[TimSchirmer]

I am thinking of upgrading my current MD player....i am thinking of waiting untill this net md thing comes out. Heres a link to the nt md press release

Here is a picture:

 

[methnen]

Tokyo, Japan, June 27, 2001 - Sony Corporation today announced a new application interface called "Net MD" to connect PC and MD players via Universal Serial Bus (USB). By employing a number of security technologies, the Net MD interface will make it possible to transfer music data at high speeds from PC to MD products while protecting copyrighted material.
The Net MD interface will include specifications that address secure data transfer through USB as well as authentication between PC and MD. Based on the security technologies that Net MD will employ, music data recorded from CDs or Net MD-compliant electronic music distribution services can be easily transferred from a PC to the authorized MD product. Because Net MD will accept current MiniDiscs and will be compatible with both ATRAC and ATRAC3 audio codecs, Net MD recordings can also be played on existing MD products.
"We anticipate Net MD to help further expand the MD market by increasing PC connectivity," said Shizuo Takashino, Corporate Senior Executive Vice President of Sony Corporation. "We also believe Net MD with security technologies will significantly contribute to the vitalization of music distribution business."
Since the MD format was first commercialized in 1992, the format has been widely accepted based on its easy editing and random access operation, and approximately 54 million MD hardware units cumulative world-wide are expected to be sold by the end of 2001. In addition, the market size of recording MiniDiscs is expected to reach 270 million for the year 2001 (source: Japan Recording-Media Industries Association.) Sony aims to further expand the MD market by actively promoting the new Net MD application interface.
Key Benefits of Net MD

1) Convenient PC connectivity:
By employing a standard "USB" interface, music data can be transferred from a PC to a Net MD product at high speed. In addition, the Net MD protocol will enable a PC to control a Net MD product while editing music that has been recorded on a MiniDisc.

2) Compatibility with the existing MD hardware:
To ensure backward compatibility with existing MD products, Net MD will support both ATRAC and ATRAC3 audio compression technologies. Music recorded in ATRAC3 must be played in ATRAC3 compliant devices.

3) Secure data transmission:
Net MD can securely transfer music data from an authenticated PC hard drive to an authenticated Net MD player. The Net MD interface is also designed to support Serial Copy Management System (SCMS) to prevent second-generation music data digital copying.

MD Hardware Licensees
Accuphase Laboratory, Inc., Aiwa Co., Ltd, Akai Electric Co., Ltd, Alco Electronics Ltd., Alpine Electronics Inc., Anam Electronics Co., Ltd., Asahi Corporation, Becker Autoradioweak GMBH, Clarion Co., Ltd, Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd., Etronics Corporation, Foster Electric Co., Ltd., Fujitsu Ten Limited, Funai Electric Co., Ltd, Goldstar Co., Ltd., HHB Communications Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd., Kenwood Corporation, Lotte Electronic Corporation, Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd., Nakamichi Corporation, Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation, Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd., Onkyo Corporation, Pioneer Electronic Corporation, Ricoh Company, Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, Sansui Electronic Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Shinano Kenshi Co., Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation, Tae Kwang Industrial Co., Ltd., Teac Corporation, Tonic Industries Holdings Ltd., Toshiba Corporation, Victor Company of Japan, Limited, Welton Electronics Limited, Ya Horng Electronics Co., Ltd., Yamaha Corporation

"Net MD" endorsing companies
Fujitsu Limited, Kenwood Geobit Corporation, Liquid Audio, Inc., NEC Corporation, RealNetworks, Inc.

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

The Net MD interface will include specifications that address secure data transfer through USB as well as authentication between PC and MD. Based on the security technologies that Net MD will employ, music data recorded from CDs or Net MD-compliant electronic music distribution services can be easily transferred from a PC to the authorized MD product.

Screw it. I stopped reading on after hitting that line. I'll still use MDs for direct CD to MD recording, but as far as MP3s go, forget it. If I gotta record an MP3, I'll go the old route and forget having to record it faster, simply because I don't need it to be any faster.

That player does look cool though, is that a jog stick I see, as in what's on Sony's DVD players? Good accessible buttons too.

 

[leon]

As ya'll might be aware of, this is the real American press release that came with that pic (the MZ-N707):

http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/1531

It's good that Sony will have NetMD on the 707/505... a lot of us probably won't see the point of dishing out $350 (MSRP for US-spec MZ-N1) for a MD portable anymore.

I'm all for cheaper MD portables.

 

[coolvij]

707? DAMN!

grr.....ah well, I guess I got good enjoyment outta my R700.

Meh.

Better start saving.................

 

[a1leyez0nm3]

Should I not get the MZR700 then? or what?????

 

[Braver]

is Sharp going to use this technology as well?

 

[leon]

The N505/707/ US spec N1 will be out in March, according to Sony USA's press release. Launch for the N1 in Japan is early December. So vij is still very much current now

Sharp showcased a NetMD version of the MT770, the MT880, in exhibitions around the world this year. All NetMD-related components of the MT880 are sourced from Sony. In Japan, Sharp said the MT880 should be out before the end of the year, but there's been no more info.

The pros of NetMD is that you can edit/title the MD from your computer. If you use an N1, you can charge the battery off the USB connection. The cons is that you'll likely be restricted by Sony's copyright protection schemes. MP3s will have to be decoded and encoded into ATRAC(3).

Also, if you use Mac, Unix, Linux, etc (Solaris??), NetMD is not yet available for your computer.

If you'd like the convenience of the Group function, the new Sonys should have them (the R909 and the Sharp MT770 also do).