3-239-099-41(1) Portable MiniDisc Recorder Operating Instructions page 11 Recorder Operation _____________________________ page 68 Software Operation ______________________________ “WALKMAN” is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation to represent Headphone Stereo products. trademark of Sony Corporation.
WARNING To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. Do not install the appliance in a confined space, such as a bookcase or built-in cabinet. To prevent fire, do not cover the ventilation of the apparatus with news papers, table cloths, curtains, etc. And don’t place lighted candles on the apparatus. To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not place objects filled with liquids, such as vases, on the apparatus.
Declaration of Conformity Trade Name: SONY Model No.: MZ-S1 Responsible Party: Sony Electronics Inc. Address: 680 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649 USA Telephone No.: 201-930-6972 This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Notice for users On the supplied software • Copyright laws prohibit reproducing the software or the manual accompanying it in whole or in part, or renting the software without the permission of the copyright holder. • In no event will SONY be liable for any financial damage, or loss of profits, including claims made by third parties, arising out of the use of the software supplied with this recorder.
Table of contents Recorder Operations Looking at the controls .................................. 12 Getting started! .............................................. 15 Recording an MD right away! (Synchro-recording) ........................................ 17 Playing an MD right away! .............................. 22 Various ways of recording .............................. 24 Note on digital and analog recording (Digital input and analog input) 24 Recording in analog (Analog Recording) .....................
Editing recorded tracks .................................. 37 Labeling/relabeling recordings ............................................................ 37 Labeling recordings ....................................................................... 38 Relabeling recordings .................................................................... 39 Registering tracks or groups as a new group (Group Setting) ............. 39 To release a group setting ..............................................................
Software Operation What is a Net MD? .......................................... 69 Basic Operations ............................................ 70 Basic operational flow using the Net MD ............................................70 Providing the required system environment .........................................71 System requirements ......................................................................71 Installing the software onto your computer ..........................................
Other information ........................................... 86 Settings and Precautions ...................................................................... 86 Settings according to OS ................................................................ 86 For users with OpenMG Jukebox, SonicStage, or SonicStage Premium installed on their computer .............................. 88 Note on hard disk drive space ........................................................
Before using this product This manual explains the recorder operations and the installation and basic use of the supplied SonicStage software. For details on the various operations, refer to the pages indicated below. When using the recorder Recorder Operation (pages 11 to 66) Pages 11 to 66 in this manual explain the use of the Net MD as an ordinary MiniDisc Walkman.
Checking the supplied accessories Supplied accessories AC power adaptor (1) Headphones/earphones (1) Dedicated USB cable (1) CD-ROM (SonicStage Ver. 1.5) (1)* Hand strap (1) Blank Minidisc (1) ∗ Do not play a CD-ROM on an audio CD player.
Looking at the controls Front of the recorder 5 6 1 7 2 3 4 8 q; 12 9 A Display window F T MARK/REC button B GROUP/CANCEL button G END SEARCH button C MENU/ENTER button H USB connecting jack D DC IN 3V jack I LINE IN (OPTICAL) jack E Buckle J i (headphones/earphones) jack
Rear of the recorder 1 4 2 5 3 6 7 A Hand strap attachment point B HOLD switch C X (pause) button D Buckle E Battery compartment lid F OPEN switch or G 5 way thumb control key Push the key in any of the four directions or press down the x button for various operations. N* (play) ./> (search/AMS) x (stop) VOL +*/– *There is a tactile dot above N and to the right of VOL +. Using the hand strap While jogging, use the supplied hand strap.
The display window of the recorder A B C DE LP2.4 I F H Digital MEGA BASS J A MONO (monaural) indication K L C Mega bass indication D Disc indication Shows that the disc is rotating for recording, playing or editing an MD. E Level meter Shows the volume of the MD being played or recorded. F REC REMAIN/REMAIN (remaining time/tracks) indication Lights up along with the remaining time of the track, the remaining time of the MD, or the remaining number of tracks.
Getting started! 1 Insert an alkaline dry battery. e E Lift up the buckle and the battery compartment lid to open. Insert an LR6 (SG) alkaline dry battery minus end first. Using on a house current Connect the AC power adaptor. It is preferable to use the recorder on house current when recording for a long time. Close the lid and the buckle. To a wall outlet AC power adaptor To DC IN 3V Battery life For details, refer to “Battery life” (page 48). (Unit: Approx.
2 Connect the headphones/ earphones and unlock the HOLD control. 1 Pull off the rubber cap that covers the i jack. 2 Connect the headphones/earphones to the i jack. 3 Slide the HOLD switch in the direction shown in the illustration below: HOLD 3 Connect firmly.
Recording an MD right away! (Synchro-recording) This section explains the basic procedure for making digital recordings using an optical cable connected to a CD player, Digital TV or other digital equipment. (For further information, see “System limitations” (page 52)) During synchro-recording, the recorder starts and stops recording in sync with the sound source. Track marks are added wherever they appear in the sound source. It is recommended to use the AC power adaptor when recording.
3 Close the buckle. 2 Make connections. (Insert the cables firmly and completely into the appropriate jacks) CD player, MD player, DVD to a wall video player, etc. outlet Portable CD player, etc. to a digital (Optical) out jack AC power adaptor Optical plug Optical mini-plug Optical cable POC-15B*, etc.
3 Record an MD. 1 While the recorder is stopped, press MENU. Menu items appear in the display. 2 Press . or > repeatedly until “SYNC-R” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. 3 Press . or > repeatedly until “ON” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. 4 Press N while pressing REC. The recorder pauses and stands by for recording. 5 Play the source you want to record. REC Control key (x/N/.
1) If “R-Posi” is set to “Fr End”, recording operations will always start from the end of the previously recorded material without pressing END SEARCH button (page 29). 2) A track mark is added at the point where you press X again to resume recording while pausing; thus the remainder of the track will be counted as a new track. 3) If you open the lid while “R-Posi” is set to “FrHere”, recording will begin from the top of the disc the next time you record. Check the point to start recording on the display.
• For longer recording, follow step 1 of “Longtime recording (MDLP)” (page 26) to select the recording mode, and then start the procedure of synchro-recording. • LINE IN (OPTICAL) jack is for both digital and analog input. The recorder automatically recognizes the type of line cable and switches to digital or analog input. • The recording level is adjusted automatically. To adjust the level manually, see “Adjusting the recording level manually (Manual Recording)” (page 31).
Playing an MD right away! 1 Insert an MD. Before you open the MD disc lid, open the buckle first. 22 1 Slide the OPEN switch to the direction of the arrow shown in the illustration below. 3 Close the buckle. 2 Insert an MD with the label side facing front, and press the lid down to close.
2 Play an MD. 2 Control key (VOL +/–/ N/x) Press VOL +/– to adjust the volume. The volume will be shown in the display. To stop play, press x. 1 Press N. A short beep sounds in the headphones/ earphones. To A long beep sounds in the headphones/ earphones. After you press x on the recorder to stop, the recorder will automatically turn off in about 10 seconds (when using the dry battery) or about 3 minutes (when using the AC power adaptor). Playback starts from the point you last stopped playing.
Various ways of recording Note on digital and analog recording (Digital input and analog input) The input jack of this recorder works as both digital and analog input jacks. Connect the recorder to a CD player or a cassette recorder using either digital (optical) input or analog (line) input. To record, see “Recording an MD right away! (Synchro-recording)” (page 17) to record using digital (optical) input, and “Recording in analog (Analog Recording)” (page 25) to record using analog (line) input.
Recording in analog (Analog Recording) The sound will be input from the connected equipment as an analog signal, but recorded digitally to the disc. To connect to a sound source, an optional line cable is required. When connecting the cable, make sure to insert the connectors firmly. CD player, cassette recorder, etc. 1 2 Press N while pressing REC. REC indication lights up in the display and recording starts. Play the source you want to record.
Long-time recording (MDLP) Select each recording mode according to the recording time that you want. Stereo recording is possible at 2 times (LP2) or 4 times (LP4) the normal (stereo) recording time. Monaural recording at 2 times normal recording time is also possible. MDs recorded in monaural, LP2, or LP4 mode can be played back only on MD players or recorders with monaural, LP2, or LP4 playback mode. REC Control key (VOL +/–/ ./>/N) Recording Display mode1) Recording time3) LP4 stereo LP4 Approx.
4 Press . or > repeatedly until “OFF” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. If you want “LP:” added, select “ON” in this step, and then press ENTER. Note “LP:” is added to tracks checked-out in LP stereo from your computer regardless of the “LP Stamp” setting. If you want to delete “LP:”, do the procedure “Relabeling recordings” (page 39) z • Audio components that support the LP2 stereo or LP4 stereo modes are indicated by the or logo marks.
How is group information recorded? When recording in group mode, the group information is written to the disc name recording area. This information consists of text strings that are written as shown in the following example. END SEARCH REC Control key (.
Recording a track into an existing group • Turn group mode on. • Insert a disc with group settings. 1 Press GROUP. “ ” flashes in the display and you can select a group directly (Group Skip Mode) (page 33). 2 Within 5 seconds, press . or > repeatedly until the group you want the track to belong to appears. 3 4 Press N while pressing REC. Recording without overwriting existing material If you wish to avoid overwriting the current contents of an MD, do the following procedure.
Notes • The setting will remain even after the power is turned off. • If you start recording while the recorder is in play-pause mode, the recording will begin from the point at which it is paused even when the “R-Posi” is set to “Fr End”. Adding track marks automatically (Auto Time Mark) Use this feature to add track marks automatically at specified intervals when recording through the analog input connector. Control key (.
Adjusting the recording level manually (Manual Recording) 6 When you record, the sound level is adjusted automatically. If necessary, you can set the recording level manually during both analog and digital recording. While observing the level meter in the display, adjust the recording level by pressing . or >. Set the level so that the maximum input lights up the fifth segment on the level meter. If the sixth segment lights up, lower the level by pressing .. fifth segment REC Control key (.
Display window on the recorder Checking the remaining recordable time You can check the remaining time, track number, etc. when recording or during stop. Group-related items appear only when a track with group settings is played and then stopped. A On B LapTim The elapsed time of the current track. r RecRem The remaining recordable time. r GP Rem The remaining time after the current track in a group. r AllRem The remaining time after the current location. Control key (.
Various ways of playback z Using the group function (Group Mode) The recorder can operate various playback with a disc which has group settings. For more information on group mode, see “Recording tracks using the group function (Group Mode Recording)” (page 27) Control key (./>) To turn off the group function Press GROUP for 2 seconds or more again. GROUP Note ENTER Listening to tracks in a specific group (Group Mode Playback) • Insert a disc with group settings.
Changing play modes When group mode is off: You can select from various play modes such as repeat play (AllRep), single repeat (1 Rep), and shuffle repeat (Shuf.R). Disc Track number 1 2 3 Skip 5 6 Skip 7 8 4 Control key (./>) Skip When group mode is on: Disc Group 1 Track number Group 2 Track number Group 3 Track number 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 Skip Skip 2 Press GROUP. “ ” flashes in the display and groups become selectable. Within 5 seconds, press .
On B/A Normal/(none) All the tracks are played once. r AllRep/ All the tracks are played repeatedly. r 1 Rep/ 1 A single track is played repeatedly. r Shuf.R/Shuf After the currently selected track finishes playing, the remaining tracks are played repeatedly in random order. z You can specify play mode for a selected group when group mode is on. To activate group mode, see “Selecting and playing groups (Group Skip Mode)” (page 33).
Checking the remaining time or the playing position Display window on the recorder You can check the track name, disc name, etc. during playback. Group-related items appear only when a track with group settings is played. A On B LapTim The elapsed time of the current track. r 1 Rem The remaining time of the current track. r GP Rem The remaining time after the current location in the group. r AllRem The remaining time after the current location. Control key (.
Editing recorded tracks You can edit your recordings by adding/ erasing track marks or labeling tracks and MDs. Premastered MDs cannot be edited. • You cannot edit tracks on an MD that is record-protected. Before editing tracks, close the tab on the side of the MD (page 50). • If you perform an editing operation while playing, be sure not to turn the power off until “Edit” disappears in the display. • Do not move the recorder while “Edit”* is flashing in the display.
The buttons used for character input and their functions are listed below: Labeling recordings 1 2 3 4 5 38 Insert a disc and do the following operations: To label a track Start playing or recording a track you want to label, and label the track while playing or recording operations. To label a group Turn group mode on (page 28) and start playing or recording a track within the group you want to label, and label the group while playing or recording operations.
Relabeling recordings 1 2 3 Insert a disc and do the following operations: To relabel a track Start playing a track you want to relabel, and change a track name during playback operation. To relabel a group Turn group mode on (page 28) and start playing or recording a track within the group you want to relabel, and change the group name while playing or recording operations. To relabel a disc If the disc is already recorded, follow the procedures from step 2 while the recorder is stopped.
5 Control key (./>) GROUP MENU/ENTER 1 While the recorder is stopped, press MENU. 2 Press . or > repeatedly until “EDIT” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. 3 Press . or > repeatedly until “G:Set” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. The track number of the first track (“STR”) appears in the display. 6 Press . or > repeatedly until the number or name of the desired last track flashes in the display, and then press ENTER.
3 4 5 6 7 1 Press x. Press MENU. Press . or > repeatedly until “EDIT” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. Press . or > repeatedly until “G:Rls” flashes in the display, and press ENTER. “G:Rls?” and “ENTER” appear in the display. 2 Press . or > repeatedly until “EDIT” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again. “ ” and “T:Name” flashes in the display and the recorder plays the selected track repeatedly. 3 Press .
Moving a track to a different group • Insert a disc with group settings Changing the order of a group on a disc (Group Move) • Insert a disc with group settings Control key (./>) Control key (./>) GROUP/ CANCEL GROUP/ CANCEL MENU/ENTER 1 2 3 Press GROUP for 2 seconds or more. “ ” lights up in the display group mode turns on. 1 While playing the track you want to move, press MENU. 2 Press . or > repeatedly until “EDIT” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER.
Adding a track mark Erasing a track mark You can add track marks so that the part after the new track mark is counted as a new track. The track numbers will increase as follows: You cannot add a track mark on a track that has been checked-out from your computer. When you record with analog (line) input, unnecessary track marks may be recorded where recording level is low. You can erase a track mark to combine the tracks before and after the track mark.
1 z When you erase a track mark, name assigned to the mark is also erased. Notes • When you erase a track mark between the two consecutive tracks that are registered into different groups while group mode is off, the second track is re-registered into the group containing the first track. In addition, if you combine a track that is registered to a group with a track that is not registered to a group (two consecutive tracks), the second track takes the same registration setting as the first track.
4 Press . or > repeatedly until “EDIT” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. “ ” and “D:Name” flash in the display. 6 5 Press . or > repeatedly until “ ” and “D:Ers” flash in the display, and then press ENTER. “Erase?” and “ENTER” appear alternately in the display. 7 6 Press . or > repeatedly until “G:Ers” flash in the display, and then press ENTER. “Erase?” and “ENTER” appear alternately in the display. Press ENTER again. The group is erased. To cancel erasing Press CANCEL in step 6.
Other Operations Protecting your hearing (AVLS) Turning off the beep sound The AVLS (Automatic Volume Limiter System) function keeps down the maximum volume to protect your ears. You can turn off the beep sound. Control key (./>) Control key (./>) MENU/ENTER MENU/ENTER 1 2 3 4 Press MENU. 1 2 Press . or > repeatedly until “OPTION” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again. 3 Press . or > repeatedly until “AVLS” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again. Press .
Locking the controls (HOLD) To prevent the buttons from being accidentally operated when you carry the recorder, use this function. HOLD 1 Move HOLD in the direction of the .. To unlock the controls Move HOLD in the opposite direction of the arrow to unlock the controls.
Power sources You can use the recorder on house current or LR6 (size AA) alkaline dry battery (not supplied). It is preferable to use the recorder on house current when recording for a long time. Battery life1) (Unit: Approx. hours) (JEITA2)) LR6 (SG) alkaline dry battery3) Normal LP2 LP4 Recording4) 9 13 16 Playback 40 49 54 1) The battery life may be shorter due to operating conditions, the temperature of the location, and varieties of batteries.
Additional information Precautions On safety • Do not put any foreign objects in the DC IN 3V jack. • Keep the terminals on the recorder away from metallic objects or surfaces. Such contact may short-circuit the terminals and cause dangerous heat generation. On water resistance • Before opening or closing the buckle, be sure to wipe off water, dust or sand on the exterior of the unit. (The unit is not water-resistant with the upper lid open.
Caring for others Keep the volume at a moderate level. This will allow you to hear outside sounds and to be considerate of the people around you. • If a battery leak should develop, carefully and thoroughly wipe away battery fluid from the battery compartment before inserting new ones. On the MiniDisc cartridge Note on mechanical noise • When carrying or storing the MiniDisc, keep it in its case. • Do not break open the shutter.
Note on maintenance Clean the terminals periodically with a cotton swab or a soft cloth as illustrated. Terminals If you have any questions or problems concerning your recorder, please consult your nearest Sony dealer. (If a trouble occurred when the disc was in the recorder, we recommend that the disc be left in the recorder when you consult your Sony dealer so that the cause of trouble may be better understood.
System limitations The recording system in your MiniDisc recorder is radically different from those used in cassette and DAT decks and is characterized by the limitations described below. Note, however, that these limitations are due to the inherent nature of the MD recording system itself and not to mechanical causes. 52 Symptom Cause “TrFULL” appears even before the disc has reached the maximum recording time (60, 74, or 80 minutes).
Symptom Cause The playing time of a checked-out track is different from the time that appears on your computer monitor. This is due to a calculation discrepancy between the recorder and the computer. You cannot check out tracks that will fill up the remaining recording time on the disc. (For example, you cannot check-out tracks that total 160 minutes to an 80minute disc in LP2 stereo mode.
Troubleshooting Should any problem persist after you have made these checks, consult your nearest Sony dealer. Refer to “Messages” (page 62) as well. 54 Symptom Cause/Solution The recorder does not work or works poorly. • Audio sources may not be securely connected. , Disconnect the audio sources once and connect them again (pages 18, 25). • The HOLD function is turned on (“HOLD” appears in the display when you press an operation button on the recorder).
Symptom Cause/Solution The recorder does not work or works poorly. • The disc is record-protected (“SAVED” appears). , Slide the tab (page 50). • Recording level is too small to record (when recording manually). , Pause the recorder and adjust the recording level. • A Premastered MD is inserted (“PbONLY” appears) when recording. , Insert a recordable MD • You tried to turn group mode on while setting the program. , Turn group mode on before setting the program.
Symptom Cause/Solution An MD is not played • Disc playing stopped before it came to the last track. from the first track. , Press N for 2 seconds or more to start playing. • Group mode is turned on. , Turn group mode off and play from the first track (press N for 2 seconds or more to start playing). Playback sound skips. • The recorder is placed where it receives continuous vibration. , Put the recorder on a stable place. • A very short track may cause sound to skip.
List of menus Menu functions Press MENU, and press . or >. Menu on the Functions recorder1) EDIT Selecting editing operations (labeling, erasing tracks, discs, or groups, etc.) (page 38 to 42, 44 and 45). DISP Displaying elapsed playing time, remaining playing time, etc. (page 32 and 36). P-MODE Selecting play mode (repeat play, shuffle play, etc.) (page 34). RecVol Selecting the automatic or manual recording level adjustment (page 31).
Tables of Menus The menus provided on the recorder for each operating status are shown on this and the following pages. Each chart shows the various menus and the menu items that can be selected at each menu level. See “List of menus” (page 57) for details on menu operations. Menus and menu items toggle in the display. Menus and menu items selected while the recorder is stopped EDIT D:Name G:Set G:Rls1) G:Ers2) LapTim RecRem GP Rem2) AllRem Normal AllRep 1 Rep Shuf.
continued from the previous page , : Pressing ENTER h : Pressing . or >. SYNC-R OFF ON AVLS BEEP OPTION OFF ON R-Posi3) FrHere ON OFF LPStmp Fr End ON OFF 1) Appears only when the recorder is in group mode and a group other than “GP --” is selected. only when the recorder is in group mode. 3) Selectable only when group mode is turned off. 2) Appears Press CANCEL on the recorder to cancel a menu operation.
Menus and menu items selected while the recorder is playing EDIT T:Name G:Name1) T:Move G:Move1) LapTim 1 Rem GP Rem2) AllRem Normal AllRep 1 Rep Shuf.R OFF BASS 1 BASS 2 T:Ers DISP P-MODE BASS , : Pressing ENTER h : Pressing . or >. OPTION AVLS OFF 1) Appears 2) Appears BEEP ON ON OFF only when the recorder is in group mode and a group other than “GP --” is selected. only when the recorder is in group mode. Press CANCEL on the recorder to cancel a menu operation.
Menus and menu items selected while the recorder is recording EDIT T:Name G:Name1) LapTim RecRem Auto Manual SP LP2 LP4 OFF BASS 1 BASS 2 OFF 5 min 10 min OFF ON D:Name DISP RecVol2) R-MODE2) MONO BASS TimeMK 15 min SYNC-R , : Pressing ENTER h : Pressing . or >. OPTION AVLS OFF 1) Appears 2) Appears ON only when the recorder is in group mode. only when the recorder is in standby mode. Press CANCEL on the recorder to cancel a menu operation.
Messages If the following messages flash in the display window, check the messages below. Error message Meaning/Remedy 62 BLANK • An MD with no recording on it is inserted. BUSY • You tried to operate the recorder while it was accessing the recorded data. , Wait until the message goes out (in rare cases, it may take a few minutes). Saving • The MD player is recording information (sounds) from the memory to the disc. , Wait until this process is completed.
Error message Meaning/Remedy FULL • You tried to enter more than 200 letters to label a single track or disc. • You tried to enter a total of more than 1,700 letters for track or disc names. , Enter a shorter name for the track, group, or disc (page 37), or set the “LPStmp” setting to “OFF” so that “LP:” is not added at the beginning of the track name (page 26). NoCOPY • You tried to make a copy from a disc that is protected by the Serial Copy Management System.
Specifications MD Recorder Audio playing system MiniDisc digital audio system Laser diode properties Material: GaAlAs MQW Wavelength: λ = 790 nm Emission duration: continuous Laser output: less than 44.6 µW (This output is the value measured at a distance of 200 mm from the lens surface on the optical pick-up block with 7 mm aperture.) Recording and playback time When using MDW-80 Maximum 160 min. in monaural Maximum 320 min. in stereo Revolutions Approx.
Explanations Difference between digital (optical) and analog (line) inputs The input jack of this recorder works as both digital and analog input jacks. Connect the recorder to a CD player or a cassette recorder using either digital (optical) input or analog (line) input. To record, see “Recording an MD right away! (Synchro-recording)” (page 17) to record using digital (optical) input, and “Recording in analog (Analog Recording)” (page 25) to record using analog (line) input.
The meaning of “no sound” “No sound” describes a recorder condition in which the input level is about 4.8 mV during analog input or less than –89 dB during optical (digital) input (with 0 dB as full bit (the maximum recordable level for a MiniDisc)). Note on digital recording This recorder uses the Serial Copy Management System, which allows only first-generation digital copies to be made from premastered software. You can only make copies from a home-recorded MD by using the analog (line out) connections.
Recording audio data to your computer You can record audio data to your computer from sources such as audio CDs and the Internet (page 76). Audio CDs Internet On the computer Listening You can listen to an audio CD in the CDROM drive of your computer, or audio data in the hard disk drive (page 83).
What is a Net MD? Net MD is a standard that enables the transfer of audio data from a computer to a MiniDisc device. To use this Net MD with your computer requires a software application called “SonicStage”. SonicStage software provides a database for managing audio data in the computer and functions for playing the audio data in various play modes, editing the data, and transferring the results to other devices and hardware connected to the computer.
Basic Operations Basic operational flow using the Net MD The following is the basic steps that you will take following the purchase of your recorder. Through these steps, you will prepare and set up your computer for use of your recorder as a Net MD. Do the following steps, and refer to the indicated pages for details. 1 Providing the required system environment. (page 71) 2 Installing the software onto your computer. (page 72) 3 Connecting the Net MD to your computer.
Providing the required system environment System requirements The following hardware and software are required in order to use the SonicStage software for the Net MD. Computer IBM PC/AT or Compatible • CPU: Pentium II 400 MHz or higher (Pentium III 450 MHz or higher is recommended.) • Hard disk drive space1): 120 MB or more • RAM: 64 MB or higher (128 MB or higher is recommended) Others • CD-ROM drive (capable of digital playback by WDM) • Sound Board • USB port (supports USB (previously USB 1.
Installing the software onto your computer This section explains the installation of the SonicStage Ver.1.5 software supplied with your Net MD. Before installing the software 1 Make sure to note the following before installing the software. Do not connect the dedicated USB cable before the installation! The SonicStage software may not correctly load or operate if the dedicated USB cable is connected to your computer during the installation.
Installing SonicStage Ver.1.5 1 Turn on your computer and start up Windows. 2 Insert the installation CD-ROM for SonicStage into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. The setup program starts up automatically and the SonicStage Ver.1.5 installation window appears. 3 Click to select [SonicStage 1.5]. To use this software with the Net MD, you must install SonicStage Ver.1.5 and the Net MD driver. Click [SonicStage 1.
4 Follow the displayed instructions. Read the instructions carefully. The installation may take 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your system environment (page 95). 5 After the installation is completed, click [Restart] to restart the computer. Make sure to restart your computer only after the installation has completed. Was the installation successful? If any trouble occurs during the installation, see “Troubleshooting” (page 92).
Connecting the Net MD to your computer After the software installation is completed, connect the Net MD to your computer. Refer to the operating instructions of the Net MD as well. 1 Insert a recordable disc into the Net MD. 2 Make the power source and the dedicated USB cable connections with the Net MD and the computer.
Storing audio data to your computer This section explains how to record and store audio data from an audio CD to the hard disk drive of your computer. The procedure in this section is used to record all tracks on an audio CD. To record only specific tracks from a CD, or from other sound sources, see the online help for details (page 84).
Recording audio CDs to the hard disk drive In SonicStage Ver.1.5, the hard disk drive is called the “Music Drive”. The Music Drive manages all audio data stored by SonicStage. 1 Insert the audio CD that you want to record into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. The CD window appears in the display. Note When you record an audio CD from your CD-ROM drive for the first time, the “CD Drive Optimization” dialog box appears when you insert the audio CD.
4 Click select the recording mode. in the middle of the recording window and When recording data in LP2 mode: select ATRAC3 132kbps When recording data in LP4 mode: select ATRAC3 66kbps Click here 5 If the list panel is not displayed, click . List panels appear under the recording window. The contents of the audio CD appear in the left list panel. 6 Click [Record All]. Recording starts. Upon completion, recorded tracks appear in the right list panel. To stop recording Click ([Stop]).
Labeling audio data After recording has completed, you can label the audio data in the Music Drive. Once audio data in the Music Drive is labeled, the label information will be transferred to a disc along with the audio data, allowing you to view the data on your Net MD. 1 Start up SonicStage (page 76) and click (Music Drive). “All Playlists” appears and all the albums stored on the Music Drive appear in the Music Drive window. 2 Double click the desired album name.
Transferring audio data from your computer to the Net MD (Check-out) Audio data stored on the Music Drive can be transferred to your Net MD. This process is called “Check-out”. The number of times a track can be checked out is restricted in this software for the protection of copyrights (page 98). Playlist Checking out audio files to the Net MD This section explains how to check out all audio files in a playlist*.
3 Click in the middle of the display and select the recording mode (page 78). Standard transfer mode: Data are transferred in the format of the original files. Maximum available transfer space: All data are transferred in LP4 mode. SP transfer mode: All data are converted and transferred in normal stereo mode. Select this mode if you listen to checked-out data on equipment that does not support MDLP mode. 4 If the list panel is not displayed, click . A playlist appears in the display.
Notes • Once a check-out (or check-in) has started, do not disconnect the dedicated USB cable or power source until the check-out operation has completed. These actions may damage the data or cause the system to malfunction. • Make sure not to bump the Net MD after check-out has started. If you do, the contents of the recording may not be stored correctly. • Due to the limitations of the MD system, you may not be able to record the full amount of remaining recording time.
Listening to an MD You can listen to an MD on the Net MD while it is connected to your computer. When disconnected from your computer, the Net MD can be used as an ordinary MiniDisc device. For details on Net MD operations, refer to the “Recorder Operations” section. Listening to an MD with the Net MD connected to the computer If you listen to an MD with the Net MD connected to the computer, be sure to listen with the Net MD itself (connecting to the headphones/earphones, speakers, etc.).
Advanced operations Using other functions! Using the SonicStage online help This manual explains only the basic operations of the SonicStage software. However, the software has a host of other functions that allow you to carry out various operations, such as importing audio files from the Internet, classifying and managing audio files, and playing in various play modes. For information and details on the various menus and operations, go to the online help.
Viewing online help The Tabs The left side frame The right side frame Let’s find out how to use the online help first. An explanation on the use of the online help can also be found in the online help. 1 Double click [Overview] in the left-hand frame. 2 Click [About this Help file]. The explanation will appear in the right-hand frame. 3 Read the text. Scroll the display if necessary. Click underlined words to jump to their explanations.
Other information Settings and Precautions Settings according to OS The settings and precautions will differ according to the operating system being used. Check the items that apply to your system. For Windows XP users Restrictions when running the SonicStage software under Windows XP • To install this software, you must log on with a user name with “Computer Administrator”* as an attribute. • You must log on with the user name “Administrators” or “Power Users” to use the SonicStage software.
For Windows Millennium Edition users When using SonicStage under Windows Millennium Edition If you use the “System Restore” function in Windows “System Tools”, audio data managed by SonicStage may become corrupted and rendered unplayable. Before executing the system restoration procedure, you should first back up all audio files and restore them after doing the system restoration procedure. For details about backup procedures, refer to online help. Note Restoring backup data requires access to the Internet.
For users with OpenMG Jukebox, SonicStage, or SonicStage Premium installed on their computer Note Confirm whether any tracks have been checked out from your computer. If tracks have been checked out from OpenMG Jukebox, an earlier version of SonicStage, or SonicStage Premium, it may not be possible to check those tracks back in with SonicStage Ver.1.5. It is recommended to check in the tracks before installing SonicStage Ver.1.5. Check the following contents before installing SonicStage Ver.1.5.
Precautions on the co-existence of SonicStage Ver. 1.5 with OpenMG Jukebox Ver.2.2 or SonicStage Premium • Make sure the OpenMG Jukebox Ver.2.2 icon is not displayed in the task tray. If it is, the Net MD may not be recognized by your computer. • Audio data recorded on the computer are stored in a common file and used by both applications. Therefore, if you delete an audio file (e.g., one album) in one application, it will be deleted in the other software as well.
Uninstalling the SonicStage software To uninstall the SonicStage software, follow the procedures below. For Windows XP users Log on with a user name with “Computer Administrator” as an attribute. Refer to the operating instructions of your computer for details on logging on as an administrator. 1 Click [Start]–[Control Panel]. The “Control Panel” window appears. 2 Double-click [Add/Remove Programs]. The “Add/Remove Programs” dialog box appears. 3 Click [Change or Remove Programs].
2 Double-click [Add/Remove Programs]. The Add/Remove Programs Properties window appears. 3 Click [SonicStage 1.5.XX] in the list of programs for automatic removal, and then click [Add/Remove]. 4 Click [OpenMG Secure Module 3.1]* in the list of programs for automatic removal, and then click [Add/Remove]. Do as instructed by the message and restart the computer. When the computer restarts, the uninstallation will be completed.
Troubleshooting Please do the following steps if you encounter a problem while using the SonicStage software. In case a message appears, it is recommended that you write it down. Step 1: Check the symptoms in this “Troubleshooting” section. A variety of information can also be found in the operating procedures and “Settings and Precautions” (page 86) as well. Step 2: Check the symptoms in the SonicStage 1.5 online help (page 84). Check “Troubleshooting” under “Additional information” in the online help.
Computer • Manufacturer: • Model: • Type: Desktop type / Laptop type Name of operating system: RAM capacity: Hard disk drive (containing SonicStage and audio data) • Capacity of the drive: • Free space: Installed folder containing SonicStage (if other than the default folder)1) • Location of the installed folder: Version of the software (SonicStage Ver.1.
If your computer does not recognize the Net MD • Is the Net MD connected correctly to your computer? — If the Net MD is not firmly connected to the computer, the Net MD will not be recognized by your computer. — Reconnect the dedicated USB cable. If the computer still does not recognize the Net MD, disconnect the Net MD, restart the computer, and connect the dedicated USB cable again. • Is an MD inserted in the Net MD? Check if an MD is inserted in the Net MD.
• If the installation seems to be stopped It may take 30 minutes or more for the installation to complete, depending on your computer or CD-ROM drive. During the installation, watch out for the occurrence of any of the following problems. Problem Cause/Remedy The installation appears to have Check for the appearance of an error message beneath the installation window. stopped before it has completed. t Press the [Tab] key while holding down the [Alt] key.
Information and explanations Net MD FAQ This section introduces frequently asked questions and answers on the Net MD. On the Net MD What is a “Net MD”? Net MD is a specification that allows audio data in a computer to be transferred to a MiniDisc through a USB cable. Till now, MiniDiscs could be used to record only analog sources (through a microphone or analog input) or PCM sources such as CDs. Recording audio files on a computer was impossible.
On Editing Can checked-out tracks be edited on the Net MD? • Things you can do on the Net MD: — Label contents. — Assign or release groups — Move tracks or groups. • Things you cannot do on the Net MD: — Add track marks (divide)/erase track marks (combine). — Delete tracks, groups, or the entire disc contents.
On copyright protection The OpenMG technology* allows you to enjoy digital music, while maintaining the copyrights of its holders. OpenMG Jukebox encrypts audio files in OpenMG format and stores them on the hard disk of your computer to prevent unauthorized distribution. * The copyright protection technology of this software conforms to SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative) specifications. This software places some restrictions on recording and playback to protect copyrights.
Restrictions on audio content High-quality digital audio content is widely available through music distribution services on the Internet. To protect the copyrights of its holders from unauthorized distribution, some audio content is distributed with certain restrictions on recording and playback. For example, the playback period or playback count for the data may be limited. In such cases, checking out of the audio contents may not be possible.
Glossary ATRAC3 ATRAC3, which stands for Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding3, is audio compression technology that satisfies the demand for high sound quality and high compression rates. The ATRAC3 compression rate is approximately 10 times higher than that of the Audio CD, resulting an increased data capacity for the media. “Check-In /Check-Out” Check-out is to transfer music files from a personal computer to an external device/media (such as a Network Walkman).
Recording mode (Bit rate) This is a measure of data volume per second. The rate is expressed in bps (bits per second). In SonicStage, the bit rate can be selected for recording an audio CD or converting MP3 and WAV format audio files into ATRAC3 format from among three rates: 132 kbps, 105 kbps or 66 kbps. In the case of 105 kbps, 105,000 bits of information is processed per second. If the bit rate is large, that means a large amount of information is used to play the music.
Index A G Accessories optional 64 supplied 11 ATRAC3 96, 100 Audio CD 68, 77 Auto Time Mark 30 AVLS 46 G-PROTECTION 23, 66 Group erase 45 Group Mode Playback 33 Group Mode Recording 28 Group Move 42 Group Skip Mode 33 release 40 Setting 39 B back up 89 Battery battery life 15, 48 dry battery 15 Beep sound 46 H C I CD-ROM 71 Check-in 96, 100 Checking playing position 32 remaining time 32, 36 Check-out 80, 96, 100 Cleaning 50 Connecting 75 analog 25 digital 18 copyright protection 98 Installing 73 D
R Recording adding track marks (Auto Time Mark) 30 digital 17 Group Mode Recording 27 MDLP mode 26 without overwriting tracks 29 Recording mode (Bit rate) 78, 81, 101 Recording navigation window 77 Relabeling 39 S SDMI 101 SonicStage Premium 72, 88 SonicStage software (earlier version) 72, 88 start (software) 76 System environment 71 System limitations 71 T Track mark Adding 43 Erasing 43 Transferring to the computer 76 to the Net MD 80 U Uninstalling Windows 2000 91 Windows 98 Second Edition 90 Window
This warranty is valid only in Canada.
This warranty is valid only in the United States.
