Downloading tracks from Sony Mini-Discs

[ffutures]

My brother-in-law has a lot of old audio recordings on Sony Mini-Discs in some sort of DRM-managed format which doesn't let him transfer them to any computer other than the one which recorded them. Needless to say that is now somewhat defunct - and he's gone Mac - and it seems to be impossible to do anything to transfer them to a more useful format.

I think it might be possible to record them using an SPDIF cable and suitable sound card, but that presumably means playing them all at normal speed, e.g. a very long job, and my computers don't have that sort of card, and the Mac doesn't have and SPDIF socket. Any suggestions for alternatives?

Comments

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

Did Sony supply the DRM?

In any event he should complain.

[murphys-lawyer.livejournal.com]

It's Sony. DRM came as standard with mini-discs, and the only way to copy stuff off them is indeed to play back and record.

As for complaining, this is the company that sold fake CDs with rootkits, and crippled the PS3, to "prevent piracy". It's best just to ignore them wherever possible.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

That was pretty much my impression, but I was hoping someone might know of a hardware or software hack to let him do something more useful.

Annoyingly, there are lots of USB - SPDIF adapters on eBay reasonably cheaply, but none have Mac software.

[dandello.livejournal.com]

If the mini-disc player has RCA OUT (straight audio), then it can be recorded into a computer that way - assuming you have RCA or mini-plug IN on the computer (or a USB device that can take them).
OR, if you have access to a CD recorder with RCA in, it can be done that way.
Of course, it be be recording in real time but thems the breaks.
(I asked my audio engineer hubby who added 'I feel for them'.)

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I think he's tried the mini-plug route but didn't think much of the quality. Fortunately it really isn't my problem - I luckily avoided the mini-disk debacle completely, since it's somewhat hard to listen to music riding a motorbike, and everywhere else I have computers with CD drives.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

My minidisk recorders (home ones, not the portable) have RCA phono in and out, and SPDIF as well. But there's no need for whatever is recording them to use RCA plugs, RCA phono to other plugs (1/4" and 3.5mm jack are the most common) are common. Finding a PC with SPDIF in is the trick, and yes it does have to be realtime, but with any decent PC sound input (i.e. not the one on the motherboard) there should be very little difference between using analog and digital.

I'd volunteer, except thatr I have some minidisks which have been waiting for several years still to be copied...

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Same here. =:o\ Plus the machine is physically inaccessible.

It was a lovely way to record/edit/replay things back in the day, though... [SIGH]

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

I'll also second the point that the quality of your copy depends almost entirely on the quality of your PC's audio input. I used to prepare my filk backing tracks on a CD-recorder, which of course used the annoying "only one generation of digital copying allowed" SCMS scheme, but I got excellent results doing analog transfers from the MiniDisc deck to the CD deck, avoiding any copy protection and also giving myself the opportunity to tweak the eq/balance/levels slightly (when required) by running it through the mixing desk.