MD to hard disk recording

[GentlemanJim]

Hi, I have a question which I'm sure will be easy for someone to answer.

I want to transfer some old minidisc recordings to my computer. Does this have to be done in real time? The latest Net MD recorders make it easy to transfer from PC to MD and then back again, but what about transfering recordings to PC that were originally made on a minidisc machine? Can anybody recommend a cheapish portable minidisc unit that will solve my problem? I don't want to transfer 80 hours of music in real time!

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[onlyfingers]

Hi, Gentleman.

I think you are SOL. Here are some FAQs posted at minidisc.org:

http://www.minidisc.org/NetMD_faq.html#_q82
See item # 5. Doesn't look like NetMD lets you upload self-recorded files.

http://www.minidisc.org/very_faq.html#_q111
See # 6: NetMD is a one-way trip, from computer to MD.
and # 13: Describes the process you want to avoid.

http://www.minidisc.org/uploader_table.html
Identifies some products (not MD) that are designed to allow uploading. I've read good things about iRiver, but I haven't tried it myself.


Look at it this way: do 10 hours per night while you sleep, and by New Year's you'll be done.

 

[GentlemanJim]

That's really useful, thanks for the reply.

I guess I'll just have to do it the old fashioned way.

Any tips for doing the recording? Do I have to worry about recording levels like I did when I made the originals on MD? Does Windows have its own software or is it pretty poor?

 

[onlyfingers]

Hi, GentlemanJim.

I haven't got a lot of experience here. (So much analog, so little time. Oh, but MD isn't analog. May as well be….)

A couple of tips.

1. You have to tell Windows where your input is. Accessories-Entertainment-Sound Recorder-Edit-Audio Properties-Sound Recording-Volume will give you the "Recording Control" menu to tell Windows what you want to do. (You can get ther from the Control Panel, too, I think.) I seem to remember picking "What U Hear".
2. The initial file is only 60 seconds long, so you have to record nothing to fill up the 60 seconds, and copy the file over onto itself enough times so your material will fit.

As you learn, please post tips so we can learn, too.