minidisk or mp3?

krishna

I want to move away from using audiotape for making recordings of the kids, etc (for sending overseas to family). Was considering getting an MP3 recorder but a cousin of mine has told me I would be better off with a minidisk player/recorder as sound quality is a lot better.

Would minidisk be the best format for recording?
Is there anything I should look out for in choosing a player/recorder?
Any recommendations on specific kit?

Thanks

albertross_2

MD is a bit better quality than mp3 (especially at lower bitrates), but mp3 (or wma) is an easier format to use, and send overseas (via the internet, instead of via post). Once you've bought an mp3 recorder, there are no additional expenses.

If you want perfect quality, and don't need portability, record to a WAV file, and burn it to a CD, or use shn, or zip to compress it and send it overseas via the web.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=atrac+vs+mp3&spell=1

Loads of options available..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0006Z3R04/026-5250372-5923604?v=glance&n=560798

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Portable_MP3_Players_5266512_3-mp3_player_voice_recorder

krishna

The inlaws don't use computers so internet of no use for sending finished audio. So will need to send a CD anyway. Portability during RECORDING is an issue. Want something compact to be able to carry around. I use audacity at the moment, but don't want to be tied to a computer for recording purposes. Looking for something to serve a similar function to a recording walkman. One particular advantage I can see for MD is that with MP3 I will need to clear everything onto computer before I can record any more, where as with MD I just use another disk. Am I right? Are there any other additional expenses with MD, other than purchase of disks?

albertross_2

The MP3 players have a high capacity nowadays, so copying onto a PC shouldn't be a regular occurrence (apart from for backup purposes)

No there is no additional expense with MD apart from disks, and a player for your family overseas. As a format, I think it has had it's day though, which is why I suggested mp3.

Blank CD's are cheaper..

twist3d

krishna wrote:

I want to move away from using audiotape for making recordings of the kids, etc (for sending overseas to family). Was considering getting an MP3 recorder but a cousin of mine has told me I would be better off with a minidisk player/recorder as sound quality is a lot better.

Would minidisk be the best format for recording?
Is there anything I should look out for in choosing a player/recorder?
Any recommendations on specific kit?

Thanks

Go with the MP3 mate. with mini disc you need to buy mini discs each time you want to send the info and the recipient needs a mini disc player. If you go with the mp3 you can easily edit them and also email them to the person.

Mp3 = cheaper and faster way of getting the recordings to your family.

ollyshaw

albertross wrote:

. As a format, I think it has had it's day though, which is why I suggested mp3..

Very true! While there may slight improvement in quality using MD I doubt your inlaws will be nerdy enough audiophiles to notice!

Olly

krishna

twist3d wrote:

Go with the MP3 mate. with mini disc you need to buy mini discs each time you want to send the info and the recipient needs a mini disc player. If you go with the mp3 you can easily edit them and also email them to the person.

Mp3 = cheaper and faster way of getting the recordings to your family.

OK, I'll take a look at MP3 recorders. One more question though.
Can't you edit MD files and copy them onto CD? There is no way I would expect them to buy either an MD player or an MP3 player

C_Ronaldo

it is possible i believe, i have an MD player myself but i gave up when i tried to copy cd to md and i havent used it for years

Little_John

I love MD, I have a portable, hifi seperate and one for the car. Disks are cheap es not as cheap as a blank CDR if you have a decent mic the recording will be fine.

The problem you will get is getting the recording to CD. I can use the line out of my MD to either my PC soundard and record that way or use the seperate to record to CDr bit pointless that as I can just play it back from MD converting to a format on the pc is the big advantage and if you have somthing that records direct to mp3 then it save you alot of messing arround converting from MD to WAV or MP3.

If im recording I use MD just becasue I have the hardware, I use an mp3 player now for listening to music on the move but I use MD for playback in the house because I have alot of MD's.

MD has had its day if fact I dont think it really had a day as a major format CD was so much more versatile and with most home having the ability to play cds.