Yamaha MD8 owner manual 12 Q&A Section, What’s the difference between MiniDiscs and MD Data Discs?

Q&A Section 89

12 Q&A Section

This section is intended to answer your questions about the MD8 and MD DATA discs.

What’s the difference between MiniDiscs and MD DATA Discs?

MiniDiscs were designed to store mono and stereo sound data. MD DATA discs were orig- inally designed to store computer data. Ideal for use with digital cameras. However, they can also be used to store mono, stereo, and four-channel sound data. That’s how MD8 uses them.

Can the MD8 use normal MiniDiscs?

Yes, but only for 2-track or mono recording and playback. MiniDiscs recorded on the MD8 can be played on normal MiniDisc decks.

Can recordings made on an MD8 be played back on an MD4?

Yes, but you have to narrow down the material on disc to four tracks. The Song Copy func- tion (see page 62) allows you to do so.

What happens if I insert an MD DATA Disc into a MiniDisc deck?

The disc will not be recognized. MiniDisc decks cannot use MD DATA discs.

How does the MD8 know what type of disc I insert?

MiniDiscs and MD DATA discs have a different shape on one corner. Also, the TOC on the disc contains information related to the disc type.

How long is the life of an MD DATA disc?

So long as the disc is not damaged physically,it has an infinite life span.Even after one million record and playback operations there is no signal degradation.

Do I need to format an MD DATA Disc before recording with the MD8?

Yes and no. The MD8 uses MD DATA discs straight out of the wrapper. No fuss. An

MD DATA disc that has been used to store computer data, however, must be erased before use with MD8. See Erasing Discs on page 62 for more information.

Can I protect my MD8 recordings against accidental erasure?

Yes. MD DATA discs have a write protect tab.

What is the available recording time?

This depends on the Recording mode: 18 minutes for eight-track (8T), 37 minutes for four-track (4T), 74 minutes for stereo (2T), and 148 minutes for mono (MONO).

What is the frame counter?

A frame is an integral part of the MD DATA disc format. One frame can hold 11.6 ms of data (i.e., 512 samples of ATRAC sound data at 44.1 kHz). There are approximately 86 frames to a second. Using the FrameDisp function you can select between 86 (MD) and 30 (MTC) frames per second.

Is the sound quality affected by repeated ping-pong operations?

No—thanks to digital recording technology. Note, however, that the MD8 mixer is analog, so after many ping-pong operations slight signal degradation may occur, although this is still insignificant when compared to tape-based analog recorders.

MD8—Owner’s Manual