Minidisks and OSX
This has been an ongoing thread on the g-book lists for the past few days. I don't think there has been any big revelations on it either.
This is part of the problem with proprietary systems like Sony and the Atrak system that they use. Currently it supports via NetMD on a PC transfers to the Minidisc but not from the MInidisc to a PC and there is no software for the mac.
Suggestions have been:
A audio out cable to the mac (analog) and use Coaster to translated to digital.
Xitel used to market a product that connected with the Minidisc via optical cable from their unit to the MInidisc and to the computer with USB. People have used this with OSX and there are sites that tell you how to connect them.
http://www.minidisc-canada.com/shopexd.asp?id=130 and
http://www.xitel.com/
Ego systems has a soundcard (optical and usb) second link it to the same thing but has price
http://www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=10&page=1
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/tracertek/wavu24comsoo.html
Last suggestion was iMic
This was the last message posted:
<<so what would you use for inexpensive sound recording in the field.>>
I'd use a minidisc recorder hands down. I don't know about copying CDs
onto minidisc, but recording live music on my Aiwa minidisc, either by
microphone or plugged into a soundboard, is good enough quality for me.
I'm not an audiophile, but I am a discriminating musician, and while I
understand that many people swear they can tell the difference between a
CD whose original source was DAT vs. MD... They must have superhero
hearing.
To me it's like those people who can smell the difference between a $500
bottle of wine and a $5000 bottle. Maybe they can, but I'm perfectly
happy with a great $40 cabernet.
I'm pretty much set up now with my Live music>Aiwa Am-F80
MD>iMic>Powerbook G4>Soundstudio>Discribe>Que!Fire external burner>CD.
Beautiful.
I have had Minidiscs for many years and basically my library of cd's has been all put on Minidisc using either a Sharp (first player / recorder I bought) and more recently the same as you, a Sony N505. I like that it can play around 20 hours on one AA battery or record for around 6-7 on a AA. I use rechargables and generally make sure that I have at least one spare with me. I used to have a Sony Minidisc deck in my van (until my duaghter left the faceplate in it one night and some jerk felt that he had to have it more than me) I found another deck but it never worked right (it was used). It works great from the remote but not from the faceplate. I have not found another at a decent price that I really like. But it was great to have basically 200 minidiscs in a small case.... I used a soft case that looks like a kids lunchbox
in fact it was in the van when the player got swiped and they never took it....
Search the Web for XMD for OSX it will let you setup a playlist etc for Minidisc but they are still working on an interface to the Minidisc unit.
Hope this helps....
