Sony Mini Disc Player - Copying Songs to a PC

Hello donzi:

I'm not quite sure what you need, I was thinking you could just feed the audio into the PC and recorded directly from the player, however I ran across this link while googling possibly could provide some software help for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SonicStage

I have also recently downloaded a freeware converter, switch file converter that seems to work well

http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=Switch+file+converter&tag=srch&searchtype=downloads&filterName=platform%3DWindows&filter=platform%3DWindows

don't know of any of this will be of any help, but should you get to the stage that you want to convert your music into MP3 or wave format they converter seems to do a good job and will also normalize the audio levels.

Good evening YWROADRUNNER !

You're correct-I'm not trying to make Sonys' pcm foremat compadable to the cds' foremat (although there are conversion software/hardware available)----I'm doing just as you suggest--taking the stereo analog output of the mini disk "player/recorder" and trying to inject it into the PCs' stereo audio input (located on the sound card of the PC)---assemble the recorded songs (my band) in "files" and subsequently record them on Memorex-"DVD+R" CDs'. ( everyone has a CD player)

My PC is Microsoft-xp e/w dual CD units ( 1 play & 1 play/rec)--It also has several "audio" software packages (Nero, Sonic stage, deep burner,etc) which should handle what I'm trying to do--If I could just figure out how to do what I'm tryin to do. With this said, I've tried several methods with "nothing, notta" but I will investigate your suggestions and I do appreciate your assistance-pressure from fan club "my kids".

Thanks again--Donzi (I beleive my blog is shown as "guest" (forgot to sign in) !

I've been looking for this answer for ages and have yet to find the solution other than recording it long hand!

Ditto for me.

I take the player and place the PC mic right next to the speakers and press play on the player and record on the PC (I use Audacity). Before I do that I tell the whole household to QUIET ON THE SET!

regards,

Vulcan

You can go from line out level [250mv, usually rca connectors] to line in on the pc

Audacity to mp3direct cut, snap files has all this stuff

Here's an old thread.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/11027/How-to-Transcribe-old-records-to-CD

Oh, dude, that's just embarrassing!

For you maybe.

I've told other people about this method and they've done it themselves. It's cheap and it works well enough.

^{Except when my neighbor and his noisy motorcycle drives by.}

regards,

Vulcan

The solution: Sony has made the software freely available. You should be able to download it here: http://esupport.sony.com/CA/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=MZN707&LOC=3

A quote from Sony: "The latest release of the SonicStage software contains all the drivers, music management software, etc... that you need to connect your Sony product to a computer and manage your music files."

The rant: Sony did with the mini disc what they did with the BetaMax video tape. They insisted on keeping it proprietary, so it never bacame a standard. (When will they learn!?) This is sad, because I was a huge fan of this format. It does, in fact, have distinct technical benefits. It uses the same recording technology as magneto-optical discs, which have a far superior lifetime to the CDs and DVDs everyone now burns on their PCs. It is estimated that magneto-optical discs have a lifetime of at least 100 years (probably a lot more), while typical CDs that are burned on a desktop computer have a lifetime of about 10 years (and a lot less if you leave them in your car on hot summer days). Okay, I better stop now or I'll rant 'til the sun comes up! Hope this was helpful.

Donzi... I just re-read your post, and I'm not clear now on whether your problem is software or hardware. Are you lacking a player to insert and run the actual mini disc?

Redmark53;

Hell, I'm not shure what I need--The sony mini disc sys is quite eloberate and includes a master play/record system (which is an internal part of my PA system) as well as a "walkman" type portable mini player with fantastic audio reproduction. Both have std mini stereo outputs at line or headset levels.

I'm not shure if my PC has the proper audio port "stereo input" jack (hardware) and/or has the proper software to process this input to the PCs CD recorder.

That plus the fact that I'm somewhat ignorant on PC hardware requirements doesn't help--When I got into PCs we were writing "foretran & colbolt" among others on TRS-80 s .

To answer your question, I have 2 mini disc sys to run the disc(s)--just not shure what hardware board is required in the pc to accept and direct the audio to the CD recorder.

donzi

A laptop probably requires a usb converter http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic

the mic in jack is usually mono

Any current desktop pc will have line in [1/8" stereo] to the sound card

Hi donzi, Redmark53 is right about the software, but if you have a recording software on your PC, then in properties for the soundcard (rightclick on the speaker in the right lowest corner of the screen), choose "recording" instead of "play" (I have a danish windows XP version, directly translated), mark the "line in" input, and then you should hear the minidisc in the PC's speakers. Turn the volume from the disc down until you hear clear sound (too loud makes the sound distorted), or adjust level in the properties box. After some fiddling you will get it right. Nero has a fine burning software, but your PC also have somekind of software to support the burner. There should be some kind of "wave" editor in the software as well, where you also can see VU-meters(recording volume). The hardware needed is a 1/8" jack- 1/8" jack stereo cable to connect from minidisc to PC line in. Almost every PC which supports CD-burner has a line in-socket. Hope this helps you.

Regards Michael, guitarplayer

Michael

Sounds like this should work--Don't beleive I have "wave" software but I do have 2 other music based software packages--I'll try them.

The mini jack on the sony "walkman" that came with the sony "master" sys is an analog signal so I should be able to plug this into the "sound" board and direct this audio to the PCs CD recorder ---I've got the cables but manipulating the software to accomodate this task is another thing.

Thanks --Donzi

Good eve Michael:

My brain just collected what you suggested (don't know what I was thinkin)--I'm gonna try this in just a little bit and see what happens--I'm using Memorex DVD+R CDs which I assume will work for recording audio--which by the way is my guitar/keyboard music recorded live on the before mentioned Sony "on board" mini disc system installed in my 1000w PA system (I use it to evaulate our performance), after gigs. I'm currently recording guitar instrumentals (with keyboard background) for my son who has recently taken up guitar (again) --He used to be able to play "Chet" where I couldn't--I'm shure he'll catch up fast to the "ole man".

My PC has "Nero" so as you say it should work.

Thanks again--Jim

I love, love, love the minidisc format, and I lament that someday (probably soon) it will be impossible to buy a minidisc player, let alone a recorder. By the way, I HAVE all the software that helps you "manage your music files," but I couldn't find a way to make a CD that would play on a standard CD player. I think it only lets you play the CD on your computer, using the SonicStage software.

If I'm wrong, somebody please chime in.

RocketSurgeon - I'm pretty sure you can make a standard CD. I will check it out on my home system and let you know.

Hey rocketsurgeon;

I've been told , just as you said, if I can figure out how to download the mini data to the CD it will play on my PC but not on a CD player system ?????

However I have given a friend my Sony "walkman" to play the music (didn't feel like haulin the main system to his house) and he somehow recorded the music on CDs from his computer for me--it even equalized the levels , enhansed the base making an almost professional CD from a "live performance"--amazed me but I've lost contact with him..

Like you, I love the the flexibility of the system/foremat, the audio quality--I will secure some extra discs before they are no longer available--Love the fact we can re-record over and over (even though it not necessarly overwriting (erasing) the original (just movin it around).

I down loaded SonicStage yesterday but I don't think I'll need it since I'm only injecting an analog signal into the PC (it don't care where it came from) so I only gotta figure out how to manage the music files and transfer them to CDs'. Someone else has given me enough info I might even be able to get this over with soon.

I appreciate the assistance--cross your fingers--Donzi

I've been doing something similar with copying/recording/ripping my vinyl recordings to my laptop. There's a freeware utility called "audacity" (audacity.sourceforge.net) that you can use to do the recording on your computer. Simply plug the headphone output to the mic input on your PC, then run audacity to record the raw audio data. From there, you can export the data to MP3, .wav, etc.

Hope this helps!!

Dear Friend,

Sony mini disc is also fits in your computers CD Drive. There is no difference in its working. the only difference is its size. Your PC CD\DVD Drive accepts the mini CD you are having.

Where as recording from mini Cd To onboard recorder, I am little bit confused about the term onboard recorder. I think it is your hard drive.

Probably your mini disk is a Audio CD which is a WAV format. It is not possible to copy directly from CD To hard disc. So you have to install CD ripping software to do this. A rigistered winamp player will do the job for you. After ripping you can write your own CD with your selected songs.

Kishore kumar

Hello Kudremukh, I'm sorry to tell you, that you are wrong. The Sony Mini Disc system is NOT compatible with anything else. What I think you mean is the Mini CD, which; as you state, is a miniature Compact Disc 8 cm in diameter instead of the standard 12 cm Compact Disc.

Regards, moe

Donzi,

I am not sure if I have understood your matter fully, but I am assuming that when you say onboard cd recorder, you actually mean the cd/dvd drive (CD ROM) of the PC.

Assuming this to be the case, you will have to connect the line level output from the mini disc player to the line input of the PC with a standard stereo mini plug.

Now, you will need an audio recording software. I am not sure if anything is free, but you can locate them at the link below:

http://download.cnet.com/windows/streaming-audio-software/?tag=mncol%3Bsort&rpp=10&sort=editorsRating+asc

Just to help, Record-Anything 2.95, SoundTap, are possible candidates. I suggest that you do not purchase, until you try it out and succeed, and until you are happy with the results vs dollars.Most of these softwares give you a limited (30 seconds)free recording.

The software will convert your mini disc music to MP3/wav/etc file. MP3 files will be smaller in size and more convenient.

Now comes the final step. You can use the CDROM in the computer, to burn these recorded music files on to a CD/DVD etc, using the software supplied with the CD ROM like for eg:Nero, etc

Play the recorded files in your computer and see if it is worth the effort and the dollars.

You can look for a solution yourself by Googling :audio tape to cd

Hope this is of some help.

Shashi

Sorry-I could not locate my password. The above post, signed Shashi is by me.

Regards

Shashi.

Thanks for the info--that's the logical steps I figured I had to take to accomplish the task---Your assumptions were correct about the CD/DVD drive being resident in the PC.

I have he appropiate mini cables and outputs/inputs.

The part &/or section I might have or are missing is the recording media since (if I interpet your guidelines) Nero (which I have) only installs or transfers the music media to the CD after a storage medium is provided, but does not actually provide the recording "storage" medium--Did I say or interpet that correctly ???

Thanks--Donzi

My recording software includes "nero, deep burner and sonic stage"--I'm told nero will work.

Check out the nero 'wave editor' program. You might never have used it so don't realise that it's there. That has a recorder function which will record the audio input from the soundcard, edit it, save it as a .wav or .mp3 file. You can then burn that file to cd using the 'burner' program within nero. Peter.

" Nero (which I have) only installs or transfers the music media to the CD after a storage medium is provided, but does not actually provide the recording "storage" medium--Did I say or interpet that correctly ???"

Donzi,

Let me explain. The word is not music media, but music file. A song is stored in a PC in the form of a file. The file is stored on the hard disc of the PC. The hard disk is a part or component of the PC and is its storage medium.

Assuming that you PC is multi-media and has in-built or connected speakers, you can play the music stored on the hard disk by using the software provided with the PC. The most common software of this type is Windows Media Player (assuming that your PC has Windows operating system).

A CD (that shiny round plastis disc) is another storage medium.You can also play the music stored on a CD by using your PC. To do this, you simply insert the disc into the CD/DVD drive (what you incorrectly call as the onboard CD recorder), and use Windows Media player to play the music stored on the CD.

The CD/DVD drive is a mechanism for reading the data stored on a CD and supplying it to the PC, to use as required. It can also record data (from some source) on to the CD(this is known as burning a CD). The source can be the hard disc of the PC or another drive connected to the PC. Reading (playing )or recording music file (which is also a form of data) is just one of its functions.

Regards,

Shashi

Could you tell us which player you have? You best solution will depend on what you already have.

We like many other radio broadcasters used to use Mini-Discs extensively , firstly for studio playout to replace cart machines, and then for portable recordings. I have used a wide range of Sony units but have no experience with other makes.

If your player is a hi-fi style unit it will have consumer level line outputs at approx -10dBu (250mV). Dubbing into the PC line inputs in real time will work, but the quality will depend on the quality of your sound card.

Most but not all Sony hi-fi Mini-Disc machines also have an optical (TOSlink) S/P-DIF digital output. If you have this you will get much better quality if you can connect this to a soundcard with a optical input. If you have the original MD format the sample rate is always 44.1kHz (the same as CDs). If you have Hi-MD other rates may be used.

If your player is a Walkman style portable it will probably have an analogue line output but the level will be much lower than the outputs on hi-fi equipment. If not the headphone socket can be used but the level is even lower as is the quality.

If you have a Hi-MD portable, most have a USB port which does allow faster than real-time transfer, but only using Sony's own software (supplied with the machine). If you use their software it will save the audio in a file format proprietary to Sony but they do provide a utility to convert it to a standard file format (.WAV or .MP3) as a seperate step. Hi-MD machines do play standard Mini-Discs as well. I don't think anybody else provides software to use the USB ports on Hi-MD machines.

EDL http://www.esdl.co.uk/ used to sell a MiniDisc transfer system that uses data drives and their own software, but this was a high end and very expensive solution.