Digital Home Thoughts: Sony Hi-MD Technology - Should It Be On Your To-Buy List?

Personal Thoughts
I'd had my previous Minidisc recorder for a couple of years but not really done much with it. The primary reason for this is probably because transferring CDs to MDs required that the tracks were stored on the computer as well and this is not something I wanted - I needed the space for other things.

Additionally, although the MZ-N707 could be used for recordings through its analog and digital inputs, the only way of getting the recordings onto the computer was to perform an analogue recording on the computer, so that didn't get used very much. Upgrading to the MZ-NH1 gets me the functionality I need in this area, particularly since I can now record at full fidelity when I need it.

The 2004 MD range do not support MP3 files - you still need to convert them to ATRAC. This will change with the 2005 range but, from my perspective, that isn't an issue. I don't use MP3s at all. Prior to buying the Hi-MD recorder, I had been using WMP to rip my CDs into WMA format but that will stop now. All that process got me, really, was CDs ripped onto my harddisc which is fine but takes up valuable space and doesn't easily integrate with my hi-fi system. With the Hi-MD recorder, I'm not taking up disc space any more thanks to SimpleBurner and I can play the audio through the computer's speakers by connecting the player via USB or through the hi-fi by connecting through the line out on the player.

The choice of ATRAC over MP3, WMA or AAC just doesn't really matter to me - the format isn't going to be used anywhere outside of the player so the fact that I don't have anything else that uses the same format doesn't matter to me.

The ability to store computer files on the disc is an added bonus but I'm not sure how much I'll use it. At the moment, I'd probably stick with USB memory keys for files and keep the Minidiscs for music.

The higher capacity discs rock! I've managed to get 32 CDs onto a single disc, which is a huge improvement over the previous discs. The ability to swap the discs is, I think, a major selling point compared to the competition. It avoids one of the biggest decisions one has to make when buying an iPod or MP3 player - the disc capacity.

Conclusions
Minidisc is not a popular format in the US but it is hugely popular in Japan and, I think, somewhat popular in the UK. The format has a lot going for it, some of which I've outlined in the previous section. The improved ATRAC compression provides high quality recordings at low bitrates. All of the CDs I've ripped have been at 64kbps and they sound just great.

The 2004 range offers significant improvements over previous models but Sony have, in my opinion, made some design errors. The 2005 range looks as if it offers some potential - one of the models has an improved on-case display using OLED technology, and another model has an integrated camera. Only time will tell as to whether or not Sony have corrected some of the flaws in previous models.

There are very few portable devices that can provide digital recording capability. Hi-MD devices offer a lot of features and should be considered if you are looking for such a recorder.

If, however, you are just looking for a playback device, the decision is harder. The use of ATRAC will put some people off - for some people, it has got to be MP3 or nothing. The 2005 series will help here. The feature set of the Hi-MD devices is very good and holds up well against the competition. If you are like me and can be format-independent, you should give these devices a good look.

Philip Colmer is an I.T. Manager for a global electronic publishing company. In his spare time, he enjoys researching his family history, developing his videography skills and going shopping with his wife.