Hi-MD Rapid Transfer

From SPARK

Until recently the only way to transfer a recording from an MD recorder is by using the analog output of the MD recorder. Now, using the newer Sony Hi-MD recorders, direct transfer to a computer using a USB cable is available.

Sony recently answered a question with which I have been struggling regarding wave file creation from an MD recording. I couldn’t get my MD recording to transfer from the MD recorder to the computer using a USB cable. The problem was that I had recorded using regular MD mode.

If you record using Hi-MD mode, you can use the USB cable to transfer directly to a wave file using the SonicStage 3.1 program. This is the current version of SonicStage. Version 2.0 of SonicStage can be upgraded for free online.

If you record using regular MD mode, you will not be able to transfer direct to wave, and will have to record using the analog headset output and real time playback. You HAVE to use the Hi-MD mode for recording in order to use the USB cable for transferring your recording.

If you use the 1 GB Hi-MD media (475 minutes record time using Hi-SP mode), the MD recorder draws about twice as much power as compared to recording using the regular 80 minute mini-disk media. However, recording the standard 80 minute mini-disk using the Hi-MD mode (140 minutes record time) actually draws a little less power than when recording in SP Stereo mode (80 minutes record time). Yes, you get more on a mini-disc when using Hi-MD mode.

Hi-SP mode is only in stereo. So the 140 minutes of record time (Hi-SP, 80-minute mini-disc) is actually a little less than a recording in monaural mode which yields 160 minutes of record time. But the Hi-SP (or other Hi-MD mode) must be selected to gain the advantage of the USB transfer from MD recorder to the computer.

I just tested this to verify what Sony has claimed.

Considerations:

• This is a “one time transfer” from MD player to computer using the USB cable.

• The recording can be moved more than once from the MD recorder, but only to the original computer used in the transfer.

• You can convert the file to wave format at the end of the transfer or after the file is stored in the SonicStage library.

• The wave file can be created multiple times from the SonicStage library.

• Once in wave format you may backup and share the file as needed.

If you want to convert the file to mono (to save disc space), it can be converted using the “Convert to..” option on the Edit menu of CoolEdit, or by selecting mono under the “Resample” tab of Audition when running a batch process.

• You can record in PCM format if you want and avoid anomalies associated with the ATRAC compression.

• Hi-MD is limited to stereo recordings only (there is no mono recording).

• The MD player is powered by the USB cable during the transfer – you can remove the MD battery if you need to.

This list is not exhaustive. But I hope this helps others to understand and make use of this digital transfer feature when the old MD dies and they replace that with a new Hi-MD model.

by Larry Mathews

Appropriate Media Services (AMS)

South East Asia