[mirage]

tis is gonna be one hot player if it's drag and drop compatible!! in my books at least!

btw, does it have fm?

 

[bangraman]

aeryn, yup... groups. On a 1Gb MD it's mildly inconvenient. On a 20Gb machine it's useless. It forces you to listen in a Minidisc manner.

 

[yeeyy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman "MP3 Support" is not a drag & drop or even iTunes-style 'assisted transfer'. The MP3 file needs to be encrypted first by a Sony-supplied tool before they can be loaded onto the HD3.

Encrypted? Is this true? If they are doing this, man....

 

[mavis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yeeyy Encrypted? Is this true? If they are doing this, man....

According to The Register:
Quote:

But it's the MP3 support that really sets the new model aside. The previous versions forced users to convert MP3 files over to 48Kbps ATRAC 3 Plus files as they were copied across to the player. A new version of Sony's SonicStage jukebox software, 2.3, will now allows MP3s to be copied directly to the player without conversion. The NW-HD3 provides native MP3 playback, but it also wraps the files a OpenMG DRM layer to prevent them from being copied back to another PC, Sony said.

Article here ...

 

[mavis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by myself, aka me yodobashi got em for 44,000 yen. Even the gaijin tax free don't make the price happy. (if it didn't have sonicstage, maybe ok). At least it looks nice in the hot pink.

I noticed on Sony's press release that the MSRP is Y42,000 - it shouldn't be too hard to find them for this price at most major electronics shops, maybe less (slightly) at a few shops in Akiharbara ... Whatever. If the Laox by my house (or the Bic Camera) has it for Y42,000 on the 10th, I'll be buying it at about 4:30PM ...

 

[Filipe]

I'm planning to sell my MZ-N10 MD to buy a HD1 or HD3.
I'm kind of a newbie to all these formats still...

Does the HD1 unit use ATRAC3+ (256kbps), or just the new HD3?

Has anyone compared ATRAC3+/256 with MP3/256kbps, both straight from CD?

How do these compare to a stereo MD recording (no compression) from CD via the Net MD craddle?

Thanks

 

[nismo96]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filipe I'm planning to sell my MZ-N10 MD to buy a HD1 or HD3. I'm kind of a newbie to all these formats still... Does the HD1 unit use ATRAC3+ (256kbps), or just the new HD3? Has anyone compared ATRAC3+/256 with MP3/256kbps, both straight from CD? How do these compare to a stereo MD recording (no compression) from CD via the Net MD craddle? Thanks

I've compared 256kbps ATRAC3+ to 256kbps MP3, and they both sound good to my ears. It was hard for me to notice a difference at all. I did this via playback on my Sony ATRAC PCDP.

By the way, all minidisc recordings are compressed, NetMD recordings via the USB connections are even worse than by recording in realtime via the optical cable connection. With that said, a 292kbps ATRAC file (SP recording) sounds very nice to my ears and a 132kbps (LP2) recording is quite torerable in 90% of instances to me.

 

[scottder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nismo96 I've compared 256kbps ATRAC3+ to 256kbps MP3, and they both sound good to my ears. It was hard for me to notice a difference at all. I did this via playback on my Sony ATRAC PCDP. By the way, all minidisc recordings are compressed, NetMD recordings via the USB connections are even worse than by recording in realtime via the optical cable connection. With that said, a 292kbps ATRAC file (SP recording) sounds very nice to my ears and a 132kbps (LP2) recording is quite torerable in 90% of instances to me.

Most codecs sound transparent at over 192kbps these days (at least to 99% of the ears out there, before anyone jumps in).

Scott

 

[nismo96]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottder Most codecs sound transparent at over 192kbps these days (at least to 99% of the ears out there, before anyone jumps in). Scott

I'd have to say that my first hand experience is proving this statement to be true.

 

[Filipe]

So if atrac3+ 256 and mp3 256kbps sounds both suitably good for portable use, and considering all my music is in CD, is there any point of me going for the (more expensive) HD3, as I can just use atrac3+ with HD1?

Hope I'm making sence..

Thanks

 

[nismo96]

The question is valid. If you're not tied to MP3, then the NW-HD1 would be a fine choice. You'll get a remote and a charging cradle in the box too.

The menus on Sony gear aren't as easy to navigate as other companies' items ie: iPod. It also seems, by reading the above comments, that the playlist functionality of the HD1 isn't all that great either. Consider those facts before purchasing one.

FWIW, I am used to the Sony way of doing things, so battery life is a main consideration for me. I plan on getting a HD1 or HD3 depending on price.

 

[insomniac]

As long as the intro MSRP is no higher than $399.99, I will probably take the plunge. MP3 on Sony! What next??

 

[Filipe]

Yes, batery life is one of the reasons for the swap, as well as the ability to have much more music on tap.

Is the sole difference between the HD1 and HD3 the ability for the hd3 to cope with MP3's (other than looks)?

 

[nismo96]

That's prety much it as far as I can tell from reading. If both were the same price, I'd just go for the HD1 myself. I am excited about the HD3, but I've realized that I'll rarely if ever want MP3s on the player.

 

[leon]

The HD3 is "open-price" in Japan - it doesn't really have an MSRP. The 42,000 is just an "estimate" given by Sony - stores can definitely sell for less (or more) afaik.

Filipe,
The HD3's battery can be charged via USB. Even if Sony offers to update the HD1/HD2, this feature will not be added, so if that matters...

This is just a guess, but I imagine there might be minor software/firmware updates in the mix too, the small improvements you see between any two versions of iPod software update.