Skip to content

Hi-MD.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
102 lines (77 loc) · 5.9 KB

Hi-MD.md

File metadata and controls

102 lines (77 loc) · 5.9 KB

Hi-MD

This is a testing project for retrieving digital contents stored in Hi-MD formatted MiniDiscs and transferring to my local Mac computer. This project is based on the scripts from the linux-minidisc and the application tool QHiMDTransfer.

In particular, the application tool QHiMDTransfer is supposed to be a simple clone of the Mac OS X software HiMD Music Transfer for Mac 2.0, which is the Sony proprietary software for MiniDisc users to transfer audio information between Hi-MD player and Mac computer. This software was accompanied with a Hi-MD player when a consumer purchases a set of the product. Unfortunately, the original "HiMD Music Transfer" software is only compatible with the Mac OS X version 10.3.9 through 10.4.

With the development of the QHiMDTransfer project, though still at a rudimentary stage, provides to nowadays MiniDisc users a flexible approach to retrieve the stored information. The QHiMDTransfer application is open-source, compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux systems. This is exceptionally useful to archivists working in cultural institutions.

My Equipment

  • iMac (macOS Catalina version 10.15.7)
  • homebrew and ffmepg installed
  • Sony MZ-M200 Hi-MD recorder-player
  • USB 2.0 port to connect MD with Mac
  • Several standard MD discs and Hi-MD discs with protected and unprotected audio information recorded in SD, LP2, LP4 and Hi-MD modes.

Set Up

  • Download the whole set of codes in zip file from here (download the Mac or Windows versions according to needs)
  • Unzip the downloaded zip file (the file folder name looks like "qhimdtransfer-0.9.14-4-gc4696f0-macos")
  • Building and Running the dependencies (compilings for different operation systems, see here
brew update
brew install --force qt5 mad libid3tag libtag glib libusb libusb-compat libgcrypt
brew link --force qt5

How-to

  • Insert the Hi-MD formatted disc into the MD player. The player will be switched on automatically

  • Connect the MD player with the computer via USB port

  • Because Hi-MD is not only compatible with audio information storage, but also can save non-audio digital files, at this point, the MD player is mounted to the computer as an external drive

  • Open the "qhimdtransfer-0.9.14-4-gc4696f0-macos" file folder, and open the GUI "QHiMDTransfer" executable program. (Security and Privacy setting may need to change in order to open the application)

qhimdtransfer

  • The GUI version of the application looks like this: qhimdtransfer-gui

  • The GUI shows the number of tracks, length, recording modes, protection status, and recording date and time.

  • On the left-hand side of the application, select the tracks you want to transfer. On the right-hand side, select the directory for saving the tracks.

  • Hit the red arrow and start the transferring process.

Transfer

Results

  • After transfer completes, in the destination destination, tracks originally recorded in lossless PCM mode are wrapped in .wav.

  • After transfer complete, in the destination directory, tracks originally recorded in Hi-SP and Hi-LP modes are wrapped in .oma.

after-transfer-qhimd

  • MediaInfo obtains the technical metadata of the .wav files like this:
Complete name                            : /Users/klavierwong/Desktop/No Name/Track 2.wav
Format                                   : Wave
File size                                : 5.96 MiB
Duration                                 : 35 s 434 ms
Overall bit rate mode                    : Constant
Overall bit rate                         : 1 411 kb/s

Audio
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings                          : Little / Signed
Codec ID                                 : 1
Duration                                 : 35 s 434 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 1 411.2 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Stream size                              : 5.96 MiB (100%)
  • MediaInfo obtains the technical metadata of the .oma files like this:
Complete name                            : /Users/klavierwong/Desktop/No Name/Track 3.oma
Format                                   : OpenMG
File size                                : 263 KiB
Duration                                 : 25 s 168 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 85.6 kb/s

Audio
Format                                   : Atrac3
Format/Info                              : Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3
Duration                                 : 25 s 168 ms
Bit rate                                 : 64.8 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 199 KiB (76%)
Encryption                               : SDMI
  • **Notably, audio tracks originally recorded in Hi-SP and Hi-LP modes are supposed to be encoded in atrac3 plus, NOT atrac3. But after transfer, the .oma files show atrac3 codec, which needs further examination.

Troubleshoot

  • If the above process fails to work for no obvious reason, try unplug the MD player from the computer, unload the disc, terminate the QHiMDTransfer, and re-connect and re-open everything again.