Sony MZDH710 User Manual

DH710\J9050107

2593570111DH710

GB\2593570111\01GB

DH710\J9050107

2593570111DH710

GB\2593570111\01GB

This warranty is valid only in the United States.

2-593-570-11(1)

Operating Instructions

MZ-DH710

Hi-MD Walkman

Portable
MD Player

“WALKMAN” is a registered trademark of Sony
Corporation to represent Headphone Stereo products.

is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

Player
Operation ___________

Software
Operation ___________

page 10

page 50

Printed in Malaysia

(1)

© 2005 Sony Corporation

WARNING

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do
not expose the unit to rain or
moisture.

Do not install the appliance in a
confined space, such as a bookcase or
built-in cabinet.

To prevent fire, do not cover the ventilation
of the apparatus with news papers, table
cloths, curtains, etc. And don’t place
lighted candles on the apparatus.

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
place objects filled with liquids, such as
vases, on the apparatus.

Certain countries may regulate disposal of
the battery used to power this product.
Please consult with your local authority.

Caution

The use of optical instruments with this
product will increase eye hazard.

CAUTION
RADIATION WHEN OPEN

AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM

CAUTION — CLASS 1M INVISIBLE
LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN

DO NOT VIEW DIRECTLY WITH
OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS

— INVISIBLE LASER

Information

IN NO EVENT SHALL SELLER BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF
ANY NATURE, OR LOSSES OR
EXPENSES RESULTING FROM
ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR
THE USE OF ANY PRODUCT.

For customers who purchased
this product in the USA

Owner’s Record

The serial number is located at the rear of
the disc compartment lid and the model
number is located at the top and bottom.
Record the serial number in the space
provided below. Refer to them whenever
you call upon your Sony dealer regarding
this product.
Model No. MZ-DH710
Serial No. _____________________

Product registration

Please register this product on line at
www.sony.com/walkmanreg
<http://www.sony.com/walkmanreg>

Proper registration will enable us to send
you periodic mailings about software
upgrades, new products, services and
other important announcements. Thank
you.

If you have any questions about
this product, contact:

— http://www.sony.com/

walkmansupport

— Sony Network Portable Audio

Support Line
1-(866)-456-7669

— Sony Customer Information

Services Center
12451 Gateway Blvd. Fort Myers,
FL 33913

2

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY
Model No.: MZ-DH710
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics
Inc.
Address: 16450 W. Bernardo Dr, San
Diego, CA 92127 USA
Telephone No.: 858-942-2230

This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

This equipment has been tested and found
to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur
in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user
is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the
following measures:

— Reorient or relocate the receiving

antenna.

— Increase the separation between the

equipment and receiver.

— Connect the equipment into an outlet

on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.

— Consult the dealer or an experienced

radio/TV technician for help.

You are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly approved in
this manual could void your authority to
operate this equipment.

3

Notice for users

On the supplied software

• Copyright laws prohibit reproducing the

software or the manual accompanying it
in whole or in part, or renting the
software without the permission of the
copyright holder.

• In no event will SONY be liable for any

financial damage, or loss of profits,
including claims made by third parties,
arising out of the use of the software
supplied with this player.

• In the event a problem occurs with this

software as a result of defective
manufacturing, SONY will replace it.
However, SONY bears no other
responsibility.

• The software provided with this player

cannot be used with equipment other
than that which is so designated.

• Please note that, due to continued efforts

to improve quality, the software
specifications may be changed without
notice.

• Operation of this player with software

other than that provided is not covered
by the warranty.

• The ability to display the languages on

the software will depend on the installed
OS on your PC. For better results, please
ensure that the installed OS is
compatible with the desired language
you want to display.
— We do not guarantee all the

languages will be able to be
displayed properly on the software.

— User-created characters and some

special characters may not be
displayed.

• Depending on the type of the text and

characters, the text shown on the
software may not be displayed properly
on the device. This is due to:
— The capability of the connected

device.

— The device is not functioning

normally.

4

• SonicStage and SonicStage logo are

trademarks or registered trademarks of
Sony Corporation.

• MD Simple Burner, OpenMG, “Magic

Gate

”, “MagicGate Memory Stick”,

“Memory Stick”, Hi-MD, Net MD,

ATRAC, ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus and
their logos are trademarks of Sony
Corporation.

• Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT and

Windows Media are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and /or
other countries.

• IBM and PC/AT are registered

trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation.

• Macintosh is a trademark of Apple

Computer, Inc. in the United States and/
or other countries.

• Pentium is a trademark or registered

trademark of Intel Corporation.

• All other trademarks and registered

trademarks are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.

• ™ and ® marks are omitted in this

manual.

• CD and music-related data from

Gracenote, Inc., copyright © 2000-2004
Gracenote. Gracenote CDDB

®

Client
Software, copyright 2000-2004
Gracenote. This product and service
may practice one or more of the
following U.S. Patents: #5,987,525;
#6,061,680; #6,154,773, #6,161,132,
#6,230,192, #6,230,207, #6,240,459,
#6,330,593, and other patents issued or
pending. Services supplied and/or
device manufactured under license for
following Open Globe, Inc. United
States Patent 6,304,523.
Gracenote is a registered trademarks of
Gracenote. The Gracenote logo and
logotype, and the “Powered by
Gracenote” logo are trademarks of
Gracenote.

Program © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Sony Corporation

Documentation © 2005 Sony Corporation

5

Table of contents

About available functions and supplied manuals 8

Player Operation

Looking at controls ............................................. 11

Getting started ....................................................13

Playing a disc right away! ...................................15

Using menus ........................................................17

How to use the menu items .........................................................................17

List of menus ...............................................................................................18

Various ways of playback ...................................19

Viewing various information ......................................................................19

Selecting the play mode ..............................................................................20

Searching for a track (Search) .....................................................................24

Selecting the sound quality (6-Band Equalizer) .........................................25

Other operations ................................................. 27

Changing the displayed menu items (Menu Mode) ....................................27

Protecting your hearing (AVLS) .................................................................27

Turning off the beep sound .........................................................................28

Storing the settings for individual discs (Disc Memory) ............................28

Starting the playback quickly (Quick Mode) ..............................................29

Selecting the disc mode (Disc Mode) .........................................................30

Adjusting the contrast of the display window (Contrast Adjustment) ........30

Changing the operational direction of the display ......................................31

Using the player with a computer ...................... 32

What you can do through connection with a computer ..............................32

Connecting the player to your computer .....................................................32

Storing non-audio data to a disc ..................................................................34

6

Additional information ........................................ 36

Precautions ..................................................................................................36

Specifications ..............................................................................................38

Troubleshooting and explanations ..................... 39

Troubleshooting ..........................................................................................39

Messages .....................................................................................................44

Explanations ................................................................................................46

Software Operation

What you can do with SonicStage/MD Simple

Burner ..............................................................50

Installing ............................................................. 52

Providing the required system environment ................................................52

Installing the software onto your computer .................................................53

Using SonicStage ................................................ 55

Importing audio data ...................................................................................55

Transferring audio data from your computer to the MD Walkman ............57

Transferring back audio data from the MD Walkman to your computer ....59

Writing audio data to a CD-R/CD-RW disc ................................................62

Using SonicStage Help ................................................................................64

Referring to SonicStage Help ......................................................................66

Using MD Simple Burner ..................................... 68

Before using MD Simple Burner ................................................................68

Recording using MD Walkman operations (Simple mode) ........................69

Recording by computer operations (Standard mode) ..................................70

Other information ................................................ 72

Uninstalling SonicStage/MD Simple Burner ..............................................72

On copyright protection ..............................................................................73

Troubleshooting ..........................................................................................74

Index ............................................................................................................77

7

About available functions and supplied manuals

This section explains the functions of this portable MiniDisc player and the manuals that
have been supplied with it. Please refer to the manual that applies to each use of the player.

Learning more about Hi-MD

“Hi-MD” is a new MiniDisc format with advanced capabilities over the standard MD
format.

The “What you can do with the Hi-MD Walkman”

Using the player

You can enjoy listening to the recorded disc.

flyer

This flyer explains the major features of Hi-MD Walkman and how it
differs with standard MD Walkman.

-075-395-2 11 )1(

Player Operation (pages 10 to 48)

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This section explains all of the player functions. It also gives details on

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the problems you may encounter while using the player and how to
solve them, and about what to do when a message appears in the
display.

, When you encounter any problems or need more

explanation

Refer to “Troubleshooting and explanations” (page 39).

8

Using the player while it is connected to a computer

The supplied SonicStage software allows you to transfer audio data between the player
and the computer.
The supplied MD Simple Burner software allows you to record audio data to the player.

Audio CDs

Internet

Music files

Software Operation (pages 50 to 76)

This section explains the installation and basic operations of the supplied SonicStage/MD
Simple Burner software.

SonicStage Help

This is an online help that you can view on your computer
screen.
Online help explains the detailed operations and information
about SonicStage software. You can also refer to online help
if you encounter any problems while using the SonicStage.

Notes on the “Software Operation” section

•

In Software Operations section, “Net MD” refers to the player with a standard disc inserted and “Hi­MD” refers to the player with a Hi-MD disc or a standard disc in Hi-MD mode inserted.

• The displayed items in the illustrations that appear in this section may differ from the actual items

displayed by the software.

• Explanations in this section assume familiarity with basic Windows operations. For details on the use

of your computer and the operating system, please refer to the respective manuals.

• Explanations in this section cover general Hi-MD/Net MD products. For this reason, some

explanations (and some illustrations) may not be applicable to your Hi-MD/Net MD. Please refer to
the operating instructions of your Hi-MD/Net MD as well.

9

Checking the supplied accessories

Earphones (1)

Dedicated USB cable (1)

CD-ROM (SonicStage/MD Simple Burner) (1)*
Recordable disc (1)

*Do not play a CD-ROM on an audio CD player.

Note

When using this unit, remember to follow the precautions below in order to
avoid warping the cabinet or causing the unit to malfunction.

Make sure not to sit down with the unit in your back pocket.

10

Looking at controls

The player

Player Operation

A OPEN switch
B Display window
C DOWNLOAD button

This button allows you to record
music tracks from an audio CD in the
CD drive of your computer to an MD
Walkman using the supplied MD
Simple Burner software (page 69).

D X (pause) button
E •SEARCH/ MENU button

Press lightly to go to the SEARCH
setting mode (page 24). Press for 2
seconds or more to go to the MENU
setting mode (page 17).

F x (stop) • CANCEL button
G Jog dial

H 5-way control key

Operation Function

1)

Press NENT

Press towards . find the beginning

Press towards > find the beginning

Press towards

1)

or

VOL +
VOL –.

1)

There are tactile dots beside the NENT
and

VOL + buttons.

play, enter

of the previous
track, rewind

of the next track,
fast forward

volume

continued

11

I Battery compartment (at the bottom)
J USB cable connecting jack

K HOLD switch

Slide the switch in the direction of the
arrow to disable the buttons on the
player. To prevent the buttons from
being accidentally operated when you
carry the player, use this function.

L i (earphones) jack

The display window of the player

A Character information display

Displays the disc and track names,
date, error messages, track numbers,
etc.

B Hi-MD/MD indication

“Hi-MD” lights up when the
operation mode of the player is in Hi­MD mode and “MD” lights up when
the operation mode is in MD mode.

C REC indication

Lights up during file transfers from
the computer. When flashing, the
player is in record standby mode.

D Battery indication

Shows the approximate remaining
battery power. If the battery is weak,
the indication becomes empty and
starts flashing.

12

E Disc indication

Shows that the disc is rotating for
playing.

F Track mode (PCM, Hi-SP, Hi-LP, SP,

LP2, LP4, MONO) indication

G Sub play mode/Repeat play

indications
Shows the selected Sub play mode
(single-track play, shuffle play, etc.) or
Repeat play.

H Main play mode indications

Shows the selected main play mode
(group play, bookmark play, etc.).

Getting started

1

Insert an alkaline dry battery.

battery compartment lid.

2Insert a size-AA alkaline

dry battery (minus
terminal first).

3Close the lid.1 Slide OPEN to open the

e

E

2

Make connections and unlock the controls.

1Connect the earphones to i. 2Slide HOLD to the opposite direction of

the arrow (.) on the player to
unlock the controls.

HOLD

To i

Connect firmly

When to replace the dry
battery

You can check the battery condition on the
display window of the player.

Battery power decreasing

m

Weak battery

m

The battery is drained.
“LOW BATTERY” flashes in the
display, and the power goes off.

The battery level indication is approximate. It
may be more or less than the indication
depending on the operating condition or the
operating environment

Note

Make sure to use an alkaline dry battery. If you
use a dry battery other than alkaline dry battery,
the battery life may become shorten.

.

13

Battery life

1)

When playing continuously in Hi-MD mode

(Unit: approx. hours) (JEITA2))

Disc type Linear PCM Hi-SP Hi-LP MP3

3)

1GB Hi-MD disc 9.5 16.5 19.5 19.0

60/74/80-minute

8.5 16.0 19.0 18.5

standard disc

1)

When using a new Sony LR6 (size AA) alkaline dry battery (produced in Japan)

2)

Measured in accordance with the JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries
Association) standard.

3)

Tracks transferred at 128 kbps.

When playing continuously in MD mode

Disc type

60/74/80-minute

SP

18.0 21.5 23.5

standard disc

Note

Stop the player before replacing the battery.

(Unit: approx. hours) (JEITA)

LP2 LP4

14

Playing a disc right away!

1

Insert a recorded disc.

1Slide OPEN to open the lid. 2Insert a disc with the label side facing

front, and press the lid down to close.

2

Play a disc.

1Press the 5-way control key (NENT)

on the player.

A short beep sounds in the earphones
when you operate.

2Press the 5-way control key towards

VOL + or – to adjust the volume on the
player.

The volume will be shown in the
display.

5-way control key
(NENT, ., >, VOL +, –)

To stop play, press x.

A long beep sounds in the earphones when you operate. Playback starts from the point you
last stopped playing. After you stop the player, the player will automatically turn off in about
10 seconds.

Jog dial

X
x

15

To Operation on the player

Stop Press x.
Pause Press X. Press X again to resume play.

Select a track directly

Turn the jog dial to select a track, and then press NENT to enter.

viewing track number or
name

Find the beginning of
the current track or the
previous track

Find the beginning of

Press the 5-way control key towards .. Press the 5-way control
key towards . repeatedly until you reach the beginning of the
desired track.

Press the 5-way control key towards >.

the next track

Go backwards or

Press and hold the 5-way control key towards . or >.

forward while playing

Search for a point in a
track while viewing the

While pausing, press and hold the 5-way control key towards .
or >.

elapsed time (Time
search)

Search for a specific
track while viewing

While the player is stopped, press and hold the 5-way control key
towards . or >.

track numbers (Index
search)

Start with the first track

While the player is stopped, press NENT for 2 seconds or more.

of the disc
Remove the disc Press x and open the lid.

1)

Once you open the lid, the point to start play will change to the beginning of the first track.

Note

The playback sound may skip if:

1)

• the player receives stronger continuous shock.

• a dirty or scratched disc is played.

When using a disc in Hi-MD mode, the sound
may drop out for a maximum of about 12
seconds.

16

Using menus

How to use the menu items

The player has many menus with useful functions for playback.
To set the menu items, do the following procedure.
If you are doing a menu operation for the first time after purchasing the player, “Menu
Mode” flashes in the display. Before the menu operation, you can set “Menu Mode” to
“Advanced” (all menu items appear) or “Simple” (only basic menu items appear). Refer to
“Changing the displayed menu items (Menu Mode)” (page 27) for menu mode setting.

MENU

5-way control
key (NENT)

Jog dial

x • CANCEL

1 Press and hold MENU for 2 seconds or more to enter the menu.

2 Turn the jog dial to select the item.
3 Press the 5-way control key (NENT) to enter the selection.
4 Repeat steps 2 and 3.

The setting will be entered when you press the 5-way control key (NENT) at the last.

To return the preceding setting

Press x • CANCEL.

To cancel the operation while setting

Press x • CANCEL for 2 seconds or more.

17

List of menus

The following table shows the menu items that you can select.
Items listed under “Menu 1” are the selectable items which appear when you enter the
menu, and items listed under “Menu 2” are the selectable items which appear when you
select an item in Menu 1.
It is possible to display all menu items only when “Menu Mode” is set to “Advanced”.
Menu items with an asterisk (*) are not displayed when “Menu Mode” is set to “Simple”.
For details, see “Changing the displayed menu items (Menu Mode)” (page 27).

Note

Different indication may be displayed depending on the operating conditions and disc settings.

Menu 1 Menu 2 Function Site

Display Lap Time Displays various information such as the

1 Remain

AllRemain

Title1/Title2

Sound*

Codec/
TrackMode*

Play Mode MainPMode Selects tracks by category, such as track name

SubPMode Selects the type of play, such as single-track

Repeat Repeats playback.

Sound Normal Plays with normal sound quality. page 25

Sound EQ Customizes the sound quality.

Option Menu Mode Changes the displayed menu items. page 27

AVLS* Sets a limit on the maximum volume to protect

Beep* Turns the beep sound on or off. page 28

Disc Mem* Stores the player settings (Disc Memory). page 28

QuickMode* Sets the player to start playback quickly. page 29

Disc Mode Selects MD mode or Hi-MD mode when a

Contrast* Adjusts the contrast of the display window on

Jog Dial* Changes the operational direction on the

player status, etc. in the display window.

or group name.

play or shuffle play.

your hearing.

blank disc is inserted.

the player.

display when turning the jog dial.

18

page

page 19

page 20

page 27

page 30

page 30

page 31

Various ways of playback

Viewing various information

You can check the track name, disc name,
etc. during playback.

5-way control key (NENT)

Jog dial

MENU

1 While playing, enter the menu and

select “Display”.

2 Turn the jog dial until the information

you want appears in the display, and
then press NENT to enter the
selection.

Each turn changes the display as
follows.
“Lap Time” t “1 Remain” t
“AllRemain” t “Title1/Title2 (Hi­MD)” t “Sound” t “Codec (Hi­MD)/TrackMode (MD)”
When you press NENT, the selected
information appears at A, B and C.

Display window

The indications have the following
meanings:

: Disc name

: Track name

: Group name

: Artist name

: Album name

Display window A/B/C

AB C

Group
number and
track
number

Elapsed time • Track name

and artist
name (Hi­MD)

• Track name
(MD)

• Track
name and
artist

Remaining
time of the
current track

“1 Remain”

name (Hi­MD)

• Track
name
(MD)

Numbers of
tracks after
the current
track

Remaining
time after the
current
location in

“AllRemain”

the disc.

1)

1)

2)

2)

•Group
name and
album name
(Hi-MD)

•Group
name
(MD)

Indication of
the selected
sound mode

• Track

2)

mode, and
bitrate (Hi­MD)

•Disc
name and
artist
name (Hi­MD)

•Disc
name
(MD)

Sound
mode
name

• Codec
(Hi-MD)

• (none)
(MD)

• Track mode
(MD)

1)

Track number appears if the currently
selected track is not in a group.

2)

This does not appear when “Menu Mode” is
set to “Simple” (page 27).

3)

The disc name appears when the currently
selected track is not in a group.

4)

If the case of an MP3 track that supports VBR

3)

3)

2)4)

2)

Track name

(none)

2)

• “Codec” (Hi­MD)

• “TrackMode”
(MD)

2)

2)

2)

(Variable Bit Rate), the bit rate that appears
here may not match the one displayed by the
SonicStage software.

continued

19

Note

Depending on the group settings, the operating
conditions, and the disc settings, you may not
be able to select certain indications or the
indications may appear differently.

Selecting the play mode

You can listen to tracks in various play
modes. The play mode can consist of a
combination of Main play mode, Sub play
mode and Repeat play.

• Main play mode: selects the playback

unit, such as tracks or groups

• Sub play mode: selects the type of play

• Repeat play: selects Repeat play

Playing tracks in Main play mode

1 While playing, enter the menu and

select “Play Mode” - “MainPMode”.
The Main play mode display appears.

2 Turn the jog dial to select the desired

play mode, and then press NENT to
enter the selection.

Each time you turn the jog dial, A
changes as follows. When you press
NENT, B appears in the display.

20

5-way control key (NENT, ., >)

Jog dial

MENU

Indication
A/B

Normal/
(none)

Group/ Group play (Tracks in a

Artist/

Album/

Bookmark/ Bookmark play

1)

Appears only for discs used in Hi-MD mode.

Play mode

Normal play (All tracks
after the selected track are
played.)

specified group are played.)

1)

Artist play (Tracks by a
specified artist are played.)

1)

Album play (Tracks in a
specified album are
played.)

(Bookmarked tracks are
played.)

Playing tracks in normal mode
(Normal Play)

1 Do step 1 and select “Normal” in step

2 of “Playing tracks in Main play
mode” (page 20).

2 When selecting a track out of a group,

skip this step.
When selecting a track within a
group, turn the jog dial until the group
that the desired track belongs to
appears in the display, and then press
NENT to enter.

A list of the tracks in the selected
group appears in the display.

3 Turn the jog dial until the desired

track appears in the display, and then
press NENT to enter the selection.

The selected track starts playing. The
player plays from the selected track to
the last track in the disc.

Listening to tracks in a
specific group (Group Play)

1 Do step 1 and select “Group” in step

2 of “Playing tracks in Main play
mode” (page 20).

A list of the groups on a disc appears.

2 Turn the jog dial until the desired

group appears in the display, and then
press NENT to enter.

A list of the tracks in the selected
group appears.

3 Turn the jog dial until the desired

track appears in the display, and then
press NENT to enter the selection.

The selected track starts playing. The
player plays the tracks in that group,
from the selected track to the last
track.

z

Tracks that do not belong to a group are placed
together in “Group - -” and displayed at the last
of the list of groups.

Listening to tracks by a
specific artist (Artist Play) (in
Hi-MD mode only)

If the track data includes the artist name,
you can listen to tracks by a specific artist
only.

1 Do step 1 and select “Artist” in step 2

of “Playing tracks in Main play
mode” (page 20).

A list of the artists on the disc appears
in alphabetical order.

2 Turn the jog dial until the desired

artist name appears in the display, and
then press NENT to enter.

A list of the tracks of the selected
artist appears in recorded order.

3 Turn the jog dial until the desired

track appears in the display, and then
press NENT to enter the selection.

The selected track starts playing. The
player plays the tracks by the same
artist on the disc, from the selected
track to the last track.

z

Tracks without artist name data are placed
together in “ :__ (space)” and are displayed at
the last of the list of artists.

21

Listening to tracks of a
selected album (Album Play)
(in Hi-MD mode only)

If the track data includes the album name,
you can listen to tracks of a selected
album only.

1 Do step 1 and select “Album” in step

2 of “Playing tracks in Main play
mode” (page 20).

A list of the albums on the disc
appears in alphabetical order.

2 Turn the jog dial until the desired

album name appears in the display,
and then press NENT to enter.

A list of the tracks in the selected
album appears in recorded order.

3 Turn the jog dial until the desired

track appears in the display, and then
press NENT to enter the selection.

The selected track starts playing. The
player plays the tracks in that album,
from the selected track to the last
track.

z

Tracks without album name data are placed
together in “ :__ (space)” and are displayed
at the last of the list of albums.

Listening to selected tracks
only (Bookmark Play)

You can bookmark tracks on a disc and
play them only. The sequence of
bookmarked tracks cannot be changed.

To bookmark the tracks

1 While playing the track you want to

bookmark, press NENT for 2
seconds or more.

Bookmark flashes.

The first track of the bookmark play
is set.

2 Repeat step 1 to bookmark the other

tracks.

To play the bookmarked tracks

1 Do step 1 and select “Bookmark” in

step 2 of “Playing tracks in Main play
mode” (page 20).

2 Turn the jog dial to select a track, and

then press NENT to enter the
selection.

The player plays the bookmarked
tracks in the order of their track
numbers.

22

To erase bookmarks

While playing the track for which you
want to erase the bookmark, press
NENT for 2 seconds or more.

Playing tracks in Sub play mode

By specifying Sub play modes, you can
listen to tracks selected in Main play
mode in various ways.
For example, by selecting “Group” in
Main play mode and “Shuffle” in Sub
play mode, the player will play the tracks
in the selected group in random order.

1 Enter the menu and select

“Play Mode” - “SubPMode”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select the desired

play mode, and then press NENT to
enter the selection.

Each time you turn the jog dial, A
changes as follows. When you press
NENT, B appears in the display.

1

Indication
A/B

Normal/(none) Normal play (All tracks

1 Track/1 Single-track play (A

/SHUF Shuffle play (All tracks

Shuffle

A-BRepeat/
A- (A-B

1)

“A-BRepeat ” does not appear when the
“Menu Mode” is set to “Simple” (page 27).

Play mode

are played once.)

single track is played.)

in the selected Main
Play Mode are played in
random order.)

A-B Repeat play (Tracks

1)

)

between the selected
points A and B are
played repeatedly.)

Listening to a section of a
track repeatedly (A-B Repeat)

You can listen to a specific section within
a track repeatedly by selecting the starting
point A, and ending point B. Make sure
that points A and B are within the same
track.

1 While playing a track that contains

the section you want to repeat, do step
1 and select “A-BRepeat” in step 2 of
“Playing tracks in Sub play mode”
(page 23).

“A-” flashes in the display.

2 Press NENT at the starting point

(A).
Point A is entered and “B” flashes in

the display.

3 Press NENT at the ending point (B).

Point B is entered, “A-B” and “ ”
lights up, and the section between
point A and B starts playing
repeatedly.

z

You can reset points A and B by pressing the 5­way control key towards > during A-B
Repeat play.

Note

If the player comes to the end of the last track
on the disc while you are selecting point A, the
setting is canceled.

23

Playing tracks repeatedly (Repeat Play)

You can use the Repeat play function to
repeat tracks in all play modes except
when selecting A-B Repeat play.

1 While playing, enter the menu and

select “Play Mode” - “Repeat”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select

“RepeatOn”, and then press the
NENT to enter the selection.

appears in the display.

Searching for a track (Search)

You can easily search for a track by track
name, group name, artist name, or album
name.

5-way control key
(NENT)

SEARCH

Jog dial

To cancel Repeat Play

Select “RepeatOff” in step 2.

x

1 Press “SEARCH”.
2 Turn the jog dial to select the item

you want to use for searching, and
then press NENT to enter.

Display To

by Track search by track name

by Group search by group name

1)

by Artist

by Album

1)

Appears only for discs used in Hi-MD mode.

search by artist name

1)

search by album name

3 If you select “by Track” in step 2,

skip this step.
If you select an item other than “by
Track” in step 2, turn the jog dial to
select the desired group, artist, or
album, and then press NENT to
enter.

A list of tracks for the selected group,
artist, or album appears in the display.

4 Turn the jog dial to select the desired

track, and then press NENT to enter
the selection.

The selected track starts playing.

24

Notes

A

• After step 4, A-B Repeat play is canceled.

• During a search, unlabeled tracks will appear

at the end of each list.

• During a search, ungrouped tracks are placed

together as “Group - -” and appear at the end
of the list of groups.

• During a search, tracks without artist name

data are placed together as “ :__ (space)”,
and tracks without album name data are
placed together as “ :__ (space)” and appear
at the end of the list.

• While the player is sorting the selected items,

“SORTING” appears in the display.

• The Search function is automatically canceled

if no operation is made for 3 minutes.

2 Turn the jog dial repeatedly to select

the sound mode and then press
NENT to enter the selection.

Level of the each frequency
(100Hz - 10 kHz)

B

Selecting the sound quality (6-Band Equalizer)

6-BAND EQUALIZER provides 6
different sound qualities. You can vary the
virtual sound to create different acoustics,
or modify the sound to suit your taste and
store it for later use.

5-way control key (NENT, ., >)

Jog dial

MENU

1 While playing, enter the menu and

select “Sound” - “Sound EQ”.

Each time you turn the jog dial, A
changes as follows. When you press

NENT, B appears.

AB

Heavy SH

Pops SP

Jazz SJ

Unique SU

Custom1 S1

Custom2 S2

To cancel the setting

Select “Normal” in step 1.

25

To modify and store the sound

You can modify the sound and store the
results in “Custom1” and “Custom2”.

1 Do steps 1 and select “Custom1” or

“Custom2” in step 2 of “Selecting the
sound quality (6-Band Equalizer)”
(page 25).

2 Press the 5-way control key towards

. or > to select the frequency.

Frequency (100 Hz)
From the left, you can select 100 Hz,
250 Hz, 630 Hz, 1.6kHz, 4 kHz, 10 kHz

3 Turn the jog dial to adjust the level.

Level (+10 dB)
You can select from among seven levels.
–10dB, –6 dB, –3 dB, 0 dB, +3 dB, +6 dB,
+10dB

4 After selecting the level, press

NENT to enter the selection.

26

Other operations

Changing the displayed menu items (Menu Mode)

You can specify the display of all items in
the menu (Advanced mode) or only basic
items (Simple mode).
Refer to “List of menus” (page 18) to
check the menu items that cannot be
displayed.

5-way control key (NENT)

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“Menu Mode”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select

“Advanced” or “Simple”, and then
press NENT to enter the selection.

Protecting your hearing (AVLS)

The AVLS (Automatic Volume Limiter
System) function prevents the volume
from being raised above a given level to
minimize sound leakage, sound pressure
on the ears and the danger connected with
the failure to hear important exterior
sounds.

5-way control key (NENT)

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“AVLS”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select “AVLS

On”, and then press NENT to enter
the selection.

When you try to turn the volume too
high, “AVLS NO VOLUME
OPERATION” appears in the display.
The volume is kept to a moderate
level.

To cancel the AVLS

Select “AVLS Off” in step 2.

27

Turning off the beep sound

You can turn off/on the beep sound.

5-way control key (NENT)

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“Beep”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select “Beep Off”,

and then press NENT to enter the
selection.

Storing the settings for individual discs (Disc Memory)

The player is factory set to automatically
store settings for each disc.
The player automatically stores the
settings for a disc and retrieves them
whenever the disc is inserted.
The following setting can be stored:

• Bookmark

• “Custom1” and “Custom2” settings of

6-Band Equalizer

You can check the setting as follows.

5-way control key (NENT)

To turn on the beep sound

Select “Beep On” in step 2.

28

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“Disc Mem”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select “On”, and

then press NENT to enter the
selection.

To set the player so that disc
settings are not stored

Select “Off” in step 2.

Erasing the disc information

1 Insert the disc whose information is

to be erased and verify its contents.

2 Select “1MemErase” in step 2.

The disc information is erased.

z

“DISC MEMORY” appears when the disc with
its setting stored is inserted.

Notes

• Settings for up to 30 discs can be stored. Any

settings stored afterwards will replace the
settings with the lowest frequency of use
among the 30. The numbers of discs that can
be stored depend on the numbers of tracks
recorded on the discs. More tracks recorded
per disc means fewer discs can be stored.

• If you try to erase the disc information of a

disc that have never been stored, “NO DISC
MEMORY” appears in the display for a few
seconds.

Starting the playback quickly (Quick Mode)

After pressing the playback button or
cueing to the track, the playback can start
quickly.

5-way control key (NENT)

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“QuickMode”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select “Quick

On”, and then press NENT to enter
the selection.

To switch back to the normal
setting

Selects “Quick Off” in step 2.

Notes

• When the quick mode is set to “Quick On”,

the power remains on within the player even
when nothing appears in the display. This
leads to a shorter battery life.

• If no player operation (including opening or

closing of the lid) occurs for an hour, the
power in the player automatically turns off.
For this reason, the next time you start
playback or do another operation, the player
will not respond quickly. The unit, however,
will return to quick mode afterwards.

29

Selecting the disc mode (Disc Mode)

When you insert a 60/74/80-minute
standard disc (blank) into the player, you
can use this function to specify use of the
disc in Hi-MD mode or MD mode.
You must set “Disc Mode” in the menu to
“MD” when transferring audio data from
your computer if you want to use the disc
on another component that does not
support Hi-MD.

5-way control key (NENT)

Adjusting the contrast of the display window (Contrast Adjustment)

You can adjust the contrast of the display
window.

5-way control key (NENT)

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“Disc Mode”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select “Hi-MD”

(factory setting) or “MD”, and then
press NENT to enter the selection.

Notes

• Even if you select “MD” as the “Disc Mode”

setting, the operation mode can only be “Hi­MD” when using a 1GB Hi-MD disc.

• The operation mode set in the “Disc Mode”

menu is applied to a blank 60/74/80-minute
standard disc used on the player even if a
different operation mode was selected in the
SonicStage software or a different operation
mode appeared on the display after the disc
was formatted by the SonicStage software.

MENU

Jog dial

1 While the player is stopped, enter the

menu and select “Option” ­“Contrast”.

2 Turn the jog dial to adjust the

contrast, and then press NENT to
enter the selection.

30

Changing the operational direction of the display

When you turn the jog dial clockwise, the
display scrolls downward. This is the
factory setting. You can change the
factory setting to scroll in the opposite
direction.

5-way control key (NENT)

MENU

Jog dial

1 Enter the menu and select “Option” -

“Jog Dial”.

2 Turn the jog dial to select “Reverse”,

and then press NENT to enter the
selection.

To turn the setting to normal

Select “Default” in step 2.

31

Using the player with a computer

What you can do through connection with a computer

To use the player connected to a
computer, you must install the software
from the supplied CD-ROM. For details
on the installation procedure, refer to the
“Software Operation” section.

When using the supplied
softwares

For detailed explanations, see the
“Software Operation” section or online
help.

• Transfer audio data between the
computer and the player

The supplied SonicStage software
enables you to transfer audio data
between the player and the computer.
When a disc used in Hi-MD mode is
inserted in the player, tracks recorded
from a CD player to the player can be
migrated to your computer.

• Record directly from a CD to an MD

The supplied MD Simple Burner
software enables you to record a CD in
the computer’s CD drive directly to a
disc in the player.

When using the disc in the
player as a storage device

When a disc used in Hi-MD mode is
inserted in the player, the player appears
in the Windows Explorer as an external
drive, allowing you to transfer non-audio
data such as text and image files. For
details, refer to “Storing non-audio data to
a disc” (page 34).

Connecting the player to your computer

When you connect the dedicated USB
cable directly to the USB connecting jack
on the player, power (bus power) is
supplied from the USB port of the
computer. This allows the player to be
used without power being supplied from
the battery.

Note

When using Windows ME or Windows 98SE

• If you connect the player to the computer with

the disc mode on the player set to “Hi-MD”
(factory setting), and then insert a 60/74/80­minute standard disc, the operation mode of
the disc may automatically change to Hi-MD
mode even if you do not record anything.

• When you disconnect the dedicated USB

cable, the message “Unsafe Removal of
Device” appears in the computer display. This
is not a problem. Merely click “OK” to make
the message disappear.

Computer

To the USB port

Dedicated
USB cable

z

If you play audio files using the software, the
sound is output from the computer speakers
when a disc used in Hi-MD mode is inserted,
and from the earphones connected to the player
when a disc used in MD mode is inserted in the
player.

32

To the dedicated USB cable
connecting jack

1 Insert a recordable disc into the

player.

2 Make connections as follows.

1 Connect the dedicated USB cable to

the player and to the computer.

2 Make sure the player is stopped and

HOLD is released.

3 Check the connections.

When the connections have been
properly made, “PC – –MD” appears
in the display.

When you unplug the
dedicated USB cable from the
computer or remove the disc
from the player

Be sure to remove the player or the disc as
follows. If not, damage to the data may
occur.

1 Make sure that “REC” is not

displayed in the display window of
the player.

2 Press x on the player.

“EJECT DISC OK” appears in the
display.
Depending on the conditions, it may
take some time until “EJECT DISC
OK” appears in the display.

3 Unplug the dedicated USB cable

from the computer or remove the disc
from the player.

Notes

• If you use the player connected to the

computer, it is recommended that you insert a
new alkaline dry battery as a precaution
against power failures, disconnection of the
dedicated USB cable or other unforeseen
occurrences. We do not assure the results
should there be a mis-operation, transfer
failures, or destruction of audio data caused by
unforeseen occurrences.

• If you disconnect the dedicated USB cable

from the player and want to reconnect it, make
sure to wait at least 2 seconds before
connecting it again.

• Make sure to place the player at a stable,

vibration-free place during recording.

• Make sure not to connect the player to your

computer during playing.

• The system may malfunction if your computer

changes to system suspend, sleep, or
hibernation mode while connecting to the
player. Make sure to disable any changes to
suspend, sleep, or hibernation mode.

• Make sure not to connect the player and the

computer through a USB hub.

• When the player is connected to a computer,

power (bus power) is supplied to the player
through the computer’s USB port. If the
computer (a laptop PC, for example) is
operating on battery power, this connection
may cause the computer’s battery to drain. It
is thus recommended to use the computer with
an AC power adaptor.

• We do not ensure trouble-free operation on all

computers that satisfy the system
requirements.

33

Storing non-audio data to a disc

If you connect the player to a computer
with a disc in Hi-MD mode inserted, the
disc is recognized as storage media by the
Windows Explorer, allowing you to store
non-audio data such as text data or image
data.
For the storage space for each disc, refer
to the next page.

When you insert a disc in Hi-MD mode
into the player and make connection with
the computer, the player is recognized as
an external device and can be viewed on
the Windows Explorer. You can use the
player in the same way as other devices.

Notes

• When the SonicStage software is active, the

player is not recognized as a data storage
device.

• If you format a disc on the computer, make

sure to format the disc using the SonicStage
software.

• Make sure not to delete the file management

folder (HMDHIFI folder and Hi-MD.IND
file) on the Windows Explorer.

34

The storage space for each disc (formatted with the SonicStage
software)

Disc type Total size Disc management

60-minute
standard disc

74-minute
standard disc

80-minute
standard disc

219 MB
(229,965,824 bytes)

270 MB
(283,312,128 bytes)

291 MB
(305,856,512 bytes)

1GB Hi-MD disc 964 MB

(1,011,613,696 bytes)

1)

This is space that is used for managing the files on the disc.

2)

The size of the disc management space changes according to the operating conditions of your computer
and other factors. Therefore, the actual space available for use may be lower than that displayed by
Windows Explorer.

1)2)

space

832 KB
(851,968 bytes)

832 KB
(851,968 bytes)

832 KB
(851,968 bytes)

832 KB
(851,968 bytes)

Free space

218 MB
(229,113,856 bytes)

269 MB
(282,460,160 bytes)

290 MB
(305,004,544 bytes)

963 MB
(1,010,761,728 bytes)

35

Additional information

Precautions

On power sources

• Use LR6 (size AA) battery.

• If you are not going to use this player for a

long time, be sure to remove the battery.

On heat build-up

Heat may build up in the player if it is used for
an extended period of time. This, however, is
not a malfunction.

On installation

Never use the player where it will be subjected
to extremes of light, temperature, moisture or
vibration.

On the earphones

Road safety

Do not use earphones while driving, cycling, or
operating any motorized vehicle. It may create
a traffic hazard and is illegal in many areas. It
can also be potentially dangerous to play your
player at high volume while walking, especially
at pedestrian crossings. You should exercise
extreme caution or discontinue use in
potentially hazardous situations.

Preventing hearing damage

Avoid using earphones at high volume. Hearing
experts advise against continuous, loud and
extended play. If you experience a ringing in
your ears, reduce the volume or discontinue
use.

Caring for others

Keep the volume at a moderate level. This will
allow you to hear outside sounds and to be
considerate of the people around you.

On the MiniDisc cartridge

• When carrying or storing the MiniDisc, keep

it in its case.

• Do not break open the shutter.

• Do not place the cartridge where it will be

subject to light, extreme temperatures,
moisture or dust.

• Attach the supplied disc label only in the

space designated for it on the disc. Do not
stick it on any other disc surface.

On cleaning

• Clean the player casing with a soft cloth

slightly moistened with water or a mild
detergent solution. Do not use any type of
abrasive pad, scouring powder or solvent such
as alcohol or benzene as it may mar the finish
of the casing.

• Wipe the disc cartridge with a dry cloth to

remove dirt.

• Dust on the lens may prevent the unit from

operating properly. Be sure to close the disc
compartment lid after inserting or ejecting a
disc.

• To obtain the best sound quality, use a dry

cloth to wipe the plugs of the earphones. Dirty
plugs may cause sound distortion or
intermittent breaks in the sound.

On battery

Incorrect battery usage may lead to leakage of
battery fluid or bursting battery. To prevent
such accidents, observe the following
precautions:

• Install the + and – poles of the battery

correctly.

• When the player is not to be used for a long

time, be sure to remove the battery.

• If a battery leak should develop, carefully and

thoroughly wipe away battery fluid from the
battery compartment before inserting new
ones.

36

On mechanical noise

The player gives off mechanical noise while
operating, which is caused by the power-saving
system of the player and it is not a problem.

To protect a recorded disc

To record-protect a disc, slide open the tab at
the side of the disc. In this position, the disc
cannot be recorded. To record again, slide the
tab back so the tab is visible.

Tab

Recorded material is

Back of the disc

If you have any questions or problems
concerning your player, please consult your
nearest Sony dealer. (If a trouble occurred when
the disc was in the player, we recommend that
the disc be left in the player when you consult
your Sony dealer so that the cause of trouble
may be better understood.)

protected.

Recorded material is
not protected.

37

Specifications

Audio playing system

MiniDisc digital audio system

Laser diode properties

Material: GaAlAs
Wavelength: λ = 790 nm
Emission duration: continuous
Laser output: less than 44.6 µW
(This output is the value measured at a distance
of 200 mm from the lens surface on the optical
pick-up block with 7 mm aperture.)

Recording and playback time

See “List of the recording time for each disc”
(page 47).

Revolutions

350 rpm to 3,000 rpm (CLV)

Error correction

Hi-MD:

LDC (Long Distance Code)/BIS (Burst
Indicator Subcode)

MD:

ACIRC (Advanced Cross Interleave Reed
Solomon Code)

Sampling frequency

44.1 kHz

Audio formats supported by this
player

Linear PCM (44.1 kHz/16 bit)
ATRAC3plus (Adaptive TRansform Acoustic
Coding 3 plus)
AT RA C 3
AT RA C
MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3/Sampling
frequency 44.1 kHz/Bit rate 32 - 320 kbps
(constant/variable bit rate))

Modulation system

Hi-MD:

1-7RLL (Run Length Limited)/PRML
(Partial Response Maximum Likelihood)

MD:

EFM (Eight to Fourteen Modulation)

Frequency response

20 to 20,000 Hz ± 3 dB

Outputs

i: stereo mini-jack

Maximum output (DC)

Headphones:

5 mW + 5 mW (16 Ω)

Power requirements

One LR6 (size AA) alkaline battery (not
supplied)

38

Operating temperature

+5°C (+41°F) to +35°C (+95°F)

Battery operation time

See “Battery life” (page 14)

1)

Dimensions

Approx. 83.6 × 29.5 × 77.0 mm (w/h/d)

3

(3

/8 × 13/16 × 31/8 in.)(excluding projecting

parts and controls)

Mass

Approx. 107 g (3.8 oz.) (the player only)

1)

Measured in accordance with JEITA.

US and foreign patents licensed from Dolby
Laboratories.

Design and specifications are subject to change
without notice.

Optional accessories

MDR-series Stereo Headphones/earphones*
SRS-series Active Speakers
Recordable MDs MDW-series
Recordable Hi-MD disc

HMD1G

Your dealer may not handle some of the above
listed accessories. Please ask the dealer for
detailed information about the accessories in
your country.

∗ When using optional headphones, use only

headphones/earphones with stereo mini
plugs. You cannot use headphones/
earphones with micro plugs.

Troubleshooting and explanations

Troubleshooting

If a problem occurs during player operation, follow the steps described below before
consulting the nearest Sony dealer. If any messages appear, it is recommended to take
notes.

1 Check to see if the problem is listed in, “Troubleshooting” (page 39).

Check “Messages” (page 44) for the problem as well.

2 If after step 1 you still cannot solve the problem, consult your nearest Sony dealer.

While playing

Symptom Cause/Remedy

A disc is not played
normally.

A disc is not played
from the first track.

Playback sound
skips.

Momentary noise is
heard.

Sound has a lot of
static.

Volume cannot be
turned up.

No sound comes
through the
earphones.

The disc cannot be
played on another
component

The edited tracks
may exhibit sound
dropout during
search operations.

• Repeat play is selected.

, Set the Repeat play to “RepeatOff” to change back to normal play

(page 24).

• Playback mode is changed.

, Enter the Main play mode or Sub play mode to change back to the

normal play (page 20).

• Disc playing stopped before it came to the last track.

, Press the 5-way control key (NENT) on the player for 2 seconds

or more to start playing.

• The player is placed where it receives continuous vibration.

, Put the player on a stable place.

• A very short track may cause sound to skip.

, Try not to create a short track.

• Due to the special digital audio compression technology used in LP4
mode, momentary noise may occur on very rare occasions with certain
sound sources.

• Strong magnetism from a television or such device is interfering with
operation.
, Move the player away from the source of strong magnetism.

• AVLS is on.
, Release AVLS settings (page 27).

• The earphones plug is not firmly connected.
, Plug in the plug of the earphones firmly to i.

• The plug is dirty.
, Clean the plug.

• The component does not support Hi-MD.
, Discs used in Hi-MD mode can be played only on components that

supports Hi-MD.

• This occurs due to the MiniDisc system limitation. The fragmentation
of data may cause sound dropout while searching because the tracks are
played in higher speed than normal playback.

39

Symptom Cause/Remedy

There is no R­channel sound
output when
playing a track
recorded from a
cassette deck or
through an
amplifier, or when
listening to sound
from a cassette deck
or amplifier.

The player cannot
play MP3 tracks.

• There is no R-channel output if the cassette deck or an amplifier is
connected with a monaural cord.
, Make sure to use a stereo connecting cord. If, however, the

connected equipment is monaural, there will be no R-channel
sound output even with a stereo connecting cord.

• You tried to play a MP3 track which format is not supported by this
player.
, This player only supports MP3 tracks (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3/

sampling frequency 44.1 kHz) that have been transferred using the
SonicStage software.

While using group function

Symptom Cause/Remedy

The group function
does not operate.

A new group cannot
be created.

• While using a disc without group setting, an attempt was made to select
some group-related menu.
, Use a disc with group setting.

• This is due to the MiniDisc system limitations (in MD mode only).
Group information has been written to the area where the disc name is
stored. The disc name and track names are recorded in the same area,
which can store a maximum of approximately 1,700 characters. If the
total number exceeds this amount, it is impossible to make group
settings.

40

While the player is connected to the computer

Symptom Cause/Remedy

The player is not
recognized by the
computer.

Even though the
player is recognized
by the computer, it
does not operate
normally.

The player cannot
be used as a storage
device.

The playing time of
a transferred track is
different from the
time that appears on
your computer
monitor.

You cannot transfer
tracks that will fill
up the remaining
recording time on
the disc.

• The dedicated USB cable is not firmly connected.

, Connect the dedicated USB cable firmly to the player and the

computer.

• A USB hub is used.

, Connect the dedicated USB cable directly to the USB port of the

computer.

• Network communication has failed.

, Disconnect the dedicated USB cable, wait at least 2 seconds, and

then reconnect it. If the player is still not recognized, disconnect the
dedicated USB cable, restart the computer, and then connect the
dedicated USB cable again.

• When using Windows 2000 Professional, you turned on or restarted the
computer while the dedicated USB cable was connected, and then
disconnected it afterwards.
, Disconnect the dedicated USB cable, restart the computer, and then

reconnect the dedicated USB cable. This problem may be resolved
by updating your Windows operating system so that it contains all
the latest features.

• A USB hub is used.
, Connect the dedicated USB cable directly to the USB port of the

computer.

• You are using the player at a place with vibration.
, Use the player at a place with no vibration.

• The SonicStage or MD Simple Burner software is active.
, Close the SonicStage or MD Simple Burner software.

• A disc which is not used in Hi-MD mode is inserted.
, Insert a disc used in Hi-MD mode. Only discs used in Hi-MD mode

can be used as a storage media.

This is due to a calculation discrepancy between the player and the
computer.

• The minimum recordable time on a disc is normally 2 seconds in SP
mode, 4 seconds in LP2 mode, and 8 seconds in LP4 mode. When you
transfer a track from your computer, the player needs a 2-second (or 4­or 8-second) space for a track even if the track is under 2 seconds (or 4
or 8 seconds) in length. Also, the player inserts a 2-second (or 4 -or 8­second) space in between tracks during transfer operation. For this
reason, the player needs an additional 6 seconds (or 12 or 24 seconds)
for each track. This reduces the maximum recording time for each track
by 6 seconds (or 12 or 24 seconds) during transfer operation (in MD
mode only).

41

Symptom Cause/Remedy

The disc size
displayed on the
computer is not the
same as the disc
size printed on the
disc.

You cannot operate
the player (“PC –
–MD” appears).

The lid does not
open.

• The difference is due to the use of the binary system to indicate the disc
size on the computer and the decimal system to express the disc size on
the disc and other recording media. For details on the disc size, see
page 35.

• You cannot operate the player while the player is connected to the
computer.

• It happens if you disconnect the dedicated USB cable in the middle of a
data transfer, recording, or editing operation on the computer, but while
the dry alkaline battery is drained.
, Reconnect the dedicated USB cable or insert a new dry alkaline

battery into the player, and then press x.

Others

Symptom Cause/Remedy

“Advanced” or
“Simple” is
displayed.

Some menu items
cannot be displayed.

• You attempted to do a menu operation for the first time after purchase
of the player (by pressing the MENU button for 2 seconds or more).
, Select the Menu mode (page 27).

• “Menu Mode” is set to “Simple”.
, Set the “Menu Mode” to “Advanced” to display all the menu

items.

42

Symptom Cause/Remedy

The player does not
work or works
poorly.

The display window
is not normal.

The operation mode
of the blank 60/74/
80-minute standard
disc differs from the
mode following
formatting or the
mode selected in the
SonicStage
software.

• The volume is low.

, Turn up the volume.

• No disc is inserted.

, Insert a recorded disc.

• The HOLD function is turned on (“HOLD” appears in the display
when you press an operation button on the player).
, On the player, disable HOLD by sliding the HOLD switch to the

opposite direction of the arrow

• The lid is not firmly closed.
, Close the lid until it clicks. Then slide OPEN to open the lid.

• Moisture has condensed inside the player (for example, when the
player has been brought in from a cold place to a warm place).
, Take the disc out and leave the player in a warm place for several

hours until the moisture evaporates.

• The dry battery is weak (“LOW BATTERY” flashes or nothing
appears).
, Replace the dry battery with a new one.

• The disc is damaged or does not contain proper recording or editing
data.
, Reinsert the disc. If the error message still appears, replace it with

another disc.

• There is a built-in malfunction in the system.

• While operating, the player received a mechanical shock, too much
static, abnormal power voltage caused by lightning, etc.
, Restart the operation as follows.

1 Disconnect all the power sources and the dedicated USB cable.
2 Leave the player for about 30 seconds.
3 Connect the power source.

• The player was disconnected from the power source.
, Let the player sit for a while, or disconnect the power source,

reconnect it, and then press any of the operation buttons.

• When using a blank 60/74/80-minute standard disc in the player, the
operation mode set in the “Disc Mode” menu is applied.
, Use the “Disc Mode” menu to change the operation mode as

desired.

(pages 12, 13).

43

Messages

If the following messages flash in the display window, check the chart below.

Message Meaning/Remedy

AVLS NO
VOLUME
OPERATION

BLANKDISC • A disc with no recording on it is inserted.

BUSY WAIT A
MOMENT

CANNOT PLAY • You tried to play a track that is subject to play restrictions.

CANNOT
RECORD OR
PLAY

DATA SAVE • The player is writing information to the system file, such as the recorded

D-L READY • MD Simple Burner is now ready to record an audio CD to the disc in the

EJECT DISC OK • The player has finished communicating with the computer and it is safe

END • The player reached to the end of the disc while playing or pressing >.

ERROR • There is an internal malfunction in the system.

ERROR XX • There is an internal malfunction in the system.

FORMAT
ERROR DISC

GROUP FULL • You tried to create a 256th group on a disc used in Hi-MD mode or 100th

HOLD • The player is locked.

• AVLS is set to “AVLS On” and so the volume cannot rise higher.

, Set AVLS to “AVLS Off” (page 27).

• The player is accessing disc information.

• You tried to operate the player while it was accessing the recorded data.

, Wait until the message goes out (in rare cases, it may take a few

minutes).

• You tried to play an MP3 track with a format not supported by this player.

, This player only supports MP3 tracks (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3/

sampling frequency 44.1 kHz) that have been transferred using the
SonicStage software.

• There is no audio data that can be played on the player.

• The audio data or disc management file has been damaged.

, Replace the disc or format the disc using the SonicStage software.

data or editing information.
, Wait until the message disappears from the display.

player using Simple mode (see “Software Operation”).

to eject the disc from the player or disconnect the dedicated USB cable.

, Restart the operation by doing steps 1 to 3 on page 43.

, Restart the operation by doing steps 1 to 3 on page 43. If the message

appears again, please consult your nearest Sony dealer.

• A disc with a format that the player does not support was inserted.

, Insert a disc used in Hi-MD mode.

• A disc formatted on the computer was inserted.

, When formatting a disc on the computer, make sure to use the

SonicStage software.

group on a disc used in MD mode.
, You can create only up to 255 groups (on a disc used in Hi-MD

mode) or 99 groups (on a disc used in MD mode) on a disc. Keep the
group number within 255 or 99.

, Slide HOLD against the arrow to unlock the player (page 13).

44

Message Meaning/Remedy

LOW BATTERY • Battery is weak.

NO
BOOKMARK
TRACK

NO DISC • You tried to play or record with no disc in the player.

NO DISC
MEMORY

NO TRACK • You tried to play a disc with no recorded tracks.

PC – –MD • The player is connected to the computer.

PUSH STOP
BUTTON

READ ERROR • The player cannot read the disc information correctly.

SYSTEM FILE
WRITING

TEMP OVER
REC STOP

TOC DATA
ERROR

, Replace the dry battery (page 13).

• You selected bookmark play without setting bookmarks.

, Set bookmarks (page 22).

, Insert a disc.

• You tried to erase a setting in the Disc Memory on a disc that contains no
settings in the Disc Memory (page 28).

, Insert a recorded disc.

• You tried to open the lid by sliding the OPEN switch or operate the player
while the player was storing disc information with the dedicated USB
cable connecting the player to a computer.
, Operation must be done only after pressing x and “SYSTEM FILE

WRITING” has disappeared from the display.

, Reinsert the disc.

• The player is storing information (track start and end position) from the
memory to the disk.
, Wait until this process is completed. Do not expose the player to

physical shock, nor disrupt power supply.

• Heat has built up in the player.
, Let the player cool down.

• The player cannot read the disc information correctly.
, Insert another disc.

45

Explanations

About Hi-MD

“Hi-MD” is a new MiniDisc format.
Incorporating the new ATRAC3plus audio compression technology, Hi-MD is a new recording format
that delivers longer recording times than ordinary MDs. Hi-MD discs can also be used as a computer
storage medium for non-audio data such as text and images. This player supports Hi-MD only.
For more details on Hi-MD, refer to the supplied flyer “What you can do with the Hi-MD Walkman”.

About ATRAC3plus

ATRAC3plus is an enhanced version of ATRAC3.
Compared to ATRAC3 (used in LP2 and LP4 mode of the player), which attains a compression ratio 10
times higher than that of a CD, ATRAC3plus (used in Hi-SP and Hi-LP mode of the player) achieves a
higher compression ratio that is 20 times higher than that of a CD, but with no loss in sound quality.

“Hi-MD mode” and “MD mode”

This player has two operation modes, “Hi-MD mode” and “MD mode” that are automatically
recognized whenever a disc is inserted. If you insert a blank disc, the player allows you to specify either
of these operation modes for disc recording (except in the case of Hi-MD discs that support Hi-MD
mode only). When using a blank disc, set the “Disc Mode” setting to select either “Hi-MD” or “MD”.

About Linear PCM

Linear PCM is a digital, non-compressed audio coding system. You can enjoy high-quality sound equal
to that of CDs by recording in this mode.

The meaning of “no sound”

“No sound” describes a player condition in which the input level is about 4.8 mV during analog input or
less than –89 dB during optical (digital) input (with 0 dB as full bit (the maximum recordable level for
a MiniDisc)).

About “System File”

The system file is space on the disc that is used to store information other than audio files; for instance,
track numbers.
If the MiniDisc were a book, the system file would correspond with the index or table of contents.
The player rewrites the system file whenever an operation such as recording, adding or deleting track
marks, or moving tracks has been done. (“SYSTEM FILE WRITING” appears in the display when the
player is rewriting the system file.) While the player is writing disc information, make sure not to move
or jog the player or disconnect the power source as this may cause the information to be incorrectly
recorded or the disc contents to be lost.

46

List of the recording time for each disc

When using a disc in Hi-MD mode

When transferring from

Recording time

1)2)

the computer

Codec/Bit rate 1GB Hi-MD

disc

Linear PCM/1.4Mbps 1 hour and

80-minute
standard
disc

74-minute
standard
disc

60-minute
standard
disc

28 minutes 26 minutes 21 minutes

34 minutes

ATRAC3plus/256kbps 7 hours and

55 minutes

ATRAC3plus/64kbps 34 hours 10 hours and

ATRAC3plus/ 48 kbps 45 hours 13 hours and

ATRAC3/132kbps 16 hours and

30 minutes

ATRAC3/105kbps 20 hours and

40 minutes

ATRAC3/66kbps 32 hours and

40 minutes

MP3/128kbps 17 hours 5 hours 4 hours and

1)

Approximate time

2)

When transferring 4-minute tracks

2 hours and
20 minutes

10 minutes

30 minutes

4 hours and
50 minutes

6 hours and
10 minutes

9 hours and
50 minutes

2 hours and
10 minutes

9 hours and
20 minutes

12 hours and

1 hour and
40 minutes

7 hours and
40 minutes

10 hours

30 minutes

4 hours and
30 minutes

5 hours and
40 minutes

3 hours and
40 minutes

4 hours and
40 minutes

9 hours 7 hours and

20 minutes

3 hours and

30 minutes

30 minutes

When using a disc in MD mode

When transferring from the

Recording time

1)2)

computer

Codec/Bit rate 80-minute

standard disc

74-minute
standard disc

60-minute
standard disc

ATRAC(stereo)/292kbps 80 minutes 74 minutes 60 minutes

ATRAC3/132, 105kbps 2 hours and

40 minutes

ATRAC3/66kbps 5 hours and

20 minutes

1)

Approximate time

2)

When transferring 4-minute tracks

2 hours and
28 minutes

4 hours and
56 minutes

2 hours

4 hours

47

About recordable audio format

The audio formats that can be recorded on this player vary according to the disc type and
recording method. Check the following table for details.

Disc type Recording

Format Component used for playback

method

Component
that supports

1)

Hi-MD

1GB Hi-MD
disc

60/74/80- minute
standard disc

1)

Audio components marked with the or logo mark

2)

Audio components marked only with the or logo mark

When transferring
from the computer

When transferring
from the computer

Hi-MD

Hi-MD

MDLP

MD

✓

✓

✓✓

✓✓✓

Components
that supports

2)

MDLP

MD
component

About the DSP TYPE-S for ATRAC/ATRAC3

This player supports DSP TYPE-S, a specification for high-level Sony MiniDisc decks equipped
with digital signal processors (DSP). This specification allows the player to produce high-quality
sound from tracks recorded in MDLP mode. Since it retains DSP TYPE-R support, the player
produces superior results during playback in SP (normal stereo) mode.

Suppressing the skips of the sound (G-PROTECTION)

The G-PROTECTION function was developed to provide a higher level of shock resistance than
that of existing players.

48

49

What you can do with SonicStage/ MD Simple Burner

What you can do with SonicStage

SonicStage allows you to import audio data to your computer from music sources such as
audio CDs and the Internet, and then transfer the audio data stored in your computer to an
MD.

Audio CD

Import

Internet

∗ Copyright-protected WMA files cannot be transferred.

Music files in the
MP3,WAV, and
WMA* formats

Transfer

MD Walkman

What you can do with MD Simple Burner

MD Simple Burner allows you to record music tracks from an audio CD in the CD drive of
your computer to an MD Walkman, without first recording the music tracks to the
computer.

MD Walkman

Audio CD

50

Basic operational flow using an MD Walkman

SonicStage

Providing the required system environment (page 52)

Installing the software onto your computer (page 53)

Importing audio data to
your computer (page 55)

Connecting an MD
walkman to your computer
(see page 32 on “Player
Operation”)

Transferring audio data
from your computer
(page 57)

MD Simple Burner

Connecting an MD
walkman to your
computer (see page 32
on “Player Operation”)

Recording music tracks
from an audio CD in the
CD drive of your
computer (page 68)

Software Operation

Listening to an MD

51

Installing

Providing the required system environment

System requirements

The following system environment is required in order to use the SonicStage Ver. 3.0/MD
Simple Burner Ver. 2.0 software for the MD Walkman.

Computer IBM PC/AT or Compatible

• CPU: Pentium III 450 MHz or higher

• Hard disk drive space: 200 MB or more (1.5 GB or more is
recommended) (The amount space will vary according to Windows
version and the number of music files stored on the hard disk.)

• RAM: 128 MB or more

Others

• CD drive (capable of digital playback by WDM) (A CD-R/RW drive
is necessary for CD writing)

• Sound Board

•USB port

Operating
System

Display High Color (16bit) or higher, 800 × 600 dots or better (1024 × 768 dots

Others • Internet access: for Web registration, EMD services and CDDB

Factory installed:
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005/Windows XP Media Center
Edition 2004/Windows XP Media Center Edition/Windows XP
Professional/Windows XP Home Edition/Windows 2000 Professional/
Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98 Second Edition

or better is recommended)

• Windows Media Player (version 7.0 or higher) installed for playing
WMA files

This software is not supported by the following environments:

• OSs other than the indicated above

• Personally constructed PCs or operating systems

• An environment that is an upgrade of the original manufacturer-installed operating system

• Multi-boot environment

• Multi-monitor environment

• Macintosh

Notes

• We do not ensure trouble-free operation on all computers that satisfy the system requirements.

• The NTFS format of Windows XP/Windows 2000 Professional can be used only with the standard

(factory) settings.

• For Windows 2000 Professional users, install Service Pack 3 or later version before using the

software.

• We do not ensure trouble-free operation of the system suspend, sleep, or hibernation function on all

computers.

52

Installing the software onto your computer

Before installing the software

• Make sure to close any virus-check software, as such software usually demands a large

amount of system resources.

• When you use the MD Walkman, make sure to install the software with the supplied CD-

ROM.
— If OpenMG Jukebox, SonicStage or Net MD Simple Burner is installed already, the

previous software will be overwritten by the new version. The new version retains the
functions of the older version, but with new functions added.

— If SonicStage Premium or SonicStage Simple Burner is installed already, the previous

software will co-exist with the new version.

— You will still be able to use music data registered by an older software version even

after SonicStage has been installed. As a precaution, we recommend that you back up
your music data. To back up the data, refer to [Backing Up My Library] on SonicStage
Help.
The method for managing music data differs in part from conventional methods. For
details, refer to [For Users of Earlier Versions of SonicStage] in SonicStage Help.

• If the MD Walkman is connected to the computer with the USB cable, make sure to

disconnect the USB cable first before installing the software.

1 Turn on your computer and start up Windows.

2 Insert the supplied CD-ROM into the CD drive of your computer.

The setup program starts up automatically and the installation window appears.

3 When the [Region Selection] screen appears, select the region where the

SonicStage software will be used, and then click [Next].

continued

53

4 Click [Install SonicStage and MD Simple Burner] and then follow the

displayed instructions.

Click [Install SonicStage and MD Simple
Burner]

Read the instructions carefully.
Depending on your region, the buttons other than [Install SonicStage and MD Simple
Burner] may differ from those in the illustration above.
The installation may take 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your system environment.
Make sure to restart your computer only after the installation is completed.

Was the installation successful?
If any trouble occurs during the installation, see “Troubleshooting” (page 74).

54

Using SonicStage

Importing audio data

This section explains how to record and store audio data from an audio CD to My Library
of SonicStage on the hard disk drive of your computer. You can also assign cover art for
imported albums.
You can record or import music from other sources such as the Internet and your
computer’s hard disk. Refer to SonicStage Help for details.

Notes

• Only audio CDs with a mark can be used with SonicStage.

• We do not guarantee normal operation in the case of the copy-controlled CDs.

Playback
control
section

Cover art
display

[CD Info]

[ Music Source]

[Settings]

1 Start up SonicStage.

Select [Start] – [All Programs]

∗[Programs] in the case of Windows 2000 Professional/Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98

Second Edition

SonicStage starts up and the main window appears.

z

You can also start SonicStage with double click ([SonicStage] icon) on the desktop.

*

– [SonicStage] – [SonicStage].

2 Insert the audio CD that you want to record into the CD drive of your

computer.

continued

55

3 Point to [ Music Source] on the upper-left side of the screen and click

[Import a CD].

The screen switches to the “Music Source” (Importing CD) screen and all the tracks on
the audio CD are listed.

4 If necessary, click to uncheck tracks you do not want to record.

If you unchecked a box by mistake, click it again to restore the check.
To check all boxes, click
To uncheck all boxes, click .

.

5 If necessary, change the format and bit rate for audio CD recording.

When you click [Settings] on the right side of the screen, “CD Importing Format”
dialog box will appear. The dialog box will ask you to select the format and bit rate for
recording an audio CD.

6 Click .

The recording of the tracks selected in step 4 starts.

To stop recording

Click .

To assign cover art for imported albums

Find the desired image file (jpg, gif, bmp file) using Windows Explorer and drag it to the
cover art display in the playback control section.

z

If CD information such as album title, artist name, and track names could not be obtained
automatically, click [CD Info] on the right side of the screen. When you do this, your computer must be
connected to the Internet.

56

Transferring audio data from your computer to the MD Walkman

Audio data stored in My Library of SonicStage can be transferred to your MD Walkman an
infinite number of times.

[Transfer ]

The My Library
list

[Settings]

1 Insert a disc into the MD Walkman and connect the MD Walkman to your

computer.

Use the supplied MD Walkman-dedicated USB cable to connect the MD Walkman to
your computer.
For details about connections, see page 32 on “Player Operation”.
Do not disconnect the power source or the dedicated USB cable before the transfer has
completed.

2 Point to [Transfer ] on the upper-right side of the screen and click [Hi-MD]

or [Net MD].

The screen is switched to the transfer (Hi-MD or Net MD) screen.

3 Click the tracks you want to transfer in the My Library list on the left side of

the screen.

To transfer more than one track, hold down the [Ctrl] key while selecting the tracks.
To transfer all tracks of the album, click the album.

continued

57

4 If necessary, change the transfer mode.

As the default setting, tracks in the OpenMG (PCM/ATRAC3/ATRAC3plus) format
will be transferred in the same format and bit rate (normal transfer).
If the device connected to the computer does not support the above format, the format
and bit rate will be converted to those of the device. In some case, this process may
take time.
If you want to change the format and bit rate, click [Settings] in the center of the screen
to display “Transfer Mode Settings” dialog box.

5 Click .

Transfer of the tracks selected in step 3 begins.

To stop transferring

Click .

To play a disc on a Net MD device that does not support Hi-MD

If you want to play the transferred tracks on a Net MD Walkman that does not support Hi­MD, select [Net MD] for the mode (operation mode) on the right side of the screen after
step 2. This operation mode can be selected only when using a 60/74/80-minute standard
disc in Hi-MD mode for recording.

Notes

• A transfer will fail and an error message will appear in the following cases:

—When there is no enough free space on the disc.
—When the track is subject to playback restrictions.

• During the transfer, the system suspend, sleep, or hibernation function will not operate.

• Depending on the type of the text and number of characters, the text entered by SonicStage may not be

displayed on the connected MD Walkman. This is due to the limitations of the connected MD
Walkman.

z

If you are using a camera-equipped Hi-MD Walkman in Hi-MD mode, whenever you select an album
for which album art has been registered, the cover art is transferred to the Hi-MD Walkman along with
the album. Cover art is not be transferred in the case of individual tracks.

58

Transferring back audio data from the MD Walkman to your computer

[Transfer ]

The My Library
list

List of tracks on
the MD

Transferring from the MD Walkman back to your computer

Audio data that has been transferred from your computer and stored on the MD can be
transferred back to My Library of SonicStage on your computer.

1 Insert a disc into the MD Walkman and connect the MD Walkman to your

computer.

Use the supplied dedicated USB cable for the MD Walkman to connect the MD
Walkman to your computer.
For details about connections, see page page 32 on “Player Operation”.
Do not disconnect the power source or the dedicated USB cable before the transfer has
completed.

2 Point to [Transfer ] on the upper-right side of the screen and click [Hi-MD]

or [Net MD].

The screen is switched to the transfer (Hi-MD or Net MD) screen.

3 In the list on the right side of the screen (Hi-MD or Net MD), click to select

the tracks you want to transfer to your computer.

continued

59

4 Click in the middle of the screen.

The transferring of the tracks selected in step 3 starts.

To stop transferring

Click .

To import cover art set using a camera-equipped Hi-MD Walkman
to My Library

If you are using a camera-equipped Hi-MD Walkman in Hi-MD mode, you can modify the cover art for
any group transferred from My Library, as well as register the covet art for another group. The
following two ways can be used to import the cover art to My Library.

• Insert the disc with the updated cover art, and then press the [ Auto Import] button on the bottom-

right side of the screen.
The cover art in My Library is automatically updated.

• Select the group for which you want to import the cover art by clicking it on the right side (Hi-MD

side) of the display, select [Import Cover Art] from the right-click menu, and then select the album for
which you want to add the cover art from the “Select an Album” dialog box.

Note

Tracks transferred to the MD Walkman from another computer cannot be transferred back to My
Library on your computer.

Importing tracks recorded on a Hi-MD Walkman* to your computer

Tracks that have been recorded on a Hi-MD Walkman* can be imported to My Library of
SonicStage on your computer only once.

∗ Only tracks recorded in Hi-MD mode

1 Insert recordable disc into the Hi-MD Walkman and connect the Hi-MD

Walkman to your computer.

2 Point to [Transfer ] on the upper-right side of the screen and click [Hi-MD].

The screen is switched to the transfer (Hi-MD) screen.

3 Click the tracks you want to transfer in the Hi-MD list on the right side of the

screen.

To transfer more than one track, hold down the [Ctrl] key while selecting the tracks.
To transfer all tracks of the group, click the group.

60

4 Click in the middle of the screen.

The “Import” dialog box appears.

5 Click [Yes].

The importing of the tracks selected in step 3 starts.

To stop importing

Click .

z

When tracks recorded in analog are included on a Hi-MD, a dialog box appears confirming whether to
save those tracks in WAV format. To save the tracks as WAV format music files, select the check box
next to “Save in WAV format when importing”, click Browse button and specify a destination folder as
necessary, and click the [OK] button.

Note

Notes

• You cannot import tracks that were recorded in a Net MD mode (MD mode) to your computer, or

tracks that have been recorded on a device that does not support Hi-MD mode.

• Before importing tracks recorded on the Hi-MD Walkman to the computer, click [Settings] in the

middle of the screen to display “Transfer Mode Settings” dialog box, and then confirm the status of
the [Import settings] check box (it is checked by default) in [Advanced...]. Then do as follows:
— To import tracks to My Library while deleting them on the Hi-MD Walkman, uncheck the box.
— To import tracks to My Library while leaving the copy of them on the Hi-MD Walkman, check the

box. Tracks left on the Hi-MD Walkman are treated the same as tracks that have been automatically
transferred from the computer. For this reason, they cannot be divided or combined on the Hi-MD
Wal km an .

• When you transfer tracks recorded in linear PCM on the Hi-MD Walkman to a computer for editing

(dividing or combining) in My Library, the editing may take a long time, depending on the length of
the tracks and capabilities of your computer. This is due to limitations in the MiniDisc system. If you
want to edit long tracks recorded in linear PCM, we recommend that you do the editing on the Hi-MD
Walkman first, and then transfer the edited data to a computer afterwards.

61

Writing audio data to a CD-R/CD-RW disc

You can write tracks in My Library of SonicStage to a CD-R/CD-RW disc. Analog tracks
recorded on a Hi-MD device and imported to My Library can be written to and enjoyed on
a CD-R/CD-RW. The number of times data can be written may be limited due to copyright
restrictions.

[Transfer ]

Operation Status
Display

The My Library list

The tentative list
of items to be
written to the
CD-R/CD-RW
disc

1 Point to [Transfer ] on the upper-right side of the screen, and then select the

type of CD to be created.

To create an audio CD, select [Create an Audio CD]. To create an ATRAC CD, select
[Create an ATRAC CD]. To create an MP3 CD, select [Create an MP3 CD].
ATRAC CDs can be played only on devices that support ATRAC CDs. MP3 CDs can
be played only on devices that support MP3 CDs.

2 Insert a blank CD-R/CD-RW disc into the disc drive of your computer.

Use a CD-R/CD-RW with a recording capacity of 650MB or 700MB. Data may not be
correctly written if a disc of another capacity is used.

3 Select the albums or tracks to be written to the CD-R/CD-RW disc by clicking

them in the My Library list on the left side of the screen

By double-clicking an album, you can see a list of the tracks on the album and select
the tracks you want.

62

.

4 Click in the middle of the screen.

The selected albums or tracks appear on the right side of the screen (the CD-R/CD­RW) as a tentative list of items to be written.

5 Click in the right of the screen.

The “Writing Settings” dialog box appears allowing you to set options for writing.

6 Click [OK].

Writing to the disc begins.
A message appears when writing has completed.

7 Click [OK].

The disc is automatically ejected, and the screen returns to the Transfer (CD Creation)
screen.

To cancel track writing

1 Click in the Operation Status Display while tracks are being written to the disc.

Writing to the disc is canceled and a message appears.

2 Click [OK].

The disc is automatically ejected, and the screen returns to the Transfer (CD Creation) screen.

Note

Notes

• Only tracks in MP3 format can be written to an MP3 CD.

• Tracks that have been digitally recorded on a Hi-MD device and then imported to SonicStage cannot

be written to an audio CD. However, analog tracks recorded on a Hi-MD device can be written to a
CD.

63

Using SonicStage Help

SonicStage Help provides further details on how to use SonicStage. SonicStage Help
allows you to search easily for information from a list of operations, such as “Importing
Tracks” or “Transferring Tracks”, or from large list of keywords, or by typing in words that
might lead you to the appropriate explanations.

To display SonicStage Help

Click [Help]

z

You can display SonicStage Help by selecting the following:
[Start] – [All Programs]*– [SonicStage] – [SonicStage Help]

∗ [Programs] in the case of Windows 2000 Professional/Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98

Second Edition

Notes

• In SonicStage Help, “Device/Media” is the general term for the external device such as the MD

Walkman, the Network Walkman, and the CD Walkman.

• Follow the instructions of your internet provider regarding such things as recommended system

environment when using EMD services.

– [SonicStage Help] while SonicStage is running.

[SonicStage Help]

.

64

Understanding SonicStage Help

The left side frame

1 Double click [Overview] in the left-side frame.

2 Click [About This Help File].

The explanation will appear in the right-side frame.

3 Read the text.

Scroll the display if necessary.
Click underlined words to jump to their explanations.

Searching for a word inside an explanation

[Search]

“Type in the keyword

to find” text box

List Topics

The list of the words

that you searched

1 Click [Search] to open the “Search” window.

2 Type in the words.

3 Click [List Topics].

A list of the words that were searched is displayed.

4 Click to select the desired item among those displayed.

5 Click [Display].

An explanation of the selected item is displayed.

The right side frame

An explanations
of the selected
item

[Display]

65

Referring to SonicStage Help

Click [Contents] on the left side of the Help window to view a list of items for each
operation. Click on any items for details.

Importing audio data to the computer

To SonicStage Help

Import audio data from the
Internet

Import audio files on the
computer in SonicStage

Listening to audio data on the computer

To SonicStage Help

Listen to audio data from the
CD drive or My Library

Listen to audio data on the MD
Walkman connected to the
computer

Managing and editing imported tracks

[Importing Tracks]
Service Site]

[Importing Tracks]

[Music Playback]
[Playing Back a Track in My Library]

[Music Playback]
Media]

– [Purchasing Tracks from a Music

– [Importing Music Files]

– [Playing Back an Audio CD] or

– [Playing Back a Track on a Device/

To SonicStage Help

Change information related to
CD information downloading

Edit an album
Delete the tracks

Change the destination directly
for track storage

[Changing SonicStage Settings]
for the CD Drive]

[Managing Tracks and Albums]
Albums]

[Changing SonicStage Settings]
Location for Saving Imported Files]

66

– [Changing Settings

– [Creating/Editing

– [Changing the

Backing up audio data

We recommend that you back up your music data as a precaution against hard disk crashes
or computer replacement.

To SonicStage Help

Back up audio data in My
Library

Look up about SonicStage
backup

[Backing Up My Library]
Disk]

[Backing Up My Library]
Backup Tool]

– [Backing Up Data to a

– [FAQ-About SonicStage

Troubleshooting

To SonicStage Help

Look up troubleshooting
procedure

[Additional Information]

– [Troubleshooting]

When you want to know

To SonicStage Help

Look up unknown words [Additional Information]

Look up the kinds of audio data
that can be managed by
SonicStage

Look up the kinds of functions
that can be used with
SonicStage

Look up changes since an
earlier version

[Overview]

[Overview]

[For Users of Earlier Versions of SonicStage]
[Differences from Earlier Versions]

– [Content Handled Within SonicStage]

– [Features]

– [Glossary]

–

67

Using MD Simple Burner

Before using MD Simple Burner

MD Simple Burner allows you to record music tracks from an audio CD in the CD drive of
your computer to the MD Walkman.

There are two ways to record from an audio CD.

• Simple mode (page 69)

You can use MD Walkman operations to record an entire CD or only the first track
without launching MD Simple Burner.

• Standard mode (page 70)

You can launch MD Simple Burner to record using computer operations. Record an entire
CD or selected tracks.

Notes

• You cannot record in simple mode while the MD Simple Burner in standard mode or OpenMG

software (SonicStage, OpenMG Jukebox, etc.) is active.

• Only audio CDs with a mark can be used with MD Simple Burner.

• We do not guarantee normal operation in the case of the copy-controlled CDs.

68

Recording using MD Walkman operations (Simple mode)

1 Insert a recordable disc into the MD Walkman and then connect the MD

Walkman to the computer.

For details about connections, see page 32 on “Player Operation” section.
Do not disconnect the power source or the dedicated USB cable before the transfer has
completed.

2 Insert the audio CD that you want to record into the CD drive of your

computer.

The CDDB registration window appears when you use the CDDB for the first time.
You need to connect the computer to the Internet in order to use the CDDB.

3 Press and hold DOWNLOAD for 2 seconds or more on the MD Walkman.

The recording starts.
All tracks on the CD are recorded as a new group.

To stop recording

Click on the computer display.
While the first track is being recorded, you can use x (stop) button to stop on the MD
Walkman.

Setting the recording mode

Before starting recording, right-click the MD Simple Burner icon in the task tray, and
then select in [recording mode].

• [Net MD]: [LP2] or [LP4]

• [Hi-MD]: [PCM], [Hi-SP], [Hi-LP], or [48kbps]

Recording first track only

Before starting recording, right-click the MD Simple Burner icon in the task tray, and
then select [Recording settings]

Setting when the CDDB has more than one item of information

Right-click the MD Simple Burner icon in the task tray, and then select the setting by
clicking [CDDB(r)]

— [User Selection]: A selection window is displayed
— [No Resolve]: No CD information is downloaded
— [First Choice]: The first item is downloaded

– [Multiple Matches].

– [Record 1st Track Only].

69

Recording by computer operations (Standard mode)

To start MD Simple Burner, click [Start] – [All Programs]* – [MD Simple Burner] – [MD
Simple Burner].

∗ [Programs] in the case of Windows 2000 Professional/Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98

Second Edition

z

There are other ways to start up MD Simple Burner as follows:

• Double-click the MD Simple Burner icon in the task tray, or right-click and select [Show

Standard Mode].

• Double-click the MD Simple Burner shortcut icon on the desktop.

The window for recording all tracks on the CD

[REC/STOP]

To start recording all tracks on the CD as
a new group, click here.
To stop recording, click [STOP].

CD icon

Artist name (CD)

70

Total time of the
selected tracks of CD

Album name (CD)

[Open]

To open the display
as shown on page
71, click here.

MD icon

Recording mode drop down menu

Net MD: LP2/LP4
Hi-MD: PCM/Hi-SP/Hi-LP/48kbps

Disc name (MD)

Remaining
recording time of
the inserted MD

The window for recording selected tracks from an audio CD

Track information
(CD)

Artist name

To deselect all tracks, click here.

To select all tracks, click here.

Total time of the
selected tracks of CD

Album Title

[Get CD Info]

Information of an audio CD
(album name, track title,
etc.) will be reflected in the
track list.

CD operating section

Use these controls to confirm the tracks on audio CD to
be recorded

[CONFIG]

Click here to do the following:

-Set the CD-ROM drive

-View version information for MD Simple Burner

-Confirm CD information registered in the CDDB

Track information (MD)

[REC/
STOP]

[Close]

To close the display as shown
on page 70, click here.

Disc name
(MD)

[New Group]

Recording mode
drop down menu

You can change the
track name and track
number

[Erase]

[All Erase]

Check boxes

Check the box of the tracks
that you want to record

Remaining time of the inserted MD

71

Other information

Uninstalling SonicStage/MD Simple Burner

To uninstall SonicStage/MD Simple Burner, follow the procedures below.

1 Click [Start]–[Control Panel]*.

∗ [Settings]–[Control Panel] in the case of Windows 2000 Professional/Windows Millennium

Edition/Windows 98 Second Edition

2 Double-click [Add/Remove Programs].

3 Click [SonicStage 3.0.xx] or [MD Simple Burner 2.0.xx] in the “Currently

Installed Programs” list, and then click [Change and Remove]

Follow the displayed instruction and restart your computer. The uninstallation is
completed when the computer has restarted.

∗ [Change/Remove] in the case of Windows 2000 Professional, [Add/Remove] in the case of

Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98 Second Edition

Note

When you install SonicStage Ver. 3.0/MD Simple Burner Ver. 2.0, OpenMG Secure Module 4.1 is
installed at the same time. Do not delete OpenMG Secure Module 4.1 since it may be used by other
software.

*

.

72

On copyright protection

The OpenMG technology allows you to enjoy digital music, while maintaining the
copyrights of its holders.

Restrictions on audio content

High-quality digital audio content is widely available through music distribution services
on the Internet. To protect the copyrights of its holders from unauthorized distribution,
some audio content is distributed with certain restrictions on recording and playback. For
example, the playback period or playback count for the data may be limited.

73

Troubleshooting

Please refer to the following steps if you encounter a problem while using SonicStage/MD
Simple Burner.

1 Check the symptoms in this “Troubleshooting” section.

2 Check the symptoms in SonicStage Help when you use SonicStage.

3 If the problem cannot be solved after checking the above references, check the

following table and then consult your nearest Sony dealer.

Computer

• Manufacturer:

•Model:

• Type: Desktop type / Laptop type

Name of operating system:

RAM capacity:

Hard disk drive (containing SonicStage/MD Simple Burner and audio data)

• Capacity of the drive:

• Free space:

Version of the software

• SonicStage Ver. 3.0

• MD Simple Burner Ver. 2.0

Error Message (if one appear):

If an externally connected CD-ROM drive is used

• Manufacturer:

• Model:

• Type: CD-ROM / CD-R/RW / DVD-ROM / Other ( )

• Type of connection to the computer: PC card / USB / IEEE1394 / Other ( )

If another device with USB connection is used

• Name of the device (or devices):

1)

To check the SonicStage software version, go to [Help] – [About SonicStage] in the SonicStage
window.

2)

To check the MD Simple Burner software version, go to [CONFIG] – [Version] in the MD Simple
Burner window.

1)

2)

74

The software cannot be installed onto your computer

Problem Cause/Remedy

The installation was not
successful.

The installation appears to have
stopped before it has
completed.

The progress bar on the display
is not moving. The access lamp
has not lit for a few minutes.

You are using an OS that does not support this software.
tSee page 52 for more details.
All windows applications are not closed.
tIf you start the installation while other programs are

running, a malfunction may occur. This is especially
true for programs that require large amounts of
system resources, such as virus-check software.

There is not enough hard disk space on your hard disk.
tYou need 200MB or more free space on your hard

disk.

Check for the appearance of an error message beneath
the installation window.
tPress the [Tab] key while holding down the [Alt]

key. If an error message has appeared, press the
[Enter] key. The installation will resume. If there is
no message, the installation is still in progress. Wait
a little while longer.

The installation is progressing normally.
tPlease wait.

The installation may take 30 minutes or more,
depending on your CD drive or system environment.

75

Using a MD Walkman connected to the computer

Problem Cause/Remedy

Your computer does not
recognize the MD Walkman.

Even though the dedicated
USB cable is used to connect
the MD Walkman to the
computer, the display on the
MD Walkman does not indicate
it is connected.

Even though your computer
recognize the MD Walkman, it
does not operate normally.

The MD Walkman is not firmly connected with the
supplied dedicated USB cable to the computer.

tReconnect the MD Walkman to the computer firmly.
tRemove and reconnect the MD Walkman. If the

computer still does not recognize the MD Walkman,
disconnect the cable, restart the computer, and then
make the connection again.

A disc is not inserted in the MD Walkman.
tCheck if a disc is inserted in the MD Walkman.
The Net MD driver is not be installed.
tInstall the SonicStage/MD Simple Burner software

using the supplied CD-ROM.

The software installation failed.
tDisconnect the connected device and install the

software again using the supplied CD-ROM.

The supplied dedicated USB cable is disconnected.
tConnect the supplied dedicated USB cable firmly.
The connections are made through a USB hub.
tOperations are not guaranteed for USB-hub

connections. Connect the MD Walkman directly to
the USB connector on the computer.

It takes time to recognize SonicStage.
tPlease wait.
The other application software is running.
tReconnect the supplied dedicated USB cable after a

while. If the computer still does not recognize the
MD Walkman, disconnect the MD Walkman, restart
the computer, and connect the dedicated USB cable
again.

The supplied dedicated USB cable is disconnected.
tConnect the supplied dedicated USB cable firmly.
The connections are made through a USB hub.
tOperations are not guaranteed for USB-hub

connections. Connect the MD Walkman directly to
the USB connector on the computer.

76

Index

A

A-B Repeat 23
Accessories

ATRAC3plus 46
AVLS 27

38

optional
supplied 10

B

Battery 13
Battery life 14
BEEP 28
Bookmark 22

C

CD drive 52
CDDB 52, 69
CD-R/RW drive 52
CD-ROM 53
Checking

playing position
remaining time 19

Cleaning 36
Connecting 69

computer 32

Contrast 30
Copyright protection 73

19

D

Data storage 34
Disc memory 28
Disc Mode 30
Display 12, 19
DSP TYPE-S 48

E

EMD service 52

G

G-PROTECTION 48

H

Hard disk

free space

Hi-MD 46
HOLD 12, 13

52

I

Importing 55
Installing 52

L

Linear PCM 46

M

MD Simple Burner 68
Menu 18
Menu Mode 27
My Library 55

O

OpenMG Secure Module 4.1 72

P

Play mode

Main Play Mode
Repeat Play 24
Sub Play Mode 23

20

Q

Quick mode 29

R

Recording mode 69
Recording mode (Bit rate) 56

S

Search 24
Simple mode 69
SonicStage 55
SonicStage Help 64
Start (software)

MD Simple Burner
SonicStage 55

Storage space 35
System environment 52
System limitations 52

70

T

Transferring

to the MD Walkman
to your computer 59

57

U

Uninstalling 72
USB cable 10, 32
USB port 52

77

W

WAV 61
Windows 2000 Professional 52, 55, 64,

70, 72

Windows 98 Second Edition 52, 55, 64,

70, 72

Windows Media Player 52
Windows Millennium Edition 52, 55, 64,

70, 72

Windows XP Home Edition 52
Windows XP Media Center Edition 52
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 52
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 52
Windows XP Professional 52
WMA 50, 52

78

This warranty is valid only in Canada.