Posted by Lars Brouwer on 5/23/2002, 1:54:24

Please Sony! This would be very handy if you have a band or something, just like me... Lars Brouwer, dear MZN707 user

Posted by Nicolas Porte on 5/23/2002, 3:12:26

I'm a musician and when we do concerts with my little orchestra, I register it into my minidisc recorder. The quality is unbelivable ! But after, i can only use the exit used by headphones to connect it to my computer in order to register with a different quality. So the USB is a great opportunity for me.

Posted by Jo�l Tetard on 5/23/2002, 3:23:43

To: Sony Corporation Tokyo, Japan Sony Corporation New York, USA From: The Community of MiniDisc Users on the Web Dear Sony MiniDisc Designers: Sony's NetMD extension is a wonderful boon to the Minidisc format and has helped bring Minidisc into the networked world of online music distribution. Our petition seeks an enhancement to the Minidisc's NetMD facility to enable Minidisc users to move their audio recordings directly from Minidisc to PC. It is not our intention to cause general trouble or engage in ad hominem harassment of Sony. On behalf of all MiniDisc users, we kindly ask that you heed our petition, as follows: WHEREAS, Minidisc recorders are ideally suited to making digital field recordings, and WHEREAS, Users frequently need to move recordings they make onto a computer (PC, Mac, Unix/Linux or otherwise) for processing or further distribution, and WHEREAS, A Minidisc recording is intrinsically a digital format, and WHEREAS, The only existing method of moving Minidisc recordings onto a computer involves "recording" the signal through the computer's sound card, a lengthly and cumbersome process that generally degrades the signal by converting it to analog format and back to digital form, and WHEREAS, All Minidisc recorders already flag their recordings to indicate those tracks that have been recorded through the digital inputs (and are copy-protected) and those that have been recorded through the analog inputs (and are not copy-protected), thereby allowing the upload function to prevent unwanted copying, and WHEREAS, Sony's existing NetMD function already provides for direct transfers of compressed audio from computer to Minidisc, WE THE UNDERSIGNED, kindly request that Sony extend NetMD so that it can be used for uploading compressed audio directly from Minidisc to PC, thereby providing users with a quick, convenient, and lossless method of moving their Minidisc recordings to PC. Jo�l TETARD

Posted by Ian on 5/23/2002, 7:34:28

The ability to upload our clinical trials interviews with patients directly to PC would be an excellent addition to the NetMD product line. I would encourage Sony to consider this addition cheers Ian

Posted by Jen Abildsoe on 5/23/2002, 8:51:03

I have so far avoided upgrading my current md recorder hoping that the NetMD functionality would improve. I think that the addition of the ability to upload would help convince myself and many others to reinvest in the newer units.

Posted by jean-alexis lauricella on 5/23/2002, 11:26:51

this is the greatest idea since netMD! go ahaed sony!

Posted by Dan Meyer on 5/23/2002, 12:57:53

I use MD to record student group work sessions, and love the quality. However, I then need to convert the recordings to mp3 files for analysis. Digital transfer capabilities would greatly ease this process, and retain the quality that is so appealing.

Posted by Paul on 5/23/2002, 13:07:25

I find it very strange that even my own recordings can't be uploaded to the PC from the MD. It would be a very valueable adittion, and I hope it will be possible.

Posted by Timothy Fredriksz on 5/23/2002, 13:38:09

Dear sony, I've been using a mdrecorder for a long time now and I thuoght that the new netmd would make lit alot easier to copy songs back to my computer. I was very, very dissapointed that it only works from pc to md. Still bought the netmd though, I like the transfer speed. Sincerely yours, Timothy Fredriksz

Posted by Chris Miller on 5/23/2002, 14:33:43

The lack of this important feature will likely prevent myself and a number of other users from embracing the NetMD technology. Add this feature now and make the new software available on your website as a free upgrade for existing users!

Posted by toby wallwork on 5/23/2002, 15:28:04

I am involved in the production of low budget and NO budget films and videos. I have used MD on many occasions to acquire high quality audio on location. Nothing touches the MD for price quality and convenience. The prospect of maintaining digital integrity all the way to the edit suite makes me more eager to add a NetMD device to my arsenal. Until now the analog transfers have been (begrudgingly) acceptable, but a fully digital pathway has been out of reach, the NetMD holds the promise of changing that.

Posted by toby wallwork on 5/23/2002, 15:31:27 , in reply to "Audio Upload & Mac Support"

I agree. I use Macs to edit video and audio, until now I have had to import audio thru an analog cable. Macs have USB, so why can't MacUsers have the full functionality of the NetMD?

Posted by David Sayen on 5/23/2002, 16:54:27

It would be wonderful to be able to use the MD the way I use my digital cameras, to record my own musical performances then edit them on the PC.

Posted by Phil Roberson on 5/24/2002, 1:44:53

Dear Sirs, Minidisc is the most versatile recording format on the planet. Why not create a portable with High Speed digital upload capability and make it the most versatile recording format in the universe!? It's the next logical step. Phil Roberson-Owner MiniDisc Access [email protected] www.minidiscaccess.com

Posted by Lachlan Gilbert on 5/24/2002, 2:00:40

Hi, I find it strange that MiniDisk has gone for this long without having an optical out capability on the players. I do computer animation, and highly value the ability to get sound of a good quality easily, using a very portable machine such as the MD players. Would it be so hard to do? It looks like from this petition there are plenty of people who would love to have this function in-built into the MDs.

Posted by Kolby Kirk on 5/24/2002, 2:43:14

I bought the MD recorder with the intention to record natural "music" from the rainforests of Borneo. It's upsetting to discover your MD recorders will not allow me to upload them digitally onto the computer.

Posted by Wojciech Sobczuk on 5/24/2002, 5:26:56

Please don't do harm to your own products by supplying it with broken software.

Posted by Cedryc Jouniaux on 5/24/2002, 9:05:58

Dear Sony MiniDisc Designers: Sony's NetMD extension is a wonderful boon to the Minidisc format and has helped bring Minidisc into the networked world of online music distribution. Our petition seeks an enhancement to the Minidisc's NetMD facility to enable Minidisc users to move their audio recordings directly from Minidisc to PC. It is not our intention to cause general trouble or engage in ad hominem harassment of Sony. On behalf of all MiniDisc users, we kindly ask that you heed our petition, as follows: WHEREAS, Minidisc recorders are ideally suited to making digital field recordings, and WHEREAS, Users frequently need to move recordings they make onto a computer (PC, Mac, Unix/Linux or otherwise) for processing or further distribution, and WHEREAS, A Minidisc recording is intrinsically a digital format, and WHEREAS, The only existing method of moving Minidisc recordings onto a computer involves "recording" the signal through the computer's sound card, a lengthly and cumbersome process that generally degrades the signal by converting it to analog format and back to digital form, and WHEREAS, All Minidisc recorders already flag their recordings to indicate those tracks that have been recorded through the digital inputs (and are copy-protected) and those that have been recorded through the analog inputs (and are not copy-protected), thereby allowing the upload function to prevent unwanted copying, and WHEREAS, Sony's existing NetMD function already provides for direct transfers of compressed audio from computer to Minidisc, WE THE UNDERSIGNED, kindly request that Sony extend NetMD so that it can be used for uploading compressed audio directly from Minidisc to PC, thereby providing users with a quick, convenient, and lossless method of moving their Minidisc recordings to PC.

Posted by Yannick PHILIPPE on 5/24/2002, 9:20:55

Signature de p�tition pour un MiniDisc sur PC

Posted by Katharine Johnson on 5/24/2002, 10:45:10

I think it would be a great advantage to add this capabilaty to NetMD units, enabling an alrady versatile and easy to use format to compete fully with the growing number of MP� units availible

Posted by Julian Skidmore on 5/24/2002, 12:49:56

The MD format is perpetually full of unfulfilled promise. Even now that NetMD is available, it's restricted to only one O/S and it's therefore pointless me buying it or promoting it to my Mac (or PC friends). Surely, given that Sony has a long-standing history of Mac support, it could be extended to their USB MD devices? -cheers from jules @P.

Posted by hugo manrique on 5/24/2002, 22:47:17

The MD format is in desperate need of a revamp, this new NET MD feature might as well save the format, or it will leave it in the dust for sure if it doesn't raise the bar. First off, there is no way MD ,as much as I love it (I have three md walkmans and 2 component decks from sony and aiwa), will be able to compete with mp3 hardware, unless sony spends some big bucks in advertising and make this NET MD thing really work. A good start would be making the Open MG software more flexible, by broadening the spectrum of compression options (sorry but 132k as the maximun quality for SP mode doesn't cut it!), currently, for those of you who haven't noticed, the quality for SP should be 292k as it has always been for conventional MD standards. And remember that most people stayed away from mp3s beacause they sounded crappy and embraced MD for the higher quality. If sony decides to look the other way at this quality downgrade that the NET MD format represents (at least with the current end user software) it might end up not convincing the hardcore MD followers about the need for this new NET MD feature, making some snobish noses to turn away from the format and not convincing the general public either, which at this point needs to be enticed with more options and flexibility (yes, I believe this is the key word here) than the ones they would get with their current mp3 toys. This flexibility would include of course, the uploading of recorded material to a computer. I am sure many people like parents would buy the units for lets say, making high quality digital recordings at an incredibly cheap price (where else would they turn for this?) of their sons first words or piano lessons or students who might want to record their teachers' speeches or whatever you can think of, and then uploading the data (I also think data is the best way to think as of the material recorded onto an MD) to a computer where it would be nicely preserved and then if that's an option, reproduced. The thing is all about value at this point for NetMd and what might honestly, and sadly may very well be the final days of the format, that is unless drastic improval is made.

Posted by Pete on 5/25/2002, 9:01:05

I haven't upgraded my MD deck since 1997. I really thought that Net MD would be the initiative to make me change. Without upload, I still won't change.

Posted by Dominic on 5/25/2002, 10:25:00

please find a solution, I've bought a NetMD product and it would be geat if I could upload!

Posted by Gary Niels on 5/25/2002, 10:51:54

Upload a must to not lose the fight completely to MP3-players. I short cheap Ipod-like players will flood the market. Where will MD be then?

Posted by Roberto Villani on 5/25/2002, 12:32:36

Being minidisc a typically pro-recording device, I think the presence of a USB port is absolutely useless if it doesn't allowd upload to PC. I won't buy a NetMD till this problem will be solved.

Posted by Ian Coulton on 5/25/2002, 14:16:23

This would be a nice to have feature, as I have lots of minidiscs which I would like to build compilations from.

Posted by Chotechai Piyavongsiri on 5/25/2002, 23:08:34

I've been following MD technology for several years, but do not jump to buy one because I am waiting for " fast transfer between MD and my PC". I will mostly use MD for listening to music, but occasionally I intend to record seminar, meeting, etc... which later want them to be downloaded to my PC. I then opt for Nomad II several years ago. It serves me very well, only that the SmartMedia card is too expensive.

Posted by Dodo=tje on 5/26/2002, 5:32:03

Hi. It would be very need indeed to upload my own recorded music in the studio so I can edit and change it like normal music! Thnx for the attention! Erik

Posted by Paul Speckens on 5/26/2002, 5:50:45

dear Sony, For rehearsel recordings and stage performance recordings we currently use minidisk because its small size and good quality. Three reasons for need for digital output: 1.Dont want to use DAT because after some time the tape gets dropouts. With a disk the data is more secure. 2.dont want to use DAT because (for example for reheasels a small minidisk is easier to take along and works on bateries) 3.no loss off data by using the DA converter of the minidisk (output) and then again the DA converter of the homecomputers soundcard (input). best regards Paul Speckens www.fourandmore.com

Posted by carl olson on 5/26/2002, 10:10:38

It is of value to working musicians to be able to record on the NetMD and upload into the computer for editing.

Posted by Carlo Bolchini on 5/26/2002, 13:24:29

Yesterday I bought the top of Sony Miinidisc Portable players, spending around 300$, since on Thursday I will play live with my band and wanted to record the show on a reliable medium and on a small and portable machine not so huge as the CD recorder we used so far. With my surprise I discovered that I cannot download in any way my own recordings, for which I am the record owner and producer, onto my PC for editing and mastering. Tomorrow I will return the recorder to the seller and will buy another solution that will fit my need. You should really consider adding that capability to the recorders, they're good hardware really, but not everyone are music theft, and there must be a way for a legal record owner to work on his intellectual proprierty. Best regards.

Posted by jack on 5/26/2002, 13:48:10

I understand you're trying to protect rights on music. But, we need this features for more than that. Uploading to PC is necessary when you record live sounds like interviews.... There's nothing about rights.... why can't we upload my grandmother voice to my PC, is that you're bussiness ?? Best regards

Posted by justin on 5/27/2002, 0:38:57

With a constant struggle to stay alive in the states, minidisc seemed to be a dieing force that couldn't be reborn in the USA. with the explosion of mp3 technology, minidisc has a door that has been blown wide open for which to rightfully pass through... mp3, computer technology, and minidiscs are a combined force which should be allowed to show its fullest capabilities without being buckled down and masked for years to come... don't fight the future, don't fight technology... give the masses what they want... give them the right to experience the underestimated giant that is the minidisc...

Posted by Edwin on 5/27/2002, 5:42:36

Dear Sony, You have been able to sell a lot MiniDisk equipment the past few years. Now is the time to make it possible to use MiniDisk in a way that even more people are willing to buy. This should be enough for you to go around. For myself, I will buy a MP3 recorder if MiniDisk is not able to forfill the need as discriped in the petition quickly.

Posted by Christopher Granade on 5/27/2002, 6:44:51

Let me archive my digital diary!

Posted by huib smink on 5/27/2002, 6:45:12

For recording my own music this would be a real improvement. The beautifull quality of MD can be used more easily without loss from an unnecessary D-A-D conversion. And furthermore...for copying.. I'll buy Sony-CD's as long as Sony contracts my favourite musicians. ;-)

Posted by Jaap Bastiaans on 5/27/2002, 8:44:26

Dear sirs, Recently I bought a NetMD recorder to record musical rehearsals for later evaluation. Easy and digital uploading of these recordings to my PC would make my life a lot easier. Actually, when I bought the recorder, I was under the impression that I could both up- and download from/to a PC. Therefor it was quite a disappointment to find out I could not do this. Therefor I would like to ask Sony to implement upload facilities, like those presented in Eric Woudenbergs proposal, in the next OpenMG release. If done so, this would be greatly appriciated! Kind regards, Jaap Bastiaans

Posted by Xavier Halgand on 5/27/2002, 12:54:54

for field recordings !

Posted by Lecompte on 5/27/2002, 13:05:56

Messieur de SONY et autres fabriquant et cr�ateur de produit sympatique, pour nous petits consommateur, auriez vous l'amabilit� de nous facilit� la t�che en ce qui concerne la communication des donn�es entre la manifique machine que vous appelez le MD et mon personal computer. Merci.

Posted by Matt Zykan on 5/27/2002, 14:48:59

Don't castrate NetMD by witholding upload capabilities.

Posted by Max Nealon on 5/27/2002, 18:09:34

I was very impressed with the recording quality of my Sony MD after a recent coffeehouse concert I staged. After spending 3 hours trying to download my own music to my computer, I'm shocked that Sony has not taken into account the needs of the performing musician! Please remedy this because it's an embarrassment to your software's capabilities.

Posted by Andrew on 5/27/2002, 20:23:57

Please add the upload feature and save real users alot of time !!!

Posted by Yuri on 5/27/2002, 20:30:14

I faithfully and wholeheartedly support the community of loyal MiniDisc users in their grassroots efforts to urge SONY to add uploading capabilities to NetMD. I believe this is a natural and logical evolution for MiniDisc as a true digital audio recording format that will enable its enthusiasts to create, record and playback music. If MD is to maintain its superiority and compete against other formats such as MP3s and WAVs it must add these uploading capabilities. In fact I recently purchased a SONY VAIO MX in belief that NetMD was the quintessential embodiment of Audio Integrated Operation. However, I do believe the this only a slight fallback and SONY will eventually realize the MiniDisc's full potential and incorporate uploading capabilities to NetMD. Sincerely, Yuri a loyal MD user

Posted by richard on 5/27/2002, 20:49:02

Digital out would enable exact quality dupes of live sets and recording, helping to better establish the MD for amatuer recording studios.

Posted by silver on 5/27/2002, 20:57:46

Sony, Sony, Sony! - surely you see why musicians need this feature to make the best use of your product!

Posted by Chetan on 5/27/2002, 22:43:42

I bought the MD thinking I can check in the files (street interviews) which I recorded using a Microphone, onto my computer as wave files ...and then edit the interviews to make them presentable to be played on the radio. But i supose SONY designers did not thing about this feature. I would like this feature very much in it. i am currently using a Cable to input into the computer and record the stuff using the MusicMatch Juke box to make the wave files and edit them using Adobe priemiere. I have N-707. Please let me know if SONY people are clever enough to understand this simple thing. Chetan

Posted by Anthony bruscella on 5/28/2002, 0:48:46

I am VERY happy with my MZ-R70 MD walkman but a nice, high quality digital out and upload utility would make this line of players so great!

Posted by Erik Lundberg on 5/28/2002, 3:43:49

Your product is so close to the perfect sampling tool, with the bonus of portable personal audio. For simple portable personal audio I would use an mp3 player or an ipod clone. What sets your product apart is it`s ability to record good DIGITAL audio in a convenient package. Please bring your product to it`s full potential so that I can buy it. I would even force myself to use MSwindows! (if I had to)

Posted by William Blakeley on 5/28/2002, 8:09:11

I am using an older model deck, a Sony MDS-JE640, and will continue to use it until I see some incentive to move to a new deck. Group function, ATRAC Type-S and NetMD as it is now are not enough to make me move to a new deck, but as soon as there is an upload function (and the proposal mentioned by minidisc.org is an exceptional one), I shall swagger down to my local store and make a new purchase! Come on, Sony, do it for my money and customer loyalty, and that of everyone who has signed this petition.