Minidisc recording- help pls.

[Sea Chief]

Aha ok. Dammit I was just about to buy a pho> mono minijack cable.

Right then, so my last resort is using the cd drawer thing in this old laptop here (dell d600).. if I can. Will a stereo minijack > stereo minijack cable from the headphone input (where I also plug small spkrs into) to the minidisc's Analog minijack socket do it?

[Jazz P Bass]

http://www.minidisc.org/manuals/sony...510_manual.pdf

[Sea Chief]

Thanks JP. I did just find that last e in fact.

The only relevant info in manual is pg 26 'recording from analogue source' and shows to go from analogue source into the MD's optical socket.. which is confusing as I thought the optical was specifically for digital. B b but it doesnt go onto cd players (is this an analogue source?? I thought cd players were digital.. well they are digital). Its all frightfully queer.

[g1]

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.

The manual is a little frustrating. I think they may be using the word "optical" to refer to digital. How can you run an optical signal through a 3.5mm plug?
Page 18 shows the digital connection using "line in" (optical). Are there more than 1 line in jacks?
Page 25 shows the anolog connection going to the same "line in" (optical) jack.

So I think JazzP's first explanation was correct, line in jack can be used for either and detects whether signal is analog or digital.
I would give the BNC to mini cable a try.

[Jazz P Bass]

There is one input jack on the Sony.

It will accept an optical (digital source) cable or an analog (3.5mm stereo) cable.
(This is where I was confusing things. Yes it can accept a digital signal, but it must first be an optical signal. Look up TosLink if you are interested in optical data transmission)

If you want to record directly from the headphone jack, that will work as an analog 3.5mm stereo input to the Sony.
You may want to adjust the headphone out level for the best signal to the Sony.

[Sea Chief]

Right O. Thanks chaps. Obviously having a bunch of cables, ends and inputs from A otr B & 'just try em all goddamit' but Im yet to receive the MD & my 2nd sony one's rec function awol you see.

Still fab little machines these things.. great for walking as small, & esp recording from a say good Linn TT onto- the results are divine. Get em for peanuts too on ebay/ £12 this one winging its way to me.

cheers Chief

[g1]

Ok, so there is an optical version of the mini plug!

One more option would be coax (bnc) to optical (toslink) converter:
Cables To Go Coaxial to TOSLINK® Optical Digital Audio Converter | Walmart.ca