[Gllug] Sony NetMD (was Re: Canon PowerShot S50)

[Pete Ryland]

Hi all, (just back from Australia and Japan last night, for those that care)

On Tue, Sep 09, 2003 at 10:13:52AM +0100, Wulf Forrester-Barker wrote:
> Mike <mike at coruscant.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> > The NetMD is a lost cause. It's DRM'ed to hell, and even the Windows
> > users hate the Sony software, which is the only thing that'll work with
> > it.
> 
> Not quite true (although the Sony software IS horrible... it's now
> moderately reliable as long as I only use it to preview and name tracks
> on the disk). I've got a good piece of freeware called WinNMD (sorry -
> still Windows only) which I use for grabbing tracks back from MD to PC
> (mainly rehearsal and concert material from my band).

But then that is done in real-time via analog.  AFAIK, the protocol doesn't
allow for digital transfer over USB from MD to PC.

> I thought there were some open source and Linux based solutions being
> developed or have they all stalled? I must admit to still rarely using
> Linux at home (last time I looked I couldn't find anything to get my
> Conexant Access Runner USB ADSL modem working under Linux and haven't
> got round to upgrading the hardware) although it's working very smoothly
> as my primary desktop (Mdk 9.0) at work.

The following is still being worked on, although not much has been done in
the last few months:

http://www.pdr.cx/projects/gnetmd/#top

It's based on a library by Marc Britten, but his website is (still!)
temporarily unavailable.

It currently includes xmms and nautilus plugins and a standalone GNOME GUI.

> I hope the open source projects are continuing - being able to exercise
> some control over the MD from the PC is great and something like the
> ability to use the PC to insert mark points during a concert recording
> would be one of those 'killer applications' that would encourage me to
> get a move on in switching over at home. Does anyone have any more news
> on what is being developed there?

It is likely that inserting track marks via USB will never be possible since
it seems that the protocol doesn't allow for this.

Pete

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