Help: Sony MZ-R55
Ghost In The Ruins
though I have no idea how to use it's more complex features, there are
certain things that I think should work pretty easily that don't. Here's
the breakdown.
When I got it, I plugged it into the adapter which was connected to the
wall. Ok, no problem there. I pressed the CHARGE button, it said it was
charging for about a second and then it went blank. I unplugged the
adapter, replugged it, and tried again several times, same thing. Ok,
forget that... So I tried to play a MD without recharging it... just using
the DC power from the adapter, and that seemed to work ok, until suddenly,
it just shut itself off. This happened several times during playback and
during recording.
I've had several similar incidents with recording (both line-in and mic) and
playback. It's on, and then it's not.
I did download the manual, but it doesn't say anything in the
troubleshooting section about when the thing just shuts itself off.
I need this to work by Monday (May 5th) because we have a show that night
and I want to get some sort of recording of it.
Any suggestions? Take it to a repair shop? Launch it out the window??
Thanks in advance.
--
RdL
http://home.earthlink.net/~ghostintheruins/
http://www.lyranthe.com
*please reply to newsgroup*
Alan Eades
"Ghost In The Ruins" <flamme...@FUCKYOURSPAMyahoo.dk> wrote in message
news:1D4sa.48108$ey1.4...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
do you know of www.minidisc.org
That`s a very useful resource. You can find there, as well as the user
manual, a service manual for your machine.
Among other information, it tells you how to get into self-diagnostic mode
which might help you.
It`s worth a try.
Alan.
Bruce L. Bergman
In The Ruins" <flamme...@FUCKYOURSPAMyahoo.dk> wrote:
>I recently received one of these old units from my girlfriend and even
>though I have no idea how to use it's more complex features, there are
>certain things that I think should work pretty easily that don't. Here's
>the breakdown.
>
>When I got it, I plugged it into the adapter which was connected to the
>wall. Ok, no problem there. I pressed the CHARGE button, it said it was
>charging for about a second and then it went blank. I unplugged the
>adapter, replugged it, and tried again several times, same thing. Ok,
>forget that... So I tried to play a MD without recharging it... just using
>the DC power from the adapter, and that seemed to work ok, until suddenly,
>it just shut itself off. This happened several times during playback and
>during recording.
Charge button?!? When you plug in the adapter, it should just start
blinking the battery indicator as it "fills up" the battery.
You might need a fresh internal lithium battery pack - mine is still
on the original battery, but I never let it sit around dead. And the
wall-wart chargers do fail, check with a digital volt-meter for clean
6 VDC output, tip positive, barrel negative.
It will also run on two AA alkalines if you have the dark
charcoal-grey external battery pack adapter on the right end of the
player, and if it's attached the MD will switch over to the AA's
automatically in use when the lithium pack gets low.
>I've had several similar incidents with recording (both line-in and mic) and
>playback. It's on, and then it's not.
>
>I did download the manual, but it doesn't say anything in the
>troubleshooting section about when the thing just shuts itself off.
Mine will shut itself off if you seriously overdrive the recording
levels - it doesn't clip, it just freaks out and turns off. The
Automatic Level Control sucks for live music, because it clips and
freaks on the first chord every time...
Big Freeking Clue: Put it in Manual Level Control. ;-P
While it's totally shut off, blank MD inserted with the Rec Lock tab
in the unlocked position, and the microphone is plugged in and turned
on, press and hold Pause with one finger and then press and hold
Record with another for a few seconds. First the display will come up
MIC and then switches to MANUAL REC, and now you can let go of the
switches. It is in pause, and the red light is blinking as a
reminder.
You can only change the recording levels while it's in Pause, with
the FF and REW buttons for Up and Down, so you have to get your levels
right before going out of Pause.
You only have one rough VU meter, just try to set it so you don't
light up the top segment at all, and the second one only blinks on the
hottest peaks. If you can't get the levels right, switch the Mic
Sensitivity switch on the back of the player.
WARNING: Don't hit Stop unless you really mean it, and it's easy to
do by accident while changing the levels. You have to wait for the
player to write the Table Of Contents information and shut down
totally before you can start it back up (two-fingered) into Manual
Record, and you lose the Recording level setting so you need to set
your levels again. If the band won't wait for you, you lose the next
number.
Changing the Volume buttons (even during recording) only affects the
headphones output level - bring a set of CLOSED back headphones with
you (I have the Sony V-700 "DJ" cans) so you can hear your recording
over the room audio, you can catch the worst problems while you have a
chance to do something to correct them.
If you're broke, a set of earbuds and shooter's/industrial hearing
protector earmuffs will work in a pinch. You need isolation so you
hear what is going from your microphone onto the MD.
Another problem is physical vibration while recording, if it skips
while writing to the MD it freaks and shuts off - so don't set your
recorder on top of the bass player's Marshall stack, or where people
will be bumping it around a lot.
Get a decent Stereo Condenser mike for the recorder ($40 to $350),
and set it up at the FOH sound mixer location, or somewhere stage
center and back a ways into the audience.
If you get one of the T-shaped Sony stereo mikes with the plug
hard-attached to the body (surprisingly good mikes, BTW) do not plug
it directly into the recorder's Mic In jack, as they will pick up the
motor noise and clicks from the MD drive when it gets quiet. Get a
short shielded M-F stereo mini-plug cord, and remote mount the mike.
If you can get a house board mix from one of the Aux Sends it might
be easier on you, as the Sound Guy can keep it from clipping while
you're busy playing. Bring your AC adapter, a twin-stereo-RCA to
stereo mini-plug cable, and a set of male 1/4" guitar jack to female
RCA adapters, and use the Line In jack on the MZ-R55. Use the Manual
level control, and show the sound guy where the meter is, so if he
changes something he can adjust the level on the send.
>I need this to work by Monday (May 5th) because we have a show that night
>and I want to get some sort of recording of it.
Then get your tush in gear and start calling around for a
replacement Sony LIP-8 lithium battery TODAY.
(And the EBP-MZR4 external AA battery pack and AC-MZ60A 120VAC to
6VDC wall-wart charger if yours are missing...)
And spend a few hours over the weekend practicing. Use a pin to
push the Clock Set button on the back, and set it with the front panel
controls (the usual three-button digital watch method) - that way all
your recordings are date and time-stamped to the minute. Nifty.
>Any suggestions? Take it to a repair shop? Launch it out the window??
Shop, maybe - but it will cost you dearly, it's getting cheaper to
scrap stuff once it's out of warranty. Free flight, wait a while
before resorting to that...
Big learning curve on this stuff, but after you exhaust the usual
list of Beginner Screw-ups, it's fun. Trust me. :-)
When you get past that point, you get out your checkbook and Visa
card, because the real fun starts - Gear Acquisition Syndrome... :-0
--<< Bruce >>--
--
Bruce L. Bergman, POB 394, Woodland Hills CA 91365, USA
Electrician, Westend Electric (#726700) Agoura, CA
WARNING: UCE Spam E-mail is not welcome here. I report violators.
SpamBlock In Use - Remove the "Python" with a "net" to E-Mail.
Ghost In The Ruins
"Alan Eades" <ead...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Nx6sa.5005$KI5....@news-binary.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
//snip
> I don`t know the answer to your ptoblem but...
> do you know of www.minidisc.org
>
> That`s a very useful resource. You can find there, as well as the user
> manual, a service manual for your machine.
> Among other information, it tells you how to get into self-diagnostic mode
> which might help you.
> It`s worth a try.
>
> Alan.
Yes, thank you. That is where I got the manual.
Ghost In The Ruins
"Bruce L. Bergman" <blpytho...@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:hhh2bvg6kf36mep75...@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 01 May 2003 08:09:33 GMT, someone who calls themselves "Ghost
> In The Ruins" <flamme...@FUCKYOURSPAMyahoo.dk> wrote:
>
> >I recently received one of these old units from my girlfriend and even
> >though I have no idea how to use it's more complex features, there are
> >certain things that I think should work pretty easily that don't. Here's
> >the breakdown.
> >
> >When I got it, I plugged it into the adapter which was connected to the
> >wall. Ok, no problem there. I pressed the CHARGE button, it said it was
> >charging for about a second and then it went blank. I unplugged the
> >adapter, replugged it, and tried again several times, same thing. Ok,
> >forget that... So I tried to play a MD without recharging it... just
using
> >the DC power from the adapter, and that seemed to work ok, until
suddenly,
> >it just shut itself off. This happened several times during playback and
> >during recording.
>
> Charge button?!? When you plug in the adapter, it should just start
> blinking the battery indicator as it "fills up" the battery.
Yes... on the MZ-R55, the charge button is the stop button. In order to
charge the nickel metal hydride (NH) battery, the manual says to push this
button. The display will say that it's charging.
> You might need a fresh internal lithium battery pack - mine is still
> on the original battery, but I never let it sit around dead. And the
> wall-wart chargers do fail, check with a digital volt-meter for clean
> 6 VDC output, tip positive, barrel negative.
I thought that was the problem, but it should run off of the power adapter
by itself. I don't have a digital volt meter. ":{ Normal playback
shouldn't cause it to shut down, should it?
> It will also run on two AA alkalines if you have the dark
> charcoal-grey external battery pack adapter on the right end of the
> player, and if it's attached the MD will switch over to the AA's
> automatically in use when the lithium pack gets low.
I couldn't get the NH battery to charge at all, so I removed it. I did take
it to a club to test it out with AA batteries and it drained those quickly.
I managed to get a song and a half before it crapped out completely.
I figured I'd just use the adapter for our show, because we can't really
afford to dump $30 into a new NH battery, nor are they readily available
here, so I'd have to pay for shipping and wait for it to arrive, which might
not be in time for the show anyway.
> >I've had several similar incidents with recording (both line-in and mic)
and
> >playback. It's on, and then it's not.
> >
> >I did download the manual, but it doesn't say anything in the
> >troubleshooting section about when the thing just shuts itself off.
>
> Mine will shut itself off if you seriously overdrive the recording
> levels - it doesn't clip, it just freaks out and turns off. The
> Automatic Level Control sucks for live music, because it clips and
> freaks on the first chord every time...
I understand overdriving the recording levels, but I had the sens on low and
it worked with the mic that I had (also the same model that my guitar player
uses with his) until the unit drained the batteries. The odd thing is that
the LOW BATTERY display came on when there were no batteries in the recorder
and it was just running off of the apartment current.
> Big Freeking Clue: Put it in Manual Level Control. ;-P
> While it's totally shut off, blank MD inserted with the Rec Lock tab
> in the unlocked position, and the microphone is plugged in and turned
> on, press and hold Pause with one finger and then press and hold
> Record with another for a few seconds. First the display will come up
> MIC and then switches to MANUAL REC, and now you can let go of the
> switches. It is in pause, and the red light is blinking as a
> reminder.
>
> You can only change the recording levels while it's in Pause, with
> the FF and REW buttons for Up and Down, so you have to get your levels
> right before going out of Pause.
>
> You only have one rough VU meter, just try to set it so you don't
> light up the top segment at all, and the second one only blinks on the
> hottest peaks. If you can't get the levels right, switch the Mic
> Sensitivity switch on the back of the player.
>
> WARNING: Don't hit Stop unless you really mean it, and it's easy to
> do by accident while changing the levels. You have to wait for the
> player to write the Table Of Contents information and shut down
> totally before you can start it back up (two-fingered) into Manual
> Record, and you lose the Recording level setting so you need to set
> your levels again. If the band won't wait for you, you lose the next
> number.
Ok, I'll try this. Thanks.
> Changing the Volume buttons (even during recording) only affects the
> headphones output level - bring a set of CLOSED back headphones with
> you (I have the Sony V-700 "DJ" cans) so you can hear your recording
> over the room audio, you can catch the worst problems while you have a
> chance to do something to correct them.
I have closed back earphones, but it's not very practical to wear them on
stage. We're a progressive metal band, and I am the bass player. I have to
move around.
> If you're broke, a set of earbuds and shooter's/industrial hearing
> protector earmuffs will work in a pinch. You need isolation so you
> hear what is going from your microphone onto the MD.
I won't be listening while it's recording. I have to perform.
> Another problem is physical vibration while recording, if it skips
> while writing to the MD it freaks and shuts off - so don't set your
> recorder on top of the bass player's Marshall stack, or where people
> will be bumping it around a lot.
Again, I am the bass player. That's good advice. I did have it on top of
my amp, but we weren't playing at the time I tried to start the recorder.
It just shut itself off, no vibrations whatsoever.
> Get a decent Stereo Condenser mike for the recorder ($40 to $350),
> and set it up at the FOH sound mixer location, or somewhere stage
> center and back a ways into the audience.
I have one. Radio Shack model, for $25, almost stealth. My guitar player
uses the same one with his MD recorder and it works just fine.
> If you get one of the T-shaped Sony stereo mikes with the plug
> hard-attached to the body (surprisingly good mikes, BTW) do not plug
> it directly into the recorder's Mic In jack, as they will pick up the
> motor noise and clicks from the MD drive when it gets quiet. Get a
> short shielded M-F stereo mini-plug cord, and remote mount the mike.
>
> If you can get a house board mix from one of the Aux Sends it might
> be easier on you, as the Sound Guy can keep it from clipping while
> you're busy playing. Bring your AC adapter, a twin-stereo-RCA to
> stereo mini-plug cable, and a set of male 1/4" guitar jack to female
> RCA adapters, and use the Line In jack on the MZ-R55. Use the Manual
> level control, and show the sound guy where the meter is, so if he
> changes something he can adjust the level on the send.
>
> >I need this to work by Monday (May 5th) because we have a show that night
> >and I want to get some sort of recording of it.
>
> Then get your tush in gear and start calling around for a
> replacement Sony LIP-8 lithium battery TODAY.
>
> (And the EBP-MZR4 external AA battery pack and AC-MZ60A 120VAC to
> 6VDC wall-wart charger if yours are missing...)
I have the external battery pack, but lack of money is a huge problem here.
If I can't play around with the recording volume levels and get it to work,
I will just have to let the show slide without a recording.
> And spend a few hours over the weekend practicing. Use a pin to
> push the Clock Set button on the back, and set it with the front panel
> controls (the usual three-button digital watch method) - that way all
> your recordings are date and time-stamped to the minute. Nifty.
That's cool, but I'd really just like to get the damn thing to work. I just
need it to record and playback right now.
> >Any suggestions? Take it to a repair shop? Launch it out the window??
>
> Shop, maybe - but it will cost you dearly, it's getting cheaper to
> scrap stuff once it's out of warranty. Free flight, wait a while
> before resorting to that...
> Big learning curve on this stuff, but after you exhaust the usual
> list of Beginner Screw-ups, it's fun. Trust me. :-)
I have no patience, and I'm an electrical dunce, but I'll try.
> When you get past that point, you get out your checkbook and Visa
> card, because the real fun starts - Gear Acquisition Syndrome... :-0
I've already got GAS... badly, but not enough money to support it, so I try
not to think about it. I'll be happy if I can just get this thing to
record.
Thank you so much for your time and insight in this matter. I'll see what I
can do with the information you've given me.
> --<< Bruce >>--
> --
> Bruce L. Bergman, POB 394, Woodland Hills CA 91365, USA
> Electrician, Westend Electric (#726700) Agoura, CA
>
> WARNING: UCE Spam E-mail is not welcome here. I report violators.
> SpamBlock In Use - Remove the "Python" with a "net" to E-Mail.
>
Nifty little tidbit, I used to live in Encino, pretty close to you. ":}
Thanks again.
Ghost In The Ruins
"Ghost In The Ruins" <flamme...@FUCKYOURSPAMyahoo.dk> wrote in message
news:%yesa.50337$4P1.4...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> Bruce, thank you for your detailed reply (more comments below). ":}
>
> "Bruce L. Bergman" <blpytho...@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
> news:hhh2bvg6kf36mep75...@4ax.com...
> > On Thu, 01 May 2003 08:09:33 GMT, someone who calls themselves "Ghost
> > In The Ruins" <flamme...@FUCKYOURSPAMyahoo.dk> wrote:
> >
> > Big Freeking Clue: Put it in Manual Level Control. ;-P
> > While it's totally shut off, blank MD inserted with the Rec Lock tab
> > in the unlocked position, and the microphone is plugged in and turned
> > on, press and hold Pause with one finger and then press and hold
> > Record with another for a few seconds. First the display will come up
> > MIC and then switches to MANUAL REC, and now you can let go of the
> > switches. It is in pause, and the red light is blinking as a
> > reminder.
> >
Didn't work. ":{
It turns on for a second, says it's recording, and then shuts off even
before I release the record button. I will just have to let this show slide
and wait until we can afford something else.
Thank you for your time. I really do appreciate it. ":}
Jason B
> Big learning curve on this stuff, but after you exhaust the usual
> list of Beginner Screw-ups, it's fun. Trust me. :-)
>
> When you get past that point, you get out your checkbook and Visa
> card, because the real fun starts - Gear Acquisition Syndrome... :-0
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
Hey Bruce,
As a side note, you mentioned the high price of repairs. I couldn't
help but notice your sig mentioned you were an electrician. Do you do
any work with electronics as well? If yes, ever find that stuff helps
with troubleshooting hi-fi stuff? I'm considering delving into
electronics repair, but I'm not sure that I can actually gain any
knowledge that will save me some money on said replacement when things
start to fizzle. Any insight would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Jason
Bruce L. Bergman
jason_b...@hotmail.com (Jason B) wrote:
Zen and the fine art of fixing stuff... ;-)
I only diagnose electrical and electronic stuff down to the
component level where the problem is, and replace the bad component -
If I'm fixing the lights at your house, I'll find the bad circuit
breaker and change it, and toss the bad one. A new main breaker might
cost $80, but opening it up to do internal repairs would cost several
hundred $ in time and materials and it still might not be repairable -
they're riveted closed at the factory for a reason.
And if the main breaker isn't available new anymore (like FPE
Zinsco or Trumbull), it's $500 to find you a good used main breaker
and install it (one that might die again in a year) and install it
(and after that a few branch breakers go bad at $100 each...) - versus
$800 to change the whole panel out with a new one and fill it with all
new breakers, and you're good for another 25 years....
Small electric motors get tossed routinely - it's only on big
industrial motors (over 10 to 25 HP) that the cost of repairs gets
significantly lower than the cost of a new motor.
I tell people to take table lamps to the local Fix-it Shop - not
because I can't do it (it'll be as good as new, or better), but it
will cost them way too much for my time to take it apart, go shag down
the odd parts that I don't carry, and do the repairs - they could buy
a whole new lamp for less... But if they have the right socket and
replacement cord there already, I'll gladly fix it.
Same thing with audio gear, you use logical methods to diagnose and
isolate it down to the problem area or piece of gear - is it a bad
cable, or a bad power supply, or worn heads on the recorder...?
(Swap the stereo cables, does the odd noise stay on the left or
switch to the right? Does the hum stop when you unplug things?)
The most important tool on the truck is that lump of wrinkly wet
grey matter between your ears they call a human brain - use it. ;-)
And if it's a piece of bad gear, you have to decide on a
case-by-case basis whether it is economical to repair, or cheaper to
just toss it and buy another one. And since some gear gets better
faster and cheaper every year, it can make more sense to scrap it.
Internal repairs on today's modern electronic equipment can be a
nightmare *if* you don't have all the needed special tools test
equipment and supplies and all the repair manuals and parts
cross-reference books like the factory repair center does - and the
people who are hoarding that knowledge and info often don't let it go
easily or for cheap.
Mass-market gear is designed first and foremost for easy and cheap
manufacturing, and repairability is a far distant third. Some stuff
just flat out can't be fixed for a reasonable price...
You have to deal with surface-mounted custom IC's and components
(and even the off-the-shelf parts have custom part number markings,
forcing you to buy them from the manufacturer), custom-made mechanical
and electrical parts like switches and potentiometers, screws you need
a microscope to remove, and so on.
And an old piece of electronic gear that has blown up on you once
and been repaired might not last long before something else breaks -
or the same thing breaks again. And then you either have to pony up
more money to fix it again, or toss your money from the first repair
bill down a figurative rathole...
Call the service center and ask. If the people at the repair center
say not to waste your money fixing it, take their advice seriously.
They know which items are the real dogs, and the ones that they rarely
get back for repairs.
--<< Bruce >>--