Sony to stop producing MiniDisc Walkman devices

The format experienced a golden age with the introduction of MDLP (special ATRAC codecs that allowed users to fit more music on a MiniDisc), but its popularity faded quickly once large capacity hard-drive/flash music players (e.g. iPods) rose to prominence starting in the early part of last decade. Consumers also lost faith in the format due to Sony's clunky MiniDisc music management software SonicStage (and also the dreaded Connect Player). Sony tried to curb the mass exodus with the introduction of the 1GB Hi-MD format, a scaled-up version of the original technology, with little success.

Currently, the only portable MiniDisc unit still in production is the MZ-RH1. In contrast, when MiniDisc was most dominant in the marketplace, Sony was launching up to half a dozen (or more) new MiniDisc players and recorders each year with incredible features that some portable music players still lack to this day.

The Japanese company promised to continue producing MiniDisc (and Hi-MD) media so devout users can keep recording in ATRAC (and PCM). Sony will also continue to manufacture bookshelf audio players that can play the MD format in select markets.

Until very recently, MiniDisc recorders were still some of the best-sounding and affordable portable live recording devices on the market. Did you use MD during its heyday? Do you miss it?

Crave freelancer Christopher MacManus is now investing his energy writing for CNET after covering the Sony brand on various Web sites of his own for nearly a decade. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, FPS gaming, and his miniature Australian shepherd. Christopher is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. E-mail Christopher .

Wow, they were still making MD? Yes, I still use MD for recording live music and music lessons. But I picked up a couple of recorders and a bunch of disks on eBay about 6 or 7 years ago for peanuts. I thought the format was pretty much dead back then. THe SD-card recorders available today are much more convenient to use, but I've been too cheap to spring for one yet. I had a couple of portable minidisc players, loved them because of the size factor while keeping all the benefits of a portable CD player. Sony did screw up with their computer software, though, transferring songs was a mess and that's what eventually led me to buy an iPod and never touch the minidisc again.

Rack Mount Cd Player - News


Sony to stop producing MiniDisc Walkman devices
Sony to stop producing MiniDisc Walkman devices

At the time hard drive recorders were rack mount. By using the Mini-Disc on max. quality/low compression, I could arrive at a venue with a back pack of mics and Mini-Discs. I could go by mass transit instead of a van. Some of the venues were in areas



Battlefield – Welcome to vehicles, squads, and mass destruction.
Battlefield – Welcome to vehicles, squads, and mass destruction.

The multiplayer introduced the “Conquest” mode where players would “capture” locations to rack up points to secure victory. There were two expansions that were released “The Road to Rome” which released in February 2003 with 6 maps that took place in



Jeep Grand Cherokee UK Version
Jeep Grand Cherokee UK Version

Owners can store up to 6700 tracks on the hard drive and upload music and photos through the USB port or from a CD/DVD. The system includes a single-disc CD player, and can also play DVDs when the vehicle is stationary and the transmission is in Park.



All-new 2011 GMC Terrain arrives in Oman

A rack-mounted electric power steering system (available only on the 2400 cc models) contributes to greater fuel efficiency, which owes to the lack on an engine-driven pump. To ensure a quite driving experience free from excessive engine and external



Apple Final Cut Pro X

Ten years ago, Apple transitioned Mac OS 9 to a radically different Mac OS X. The first iteration Mac OS X 10.0 "Cheetah" was slow and missed basic features like DVD playback and CD burning. In the end, the radical transition to Cheetah laid the




What do i need to record high quality file from a mix from CDJ-400 ...

I have a pair of CDJ-400′s and a Numark Mixer, i would like to record mix’s digitally so that i can then burn them to disc, but i would like them to be high quality so that it sounds high quality on the radio (as i am a radio dj for a voluntary radio station) we have the funds to buy all we need. What kind of laptop do we need and with what specs, and any other equipment needed.

Kind Regards

It isn’t so much about the laptop. It is about some of the individual components.

Really, all you are doing is getting a laptop that you can use as a glorified “tape” recorder. You are not intending to use the laptop as a mixer, as you are going to use it to record the end result of your mixing with external equipment. So, the laptop needs to be good enough to record without the processor getting in the way of the recording. That means dual core or better, and that would mean you should look at a 2.0 ghz dual core or better for error free recording. Anything slower, and you would most likely find that the machine itself would operate with too much lag for the final editing necessary.

By final editing, I mean, that you will record the output of your Numark, trim the dead air off the beginning and end of the recording, and save it as a high quality .wav file for final recording onto a CD.

For your recording, you should actually be spending the money on an external USB sound card. You don’t want to rely on the one built-into your laptop, as you won’t find a laptop with an excellent sound card for recording audio.

So, what would be some good equipment for this? You would also get this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102020&Tpk=USB%20sound%20card Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi external sound card, capable of recording and playback of 96khz… remember, CD audio is only 44khz. So you can record raw from the mixer, then easily DOWNGRADE the recording to CD quality for the final recording.

The unit comes with a CD/DVD burner that will work just fine. However, feel free to poke around Newegg and look at the external CD/DVD burners… they aren’t all that expensive, you will be able to shunt that grunt burning work to an easily replaceable unit (as opposed to putting the hours on the more expensive internal burner).

Software. The X-Fi will come with a recording suite, but get comfortable with Audacity. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ It is free, and it will produce the files you need to work with.


Rack Mount Cd Player - Bookshelf

Mix

Mix

Retail is $2895, with rack- mount kit and cleaning tape ... STUDIR D780 The only rackmount studio DAT deck with transformer-balanced analog line and mic ...

TCI, the business of entertainment technology & design

TCI, the business of entertainment technology & design

... 12 ETC Sensor dimmer racks Video monitors: Mitsubishi Electronics102 SOUND ... HS-6 rack mount headphone mixer PLAYBACK 1 Denon125 DN-610F CD player 1 ...

Standard Catalog of Buick 1903-2004

Standard Catalog of Buick 1903-2004

Deck lid luggage rack ($115). Lighted visor-vanity mirrors on Regal Custom ($92) . ... Trunk mounted CD changer for Park Avenue Ultra ($595). ...

Radio production worktext, studio and equipment

Radio production worktext, studio and equipment

FIGURE 5.7 The minidisc recorder in a rack-mount configuration (and combined with a CD player) can be found in many production studios. ...

The Equipment directory of audio-visual, computer and video products

The Equipment directory of audio-visual, computer and video products

$180.00; AG-M600 rack mount brackets, $70.00; NV-J500 AV switcher, $550.00; ... recorder/player SP Freeze frame, slow motion variable; high speed play with ...

Casual Knowledge Directory


Rack Mount CD Player - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at ...
Rack Mount CD Player - 102 results like the TASCAM CD-200 CD Player CD-R - MP3, WAV, CD-Text Playback - Rack-mountable, Numark CDN22 MK5 CD Player ...

Cd player rack mount CD Players at Bizrate
Buy Cd player rack mount from top rated stores. Comparison shopping for the best price.

Dual Tray Rackmount CD...
Electronic Bargains DJ Superstore :: CD/DVD/Media Players :: Dual ... value DN-D4000 professional dual CD/MP3 rack-mount player, introducing a number of new ...

Numark CD Players Rack Mount
Buy the Numark CD Players Rack Mount and save big. ... The Numark Rack Mount CD Players come with a wide range of features and are a necessity for you, if you're a ...

Rack Mount :: CD Players :: CD Equipment :: AUDIO :: NLFX ...
Save money on all your DJ, Club, and Karaoke needs on brand name products by American DJ, Antari, Chauvet, Community, Crown, B52, Denon, Gator, Gemini, JBL, Leprecon, ...