Posted by Mattia Zamboni on 5/2/2002, 8:41:33

Adding the upload feature would help a lot MD to survive against the upcoming powerful MP3 players!

Posted by Bruce Miranda on 5/2/2002, 8:53:00

I have music from pre Net MD days that I just cannot lose. I need to be able to store this on my computer for safe keeping.

Posted by Michael May on 5/2/2002, 9:13:57

The Sony minidisc format has been a personal help in so many ways. As a music teacher, I have the ultimate in convenience and sound quality in presenting music samples in my classroom by using the minidisc format. I record 78s from my personal collection for listening on my portable MD player. Live recordings of my school band and my own piano solos are made both easy and fun when using the MD deck. The NetMD uploading provision will enable me to share my own music with other band directors, relatives, etc., by using the internet. Please add this feature--make an already great idea (the MD format!) even better!!! Mike May

Posted by Dale Greer on 5/2/2002, 9:15:42

The addition of rapid audio uploads from MD to PC would make MiniDisc the ultimate digital audio recording and playback device. This obvious feature would be a boon to musicians, electronic journalists and field recordists. After that, the only missing feature to add would be Macintoish and Unix compatibility with OpenMG.

Posted by Moshe G on 5/2/2002, 9:20:37

sony, please make ammends

Posted by Jun Ming on 5/2/2002, 9:21:39

I SUPPORT THIS PETITION ASKING SONY TO ENABLE NetMD-Based Audio Uploading from MiniDisc to Computer

Posted by John Pariseau on 5/2/2002, 9:29:19

Dear Sony, As you know, it is wrong to steal music, copyrighted songs, etc... And, as you have shown with the latest iteration of MiniDisc recorders (NetMD), you are very concerned about fair use, and protecting the rights of the Artist who created the content (music). However, this fails to take into account us, the people who have to record their own music. What about me? What about all the independent artists struggling to make a living, trying to produce a quality CD? MD makes the recording process an easy, high quality, economical solution to the biggest question: We can sing, play, but how do we get our music out there? With an upload option for content that was recorded by the owner of the MD unit, the artist has lost the last hurdle to getting his content (he owns, produced) into the computer. Not only artists, but students in college (for archiving classes) and teachers who wish to record their classes. I was asked by a professor if she should get something like I had. I told her, "No, get an mp3 based solution, as that will be the easiest for you". I wanted to recommend MD, but there was no way she had the time to fool with recording her talks again, to get them into the computer. There are a myriad of other times it would have been beneficial to use MD, but I was unable due to the real-time recording-to-computer issue that I feel has plagued the MD. Since MD is a digital format, it should be treated as such. NetMD is halfway there... Thank you for your time, John Pariseau

Posted by Phil Briggs on 5/2/2002, 9:35:56

I think that allowing audio uploading would be great for those who record lectures, interviews and music (such as band recordings and rehearsals) onto MiniDisc for the (perfectly legal) purposes of archiving. And if you could also allow NetMD recording in SP format (using the ATRAC Type-R codec) that would also be great as it would allow users to record even higher-quality recordings at high speed. It would also be relatively easy to add, given that the OpenMG software allows you to record in SP format (even though it's merely a conversion of an ATRAC3-encoded file into SP mode).

Posted by Gene on 5/2/2002, 10:07:31

Please add uploading features

Posted by Renny Chao on 5/2/2002, 10:34:00

If you allowed for audio upload, the whole netmd system would be complete. With more flexibility, and ease of use, you would not only make Minidisc users happy, but also spur interest in prospective buyers. Your NetMD concepts is awesome, now complete the package with uploading, and you'll have the best audio solution/package for years to come.

Posted by Andrew Carlson on 5/2/2002, 10:36:10

Minidisc will not be able to compete and will die a slow death without implementation of new technologies for digital interfacing. I think firewire should be a consideration rather than usb so that it will integrate better with pro-level audio and video progams and hardware.

Posted by Hovo on 5/2/2002, 10:55:30

I make a lot of recording of school lectures. Uploading them onto the pc and being able to organize and play them would make my and everyone else's life a lot easier.

Posted by Bryan Childs on 5/2/2002, 10:59:11

.

Posted by Jeton Ademaj on 5/2/2002, 11:09:40

Dear SONY, Please note that most live source recording using minidisc is NOT related to any form of piracy or so-called 'bootlegging'. Most people using MD to record do not transgress the concerns of any "content provider" in any way, but we're nonetheless penalized by misplaced anxiety. Furthermore, MiniDisc is an inherently inferior (loss-inherent) piracy tool. There's no evidence that allowing digital transfer of *inherently inferior, ATRAC-compressed sound* would have any negative effect on the revenues of the music industry, as artists releasing their own live material typically use non-compressing hi-resolution equipment. If anything, so called "fan-taping" has been shown to increase the "brand loyalty" to a particular artist, and those same fans reliably purchase the artist's own release of material that's been available on bootleg, no matter how much later the release. Please reference those sudies on the matter that were conducted by the Wall Street Journal and others in the early 1990's. Audio upload capability is an extremely useful feature desired by anyone using MiniDisc to record live sources of any type. Jam sessions, meetings, newsgathering and other personal recording needs cry out for further handling and editing, meaning transfer with no further loss. In fact, such transfer is a major potential selling point, one that could expand the base of MD users substantially. Consumers typically like having recording capability even if they don't use it, and past experience shows that consumers will find unexpected utility in devices that offer easy functionality. And the market has matured with regard to 'loss-tolerance', meaning that more and more average people understand the content loss they're incurring by converting back and forth between digital and analog signals, so SONY could swing ahead of the market curve here. In light of all this, I think SONY could enjoy an image makeover. Besides "content", SONY is also a major electronics company with a reputation for quality. Unfortunately, SONY Electronics is also famous for odd limitations and disabilities in it's products, bespeaking a deep distrust of it's own customers. I think SONY does itself a big favour by recognizing how much faster a company's "brand image" can evolve for good or ill now that customers can chat together the world over.

Posted by Jin Bae on 5/2/2002, 11:14:21

This is an important issue that needs to be addressed. Please add the audio upload!

Posted by Mark Forman on 5/2/2002, 11:26:03

I purchased MD to have a portable digital field recorder with a digital link to my computer. I never realized that I could not transfer my recordings back to the computer for editing. What a waste of technology, why even have a portable digital recorder without a digital output. I do feel cheated by Sony.

Posted by Doug McCauley on 5/2/2002, 11:52:08

MD is in for the stuggle of it's life with all of the new technology that is emerging. Don't get left in the dust because of a choice to restrict the cabilitities of the technology. I have been using MD since 1992 and I am not opposed to switching to a media that is better adapted to my needs. Sony do it right or jepordize the future of MD.

Posted by Soma Szabo on 5/2/2002, 12:03:52

I agree with several letters above. I own 2 MD decks (JE-520, JA-20ES) and a Sharp portable (Net MD) (I would have bought a *Sony* if it had not had the 'END-search' button... - very annoying!) and would benefit of the upload function as I work with computers every day... Sony, please consider our proposal, THX in advance, Soma Szabo from Hungary

Posted by Keith on 5/2/2002, 12:06:41

Please make this more flexibile. Especially the MD upload function

Posted by Gilles Peign� on 5/2/2002, 12:09:43

I am a musician who bouht the MD N1 for recording my music, to transfer it to a PC for sound edition and i have been very disappointed by the importation function that doesn't work for this purpose. Please do something smart for it.

Posted by Shai on 5/2/2002, 12:16:30

The more you develop it and expand it's capabilities, the wider market recognition it will have.

Posted by Jim Anderson on 5/2/2002, 12:18:14

My sole reason for using Minidiscs is to record rehearsals of my band, which I then transfer to my computer and save as mp3 files and upload to a web site for all in the band to download. Obviously I now have to go from a digital to an analog format and then back to digital, and it just seems silly that I can't keep my own music in the digital domain. I would really welcome and encourage Sony (and other minidisc manufacturers) to strongly consider adding an uploading functionality to minidisc recorders, such as enhancing the NetMD features. This would make minidiscs a stronger format and would increase its life expectancy. Thank you for your consideration. Jim Anderson

Posted by Meeuwes Mollinger on 5/2/2002, 12:21:41

Apart from using my minidisc recorder to listen to a lot of music, I also use it to record live. For example, recording my voice for a song. I would love to be able to quickly upload this recording, without further degradation of the signal, to my PC for further editing. This way I can use my minidsc recorder in the creative process in a less time-consuming and signal degrading way. Quite frankly, I was surprised OpenMG did not have the possibility to do this. I would also like to see 'real' SP recording ability in OpenMG (converting other formats and recording from CD) and Simple Burner.

Posted by Gary Akins on 5/2/2002, 12:24:39

Minidisc has proven to be a useful format for live recording, especially in video production work; setting up MD recorders and microphones at different locations in a large room is a great way to capture the ambient audience reactions so they can be mixed into the soundtrack during post-production, while feeding the stage microphones directly into the camcorder. The ability to do a high-speed upload of live-recorded audio into the PC for post-production would be a great time-saver.

Posted by lazyrighteye on 5/2/2002, 12:33:07

I record a lot of field recordings with my MZ-R55. Seems silly to record digi then send to my G4 analogue. While I'm at it, backlight on the recording unit also seems way too logical to not include. Oooh, and stereo signal indicators would be nice too. I think that's it... Thanks, lazyrighteye

Posted by Jo�o on 5/2/2002, 12:41:27

It would be of great importance to me that the upload feature was available. I do compose musics and not rare times I wanted to transfer my material to the computer. The problem is that I have a portable wich doesn�t even have a analog line in imput. If the upload feature existed, I could simply transfer the music to the computer by the USB conection and then burn them to a cd. Please do make that function available.

Posted by Marc on 5/2/2002, 13:00:37

MiniDisc, an already wonderful technology, can only benefit from a two-way NetMD system. The best way to record could become the most popular if this feature is added. Thank you.

Posted by John Bryan on 5/2/2002, 13:01:34

We're unable to consider MD for our newsgathering needs for reporters, despite its fidelity for web and broadcast use, because of the lack of upload capability. This artificial hobbling of a great digital format is a huge problem. You need to fix it.

Posted by Dave Nash on 5/2/2002, 13:14:10

The current NetMD technology is invaluable to a professional sound engineer like me, allowing me to quickly transfer the music I need for the forthcoming event quickly and easily to my MZ-N1. However, a vital feature is missing, and this is the uploading of recordings to computer. At the moment it is still a painstaking process of recording the sound through the soundcard, not only reducing the quality, but also taking up a huge amount of valuble time. Please could you add upload functionality to the NetMD recorders as this would give all MiniDisc users a major boost in functionality and ease of use. Also could you consider improving the download speed? Thankyou very much, Dave Nash Re:Birth Records

Posted by Karen O'Lone on 5/2/2002, 13:27:42

I love minidisc. The one draw back is why not have the ability to have the fluid movement of music from my PC to my MD but from my MD to my PC. IT really hinders the possiblity of using less equiptment to do more. For most people who are using the MD, the PC is a central part of the organization of media. To not allow transfers to go both ways is self-defeating.

Posted by Jonathan Demers on 5/2/2002, 13:30:48

Adding upload and Macintosh support would make a great product even better. Thank you.

Posted by Einolu on 5/2/2002, 13:36:56

dont u trust us? ~EO

Posted by Saravut Teepprasan (Thailand) on 5/2/2002, 14:01:12

That's why I buy N1

Posted by Galo Rodriguez on 5/2/2002, 14:13:57

will make netmd streamline and will sell alot of units.

Posted by ALI ABDUL MALIK on 5/2/2002, 14:15:33

Audio uploading through the USB port would be a great tool for DJs who are promoting their skills through recording an actual set on MD, then transferring it to a PC for additional "touching up" to make it sound the best it could. It would be very convienient (sp?) because users don't have to transfer at real-time speed anymore and lose quality- they can transfer at speeds above real-time and KEEP the excellent quality of a digital recording! Everything is SO much easier this way because sound cards aren't REQUIRED JUST for MD-to-PC transfers anymore. They don't need to put extra money out just to do something the a portable device (given the software) can do already. This is one of the reasons why I didn't buy a SONY MZN-1. I was expecting this feature to be on the device already. SONY, I would buy a NET-MD device IF it has this feature. Thanks SONY!!!

Posted by Pete Fedak on 5/2/2002, 14:21:09

As a customer trying to decide whether I should buy an iPod or minidisc player, I am in a predicament. The iPod (supported by my favored, the Mac) enables file-transfers each way. The NetMD (supported, at the moment, only by PCs) does not. Which is the better buy? Well, obviously the iPod as a mac fan. But if the NetMD were to support file-transfers back to the computer, that would enable me to record live sounds and dump them into the computer thus winning me over as a supporter of NetMD. Please free the consumer!!!

Posted by pandelis petrou on 5/2/2002, 15:27:26

i believe the md market went bigtime up because we can record our favorite tunes off the net so thats why they should allow this

Posted by Richard Reid on 5/2/2002, 15:27:57

Sony: I add my support for this proposal and petition to make NetMD more versatile. Although I understand Sony's concern for protecting its catalog of recordings from potential misuse, to hobble NetMD weakens the uniquely elegant MD against its speedy competitors. Sony has incorporated sufficient protections within the MD format itself to guard against inappropriate copying. NetMD with high-speed upload to computer capability would bring MD to the very forefront of the industry. If Sony wants to see its "Wunder" take off in the North American market, please give this proposal your consideration and approval.

Posted by Joe on 5/2/2002, 15:49:30

I will not consider buying any NetMD product until this obvious flaw is remedied. Also needs Mac support.

Posted by T Bunales on 5/2/2002, 15:53:36

I have a band....want to upload my music. Please let me!

Posted by Sandro Crivell on 5/2/2002, 16:06:54

MD is the best audio tool of the last decade. To make it complete, please add uploading facilities so I can put my band's music on my pc without spending one year beside my win desktop !

Posted by Knapen Joel on 5/2/2002, 16:17:47

Plutot que de bloquer la qualit� de copie des MD il vaudrait mieux la pousser au maximum. je passerai au NetMD lorsque je serai sur et certain d'obtenir le m�me r�sultat qu'avec ma platine de salon MDS JB-940. je suis un utilisateur de la premi�re heure et j'ai d�j� acquis tout ces appareils: Mds s30 Mz R2 Mz R55 Mz R70 Mz R900 Mz E909 Mds JB940 Mds Pc2 Mds Pc3

Posted by Ian Johnston on 5/2/2002, 16:18:15

I use my portable MD recorder variously as a field reporting recorder, note taker, and recording device in small musical venues where more extensive equipment is either unavailable or impractical. The ability to digitally transfer those recordings to computer, rather than having to run them through the A/D and D/A stages of a sound card again would be fabulous, and help ensure professional-sounding results when working with sound-editing software. I've always wanted this feature, please add it!

Posted by David Murttha on 5/2/2002, 16:18:55

I chose to invest in the minidisc format because I could use it to record (like audio cassettes) yet still get the great sound quality of digital (like Compact Discs). Now, my computer is much more important in my music life, and I would not like to have to abandon my favortie music format because it is stuck in the past. The future of the field of consumer recording can rest either rely on the evolution of the minidisc...or it will find another format to invest in...and it might not be a format supported by Sony. So please allow computer upload through the NetMD connection. thank you.

Posted by Jay Minner on 5/2/2002, 16:27:25

Dear Sony, uploading capabilities would create the ultimate format. I am a musician and I love minidisc. It's so easy to record new works and pieces without having to go to a studio. An uploading function would let me put my pieces online easier and burn it to cd faster. Please consider it........

Posted by Iain Cowper on 5/2/2002, 16:52:04

We use Sony MiniDisc gear extensivley both at work (a small media company) and socially for music and hospital radio - it would be so much more complete if it had the simple feature outlined above - come on guys, make MiniDisc THE portable audio device to have for both Pros and Consumers. Regards, Iain Cowper, UK

Posted by Marcos Moreno on 5/2/2002, 16:53:17

If you make it, we'll buy it. MD should be pushed to its maximum functionality. It is by far my favourite format and i want to be able to do as much as possible with it. And i want it to be as versatile as MP3, so the market will increase.

Posted by Bill Damon on 5/2/2002, 17:10:08

It would make it so much easier to send the recordings of my son's pre-natal heartbeats to relatives around the country.

Posted by Nigel Long on 5/2/2002, 17:17:01

As an MD user since 1998 the biggest issue I have is the lack of portability of my music (not downloaded mp3s by the way) to and from my PC. This proposal is sensible and doesn't seek to interfere with the rights of copyright owners. I fully support it.

Posted by B Smith on 5/2/2002, 17:41:00

I want a minidisc recorder for making high-quality field samples for music production. Please don't make me lose audio quality from resampling.