MD: Questions about Sharp MDMT15VQ
The mercata.com site lists this: "Sharp Portable MiniDisc Player/Recorder w/MP3 Adapter and Software, MDMT15VQ," and goes on to say it features the ability to record/play mp3's, saying: "The advanced technology that allows this is the Voquette NetLink adapter and Media Manager software. Just connect the adapter between the MiniDisc player/recorder and your computer, then use the Media Manager software to manually or automatically record music, information and news from your computer to your MiniDiscs" I already have written Mercata to complain that in a world of at least two major computer platforms, you CAN'T just say "your computer" and have it mean anything. Does someone on the list know if the Voquette link and the Media Manager software is PC-only? Also, the Sharp Electronics web site listing for this device says nothing at all about Voquette link, Media Manager or mp3s. Does anyone know if this is a bundle that Sharp is offering, or is this likely some sort of special Mercata bundle? Lastly, as regards a unit such as this, isn't the concept of "recording" mp3's a little misleading? To me that would suggest that a signal could be sent into the device (digital or analog) and that the device would convert/record it to become an mp3. What I suspect is the case is that the device can "store" (not record, literally) an mp3 file and play it back. Am I being picky? And even if so, am I correct? Thanks much, Richard Huggins (Mac OS, as you might have figured) _ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Help me figure this out
Scenario: JE-500, recording from analog source with MD in "mono" mode. Also, the analog source is panned to the left, because it's a soundtrack with instruments on left and voices on right (I wanted only the instruments). As I'm previewing the source in rec. mode in order to set the rec. level, the output control of the mixer through which it's playing is in "unity" position knob-wise. I adjust the rec-in control on the MD until I'm peaking at 0 but not over. Then I start the actual recording, and again observe a lot of peaking near 0 (like I want), even in one very brief moment a clipping. When all is over, I go back to see how that brief clip sounds, but instead, I see very little playback anywhere in the song over -4! My playback level is not what I want, but I don't understand why the rec. level looked so different from the playback level, or how I can compensate for the differences if I have to. Given the scenario, can someone explain what might be the reason for this? Thanks. Richard Huggins _ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: portable MD with mic recording?
>Hi all! My wife's a music teacher and needs a portable (not personal) MD >system to be able to replay CDs and MD ... she also needs to be able to >make reasonable quality, stereo recordings of her pupils' performances. > ... >We can't find a boombox or mini/micro system Ever since boom boxes started coming with CD players in them, Line In jacks are rare. Maybe they exist on high-end boom boxes, but other than that, their absence reflects the fact that they had been there mainly for connecting portable CD players. As for direct reording with a mic and MD portable--several years ago I dragged out the only mic I had at the time---a consumer-grade Radio Shack mic!--plugged it in to the original MD, the MZ1, and recorded a lot of background sound effects for a recording project. The results were excellent. I believe that your wife would be pleased with the results, even if you did use the Mic In jack. But, don't use a mic that needs what is called "phantom power." Richard - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Recording MD to CD-Rom
You might try saving them as a Quicktime Movie (one of the other Ultra Sound options) and then trying the conversion. Better yet, though, you can use SoundJam Plus to do the initial recording off of your MD (it accepts sound in from analog sources, such as what you're doing). This way, everything will stay within a single application--after recording, it will convert what it recorded into an mp3. This might clear up any problems with getting Toast to recognize what it's looking for. A CD player in and of itself does not have the ability to read an mp3 file. It is not designed for that. Where would it get the software knowledge it needs to do that? A CD-ROM player might could, if you also encoded the CD with the software necessary for reading the mp3 files. (It would work if the mp3-reading software were already on your computer, and you played the files via your computer...but I presume that you want this music to be portable). But there are better solutions: go to <http://www.mp3.com> and click on Hardware, then look for blurbs on some recent additions to the techno side---CD-type players that specifically are designed to play mp3 files. The knowledge needed to do this is buit in to the circuitry of the player, so you just pop your mp3-laden CD into it, and it plays them. Estimates are you could put 10 hours of mp3 music on a single CD. SoundJam Plus is about $30 from Casady and Greene <http://www.casadyg.com> Richard Huggins >From: Marc <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: MD: Recording MD to CD-Rom > >I have uploaded from my MD - anolog out and anolog in to my computer. >Using a Ultra Recorder 2.4 software, I saved these as a standard AIFF >files. I dropped the files onto Adaptec Toast 3.5.5, set to Audio CD. >(When I recorded them as Window Wav, Toast said it would not record them >in Audio CD format.) - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: question on end search
Having seen now how end search "works," I am prompted to agree with what many of you feel...End Search may be one of the worst-implemented ideas Sony ever has had, at least in the incomplete and non-logical way it functions. Geezhow much harder would it have been to have added some measure of protection when the unit detects that it is sitting on recorded material, rather than blank sectors? I'm sorry to hear that Sony made such a goof. Nevertheless, I think it *can* become 2nd-nature to owners to press the h%$@ out of End Search---after recording, before recording, after playback in fact, it MUST become 2nd-nature, it seems. Do the recording portables have a Hold feature, so that inadvertent presses of the buttons have no effect? Even the Sony players-only have that. Richard - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: question on end search
I don't understand, I guess. I have two desktop MD components and one player-only. So I'm in the dark about end search. But...are you all saying that if your recording portable is in the STOPPED position, it STILL will overwrite material if RECORD is pressed? As was mentioned, the desktops have an automatic end-search when REC is pressed, if they are in STOP position. And if you are in Pause, an "Overwrite?" warning comes on, requiring confirmation. If a recording portable won't overwrite if starting from the STOP position (not PAUSE), then why would it be any easier to use END SEARCH? Or any more of a problem than simply to get in the habit of going to STOP. Yes, we all forget, so I go back to my original question as to if the recorder portable overwrites even if in stop, unless end search is pressed. Educate me! Richard - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Buying on eBay
I strongly urge anyone who is buying on eBay to use an escrow service. eBay recommends one of them --iEscrow-- right on the site. Complete information about iEscrow can be found at <http://www.iescrow.com/ebay/> eBay also urges you to be familar with their Safe Harbor program <http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/index.html>, which is designed to minimize fraud. AMong the blurbs there is this: --- While the vast majority of eBay transactions are trouble-free, rest assured that when fraud happens, insurance coverage can help. Here's how fraud is defined on eBay: 1. Paying for an item and never receiving it or 2. Receiving an item that is less than what is described -- such as winning a solid gold necklace at auction but receiving a copper one instead. If you feel you need to use your insurance coverage, here are the steps to take: 1. First, try to communicate with your seller directly. Many problems are just simple misunderstandings. To contact this person, fill out The Registered User Information Request page. 2. Review the Insurance Eligibility Checklist and Claims Process to understand how you qualify for insurance. 3. If you still suspect fraud and have gone through Steps 1 and 2, file a Fraud Report. - The escrow service will act as intermediary, receiving your funds ) and holding them until you receive the merchandise and have the opportunity to inspect it. You can use a card, if you wish, but the service fee is less if you send some form of a check or money order. If you like what you received, you let them know and they send the funds to the seller. If you don't, you return the unit to the seller and he lets them know when he has received it back, then the service returns your money to you. In the case of a dispute, at least the seller doesn't have the money either and the two of you will have to work out an agreement. There is a small service fee, and both seller and buyer must agree to use the escrow service. The buyer pays the service fee, but it's worth it to save being robbed. My opinion is that reputable sellers will not hesitate to do so. If they are in such a hurry to get their money, that's the first warning sign. Their unwillingness to go through an escrow service is an equally-bad omen, in my view. The services are absolutely trustworthy, and, in fact, have federal laws watching over them. Barring this, or perhaps in addition to it, I would be prepared to take pictures of the item as it sits in the box in which it was delivered, and again when it's out of its box. You might also have someone witness your opening of the box. C.O.D. --which is another way I have bought-- when allowed can work somewhat. The UPS guy will wait while you at least open the box and and give a preliminary inspection to ascertain (1) it is what you ordered and (2) is not damaged externally. However, once the UPS guy moves on that COD money is on its way. Sometimes the seller acepts a personal or company check, which can be stopped if you find the unit doesn't work. Sometimes the seller demands a bank check...I'm not sure if those can be stopped or not. Richard Huggins - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Testing a JE500
I have a JE500 and JE520. The list may recall that recently I reported that the JE500 all of a sudden (mid-session!) wouldn't record more than 2-6 seconds of material on a track. Starting a new track didn't help; changing disks didn't make a difference either. More than one reply was along the line that it would be cheaper to replace it than to repair it, which might be true. My current question is this: is there anything in the test mode that could identify the possible problem and, better yet, is there any such thing as "resetting" an MD unit to factory defaults (to you Mac users, I would liken this to zapping the P-RAM), so that, perhaps by doing so the recording problem--if it's a brain thing, not a part thing--might be solved? I should add that I've never entered test mode, so if there are specific things I can try once I'm there, please spell them out. Many thanks! Richard - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: MD: Can't record more material
Following up on my recent post where I described a suddenly-occuring problem in my JE500 where I can't record more than 4 seconds of material, despite having obvious signal (analog) going to the machine and everything else as it was before the problem began... I have experimented with the following variables, to no avail: + Trying another disk (tried 2 different disks) + Tried a brand new disk (Sony 74) + Trying signal from a different playback device + Letting the machine be powered off overnight (tho not unplugged) + Trying stereo vs. mono Trying a second MD unit (JE520) DID work (:>) If anyone thinks there are troubleshooting ideas to apply, I'd appreciate the feedback. It is beginning to appear that the machine has developed a problem requiring service, which leads me to this question: What are some good options for sending this unit in for servicing? Is sending to a Sony Service Center near me the best answer, or are there reliable independent authorized repair alternatives (particularly if any are in the Dallas area would be helpful) to suggest? (The unit is not under warranty.) Thanks for the assistance. Richard Huggins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MD: Can't record more material
Help (for a new list subscriber)! I have a JE500. I am recording in mono mode from a cassette. I show 26+ minutes left and am at track #44. I've been rolling along but now suddenly I cannot record more than 6-8 seconds of material. (Is there a limit to the number of tracks?) Signal is definitely getting to the MD. Level-Sync is turned off (but makes no difference if turned on). Could this be a bad block on the MD (Sony MDW-74) that I can't get around? I've tried ejecting and re=inserting the tape, so that perhaps something related to the TOC writing would "jar" whatever's wrong, but to no avail. If someone who gets MD-L message-by-message has an idea and wouldn't mind e-mailing me directly, I'd appreciate it, as I am in digest mode for the MD-L list and won't see a reply until the listserver sends the digest. Thanks very much. Richard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - To stop getting this list send a message containing just the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
