SONY MINI DISK TO PC (AND ITUNES) TRANSFER)

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone,

I've just joined the forum and I could really use some advice please.

I have a very large collection of music on Mini Disks (that I recorded off my CDs over the years).

I have a Sony compact hi-fi component system (CMT-MD1DX/BLACK JEWELL Circa 2002) and a Dell PC with a Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme music card.

I've been in contact with Sony (and spent days on the net) and Sony tell me I have to buy a MZ-RH1 Mini disk player (£250) or get a USB soundcard with audio input.

I can't afford the new mini disk player (and it seems pointless buying it just for that), but I've absolutely no idea about this whole USB souncard thing, how it fits in with my existing internal soundcard, how to connect my HI-Fi to my PC, how to transfer my music or what (if any) software I need.

Can anyone help please?

Many thanks,

Ian

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian

If you still have the CD's you'd be better off ripping them to your PC, if you want you can use iTunes for this.

The problem: If you want to transfer your music on mini discs to your PC and onto iTunes then I don't think you can do it the way you want to. My understanding is that Sony's minidisc players cannot just connect to a PC via USB and transfer music as MP3 players can. That is that you have to use Sony's software (ATRAC) to do it - which is limiting to say the least. I know this because I have tried!

A possible solution: The only way (without using Sony's software) of transfering music from your minidisc to your PC into whatever format you want is to do it the old fashioned way I'm afraid. This involves connecting your minidisc player to your PC from the lineout socket (player) to the microphone/line in socket (PC front panel or soundcard). From there it's a case of realtime recording from the player to the PC - a good, free, piece of software for this is Audacity (just Google it). Once you have the music on your PC you can do whatever you like with it - burn it to a CD, convert it into any file type (MP3, AAC, FLAC, etc) or stick it into iTunes or Windows Media Player etc.

Hopefully the above answers your question. If anyone else knows better I'd love to hear it as I could do with a better solution for myself - unfortunately I don't think there is one.