WHAT IS Ahl MD (MINI DISC)?
An MD is only 64 mm (2 5/s inches)
in diameter,
about half the
size of a conventional
CD. But MD can be used to store and play
back a full 74 minutes
of data such as a CD. Unlike a CD, MD
comes in a plastic cartridge,
so that it can be handled
with ease.
The cartridge
also protects
the disc inside
from shocks,
dust
and
scratches.
Unlike
cassette
tapes,
which
can
become
stretched
or tangled,
an MD is an excellent
durable
media.
TYPE OF MD
There are two types of MDs: "Optical discs" and "Magneto-optical
discs". Both types use laser beams and optical pick-up technology
to read recorded
data during
playback.
Optical discs
These
are playback
only discs.
Like CDs, they are used
as
prerecorded
music discs.
You cannot
record on or edit them.
+
El
Label
The shutter
covers
the opening
only on
the non-labeled
side of the MD.
Recordable
MO*' discs
These are recordable
discs which can be recorded
on again and
again, like cassette tapes. The recording
method called magneto-
optical
technology
employs
a laser and magnetism
to record
signals.
Therefore,
the quality
of recorded
sound
does
not
deteriorate
even after many playbacks
and recordings.
4
m
l!i-"-
Label
The shutter
covers
the opening
on the
both sides of the MD.
*1 MO: An abbreviation
of Magneto
Optical
Ultra compact size made possible by ATRAC*2
technology
A newly developed
digital audio compression
technology
called
the ATRAC system
automatically
extracts
only the frequencies
that
are
actually
audible
to the
human
ear
and
cuts
the
frequencies
which
are inaudible.
This compresses
the amount
of data to be recorded
to 1/5 of the normal
amount. The ATRAC
system
is based upon studies
carried
out in the field of auditory
psychology
and does not impair the quality of the audible sound.
*2 ATRAC:
An abbreviation
of Adaptive
TRansform
Acoustic
Coding
Quick random access
One of the great features
of the MD is that you can search
for
desired
tracks quickly. There are also quick and easy functions
for random
playback
in which
the order
of the tracks
can be
rearranged
at random, and for renumbering
tracks which enables
them to be played in any order.
14
ENGLISH
THE LIMITATIONS OF MD
Recording
on the MD is performed
differently
from that of a
cassette
tape or a DAT. Therefore,
the MD system
is subject
to
the following
restrictions.
"TOC*
Full" is displayed
even if the recording time
does not reach the maximum recordable
time of the
disc (60-minute
or 74-minute).
"TOC Full" is displayed when 254 tracks are already recorded
on
a disc, without
respect
of the recording
time.
*TOC: An abbreviation
of Table Of Contents
"TOC Full" is displayed
even if a disc is not fully
recorded on.
If there are lots of emphasis
data in a particular
track, the unit
handles
the data as index codes,
and tracks
are counted,
in
addition,
without
respect of the time and number
of tracks.
The remaining time on a disc is not increased even
after some short tracks have been erased.
When the remaining time
on a disc is displayed,
which may not
be increased
even after erasing short tracks because the sections
less than eight seconds
are not counted.
Certain tracks cannot be joined (the COMBINE function
does not function).
Tracks created
by editina
mav not be ioined.
It is not possible
_to com~ine
a track re"corded in monaural
and
a track recorded
in stereo.
The total of the recorded time and the remaining time
on a disc does not match with the maximum
recordable
time of the disc (60-minute
or 74-minute).
Recording
is performed
by the minimum
unit of one cluster
(two
seconds).
Even
if the recorded
section
is shorter
than
two
seconds,
a two-second
space is needed
in recording.
Therefore,
the available
time becomes
shorter.
If there are scratches
on a
disc, the
available
time becomes
shorter
as well, because
the
sections
which are scratched
are automatically
erased.
Track numbers may not be registered
properly.
When recording
from a CD through
digital
inputs (using the CD
>
MD button),
small tracks may be created
depending
on the
contents
of a CD.
When
using the AUTO MARK function,
track numbers
may not
be registered
properly
depending
on the contents
of the CD.
Digital inputs may not be acceptable.
When digital recording is attempted from recorded material with
copyrights, digital dubbing cannot be performed to a recordable
MD from another MD recorded in digital, because of the built-in
record restriction function
which
complies
with
the SCMS*
standard.
* SCMS
(Serial
Copy Management
System)
is the standard
to
restrict single digital dubbing
between
the digital audio system
thus protecting
copyrights.
(prerecorded"s~und
source)
Digital
dubbina