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Re: [gear] Sony MZ-RH1

Subject: Re: [gear] Sony MZ-RH1
From: "Philip Tyler" macmang4125
Date: Sat Jun 2, 2007 2:42 am ((PDT))
I would agree with everything oryoki says.

There is a charger available for charging the
batteries outside the MD player now.

It is a UNiRoss AAB03648

UniRoss refer to the 'gum-stick' batteries as 'Prism'.
I have one of these plus two spare batteries
NH-14WM(A) which are of a higher rating than the ones
Sony usually supply, so last a bit longer.

I know many people have experienced some 'write'
errors with their Hi-MD but the other day I had just
finished a recording and had pressed stop. I then
fumbled and dropped the unit about 3ft onto a carpeted
floor. My immediate thoughts were 'well bang goes that
recording!' To my surprise the unit never even
flinched and the recording was there full and intact.
So not something I would recommend you do but it shows
that the system can sustain some abuse.

Phil

Phil
--- oryoki2000 <> wrote:

> The Sony MZ-RH1 Hi-MD recorder has several
> advantages over earlier
> minidisc models:
>
> --Date and time stamp for each track you record
>
> --Manual record settings are remembered for the next
> session (other
> Hi-MDs default to automatic gain control at
> power-up)
>
> --Aluminum body is more durable than plastic
>
> --OLED display is very easy to read in dim light
>
> --Controls and display are on the top edge of the
> recorder.  This
> makes the recorder easy to monitor when it's
> standing upright in a
> pocket, clipped to a belt, or in a shoulder bag.
>
> The self-noise of the Sony MZ-RH1 preamp compares
> well with other
> popular recording devices in its price range.  For
> tests conducted
> under comparable conditions, see
> http://www.avisoft.com/recordertests.htm
>
> The preamp of the Sony Hi-MD recorders seems to be
> the same in all
> models.  Read the test comparing the MZ-RH1 and
> MZ-NH700 (now
> discontinued) here to see the similarity in
> performance:
>
http://www.wildlife-sound.org/equipment/himd/rh1.html
>
> One point raised by this test is that it appears the
> MZ-RH1's OLED
> display generates extra electronic noise compared to
> the LCD display
> of the MZ-NH700.  This noise is low enough to be
> masked by noise from
> other sources (your mic, for example).  But it's
> troubling to think
> that the latest model is noisier than the original.
>
> A second test found extra noise is added when the
> MZ-RH1's motor turns
> the Hi-MD disc (the motor is cycled on and off
> during recording to
> conserve battery power).
>
http://beale.best.vwh.net/measure/audio/RH1-noise/index.html
>
> This power cycling is common to all Hi-MD recorders,
> so it's likely
> that all Hi-MDs suffer this flaw.  Again, the extra
> noise added is
> small, and is likely to be masked by noise from
> other sources.
>
> The Hi-MD format has an Achilles Heel: There is no
> way to recover data
> from a corrupted Hi-MD disc. No tools or procedures
> exist to help you
> when the disc can't be read.
>
> The most common disc problem is caused by low power
> at the end of a
> recording. The Hi-MD machine waits until recording
> is stopped to write
> the table of contents (TOC) entry. This information
> tells the Hi-MD
> where on the disc the recording is stored. When
> there isn't
> enough power to write the TOC, the entire recording
> is permanently lost.
>
> A recorder that uses flash memory has problems when
> the battery power
> runs low, too. The difference is that there are many
> effective,
> inexpensive recovery tools to retrieve data from
> flash memory. When
> these don't work, there are commercial services that
> specialize in
> data recovery from flash memory.
>
> So if you plan to use a Hi-MD recorder, keep close
> watch on the power
> level of the battery.
>
> Another shortcoming is that all Hi-MD machines
> record in stereo mode
> only. If the input plug is monaural, the audio is
> recorded on the left
> channel, and the right channel is silent.  In
> addition, the record
> level for the left and right channels can't be
> adjusted independently.
>
> The Sony MZ-RH1 uses a rechargeable lithium ion
> battery called the
> Sony LIP-4WM. The battery is about the size of a
> stack of three sticks
> of chewing gum, and weighs about 10 grams. The
> battery will power the
> recorder for about 5 hours of WAV recording or 8
> hours of Hi-SP
> recording. Replacement batteries cost about $15 on
> eBay, so it's easy
> and relatively inexpensive to carry several days'
> worth of battery
> power in your pocket.
>
> I am not aware of any way to recharge the LIP-4WM
> battery outside the
> Hi-MD recorder. It may not be practical to recharge
> several batteries,
> one at a time in the recorder, at the end of a long
> day in the forest.
>
> A longer lasting power alternative is to run the
> Hi-MD recorder from a
> small external battery.  The external battery
> attaches to the USB port
> of the recorder.  One example is the $25 Lenmar
> Li-Ion Battery Model
> PPU1700B (5 V, 1700 mAh).  That's 4.5 times the mAh
> provided by the
> LIP-4WM battery.  As a result, the PPU1700B adds 20+
> hours of record
> time to MZ-RH1.
>
> --oryoki
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



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