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[mattx5]

I just received a Net MD Walkman (MZ - N420D) as a gift, and I have a few questions-

I`ve been wanting some kind of an MP3 player for awhile, but they`re so expensive. Is this a good alternative, especially since I got it for free?

It seems convenient enough, I have no qualms with carrying around mini-discs, but I`m wondering.

The only reason I would`ve went with a Net MD over an MP3 player would be because of it`s capability to plug in a mic and record stuff, as my digital camcorder doesn`t have an accesory shoe, therefore I can`t attach an external mic. Can it do this? Can my particular model do this?

Any cons to the player?

 

[Willco]

Judging by Amazon, your model does not have a mic input. You'd need to purchase another model for that feature. That, along with the fact it doesn't include the same kind of input/outputs other models have, is the only con.

If you're looking for a player to just transfer MP3s and CDs to MiniDiscs and listen to on the road, at work and such, it's a good player for the overall value.

Looks cool, too.

EDIT: A lot of people have ways of transferring MP3s and such to MD, either via SonicStage or RealPlayer, but a lot of it depends on what your computer is comfortable running. Some of the software that is stable on one PC is not on another. I haven't had any problems with SS, but others have.

 

[mattx5]

Shit. What`s the cheapest model that comes with a mic jack?

 

[Teknopathetic]

The N420D is a downloader only unit, so you don't have any mic/line-in inputs.

 

[Malakhov]

I have an old MZ-R700 that I bought years ago with a mic/line input. Man I paid that thing a fortune, it wasn't even in the stores here yet.

 

[Teknopathetic]

The cheapest model currently would be the NF810CK. If you could bear to wait, the NHF-800 Hi-MD will be available in a few months and only 40 bucks more than the NF810CK.

 

[mattx5]

Aw, what the fuck.

Even with the mic jack, there`s no way of getting the recording off the player unless you use a ripper and convert it to analogue?! Fuck that!

And what`s this I hear about anti-piracy protection crap?

I`d really like to be able to record stuff, but if it`s going to cost a lot more, and not even work properly, then I think I`ll just stick with the player I received.

Unfortunately, that mean I`ll have to lug a frickin laptop around with me when I`m making movies (My little hobby ), unless anybody has any other solutions?

So as a simple player, with the ability to conveniently transfer my MP3s from my PC to the player, the current model that I have does the job?

 

[Teknopathetic]

"Even with the mic jack, there`s no way of getting the recording off the player unless you use a ripper and convert it to analogue?! Fuck that"

With Hi-MDs, you can upload recordings via USB.

"So as a simple player, with the ability to conveniently transfer my MP3s from my PC to the player, the current model that I have does the job?"

yeah.

 

[Willco]

So as a simple player, with the ability to conveniently transfer my MP3s from my PC to the player, the current model that I have does the job?

Yes.

 

[impirius]

The cheapest model currently would be the NF810CK. If you could bear to wait, the NHF-800 Hi-MD will be available in a few months and only 40 bucks more than the NF810CK.

Is Sony still going to let users upload from Hi-MD players? I read something about that a while back.

 

[Teknopathetic]

Si, impirius, The feature's even available with the latest SS2.0 (although, since you don't have a Hi-MD, it won't work, duh )

 

[mattx5]

WHAT THE FUCK?! I`m reading a user review that says the player only works with `factory`installed versions of Windows! I`m building a new PC tomorrow, and my friend`s getting me Windows XP (Yes, it will be a legal version). So my question is, what the fuck?

 

[impirius]

Nice! Thanks for the info.

 

[Teknopathetic]

That's not right. I use my MD for transfering MP3s and I have no problems. I don't even see how they would prove you are or not.

 

[mattx5]

Could someone explain the transfer method a bit?

Is the software awkward and slow?

What`s this I hear about anti-piracy measures? Something about only being able to copy a song 3 times?

 

[Teknopathetic]

That's taken out of SS2.0 (which you should download), The transfer method pretty much converts an MP3 and then uploads it. Takes about 10-15 seconds a song. With SS1.5 they'd only let you upload a song 3 times, but as I said, that is taken out of SS2.0.

 

[mattx5]

So if the software that came with the player isn`t 2.0, I should just download it? I assume it`s free?

 

[Teknopathetic]

The software that comes is 1.5, 2.0 is free.

http://www.connect.com/download.html

 

[mattx5]

Ok, so that settles everything then.

I`m going to stick with my current player. I don`t have the money to get a player with a mic jack. Even with the mic jack, it`s a pain in the ass to transfer the recordings, unless I get the Hi-MD, which I assume is even more expensive As for my film-making exploits, I`ll just have to use a laptop if I wanna be able to use a mic (Curse my camera and it`s lack of a mic jack).

So now I`ll just be using the player to listen to my music. I`m not a huge `quality`whore, so if I can fit 40 songs on a disc at a decent quality, I`ll be happy.

Thanks for the help everyone

 

[mattx5]

Ok, so I tested it out by uploading some of my CDs that I have, all of them fairly recent ones. Everything`s pretty good except for one thing-

It doesn`t recognize any details of the CDs. It burns them fine, but it doesn`t list the CD name, the artist, the song names or anything. And when I try to fill in the unknown spaces, it just resets everything.

What`s wrong

Edit- WTF, now it won`t even load Elephant by the White Stripes. It doesn`t recognize the disc period.

 

[mattx5]

Ok, I figured out my problem. I accidentally told the PC to take no action when a disc was put in the drive (I`m running Windows XP).

At first I thought it was just Elephant, but now that I pop in the cds that I just used before, even they don`t work.

In fact, the disc drive doesn`t even show up in My Computer anymore.

How can I fix this????

 

[Teknopathetic]

I have no clue. Maybe your CD-rom's dying?

 

[mattx5]

I restarted and everything went back to normal, so I guess it was just some sort of glitch or error.

 

[mattx5]

Ok, a weird question.

I just noticed earlier, that the tracks which I had transferred last night, were missing from their original folders.

i.e

They were in 'My Music'. I transferred them to my MD. Now, those songs are gone from 'My Music'. Why can't I have them on the PC as well as my player? I checked 'My Library', only to find that the songs were in OGM format in that folder.

How can I get back my songs short of transferring them back from my player or 're-obtaining' them?

Edit - Nevermind, my computer was just being ****ing stupid, everything's fine.