Old tech found in drawers...
Discussion
GCH said:
Disastrous said:
Agreed. I used to love my MD and one of the later ones with Sony's awful software that worked over usb.
I got it just before the rise of the iPod IIRC, and I remember being utterly baffled as to why Sony insisted keeping the software proprietary, so that you had to use it to manage content on the disc. If they had just allowed you to use the disc as effectively a removable drive, and bosh a load of MP3s on to it, I think it would have lasted a lot longer as it was a brilliant format in so many other ways.
MD was a great format, particularly for mobile/location recording. I got it just before the rise of the iPod IIRC, and I remember being utterly baffled as to why Sony insisted keeping the software proprietary, so that you had to use it to manage content on the disc. If they had just allowed you to use the disc as effectively a removable drive, and bosh a load of MP3s on to it, I think it would have lasted a lot longer as it was a brilliant format in so many other ways.
Sadly, Sonys paranoia about piracy meant you couldn't copy FROM the MD to a computer, even using their own bloody software, meaning recording onto the MD was pointless if you then had to go D->A->D to re-record it just to end up with a file on your computer. On some of the models that had an optical out, it was still a realtime transfer so just as time consuming. Even the really high end professional units had some issues. Their LP2 and LP4 modes were really useful as well for extended time.
Superb little format that could have had a much longer life than it did.
I remember recording Seb Fontaine on Radio 1 and recording Essential Mixes on MD via optical link and using the LP4 feature so I could get a couple of 2 hour mixes on there.
blueg33 said:
I have one of these on my desk in its docking cradle. Battery is so dead it only works in the cradle. But I still use it occasionally as it allows me to create labels for Christmas card lists very easily on my old XP laptop. It also has a good MP3 player.
When I bought it, it was the very latest gadget. I had previously had the original PalmPilot and then a PalmIII
I've got the same one, bought it as it had a good screen for reading books on flights.When I bought it, it was the very latest gadget. I had previously had the original PalmPilot and then a PalmIII
I also found my Palm m515 last week...
thatsprettyshady said:
BuzzBravado said:
Bought this with my very first pay packet.
Used it everyday until MP3 killed off the format.
Used it everyday until MP3 killed off the format.
13 year old me had one of these for about a week until the opening mechanism broke.
13 year old me didn't now anything about warranties or SOGA
13 year old me regretted wasting his savings on that piece of crap
It still boggles my mind how these things just sit in drawers unused now, so much cash spent on bugger all.
Judas- What a collection! I had something from all of the major players at that time, a Compaq iPad (before HP bought them), a Palm Tungsten T, and a Psion 5MX. Loved my 5MX until the screen cable broke, that thing taught me to code. Even managed to sync it until windows Vista came out. One of the reasons I switched back to XP...
Not found in a drawer, but yesterday I had some old fella wanting help with his mobile phone, he had a Nokia 3310, and as he hadn't used it for so long it had been cut off, the people in the phone shop had sorted it for him but he couldn't unlock it, so I showed him how to do it and use it. It even said BT Cellnet on the main screen, how far back is that going?
speedchick said:
Not found in a drawer, but yesterday I had some old fella wanting help with his mobile phone, he had a Nokia 3310, and as he hadn't used it for so long it had been cut off, the people in the phone shop had sorted it for him but he couldn't unlock it, so I showed him how to do it and use it. It even said BT Cellnet on the main screen, how far back is that going?
The 3310 was, I think, the new fangled posh thing that started to appear toward the end of my time at secondary (or at least began appearing in peoples hands at school!). Until then the phone I remember everyone having was the the 5110? I think it had removable fascia so you could have different colours. We all remember the 3210/3310 as they appeared without sporting stubby aerials!
JakeT said:
My dads BMW at the time had an MD player, and I loved it. Still have a Pioneer system with an MD player. Thinking of fitting an MD stereo to my E46 as BMW offered a factory one as an option.
My JDM Legacy came with a factory fitted MD player. Was a novelty for a while, buts its not a patch on the ease of digital files. Otispunkmeyer said:
The 3310 was, I think, the new fangled posh thing that started to appear toward the end of my time at secondary (or at least began appearing in peoples hands at school!). Until then the phone I remember everyone having was the the 5110? I think it had removable fascia so you could have different colours. We all remember the 3210/3310 as they appeared without sporting stubby aerials!
5210 - changeable front stubby arial original £100 school pay and go phone + it had text messages for the first time3210 - 12 months later, had better ringtones + snake! + changable front
3310 - changeable front and back, and - wait for it - SNAKE 2!!
3330 - as above but polyphonic ringtones I think?!?
Guvernator said:
2) Aiwa (whatever happened to them) cassette walkman, the unit is barely bigger than the cassette itself and again solidly constructed, I bet if I put batteries and a tape in it, it would still work.
That was a nice bit of kit at the time.What walkman you had back in '93 school days was quite a defining item.
I dont think I had that exact model but I did have a nice one... got knicked out of my coat pocket in 6th form
I'd say what walkman you had in the 80's was even more defining at school !!
I was lucky enough to have a sony walkman, with radio in 85. I can remember keenly reeling out the chart positions etc of the top 40 at breaktimes at school, as although it was broadcast on a sunday night, the actual chart changes for the week happened mid morning on a Tuesday. all of us trying to listen to the music and so on, via one pair of headphones !
My batteries were expensive: not like now- 10 or 12 from the poundshop.
I was lucky enough to have a sony walkman, with radio in 85. I can remember keenly reeling out the chart positions etc of the top 40 at breaktimes at school, as although it was broadcast on a sunday night, the actual chart changes for the week happened mid morning on a Tuesday. all of us trying to listen to the music and so on, via one pair of headphones !
My batteries were expensive: not like now- 10 or 12 from the poundshop.
thatsprettyshady said:
PositronicRay said:
I'm not claiming this is the winner or anything, but come on, anyone remember these?
ETA no idea why the image isn't working properly, click on it.
Another loft trip for me...ETA no idea why the image isn't working properly, click on it.
Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 30th June 16:10
Just a bit bigger than a sheet of A4. It still works, and I stioll can't play chess!thatsprettyshady said:
PositronicRay said:
I'm not claiming this is the winner or anything, but come on, anyone remember these?
ETA no idea why the image isn't working properly, click on it.
Another loft trip for me...ETA no idea why the image isn't working properly, click on it.
Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 30th June 16:10
Another Sony Minidisk owner here; just dug this out, there are even a couple of unopened disks in the box:
And in the same place was this phone:
In the loft is a portable video camera which was purchased in 2003 for our New York holiday; I remember it cost around £500 back then, I must dig it out to see if it works as there are a load of tapes under the bed.
I wonder how long it'll be before Hipsters are into Minidisk players; prices will rocket!!?
And in the same place was this phone:
In the loft is a portable video camera which was purchased in 2003 for our New York holiday; I remember it cost around £500 back then, I must dig it out to see if it works as there are a load of tapes under the bed.
I wonder how long it'll be before Hipsters are into Minidisk players; prices will rocket!!?
Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 30th June 17:17
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