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Is MiniDisc Dead?
dd5299 asks: "Is MiniDisc dead?
This article in ZDNet grumbles about Sony dragging their feet with MD2 (650MB vs. the old 120MB). So, what is the future of MD? Sharp has started making MD players with PC Links , and now portable MD players are as low as $50. So, longterm, is MD dead?"
MP3 Player: $250cdn for a player only
Memory card(s): $199 for 96mb (96 minutes)
Minidisc *Recorder*: $299cdn with digital input, portable sized
Minidiscs: $4 for 76 minute re-recordable blank.
You tell me if it's dead!!!
Personally, I have a minidisc recorder walkman, a minidisc player/radio walkman (my gf's), a minidisc car radio ($250cdn) and use digital outs from my CD and sound card to record onto the handheld.
It's also *great* for bootlegs 'cause it's small and easy to hide.
mindslip
I don't care if no one else in the US uses minidisc, right now the media is cheap, even in places like Radio Shack, and I can import portables from Japan. If no one else wants to be sensible about portable media, that's fine. MD has a large enough user base that it will never die completely, even if it does remain a niche market.
One of the first RIOs... 16 or 32 mb? That's what, 4 or 8 songs? I can't see how that compares versus MD where changing and carrying media, though not perfect, makes life a lot better...
Open Source. Closed Minds. We are Slashdot.
I think the main reason that MD didn't catch on so much in the US is that it was originally billed as a CD replacement when it first came out, at least that's the way I remember it. Trouble is, it hit around the time CDs were really taking off, so who wants to buy new format a year later? Finally, now, MD is being pushed as what it ought to be, the digital equivalent of a cassette tape. Recording CDs to MD should be as natural a pair as vinyl to cassette.
About six months ago I was looking at MiniDisc v. mp3 player, and went with the MD. For one, the pocket recorder is a great idea, can use it for live music, lectures, etc. And compared to an mp3 player, you get much more music media per $ (Though maybe not per cubic inch.) Personally, I won't consider the format dead until I can't buy blanks anymore. Just because you can't buy pre-made albums anymore doesn't mean you can't roll your own.
One reason that I like my MD player is it's ability to record just like a tape recorder. I have a small band and I found that the minidisk is the best way to record while playing and be able to listen to what we did as quickly and clearly as possible. Tape recorders are good, but they can only record/play so much before their quality degrades to the point where the sound is crap. I haven't played with any mp3 players that have microphone recording capabilities, I don't doubt their quality, but for the cost of memory cards I don't think it would be worth it.
I agree with the second paragraph, I have an MZ-R90 and LOVE it... I had a Sharp sideloader before and wasn't hugely impressed (woe me for not trying it) - too bulky. But an MZ-R90 with ten MDs fits easily into a bumbag.
Music quality is good. Excellent in fact, especially recorded via optical cable. And I have *NEVER* heard my MD skip, for those who say "But MP3s don't skip"... though my old Discman wish "Anti Shock" would skip when running to change platforms at the station...
In general, I don't think it's dead at all. I think it's growing.
Open Source. Closed Minds. We are Slashdot.
In the US, maybe - there seems to be a big gap between the techies (who buy computer CD-R drives and MP3 players) and everyone else (who stick with tape and the odd bought CD). Not a lot in between, so the average music fan has to go one way or the other.
In the UK, I'm constantly surprised by "normal" non-tech people who mention that they use MD. It's a great format for home recording (especially from CD, or for archiving old vinyls) and it's significantly easier to use than consumer CD-R, and even tape in many respects. Put in a MD, hit "sync rec", play the CD.
More significantly, this stuff is fairly cheap over here even in the high-street shops. Portable recorders (all you need to get started) are sold from 99ukp up, and many mini-systems over 200ukp come with a MD deck built-in. Cool products like the MXD-D3 help a lot too - it's a CD/MD deck that's well priced and can record at 4x.
What made me switch properly though was when I came to replace my car stereo. I didn't like the thought of constantly burning CDs to use in the car (or risking my bought ones in there, both from a scratching and theft point of view), hate tape and couldn't afford an empeg. So I bought a Sony MDX-C6500R and it's fantistic. Cost 160ukp (about 10 more than the CD equivalent), and I just keep a dozen or so recordings in my the door pocket, no hassle.
Maybe it's a 'net access thing (we're only just getting decent unmetered services here) so less music is downloaded and people copy from their friends instead. But I have my entire CD collection (over 200 albums) ripped to MP3 (plus about 20gig downloaded), I own a computer CD-R drive and I still found MD the best solution. Nothing else comes close to it's portability, durability and general convenience.
Data was always a non-starter - Zip/LS120 were always cheaper and quicker and a 650mb format wouldn't stand a chance against CDR/W. I just think of it as a music format, and it's likely it'll stay like that.
Maybe it'll die in the US, but despite the slow start it's thriving everywhere else. I can even buy blanks in my small local supermarket!