OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS
HHB MDP500 PORTABLE MINIDISC RECORDER
La versión en español del manual de operaciones la encontrará en la web de HHB – www.hhb.co.uk
La version Française de ce manuel d’utilisation est disponible sur le site web de HHB à www.hhb.co.uk
Eine deutsche Version dieser Bedienungsanleitung ist im Internet unter der Adresse www.hhb.co.uk erhältlich.
2
CONTENTS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Main Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TOP PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
FRONT PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SIDE PANELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
LCD DISPLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
NOTATION GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
PREPARATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
AC Adaptor
Nickel Metal Hydride Rechargeable Batteries
Alkaline Batteries
Power Management
Battery Life Indicator
Date & Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Date and Time Setting
Date and Time Confirmation
Time Stamp Data Confirmation
Initialising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Initialising Procedure
Factory Default Settings
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting Microphones to the XLR Input
Analog Source Recording via the XLR Input
Sending Analog Audio to External Analog Equipment
Connecting to Digital Equipment via Coaxial or Optical
Sending Digital Audio to External Digital Equipment via
Coaxial or Optical Outputs
Connecting With a Computer via the USB Interface
Remote Control
LCD Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Display During Stop Mode
Display During Play Mode
Display During Record Mode
Display Back Light
Display Contrast
RECORDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19
Recording From a Microphone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Mic Attenuation Mode
Basscut Mode
Limiter Mode
Phantom Mode
Recording From Line Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Recording From Digital Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Recording From Mono Internal Mic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Basic Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Mono Recording
Setup Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
One Touch Setup
How To Save
How To Open
Useful Recording Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18
6 Seconds Pre-Recording
Input Monitor Function
Peak Hold Meter
Overwrite Mode
Threshold Level Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
Record Threshold Level Setting
Auto Increment Function
Auto-Start/Cut Recording Function
Silence Trim
PLAYBACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Normal Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Fast Search Function
Direct Track Select Function
Repeat Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Repeat One or Repeat All Function
Repeat A-B
Auto Pause Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
EDITING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-23
Erase Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Erase Only One Track
Erase All the Tracks At Once
Erase Part of a Track
Divide Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22
Combine Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Move Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23
Disc & Track Naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
OTHER FUNCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Headphone Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Digital Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Key Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Copy Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
USB INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Windows 98 / Windows 2000 Users . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Mac Users (OS 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
MENU OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27
DISPLAY MESSAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
MD SYSTEM INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
TECHNICAL DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3
INTRODUCTION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Thank you for purchasing the HHB PORTADISC MDP500. This manual explains in detail how to use the MD
recorder and also contains important advice on how to use it efficiently and safely. We recommend that you
read this manual first before you start using the PORTADISC. We also recommend that you keep this manual
in a safe place for easy access in the future.
MAIN FEATURES
• Versatile analog and digital in/out:
Analog XLR balanced mic/line input,
2 channels
RCA phono unbalanced line
output, 2 channels
Digital in (SPDIF) Coaxial
Optical
Digital out (SPDIF) Coaxial (ON or OFF switchable)
Optical (ON or OFF switchable)
• Imports and exports audio data with a Macintosh or
Windows PC via a Universal Serial Bus (USB)
interface.
• The PORTADISC caters for professional
microphones and is also equipped with a back-up
internal mono microphone. Features include
phantom power (+48V), attenuator, limiter, ganged
limiter, AGC and high-pass filter (bass cut).
• Conforms to the MD standard (Adaptive TRansform
Acoustic Coding – ATRAC version 4.5) in addition to
having a wide variety of MD recording functions:
auto start/cut, auto pause, time stamp and
6-second pre record buffer.
• Switchable auto power down function.
• You may recharge the supplied NiMH batteries in
the PORTADISC with the AC adaptor provided.
• Two recording modes: 80 minutes in stereo mode
or 160 minutes in mono mode.
• Automatic disc loading mechanism.
• Level margin display and peak hold level display.
• Date and time display.
• Parallel remote function.
• LCD display with back light.
• Internal monitor speaker.
• Internal mono microphone suitable for use when
identing tracks, etc.
• Five user set-up menus are available for storing
input and system settings.
• Headphone monitor functions include Stereo, Mono
L, Mono R and Mono Both.
• The PORTADISC has a built-in sample rate converter
that automatically converts sample frequencies
from 32kHz to 48kHz into the MD standard
44.1kHz.
• The editing facility offers editing options such as
Divide, Combine, Move and Erase in addition to
naming program titles and discs.
• The PORTADISC features 3-way power source
and power management, with external 12-14V DC,
8 x AA alkaline batteries or 8 x Nickel Metal
Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries (supplied).
The supplied batteries are high capacity 1550mAh
NiMH cells, for optimum performance.
4
PRECAUTIONS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The HHB PORTADISC is simple to use but, like all
electrical equipment, care must be taken to ensure
reliable, safe operation. The following points should
always be observed in order to reduce the risk of fire
or electric shocks:
• Do not expose the recorder to extreme conditions of
smoke, water, moisture or excessive vibration.
• Do not insert objects (other than MD discs or
batteries) or liquids into the recorder.
• Do not remove the PORTADISC’s covers (except the
battery compartment). This recorder employs a laser
and there are no user-serviceable parts inside.
• Do not apply pressure or mount heavy objects on the
recorder.
• Do not drop or apply extreme physical shock to the
recorder.
• Disconnect the AC adaptor and remove the batteries
when cleaning.
• Use only specified batteries, the AC adaptor and
connection cables.
• Turn off the power before connecting the AC adaptor
or replacing the batteries.
Please seek qualified service personnel advice if the
PORTADISC appears to be operating abnormally. Power
down the PORTADISC, disconnect the AC adaptor and
remove the batteries if you notice any of the following:
• Unusual mechanical noises from the recorder.
• Liquid has been spilled into the recorder.
• The recorder has been dropped or the casing
damaged in any way.
SERVICE
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Should the HHB PORTADISC require service, it must be
taken or sent to an HHB authorised dealer. Please
retain the original packing for possible future use, and
ensure the unit is suitably protected during transit. The
manufacturer cannot accept responsibility for damage
caused during transportation. In order to register
ownership it is essential that you complete and return
the user registration card supplied with this product.
Please record the following details:
Serial number: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date purchased: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
All components used in the HHB PORTADISC are
guaranteed against faulty materials or workmanship for a
period of one year from the date of purchase. This
warranty will become void if the product has been
misused, modified or tampered with in any way. HHB
shall not be liable for any consequential or incidental
damages due to the failure of this product. In the unlikely
event of a product failure please contact your local dealer.
Dealer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
TOP PANEL
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
1 BATTERY COMPARTMENT
This cover slides off (from right to left in this
view) and underneath is the battery caddy,
holding 8 x AA batteries.
2 KEYHOLD
Use this button to avoid any accidental operation
during recording. Each time you press the button
for more than two seconds, the hold function
changes from ‘Key Hold ON’ to ‘Key Hold OFF’ and
vice versa. The following buttons can still operate
even when the keyhold function is on: KEY HOLD,
LIGHT, MARK, DISPLAY and POWER. The remote
control connection will not be affected by this
function; i.e., it is always enabled.
3 OPEN
Press this button to eject the MD disc. This
function is disabled during recording.
4 EDIT
Use this button to enter the different edit modes.
5 AMS
Use the button to move back one or more
tracks and the button to move forward one
or more tracks. These buttons are also used in
editing and naming.
❙
▲
▲
▲
▲
❙
6 REWIND
Rewinds the track during playback.
7 PLAY
Use this button to start playing back the track.
8 FAST FORWARD
Fast forwards the track during playback.
9 STOP
Use this button to stop the playback or recording
operation.
10 RECORD VOLUME CONTROL
Dual concentric control for independent left and
right level adjustment.
11 INTERNAL MONO MICROPHONE
12 MONITOR SPEAKER
13 SHOULDER STRAP ATTACHMENT POINTS
6
FRONT PANEL
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
14 PHONE LEVEL
Adjusts the volume level for the headphones and
monitor speaker. The control will pop out if you
press it. The monitor speaker will not function
during recording or when the headphones are
connected.
15 INPUT
Changes the following input related settings:
• Input source: MIC, LINE, DIGITAL, INT MIC, OFF
• Options for MIC: MIC-Att, BASSCUT, LIMITER,
PHANTOM
• Options for LINE: LIMITER
• Options for DIGITAL: COAXIAL, OPTICAL, USB
input connections
16 DISPLAY
Changes the display menu through disc time, level
margin, time & date.
17 LIGHT
Illuminates the display back light for a few seconds.
Hold it down for more than two seconds in order
for it to be continuously lit. Press it again to switch
off the light.
18 MARK
Marks the track number manually during recording
and playback.
19 SYSTEM
Changes the following system settings: REC MODE,
TRACK-INCREMENT, THRESHOLD LEVEL,
AUTO-START/CUT, AUTO-PAUSE, PRE-RECORD,
HEADPHONE MONITOR, OVERWRITE MODE,
REPEAT MODE, DIGITAL OUTPUT and AUTO POWER
DOWN.
20 SETUP
Changes the following setup options: OPEN SETUP,
SAVE SETUP, CLOCK/DATE SETUP, DATE FORMAT,
PEAK HOLD METER and DISPLAY CONTRAST. Use
this button to save and recall set-ups. OPEN SETUP
consists of five user set-ups, which can be used to
store all the menu settings on the recorder, and
three recording presets – MIC REC, LINE REC and
DIGI REC.
21 REC LEVEL
Adjusts the analog recording level manually for mic
and line inputs. This control does not affect the
signal level when the AGC function is set to ‘ON’.
The outer control adjusts the left hand channel and
the inner control adjusts the right hand channel. A
friction lock between the two controls allows them
to move together but also be adjusted individually.
22 RECORD
Slide this button to the right to enter record mode.
23 POWER
Press this button for one second to power ON and
press for more than one second then release to
power OFF. This button does not turn the power off
during recording and TOC operations.
24 F1, F2, F3
Selects the parameters according to the
corresponding set-up functions on the display above.
25 LCD DISPLAY
Shows level metering, disc information, timing
information and all the menu select and control
displays.
26 REC LEVEL LOCK
Mechanically locks the REC LEVEL knob position in
order to avoid accidental adjustment. Slide this
button up to lock.
27 REC INDICATOR
This LED will light up red in record mode and blink
in record pause mode.
28 BAT CHG INDICATOR
This LED will light up green when charging the
NiMH rechargeable batteries.
29 PAUSE INDICATOR
This LED will light up yellow in pause mode.
30 PAUSE BUTTON
Use this button to pause the record or playback
operation. Pressing this button before pressing the
record button will put the recorder into record
pause mode, ready for recording.
7
SIDE PANELS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
31 PHONES SOCKET
1/4" jack socket for headphone connection.
32 LINE OUT LEFT AND RIGHT CONNECTORS
(Unbalanced RCA phono.) To send analog output
signals to other equipment.
33 COAXIAL I/O CONNECTORS
(Unbalanced RCA phono.) SPDIF digital coaxial
connectors.
34 MIC/LINE CONNECTORS
(Balanced XLR.) To connect either MIC or LINE
inputs.
35 REMOTE CONNECTOR
Parallel remote control connector.
8
36 USB CONNECTOR
USB interface port for a compatible computer.
37 OPTICAL I/O CONNECTORS
(TOSlink.) SPDIF digital optical connectors.
38 BATTERY COMPARTMENT
39 DC INPUT CONNECTOR
To connect the standard accessory AC adaptor,
or an optional car adaptor. DC12-14V.
40 MINIDISC SLOT
A disc must be inserted into this slot with the
arrow on the disc casing facing into the recorder.
41 SHOULDER STRAP ATTACHMENT POINTS
LCD DISPLAY
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
42-3 LEVEL INDICATOR
The bar meter shows the audio level in playback
and record. (42) left hand channel (43) right
hand channel.
44 RECORD/PLAYBACK MODE INDICATOR
The icons indicate pause, play and record
modes.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Throughout these operating instructions, the following
notation will be used.
• When a button press is being illustrated in the text,
it will be written in bold type, for example:
Press the
RECORD button.
45 DISPLAY MODE INDICATOR
Displays the track number, record/play time,
remaining time, total recorded time, level
margin, date and time.
46 BATTERY INDICATOR
Indicates the battery capacity remaining or
whether the unit is connected to an external
power source (DC IN).
NOTATION GUIDE
• When a word that will be shown on the
PORTADISC’s display is being illustrated in the text,
it will be written in inverted commas, for example:
Press this button until ‘SOURCE’ is displayed.
9
PREPARATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
POWER SUPPLY
AC ADAPTOR
Use the AC mains power supply to operate the
PORTADISC by connecting the standard accessory AC
adaptor to the DC input connector. You can also use
the AC adaptor to charge the rechargeable batteries
within the recorder. If the rechargeable batteries are
loaded and the charge switch, which is located on the
back of unit underneath the battery caddy, is set to
the green charge LED on the front panel will light. The
light will reduce in intensity once the batteries are
charged.
NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
Remove the battery cover and load the 8 supplied AA
type NiMH batteries into the battery caddy in the
battery compartment as shown below.
Make sure the charging switch (located under the
caddy) is set to
green charge LED on the front panel will light. Other
types of rechargeable batteries can be used but may
not achieve the same high levels of performance.
CAUTION – Do not mix charged and discharged
batteries or batteries of a different type (alkaline and
NiMH). Ensure you install the batteries with the
correct polarity.
ON. When charging the batteries, the
ON,
BATTERY LIFE INDICATOR
When the PORTADISC is operated with batteries, the
battery icon will be shown in the bottom right hand
corner of the display. The PORTADISC will automatically
power down if there is insufficient battery life remaining.
Display Operation
DCIN Operating with external power source
99% Battery fully charged
40% Battery life low
CAUTION – Be aware that different batteries have
different discharge rates and, in some cases, the
battery level indication may reduce very rapidly.
Battery life Recording Playback
Alkaline 2.5 hours 3 hours
NiMH battery >3 hours >3.5 hours
NOTE – Times given are approximate. The recording
and playback time will be substantially shorter if
manganese or low capacity Nickel Metal Cadmium
(Ni-Cad) batteries are used.
Optimum performance will be achieved using the high
capacity 1550mAh NiMH batteries supplied. If you
choose to use alkaline batteries, we suggest you obtain
the best quality, highest capacity AA cells available.
DATE & TIME
ALKALINE BATTERIES
Remove the battery cover and load 8 standard AA type
alkaline batteries into the battery caddy in the battery
compartment. Switch
CAUTION – Before installing alkaline batteries, ensure
the charge switch is set to
used batteries or batteries of a different type
(alkaline and NiMH). Ensure you install the batteries
with the correct polarity. Do not attempt to recharge
alkaline batteries as damage to the batteries or the
PORTADISC may occur.
POWER MANAGEMENT
The PORTADISC can be set to automatically power
down if it is left in STOP mode and none of the buttons
have been touched for more than 10 minutes. This
function can be enabled by recalling ‘AUTO POWER
DOWN ?’ from the
OFF the charge switch.
OFF
. Do not mix new and
SYSTEM menu button.
10
Before using the PORTADISC for the first time, please
set the time and date, as this will enable the disc time
stamp function facility to work correctly. The date
format of your country may be set according to the
following procedure:
1. Recall date format by pressing the
until ‘DATE FORMAT’ is displayed.
2. The current format will be displayed in the bottom
left hand corner. Press the
format which you want is displayed:
DD/MM/YY
MM/DD/YY
YY/MM/DD
3. Press
F2 (‘SET’) to select the required format and
exit this page – should you wish to exit without
making any changes, press
the display page.
F1 button until the date
F3 (‘EXIT’) to return to
SETUP button
DATE AND TIME SETTING
1. Press the SETUP button until ‘CLOCK/DATE
SETUP?’ appears.
2. If you press F2, the current set-up date and time
will be displayed. For instance, in the DD/MM/YY
format, 02/01/00 10:24:00 means 2nd January,
2000, 10 hours 24 minutes and 00 seconds AM.
3. The digit on the left will be flashing. Press
AMS or repeatedly until the number you
❙
want appears.
4. Once the correct number is flashing, press
to move the flashing digit to the right.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to enter the required date
and time.
6. Press F2 to finish the setup.
▲
▲
▲
▲
❙
F1 or
F3 or FF
INITIALISING
If functions on the PORTADISC behave abnormally at any
time, it is a good idea to initialise the unit.
INITIALISING PROCEDURE
Power down the unit using the POWER button. Then,
press
POWER to turn the power on while
simultaneously holding down the
FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS
When the PORTADISC has been initialised or is newly
purchased, its settings will be as follows:
INPUT menu L R
F1 and F2 buttons.
DATE AND TIME CONFIRMATION
1. Press the DISPLAY button repeatedly until the time
is displayed:
CLOCK 10:24:00
2. Pressing
DATE 02/01/00
TIME STAMP DATA CONFIRMATION
When the PORTADISC plays back a disc that has a time
stamp, the time stamp data will be displayed as follows:
1. Press
recall the time of the recording.
2. The stamped time is displayed on the clock display
page, showing minutes and seconds. The 2-digit
number after the ‘/’ symbol indicates the MD
recorder manufacturer – this is 30 for the
PORTADISC.
CLOCK 10:24/30
The stamped date is displayed in the DATE menu
when
DISPLAY again shows the date:
DISPLAY three times during playback to
DISPLAY is pressed once more:
INPUT SOURCE MIC MIC
MIC-ATT 0dB 0dB
BASSCUT OFF OFF
LIMITER ON ON
PHANTOM OFF OFF
SYSTEM menu
REC MODE? STEREO
TRACK-INCREMENT? AUTO
THRESHOLD LEVEL -30dB
AUTO-START/CUT? NO
AUTO-PAUSE? NO
PRE-RECORD? NO
HEADPHONE MONITOR STEREO
OVERWRITE MODE? OFF
REPEAT MODE OFF
DIGITAL OUTPUT? OFF
AUTO POWER DOWN? NO
SETUP menu
DISPLAY CONTRAST +3
DATE FORMAT DD/MM/YY
PEAK HOLD METER? OFF
NOTE – Initialising the system will not change the
USER1-5 memory settings.
DATE 02/01/00
NOTE – Recorded clock and date information is not
available until the Table of Contents (TOC) has been
updated. This update only occurs when a disc is
ejected.
11
PREPARATION cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
CONNECTIONS
CONNECTING MICROPHONES TO THE XLR INPUT
If you use a stereo microphone, connect it to the XLR
mic inputs. If you use a single microphone, connect it to
either the left or right XLR mic input. (See page 15 for
further information about recording from a microphone
and page 17 for information about mono recording.) If
you use a microphone that requires phantom power, set
phantom mode to ‘ON’ by accessing the
(see page 15).
MIC/LINE IN (L) MIC (L)
MIC/LINE IN (R) MIC (R)
ANALOG SOURCE RECORDING VIA THE XLR INPUT
INPUT menu
SENDING DIGITAL AUDIO TO EXTERNAL DIGITAL
EQUIPMENT VIA COAXIAL OR OPTICAL OUTPUTS
ONE COAXIAL OR
OPTICAL CABLE
(Both outputs
indicated with arrows)
DIGITAL OUT DIGITAL IN
(COAXIAL OR OPTICAL) (COAXIAL OR OPTICAL)
NOTE – Ensure the digital output is turned ‘ON’ – see
page 24 for details.
CONNECTING WITH A COMPUTER VIA THE USB
INTERFACE
USB CABLE
USB COMPUTER
USB PORT
MIC/LINE IN (L) LINE OUT (L)
MIC/LINE IN (R) LINE OUT (R)
SENDING ANALOG AUDIO TO EXTERNAL ANALOG
EQUIPMENT
LINE OUT (L) LINE IN (L)
LINE OUT (R) LINE IN (R)
CONNECTING TO DIGITAL EQUIPMENT VIA
COAXIAL OR OPTICAL
Digital source recording via COAXIAL or OPTICAL inputs.
ONE COAXIAL OR
OPTICAL CABLE
(Both inputs indicated
with arrows)
REMOTE CONTROL
The pin layout for the parallel remote connector is as
follows:
Parallel remote connector – pin configuration of Mini
DIN remote control:
DIGITAL IN DIGITAL OUT
(COAXIAL OR OPTICAL) (COAXIAL OR OPTICAL)
12
LCD DISPLAY
The PORTADISC can display information about the
track, record/playback time, total recorded tracks plus
time, disc space remaining, level margin, date and time
in the display window.
DISPLAY DURING PLAY MODE
With the PORTADISC in play mode, the following
information will be displayed each time you press the
DISPLAY button:
Playback track number and playback time:
DISPLAY DURING STOP MODE
With the PORTADISC in stop mode, the following
information will be displayed each time you press the
DISPLAY button:
Total number of tracks and total playback time:
TRK012 1:10:16 TOT DCIN
MD time remaining:
TRK004 1:07:23 REM DCIN
Level margin:
MARGIN L-60:R-60 DCIN
The current time of day:
CLOCK 15:18:24 DCIN
The current date (the format will depend on your
setting):
DATE 13/10/00 DCIN
TRK001 0:02:05 DCIN
Playback track number and track time remaining:
TRK001 0:01:02 REM DCIN
Level margin:
MARGIN L-09:R-11 DCIN
Time stamped (current time of the day if there is no
time stamp recorded on the disc):
CLOCK 16:58/30 DCIN
Date stamped (the current date if there is no time
stamp recorded on the disc):
DATE 21/09/00 DCIN
DISPLAY DURING RECORD MODE
With the PORTADISC in record mode, the following
information will be displayed each time you press the
DISPLAY button:
When you load an MD disc, the disc name, total track
number and total playback time will be displayed
automatically. Here is an example:
Disc name:
MONDAY'S NEWS
Total track number and total playback time:
TRK012 1:10:16 TOT DCIN
Pressing
during stop and playback and pressing
the current track name (if available).
F1 will display the disc name (if available)
F2 will display
Recording track number and recording time:
REC
TRK004 0:04:05 DCIN
Recording track number and remaining MD time:
REC
TRK004 0:11:25 REM DCIN
Level margin:
REC
MARGIN L-21:R-18 DCIN
The current time of the day:
REC
CLOCK 17:20:12 DCIN
The current date:
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DATE 01/12/00 DCIN
13
PREPARATION cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
DISPLAY BACK LIGHT
Press LIGHT to turn on the display back light for 5
seconds or, if you press and hold the
light will stay on permanently.
NOTE – We recommend minimal use of the display light
when the PORTADISC is powered by batteries. This will
maximise battery life.
DISPLAY CONTRAST
1. Press SETUP until ‘DISPLAY CONTRAST’ is
displayed.
DISPLAY CONTRAST
+3 SET EXIT
LIGHT button, the
2. Press
3. Press the F2 button to confirm and then press F3
F1 to choose the setting you want from ‘+1’,
‘+2’, ‘+3’, ‘+4’ and ‘+5’ (5 is the darkest).
to exit this page.
14
RECORDING
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
RECORDING FROM A MICROPHONE
1. Press the INPUT button once to recall ‘SOURCE’
mode in order to select the correct input source
settings.
INPUT-L SOURCE INPUT-R
MIC SET MIC
2. Press
You can select the input source for both left and right
channels individually:
SOURCE mode Input source setting for left & right
OFF Input source off
MIC External microphone
LINE Line input
DIGITAL Digital input
INTMIC Internal microphone
Once your input source is selected as ‘MIC’, the
following settings will also be available by scrolling
through the
MIC ATTENUATION MODE
In ‘MIC-Att’ mode, you can select the attenuation to be
applied to the external microphones. Use this mode
when using high output microphones.
1. Press the
2. Press
MIC-Att mode Attenuation setting
0dB No attenuation
-15dB 15dB attenuation
-30dB 30dB attenuation
F1 and F3 to choose ‘MIC’. Then press F2 to
confirm.
INPUT menu pages (by pressing INPUT):
INPUT button once again to recall
‘MIC-Att’ mode:
INPUT-L MIC-Att INPUT-R
0dB SET 0dB
F1 and F3 to choose the attenuation from
‘0’, ‘-15dB’, and ‘-30dB’. Then press
F2 to confirm.
BASSCUT mode Bass cut setting
OFF Off
75Hz Attenuate below 75Hz
150Hz Attenuate below 150Hz
LIMITER MODE
This mode selects the limiter function and automatic
gain control. In ‘GANGED’ mode, limiting on either
channel will affect the other channel by the same
amount, thereby maintaining the stereo image.
1. Press the
‘LIMITER’ mode:
INPUT-L LIMITER INPUT-R
ON SET ON
2. Press
‘ON’, ‘OFF’, ‘GANGED’, and ‘AGC’. Then press
confirm.
LIMITER mode Limiter setting
ON On
OFF Off
GANGED Ganged limiter applied
AGC Automatic gain control (
The Automatic Gain Control function automatically sets
the record level of an analog input in order to achieve
an optimum signal level. In this mode, the record level
control is bypassed.
NOTE – If one channel is set to GANGED or AGC, then
the other channel is automatically set to the same. If
you subsequently decide to set either channel to limiter
‘ON’ or ‘OFF’, you will need to select ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ for
both channels using
the
F2 button.
PHANTOM MODE
The PORTADISC can supply +48V phantom power to
the external microphones.
INPUT button once again to recall
F1 and F3 to choose the limiter setting from
F2 to
REC
LEVEL
F1 and F3 before setting this with
control is bypassed)
BASSCUT MODE
With this mode you can select the bass roll-off
frequency. Use this mode to minimise rumble, wind
noise or humming induced by a power source.
1. Press the
‘BASSCUT’ mode:
INPUT-L BASSCUT INPUT-R
OFF SET OFF
2. Press
from ‘OFF’, ‘75Hz’, and ‘150Hz’. Then press
confirm.
INPUT button once again to recall
F1 and F3 to choose the bass cut frequency
F2 to
9. Press the
‘PHANTOM’ mode:
INPUT-L PHANTOM INPUT-R
ON SET ON
10. Press
setting from ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’. Then press
confirm.
PHANTOM mode Phantom power setting
ON On
OFF Off
INPUT button once again to recall
F1 and F3 to choose the phantom power
F2 to
15
RECORDING cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
RECORDING FROM LINE SOURCES
1. Press the INPUT button once to recall ‘SOURCE’
mode.
INPUT-L SOURCE INPUT-R
LINE SET LINE
2. Press
Once your input source is selected as ‘LINE’, the limiter
setting will also be available by pressing
previous section for further details about the limiter
function.
F1 and F3 to choose ‘LINE’. Then press F2
to set-up.
INPUT. See the
RECORDING FROM DIGITAL SOURCES
1. Press the
mode.
INPUT-L SOURCE INPUT-R
DIGITAL SET DIGITAL
2. Press
F2 to set-up.
INPUT button once to recall ‘SOURCE’
F1 and F3 to choose ‘DIGITAL’. Then press
2. Press
The internal mono microphone is suitable for use identing
tracks, etc.
NOTE – If one channel is set to ‘INTMIC’, the other
channel will automatically be set to the same. If you
subsequently decide to change this setting, you must first
select the required source for both the left and right
channels using
F1 or F3 to choose ‘INTMIC’. Then press F2
to set-up.
F1 and F3 before pressing F2 to confirm.
BASIC RECORDING
1. Load the MD disc to be used for recording into the
opening as shown below:
Once your input source is selected as ‘DIGITAL’, the
digital input mode setting will also be available by
pressing
1. Press
2. Press
DIGITAL INPUT mode Digital input setting
COAXIAL Coaxial input
OPTICAL Optical input
USB Universal Serial Bus input
NOTE – If the digital source is interrupted (e.g., due to an
intermittent connection), recording will automatically
enter a record suspend mode and ‘Din Unlock!’ will be
displayed. Recording will resume as soon as the signal is
restored. If one channel is set to ‘DIGITAL’, the other
channel will automatically be set to the same. If you
subsequently decide to change this setting, you must first
select the required source for both the left and right
channels using
INPUT:
INPUT again to recall DIGITAL INPUT? mode.
DIGITAL INPUT?
COAXIAL SET EXIT
F1 to select the correct digital input source
from ‘COAXIAL’, ‘OPTICAL’ or ‘USB’. Then press
to confirm and F3 to exit..
F1 and F3 before pressing F2 to confirm.
F2
RECORDING FROM MONO INTERNAL MIC
1. Press INPUT button once to recall SOURCE mode.
INPUT-L SOURCE INPUT-R
INTMIC SET INTMIC
Load the MD disc with the
arrows facing towards the slot.
To allow recording, the record
protection tag on the disc must
be in the correct position.
For best results, we recommend HHB MD74 or HHB
MD80 (74 and 80 minute) professional MD media.
2. Adjust the
recording level. This control is not active if the
‘LIMITER’ mode is set to ‘AGC’ (Automatic Gain
Control), internal ‘INTMIC’ is selected, or if a digital
signal is being recorded.
3. Slide the
recording if you want to record immediately.
However, if you first want to enter record pause
mode, press the
RECORD button. When you press the PAUSE
button again, the PORTADISC will start recording:
REC LEVEL control for the appropriate
RECORD button to the right to start
PAUSE button first, then slide the
16
• RECORD Start recording
•
PAUSE, RECORD Record pause
followed by
4. Adjust the recording levels so that the peak level
meters do not go beyond 0dB (marked ‘OVR’ in the
top right of the diagram below). If the recording
level goes above 0dB, distortion to the recorded
material may occur.
PAUSE Start recording
HOW TO SAVE
5 user memories are available, named ‘USER 1’ to
‘USER 5’.
1. Make your record mode setting using the
button and the SYSTEM button.
2. Press the
displayed.
SAVE SETUP
USER1 SAVE EXIT
SETUP button until ‘SAVE SETUP’ is
INPUT
5. Press the
the
the
mode, the PORTADISC will start recording again.
MONO RECORDING
You can double the recording time on an MD disc by
using the mono recording mode.
1. Recall ‘REC MODE ?’ by pressing the
button once.
REC MODE
MONO SET EXIT
2. Press
confirm and
NOTE – The left and right channels will be added and
recorded as a mono signal.
STOP button to stop recording. Or press
PAUSE button to pause recording. If you press
PAUSE button once again in record pause
SYSTEM
F1 to choose ‘MONO’. Then press F2 to
F3 to exit.
SETUP MENU
ONE-TOUCH SETUP
Use the SETUP button to quickly configure the
PORTADISC for mic, line or digital recordings.
1. Press the
SETUP’ mode.
OPEN SETUP
MIC REC OPEN EXIT
SETUP button once to recall ‘OPEN
3. Press
HOW TO OPEN
You can open your pre-set record mode, which you
saved in the user memories from USER 1-5.
1. Press the
2. Press
F1 to choose the user memory from USER
1-5. Then press
recalled.
OPEN SETUP
USER1 OPEN EXIT
F1 to choose the user memory from USER
1-5. Then press
F2 to save.
SETUP button until ‘OPEN SETUP’ is
F2 to open.
USEFUL RECORDING FUNCTIONS
6 SECONDS PRE-RECORDING
This function enables you to record 6 seconds of audio
from the internal memory buffer prior to pressing
RECORD. This is a useful function for minimising the
chance of missing the beginning of a take.
ACTUAL RECORDING
BEGINS HERE
TIME = 0 SECONDS TIME +6 SECONDS
1. Press the
mode is recalled.
PRE-RECORD?
YES SET EXIT
SYSTEM button until ‘PRE-RECORD?’
RECORD BUTTON
IS PRESSED
The following setup options are available by scrolling
through
F2 to select.
SETUP PORTADISC settings
USER1 - USER5 5 user-defined settings
MIC REC Microphone recording setup
LINE REC Line recording setup
DIGI REC Digital recording setup
You can save your input and system settings (which
were made by using the
into 5 user memories and then easily recall them by
opening the user memories.
F1 from the ‘OPEN SETUP?’ menu page. Press
INPUT and SYSTEM buttons)
2. Press
3. Enter record pause mode by pressing PAUSE
F1 until ‘YES’ is displayed. Then press F2 to
set-up.
before sliding the RECORD button.
CAUTION – For the pre-record mode to work, you need to
wait at least 6 seconds after preparing the record pause
mode in order to pre-load the buffer. The PORTADISC will
not record the full 6 seconds of audio otherwise.
4. Press PAUSE to start recording. The PORTADISC
will record the audio, including 6 seconds of audio
prior to the start of the recording.
17
RECORDING cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
5. Press the PAUSE button to enter record pause
mode. Or press
INPUT MONITOR FUNCTION
You can monitor the incoming audio signal even when
you are not recording (the input is always monitored in
record pause mode).
1. Eject the MD disc by pressing the
2. Make your record mode setting using the
and SYSTEM buttons.
3. Slide the
mode.
4. The input audio signal will appear on the display
meter and on both the analog and digital outputs,
whichever analog or digital input source you choose.
5. Press the
mode.
PEAK HOLD METER
The level bar meter display shows the audio level with
peak hold functions. It can be set as follows:
1. Press
mode is recalled:
PEAK HOLD METER ?
RECORD button to enter the monitor
SETUP until the ‘PEAK HOLD METER’ setup
OFF SET EXIT
STOP to stop recording.
OPEN button.
INPUT
STOP button to cancel the monitor
4.
Press PAUSE, then select the track that you want to
record over using the
NOTE – If no track is selected, recording will begin
automatically over track 1.
5. Slide the
record pause mode. ‘Overwrite!’ will be briefly
displayed.
6. Press
briefly shown again.
If the new track is shorter than the track which is being
overwritten, the remaining part of the old track will
become the next track on the disc:
BEFORE OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
AFTER OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
If the new track is longer than the track which is being
overwritten, the next track will also be recorded over:
BEFORE OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
RECORD switch to the right to enter
PAUSE to begin recording. ‘Overwrite!’ will be
AMS and buttons.
❙
▲
TRACK 2
TRACK 2
NEW TRACK 2
TRACK 2
▲
▲
▲
❙
TRACK 3
(OLD TRACK 2)
TRACK 3
2. Press
PEAK HOLD METER mode Peak hold setting
OFF Peaks not held
2SECOND Peaks held for 2 seconds
ON Peaks held until the
3. Press the F2 button to set-up. Then press F3 to
OVERWRITE MODE
It is possible to record directly over previously recorded
tracks without needing to erase them first.
1. Press
2. Press
3. Press the F2 button to set-up. Then press F3 to
F1 to choose the setting you want from
‘OFF’, ‘2SECOND’, and ‘ON’.
STOP
button is pressed
exit the mode.
SYSTEM until ‘OVERWRITE MODE ?’ is
displayed.
OVERWRITE MODE ?
OFF SET EXIT
F1 to select the overwrite setting from ‘ON’
or ‘OFF’.
exit the mode.
AFTER OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
TRACK 2
NEW TRACK 2
END OF
TRACK 3
CAUTION – Please be aware that using overwrite
mode can permanently remove existing recordings.
THRESHOLD LEVEL FUNCTIONS
The threshold level setting sets the levels from which
both the auto increment and the auto start/cut
functions operate.
RECORD THRESHOLD LEVEL SETTING
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘THRESHOLD
LEVEL’ is displayed.
THRESHOLD LEVEL
-30dB SET EXIT
2. Press
F1 to choose the threshold level from
‘-30dB’, ‘-40dB’, ‘-50dB’ or ‘-60dB’. Then press
to set-up and F3 to exit.
F2
18
AUTO INCREMENT FUNCTION
The function enables new tracks to be created
automatically during recording.
When using the auto-start/cut function with a digital
input, the threshold level setting will default to -80dBFS,
as illustrated below (with auto-start/cut on):
1. Press
2. Press
If set to ‘AUTO’, a new track will be created if the input
signal level drops below and then rises above the level
set in the threshold level menu page (see previous page
for details). The signal level must drop for more than
two seconds before rising again to create a new track:
SYSTEM until ‘TRACK-INCREMENT?’ is
displayed.
TRACK-INCREMENT?
AUTO SET EXIT
F1 to choose the auto increment setting
from ‘AUTO’ or ‘MANUAL’. Then press
and
F3 to exit.
F2 to set-up
SILENCE TRIM
In addition, with auto-start/cut set to ‘ON’ during
recording, if the audio level drops below the threshold
level setting for more than 5 seconds and then rises
above the threshold, the PORTADISC will ‘silence trim’
the silent region to 5 seconds in length. ‘Silence Trim’
will be briefly displayed.
Before silence trim:
If set to ‘MANUAL’, this feature will be disabled and new
tracks are only created when
MARK button will also function in ‘AUTO’ mode.
AUTO-START/CUT RECORDING FUNCTION
This function, ideal for environmental noise monitoring,
operates as follows:
• The PORTADISC will automatically start recording
when the threshold level setting is exceeded.
• Recording will automatically pause when the audio
level drops below the threshold level setting for
more than 30 seconds.
The PORTADISC must be in record pause mode for the
auto-start function to operate.
1.
Press the SYSTEM button until ‘AUTO-START/CUT?’
is displayed.
AUTO-START/CUT?
YES SET EXIT
2. Press
F1 to choose ‘YES’. Then press F2 to set-up
and
F3 to exit.
MARK is pressed. The
After silence trim:
19
PLAYBACK
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
NORMAL PLAYBACK
1. Load the MD disc to be used for playback into the
disc opening.
2. Press the PLAY button to start playback.
3. Press the
stop playback.
4. During playback, press the AMS button once
to locate the beginning of the next track. Press the
AMS button once to locate the beginning of
the current track. If you repeatedly press either of
the AMS buttons, the track will continuously jump in
the direction indicated. If the
pressed repeatedly from Track 1, the PORTADISC
will ‘wrap round’ to the last track.
FAST SEARCH FUNCTION
You can playback a track in fast search mode by holding
down either the
buttons for more than 5 seconds, playback will enter an
extra-fast search mode.
DIRECT TRACK SELECT FUNCTION
You can locate a track you want by its number in order
to play it back.
1. During stop mode, press
repeatedly to choose the track number.
2. Press
PAUSE or STOP buttons to pause or
▲
▲
❙
❙
▲
▲
AMS button is
❙
▲
▲
REW or FF buttons. If you hold the
▲
▲
AMS or AMS
PLAY to start playback of the required track.
❙
❙
▲
▲
REPEAT FUNCTIONS
REPEAT ONE OR REPEAT ALL FUNCTION
You can repeatedly play back a particular track or all
the tracks from the MD disc.
1. Press
2. Press
3. Press the
4. The PORTADISC will repeatedly play back a
5. If you want to cancel the repeat mode, choose ‘OFF’
SYSTEM button until ‘REPEAT MODE ?’ is
displayed.
REPEAT MODE ?
ALL SET EXIT
F1 to choose the repeat mode from ‘ALL’ or
‘ONE’. Then press
PLAY button to begin playback.
particular track or all tracks accordingly. Whilst in
the repeat mode, either ‘ONE’ or ‘ALL’ will be shown
in the top right hand corner of the display.
for the repeat mode as described above.
F2 to set-up.
REPEAT A-B
You can repeatedly play back a certain portion within a
track.
1. Press the
is displayed.
REPEAT MODE ?
A-B SET EXIT
2. Press
3. Play back the track you want to repeat. While
playing back the track, ‘A-B’ will be shown in the top
right hand corner of the display.
4. During playback, press the F2 button at the time
that you want the repeat function to start. As this
point has now been registered as A, ‘Repeat A-’ will
be shown momentarily on the display.
5. Continue playback or press the
the place where you want the repeat function to
end. Then press the
end point – point B. The PORTADISC will now repeat
the portion between point A and point B.
‘Repeat A-B’ will be shown on the display
momentarily while rewinding from B to A.
6. You can also change points A and B during replay. If
you press
previously set as B will now become a new point A
and you will be able to register a new point B by
following the procedure mentioned in point 5 above.
7. If you want to reset the repeat A-B setting, press
the
using the
SYSTEM button until ‘REPEAT MODE ?’
F1 to choose ‘A-B’. Then press F2 to set-up.
FF button to reach
F2 button to set-up the repeat
F2 again during replay, the point you had
STOP button, or change the playback track
AMS or AMS buttons.
▲
▲
❙
❙
▲
▲
AUTO PAUSE MODE
With this mode, the PORTADISC will pause between
tracks. This mode is useful if you want to playback
particular tracks one at a time rather than continuously;
ideal for broadcast or theatre productions.
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘AUTO-PAUSE?’ is
recalled.
AUTO-PAUSE?
YES SET EXIT
2. Press
3. With auto-pause on, the PORTADISC will
4. To cancel the auto-pause mode, set this mode to
F1 to choose ‘YES’. Then press F2 to set-up.
automatically pause at the end of the current track.
If you wish to replay the same track, press
once, then press the PLAY button. If you want to
start playing back the next track, simply press the
PLAY button. The PORTADISC will stay in pause
mode after playing back the next track.
‘NO’ in the system menu.
AMS
❙
▲
▲
20
EDITING
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The PORTADISC operates in four editing modes – erase,
divide, combine and move. In addition, you can also
label a disc or individual tracks. These different editing
modes enable you to:
• go to a particular point in the middle of a track
instantly,
• combine two tracks together to make them into
one track,
• move a track wherever you want to,
• erase tracks.
ERASE FUNCTION
You can erase a track by recalling the track number.
After erasing a track, the track numbers on all following
tracks will automatically decrease by one.
This example illustrates erasing track number 2:
Track number 1 2 3 4
Track content A B C D
ERASE
New track content A C D
There are three ways which you can erase a recording:
1. Erase only one track.
2. Erase all the tracks at once.
3. Erase part of a track.
ERASE ONLY ONE TRACK
A particular track will be erased by recalling the track
number.
1. Press the
displayed.
ALL ERASE ?
2. Press the
3. ’ALL ERASE???’ will appear in the display window.
Press F2 once again to erase all the tracks.
ALL ERASE ???
4. Once the all erase process has been completed,
‘Complete!’ and then ‘Blank Disc!’ will be shown in
the display.
ERASE PART OF A TRACK
By using divide and combine functions in conjunction
with the erase function, you can erase a particular part
within a track (see the divide and combine functions
later on for further information). This example
illustrates erasing the middle part A2 in track A:
1. If there are two tracks already recorded as tracks A
and B, divide track A into three parts:
A B
DIVIDE
A1, A2, A3 B
2. Now, erase the A2 part.
A1, A3 B
3. Then, combine A1 and A3 to make one track.
EDIT button until ‘ALL ERASE ?’ is
YES EXIT
F2 button.
YES EXIT
1. Press the
PORTADISC until ‘ERASE ?’ is displayed.
ERASE ?
TRK002 YES EXIT
2. Press
‘TRK002’. Then press
3. ’ERASE???’ and ‘TRK002’ will appear in the display
window. Press F2 once again to erase the track.
ERASE ???
TRK002 YES EXIT
4. The erase process has been completed. ‘Complete!’
will be shown in the display.
5. If you wish to continue erasing other tracks, repeat
the procedure above.
ERASE ALL THE TRACKS AT ONCE
The function erases all the tracks recorded on the MD
disc. The disc name and track names are also
removed.
EDIT button on the top of the
F1 to recall the desired track, e.g.,
F2 to setup.
A (= A1 + A3) B
DIVIDE FUNCTION
The divide function divides a recorded track into two
separate parts, effectively adding a new track number
within a track for quick location.
This example illustrates dividing track number 2 into
two parts, B1 and B2:
Track number 1 2 3 (4)
Track content A B C
DIVIDE
New track content A B1 B2 C
1. While replaying the track that you wish to divide,
press
PAUSE at the point where you want the divide.
2. Press the EDIT button until ‘DIVIDE?’ is displayed.
Then press
DIVIDE ?
TRK001+000 YES EXIT
F2 to setup.
21
EDITING cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
3. The display will repeatedly show the following
messages one after another:
Rehearsal ! RH
TRK001+000 YES EXIT
Track OK ! RH
TRK001+000 YES EXIT
The PORTADISC will playback the audio at the
dividing point repeatedly. If the audio plays from the
correct point, skip to point 5 in this list.
4. It is possible to adjust the divide point in 0.06
second steps by pressing either the
REW buttons repeatedly. The adjustment range is
from -128 to +127 within a track.
5. Press F2 to confirm.
6. The divide process has been completed and
‘Complete!’ will be shown on the display. The
PORTADISC will now start audio playback from the
divided position. If the original undivided track had a
track name, the track after the divide process will
not have a name.
NOTE – If you want to cancel the divide function in the
middle of the procedure, press either
button. You can return the divided track back to its
original status by using the combine function.
FF button or
F3 or the STOP
COMBINE FUNCTION
This function combines two adjacent tracks into one
track. This is useful when you want to combine short
sections of recorded tracks into one. If you wish to
combine two non-adjacent tracks, you first need to
move them so they are next to each other using the
move function (see next column).
This example illustrates combining tracks 2 and 3:
Track number 1 2 3 4
Track content A B C D
COMBINE
New track content A B+C D
1. During stop mode, press the
‘COMBINE?’ is displayed.
COMBINE ?
TRK002 YES EXIT
2. Press
F1 to select the first track number of the
two adjacent tracks that you want to combine
(track 2 in this example). Then press
EDIT button until
F2 to set-up.
3. The display will now show the following messages:
one after another:
Rehearsal ! RH
TRK002 YES EXIT
Track OK ! RH
TRK002 YES EXIT
The PORTADISC will playback the end of the first
track (TRK002) and the beginning of the second
track (TRK003) repeatedly. If you are happy with
the sound played back, skip to point 5 in this list.
4. If the PORTADISC is not playing back the correct
point in the audio, press either
cancel the function. Then, start the procedure
again from point 1.
5. Press
6. The combining process has been completed and
NOTE – If you want to cancel the COMBINE function in
the middle of the procedure, press either
You can return the combined tracks back to their original
status as separate tracks by using the divide function. If
‘Impossible!’ is shown on the display, you cannot use the
combine function with the two tracks you have chosen.
Due to a natural limitation of the MD system, you may
not be able to use the combine function if you have used
it too many times before.
F2 to confirm.
‘Complete!’ will be shown on the display. The
PORTADISC will now start playing back the audio
from the beginning of the combined tracks. If the
first track before the combine process had a track
name, this will now become the name of the
combined track. The name of the second track will
be deleted.
F3 or STOP to
F3 or STOP
.
MOVE FUNCTION
You can move a particular track to anywhere on the disc
simply by changing the track order. The track numbers will
be automatically re-aligned so that all the tracks have
continuous numbers in numerical order.
This example illustrates moving track C to between tracks
A and B.
Track number 1 2 3 4
Track contents A B C D
MOVE
New track contents A C B D
1. During stop mode, press the
‘MOVE >> ?’ is displayed.
EDIT button until
22
MOVE >> ?
TRK003 YES TRK002
2. Press the F1 button until the track number that you
want to move is displayed. Then, press the
button to choose the destination track number of
the move function. In the example given in point 1,
‘TRK003’ will move to the ‘TRK002’ position.
3. Press the
4. Once the move function has been completed,
‘Complete!’ will be displayed.
NOTE – If you want to cancel the move operation in the
middle of the procedure, press either
button. You can return the moved track back to its original
position by going through move function again.
F2 button to move the track.
F3
or the STOP
F3
DISC & TRACK NAMING
You can label each MD disc and individual tracks with
alpha-numerical characters.
1. Press the
recalled.
NAME INPUT?
TRK001 YES TRK002
2. Press
to name. If you want to name the disc, rather than
a track, continue pressing
on the display.
3. Press F2 to set-up.
4. The digit furthest to the left on the display will start
blinking to indicate that the digit is ready to edit. If
the track or disc already had a title, this function
can be over-ridden with a new title.
™
CHARA ^ SET SHIFT
5. Press the
scroll through available characters. Then press the
F3, REW or FF buttons to shift the editing digit.
Pressing
STOP button cancels the edit mode.
6. After you have completed entering the name, press
F2 to set-up.
EDIT button until ‘NAME INPUT?’ is
F1 to choose the track number that you wish
F1 until ‘DISC’ appears
▲
▲
F1, AMS or AMS buttons to
PLAY clears all the characters and the
❙
❙
▲
▲
The following characters (and space) are available for
naming discs and tracks:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789
:;<=>?@^_`!"#$%&’()*+,-./
NOTE – Pressing
the disc name, while pressing
track name.
F1 in play or stop modes will display
F2 displays the current
23
OTHER FUNCTIONS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
HEADPHONE MONITOR
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘HEADPHONE
MONITOR’ is recalled.
HEADPHONE MONITOR
STEREO SET EXIT
2. Press
F1 to select from ‘STEREO’, ‘MONO-L’,
‘MONO-R’ or ‘BOTH’ and then press
Press
F3 to exit.
F2 to confirm.
DIGITAL OUTPUT
The digital output on the PORTADISC can be switched
off, preventing digital howlround when connected in a
loop with other digital equipment.
1. Press the
is recalled.
DIGITAL OUTPUT ?
OFF SET EXIT
2. Press
press
SYSTEM button until ‘DIGITAL OUTPUT?’
F1 to select either ‘OFF’ or ‘ON’ and then
F2 to confirm. Press F3 to exit.
KEY HOLD
This facility is provided to avoid any accidental operation
during recording. Each time you press the button for
more than two seconds, the hold function changes from
‘Key Hold ON’ to ‘Key Hold OFF’ and vice versa. The
following buttons can still operate even when the keyhold
function is on: KEY HOLD, LIGHT, MARK, DISPLAY and
POWER. The remote control connection will not be
affected by this function; i.e., it is always enabled.
COPY PROTECTION
The PORTADISC uses the Serial Copy Management
System (SCMS), which only allows first generation
digital copies of audio via the optical and coaxial digital
inputs.
24
USB INSTALLATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Universal Serial Bus (USB) audio transfer is provided for
easy exchange of audio with a compatible computer.
The format of the transfer is streaming audio – the
software you are using on the computer will control the
stored file format of the audio data.
The PORTADISC will automatically start any required
software installation when connected via a USB cable to
a computer.
WINDOWS 98 / WINDOWS 2000 USERS
1. Connect a USB cable between the PORTADISC and
your computer.
2. Follow the installation instructions to install USB
drivers (if required) for your computer. You may
require your Windows installation discs. There is no
software supplied with the PORTADISC.
3. Once the drivers are installed, the USB interface
can be used. Please ensure the application you are
using is selected in order to record from the USB
audio source (normally found in options menu).
4. Should you wish to play back via USB from the
computer to the PORTADISC, playback has to be
selected to be USB audio. Most PC output paths
will default to less than unity gain. To correct this,
open the output gain control panel on the PC and
select from options – playback USB Audio Device –
then with the level page open ensure that both the
Wave level control and the Output level control are
set to maximum and un-muted.
MAC USERS (OS 9)
1. Connect a USB cable between the PORTADISC and
your computer.
2. Follow the installation instructions to install USB
drivers (if required) for your computer.
3. Once the drivers are installed, the USB interface
can be used. Please ensure the application you are
using is selected in order to record from the USB
audio source (normally found in options menu).
25
MENU OPERATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
These diagrams show the basic menu operations.
Changing a page displays the current settings, with the
three functions keys (
parameters. When a parameter is flashing, pressing
‘SET’ will action this choice.
F1, F2 and F3) selecting the
26
27
DISPLAY MESSAGES
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The PORTADISC may show the following messages while
operating.
Blank Disc! Nothing has been recorded on the MD
disc – it may either be a brand new
disc or it has been completely erased.
Cannot Copy! Digital recording is not allowed due to
the SCMS copy protect function.
Din Unlock! The digital source is not powered on,
or transmitting via SPDIF or the
connection is faulty. If this warning
appears, the PORTADISC will
automatically enter a suspend record
mode and will resume recording on a
new track once the signal reappears.
Disc Error! The loaded MD disc is damaged in
some way.
Disc Full! There is not enough space left on the
MD disc so further recordings cannot
be made.
Impossible! The recording or edit operation is not
allowed due to system limitations.
Key Hold! The KEY HOLD function is set to ‘ON’.
Name Full! No more characters can be used in title
mode as it has reached the maximum
number permissible. Up to approx.
1700 characters can be used.
No Disc! No MD disc is loaded.
No Track! The disc has been named but there are
no tracks recorded.
Protected! The record protect tag is set to ON on
the MD disc.
Retry Error! Normal recording is not possible due to
excess vibration or scratches on the
MD disc.
Stand By! If this is displayed when powering up,
the previous recording was not made
properly.
TOC Reading! The unit is reading the TOC (Table Of
Contents) from the MD disc.
TOC Writing! The unit is writing the TOC onto the
MD disc. When a disc has been
recorded to or edited since last being
inserted into the PORTADISC, it is
necessary to update the TOC
information on the disc before it is
ejected. Do not power down or remove
the power source when ‘TOC Writing!’
is displayed otherwise you may lose
recorded information. If power is lost
during recording or editing, the
PORTADISC will automatically update
the TOC when it is next powered on.
TROUBLESHOOTING
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Before you seek advice from an HHB authorised dealer,
follow the instructions below if you find any faults during
operation:
NOT POWERING UP
• Replace batteries or recharge them.
•
Check the battery polarity and battery case installation.
• Check connection of the AC adaptor, mains plug and
DC plug.
• Remove the battery case and install it again.
PROBLEMS DURING OPERATION
• Initialise the unit by powering up while simultaneously
holding down the
• Replace the MD disc.
HIGH AUDIO NOISE
• Isolate the unit from any source of noise.
F1 and F2 buttons.
NO PLAYBACK
• There is a possibility of condensation – leave the unit
powered ON for a few hours.
• Does the MD disc have audio already recorded on it?
NO RECORDING
• Check the record protection tag on the MD disc.
• Is the MD disc a recording MD disc?
• Check the audio source and power connections.
• Check the REC LEVEL knob position.
• Check the INPUT SOURCE setting.
• Replace the MD disc.
THE USB IS NOT WORKING
• Re-connect the USB connector.
• Try installing again.
• Check that the digital audio format on the PC is
16-bit, 44.1kHz.
• The Mac or PC is not fully USB compatible.
28
MD SYSTEM INFORMATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The MD has a different recording system from compact
cassette or DAT. Because of this, there may be
circumstances when the following situations occur
during operation. It should be noted that these are not
faults.
• ‘Disc Full!’ message is showing although there still
seems to be enough recordable time remaining.
The MD disc cannot record more than 255 tracks
regardless of the total recording time. Delete some
tracks or replace the disc.
• The recordable time does not increase even though
the short tracks have been erased.
Any track shorter than 10 seconds may not be taken
into account when calculating the remaining time. So
erasing short tracks may not increase the recordable
time.
• The sum of the recorded time and the time remaining
does not match with the maximum recordable time of
the MD disc.
A minimum of two seconds is the smallest recordable
unit in an MD recording. Even when a track is less than
two seconds long, the track will still occupy two
seconds worth of space. This means that the actual
recordable time will be reduced. Also, if there are
scratches on the MD disc, the damaged area will be
omitted from the recording. This will also cause a
reduction in the recordable time.
• When over-writing on a used MD disc:
1. The time remaining display may not show the
correct time or the recordable time remaining
may be drastically reduced.
2. You may not be able to record new audio and
erase the old material simultaneously.
In such cases, erase the previous recording using the
EDIT mode.
• The time may not show correctly on the display with
the mono format MD disc.
• Excess use of edit functions may cause audio
corruption so that audio hiccups will occur on playback
or fast search playback.
• A track that is compiled using the edit mode may not
allow the combine function to operate.
• The time stamp will not work correctly if a power cut
occurs while recording.
29
NOTES
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
30
TECHNICAL DATA
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
GENERAL
Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MiniDisc digital audio system
Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MiniDisc
Recording method . . . . . . . . Magnetic field variation overwrite
Reading method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non contact optical pickup
Laser . . . . . . . . . . . Semiconductor laser (wavelength 780nm)
Record/playback time
Stereo mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 minutes max
Mono mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 minutes max
Rotation speed . . Approx 400-900rpm Constant Linear Velocity
Sampling frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44.1kHz
(with internal SRC to cater for 32kHz and 48kHz source signals)
Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ATRAC Ver 4.5
Modulation system . . . . . . EFM (Eight to Fourteen Modulation)
Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Power requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-14V DC
Power consumption . . . . Approx 4.5W record, 3.5W playback
Weight with batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0kg / 4lbs 7oz
Weight without batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8kg / 3lbs 15oz
Dimensions (WxHxD) . . 225 x 57 x 180mm/10 x 2.2 x 7.1 ins
Internal speaker power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250mW
AUDIO
Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Hz to 20kHz, - 0.5dB
Wow & flutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Below measurable limits
Signal to noise ratio (playback) . > 89dB bandwidth 22Hz to 22kHz
Dynamic range (line input) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > 96dB
Microphone EIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > 122dB A-weighted
THD & N @ 1kHz ref 0dBFS . < 0.02% bandwidth 22Hz to 22kHz
I/O CONNECTIONS
Analog connectors
Balanced mic/line input
Connector type . . XLR 3: Pin 2 + Hot; pin 3 - Cold; Pin 1 Ground
Mic input level for 0dBFS (level control at max) . . . . . . -52dBu
Line input level for 0dBFS (level control at max) . . . . . . . -2dBu
Phantom power (mic inputs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +48V, 7mA
Unbalanced line output
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCA phono
Output level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +8dBu @ 0dBFS into >10kΩ
Headphone output
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4" stereo jack
Impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Ω
Output power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15mW
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parallel
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-pin mini DIN
Digital connectors
Coaxial digital input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCA phono
Input impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Ω
Input level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5V p-p
Optical digital input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TOSlink
Coaxial digital output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCA phono
Output impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Ω
Output level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5V p-p
Optical digital output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TOSlink
USB (Ver 1) input / output
Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type B
Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windows 98/2000, Mac OS
ACCESSORIES
The following accessories are included as standard . . . . . . . . . .
Soft case, carrying strap, battery caddy with 8 x NiMH
rechargeable batteries, spare battery caddy, AC adaptor/charger,
HHB MD80 MiniDisc, operating instructions, quick reference guide
31
Visit HHB online at www.hhb.co.uk
HHB Communications Ltd · 73-75 Scrubs Lane, London NW10 6QU, UK
HHB Communications USA LLC · 1410 Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025-2501, USA
HHB Communications Canada Ltd · 260 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5A 4L5, Canada
Tel: 020 8962 5000 · Fax: 020 8962 5050 · E-Mail: sales@hhb.co.uk
Tel: 310 319 1111 · Fax: 310 319 1311 · E-Mail: sales@hhbusa.com
Tel: 416 867 9000 · Fax: 416 867 1080 · E-Mail: sales@hhbcanada.com
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