[MacDEF]

From http://minidisc.org :

NetMD Dream Machine: Karl Bahr reports that Sharp is showing a prototype NetMD portable recorder at the International Funkausstellung (consumer electronics show) in Berlin. Dubbed the MD-MT899, the unit is nearly identical in form to the MD-MT888 (itself apparently the European edition of the MD-MT770) but has a USB jack on the body that allows 16X downloading of LP4 tracks.

 

[thomas]

16X? that's amazing, though i'm sure it will be slower in higher quality modes...

And i'm also sure it will end up taking just as long, as you'll need to rip the CD's and probably go through TONS of constricting copy-protection schemes...

And the sony one will be even worse

I wonder if they can lower the price substantially in low-end MD's, as they can now remove the optical-in, line-in, and mic-in (as sony has already started doing

), as well as the digital recievers, mic preamps, ADCs, etc...(more likely they will use the same LSI as all the other MDs, with these features crippled)

 

[coolvij]

Sounds interesting......I wonder just how bad the security will be....and there are ALWAYS loopholes....I mean, Sony's ATRAC3 players had really easy to find loopholes. Almost like the Sony TECHIES hate the RIAA, while the Sony EXECS are the RIAA j/k

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

16X? that's amazing, though i'm sure it will be slower in higher quality modes...

Just saw more specs. 4x download speed for standard ATRAC, 8x download speed for LP2, 16x download speed for LP4. Nice.

 

[coolvij]

wow - that LP2 stat is VERY nice - I mean, 20 min. for 160 min. worth of 224K Mp3 music.....!!!

And the SP mode aint too shabby....

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

I mean, 20 min. for 160 min. worth of 224K Mp3 music.....!!!

LP2 is actually pretty comparable in quality to 256k MP3.

 

[coolvij]

That's true - but I found 256K to be clearer...noticeably....or maybe it was the almost complete lack of bass impact that made me think the sound was clear. Sorta like how my 821s can sound "clearer" than my 495s....