAC. Even if incompatible now, I would prefer this implementation (you can bet other units would all start supporting playback at various bitrates, even if they cannot support recording at those rates). Sharp etc would be forced to follow as Sony are market leaders in MD. Either way, I'd love to record about 10 hours of mono audiobook material on one disk (4x length, mono) even 5 hours would be nice, and as someone said it would be ideal for lectures, hungover uni students would love it :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Prices On Websites and Legal Factors Implied
Hi, About whether prices on websites (or elsewhere) are legally binding in Britain, I had this experience in Dixons a few years ago. I wander in to browse with a particular interest in memory modules for the Psion3a organiser to see just how much more they cost there than by mail order. To my surprise a 512K RAM module is priced at ukp80, rather than the ukp130 it usually sells for, perhaps ukp110 at best by mail order. Wow-- it's obvious some assistant read the price of the 512K Flash module which is a lot cheaper and stuck that on. So I buy it. When he inputs the item in the till it comes up at the much higher price, so he calls the store manager who after a quick think put a "special discount" entry on the purchase to make it the lower price. Once I had bought the item, I confessed I knew all along it was incorrectly priced and enquired whether they were obliged to honor the price displayed (I had thought they were). I was told by the manager they need not sell it, but must then remove it from sale for 24 hours before redisplaying at the correct price. I was told the same thing when buying my Washer/Dryer at another shop (underpriced about ukp150-- they'd forgotten the sale ended some time back). In both cases they honored the price as they weren't really making a loss (but very little profit either), however selling the battery for free and ukp1 postage would be a definite loss. If they spot the error I bet they cancel the order. However many companes give free carraige on net purchases and I bet that's because it saves their staff inputting details-- you may find no-one spots the bargain battery until it's too late :-) Once they've charged your card and shipped it-- I bet theres no legal way they can demand it back. Thats what I think anyway! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sony's new Internet Audio Recording Interface
Hi, Two points on this rather lengthy thread-- AMD have just announced the release of a 1GHz Athlon CPU, and Intel are expected to announce a P3 at 1GHz very soon. If Rat thinks these monsters can't handle a well-written implementation of even R-Type Atrac what do you think is needed? Secondly I doubt we'll see Sony do a software ATRAC implementation of their algorithm as Sharp et al will probably reverse-engineer it for their chips, to solve their current ATRACs tendency to trash the sound into a load of snap, crackle and pops :-P Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Slightly-OT: Listening to mono recording and headaches....
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: /|\/|\ For me, in stereo (unless I have it at full blast) I don't get headache, but in mono I do after about an hour and a half. /|\/|\ I can't explain it, but I can say it happens to me as well. There is fatigue when I listen to monaural recordings, but only through headphones. I don't know why it is like that, but if anyone can shed some light on it, that would be cool. At first I thought it was just the radio (FM stations around here seem to be in a pissing contest to see who can compress and limit the most) but after getting my 702 and some monaural recordings under my belt, I realized it was the lack of stereo, too, as well as the compression/limiting. (My favorite stations are on AM or on FM but 70 miles away -- hence no stereo.) If anyone could explain it, that would be neat. It obviously doesn't happen with monaural sources piped through a speaker or speakers... Just headphones... ~Zach http://start.at/cens - The Cutting Edge of Nothing Significant I'm guessing here but one possibility that springs to mind is that listening to a mono source through headphones produces a very un-natural effect whenever you move your head. The mono sound through headphones is "seen" as being focussed directly in front of you, and as you move your head the source moves also-- causing something not-unlike motion sickness. Now a stereo source through headphones is interpretad by the brain as coming from a range of different positions so that moving the range is not such an abnormal effect as moving one point. Still it is somewhat abnormal which would explain why stereo thro' phones may cause a headache for some, albeit after a longer period of listening. It would also explain why speakers do not cause this problem, they are fixed (unless mounted on rollers and attached to your head via some odd mechanism :-) and so produce a natural sound source. Well thats what I think-- it's all guesswork but seems a logical reason as to why mono in headphones might cause a headache. Who says I can't reply sensibly to an email and not slag-off Sharp :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Sony's new Internet Audio Recording Interface
From: "Stainless Steel Rat" [EMAIL PROTECTED] * "Magic" [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Sat, 04 Mar 2000 | The most obvious solution to this would be to put the ATRAC encoding on the | computer end. This means that only 1/5th of the data would need to be sent | down the USB interface. Besides, ATRAC encoding in software is *SLOW* (every MD recorder in the world has a specialized, dedicated ASIC for this purpose). Current desktop PC hardware is not powerful enough to encode ATRAC 4 in real time using a software encoder. So any savings you might get for compressing the data before transmitting will be lost in the compression process. Are you quite certain of that, my rodent friend? I'm very much into emulation of other hardware on my PC (everything from fairly recent arcade hardware, back to Space Invaders, various home computers, and the Psion organiser range) and I reckon a decent PC could encode ATRAC 4 or 4.5 in real-time with no great difficulty. My PC can happily (well okay the cpu is almost flat-out in this case) emulate a 68000cpu at 20MHz, a Z80 at 6MHz, a couple of proprietary sound chips, then send the sound waveform to my soundcard at 44.1KHz sample rate, convert the games' original video memory bitmap to something the video card can use at 60fps, all the while taking user input (movement and fire etc). If youre suggesting that is less processor intensive than what that little chip in your R55 or whatever does then I seriously doubt your sanity :-) Of course if your desktop PC *is* an original PC (8086 @ 4.77MHz) then you may be right, but a k6-3/450 with 128mb pc100 ram is frighteningly fast, I finally got the memory upgrade due to low prices currently and it's made it about 20% faster on a program that fitted entirely into the old 32mb just cos it's a faster memory type-- boy am I happy :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Refurbished Sharp 702s
Hi guys! You don't listen do you. Just remember these simple rules-- Sharp minidisc walkmen esp the 702 will go pants with the UTOC error after a few months, and all Sharp equipment, possibly even all non- Sony equipment has a faulty ATRAC algorithm that turns nice music into electronic junk. In addition all non-Sony units lack a feature to manually set the recording position after the already used part :-) Stick with Sony and you'll be okay I say (unless it's the 510 but hey no-ones perfect, not even Sony). Or the 920 with HiSpace someone says as well I think, or was that the 930. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: MD in advertising
I just got a general advertising leaflet for tthe Alliance Leicester banks' credit card here in Britain-- I assume it's a nationwide marketing leaflet so loadsa peeps will have received it (it was not addressed to me just stuffed through the mailbox). Thing is the slogan is "Grab the latest gadgets, we'll give you money back to play with" and guess what is prominently displayed on both the front and back of this leaflet? Thats right a portable minidisc unit (better yet, a Sony portie :-) surrounded by a few recordable minidiscs (couldn't discern which brand). This sort of "back-door" marketing could really push MD sales, far more than the stupid Sony TV ads I've seen. Just goes to show MD is now seen as a "thing to have" and not just some geeky gizmo :-P Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Surround sound
Hi guys, if you think I'm stupid please be gentle with me! A big thing is made these days of Dolby Pro-Logic Dolby Digital and all sorts of cinema surround sound systems. So I'm gonna ask a really stupid question which I would really like a serious answer to. We have two ears, a left and a right ear, so what advantage can be gained by using more than left and right speakers / headphones? I know I'm gonna get humiliated by asking this but I can't hold off asking any longer. I know in the cinema the sound may seem to come from behind because it did-- but our two ears received the sound from all angles and our brain gave us the surround effect. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: UNKNOWN CABLE IN SONY COMMERCIAL
On Tue, 22 Feb 2000, Robert Vargas wrote: Does anyone know what the white cable in the Sony Minidisc commercial that is connected to the MZ-R55 is? The commercial usually runs on MTV. I've only seen this commercial once, but the cable looks like a RJ45 connector, commonly used in ethernet networks and for hooking your PC up to ADSL or a cable modem. This commercial emphasizes that you can use your MD to record your music from the net. No, you can't plug the RJ45 directly into the MZ-R55 ;) Ian My guess is that there is as much data being transferred down whatever the cable is, as there is data being transferred to or from the MD discs we see used in films, and tv programmes like "Scrapheap Challenge" here in the UK (in which programme, the MD provides live video, and starts playing in well under half a second, more like instantaneous-- yeah, right :-) It's just a prop I'm sure. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Quality of Past MD recorders.
Hi Nathan, The Sony MZ-R3 is a damn fine unit, mine is still working perfectly today and if your insurance policy is a "new for old" cover then you should get a MZ-R90 or 55 or 50 (your choice-- I'd probably go for the 50). I love my R3, it may not be as small as todays units, and it may munch through batteries like hell but it has never let me down :-) Nathan, check what your policy says very carefully, given how much the R3 was when on sale the R90 would be a bargain for them as a replacement. I think the insurance company are trying to avoid a payout! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 From: "Nathan Howe" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hey there everyone, Just a quick question for the mailing list. I was until recently an owner of a MZ-R3. As most of you know this was one of the original and great Minidisc recorders. I had owned it for 4 years, until some little prick stole my bag with it in it. Luckily I had the thing insured. So now my insurance company is telling me that the MZ-R3 is a sub-standard model. By today's standards. yes it is. But when it came out it was the top of Sony's line. Am I the only one that thinks this?? I mean I know my minidiscs and although the MZ-R3 is old it still is a great model and what I would consider a classic. I just want to see what everyone here thinks of the situation. Cheers, Nathan Howe - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: md-l-digest V2 #532
Delete [EMAIL PROTECTED] please, no more mail! - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] I can't help but wonder if aol email system deletes footers, or perhaps it deletes intelligence :-) - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Weird CD drive solution
Hi guys, I'll keep this short as it's rather off-topic but just to let you know I've solved my CD drive problem, the reporting of all CDs as audio discs with track01.cda under Win98 while if I started the machine command prompt only it was fine. I finally fixed it by uninstalling the Adaptec Direct CD UDF reader (I think)-- I should say tech support at Creative Labs did mention getting the latest UDF reader of their software but not totally uninstalling. Okay I now get three or four errors when windoze starts up complaining about missing DLLs and the like but at I can play ProPinball Timeshock now! I suppose I owe AOL a big apology for blaming the problem on them, and since I just got another 10-hour toll free trial disc in the post today, and can once more use my CD drive under Windoze I may take it up :-) I really am a happy bunny today!!! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: MD advertising
Hi guys, Although I keep hearing from list members about MD being dead outside Japan, or at least dead in the States, I saw an advert on mainstream TV here in Britain this morning (on C4) which suggests its alive and well here. Okay it wasn't actually advertising MD, but consisted of a guy on a bus listening to music and subtitles of "Headphones 19.99" along with a scene showing him with the headphones on, "Minidisc Player 199.95" but it didn't show the unit, "Music 14.99". The advert was actually for Mastercard sponsoring the Brit Awards, but they could easily have said "Discman" or "Portable CD player" instead of "Minidisc Player" right? I wonder if that means the Brit Awards will be available on pre-rec MD for about ukp14.99? Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: first impressions of MZR90
From: "Simon Barnes" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dear All, following our discussions last summer, I was disappointed to find that now I have a portable minidisc, persons of the gender(s) to which I am attracted obstinately refuse to throw themselves at me. Perhaps I should hold the MD in full view and kinda sashay down the street to make my new coolness more evident. (snip) Since you say gender(s) Simon, I have found that minidiscs along with most geeky hi-tech stuff tends to be a male orientated thing. I have a few lady friends who are gadget freaks but it is generally male. I think your male friends to whom you are attracted are more likely to share your gadget/minidisc love. Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: SBlive with Hoontech DB III on Win 2000
From: "LAS" [EMAIL PROTECTED] The CR copies of Windows 2000 really lack drivers. But Win 2000 is designed for business use more then people interested in doing things with video and audio. I'm not sure that Microsoft will ever develop drivers for many things. You had better hope that the sound card manufacture has develops a driver. Windows 2000 is going to very disappointing for people that are looking for a new version of Windows and not NT. NT is a true operating system, but it is not as user friendly as Windows. Larry "Lynch, Jason JD" wrote: Hi Magic, I've had the same problem when i put my new Hoontech card in my machine running Win2000 / Win95 (dual boot). When i start up in win95 all is fine, but win2000 won't support the card. I've done a bit of research on this, and basically i've discovered that we'll need to wait until win2000 is officially released to get a hold of some drivers and liveware software for W2K. I'd say Creative are sitting on a brand spankin set of drivers for the SBLive and are just waiting for that win2000 release date to hand them out (Feb 17 is it?). I thought microsoft were gonna do a "final" release of Win 9x aka Win 2000 for home users who may need support for DOS apps, and an update of NT called Windows Millenium for business users. I might have got those two MS app names mixed up and if so I apologise. I have also heard that Win2000 (the Win98 follow-on I mean) might not have a native DOS mode, ie it doesn't have your old AUTOEXEC.BAT CONFIG.SYS and can't run a lot of older programs. Is this true as if it is I will definitely stick with Win98 for some time. If it can run a stable and fully supported DOS session I may consider it (but please no horse jokes about the "stable" :-) And since this was an OS related email, hats off to the guy who ends "the day MS doesn't suck is when they develop a vacuum cleaner!". I love you, that left me helpless for over 5 mins! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Help my CD-RW drive thinks all CDs are audio discs
Thanks everyone who has offered advice, I've found I can read data CDs fine if I start Win98 in command-line prompt mode, in other words Win98 GUI is never started, sorta like Magic's idea of using an emergency rescue disk. Unfortunately if I then fire up win98 it goes back to being identified as an audio CD-- and remains so even after "Shut Down - Restart in DOS mode" so Windoze is definitely the culprit. I checked for viruses using McAfee online scanner-- clean. I overwrote the existing Win98 installation by reinstalling from the CD [being able to read it as described above], that went fine but it had no affect. Looking back I'm pretty certain the AOL 5 installation was the last disc I read and I've always had my doubts about AOLs version of IE they use. I assume AOL5 is using a modified version of IE5 yeah? Anyway I've only got about 3-4 hours of my totally free AOL 24hour trial left and will unistall it and if necessary reinstall Win98 again afterwards and hopefully things will look brighter :-) Thanks again, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Help my CD-RW drive thinks all CDs are audio discs
Hi guys, if any of you can help me I'd be eternally grateful! My CD-RW drive has decided every CD I insert is an audio CD. This is fine if it is an audio CD, file manager lists eg. "track01.cda" to "track12.cda" for a 12 music track cd and it plays fine. But when I insert a data cd, whether its an original silver disc, a cd-r I burnt or a cd-r from someone else it says it has "track01.cda" and nothing else. It can't play it cos no audio tracks are actually on the disc. I've been on to Creative Labs tech support and after flashing the CD-RW drive bios, the motherboard bios and replacing more drivers with the latest versions on the net they decided to replace it. I got the replacement on sunday and it's no better. Ive since deleted things like RealPlayer WinAmp etc in case they were interfering, jiggled the IDE cable, updated the new drives' flash bios and its still pants. So has ne1 any ideas? Might I have downloaded a virus sometime (please no)! I dunno what to tell tech support now, and I *Really* do not want to have to reinstall Windows, IE4 then 5, and about 2gb of other stuff. If anyone thinks it could be a virus and theres something I could download, pls give me the url. I don't need the drive desparetly but would like to burn a disc for a friend I'm visiting end of march. I did install AOL 5.0 trial recently but surely they couldn't have sent an infected CD out!!! Thanks in advance, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: mini disc advertising (was hating mp3)
Hi Robert, If thats the same ad we saw in Britain with the guy with a pigeon on his head I certainly think the genius behind it deserves reasonable payment for his workj -- a bullet in the brain!!! I can say I am staggered by how many guys in their late teens, or twenties here in Britain are aware of minidisc-- even if they havent bought into the format, and are well aware of its abilities. They know about it but havent bought one. I do agree though that a good ad by Sony could do wonders. Memory-stick etc music storage? rubbish! Five years ago peeps said hard disks would be dinosaurs and look what happenned! 17GB for about ukp120, good god go back 10 years and you'd have been lucky to get 170MB for ukp120 !!! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 - Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 From: "Robert Torres" [EMAIL PROTECTED] belive it or not, Sony does actually advertise the Mini Disc over here in Oz. I gota admit though that the ads are really strange and very obscure, I'm not sure it's really what they need. No explanation of the general capabilities, though it does make it clear that they have recording capabilities I gotta admit. I have never seen print media advertisements though, only in Japan where there are brochures in all the stores (cause most big stores sell everythingKmart style I guess). It has just a big a hiold over there as cd etc in terms of presence in stock displays. Well, enough of my ramble, just a point of interest. Sony also has MD advertising here in Spain, and I think it has helped - but I've only seen it before movies. It shows 3 or 4 different folks doing all sorts of wacked-out stuff with headphones on - some of it quite physical - and then ends with a guy sitting at his desk recording an MD, popping it out of the deck, and then dropping into his portable, labelled 'musica para volar' (music for flying). He then gets funky with some pigeons and the commercial ends with some voice over about your music (can't remember exactly what the slogan is). Like I mentioned in an earlier post, this advertising seemed to at least raise general awareness here. And the ad is decent. It sends home the "home recording" point mentioned above and raises awareness. This commercial isn't specifically Spanish - most of it is music. I'd be surprised if it hasn't made it elsewhere. more general interest bits for you all... bob - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: MD survival, MP3, Internet, etc
Hi guys, This MD vs MP3 thread just isn't gonna stop! I can't decide which post to reply directly from, so I'll just post my thoughts. Until Flash memory prices drop *DRAMatically*, undercutting DRAM memory prices massively, tiny portable MP3 players are strictly a geeks' gadget. These portable HD MP3 players are strange beasts-- I originally thought any impact to a hard-disk could cause a head crash but with laptops having 2.5" drives everywhere thought they could survive minor drops. I'm not talking about a 3 foot fall to a pavement, but surely they could survive the average jog [and with buffer memory minimise skips]. I personally feel MD is currently the best portable storage media for music thanks to the work put into optimising the ATRAC algorithm, largely by Sony. A 40-sec anti-shock memory will prevent playback interuption under most usage situations, but hey, given how MP3 porties have a lot more memory, they could easily give an MD 120-sec memory for a tiny cost which should cover most situations. Okay-- if you keep changing tracks, reading all that in advance will increase current drain but it could be switchable like on many portable CD players. As for internet access in europe, most of us have to pay by the minute for our phone call in Britain at present, but the situation is changing rapidly. Once we had to pay a monthly charge (say ukp15) and a local-rate call (roughly ukp1 per hour). Then a provider abolished the monthly charge and the rest were forced to follow, sort of a domino effect. Now the major telephone providers in Britain are being forced to introduce free-call access but with a monthly charge again. I've heard my provider [Telewest] will allow unlimited 24x7 access for ukp10/month. I just wonder how long it will be until the monthly charge drops and access is completely free :-) And finally I'll say most of you under-estimate how much peeps know about MiniDisc, at least here in the UK. Most guys I've talked to in their twenties or late teens have at the very least heard of it, though many have yet to buy into the format. Some sort of digi-link to a computer is essential, I think to persuade PC owners to go MD rather than MP3. Thats my 2 groats worth! Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Additional battery
Hi guys, I'm not familiar with the Sony R37 so dunno how it's battery gauge is calibrated but the gauge on the R3 seems to work well with both alkalines and nicad or nimh rechargeables. Whilst I haven't actually monitored the exact voltage range associated with each of the four battery levels, I guess the internal resistance of alkalines makes them behave rather similar to rechargeables in it. A current drain of say 300mA is gonna cause a voltage drop from a set of alkaline cells so their 1.5V nominal voltage may become 1.3V under load. The same drain from Nicads will have negligible effect on their voltage due to their very low internal-resistance. I guess the same will apply to NiMH cells but I am not certain. Nicads will certainly hold a fairly constant voltage for most of their life but it does fall slowly and probably in a similar range to the voltage presented by alkalines (when under load). I can also say my R3's battery indicator works fine with a couple of 1300mAh NiMH AA cells though as it was designed to take either Alkalines, or the BP-DM20 NiMH pak I wonder if perhaps it auto-detects rechargeables (inc Nicad) and adjusts the gauge accordingly. I have a number of things that say "don't use rechargeable batteries" in the booklet. I can honestly say I have never used my nicads in any of the manuals, but have never had any problems using them in the gadgets in question :-) The only thing I would say you shouldn't use rechargeable batteries in are electronic kits, where you wire up a circuit yourself. Nicads have a *very* low internal resistance and if you accidently wire up a short circuit, things will go seriously pants when you apply the power :-P Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 Earn a minimum of $20 per hour by watching ads on the net! Visit http://www.bepaid.com/users.rhtml?REFID=10164669 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: quality of optical cables
From: "Richard Wright" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I stand corrected. The SPDIF signal is indeed different. Ok everybody - forget the experiment (but do send pictures of your gold-plated optical connectors). I'll try and get some for you all to laugh at :-) I think they're made by Van Damme who make high quality cables and connectors, so god knows what they're doing making gold plated optical leads!! Grover Perhaps the gold plated plug reduces spurious optical reflections between the lead and the LED / photodiode. I bet a hi-fi journalist would be able to "explain" how the gold-plated plugs produce superior sound quality. Such knowledge of optics is beyond me or anyone with a scientific background however :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "if it harms none, do what you will" Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://website.lineone.net/~princegaz/ ICQ: 36892193 - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Hi-Space Disc Problems?
So far I've used about 30 Hi-Space 74's (the red fruity ones) without a single problem. Then again none of my original Sony Black 74s (ten or so) have had probs and quite a few peeps have reported problems with them. I'm tempted to ask whether you're using a Sony MD unit or some dubious "other" manufacturer :-) Cheers, PrinceGaz -- "hey I'm not biased, I just happen to favor Sony MD stuff!" From: "Martin Schiff" [EMAIL PROTECTED] I have used about 20 Hi-space discs with no problems so far. -- Martin I've been using a lot of Hi-Space discs that I bought in quantity. I've not had any real problems, so far, although I've occasionally noticed that my MD recorder sometimes makes a very soft clicking or whining noise when I'm recording with them; it doesn't seem to do that with other brands. Within the last couple of days, I've heard from two different people that they have had problems with Hi-Space(unit won't read TOC, disc needs to be reinserted multiple times into unit before it will read TOC). Is this a coincidence or are other MD users familiar with problems using Hi-Space? Thanks. Chris Callahan - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
