From MiniDisc to Hard Disk at DVinfo.net

John Locke · November 7th, 2002, 06:57 AM

Hey everyone,

I'd been crying in my beer this past week trying to figure out how the heck to get audio recorded on my MiniDisc onto my Mac hard drive to insert into FCP. The new Macs don't have "audio in" jacks for some reason.

Then our resident genius, Adrian Douglas, stepped up to the plate and saved the day. He suggested I plug one end of the cable into the "audio out" jack on the MiniDisc, then plug the other into the little mic jack on my XL-1 and simply record with blank video. Dang. I hate it when he's brilliant. ;)

Anyway...not sure if this should go in this forum...since I'm basically unfamiliar with cameras other than the XL-1 and Mac computers...but I wanted to post it here just in case other cameras/computers might benefit from this info. If it only applies to Macs and/or XL-1s...please move it.

Andre De Clercq · November 7th, 2002, 01:28 PM

I don't see why this would'd work...
Two remarks however
- There can be a "level" problem: yr minidisc can output "line level", while yr mike input maybe needs a much lower (mike) level. Maybe (adjustable) earphone output will then do the job.
- Jack compatibility:Yr XL-1 has maybe a mono mike input...

John Locke · November 7th, 2002, 10:03 PM

dre...,

You're right...the level was a bit high...but it was easy enough to filter down to normal levels. Regardless, it worked fine. The audio from my MiniDisc is now snuggled safely in a sequence in FCP.

Adrian Douglas · November 8th, 2002, 04:02 AM

If the levels are too high, switch the input switch from Mic to ATT. This should cut about drops the gain by about 20db. The standard mic on the XL1 is stereo so everything is sweet, stereo out from the MD and stereo into the camera.

It's all good.

Peter Wiley · November 8th, 2002, 02:21 PM

The aardvark Direct Pro USB3 is a good solution too.

See:

http://www.aardvark-pro.com/direct_pro_usb3.html

John Locke · November 8th, 2002, 07:33 PM

There's something strange about the photo of the Direct Pro. If you look at the back panel showing the input jacks, one is labeled "USB" that clearly isn't USB. It looks like a modem jack.

Does it require some sort of special adapter cord that only they make?

Matt Stahley · November 8th, 2002, 08:22 PM

i burn MD audio straight to tascam cd recorder then import the audio from the cd into G4. plus this will give you a cd backup of the audio.

Andre De Clercq · November 9th, 2002, 05:14 AM

I ca't see this on the picture, but a USB "B" version often used on the driving equip parts resemble a (smaller)network connection.

Peter Wiley · November 9th, 2002, 06:49 AM

USB connections come in several sizes. The aardvark unit uses the smaller "square" connector out (actually the top corners are cut-off). My Portadisc minidisc deck that has USB-out built in uses this kind of connector, as does my HP inkjet printer. There are standard cables that go from the small "square" connector to the "flat" computer style.

After I posted my note I realized that this would not be a digital-digital connection -- the aardvark is an analog to digital converter, but then the line out on the minidisc recorder mentioned is analog right?

I think the aardvark gives good flexibility for the price.

November 7th, 2002, 06:57 AM	#1
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	From MiniDisc to Hard Disk Hey everyone, I'd been crying in my beer this past week trying to figure out how the heck to get audio recorded on my MiniDisc onto my Mac hard drive to insert into FCP. The new Macs don't have "audio in" jacks for some reason. Then our resident genius, Adrian Douglas, stepped up to the plate and saved the day. He suggested I plug one end of the cable into the "audio out" jack on the MiniDisc, then plug the other into the little mic jack on my XL-1 and simply record with blank video. Dang. I hate it when he's brilliant. ;) Anyway...not sure if this should go in this forum...since I'm basically unfamiliar with cameras other than the XL-1 and Mac computers...but I wanted to post it here just in case other cameras/computers might benefit from this info. If it only applies to Macs and/or XL-1s...please move it. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

November 7th, 2002, 10:03 PM	#3
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	dre..., You're right...the level was a bit high...but it was easy enough to filter down to normal levels. Regardless, it worked fine. The audio from my MiniDisc is now snuggled safely in a sequence in FCP. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

November 8th, 2002, 04:02 AM	#4
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	If the levels are too high, switch the input switch from Mic to ATT. This should cut about drops the gain by about 20db. The standard mic on the XL1 is stereo so everything is sweet, stereo out from the MD and stereo into the camera. It's all good. __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

November 8th, 2002, 07:33 PM	#6
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	There's something strange about the photo of the Direct Pro. If you look at the back panel showing the input jacks, one is labeled "USB" that clearly isn't USB. It looks like a modem jack. Does it require some sort of special adapter cord that only they make? __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

November 7th, 2002, 01:28 PM	#2
Andre De Clercq Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Belgium Posts: 804	I don't see why this would'd work... Two remarks however - There can be a "level" problem: yr minidisc can output "line level", while yr mike input maybe needs a much lower (mike) level. Maybe (adjustable) earphone output will then do the job. - Jack compatibility:Yr XL-1 has maybe a mono mike input...

November 8th, 2002, 02:21 PM	#5
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	The aardvark Direct Pro USB3 is a good solution too. See: http://www.aardvark-pro.com/direct_pro_usb3.html

November 8th, 2002, 08:22 PM	#7
Matt Stahley Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Waynesboro, PA Posts: 648	i burn MD audio straight to tascam cd recorder then import the audio from the cd into G4. plus this will give you a cd backup of the audio.

November 9th, 2002, 05:14 AM	#8
Andre De Clercq Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Belgium Posts: 804	I ca't see this on the picture, but a USB "B" version often used on the driving equip parts resemble a (smaller)network connection.

November 9th, 2002, 06:49 AM	#9
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	USB connections come in several sizes. The aardvark unit uses the smaller "square" connector out (actually the top corners are cut-off). My Portadisc minidisc deck that has USB-out built in uses this kind of connector, as does my HP inkjet printer. There are standard cables that go from the small "square" connector to the "flat" computer style. After I posted my note I realized that this would not be a digital-digital connection -- the aardvark is an analog to digital converter, but then the line out on the minidisc recorder mentioned is analog right? I think the aardvark gives good flexibility for the price.