Childrens Toyshop
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Electronics : Sony MZ-NH600 Silver Hi-MiniDisc Walkman
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Rating: 
- Far superior to MP3 player
HI-MD recorder/players can take discs of 1GB capacity, greater than that of a lot of similarly priced MP3 players. They're powered an AA battery so you don't have to worry about a built in lithium ion one running dry miles from a possible recharge. Tracks can be transferred from PC to media in minutes via USB cable. Most importantly the sound quality is good even on highest compression file type. HI minidiscs can be purchased through Amazon or on eBay. Sadly the technology is now 'obselete', people being seduced by the stupidly small and supposedly 'convenient' MP3 players. My advice, snap up one of these MZ-NH600 whilst you still can!
Rating: - Sony MZ-NH600 Silver Hi-MiniDisc Walkman
I got the Sony MZ-NH600 Silver Hi-MiniDisc Walkman for my 40th Birthday on 23rd February 2005 from my dear Mum who sadly died of cancer on 16th July 2007.
I have been a great fan of Sony products for many years. MiniDisc is the best as far as I am concerned. From the original to MD-LP and now to this fantastic HI-MD format where you can download fron CD or the Internet music up to 45 hours on one of these excellent discs. You can even download documents and photographs on to these discs to. I have not experienced any trouble except if you do not pre-format each disc before recording on to it you may lose data and even a whole disc of music. I learnt the hard way when I forgot once and I lost a whole 45 hours of music. But otherwise it is a fantastic piece of equipment to own. With the software you can make CD's/MP3 CD's as well as MiniDiscs. As well as the 1GB HIMD discs you can also use normal standard MiniDiscs (MD80/MD74)and pre-format them to record up to 10 hours of music on one disc.
You get a USB Cable, Power Adapter, SonicStage Software and an Instruction Booklet with it as well.
It is a shame that MiniDisc (HI-MD/MD/MD-LP) is not as popular as other formats, but I will remain a great fan of it and I hope Sony will continue to produce HI-MD WALKMAN'S for as long as possible so that when my current player/recorder becomes unusable there is another one available for me to buy.
My advice is forget i-PODS and MP3 Players and buy a Sony Hi-MiniDisc Walkman instead.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK SONY!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
- What a load of rubbish
The main reason I got this was to use it as a recorder - It records ok from a computer - but, I consider this piece of junk is not fit for purpose, because you CANNOT attach a microphone to it. Yet the instructions say you can (Sony say you cant) So what is the point of being a recorder? This, therefore, renders it useless! a cheap MP3 player will suffice, also less demanding on batteries and probably less bulky too.
You do not get much in the way of useful accessories with this product - like a mains adaptor - this is something else to pay for!
Rating: - Fantastic Value For Seventy Quid!
When I bought my NH600 it was twice the price you can get it for now, and it was good value then.
This Hi-MD plays and records on 1 GIG discs (although it is backwards compatible to handle old minidiscs also), allowing close to 8 hours of music at standard bitrate (good quality 256 kbps) on a single disc. It is also capable of recording in umcompressed CD quality (although you'd be pushed to hear much difference, such is the quality of Hi-MD compressed recordings).
Hooks up to your PC or Mac via the supplied USB lead and allows direct uploading of your CDs to the unit via the SonicStage software.
This software has been much improved in recent months so don't use the version on the supplied CDROM, get the version 4.2 for free off the internet. There are no longer any restrictions on the number of times you can transfer your music files back-and-forth between MD and PC. There is also a range of other bitrates available from tiny little ones (suitable really only for speech, lectures, etc) up to the current maximum 352kbps.
The hardware has a jogwheel, 6-band EQ (essential to give the bass a good boost for the little earphones provided), optical/line in (for realtime recording) and external power input (power adapter not included).
Takes a single AA battery which lasts for a great many hours.
The only real downside is it is just a little bit chunky compared to the modern slimline models. But, to be honest, it's not something you'd notice if it's stuck in your inside jacket pocket, so what's the big deal.
Oh yeah - another slight downside (and this applies to all personal media players sold in the beloved EU) is that there is a volume limiting module which adds nasty compression once the volume gets too loud for your wittle ears (in the opinion of Uncle Europe). However, this can be very easily hacked (I did it myself - you just press the right combination of buttons and change a displayed value, details available on the net) so you'll soon be listening with the same freedom as those outside the EU (spit).
It's a decent Hi-MD. It's seventy quid. Get it.
Rating:
- Music for the Middle of No-Where
The other reviews cover most of the features and good/bad points already, but just to point out what struck me most about this player.
- The photo in the Sony/Amazon listings has been taken to make the unit appear slimmer than it actually is, though it is still a nice compact size.
- The LCD display is excellent - it is clear, big enough for the job and you can change the contrast. Only problem is that it isn't backlit, which is a shame. However, the unit is compatible with a Sony RM-MC40ELK backlit remote control.
- SonicStage software can now be updated online (SS 3.0) from the Sony website. This version is much better than 2.0, and with a little bit of practice you quickly get the hang of it, though it lacks some of the user-friendlyness of say, Musicmatch Jukebox as a PC music manager. It is also rather memory-hungry, so don't expect to run too many other programs while you convert files to ATRAC3plus, unless you have shed loads of the RAM (I've got 512 MB), and it does take a while to complete and then transfer onto the device.
- This little toy is going with me to South America for 3 months, and I chose it because of its price, compactness and inherent ability to expand it with more discs. Two or three 1 GB discs should be perfect (about 100+ CDs), which means that it will be extremely portable and not as much of a thief-magnet as an iPod.
- Far superior to MP3 playerHI-MD recorder/players can take discs of 1GB capacity, greater than that of a lot of similarly priced MP3 players. They're powered an AA battery so you don't have to worry about a built in lithium ion one running dry miles from a possible recharge. Tracks can be transferred from PC to media in minutes via USB cable. Most importantly the sound quality is good even on highest compression file type. HI minidiscs can be purchased through Amazon or on eBay. Sadly the technology is now 'obselete', people being seduced by the stupidly small and supposedly 'convenient' MP3 players. My advice, snap up one of these MZ-NH600 whilst you still can!
Rating:
- Sony MZ-NH600 Silver Hi-MiniDisc WalkmanI got the Sony MZ-NH600 Silver Hi-MiniDisc Walkman for my 40th Birthday on 23rd February 2005 from my dear Mum who sadly died of cancer on 16th July 2007.
I have been a great fan of Sony products for many years. MiniDisc is the best as far as I am concerned. From the original to MD-LP and now to this fantastic HI-MD format where you can download fron CD or the Internet music up to 45 hours on one of these excellent discs. You can even download documents and photographs on to these discs to. I have not experienced any trouble except if you do not pre-format each disc before recording on to it you may lose data and even a whole disc of music. I learnt the hard way when I forgot once and I lost a whole 45 hours of music. But otherwise it is a fantastic piece of equipment to own. With the software you can make CD's/MP3 CD's as well as MiniDiscs. As well as the 1GB HIMD discs you can also use normal standard MiniDiscs (MD80/MD74)and pre-format them to record up to 10 hours of music on one disc.
You get a USB Cable, Power Adapter, SonicStage Software and an Instruction Booklet with it as well.
It is a shame that MiniDisc (HI-MD/MD/MD-LP) is not as popular as other formats, but I will remain a great fan of it and I hope Sony will continue to produce HI-MD WALKMAN'S for as long as possible so that when my current player/recorder becomes unusable there is another one available for me to buy.
My advice is forget i-PODS and MP3 Players and buy a Sony Hi-MiniDisc Walkman instead.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK SONY!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
- What a load of rubbishThe main reason I got this was to use it as a recorder - It records ok from a computer - but, I consider this piece of junk is not fit for purpose, because you CANNOT attach a microphone to it. Yet the instructions say you can (Sony say you cant) So what is the point of being a recorder? This, therefore, renders it useless! a cheap MP3 player will suffice, also less demanding on batteries and probably less bulky too.
You do not get much in the way of useful accessories with this product - like a mains adaptor - this is something else to pay for!
Rating:
- Fantastic Value For Seventy Quid!When I bought my NH600 it was twice the price you can get it for now, and it was good value then.
This Hi-MD plays and records on 1 GIG discs (although it is backwards compatible to handle old minidiscs also), allowing close to 8 hours of music at standard bitrate (good quality 256 kbps) on a single disc. It is also capable of recording in umcompressed CD quality (although you'd be pushed to hear much difference, such is the quality of Hi-MD compressed recordings).
Hooks up to your PC or Mac via the supplied USB lead and allows direct uploading of your CDs to the unit via the SonicStage software.
This software has been much improved in recent months so don't use the version on the supplied CDROM, get the version 4.2 for free off the internet. There are no longer any restrictions on the number of times you can transfer your music files back-and-forth between MD and PC. There is also a range of other bitrates available from tiny little ones (suitable really only for speech, lectures, etc) up to the current maximum 352kbps.
The hardware has a jogwheel, 6-band EQ (essential to give the bass a good boost for the little earphones provided), optical/line in (for realtime recording) and external power input (power adapter not included).
Takes a single AA battery which lasts for a great many hours.
The only real downside is it is just a little bit chunky compared to the modern slimline models. But, to be honest, it's not something you'd notice if it's stuck in your inside jacket pocket, so what's the big deal.
Oh yeah - another slight downside (and this applies to all personal media players sold in the beloved EU) is that there is a volume limiting module which adds nasty compression once the volume gets too loud for your wittle ears (in the opinion of Uncle Europe). However, this can be very easily hacked (I did it myself - you just press the right combination of buttons and change a displayed value, details available on the net) so you'll soon be listening with the same freedom as those outside the EU (spit).
It's a decent Hi-MD. It's seventy quid. Get it.
Rating:
- Music for the Middle of No-WhereThe other reviews cover most of the features and good/bad points already, but just to point out what struck me most about this player.
- The photo in the Sony/Amazon listings has been taken to make the unit appear slimmer than it actually is, though it is still a nice compact size.
- The LCD display is excellent - it is clear, big enough for the job and you can change the contrast. Only problem is that it isn't backlit, which is a shame. However, the unit is compatible with a Sony RM-MC40ELK backlit remote control.
- SonicStage software can now be updated online (SS 3.0) from the Sony website. This version is much better than 2.0, and with a little bit of practice you quickly get the hang of it, though it lacks some of the user-friendlyness of say, Musicmatch Jukebox as a PC music manager. It is also rather memory-hungry, so don't expect to run too many other programs while you convert files to ATRAC3plus, unless you have shed loads of the RAM (I've got 512 MB), and it does take a while to complete and then transfer onto the device.
- This little toy is going with me to South America for 3 months, and I chose it because of its price, compactness and inherent ability to expand it with more discs. Two or three 1 GB discs should be perfect (about 100+ CDs), which means that it will be extremely portable and not as much of a thief-magnet as an iPod.