[Insert Title Here]
I was working on a repair video for this week - but after most of it was shot, the device ultimately turned out to be irreparable.
These things happen. Repair videos are always a gamble. The idea of starting off with something that's broken and planning on demonstrating it fully working at the end while only possessing basic repair skills is really just asking for trouble.
So a quick pivot and on to plan B:
This new video is about adding track titles to MiniDiscs. It’s definitely not destined to become a blockbuster, however I was pretty confident that everything I hoped to show would function on camera - which was all I needed. Plus, I could get it finished before Friday - which just happens to be International Minidisc day.
Now in other news I’m hoping to shoot a patreon update video in the next couple of days - the usual chat with a couple of semi-interesting tidbits to share. Barring any problems I should have that one done by the weekend and available exclusively for patrons.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
UPDATE;
Regarding the failed video. I’ve stored the clips I’ve shot - with the (long term) intention of using them (at some point in the future) when (and if) I obtain a working device - in order to demonstrate what problems can arise. However these clips are being kept on ice until that situation arises - there are no plans to use them to make half of an unsatisfying (for me) video, I’m happy to wait until I can make the video that I originally envisioned.
Comments (69)
Thank you so much for pointing me towards the Sony RM-D11P! This was exactly what I always wanted and I was able to get a working unit through eBay for a fair price. Keep up the good work and stay healthy!
I’m happy I could help. These remotes make operation a lot easier, so I’m glad you managed to get hold of one.
I've created a stripped-down Windows XP with the most recent build of Sony's SonicStage software plus drivers etc. This is a VMWare virtual-machine which can be run on a Mac, Linux, Windows 10 PC etc. I use it in conjunction with an MZ-RH1 for making minidiscs for my workshop. If anyone wants a copy of the VM, let me know and I'll upload it to Google Drive..
Thanks for the info on MiniDisc Day! I got so excited about the concept that I ended up ordering FIVE MD releases from Needlejuice Records (USA)! One of MDs is a release by Aussie band King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard. 🙂 And now I'm scouring eBay for MD decks with a PS/2 keyboard socket! BTW, a Sony RM-D11P sold on eBay here a few days ago for AUD$112.50.
I only ordered the sampler in the end - I wasn’t familiar with any of the artists. Haven’t got it yet. Hopefully next year it’ll grow and I can pick up a few more. As far as the PS/2 socket goes, yep it’s quite the job finding them as it’s not something many people mention on the advert, so you have to go looking through the pictures. One is bound to turn up eventually though. Good luck.
I absolutely and unequivocally blame you for my MiniDisc obsession. 😁 The truth of the matter is that I've always been fascinated by the format; you just gave me an excuse to get back into it. I think the "PC Link" Mini-DIN may be a "To Host" connector as you would find them on 1990s synths and digital mixers. My Yamaha 01V has one, and it's just a serial port. I used to have a cable with a DB9 serial connector on one end, and a Mini-DIN for the "To Host" connector on the other. You could update the firmware with a terminal emulator. This most probably means that, for this to work, you need some obscure Sony software that you can only download via less than entirely legal channels. Myself, I have a Sony LISSA set. It's connected via IEEE 1394a/i.Link/Firewire to my Windows 10 PC, but the problem is that one essential driver, avcaudio.sys, that is present in Windows XP, is no longer present in Windows 7. (No idea about Vista.) Which is a pity, because Windows would have proper support of all the functions via that connection. The MD has a very complete implementation of whatever protocol they were using, and if you manage to track down the Sony software (and get it to work!) you can even do such things as using the graphic equaliser, which isn't even available on the receiver unit itself. I'm trying to see if I can reverse engineer that driver and make it available for Windows 10, but it's likely going to be a bit of a lengthy process. But once that's done, changing the track titles should definitely be feasible.
Last year I bought a Windows 98 Thinkpad to run some Win 98 only software for an upcoming video. Since making the MD Title video I’ve had a delivery of a NOS PC Link kit - including all the cables and software. So now I’ve got the PC Link kit and the PC to link it to when I get the chance I’ll familiarise myself with the software with the intention of making a future video. I believe it also prints track labels, so that could come in handy,
Just got around watching the video. I use the S-Link method. I burn the music I want to a CD-RW with CD Text enabled and play it on a Sony CDP-XE530. The Minidisc Recorder is a Sony MDS-JE530. Very similiar to yours, but without MDLP, Net MD and of course without a Keybaord Socket. While it's copying the music, the track name appears around 5 seconds later after each track starts on the MD Recorder. It copies the Disc name also just fine. For anyone having trouble using S-Link: Make sure to use a remote with CD Sync Buttons and only use a 3.5mm MONO cable to connect both Decks.
I'd recently started watching some MD players and Hi-fi's on ebay, I was wondering about using one daily again. Having watched your video, I remember now how long the real time recording took, and how temperamental they were. Perhaps they're still useful on home, but not in pocket.
I sold my RM_D11P remote back in 2007 for £30. One of the many bit of old kit I have now regretted selling.
I totally understand. I used to present on Community Radio and we used minidisc for ads, jingles, intros and outros etc, because it was so easy to cue and time on a decent playback deck. When I left I gave away all my MD stuff, and now *really* regret it. Of course, I have no real need for it, but the nostalgia is strong in this one ...
Fantastic video. I recently acquired a similar Sony full size deck and must admit chose it for the PS/2 keyboard port with this in mind. Of course, I did discover that using a keyboard via a PS/2 to USB adaptor was fruitless, and it does need to be a true PS/2 keyboard. In the end one of those smart £10 mini keyboards did the job. I have it permanently connected and I love it for its small form factor and ease with which MDs can be labelled in a matter of minutes. So glad you hit this point home in the video.
The mini keyboard is a good idea, I don’t really need a numeric pad, plus I can keep one in the HiFi cabinet drawer under the MD, so I’ve just ordered one from Amazon. Thanks for the suggestion.
Wow! I didn't knew there will be an international MD day. But celebrating it, I've ordered a couple of blank, unopened 80 mins discs today, and tomorrow, when I arrive home, I will make a pot of tea, sit down in front of my freshly bought (used, not boxed) MDS-JE480 deck, put in one from my chillhop collection discs, and just listening the music. I'm one of those who had success using Sonic Stage 4.3, and a portable NetMD player with Windows 10, so titling the tracks is a lot quicker than using the devices/remotes. The only plus thing to do is all flac files must be converted to wma lossless, before copying them to discs with Sonic Stage.
I have an MZ-M10 HiMD player - Can connect it via USB to the PC and enter titles in the SonicStage program - still works on current Win10 😊 So fun to use it as USB drive too, 290MB or 1GB of luscious storage... at USB1.1 transfer speeds and with insane seek times 😂
I love the variety of hardware you show off. I have no need for a CD player or a minidisc player. But a combo player in a compact cube? Gimme!
I'll have to watch the new video a little later today. But I wanted to quickly say how much we enjoy failed repair videos. They make us feel better about ourselves to see that even those we look up to cannot do it all. (Maybe someday I'll learn to anticipate parts springing across the room, and maybe someday I'll learn to solder...)
Hear, hear! Any repair success is always heartening, but to see where it ultimately fails can also be both interesting AND instructive (ie just don't bother trying this yourself).
I remember seeing minidisc at the store Media Play back in the early days of the format. As a teen I did not have the means to invest in the format. If I'm remembering correctly the commercial releases were more expensive than CDs back then. It was your video that got me interest in starting a collection. I have a deck and a NetMD walkman and maybe 10 discs. The new variety only... Anders' releases, some synthwave, vaporwave, etc... I made my first disc a week ago too. I used SonicStage in a VirtualBox Windows 10 VM on my Mac.
I never had a MD player during its time but always ogled over them in the Sears and JC Penny Christmas catalogs as a teen.
once there was a teac Md deck with a ps2 keyboard input for titling, iwill try to find the model
There were quite a few - Teac/Tascam, Kenwood, Denon, JVC - I'm sure more besides. I only demonstrated it on a Sony as that's the only one I have with the socket.
Very interesting as always but I really want to know what 'UK Sound Tuned' means, sounds like it could be an insult. Anyway I apparently didn't say 'MiniDisc' slowly and clearly enough when telling a work colleague about MiniDisc day and got a funny look.
"Well, look 'ere guvna'. The sound is all done with fish and chips, innit. Fancy a cuppa Rosy Lee?"
Maybe my Sony MDS-JB930 QS Minidisc Player separate with keyboard support is worth something now!?. Been stored away for years!
I wasn't thinking about playing around with MiniDiscs until I saw this, now I'm on Ebay. Again. :D
Well there’s no harm in looking...
Excellent video - as always. Pleased it is not just me who finds typing words with remote controls nearly impossible. One of the wonders of our age that will be looked back on with puzzlement is how SMS texting from old-style keypad phones took off in such a big way BEFORE Blackberrys and iPhones appeared on the market to capitalise on the boom in texting. Great work, Mat - really appreciated. If you do pass a million subscribers, you can at least have a brief smug smirk in the shaving mirror ;-)
I’ve got to wonder if any of the prolific early texters are exhibiting any thumb issues by now. I think I only sent perhaps a dozen texts in a decade.
When you start talking about A1 II cables and Japanese qwerty remote controls, I realise how little I know/knew about retro and current entertainment technology. You obviously soak up details like these - impressive! 👍
These are the silly bits of info I remember - in place of things like birthdays and people’s names.
One of my favorites of yours recently, without a doubt! So many lovely pieces of audio tech in a short timespan. Useful stuff to know as well, I had no idea that remotes and PS/2 keyboards were options on these. Great vid!
Yes it’s really just an excuse to show off some shiny things - all tenuously linked together by a thin thread. Everyone likes seeing things with loads of buttons.
I had no idea the RM-D11P existed. That was pretty cool to see. Sony did include a remote with some decks that made titling tracks fairly easy. My MDS-JE500 deck came with an RM-D7M remote which has individual buttons for each letter of the alphabet plus some punctuation. It kind of fits between manual entry using the knob on the deck itself and the RM-D11P keyboard you showed. You can use the D7M remote to enter letters directly without having to cycle through the alphabet. Picture of it here: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuNvMH5MAYNOktAygqrNKRv3x9399w?e=MH47VJ
I don’t remember those, thanks for the picture. So many old machines nowadays seem to have parted ways from their remotes too.
I'm surprised that as a Mac user you have a PS/2 keyboard at all :P I remember a second hand computer my mom got once with an AT keyboard port and I actually did manage to find an AT keyboard with a Windows key on it... (Quick wikipedia says PS/2 came about in 1987 and AT keyboards around 1984. The Windows key came around 1994 especially used for the Start Menu which was a big feature in Windows 95). It's kind of sad in a way that people dismiss keyboards as antiquated when they are purpose built for entering text and excel at it. People expect that it's not futuristic or as seen on Star Trek? :P
Even if you think you never owned a PS/2 keyboard, you may have. The reason was that name brand early generation USB keyboards often supported PS/2 via an adapter. Microsoft had a patent on a design that would detect the presence of an adapter and then change the protocol used by the microcontroller in the keyboard between USB and PS/2; the adapter doesn't actually translate USB into PS/2, and so these are fully compliant PS/2 devices. Most modern USB peripherals will not support this, however. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SFMAAOSw4CFY5CJU/s-l640.jpg
C'mon you can use that fail video for the april 1st posting. just sell it as totally going to succeed :)
I agree with you. Having traveled in USA around when minidisc here was at its peak. No minidiscs to be found. However they seemed to love portable CD players!.....really!
Minidiscs were never as popular as CDs here in the US but they WERE around...my wife and I both used Minidiscs back then as our primary audio devices. No problem finding discs and players at the larger audio stores that were around back then.
Did not know there is a Minidisc day. I am a fan of Sharp minidisc machines, and they are just as cumbersome in my experience to title. I have a number of discs half titled. I am going to see if I can find a deck with keyboard interface. As you say, it’s a very satisfying thing to have a fully titled minidisc. Thanks for another great video. Your appreciation of minidisc I have watched and enjoyed many times. There seem so many ( mostly from USA) saying what a failure the format was. I think we beg to differ outside of North America.
Many Americans, or at least the ones that are enthusiasts of the YouTube comments feed, seem to really struggle with the notion that the universe doesn't end at the Canadian and Mexican borders.
I'm looking forward to International DCC Day. Give it a few years.
I would never buy a MD player or media (I like having everything in digital files on my device). But I love watching your videos about them. Go figure.
I had no idea there was an International MiniDisc Day! Retro tech, MiniDisc included, fills me with both nostalgia and alarm (at how quickly it became retro). My first MiniDisc player went everywhere with me. I recorded school concerts on a MiniDisc deck. I used a Yamaha MD8 in college for my Music Technology A-Level, capable of recording eight tracks on an MD DATA disc (if I remember rightly, it was an instrumental cover of Iio - Rapture...make of that what you will). MiniDisc was everywhere and everything (from my perspective), and then it wasn't.
The cool thing about MD now is they generally still work, and in a world where you seemingly can’t copy anything to anything else any more - they’ll still let you do that.
I find hitting things with a hammer usually fixes them. The harder the better. You might try that. If it doesn't work, it'll make you feel better.
That was the problem.
Oh I forgot. I would like to see the repair video, even if it failed. There is still a value in showing that kind of fails.
haha fair enough
The most legitimate reasoning I’ve seen for the badge is that Sony was using it to prevent cheaper parallel imports from entering the UK and undercutting the RRP.
What does UK Sound Tuned mean exactly?
From the extensive reading up I’ve done - it means absolutely nothing beyond marketing guff.
I'm sure we'd all love to see the failed repair video. But then, we're you're biggest fans
Nice video! If the number of subs keeps going up as it did from 30.01.19 to 02.02.20 you will reach 1.000.000 subscribers by mid August 2020. WOW! Any special plans for that occasion?
I’m not too sure. Sub numbers mean very little, channels with half the subscribers often get triple the views..and I’m not personably comfortable with public displays of self congratulation. I think if it happens I’ll probably just let it pass quietly.
It would make for a good video to show your failed repairs. The educative value would be great and im sure it would give a great behind the scene look into your creative process. I know you've done some patreon exclusives with behind the scene content but I think it would still be a great video
What did the item happen to be and what was wrong with it?
Hopefully I’ll be able to show a working example in the future...so I’ll leave it until then.
I still enjoy the fails , it’s part of the game
Your original MiniDisc video was what got me into both collecting MDs and becoming a Patron to your channel, so I’d say that’s a doubly successful result of that brilliant video!
You got me wondering what got me into the Techmoan channel. According to my YouTube history, it was Matt's VHD video, which I discovered in May 2017. It must have randomly popped up when I was doing some lesson prep during supply teaching, which means I probably skipped it at the time, but from the few seconds I did see, I made a note to self to return to it at home, and I've been following ever since.
I would still watch a: "It's broken and I can't fix it" video. Sometimes the journey is fun too.
You should do a video where you interview the puppets ;)
I’ll go into their absence in the update video.
The time consuming part of making a video for me is the editing and voice over. If that repair video were to take a total of six days, only two of those days, the disassembly part, are in the bag, another four days would be needed to make it into anything resembling a watchable video. Ultimately those four days are really better spent making a new video I can show to people.
Gracenote. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long while.
Well, you can learn from fails too. At least I would love to see the failed attempt and maybe learn a thing or two if I have a similar device on my desk.
Will you post the unrepairable repair video? I personally am also interested in those videos! Understanding the debugging and thought process, what you tried, and how you realized that there was no hope :)