wrote:
>
> I fully agree with you Walt, although from our perspective it's not that
> we are unwilling to continue manfuacturing portable cassette products, but
> that it's becoming harder to find factories willing to build them. Even MD
> for many of the professional audio manufacturers is not really seen as
> having that long a shelf life; the mechanisms are difficult to manufacture
> and service, ATRAC compression is a problem in several professional
> recording fiedls, and in terms of our digital roadmap, solid state is a
> much better fit with where the rest of recording technologies are going (
> networking, fast transfer times via USB, Firewire etc. ). I think in the
> next year or so you will see a significant decrease in prices of solid
> state recorders and media, making it a much more affordable option.
I was more making a point that someone was unwilling to make them, not
necessarily your company. And as you noted, that's exactly why you will
soon discontinue them.
I'm surprised to hear that a MD mechanism is all that hard to make. It's
very little different mechanically from a floppy disk drive. And
compared to making a DAT it must be a breeze. Certainly the low price of
walkman MD shows that it's not hard to make. It is a mechanical device,
so is more hassle than a plug socket for solid state memory.
ATRAC compression is more of a problem in the minds of professionals
than it is in reality.
Let's see, solid state. It still amounts to a untried technology with
little track record in field recording. And there is only the
speculation that it will get to where the media price is anything like
MD. That's one I'll believe when I see it. Transfer times are really not
much of a issue, I actually use that time to review the track to decide
what I'm going to do to it. It's not wasted time.
Yes, MD has a limited shelf life. And unfortunately, every other
recorder you can buy today does as well. The modern trend is for
manufacturers of computerized gear to assume we can all afford to buy
expensive equipment and only use it a year or two before having to buy
another. I know I cannot afford this practice. Solid state recorders,
which are much more dependent on computer software are just buying into
this.
I'll be much happier when I see some commitment to support the gear for
20-30 years or more, both in hardware and software. For a solid state
device with no moving parts that's a reasonable expectation. I've got a
digital camera that cost over $5000 just 5 years ago, and is a excellent
camera, and I'll be lucky if they upgrade the necessary software again.
Meanwhile I have film cameras that are 30-40 years old that still work
perfectly.
Solid state is not a archival medium, it depends on a rather expensive
accessory to even save the recording long term, a computer.
So solid state is a promise, not current reality. Someone buying into it
now is taking a risk and will spend large sums on media. (for example, I
tied up a dozen MD's just in the last two weeks). And there is every
likelihood that the current machines will not be upgradable.
I will be watching to see where solid state goes. But, at this time, I
don't recommend it to most folks new to nature recording. Most are
having trouble with sticker shock buying a walkman MD and a less
expensive mic. Having to deal with expensive media would stop most. And
quite a few don't interface their recordings to computer. Computer
processing of sound is still another added expense.
Meanwhile, I have a recorder that may outlast me. It is not dependent on
specific software or OS survival for it's use. Media is cheap and easily
obtainable. I could even afford to buy a lifetime supply of media right
now if I was worried. And I'm in the process of mastering a frogcall CD
that will be almost entirely made up of my MD recordings for the GA DNR.
They are delighted with the high quality of my recordings, though I have
a much lower opinion of how good they are. Which is my technique, not
the fault of MD.
Walt
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