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Bogartte · Jul 25, 2003, 02:14 AM

I merely wished to buy a simple (not cassette) recorder to record myself and a few friends playing music, outside, at a small festival. Then hook up to my Mac G4 (sawtooth) and burn a CD or 2 of this event. All on the up and up (etc.) But, as it turns out I cannot do this. What is the deal with Sony or Sharp mini-disk recorders? Is this simply the copywrite thing?

Are there anywork-arounds to this rather annoying problem, or any other alternatives? DAT recorders? Anyone have a Tascam Pocket Studio? Is there anything that will help me do what I want? Thanks.

chabig · Jul 25, 2003, 07:12 AM

Check this out. It's under $400.

http://www.korg.co.uk/products/pxr4/pxr4.htm

Chris

tr · Jul 25, 2003, 02:28 PM

what do you mean, do you want to transfer the music digitally? because i use my portable MD recorder just like you want to do, record live stuff, input it into my G4 450, play with it with Spark, Peak, ProTools, whatever, and then burn to CD. sure, it's all in real time, and i'm inputting via analog, but if i'm recording live, off of mics or mixer console, is the quality really going to improve much by going to an all digital route? i don't think so. also tweaking in audio apps works wonders.

tr

Bogartte · Jul 25, 2003, 03:15 PM

Thanks, chabig, that looks interesting, but way more stuff than what I need... Am going to look at it anyway.

tr... so what is the big commotion then? Perhaps, just the real-time lengthy input? I thought there was also a problem with Jukebox, that one had to use the software for inputing, which was severely limiting, viz, copying to CD. (?) You know, piracy issues. Hmmm...

So, tell me, which recorder are you using, and whether you plug it right in (where?) with or without an adapter... and what format does it show up on your G4?

Thanks much

brinj · Jul 25, 2003, 04:14 PM

If you have toast it came with spin doctor and it's pretty sef explanitory. If not, do a search on line for audio hijack.
Plug in to the mic in on the back of the G4
We use both our portable minidisk with th powerbook and a minidisk deck with the G4.
Works just fine.

So, tell me, which recorder are you using, and whether you plug it right in (where?) with or without an adapter... and what format does it show up on your G4?

Thanks much [/B][/QUOTE]

Bogartte · Jul 25, 2003, 05:08 PM

So, I just went over to Best Buy and found 2 Sony recorders, checked on the back and found no mention of Mac under requirements, only Windoze.

You have to understand here that I a baffoon when it comes to these recorders, so I'm floundering.

But thanks so far, I'm learning.

biscool · Jul 26, 2003, 12:35 PM

You can't use the netMD features on a mac. NetMD is where you plug the md recorder in via usb and transfer mp3's, etc and faster than real time. You want to record using the md recorder, then bring it back to you mac, plug it into your mic or line in on the mac. Then hit record on the mac and play on the md. What software you use on your mac is up to you. Someone mentioned spindoctor, that would work, or there is a bunch of shareware than would get the job done...

tr · Jul 27, 2003, 02:09 AM

biscool said it. you can't use the NetMD functions on a mac. so don't bother looking on the MD box for mac compatibility messages. [note: there is Xmd, but it's still being developed, and only has playback features for now]

the NetMD is a way to transfer the ATRAC recordings digitally. check out the following for a lot of useful info:

minidisc.org

minidisco.com MD faq

minidisco.com NetMD faq

as for what i use, i have an old Sony R-50. i transfer my recordings by connecting the line out from the MD to the line in on my G4 (using a 1/8" stereo plug, male to male cable). hit play on MD, and record in an audio app, recording in real time. a good app that's free is Spark ME. the recordings are aiff, which you can then drop in iTunes, and burn a CD.

tr