Minidisc recording- help pls.

[Sea Chief]

sorry wrong place for my Q!

happy new year tho.

[Jazz P Bass]

As far as I can tell, you need a BNC to mini cable.

The Sony will automatically detect a digital or analog signal.

Something like this: TecNec TecNec BNC To 3.5mm Mini Phone Plug Genlock Cable Assemblies BNC to Mini Genlock Cables at Markertek.com

[Sea Chief]

Hi JP, thanks for those.

Now wouldnt I need tho a stereo 3.5mm jack end? which leaves me to wonder how, if a BNC is simply a single pin/ outer shield, it can carry any stereo digital signal at all.. unless the 'coaxial' term means its a dual-function/ '2-sided' BNC socket.. which would mean a different cable needed?

[Jazz P Bass]

Sorry, but the "sony' file did not upload.

What it said was that the input jack can 'tell' if the input is a digital or an analog input.

If you plug in a 3.5mm 'stereo' (TRS) cord & that cord is connected on the other end to an analog 'stereo' source, the Sony will be perfectly happy with that.

On the other hand, if you plug in a 3.5mm 'mono' cable, with the other end being a BNC 'mono' digital source, the Sony will also be happy.

The 'stereo' part of the digital signal is in the digital data.

[Jazz P Bass]

I think I missed that about coaxial cable.

A Coaxial cable only has 2 conductors.

[Sea Chief]

On the other hand, if you plug in a 3.5mm 'mono' cable, with the other end being a BNC 'mono' digital source, the Sony will also be happy.

The 'stereo' part of the digital signal is in the digital data.

Aha.. understood. I never knew/ that's interesting.. and complicated, thinking further ie how etc. Trific help JP thanks.

[Sea Chief]

Hi JP. Im still on this..

So a Coaxial has 2 conductors, which is what exactly as I only see a normal (dont I?) one pin and one shield in the pic there. Are there 2 pins in middle? or aone signal down the copper middle and one signal down the braided bit?

So then I need a coaxial cable, with a stereo 3.5mm mini jack? but a bnc plug is inherrantly a single pin as said.. so I dont understand how a coaxial cable can be used with it w'out it becoming a 'singleaxial'.

[Jazz P Bass]

Think about what you said.
Now think about the coaxial cable going to your TV set. (Cable, Dish)
All of the 'information' is in the center copper wire.

A coaxial cable is 2 conductors.
The middle copper & the outer shield.
Just like a guitar cable.

You do NOT want a 3.5mm 'stereo' plug.
That will confuse the Sony.

BNC to 3.5mm mono cable is all that is required.
Remember that the signal is 'digital'.
All of the information is coded & sent down the center copper wire.

[Sea Chief]

Understood now JP. Actually I just went in to a local 'leccy/tecchy shop & the spotty tecchy-herbert seemed to think I needed a DAC in between the digital out & MD player. Ah crap.

Ok another Q: if I did get a recording off my expensive CDP > MD player.. would it be exactly the same quality as if I were to just bung the same cd into my laptop here and go (stereo ends I assume) minijack > minijack from the headphone socket?

ie 1's and 0's info is the same right? & its just the playing of cdp parts that make -all- the difference between cdp A and cdp B.

[Jazz P Bass]

You do not need a DAC .
Buy the BNC to 3.5mm mono & you will be good to go.

Can't answer the other question.

[Sea Chief]

Ive just rcvd email back from Roksan the cdp maker..

"The Digital output is not meant for recording, but to connect to a DAC for high quality playback."

Ok where the heck am I now?! forget that? & still just go with a simple mono phono > minijack (& whack a phono/bnc converter on? only way I see of doing/ fine with me).

[g1]

Could you repost the original question and the make/model of the 2 items? The original post is gone.
If the Sony can accept digital or anolog input as JazzP stated, then you do not need a DAC.
If Roksan said it can run into a DAC, then it can also run into a digital recording input. They probably thought you meant into an anolog input.
I would prefer not to run digital signals through cable adapters. Best would be a pre-made mini to BNC like the link Jazz posted.

[Sea Chief]

Hi g-one, by all means: something like..

"Got me a Roksan cdp with a 'coaxial digital output' BNC socket on back. Can I use this odd thingy to record from, into a small Sony portable minidisc player (MZ-510). It has the std Line-in and Mic-in inputs, I usually go TT > amp's tape > minidisc but modded the preamp/ removed the tape section wiring you see.. or I could used this for the cdp too."

thanks- SC.

[g1]

If you plug in a 3.5mm 'stereo' (TRS) cord & that cord is connected on the other end to an analog 'stereo' source, the Sony will be perfectly happy with that.

On the other hand, if you plug in a 3.5mm 'mono' cable, with the other end being a BNC 'mono' digital source, the Sony will also be happy.

The 'stereo' part of the digital signal is in the digital data.

Should work with BNC to mono-mini cable. No DAC required.

[Jazz P Bass]

O/k.
In respect to the replies by people more knowledgeable, I went back & looked at the Sony MZ-N510 inputs.

The 3.5mm jack is for Analog signals.
It then is routed through a A/D converter.

There is also an Optical Jack.
This is for the digital signals.The BNC socket is not optical.

So, yes, you need a DAC.