Best MiniDisc Recorder for Mac Computer

 

Hi!

I'm looking to purchase a minidisc recorder for live music and interviewing purposes.It seems that Sony's software is PC compatible only, and it sounds "buggy". I'd like to know which of the inexpensive , but good sonic quality recorders has software that supports Mac computers and isn't a pain to work with?

What other options if no software package exists?
 

Anonymous
Maybe this article and website helps...

http://www.minidisc.org/macnn_response_letter.html
 

Dave Andrews
Quick question to everyone...I will be purchasing a MiniDisc system to record audio for importing into my Mac to create radio commercials. Recommendations for which one to buy? The audio will be used for radio commercials in a mid range market, using my VO's as a move mandated to cut costs. Any input would be very much appreciated.
 

Unregistered guest
I want to transfer an audio recording from my MD player to by iBook (Mac). What kind of a cable do I need.

Lukas B
 

Unregistered guest
i am looking for a minidisk recorder that works with mac osX for protool edits. like sony but hear it won't work with macs.

i'll use it for interivews, ambiant sound, music.
 

bass monkey prime
Unregistered guest
if you all want to usse something so bad for your mac why not get a friggin iPod? it supports AIF, WAV, mp3, AAC, firewire transfer at 400 Mbps. clearly the way to go with a mac same price, you get more. for buddy who needs a cable totransfer to his ibook, 1/8" TRS with 2 male ends. (your standard walkman size headphone jack) Your i book should havee a little hole the same size with an icon for a microphone. otherwise your going to neeed a better audio nterface, maybe something by m-audio for cheap but stilll good. for buddy who wants to know about the minidisc for protools edits with osx. what the hell are you talking about, are you expecting it store the edits as data on the minidisc? thats what your hard drive is for. are you looking to use it as a master recordier for your final track? thats what the bounce track function in protools is for. you want to take recordings from the minidisc and edit them in protools? thats a waste of a 600 program. but whatever, the only way to transfer audio from the minidisc is in real time dubbing from your md to your computer.
 

haveaday
Unregistered guest
ipod only records 16-bit mono. some of us just want to use the machine we have, a mac for instance. that's the problem with pc users, they think they should be the only ones in existence, just like Monopoly Bill.
 

sleekmonkey
Unregistered guest
hi. have just bought a mac ibook and am looking to buy a minidisc recorder for interviews and for producing radio pieces. would be grateful for input on best minidisc, info on compatibility (especially when sending sound to radio station that uses only PCs) and any info on editing software (especially the free ones) many thanks.
 

notsosleekmonkey
Unregistered guest
getting DESPERATE here.... ..

so how about some help. you seem to know what you're talking about. I'm trying to learn. I have a MAC and want to transfer files (interviews, ambiant noise etc) for editing onto my Mac for broadcast quality.
I need a MINIDISC RECORDER and some suggestions on reliable SOFTWARE. please please a few models/brands would be a helpful start. could really use the expertise. thanks
 

chio
Unregistered guest
i've tried to find something like that for a year... hopeless unless analog transfer: just plug a normal cable of those with 2 same ends (like the headphones end), plug one to the minidisc out and one to the microphone on your mac... you'll need a music editing software, i've been using amadeus...
As you see, i'm not a tecnical master, but i assure it works. I think there is one, but works only in 9 or under, it won't work on 10
 

chio
Unregistered guest
ps: pc user you really need to get a fouck
 

kishori
Unregistered guest
I had a Sony mz-r700 for 3 years. It worked great but never uploaded. I have also had an ibook for 3 years. I had to play everything in real time through an imic into my mac using Peak or Sound Studio or Logic Audio etc. I now have the new ibook running osx and a new hi-md sony mz-nhr800 minidisc recorder.
The hi-md player/recorders allow you to upload, but only if the stuff was recorded in hi-md format and only to a pc running windows, and only using sony's sonic stage software. It's very annoying.
Oh! And to make things worse, I have read in numerous places that sony's software isn't compatible with virtual pc.
I have two questions....
does anyone know of anyone else who is or has written software to make hi-md upload mac compatible?
does anyone know of anyone else who is or has written software to be able to upload lp4 or any other format than hi-md to a pc or mac?

good news! if you have a pc, you can upload from hi-md. And you can convert the file to wav using sony's wav converter. There's also an open source converter out there.
 

Unregistered guest
Help Pleeeessseeee, I'm trying to find one of those new USB minidiscs that is MAC compatible and it's proven to be a nightmare. Any suggestions? Pleasssssssse

 

justtryiintohelpa bit
Unregistered guest
http://www.studiospares.com/viewproducts.asp?order=&cid=2453&gid=4&ctitle=PORTAB LE%20RECORDERS&p=1

This link may have some clues but perhaps you have already tried that approach. If you could get a flash card reader for your mac then the first entry might be a solution but I have to confess i haven't tried it. I'm in the same boat as you.
 

Unregistered guest
HHB MDP500 PORTABLE MINIDISC RECORDER

This may be the solution to your problems but at a price (600UK or $1300 ??) It's the only one I've found which states a USB connectivity with Macs. I would think it's a good investment for a professional.

HHB are a trusted company in my studio.

Try this link

http://www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/hhbproducts/portadisc/index.asp
 

goodbeeronly
Unregistered guest
Good luck to y'all (except maybe PC guy), but there really really is no way I've found to upload from MD to mac, except analog. Even with the proper USB. I have yet to find the person who's written a program to do so. Really really. Perhaps the most frustrating part is that the mac recognises the MD, but not the other way around. And to the Apple store: if an iPod could do the same good-quality microphone recording that a MiniDisc does (as well as all the other neat stuff), for sure I would switch. I'm sure that technology is in the making...
 

jazzace
Unregistered guest
Until I got access to a G5 tower (which has optical in/out), I had to make the transfer in real-time using analogue. With the G5, I still have to do it in real time, but it can be pure digital if your MiniDisc recorder has optical out (most decks do; most portable recorders don't).

And like others have said, if iPods supported high-quality audio input, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now.
 

Unregistered guest
ok we are all asking the same question here.

IS THERE A PROGRAM FOR MAC THAT CAN MAKE MD'S!

 

anN707fan
Unregistered guest
No. There is not.
I've been in all of your shoes ever since I got my first MD-N707 as a reporter who was sick of microcassete. Believe me, I've scoured the internet. The closest I found was a mention in a newsgroup like this that some people were trying to write an open-source program for mac, but that sounded a long ways off. If and when that is done, I'm sure we'll all hear about it in a hurry on the Internet.
Until then, use an analog male 2 male cord from the MD headphone jack to your mac's mic jack, or vice versa, and record in real time.
 

Anonymous
 
hello, i'm trying to help consolidate the information / news channels for updates. i've collected all the links I've found so far into one link list + mailing list. please join the mailing list if you would like to remain up to date on developments related to portable audio recording for the mac. :-)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mac-portorec
 

erikossu
Unregistered guest
hi
I have been looking for the MD > computer solution for some years hoping that something will come up. but now with HDD or solid state portable recorders probably not. I like MD, because they are compact and media is cheaper. So for me the solution is to use portable MD (I like Sharp over Sony because live recording is much easyer and mic preamps are better) and MD deck to get stuff to computer. Md deck optical out>Edirol UA5(96khz 24bit) optical in>USB out>Live 4 on my Powerbook G4. It is real time recording, but why care. Sometimes I record deliberately through analog(Sharp has line out and 1bit amp) to have more control and I like the "more human" sound.
 

lorezzah
Unregistered guest
The Sony MZ-M10 or MZ-M100;

http://forums.minidisc.org/lofiversion/index.php/t11172.html

As already mentioned, you can use a Griffin iMic to transfer recordings (analogue, not digital) to the Mac via USB port and record with software such as Audacity.

Or do as I am going to, and get the new M-Audio MicroTrack. Records to compact flash or microdrive, making digital tranfer a breeze for Mac users. Finally (!!)
 

New member
Username: Billo

Post Number: 1
Registered: Mar-06
Hi,

I have been trying to work this out for years and think i have finally cracked it. I tried various pieces of software and the Griffin imic to no avail. Now I just plug a cord from my minidisc headphone jack to my mp3 player (it has a line-in). I click on 'record' on the mp3 player and 'play' on the minidisc and it transfers from minidisc to mp3 as a wav. file. I then plug the mp3 player into my mac usb port and click on the audio file I have just created. It automatically opens in Itunes and because I have configured my Itunes preferences to tell it to convert incoming audio into a mp3 file it does so, delivering a clear quality audio file.

This may sound like a bit of work but it is in fact a very simple process.

Hope this helps.
 

New member
Username: Quenby23

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-09
What kind of mp3 player do you have that records? Curious... My only solution at this point is to upload the minidisc tracks onto a friend's PC, then have it burned to a disc, then take the disc back to beloved mac. Quite a fuss....
 

New member
Username: Dionysia

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-09
The other option, recommended by Mac, is to upload Windows onto the Leopard system (only works with Leopard). Sounds complicated, yes. And am not sure how stable it is as a friend has done this for using another programme, and it didn't run too smoothly. And one can get a secondhand PC laptop for €100-150 anyway.
Besides that, Audacity is meant to work with Mac, but I can't seem to find a version that works, so haven't been able to test yet.
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