Any change in size of MiniDisk?

[skyy38]

Are they the same size *now* as back in 1997?(80 minutes)
Or can they carry more data now?

Thanks!

[Uncle Roel]

Yes, they are the same.

No they can't carry more data now.

[Nilbog]

Except the minidisk players now can record in LP mode which will get you up to 296 minutes in the U.S. and 592 minutes on the overseas units. The quality aint bad either.

I believe those numbers are right, but they may have released the longer LP units in the US by now.

[Mark Tinley]

Not strictly true - if you buy a Sony Hi-MD machine you can double the capacity on a standard disk - or get 1GB on the new disks.

Best

Mark

[A Reel Person]

The "old" standard Minidisc was 74 Min/140 Mb.

The "newer" minidiscs were 80 Min/151.4 Mb. [Did the math, myself!]

The data capacity of the minidisc has not changed. What's changed is the data compression schemes used, to pack as much compressed data onto 151.4 Mb of raw data space.

That's not a true 1Gb you're getting on that Minidisc, but a compressed data set that's used to compress 1Gb into 151.4 Mb.

[Dex]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

That's not a true 1Gb you're getting on that Minidisc, but a compressed data set that's used to compress 1Gb into 151.4 Mb.

Hi-MD uses a new media format which actually holds about 1GB of uncompressed data.

That 151.4MB disc also reformats to 305MB [uncompressed] in a Hi-MD recorder.

[A Reel Person]

Thanks!!! Your quick post was very enlightening & much appreciated! It proves my previous posts wrong, from the word "go"!

Okay, I would not have believed that Hi-MD was anything but another audio data compression codec, but NO! I went out to www.minidisc.org and checked it out!

Hi-MD involves a new & upgraded 1GB Minidisc media, PLUS a new read/write technology, that eeks out that much more performance, from the poor little maligned Minidisc! Yes, it even will record 16/44.1 Linear PCM (CD Standard format), and REformatted "normal" Minidiscs will reformat to DOUBLE their previous capacity,... all without "ATRAC" or data compression codecs! It's going to breathe new life into Minidisc, I believe, and rivals CDR recording utility, IMO. Of course, the half-dozen "SP" and "LP" minidisc codecs are supported, plus plain ol' vanilla ATRAC. Atrac1, Atrac2, Atrac3,... whatever, the Hi-MD is backward compatible to them all. Plus, the Hi-MD discs will employ USB file import/export to the PC, within certain limitations. This ain't yer daddy's Minidisc!!! Heh.

The only downside, that I can see, is that it essentially makes my previous high-end MD recorders obsolete. To really capitalize on what Hi-MD really means, is to literally junk all the "normal" MD hardware I already have. Of course, the Hi-MD is fully backward compatible, but the "standard" MD recording experience just won't be the same, after that. That hurts, deep down inside, but I think I'll get over it!

Plus, the Hi-MD is a newly introduced technology, with new media and new recorders/players, and is barely even commercially available, as we speak,... just recently introduced,... released in July,... and maybe not available in the common market, for quite some time to come. Also, I did not see a home-audio Hi-MD recorder that would be a suitable replacement for the MDS-JE510 and JE320. All units I saw that were introduced are little walkman-sized portables. I'll have to wait til the home-console-type units come out.

I hope, in the long run, that this Hi-MD advance in MD technology really brings MD back to the forefront, and gives CDR recording a run for it's money!

Thanx, Mr. Dex! The info,... I would not have believed, unless I researched it myself!! Now, I'm a believer! Thanx for the tip!!