Pioneer MJ-L77 User Manual
MINIDISC RECORDER
MJ-L77
Operating Instructions
Thank you for buying this Pioneer product.
Please read through these operating instructions
so you will know how to operate your model
properly. After you have finished reading the
instructions, put them away in a safe place for
future reference.
In some countries or regions, the shape of the
power plug and power outlet may some-times
differ from that shown in the explanatory
drawings. However, the method of connecting
and operating the unit is the same.
IMPORTANT 1
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the
product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude
to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
CAUTION:
TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO
NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USERSERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO
RAIN OR MOISTURE.
THE POWER SWITCH IS SECONDARY CONNECTED
AND THEREFORE DOES NOT SEPARATE THE UNIT
FROM MAINS POWER IN THE STANDBY POSITION.
This product complies with the Low Voltage
Directive (73/23/EEC), EMC Directives (89/336/EEC,
92/31/EEC) and CE Marking Directive (93/68/EEC).
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the appliance.
IMPORTANT
FOR USE IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM
The wires in this mains lead are
coloured in accordance with the
following code:
Blue : Neutral
Brown : Live
If the plug provided is unsuitable for
your socket outlets, the plug must be
cut off and a suitable plug fitted.
The cut-off plug should be disposed
of and must not be inserted into any
[For MiniDisc Recorder MJ-L77]
CAUTION
13 amp socket as this can result in
electric shock. The plug or adaptor of
the distribution panel should be
provided with a 5 amp fuse. As the
colours of the wires in the mains lead
of this appliance may not correspond
with coloured markings identifying
the terminals in your plug, proceed as
follows:
The wire which is coloured blue must
be connected to the terminal which is
marked with the letter N or coloured
black.
The wire which is coloured brown
must be connected to the terminal
which is marked with the letter L or
Location: Bottom of the unit.
coloured red.
Do not connect either wire to the earth
terminal of a three-pin plug.
NOTE
After replacing or changing a fuse, the
fuse cover in the plug must be replaced
with a fuse cover which corresponds to
the colour of the insert in the base of
the plug or the word that is embossed
on the base of the plug, and the
appliance must not be used without a
fuse cover. If lost, replacement fuse
covers can be obtained from your dealer.
Only 5 A fuses approved by B.S.I. or
A.S.T.A. to B.S. 1362 should be used.
This product contains a laser diode of higher
class than 1. To ensure continued safety, do not
remove any covers or attempt to gain access to
the inside of the product.
CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT
Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
The following caution label appears on your unit.
US and foreign patents licensed from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT
Recording and playback of copyrighted material
may require consent. See the Copyright Design
and Patent Act 1988.
1 Before You Start
Opening the Box................................................................................................ 4
About Minidiscs ................................................................................................. 5
2 Connecting up
Contents
Connecting to the Rest of the System ............................................................... 9
3 What’s What
Front Panel Controls and Display................................................................... 10
4 Switching On
Playing an MD ................................................................................................ 11
Changing the Display...................................................................................... 12
Introduction to Recording MDs...................................................................... 13
Automatically Recording from a CD .............................................................. 14
Automatically Recording a Tape..................................................................... 15
Using the Menu System................................................................................... 16
5 More Playback Features
Programming the Track Order....................................................................... 17
Playing Things Again...................................................................................... 18
Playing Tracks at Random ............................................................................. 19
6 More Recording Features
Recording Options........................................................................................... 20
Numbering Tracks........................................................................................... 20
Recording Extra-Long Material...................................................................... 20
Selecting Analogue Input Recording.............................................................. 21
Recording an Analogue Source ...................................................................... 22
Recording an External Digital Source............................................................ 23
Recording Over Unwanted Material ............................................................... 24
Set Up
In Use
7 Editing
About MD Editing............................................................................................ 25
Naming a Disc................................................................................................. 25
Naming a Track .............................................................................................. 26
Dividing a Track into Two............................................................................... 27
Combining Two Tracks into One.................................................................... 27
Moving Tracks on a Disc................................................................................. 28
Reordering Tracks on a Disc........................................................................... 29
Erasing Tracks on a Disc................................................................................. 30
Undoing a Mistake .......................................................................................... 31
8 Additional Information
Understanding Error Messages ....................................................................... 32
Troubleshooting.............................................................................................. 33
Specifications .................................................................................................. 34
1 Before You Start
Opening the Box
Thank you for buying this Pioneer product. Before starting to set up your new
minidisc recorder, please check that you’ve received the following supplied accessories
in the box:
• Optical digital cable
• Power cable
• Warranty card
• This instruction manual
Using this manual
This manual is for the MJ–L77 Minidisc Recorder. It is split into two sections, the first
covering set up, and the second, operation. Set up, which starts here, covers all aspects
of getting your new minidisc recorder up and running with the rest of your XC–L77
stereo system. If this is the first time you’ve used minidiscs, we recommend reading the
About Minidiscs section starting on the following page before using the recorder for
the first time.
In the second section of the manual, starting on page 10, you’ll learn how to use all
the features of the MJ–L77, from basic playback to disc editing. The final part of the
manual provides reference information on error messages you might encounter
during use, a troubleshooting page, and technical specifications.
Tip
Take care when
installing or storing
optical cable.
more than
+ 15cm =
Do not bend the
cable around sharp
corners and coil
loosly when storing.
4
Hints on Installation
We want you to enjoy using the MJ–L77 for years to come, so please bear in mind the
following points when choosing a suitable location for it:
DO...
❖ Use in a well-ventilated room.
❖ Place on a solid, flat, level surface, such as a table, shelf or stereo rack.
DON’T...
❖ Use in a place exposed to high temperatures or humidity, including near
radiators and other heat-generating appliances.
❖ Place on a window sill or other place where the recorder will be exposed to
direct sunlight.
❖ Use in an excessively dusty or damp environment.
❖ Place directly on top of an amplifier, or other component in your stereo
system that becomes hot in use.
❖ Use near a television or monitor as you may experience interference—
especially if the television uses an indoor antenna.
❖ Use in a kitchen or other room where the recorder may be exposed to smoke
or steam.
❖ Place on an unstable surface, or one that is not large enough to support all
four of the unit’s feet.
Avoiding condensation problems
Condensation may form inside the recorder if it is brought into a warm room from
outside, or if the temperature of the room rises quickly. Although the condensation
won’t damage the recorder, it may temporarily impair its performance. For this reason
you should leave it to adjust to the warmer temperature for about an hour before
switching on and using.
1 Before You Start
About Minidiscs
Minidisc mark—all
MDs carry this logo
Disc
label
Playback-only MD
Disc
label
Recordable MD
Shutter
Disc has shutter
on one side only
Disc has shutters
on both sides
Disc
Cartridge
Set Up
Minidisc, or MD as it’s usually called, is an extremely flexible and convenient format
on which you can both playback and record high-quality digital audio. Because it’s a
disc, MD has many of the advantages of compact disc—you can jump directly to any
track on the disc, program the playing order, instantly skip over tracks you don’t want
to play or back to tracks you want to play again, and so on. The really great thing
about MD though is the flexibility it offers when recording. Things that were
impossible using analogue cassette tape, such as reordering tracks, programming
track names, and deleting tracks without leaving any gaps are all easily achieved if
you’re using MD. Minidiscs have other advantages over cassette tape; the recorder
automatically finds the next blank space to record on, and can tell you how much
room there is left on a disc before you start recording. When you delete something
from the disc, the time available for recording is automatically updated.
If this is the first time you’ve used MD, please take a few minutes to read through this
section of the manual. It gives information on how to handle the discs properly, the
different kinds of disc available, and some basic MD characteristics.
Different kinds of MD available
All MDs carry the MD logo shown at the top of the page. Do not use any disc which
does not have this mark.
There are both recordable and non-recordable (playback-only) MDs. Commercially
available music on MD generally comes on discs which are playback only. The
diagrams left show the differences between the two types.
Handling MDs
The actual disc that contains the audio is quite delicate and so is protected against
dust, fingerprints and so on by an outer cartridge. Don’t force open the disc shutters to
expose the disc, and never touch the disc itself. Also, do not attempt to disassemble the
disc cartridge.
If the disc cartridge becomes dirty or stained, wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth.
Don’t touch the disc!
Storing and labelling MDs
When you’re not playing a minidisc, put the disc cartridge back in the case for storage.
Avoid storing or leaving discs in very hot or humid areas, such as in a car in summer.
Also avoid leaving discs in direct sunlight, or in places where sand or grit might get
into the disc cartridge.
Recordable MDs come with self-adhesive labels to stick on the disc cartridge to tell you
what’s recorded on the disc. Always stick the label in the area provided, avoiding the
disc shutter and the edges of the disc.
If the disc label starts to peel off at the corners, remove the label and replace it with a
fresh one—don’t simply stick another label on top of the old one.
5
1 Before You Start
Use a screwdriver, pen or
fingernail to open or shut the
erase-protect tab
Avoiding accidental erasure
Once you’ve recorded a disc, it’s a good idea to protect it against accidental erasure by
sliding the tab on the side of the disc to the open position.
If you want to erase or re-record the disc, simply slide the tab back to the closed
position before loading the disc into the recorder.
Analogue and digital recording
Whatever you record onto an MD is stored on the disc as digital data (in other words,
numbers). This is what we mean when we say that MD is a digital format. However,
what you feed into the MJ–L77 to record can be either analogue (such as the output
from a turntable or a tuner), or digital (such as the direct digital output from a CD
player, or another MD recorder).
If you record an analogue signal, the recorder has to first change it into a digital form
before writing it onto the disc.
If you’re recording from another digital format, like a CD, it makes sense to just
record the digital data directly. For this purpose the MJ–L77 has a digital input which
you can connect to either the XC–L77 CD receiver, or an external digital source, such
as another MD unit, DAT recorder or DVD player. When recording digitally there are a
couple of points to bear in mind.
All digital audio has something called a ‘sampling rate’, which is measured in kHz
(kilohertz). The quality of the final sound depends to a large extent on this: the higher
the better.
Compact discs have a sampling frequency of 44.1kHz, which happens to be the same
as MDs. This means you shouldn’t run into problems making digital recordings of
CDs or other MDs (although see Copying restrictions below for exceptions to this).
Other digital sources you may come across (DAT, digital satellite and DVD) often use
different sampling rates—specifically, 32kHz and 48kHz. The MJ–L77 can handle
these too, and, at the time of writing, these are by far the most common sampling
rates around. There is, however, a trend towards higher sampling rates. Some DVD
discs and DAT tapes are recorded at 96kHz. The MJ–L77 cannot handle this rate, and
you’ll have to record via the analogue terminals of the DVD or DAT recorder to the
auxilliary inputs of the XC–L77 CD receiver.
6
Copying restrictions
You may run into problems making digital copies of some sources, even when the
sampling rate is compatible. Some DVD discs disable the DVD player’s digital output to
prevent illegal digital copying (you can still record via the analogue outputs though).
Another restriction on digital copying comes from something called SCMS, which
stands for Serial Copy Management System. This stops you making multiplegeneration digital recordings and is aimed at preventing illegal digital copying of
copyright material. The number of generations that SCMS will let you make depends
on the source.
Digital connection Digital connection
Satellite
Digital connection Digital connection Digital connection
1 Before You Start
Set Up
Digital audio from CD, MD, DVD or DAT can be copied
digitally for one generation only.
Audio from digital satellite can
usually be copied digitally for two
generations. (Sometimes just one
generation is possible.)
Analogue
connection
A recording made from any source
via analogue inputs can be digitally
copied once only.
Digital connection Digital connection
About the Table of Contents
When you load any kind of minidisc into the recorder, the first thing it does is read a
section of the disc called the Table of Contents, or TOC. Just as the contents page of a
book tells the reader what each chapter is about and where to find it in the book, the
TOC tells the recorder where the tracks are on the disc, the name and length of each
track, the name of the disc, and so on. In the couple of seconds it takes to read all this,
the recorder’s display shows the message MD TOC READ.
Since you can change what’s on a recordable MD, the Table of Contents is rewritable,
and so is called the User Table of Contents, or UTOC for short. If you have a recordable
disc loaded in the recorder and hit eject, the recorder automatically updates the UTOC
before giving you the disc back. In both cases, the message MD TOC WRITE
appears in the display during the UTOC updating process.
The UTOC is vital for the recorder to be able to play a disc correctly. Until you hit eject,
the recorder stores all the current session’s recording and editing information in its
memory. If there’s a power failure or you accidently unplug the recorder before it’s had
a chance to write the UTOC there’s a danger that all that disc information will be lost.
To prevent this, plug the recorder back in as soon as possible and eject the disc. If you
leave the unit unplugged for more that a day, you’ll lose the UTOC information stored
in memory and with it, that session’s recordings/edits.
7
1 Before You Start
About MD System Limitations
The sophisticated playback, editing and recording features available to you with MD
are possible because of the way in which the sound data is stored on the disc together
with the system of TOCs and UTOCs described above. There are times however when
you might encounter odd side-effects of the way the system works. These are not
malfunctions, but limitations of the system. Below is a list of symptoms you may run
across depending on the way you record or edit discs.
Symptom
The recorder shows the message
TOC FULL even though there are fewer
than 255 tracks on the disc (the maximum
possible).
The recorder shows the message
before you’ve reached the maximum
recording time of the disc.
The amount of recording time available
doesn’t increase after erasing some short
tracks.
The total recorded time, plus the recording
time remaining, appears to be less than the
length of the disc.
DISC FULL
MD System Limitation
Although when you listen to a disc it appears that each track sits end to end in an
unbroken sequence, the actual audio information may be scattered all over the disc
in different places. The more times you record and edit things on a disc, the more
scattered the information becomes. Usually, this doesn’t affect the user; the recorder
keeps track of everything using the UTOC. However, because the recorder needs to
know where every little gap is on the disc (and counts each one as a track, although
you don’t see it), the UTOC eventually fills up, and the recorder won’t let you record
anything else on that disc. Erasing a complete track, or the entire disc cures the
problem.
If a disc is scratched or damaged in some way, that part of the disc becomes
automatically unavailable for recording. In this case, the recorder shows the reduced
recording time available.
If you erase a track which is less than 12 seconds long, the recorder can’t add that
time to the available recording time.
Recording time on a disc is divided into two second blocks—the smallest ‘unit’ of a
minidisc. Although a piece of audio data may be shorter than this, it still takes up
two seconds on the disc, and the remainder is ‘lost’ (until the whole block is erased).
As the number of these partially used blocks builds up, you might notice that the
total disc length appears to shorten. (See also the note about damaged discs above.)
The recorder won’t allow you to combine
two tracks into one during editing.
The sound is interrupted during fast
forward or reverse.
8
There are two situations where you can’t use the combine edit feature:
❖ When one of the tracks was recorded using the digital input, and the other using
the analogue input.
❖ When one track was recorded in long-play mono mode, and the other in normal
stereo mode.
As we mentioned above, the more re-recording and editing you do on a disc, the
more scattered the audio information on the disc becomes. During fast forward or
reverse this may show up as interrupted sound.
2 Connecting Up
Connecting to the Rest of the System
CD receiver
MD recorder
Tape deck
Complete
system connections
Ribbon cable
Optical cable
Ribbon cable
CD receiver
power cable
MD recorder
power cable
Set Up
Ribbon cables
IMPORTANT: Never connect or
disconnect the system ribbon cables
while the power plug is connected to
the wall outlet. Doing so may damage
the unit.
To insert, hold the connector and push
firmly into the socket until you hear it
click home.
To remove, hold the connector
securely on either side with thumb and
forefinger and pull out from the socket.
Important: Before making or changing any rear panel connections, make sure
that all the components are switched off and unplugged from the power supply.
The MJ–L77 connects directly to the XC–L77 CD receiver, so if you also have the CT–
L77 tape deck and are adding it to your existing system, you’ll need to disconnect the
tape deck from the CD receiver first. If you’re setting the whole system up for the first
time, be sure to also refer to chapter 2 of the XC–L77 manual for full installation and
connection details.
There are two audio connections to make:
1 MD ribbon cable to the CD receiver
2 Optical cable from the CD receiver to the MD recorder
Additionally, if you have the CT–L77 tape deck:
3 Tape deck ribbon cable to the MD recorder
Having connected these up, you’re ready to connect the power cables—one from the
CD receiver and one from the MD recorder.
Note: Power must be connected to the CD receiver whenever you use the MD
recorder—the MJ–L77 will not work independently of the rest of the system.
9
3 What’s What
Front Panel Controls and Display
21
^
3
5
78910
• Dolby noise reduction
manufactured under
license from Dolby
Laboratories Licensing
Corporation.
• “DOLBY”, and the
double-D symbol are
trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories Licensing
Corporation.
MINIDISC
)
4
6
11 1 2
Front Panel
1 MD loading slot
2 Power light – lights when the unit is on.
3 6 button – Press to play an MD, or pause one that’s already playing
(press again to restart playback). In record mode, also use to start or pause
recording.
4 0 button – Press to eject the MD.
5 Play light – Lights when an MD is playing; blinks when paused.
Display
6 Character display
7 MD function – Highlights when in MD recorder mode.
8 MD record indicator – Lights during record or record-pause mode.
9 Synchro indicator – Lights in CD or tape synchro-recording mode.
10 Auto mark indicator – Lights when automatic track numbering is
switched on.
11 Digital indicator – Lights when MD recorder is in digital signal input
mode.
12 Mono LP indicator – Lights when recording in mono/long-play mode.
10
Playing an MD
You should now have your MD recorder connected up to the rest of the system, and
plugged into the power outlet. This chapter takes you through the basics of using the
MD recorder—playing discs and making a recording from the CD receiver.
When following the steps below, use either a playback-only disc, or a recordable MD
INSERT THIS END
MD
74mins
that already has some tracks recorded on it.
MD
4 Switching On
7
All MDs indicate which way
they should be loaded into
the player/recorder
Display shows the CD player as
the current function (no disc
loaded)
MD recorder reads the table of
contents when you load a disc
Display showing an MD with 5
tracks and a total playing time
of 43:24
AUX/CD-R SOUND DISPLAY SET MD TAPE TIMER/
STANDBY/ON
STANDBY/ON
CHARACTER
CANCEL
&
! —
REC
4
VOL
$
›
+
⁄
¢
1 Switch on.
You can use the STANDBY/ON button on either the remote control or the
CD receiver unit to do this.
The display lights and briefly indicates the current volume level before
showing the current function (e.g., CD).
Note: The complete system, including CD receiver and optional tape deck
consumes a small amount of electricity (about 1W) in standby mode.
2 Load an MD.
Gently push the MD into the slot in the direction indicated on the disc
cartridge. The recorder pulls the MD into the recorder automatically.
If you’ve just loaded a playback-only disc or an erase-protected recordable
disc (i.e., the erase-protect tab is open), then the disc should already be
playing. This feature is called Auto Play.
In Use
If a track has been named, the
name appears in the display
while the track is playing
3 Press the MD button to start playback.
Alternatively, press ^ on the front panel of the recorder.
This won’t be necessary if Auto Play has already started playback!
4 To pause playback, press the MD button.
To resume playback, press again.
You can also use the MD recorder’s front panel controls:
Press ^ once to pause playback; press again to resume.
5 To fast-reverse or fast-forward, press and
hold $ or › .
You should hear snippets of sound to give you some idea of where you are in
the track. Release the button to resume normal playback.
Continues
11
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