I recently recorded a live performance on my Sony mini-disk. This was
of a local childrens choir, and I now want to create a CD of this
performance for Parents of the children. I cannot find a way of
downloading the music from the mini disk to my laptop to begin burning
the CD. Any ideas how to do this, with a "step by step" guide as I am
a bit of a "dunce"

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Request for Question Clarification by wonko-ga on 19 Nov 2003 15:51 PST

What is the model number of your MiniDisc player?

Thanks!

Wonko

It is no surprise that you are having difficulties.  I thought it
might matter which model you have, but according to www.MiniDisc.org,
the portable recorders do not have a digital upload capability.  The
home MiniDisc decks do. However, it is possible to transfer the audio
in analog form from the portable MiniDisc recorder and then burn a CD
of it.  You connect the appropriate cable from the MiniDisc player's
Line Out to the computer sound card's Microphone or Line In port (if
available).  You use audio software, such as Musicmatch, to record the
MiniDisc audio to your computer.  Then, you can burn the resulting
track to a CD from the computer.

The references below provide detailed instructions about how to do
this using Musicmatch software.  Other software can also be used,
including Nero Burning, RealPlayer, and Roxio Easy CD Creator.  All of
them use the same basic procedure and describe it in detail in their
user manuals.

I hope you are able to transfer your audio track without further difficulty.

Sincerely,

Wonko

"Minidisc.org is devoted primarily to Minidisc equipment and
accessories. However, a considerable number of visitors are under the
misconception that Minidisc equipment can be used for recording live
audio material and subsequently uploading this audio easily onto a
computer. This is unfortunately not the case; Sony has steadfastly
refused to provide an easy computer upload path for Minidisc
audio...."

http://www.minidisc.org/uploader_table.html "Portable Recorders with
Uploading Facilities"

"Enough about recording to MD... can I record from MD unit to my
computer (or another audio device)?

With the proper cables, yes. You would use the same analog cables
listed above for recording to another audio device from MD, simply
switch the inputs/outputs. For a computer, this would mean connecting
an analog cable (usually a 1/8" male to 1/8" male miniplug cable)
between your MD unit's line out to your sound card's line in. If
you're looking to transfer audio from MD to your computer digitally,
you need an MD unit that is capable of digital output (all current
portable MD recorders lack this feature, but most home MD decks have
it) plus the correct digital audio cable.
A good piece of...software for Windows-based machines that will record
an incoming audio signal is MusicMatch."  (I have removed the
reference to "free software" because the analog recording feature
requires Musicmatch Plus, which is a paid version).

"When recording digitally from a CD, MD decks and portable recorders
are essentially equivalent. The one major difference is that home MD
decks usually have digital output, the portables do not."

http://www.minidisc.org/very_faq.html#_q98 "Minidisc FAQ: Beginner Topics"

"Line-in Recording
If you're interested in preserving that priceless LP or 8 track
collection, or recording another outside source like a radio show, use
Line-In recording to record from outside sources into digital files.
Line-In Recording is a MUSICMATCH Jukebox Plus feature


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plug a cable, specific to your sound card (please see our website for
more information about purchasing cables), into the line in port or
the mic in port on your sound card and into the recording source.

Open your Windows Mixer by double clicking on the small speaker icon
in your system tray.

Select Options/Properties from the menu.

Select Recording under Adjust volume for. Make sure the volume
controls for Line-In or Microphone are checked. Click OK.

You will then see your Windows mixer Recording Control panel. Make
sure the Line-In or Microphone is selected. The volume control under
Line-In Balance or Microphone Balance will control the recording level

From the Recorder Settings screen in MUSICMATCH Jukebox
Options/Settings/Recorder choose Recording Source and select Line-in
or Mic in. Click OK.

Click the Rec (Record) button on the Recorder to start recording from
the outside source. Make sure the source is on and playing.

Newly recorded files will be added to your Music Library."

"Line-In Recording" Musicmatch Help

---

Clarification of Answer by wonko-ga on 19 Nov 2003 17:08 PST

I happened to have several of the relevant applications, so I have
added some additional excerpts of Help files to assist you in case you
are using one of the other programs and/or you find their explanation
of the process easier to follow.

Sincerely,

Wonko

"Recording from Analog Sources 
With this RealOne Premium feature, you can add your vinyl and cassette
collection to your PC media library by saving music from your
phonograph, tape deck, boom box, or other "analog" music device. Once
saved as digital files, you can play your collection from your
computer, your portable MP3 player, or even create your own CDs.

What you'll need
Phonograph or other analog device: This can include a stereo, tape
deck, or other device from which you wish to record.

Stereo amplifier: If you are recording from a phonograph or modular
tape deck, you'll need to connect your device to a stereo amplifier,
then connect the amplifier to your computer.

Input Source: You can record from an analog device into the RealOne
Player in two ways ? via a microphone connected to your computer, or
by connecting your stereo or other device to your computer using
stereo cables.

Sound Card: Talk to your computer and audio professionals to determine
the best sound card for your configuration. A good sound card is
essential for high-quality recordings.

Sound editing/filtering software (optional): This software removes
excess noise introduced by faulty media, equipment, and environment.
See your computer software specialist for recommendations.

Blank CDs: Talk to your computer professional to determine the best
media for your configuration. Media can vary greatly, so make an
informed choice for best results.

Note: Analog sound sources will be processed by the sound card on your
computer. See your operating system / computer hardware manuals for
more information and limitations.

Recording Method
RealOne Player can record analog audio from four different sources
(see Recording Sources, below).

 Step-by-Step: Recording Analog Audio

Select Record from Mic/Line In... from the Tools menu to open the
Record from Analog A continuously varying signal. In contrast, a
digital signal is a collection of numeric values representing the
analog signal. The term is often used to refer to audio signals that
can be heard from a speaker. Source dialog.

Select an audio source from the drop-down list.

Enter a name for the file that you will be saving. The file and clip
will be named the same.

Click Record to start the recording. The format Digital encoding and
compression formats for audio files. (For example: MP3, RM, WAV.) and
length of the recording is displayed in the Status area.

Click Stop Recording to end the recording. The recorded audio file
will be in your default A "default" is any setting or selection
automatically used by the RealOne Player when other options are
available. music folder, and the clip will be added to My Library
automatically. Since these clips will have no clip info yet, they will
be organized alphabetically in the All Audio group and under <blank>
in any of the specific groups, such as Artist or Album.

Click Close to exit the dialog.

Note: Analog recordings will be saved in the default format and
quality as set in Preferences>CD and saved in the default music folder
as set in Preferences>General>File Locations with the file name, "Clip
Recorded From Source. rmj File extension for unsecured RealJukebox
files. Unsecured files can be converted to other file types, or moved
to and played on other computers. " unless you specify a specific
name. A clip of the same name as the file will also be added to My
Library.
 

Recording Sources
SOURCE
 DESCRIPTION
 
Line In
 Audio signal is connected to your computer through the "Line In"
connector on your sound card.
 
Microphone
 Audio signal is from a microphone attached to the "Microphone"
connector of your sound card.
 
CD Audio
 Analog audio signal from your CD drive; connected to your sound card.

Note: If you have more than one CD drive installed, only one can be
connected to the analog CD input of your sound card. Check your
computer system manual to determine which CD drive is the analog
source.
 
System Mixer 
 Record the combined output of your system mixer A feature that
combines all audio sources that are available from the sound card.
Double-click the volume control icon in the system tray to open the
system mixer / volume control.. Adjust the volume for each of the
available audio inputs with individual volume sliders. Select Adjust
Recording Levels to access the system mixer from the Record from
Analog Source dialog."

Recording from Analog Sources" Realoneplayer Help

"Recording From Vinyl LPs and Cassettes 
Using AudioCentral, you can easily capture (record) audio from an
analog sources (such as LPs or cassettes), via connection from your
audio equipment to your computer?s sound input. With the resulting
digital audio file, you can define track markers, name tracks, and
then save your recording as a playlist. You can also use audio
effects, such as de-clicking and equalization, to bring out the best
in your audio. After editing, you can listen to your recording as a
playlist in AudioCentral, or burn it to disc!

Note: For the best representation of your audio source, audio recorded
in AudioCentral Sound Editor is stored to your hard disk in
uncompressed WAV format. WAV files require a substantial amount of
disk space?approximately 10MB is required for each minute of recorded
sound.
 


Connecting to Your Audio Source 
Use appropriate cabling to connect the equipment playing your analog
source (your stereo receiver or amplifier) to the Line In connection
on your computer. In many cases, an RCA-to-stereo 1/8-inch cable will
be the best solution, however this may vary depending on your audio
equipment and computer hardware.
Warning: To prevent possible equipment damage, determine the
appropriate source and line out connections by referring to the
manuals that came with your audio equipment.
 


Open AudioCentral Sound Editor as described in Starting Sound Editor,
if it?s not already started.
In Sound Editor, choose your Recording Device from the Tools menu. If
your sound device is listed, select it to let Sound Editor directly
control the device. If you experience problems with this setting or
want to use the sound mixer provided by Windows or your sound device,
select Default Mapper Device.
If not using the Default Mapper Device as described above, click Tools
> Recording Source, and select the source to record. For example, if
recording from the Line In connector on your computer, select Line In.
Setting Recording Level 
Before recording you will need to adjust the recording level to ensure
that your audio is not recorded too high or low. Recording at a level
that is too high can cause your audio to sound distorted. If you
record at a level that is too low, your audio will sound less than
optimal.

To set recording level: 
In the Sound Editor, click the Enable Record Mode button. When Record
Mode is enabled, this button turns red and the Play/Pause button
changes to a red Record button.
To let you set recording level, start playing your analog audio source
(your record LP, cassette, etc.). If possible, play a selection on the
source that you think has the loudest audio.
Verify that the Sound Editor is receiving a signal from your analog
source. You should hear audio from your computer speakers and see the
L (left) and R (right) meters in Sound Editor ?light up? to indicate
peak level.
Adjust your recording level so that the meters indicate green with
occasional peaks in yellow and few in red. A persistent red indicator
at the top of the meters stay lit if the level has past the zero dB
clipping point and is too ?hot?? if this occurs, reduce your recording
level.




Recording Audio 
After you have made the appropriate connections to your audio source,
enabled Record Mode, and set the recording level to your preference,
you can begin recording.

Note: When recording audio, a WAV file is created in a Clips folder in
the folder specified in the AudioCentral CD Options tab under Copy
Settings (for information about this setting, see CD Options).
 


To record audio: 
Cue up your source to the point at which you want to start.
In the AudioCentral Sound Editor, click the Record button to start recording.




Start playing your source audio. A waveform of your recording will
begin drawing in the waveform display area in real-time. Ensure that
your levels are proper by comparing the waveform to the dB scale to
the right and by monitoring the peak level meters.




If at anytime you need to pause the recording (for example, to switch
the source cassette or vinyl LP to the second side), click the
Record/Pause button on the Sound Editor. To begin recording again,
click Record/Pause and then start playing your analog source.
After your analog source has finished playing, click the Stop button
to stop the recording. One large WAV file representing your entire
recording is automatically saved to your Clips folder.
Immediately after recording, click File > Save Playlist. Give your
Playlist a name, enter an artist and album title, and then click Save.
This preserves the recorded WAV file with a Playlist that can be
played in AudioCentral Player and edited further in the Sound Editor."

"Recording from Vinyl LPs and Cassettes" AudioCentral Help, a
component of Roxio Easy CD/DVD Creator 6

"Playing and Burning Your Edited Recording 
Playing Your Edited Recording 
After completing your edits and applying audio effects to your
recording in Sound Editor, you can play the playlist associated with
your recording in AudioCentral Player, just like any other playlist.
To learn more about playing a playlist, see Creating and Playing a
Playlist.

Burning Your Edited Recording to Disc 
The playlist of your edited recording is ideal for burning to an audio
CD (Redbook) format, playable in normal CD players. Because your
playlist is based on your original uncompressed .WAV file, you will
achieve the best quality audio CD. To burn your edited recording,
click the Roxio Burn button (for more information about burning, see
Choosing AudioCentral Burn Setup Options).

Note: After burning the playlist of your edited recording to an audio
CD, you may want to save each track in the playlist to a compressed
audio format such as MP3 or WMA (In Sound Editor, click File, Save All
Tracks, and then select your save options). This will save a
substantial amount of disk space while potentially retaining much of
the sound quality of your WAV-based recording. After saving the tracks
to a compressed format, you can delete the .WAV file of your original
recording from your Clips folder."

"Playing and Burning Your Edited Recording" AudioCentral Help, a
component of Roxio Easy CD/DVD Creator 6

Thanks for this. It worked nicely. I will need to get hold of a MD
Deck to achieve digital output. Unless the quality of the analog audio
is acceptable.

Again thanks