Any MD Recorder Mac Compatable?

[lextek]

Any MD recorders play nice with Macs?

 

[Magicthyse]

Er... Depends on what you mean.

MD recorders don't play nice with computer equipment, period. 'Uploads' are in real-time and you need a deck for digital uploads, and while the new NetMD units do download faster there are quite a few hoops to jump through in that instance too - and none of the NetMD units work with a Mac, although there is talk of eventual support.

To get ANY MD recorder to talk to your Mac for both upload and download, you'll need an Edirol unit - something like a UA-3D - for down/uploads (analog uploads only, remember), or a Xitel DG2 unit or similar for downloads only. If you're going to go the latter, it makes much more sense to go iPod.

 

[andrzejpw]

hmmm, do the usb -> optical convertors work on macs?

 

[Tweertinelle]

I presume you're talking about the possibility of hanking NetMD with a Mac, in which case, fellow G-pard, be advised that the only avenue is to use Sony software under Windows emulation. Lots of apps do emu and, these days, strapping young Lextek, most can be found in hacked form. That's all I'll mutter.

So far as anything Mac-native goes, we're out of luck. Remember, this is an invention of Sony(TM). Sony -- the company that gleefully deprives people of the right to make digital copies of their own pants (and I know you want to do that right now but, really, we're on national television). Sony, the indefatiguable gimps who tried to market copy-proof CDs before yielding to lynch-mob-hostile consumers. Sony, the addled renunciates who remove more capabilities from music equipment yearly than smaller companies add. And if that's not enough, they make Windows-compatible CPUs.

Our only hope as MD users is that Jobs will notice our existence and incorporate MD-capability into iTunes 4(c)(iii). But I doubt that will happen, given Jah's zeal to sell iPods like so many spit-shiny rectangular spliffs.

Given the state of tech, you have to ask yourself why we don't own miniature DAT-quality hard drive recorders with built-in preamps. Why are we expected to be satisfied with 240kbps, inferior sample rates and zero ability to transfer original recordings digitally? Answer that query and you'll realize why Sony spends so much time fetishizing industrial design.

 

[andrzejpw]

I wouldn't hold your breath for itunes to incorporate it. Although, if some were to write some sort of drivers. . . isn't the USB link on the netMD recorders just some sort of USB audio thing? Wouldn't the trick be in playing audio over USB?

 

[Magicthyse]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw hmmm, do the usb -> optical convertors work on macs?

Yeah - the Xitel units and the Edirols certainly do.

 

[Magicthyse]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tweertinelle I presume you're talking about the possibility of hanking NetMD with a Mac, in which case, fellow G-pard, be advised that the only avenue is to use Sony software under Windows emulation. Lots of apps do emu and, these days, strapping young Lextek, most can be found in hacked form. That's all I'll mutter.

Would be at least a stopgap, but VPC crashes when transferring songs over OS9 and doesn't work at all (NetMD device is not even recognized) in OSX. Besides, even if it worked, when the transfer is so processor intensive, you ain't gonna get anywhere near usable performance even on a twin-processor monster.

 

[Loud_TIGER]

just get the usb -> optical link.. it'll work on ur mac. or maybe you could pick up an optical sound card. netmd doesnt work with macs...

 

[Tweertinelle]

Quote:

Originally posted by Magicthyse Would be at least a stopgap, but VPC crashes when transferring songs over OS9 and doesn't work at all (NetMD device is not even recognized) in OSX.

Odd you should say that. I have a hoary G4 450DP and was able to make NetMD work at least once under OS 9.2 with VPC using the Sony software and an N1. It was only a test, though, because I never use LP2 or 4. The app I'm more interested in getting to work with Virt is Acid.

Xytel and the N1's USB connect work perfectly well, of course, but I hadn't thought Lextek was talking about those, since we've known for years that Macs could handle real-time USB transfers. Worth mentioning, then, that the N1 and Sharp 770 are far more adept at track marking on the fly than earlier models. Haven't had to add silences between mp3s, for instance.

One thing I used to do with my old 900: Burn CDs with Toast after naming the tracks, then do CD-text transfers with my PCDP.

Can't do that with Sony MDRs made after the 909.

 

[leon]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tweertinelle ... Sony -- the company that gleefully deprives people of the right to make digital copies of their own pants (and I know you want to do that right now but, really, we're on national television). Sony, the indefatiguable gimps who tried to market copy-proof CDs before yielding to lynch-mob-hostile consumers. Sony, the addled renunciates who remove more capabilities from music equipment yearly than smaller companies add. ... ... Why are we expected to be satisfied with 240kbps, inferior sample rates and zero ability to transfer original recordings digitally? Answer that query and you'll realize why Sony spends so much time fetishizing industrial design.

Yes, I like the industrial design, but I do agree. Not to mention Apple just spent a lot of time at MWNY talking about working with Sony and Cingular - neither of which offers anything close to working with Macs at the moment. I'm actually rather p----- o-- over that, to the point of considering going back to windows (I love the Sharp Muramasa).

Teenage angst? God you know me well.

 

[Magicthyse]

What version of VPC, Tweertinelle?

Having said that, the moment there's a recording iPod with upload capability, I'll be out of MD like a scalded cat...

 

[Tweertinelle]

Quote:

Originally posted by Magicthyse What version of VPC, Tweertinelle?

I'm doing an editing job at the moment and am using someone else's computer. When I get home in approx. twelve hours, I'll have a look. I picked it up from an Aussie programmer friend, so it's probably the latest 9.x version.

Quote:

Having said that, the moment there's a recording iPod with upload capability, I'll be out of MD like a scalded cat...

Me, too -- when the iPod grows a mike/line in and mike pre. (Until then, maybe I'll give in and buy an ancient M1 DAT.)

 

[Tweertinelle]

Quote:

Originally posted by leon Yes, I like the industrial design, but I do agree.

Exactly. I do like industrial design, but not when used *in place of* necessary audio features (like uncrippled resolution and the ability to make copies).

Quote:

Not to mention Apple just spent a lot of time at MWNY talking about working with Sony and Cingular - neither of which offers anything close to working with Macs at the moment. I'm actually rather p----- o-- over that, to the point of considering going back to windows (I love the Sharp Muramasa).

Funny you should mention that -- I was just looking at that machine, which does happen to be nice. But if I were returning to PCs, I'd build my own and use one of those brushed-metal-with-window cases advertised on pcmod.com.

Quote:

Teenage angst? God you know me well.

I'm not certain our history should be mentioned in polite company.

 

[Mystyler]

It is funny how Sony invented a format with so much potential, but seems to like crippling it at every chance they can.

NetMD=Case closed.

 

[Pepzhez]

I use an Edirol UA-30 to upload/download digital signals (analogue too, if you like) from MD to Mac and vice versa. It works fine in OS X, and is of course a real time operation.

I'd forget about iTunes, however. This app has a nasty habit of introducing distortions (usually subtle, sometimes not so subtle) in the signal path (whether digital or analogue). iTunes 3 did not correct this either, so I suggest you use a better quality player like Audion 3. I went through troubleshooting hell trying to figure out what the problem was - was it the USB bus? OS X? USB cable?etc. I finally figured out that it was iTunes itself. Quick Time 5, Peak 3.0, FCP 3 and Audion 3 - all of which I have installed on my OS X partition - play things just fine.

As for Sony, well, truly a strange business set-up: innovating new technology, then taking the finished product and crippling the hell out of it. Who needs that?