Sony MZ-RH1 User Manual

2-669-084-13 (1)

Operating Instructions

MZ-RH1
MZ-M200

Hi-MD Walkman

®

Portable
MD Recorder

“WALKMAN“ and “WALKMAN” logo are registered
trademarks of Sony Corporation.

© 2006 Sony Corporation

WARNING

To reduce the risk of fire or electric
shock, do not expose this apparatus
to rain or moisture.

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

To reduce the risk of fire, do not cover the
ventilation of the apparatus with newspapers,
table-cloths, curtains, etc. And do not place
lighted candles on the apparatus.

To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock,
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 – INVISIBLE LASER
RADIATION WHEN OPEN

AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM

CAUTION – CLASS 1M INVISIBLE
LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN

DO NOT VIEW DIRECTLY WITH
OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS

CAUTION

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly
replaced. Replace only with the same or
equivalent type.

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 rear.
Record the serial and the model numbers
in the space provided below. Refer to them
whenever you call upon your Sony dealer
regarding this product.
Model No. _______________________
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:
www.sony.com/walkmansupport

Sony Network Portable Audio Support Line
1-(866)-456-7669

Sony Customer Information Services Center
12451 Gateway Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33913

2

For the customers in the USA and
Canada only

RECYCLING LITHIUM-ION
BATTERIES

Lithium-ion batteries are
recyclable.
You can help preserve our
environment by returning
your used rechargeable
batteries to the collection and recycling
location nearest you.
For more information regarding
recycling of rechargeable batteries, call
toll free 1-800-822-8837, or visit http://
www.rbrc.org/

Caution: Do not handle damaged or
leaking Lithium-ion batteries.

The validity of the CE marking is restricted
to only those countries where it is legally
enforced, mainly in the countries EEA
(European Economic Area).

Disposal of Old Electrical &
Electronic Equipment
(Applicable in the European Union
and other European countries with
separate collection systems)

This symbol on the product or
on its packaging indicates that
this product shall not be treated
as household waste. Instead
it shall be handed over to the

applicable collection point for
the recycling of electrical and electronic
equipment. By ensuring this product is
disposed of correctly, you will help prevent
potential negative consequences for the
environment and human health, which could
otherwise be caused by inappropriate waste
handling of this product. The recycling
of materials will help to conserve natural
resources. For more detailed information
about recycling of this product, please
contact your local Civic Office, your
household waste disposal service or the shop
where you purchased the product.
Applicable accessories: Remote control,
Earphones

Declaration of Conformity

Trade Name: SONY
Model No.: MZ-RH1, MZ-M200
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics
Inc.
Address: 16530 Via Esprillo, 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 ....................................6

What you can do with this product ......8

Getting Started

Checking the supplied

accessories ...........................................9

Guide to Parts and Controls ...............12

Preparing a Power Source .................14

The types of discs that you can

use .......................................................17

About the recorder operation modes 17

Using the recorder with a computer

What you can do through connection

with a computer ................................. 18

Installing the SonicStage/MD Simple

Burner software .................................. 19

System requirements ................................ 19

Installing SonicStage/MD Simple Burner

onto your computer ................................. 20

Connecting the recorder to your

computer .............................................21

Using SonicStage ...............................23

Importing audio data ................................23

Transferring audio data from your computer

to the recorder .......................................... 24

Transferring audio data from the recorder to

your computer .......................................... 25

Viewing SonicStage Help ......................... 26

Using MD Simple Burner ....................27

Recording using the recorder operations

(Simple mode) ......................................... 27

Recording by computer operations

(Standard mode) ......................................28

Storing non-audio data to a disc ....... 30

Table of Contents

For the customers in Netherlands

Voor de Klanten in Nederland

Gooi de batterij niet weg
maar lever deze in als klein
chemisch afval (KCA).

For the customers in Russia

4

Recording on a disc

Recording on a disc ...........................31

Displayed items during recording .....35

Recording from externally connected

component ..........................................37

Playing a disc

Playing a disc ......................................39

Displayed items during playback .......41

Selecting the play mode .....................43

Playing tracks in the selected play mode ..43

Listening to selected tracks only

(Bookmark Play) ..................................... 43

Playing tracks repeatedly (Repeat Play) ...44

Listening to a section of a track repeatedly

(A-B Repeat) ........................................... 44

Adjusting the sound ...........................45

Varying the virtual sound to create different

acoustics (Virtual-Surround) ................... 45

Selecting the sound quality (6-Band

Equalizer) ................................................ 45

Normalizing the playback sound level

automatically (Dynamic Normalizer) ......46

Editing

Dividing a track (Divide) ..................... 47

Adjusting the dividing point before dividing

a track (Divide Rehearsal) ....................... 47

Combining tracks (Combine) .............48

Using the Menu

Using the Menu ................................49

Menus for recording ...........................50

Adjusting the recording level manually ... 52

Menu for playback ............................... 53

Menus for editing ................................ 54

Menus on the recorder .............................. 54

Menus on the remote ................................54

Moving a track on a disc .......................... 56

Changing the order of a group on a disc ..56

Adding titles (Title Input) ........................ 57

Option menus ......................................58

Setting the clock .......................................61

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting ..................................62

Messages .............................................71

Additional Information

Precautions ......................................... 75

Specification .......................................78

Explanations .......................................80

Index ....................................................85

5

Notice for Users

On the supplied SonicStage/MD

Simple Burner 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 recorder.

• 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 recorder
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 recorder 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.

Trial recording

Before you record one-time events, you may
want to make a trial recording to make sure
that the recorder is working correctly.

No compensation for recording
failures

Sony cannot provide compensation for any
failure in recording caused by a malfunction
in this recorder or the recording media, etc.

Precaution on copyright

Television programs, films, video tapes,
and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording of such materials
may be contrary to the provision of the
copyright laws.

6

Program © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Sony Corporation
Documentation © 2006 Sony Corporation

Trademarks

• SonicStage is a trademark or registered
trademark of Sony Corporation.

• MD Simple Burner, OpenMG,
“MagicGate”, “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.

• Pentium is a trademark or registered
trademark of Intel Corporation.

• MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology
and patents licensed from Fraunhofer IIS
and Thomson.

• 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 © 2000­2004 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.

7

What you can do with this product

Not only can you record and play music data on this recorder, you can also transfer audio data to it
from a computer using the supplied SonicStage software. Furthermore, you can transfer audio data
that you’ve recorded directly on the recorder or another MD component to the computer, and then
manage the data on the computer.

Transfer music data
recorded on the recorder
or another MD component
from the recorder to the
computer

Audio CDs, Internet, Music Files, etc.
(You can also transfer non audio
data, such as text data, image data,
etc. to the recorder.)

Transfer audio data to the
recorder

(LinearPCM/ATRAC/MP3)

Recording by microphone
Digital recording
Analog recording

The supplied/optional headphones/
earphones, speakers, stereo system, etc.

Playing ( page 39)Recording ( page 31)

Using the recorder with a computer ( page 18)

8

Getting Started

Checking the supplied accessories

• AC power adaptor • AC power cord1)

(100 V - 240 V)

• USB cable

• Remote control

2)

• Earphones

• LIP-4WM Lithium- • Rechargeable

ion rechargeable battery case

battery

• Stereo microphone

(MZ-M200 only)

S
T

E
R

E
O

S
T

E
R

E
O

• Optical cable (for the European, Asian and

Chilean models)

• Carrying pouch

• Ferrite core (small size)

– Three for the European, Asian and

Chilean models

– Two for the MZ-RH1 North American and

Latin American models

– One for the MZ-M200 North American

model

• 1GB Hi-MD disc (except for the European,

Asian and Chilean models)

• CD-ROM3)
(Windows: SonicStage/MD Simple Burner,
Macintosh: Hi-MD Music Transfer for Mac)

• Operating Instructions (this manual)

• Operating Instructions (Hi-MD Music
Transfer for Mac)

1)

The shape of the plug differs according to the

region where the recorder was purchased. Two
cords with differently shaped plugs are supplied
with the models for Europe, Asia and Chile.
Use the one that corresponds with the outlet
configuration in the region where it is used.

2)

For the North American and Latin American

models, remote with a ferrite core is supplied.

3)

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

For details on “Hi-MD Music Transfer for Mac”,
refer to the instruction sheet supplied with this
recorder.

Note

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

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

• Make sure not to put the recorder into a bag with
the remote or the headphones/earphones cord
wrapped around it and then subject the bag to
strong impact.

9

Getting Started

How to use the supplied ferrite core

This recorder comes with ferrite cores for
connection to the supplied remote, the
optional stereo microphone and the optional
line cable. (You must attach the ferrite
cores to comply with the applicable EMC
standards.) Be sure to connect them when
using the recorder with a computer. If not,
there is no need to connect them.

1 Open the ferrite core.

ESD-SR-110 for the optional
stereo microphone and the
optional line cable

2017-0930 for the optional
line cable

For the MZ-RH1 North American and Latin
American models:

ESD-SR-110 for the supplied
remote and the optional stereo
microphone

For the European, Asian and Chilean models:

For the MZ-M200 North American model:

ESD-SR-110 for the optional
line cable

2 Wind the cord around the ferrite cores as

follows.

For the European, Asian and Chilean

models:

• For the supplied remote control: Wind the
cord around the ferrite core once/ Approx.
4 cm (1.6 in.) from the plug

• For the optional stereo microphone: Wind
the cord around the ferrite core twice/
Approx. 1 cm (0.6 in.) from the plug

• For the optional line cable: Wind the cord
around the ferrite core once/ Approx. 1
cm (0.6 in.) from the plug

For the MZ-RH1 North American and

Latin American models:

• For the optional stereo microphone: Wind
the cord around the ferrite core twice/
Approx. 1 cm (0.6 in.) from the plug

• For the optional line cable: Pass the cord
through the ferrite core/ Approx. 1 cm
(0.6 in.) from the plug

For the MZ-M200 North American model:

• For the optional line cable: Pass the cord
through the ferrite core/ Approx. 1 cm
(0.6 in.) from the plug

Refer to step 2 for the
distance from the plug
connected to the recorder.

3 Close the ferrite core. Make sure the

clasps are fully engaged.

To attach the clip in the opposite direction

1 Remove the clip.

2 Attach the clip in the opposite direction.

10

Optional accessories

• Optical cable POC-15B, POC-15AB

• Line cable RK-G129, RK-G136

• Stereo microphones ECM-MS907,
ECM-719

• MDR-series Stereo Headphones/earphones*

• SRS-series Active Speakers

• Recordable MDs ES-series

• 1GB Hi-MD disc HMD1GA

• LIP-4WM Lithium-ion rechargeable battery

* When using optional headphones/

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

You cannot use as follows.

• Rotally commander RM-WMC1

• MD label printer MZP-1

• IC memory repeat learning MD controller
RPT-M1

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

11

Getting Started

Guide to Parts and Controls

Recorder

Remote

12



OPEN button ( pages 31, 39)



LINE IN (OPT) jack ( page 37)



MIC (PLUG IN POWER)* jack ( page

31)



 (earphones)/LINE OUT jack ( pages

39, 59)



Recorder: VOL +*/– buttons ( pages

39, 61)
Remote: VOL +/– control ( pages 39,

46)



Recorder: • DISPLAY/ MENU button

( pages 32, 35, 41, 49)
Remote: DISPLAY button ( pages 36,
42, 49)



Operation lamp ( pages 33, 35, 41)



Display window ( pages 35, 41)



HOLD switch ( page 15)



Recorder:  (stop) · CANCEL button
( pages 22, 33, 40, 49)
Remote:  (stop) button ( pages 40,

49)



 (pause) button ( pages 33, 40, 48)



REC switch ( pages 27, 33)



T MARK button ( pages 33, 47)



Recorder: Jog lever (  (play)/ENT*,

FF (AMS, fast forward), FR (AMS, fast
rewind)) ( pages 39, 47, 49)

Move (FF/FR)

Push (/ENT)

FF

FR

Remote: Jog lever ( (play, pause)/

ENT,  (AMS, fast rewind), 
(AMS, fast forward)) ( pages 39, 49)



USB cable connecting jack ( pages 14,

21, 37)



Battery compartment ( page 14)



(group) +/– button ( pages 40, 58)



Clip ( page 10)



P MODE/ (repeat) button ( pages 43,

58)



SOUND button ( pages 45, 58)

* There is a tactile dot.

Locking the controls (HOLD)

Slide the HOLD switch  on the recorder or
on the remote in the direction of the arrow.
You can prevent accidental button presses
while carrying the recorder by locking the
controls. You can use the HOLD function for
the recorder and the remote separately. For
example, even if the HOLD function on the
recorder is activated, you can operate the
recorder by using the remote unless you set
HOLD on the remote to on, too.

13

Getting Started

Preparing a Power Source

Charge the rechargeable battery before using
it for the first time or when it is depleted.
Operations can be done on the recorder or the
remote while charging.

1

Slide and open the battery

compartment lid in the direction of
the arrow.

2

Insert the rechargeable battery.

Insert it starting with the  and 
terminal end.

Insert the battery with
the label side facing up.

3

Close the lid.

4

Connect the AC power cord and the

USB cable to the AC power adaptor.

AC power adaptor

USB cable

AC power cord

5

Connect the other end of the USB

cable to the recorder and the AC
power cord to a wall outlet.

To a wall
outlet

Recorder

To the USB cable
connecting jack

6

Confirm that charging has started.

When charging starts, and the
charging time (“Charging --min left”)
appear at the start of charging. When the
charging time disappears, charging ends
once and the battery becomes sufficiently
charged. A completely depleted battery
takes about one hour to reach this point,
at which time it is approximately 80%
charged. For a 100% charge, an additional
2 hours of charging is needed.
If the charging time indication disappears
after a short time, this means the battery is
sufficiently charged.

14

Charging the rechargeable battery by
computer connection (USB bus power)

You can charge the recorder’s rechargeable
battery by connecting the recorder to a USB
port of a computer. When you connect the
recorder to the computer, power (bus power)
from the computer begins to charge the
recorder’s rechargeable battery.
A completely depleted battery attains about
80% charge in about one hour. For 100%
charge, an additional 2 hours of charging is
needed.
For connection details, refer to the
“Connecting the recorder to your computer”
( page 21).

Notes

• Power from the computer to the recorder stops
when the computer changes to system suspend,
sleep, or hibernation mode while the recorder is
connected to the computer.

• When charging the rechargeable battery, make
sure to insert the battery into the recorder before
connecting the USB cable. If you insert the battery
after connecting the USB cable, the battery may not
be charged.

• Charge the rechargeable battery at a temperature of
+5 °C (+41 °F) to +35 °C (+95 °F). The charging
time may vary according to the recorder condition
and the surrounding temperature.

• Repeated recharging causes the capacity of the
rechargeable battery to decrease over time. As a
result, the displayed charging time will become
shorter as the battery is used.

• Stop the recorder before replacing the rechargeable
battery.

• Connecting the recorder to a wall outlet is
recommended during times of long use, as when
recording.

• It is possible to do operations on the recorder or
the remote while charging the battery with the
AC power adaptor, as well as computer-related
operations while charging with USB bus power.
However, the charging time will be longer.

• When connecting the USB cable to the recorder,
make sure not to touch the jog lever or buttons on
the recorder. If the jog lever or any other buttons
are pressed at the time you connect the USB cable,
battery charging may not start.

To check the remaining power of the
battery

The remaining power of the battery is
indicated in the display as shown below. As
the indicator decreases, the remaining power
is depleted further.

   

, “LOW BATTERY”

Notes

• The display shows the approximate battery power
remaining.

• Depending on the operating conditions, the display
may increase or decrease relative to the actual
power remaining.

Before using the recorder

Make sure the recorder is not locked ( page

13). Slide the HOLD switch on the recorder

or on the remote in the opposite direction of
the arrow.

HOLD switch

HOLD switch

15

Getting Started

Battery life

1)

This value varies depending on how the recorder is used.

When recording/playing continuously in Hi-MD mode (Unit: approx. hours)

When Disc type LinearPCM Hi-SP Hi-LP MP3

2)

Recording 1GB Hi-MD disc 6 9 10.5 —

3)

60/74/80-minute
standard disc

5 9 10.5 —

3)

Playing 1GB Hi-MD disc 10 15.5 19 16.5

60/74/80-minute
standard disc

8 14.5 18.5 16

When recording/playing continuously in MD mode (Unit: approx. hours)

When Disc type SP LP2 LP4

Recording 60/74/80-minute standard disc 8.5 10.5 12

Playing 60/74/80-minute standard disc 15.5 17.5 19

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

1)

Measured using a fully charged lithium-ion rechargeable battery with “EL Light” in the menu set to “Auto Off”
( page 59).

2)

When transferring at 128 kbps

3)

The recorder cannot record in MP3 mode. Transfer MP3 audio data using the supplied SonicStage software

( page 24).

Note

Repeated recharging causes the capacity of the rechargeable battery to decrease over time. As a result, the battery
life will become shorter as the battery is used. Please replace the battery when the battery life reaches about half
the time listed above.

16

The types of discs that you can use

This recorder supports the following discs:

1 GB Hi-MD disc 60/74/80-minute

standard disc

About the recorder operation modes

The recorder has two operation modes, “Hi-MD mode” and “MD mode”.
The operation mode is automatically recognized whenever the disc is inserted.

1 GB Hi-MD disc

Use the disc as is

Use the disc as is

Select Hi-MD mode

Select MD mode

60/74/80-minute standard disc

The disc
contains
material
recorded in
Hi-MD mode

Blank disc

The disc
contains
material
recorded in
MD mode

Select the operation mode in
the “Disc Mode” ( page 59)
setting of the recorder menu, or
the operation mode setting of
the supplied software.

Hi-MD mode

You can enjoy the Hi-MD
functions.

A disc recorded in Hi-MD
mode cannot be used on an
MD player or MD Walkman
that does not support Hi-MD
mode.

MD mode

A disc recorded in MD mode
can also be used on an MD
player or MD Walkman that
does not support Hi-MD
mode, but the Hi-MD
functions cannot be used.

Use the disc as is

17

Getting Started

Using the recorder with a computer

What you can do through connection with a computer

When using the supplied software

• Transfer audio data between the
computer and the recorder

The supplied SonicStage software allows

you to transfer audio data between the
recorder and your computer. You can
transfer audio data from the computer to
the recorder or audio data that you have
recorded on the recorder or another MD
component to the computer. For detailed
explanations, refer to SonicStage Help.

• 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
recorder.

When using the disc in the recorder as a
storage device

When using the recorder in Hi-MD mode, the
recorder 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 30).

Charging the rechargeable battery of the
recorder (USB bus power)

You can charge the rechargeable battery while
the recorder is connected to a computer.

When using a Macintosh computer

Refer to the “Hi-MD Music Transfer for
Mac” instruction sheet supplied with this
recorder.



When playing audio files using the software, the
sound is output from

• the computer’s speakers when a disc used in Hi-

MD mode is inserted; or

• the equipment such as earphones connected to the

recorder when a disc used in MD mode is inserted.

Note

If the place where you charge the battery is too cold
or too hot, the battery indication ( ) will flash in
the display and charging by USB bus power will not
be possible. The battery should be charged within
a temperature range of +5 °C (+41 °F) to +35 °C
(+95 °F).

18

Installing the SonicStage/MD Simple Burner
software

System requirements

The following system environment is required in order to use the SonicStage/MD Simple Burner
software.

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

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 (Service Pack 3 or later)/
Windows Millennium Edition/Windows 98 Second Edition

Display High Color (16 bit) or higher, 800 × 600 dots or better (1,024 × 768 dots or

better is recommended)

Others • Internet access for online registration and CDDB use

• Internet access and Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 5.5 or higher) for use
of EMD services

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

This software is not supported by operating systems other than those listed above, custom-built
PCs, operating systems that are upgrades from the original manufacturer-installed system, multi­boot environments, multi-monitor environments, or Macintosh computers.

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.

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

19

Using the recorder with a computer

Installing SonicStage/MD Simple Burner onto your computer

Make sure to install the driver for this recorder from the supplied CD-ROM. If SonicStage, Net
MD Simple Burner, or OpenMG Jukebox is already installed, the older version of the software
will be overwritten by the new version. The functions and music data of the older version will be
retained.

1

Close all Windows applications.

The following conditions may prevent a successful installation. Confirm whether they apply or
not when installing the software.

• You did not logon as “Administrator” or “Computer Administrator” (when using Windows
2000/Windows XP)

• Virus-check software is activated. (Such software demands a large amount of system
resources.)

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].

When the [Region Selection] screen does not appear, skip this step.

4

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

instructions.

Read the instructions carefully.

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.

[Install SonicStage and MD Simple Burner]

20

Connecting the recorder to your computer

Connect the recorder to your computer as follows.

Note

When using Windows ME or Windows 98SE

• If you connect the recorder to the computer with the disc mode on the recorder set to “Hi-MD” (factory

setting), and then insert a 60/74/80-minute 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 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.

Power (bus power) is supplied from the USB port of the computer so that the recorder can be used
without power being supplied from the battery.

Computer

To the USB port

USB cable

To the USB cable
connecting jack

1

Insert a disc into the recorder.

2

Make sure the recorder is stopped and HOLD is released.

3

Connect the recorder to the computer through the USB cable.

4

Check the connections.

If all connections have been correctly made, the display window appears as follows.

“Hi-MD” or “MD” appears, depending on the operation mode.

21

Using the recorder with a computer

When you unplug the USB cable from the computer

Be sure to remove the recorder as follows. If not, damage to the data may occur.

1 Make sure that the operation lamp on the recorder is not flashing rapidly.
2 Press  · CANCEL on the recorder.

Make sure that the operation lamp on the recorder is off.
“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 USB cable from the computer.

When you remove the disc from the recorder

1 Follow steps 1 and 2 of “When you unplug the USB cable from the computer” above.
2 Remove the disc from the recorder.



This recorder supports Hi-Speed USB*.

* Compatible with USB 2.0 Specification.

Notes

• Make sure not to connect the USB cable while the recorder is operating. This may cause the recorder to

malfunction or noise to be output.

• Depending on the connection, it may take some time before the recorder is recognized by the computer. If you

operate the recorder or the computer before the recorder is recognized, “RECONNECT USB” appears in the
display. If this happens, reconnect the USB cable.

• If the operation lamp flashes rapidly, do not disconnect the USB cable. This may cause the recorder to

malfunction or the destruction of audio data.

• If you use the recorder connected to the computer, it is recommended that you insert a fully charged

rechargeable battery as a precaution against power failures, disconnection of the 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 USB cable from the recorder and want to reconnect it, make sure to wait at least 2

seconds before connecting it again.

• Make sure to place the recorder at a stable, vibration-free place during recording.

• Make sure not to connect the recorder to your computer during recording or playing.

• The system may malfunction if your computer changes to system suspend, sleep, or hibernation mode while

connecting to the recorder. Make sure to disable any changes to suspend, sleep, or hibernation mode.

• Make sure not to connect the recorder and the computer through a USB hub.

• When the recorder is connected to a computer, power (bus power) is supplied to the recorder 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.

22

Using SonicStage

Importing audio data

Audio data from an audio CD can be recorded and stored to My Library of SonicStage.
If you want to automatically obtain CD information (such as track or artist name), the computer
has to be connected to the Internet. For details on recording or importing music from the Internet
or from your computer’s hard disc, refer to SonicStage Help.

Note

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.

[ Music Source]

[CD Info]

1

Double-click ([SonicStage] icon) on the desktop.

SonicStage starts up.

2

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

3

Point to  of [ Music Source] and click [Import a CD].

4

Click .

The recording starts.

To stop recording.

Click .



• If you want to change the format, recording mode and bit rate for audio CD recording, click before
clicking in step 4 and set the format and bit rate.

• If CD information could not be obtained automatically, click [CD Info] before clicking in step 4. When
you do this, your computer must be connected to the Internet.

23

Using the recorder with a computer

Transferring audio data from your computer to the recorder

Audio data stored in My Library of SonicStage can be transferred to the recorder.
Transferred audio data contains track information such as artist and album name.

The My
Library list

[Transfer ]

1

Insert a disc into the recorder and connect the recorder to your computer (

page 21).

2

Point to  of [Transfer ] and click [Hi-MD] or [Net MD].

3

Click the tracks you want to transfer in the My Library list.

4

Click .

The operation lamp on the recorder lights up in red and transfer of the selected track starts.

To stop transferring

Click .



If you want to change the format and bit rate, click before clicking in step 4 and set the format and
bit rate.

Note

Make sure not to disconnect the USB cable or take out the rechargeable battery while transferring audio data.

24

Transferring audio data from the recorder to your computer

Audio data that has been transferred from your computer and stored on an MD or recorded on
this recorder or another MD component can be transferred to My Library of SonicStage on your
computer.
Information such as album name or track name can be obtained from the Internet after audio data
has been transferred. Refer to the SonicStage Help for details.

List of tracks on
the disc

[Transfer ]

1

Insert a disc into the recorder and connect the recorder to your computer (

page 21).

2

Point to  of [Transfer ] and click [Hi-MD] or [Net MD].

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.

4

Click .

The transferring of the tracks selected in step 3 starts.

To stop transferring

Click .



When tracks recorded on MD components are included on a disc, 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.

25

Using the recorder with a computer

Notes

• When a disc used in Hi-MD mode is inserted in the recorder and the record-protect tab of the disc is open,
audio data cannot be transferred to the computer. Make sure that the record-protect tab of the disc is closed (
page 76).

• Tracks transferred from the computer in “Net MD” mode or tracks purchased through EMD services and
transferred to the recorder can be transferred only to the same computer from which they originally came from.

• When you transfer tracks recorded in LinearPCM on the recorder to a computer for editing (dividing ( page

47) or combining ( page 48)) 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 LinearPCM, we recommend that you do the editing on the recorder first, and then
transfer the edited data to a computer afterwards.

Viewing SonicStage Help

SonicStage Help provides further details on how to use SonicStage.
Click [Help] – [SonicStage Help] while SonicStage is running.

[SonicStage Help]

26

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 recorder without storing the data to the computer’s hard disk.
There are two modes for recording from an audio CD: Simple mode (recording by the recorder
operations) and Standard mode (recording by computer operations).

Note

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.

Recording using the recorder operations (Simple mode)

1

Insert a disc into the recorder and connect the recorder to your computer (

page 21).

2

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

3

Press and slide REC on the recorder.

The operation lamp on the recorder flashes in red and recording starts. All tracks on the CD are
recorded as a new group. Make sure not to disconnect the USB cable until the recording ends.

To stop recording

Click on the computer display.
You can also stop recording by pressing  · CANCEL on the recorder.



Before starting recording, you can set the following settings by right-clicking the MD Simple Burner icon in
the task tray on the computer display.

• You can select the recording mode by selecting [recording mode].

— [Net MD]: [LP2] or [LP4]

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

• You can record the first track only by selecting [Recording settings] – [Record 1st Track Only].

• You can select the setting when the CDDB has more than one item of information by selecting [CDDB(r)]
– [Multiple Matches].

— [User Selection]: A selection window is displayed

— [No Resolve]: No CD information is downloaded

— [First Choice]: The first item is downloaded

Note

You cannot record in simple mode while the MD Simple Burner in standard mode or OpenMG software
(SonicStage, OpenMG Jukebox, etc.) is active.

27

Using the recorder with a computer