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minidisc

Minidisc

This page is to document my own minidisc experiments, processes, inventory, etc etc. This page is adapted/moved from wiki:minidisc [StenoWiki] (stenoweb.net)

My trip reports are on the trip report page.

And, my disc inventory is on the Minidiscs list.

Generic & Reference Information

Minidisc is a miniaturized disc format using matneto optical media developed by Sony from the early '90s through to the early '00s. Background information can be found on wikipedia.

The players use audio compression to fit 60, 74, or 80 minutes of audio onto a disc.

  • In 1992, Sony launched the Minidisc format with the MZ-1 recorder, MZ-2P player, MDS-101 deck,a nd ZS-M1 boombox.
  • In 2000, Sony added Long Play to the format and subsequent/new players can record in LP2 (2x) or LP4 (4x) formats for longer run time. This impacts audio quality, but not in a way I've been able to detect with $15 headphones.
  • In Mid-2001, a new series of recorders branded as NetMD allowed for audio to be loaded onto discs from a computer using USB cabling.
  • In October 2001, the 5-gigabyte iPod was introduced.
  • In January 2004, a futher revision to the format called HiMD introduced several improvements:
    • New 1GB discs
    • HiMD recorders can re-format regular MD discs for approximately 300MB of capacity
    • The second generation recorders from 2005 can play MP3 files directly off the discs
      • there are dedicated recorders such as the MZ-EH50 but it's not clear if they can read MP3s off the filesystem or if they can only use MD/MDLP/HiMD format audio
    • Using a recorder, you can store generic computer data directly on the discs via the USB connection
    • The recorders support transferring live recordings made in Hi-MD mode to a computer
    • Linear PCM
    • One of the last machines (the MZ-RH1) can transfer audio from minidiscs to computers via USB
  • In April 2004, the first Hi-MD machines actually ship: MZ-NH600/D, MZ-NH-700 (and MZ-NHF800), and MZ-NH900
  • In May 2004, one of the last portable NetMD writer, the MZ-N920, ships
    • The MZ-DN430 in December 2005 is "the" last portable NetMD writer.
  • In June 2006, the last Sony MiniDisc recorder, the MZ-RH1, is introduced
    • Sony had positioned the previous year's RH10 and RH910 as portable field recorders so this one was positioned in that way as well
    • With some exceptions, the complementary version of SonicStage could transfer classic MiniDisc recordings to a computer, likely for format shifting purposes
  • In 2008, The MZ-N920 is still in the Walkman catalog alongside the MZ-RH1
  • Sony discontinued portable recorders (the MZ-RH1) internationally in 2011.
  • In 2013 Sony discontinued stationary minidisc stereo systems.
  • In December 2021, TEAC discontinued its last minidisc product, the MD-70CD
  • As of 2022-04, Sony is still selling the MDW80T and the MD-DATA MMD-140B.

As an all-digital, disc-based format with rewriteability there's several logistical benefits to MD over other formats. The discs can store table of contents information that can be used for changing track play order, removing tracks from the play list to create space on the disc for more recordings, as well as labeling entire discs and tracks in such a way that the data appears on displays on the player. Minidiscs are smaller and more durable than CDs and smaller, more durable, and have higher quality than cassette tapes.

In addition, many minidisc recorders have powered microphone ports which makes them suitable for some field/audio recording needs. There's some amount of cultural association with minidisc replacing tape formats like DAT in concert bootlegging. There is also some specialty MD hardware, such as long-play business recorders that can play back at variable speed, and court-room recorders thatn span recordings across multiple discs.

Minidisc was available in the US but was much more popular much longer in Japan, so you may be able to find better deals on certain things if you're comfortable ordering from Japan, whether it's via an importer on eBay or via a service like Buyee.

Plain MD media is still being manufactured and is on sale, at least in Japan: The part number is MDW80T. Although, there is plenty of unopened or easily reusable media available on eBay, both in the US and Japan.

Alternative Options

Before going much further: You probably don't want to get involved with MiniDisc. If you want a vintage audio format that's both easier and cheaper to get into, look at Compact Cassettes.

In the US, Compact Cassettes were much more common and there was a much larger ecosystem around them. More vendors were invovled. Mechanisms and media are still being made, so you can buy into a brand new compact cassette machine, perhaps even one that gives you classroom nostalgia for under $50. (tapes, if you need them.)

In addition, if you want something you can claim is vintage and/or you want offline media playback, consider looking into CD players. New discman-style CD players are $50 or less at your local Best Buy and you can burn the discs with software like iTunes or Windows Media Player.

You can also still buy new MP3 players like the Sandisk Sansas. Sony has several Walkman-branded MP3 players including one that runs Android. Apple is also still selling the iPod Touch, which may work.

That said: MD is probably easier to get into than DAT and there is plenty of inventory of good MD and NetMD players and discs.

Why is Cory Here

My own interest in minidisc is two-fold:

  • The aesthetic factor of a magneto optical format
  • The alt-retro-futurism aspect of a high quality digital media format that's got lots of flexibility and allows people at home to make and distribute their own mixes and the potential that follows from that for the way people share music with one another
The alt-retro-futurism aspect is something I need to define better and make another page for. This applies to certain aspects of several hobbies I have.
In terms of what I'm actually doing with MDs: I am inventorying existing discs I get and making 74-80 minute playlists to dub out to media I have blanked or that comes to me fresh.

I'll be coordinating with some Internet friends on doing a mailing circle, and I"m using it as a way to create another space for myself to enjoy my music, new and old.

Many people are interested in MD for Japanese and JDM Aesthetiques and although those are fun and enjoyaboe it's not my primary goal.

Hardware Inventory

My first recorder is an MZ-R700. I have the headphone/control clip for it but don't use it often. I bought a power adapter from Batteries++ but don't use it often as the machine runs reliably of a single alkaline or NiMH AA battery. Donated like $150 or so to the Bangor Makerspace for this.

I had three commercially pressed discs and started with another 30 pre-used discs and a further 20 fresh discs that were never before used.

2021-12-04 MZ-NE410

As of 2021-12-04 I purchased a second recorder: an MZ-NE410 for $132 shipped. I received it a couple days later. This entry-level NetMD recorder (sometimes called "downloader") is great for authoring discs of existing music and doing disc titling. The NE410 came with an unopened 10-pack of Sony "NEIGE" 80-minute discs, from Japan.

I've sent the pressed discs back to the person I got them from, who is getting back into minidisc.

2022-01-25 MDS-S500

As of 2022-01-xx I'm buying an MDS-S500, a JDM set-top NetMD deck, as well as several more 74 and 80-minute discs. This was like $200 or so from Dan.

2022-01-25ish received an MDS-S500 and several discs (15x MDW-60, 10x MDW-74, several more "cool colors" type 74-min discs, one Utada Hikaru RED HOT 80min) from a friend who had imported a bunch of stuff and bought a few box lots.

Early 2022-02 buying an MD-PORT DG2 and a USB TOSLINK capture device. The DG2 allegedly has an intermittent laser mode which on "newer" (mostly MDLP-era, R500/700/900 and newer) recorders should result in accurate track splitting when dubbing music over from, say, a streaming service or a music library.
The goal here in particular is to see if results are repeatable, I've had mixed results making discs using a Mac's built-in optical output, sync record on the MZ-R700 and MDS-S500 do not automatically split tracks, however if taken out of sync rec mode, the T Mark button on the R700 can be used to put tracks in either during or after recording.
Secondary goal is reducing reliance on my old Mac for making discs.
I'll have to build a "trip reports" page or section for that.

2022-02 - Sony ECM-MS907 microphone - $33 shiped.


2022-03 - Sony MZ-N1

This machine is in great shape but appears to have developed the no write problem under my care. I also need to get an internal battery for it, but it will still be a great player even if what it's doing is the writing problem. (it may also just be weirdness caused by NetMD or some of my discs, so I don't want to write it off yet.) This machine sold for about $190 shipped.

Has Type-R recording though.

Has developed trouble detecting if a disc is not write protected, however it writes fine to any disc that it can correctly detect this on. (I can reliably make it have the error on specific discs, so IDK what's up.)

The proposed fix for this for some stationary decks is to simply solder the wrote protect perma-closed so that the machine detects every disc as eligible for writing. I'll need to consider whether or not I want to do that.

2022-06 (end of month) Dan helped me look at this and we were able to realign the sensor so the machine now correctly records and writes discs without needing to change the write protect circuit.

2022-03-14 - Sony MZ-R70

I paid about $78 shipped for a blue Sony MZ-R70 in "rough, but working" condition. It included the original NiCD battery, a few discs (mostly off brand with some mixes on them), and an RM-MZ3R remote.
I wiped down the unit and it plays great. I haven't recorded with it yet but the blue tape I'm using to hold the battery lid closed covers the microphone jack if I don't position it carefully, meaning that this unit could be tough to use on the go.
As with the R700, the physical interface is fairly good and straightforward. It doesn't feel like Sony tried to hide anything.

The remote isn't particularly responsive with any unit. Some of the functions work with the RM-MZ4R remote from the R700. Holds the power adapter better than the R700, or am I being more careful?
I may need to look for a replacement battery door or see if a myvolts ripcord 3v will power this unit well enough for field recording, or look for another unit to use as a beater field recorder.

MZ-E620

2022-03 Later
Got an MZ-E620 from Dan -- it's the first and so far only (aside from the N1's faulty write protect switch) player I have. I don't have the "right" remote for it with the screen, but it works fine with the remote from the R700. It shares the same NW-14A battery the N1 uses and it also uses the same battery sidecar.

2022-04 ECM-LV1

Brand new ECM lav microphone from Best Buy, $30 + tax and ship


2022-05 MZ-N505

(the machine arrived the day before) This machine was listed as $150 on eBay with 20 discs, most of which are 80-minute Sony discs. The seller offered $140 and I accepted for $153 shipped.

This machine works well, writes and plays fine. Has Type-R which is the peak plain MD recording technology for SP. However, optical recording on this machine feels like an afterthought compared to NetMD. The tiny display and "economical" button layout mean some operations take significantly longer to do than on, say, the R700.

This machine sent to Tyler at the end of 2022-06.


2022-05 MZ-R909

This machine was listed as $150 on eBay with its accessories but no discs.

The machine did work for recording but developed some issues, Dan helped me lube and maintain it and it's now working significantly better.

2022-07 MZ-RH910

This machine was listed on eBay as $200 buy-it-now with a power adapter and one 1GB disc. The auction didn't include a battery side-car but the machine runs well using USB power and the 3v port.

2022-09-01 MZ-B100

This machine had been listed on eBay for $100, and then for $65. I bought it directly from the seller for $70 + shipping. Three discs, and a microphone for phone call recording were included. The machine is in rough, but functional shape. It'll be my field recorder -- a role I was originally going to give to the R70.

To-Do & Wish-List

  • Decide on a mix to share for MD Club and author/title the discs
  • Potentially purchase one or more additional MD recorders or players for different use cases
    • For example, I would like to be able to use optical to duplicate a disc or pipe audio from a disc to a computer
    • For second example, I would like to be able to use a NetMD writer to author discs from MP3 files and edit Table of Contents information
  • Decide on at least an interim disc inventory system
  • buy individual cases and/or buy some discs that have them, for mailing/sharing/portability purposes
  • buy a portable power adapter for more reliable disc authoring
  • establish MP3 -> disc workflow
    • this one is going to involve my old iTunes library and figuring out the best ways to get newer media as MP3s so there'll be a few facets to this
  • AA battery replacer for the NE410
  • 3V MyVolts RipCord for the R70/R700/N1 - especially see if i can use that and a USB bank to replace the R70's internal battery
  • Lapel/lavalier microphone (this'll both be for the MD recorders and/or a future file based recorder


Outside Resources


Disc Ideas


  • 2021 top songs/wrapped (there's 6h of this though and so I'd need to cut min. 45 mins)
  • Breakup Songs
  • Most-Played songs from 2005 iTunes Library
  • "Yeah I listen to jpop" but it's just Utada Hikaru songs that aren't Simple and Clean
  • Yeah I listen to Techno but it's just these six songs and maybe OmniBus
  • yeah I listen to French music but it's just Alizee songs
  • Mixt/list of songs that are bangers and you found out after the fact they're Highly Religious
  • Playlist of genuinely good songs that without context you wouldn't realize they were in or for Kids Movies
  • mixdisc of Fall Out Boy from after everyone else had moved on
  • Italian Pop Music but it's only the poppy upbeat Antonello Venditti stuff
  • Mixdisc but it's fan re-recordings of FullMetal Alchemist music
  • Eurovision Bangers 2010+
  • Mixdiscs consisting entirely of my favorites from Cat's MP3 collection (+ a second one w/ Cat's faves)
  • Canadian Celtic Music (Leahy, Captain Tractor, Loreena McKennitt, etc)
  • Not Quite Country (donkeyboy, screaming cowboys youtube meme, twangy eurovision songs, etc)
  • Maxis Music (you know the stuff)
  • love letter to your a town or city (dying in LA, l.a.love, superfade/lake effect kid, far away from seattle)

Naming Scheme

Following almost all my other removable/rewriteable media, my recordable minidiscs will be named MD-### where the numbers are mostly integers, starting with 001. I've started with the fresh discs first, put the neige discs next, and am going to put other discs after that.

Discs I send away as part of Minidisc Club will be labeled as MD-A## -- but so far I'm not using hex numbering anywhere else in this overall naming scheme.

Because it's visually obvious that a minidisc is a minidisc, I am not writing "MD-" on them.

Inventory

This section is superceded a more database-like list here: minidiscs

Not every disc I write will receive a detailed listing, especially things that are known albums, some test discs, and a couple other scenarios.

  • MD-001 - LP4-  Discovery 2021-11-25
  • MD-002 - SP "Portable" testing
  • MD-003 - NetMD Testing
  • MD-004 - LP2 Discovery 2021-12-06
  • MD-031 - LP2 War of the Worlds
  • MD-032 - LP2 Bare Pop Opera
  • MD-A01
  • MD-A02
A few of the discs I've already named (031 and 032 in particular) I am considering renaming both because I like other discs better and so what I have now matches better. 032 is the same type of disc as A01 and A02 and may get reused for MD Club.