Sony MJ-L1 MJ-L1A Before Recording, Digital Recording and Analog Recording, Track Marking

Chapter 4:

Recording on MDs

Before Recording

Recording a CD

Recording from the Radio

Recording on an MD

Manually

Marking Track Numbers While Recording

Before Recording

MD allows you to digitally record and play back music with a sound quality similar to CD. In addition, because MDs are optical- magnetic discs, they are free from the problems of stretching or becoming tangled like ordinary cassette tapes. The recording method is also different from that of cassette tapes, because it is possible to write track numbers and edit recordings.

Digital Recording and Analog Recording

This unit uses one of the following recording methods, depending on the sound source to be recorded and how the unit is connected to the sound source.

Digital recording

When recording from this unit's CD player, the MD deck records the digital signal in the form of a digital signal.

Analog recording

In the cases listed below, the MD deck converts an analog signal into a digital signal and records the digital signal.

•When recording from this unit's Radio •When recording from audio equipment connected to this unit's TAPE jacks

MD recording and the Serial Copy Management System

Since the MD deck uses the SCMS (Serial Copy Management System), MDs recorded from a CD played back from this unit's CD player cannot be used to make digital copies onto other MDs.

Track Marking

The way in which track numbers are written differs according to the sound source being recorded. You can also write track numbers manually.

MD track numbers (TOC)

In an MD, the track number (track sequence) and track start and end point information, etc., is recorded in an area called the “Table of Contents” (TOC) that is managed apart from the music. As a result, not only can you instantaneously find the start of a track, but you can quickly edit recorded tracks simply by changing the TOC information.

For example, with a cassette tape, erasing a track entails re-recording the track with no sound from the start. With an MD, you can delete a track simply by writing over the information in the TOC.

When recording digital signals from a CD

The MD deck automatically marks track numbers in the same sequence as the original CD.

However, if recording is paused, the portion recorded up to that point is counted as one track. When recording is started again, the track number increases by one.

track	1	2	3	4
number
sound source	A	B	C	D
track			.
	1	2	3	4
number
recorded MD	A	B	C	D

If a single track from the same CD is recorded repeatedly, the track or tracks are recorded as a single, continuous track with a single track number.

You can also mark track numbers manually during recording (see “Marking Track Numbers Manually (track marking function)”).

If you select “LEVEL SYNC” during analog recording

The track number is written in sync with the level of the input signal from the sound source. In other words, if the input signal from the sound source is continuously at or below a certain fixed level for two seconds or more, a track number is written the next time the input signal exceeds that level.

track
number	1		2	3	4
sound source		A	B	C	D

Track numbers are not written if the input signal is below the level for less than two seconds (if the blank between the two tracks is short, etc.).

track			2.
number	1				3	4
recorded MD		A	B	C	C	D

Track numbers are written during a track if the input signal is below the level for more than two seconds.

If you do not select “LEVEL SYNC” during analog recording

Only one track number is written at the start of a recording. The entire recording is counted as one track.

You can also mark track numbers manually during recording (see “Marking Track Numbers Manually (track marking function)”).

track	1	2	3	4
number
sound source	A	B	C	D
			.
	Only one track number is
	written at the start of the
track	recording
	1
number
recorded MD	A	B	C	D

Chapter 4: Recording on MDs

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