OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS
interstage
Phistersvej 31, 2900 Hellerup, Danmark
- pro audio with a smile
La versión en español del manual de operaciones la encontrará en la web de HHB – www.hhb.co.uk
La version Française de ce manuel d’utilisation est disponible sur le site web de HHB à www.hhb.co.uk
Eine deutsche Version dieser Bedienungsanleitung ist im Internet unter der Adresse www.hhb.co.uk erhältlich.
CONTENTS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Setup Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
One Touch Setup
Main Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TOP PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
FRONT PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SIDE PANELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
LCD DISPLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
NOTATION GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
PREPARATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
How To Save
How To Open
Useful Recording Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18
6 Seconds Pre-Recording
Input Monitor Function
Peak Hold Meter
Overwrite Mode
Threshold Level Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
Record Threshold Level Setting
Auto Increment Function
Auto-Start/Cut Recording Function
Silence Trim
PLAYBACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Normal Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Fast Search Function
Direct Track Select Function
Repeat Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Repeat One or Repeat All Function
Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
AC Adaptor
Nickel Metal Hydride Rechargeable Batteries
Alkaline Batteries
Power Management
Repeat A-B
Auto Pause Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Battery Life Indicator
Date & Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Date and Time Setting
EDITING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-23
Erase Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Erase Only One Track
Date and Time Confirmation
Time Stamp Data Confirmation
Erase All the Tracks At Once
Initialising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Initialising Procedure
Erase Part of a Track
Divide Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-22
Combine Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Move Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23
Disc & Track Naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Factory Default Settings
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting Microphones to the XLR Input
Analog Source Recording via the XLR Input
Sending Analog Audio to External Analog Equipment
Connecting to Digital Equipment via Coaxial or Optical
Sending Digital Audio to External Digital Equipment via
Coaxial or Optical Outputs
OTHER FUNCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Headphone Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Digital Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Key Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Copy Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Connecting With a Computer via the USB Interface
Remote Control
LCD Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Display During Stop Mode
USB INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Windows 98 / Windows 2000 Users . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Mac Users (OS 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Display During Play Mode
Display During Record Mode
Display Back Light
Display Contrast
MENU OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27
DISPLAY MESSAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
MD SYSTEM INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
TECHNICAL DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
RECORDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-19
Recording From a Microphone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Mic Attenuation Mode
Basscut Mode
Limiter Mode
Phantom Mode
Recording From Line Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Recording From Digital Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Recording From Mono Internal Mic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Basic Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Mono Recording
3
INTRODUCTION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Thank you for purchasing the HHB PORTADISC MDP500. This manual explains in detail how to use the MD
recorder and also contains important advice on how to use it efficiently and safely. We recommend that you
read this manual first before you start using the PORTADISC. We also recommend that you keep this manual
in a safe place for easy access in the future.
MAIN FEATURES
•
Versatile analog and digital in/out:
•
•
Switchable auto power down function.
Analog
XLR balanced mic/line input,
You may recharge the supplied NiMH batteries in
the PORTADISC with the AC adaptor provided.
2 channels
RCA phono unbalanced line
output, 2 channels
•
Two recording modes: 80 minutes in stereo mode
or 160 minutes in mono mode.
Digital in (SPDIF)
Coaxial
Optical
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Automatic disc loading mechanism.
Level margin display and peak hold level display.
Date and time display.
Digital out (SPDIF) Coaxial (ON or OFF switchable)
Optical (ON or OFF switchable)
•
•
Imports and exports audio data with a Macintosh or
Windows PC via a Universal Serial Bus (USB)
interface.
Parallel remote function.
The PORTADISC caters for professional
LCD display with back light.
microphones and is also equipped with a back-up
internal mono microphone. Features include
phantom power (+48V), attenuator, limiter, ganged
limiter, AGC and high-pass filter (bass cut).
Internal monitor speaker.
Internal mono microphone suitable for use when
identing tracks, etc.
•
Conforms to the MD standard (Adaptive TRansform
Acoustic Coding – ATRAC version 4.5) in addition to
having a wide variety of MD recording functions:
auto start/cut, auto pause, time stamp and
6-second pre record buffer.
•
•
•
Five user set-up menus are available for storing
input and system settings.
Headphone monitor functions include Stereo, Mono
L, Mono R and Mono Both.
The PORTADISC has a built-in sample rate converter
that automatically converts sample frequencies
from 32kHz to 48kHz into the MD standard
44.1kHz.
•
•
The editing facility offers editing options such as
Divide, Combine, Move and Erase in addition to
naming program titles and discs.
The PORTADISC features 3-way power source
and power management, with external 12-14V DC,
8 x AA alkaline batteries or 8 x Nickel Metal
Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries (supplied).
The supplied batteries are high capacity 1550mAh
NiMH cells, for optimum performance.
4
PRECAUTIONS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The HHB PORTADISC is simple to use but, like all
• Disconnect the AC adaptor and remove the batteries
when cleaning.
electrical equipment, care must be taken to ensure
reliable, safe operation. The following points should
always be observed in order to reduce the risk of fire
or electric shocks:
• Use only specified batteries, the AC adaptor and
connection cables.
• Do not expose the recorder to extreme conditions of
smoke, water, moisture or excessive vibration.
• Turn off the power before connecting the AC adaptor
or replacing the batteries.
• Do not insert objects (other than MD discs or
batteries) or liquids into the recorder.
Please seek qualified service personnel advice if the
PORTADISC appears to be operating abnormally. Power
down the PORTADISC, disconnect the AC adaptor and
remove the batteries if you notice any of the following:
• Do not remove the PORTADISC’s covers (except the
battery compartment). This recorder employs a laser
and there are no user-serviceable parts inside.
• Unusual mechanical noises from the recorder.
• Liquid has been spilled into the recorder.
• Do not apply pressure or mount heavy objects on the
recorder.
• The recorder has been dropped or the casing
damaged in any way.
• Do not drop or apply extreme physical shock to the
recorder.
SERVICE
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Should the HHB PORTADISC require service, it must be
All components used in the HHB PORTADISC are
guaranteed against faulty materials or workmanship for a
period of one year from the date of purchase. This
warranty will become void if the product has been
misused, modified or tampered with in any way. HHB
shall not be liable for any consequential or incidental
damages due to the failure of this product. In the unlikely
event of a product failure please contact your local dealer.
taken or sent to an HHB authorised dealer. Please
retain the original packing for possible future use, and
ensure the unit is suitably protected during transit. The
manufacturer cannot accept responsibility for damage
caused during transportation. In order to register
ownership it is essential that you complete and return
the user registration card supplied with this product.
Please record the following details:
Serial number: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date purchased: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dealer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
TOP PANEL
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
1
2
BATTERY COMPARTMENT
6
7
8
9
REWIND
Rewinds the track during playback.
This cover slides off (from right to left in this
view) and underneath is the battery caddy,
holding 8 x AA batteries.
PLAY
Use this button to start playing back the track.
KEYHOLD
Use this button to avoid any accidental operation
during recording. Each time you press the button
for more than two seconds, the hold function
changes from ‘Key Hold ON’ to ‘Key Hold OFF’ and
vice versa. The following buttons can still operate
even when the keyhold function is on: KEY HOLD,
LIGHT, MARK, DISPLAY and POWER. The remote
control connection will not be affected by this
function; i.e., it is always enabled.
FAST FORWARD
Fast forwards the track during playback.
STOP
Use this button to stop the playback or recording
operation.
10
RECORD VOLUME CONTROL
Dual concentric control for independent left and
right level adjustment.
3
OPEN
Press this button to eject the MD disc. This
function is disabled during recording.
11
12
13
INTERNAL MONO MICROPHONE
MONITOR SPEAKER
4
5
EDIT
Use this button to enter the different edit modes.
SHOULDER STRAP ATTACHMENT POINTS
AMS
Use the
tracks and the
button to move back one or more
❙
❙
button to move forward one
or more tracks. These buttons are also used in
editing and naming.
6
FRONT PANEL
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
14
15
PHONE LEVEL
21
REC LEVEL
Adjusts the volume level for the headphones and
monitor speaker. The control will pop out if you
press it. The monitor speaker will not function
during recording or when the headphones are
connected.
Adjusts the analog recording level manually for mic
and line inputs. This control does not affect the
signal level when the AGC function is set to ‘ON’.
The outer control adjusts the left hand channel and
the inner control adjusts the right hand channel. A
friction lock between the two controls allows them
to move together but also be adjusted individually.
INPUT
Changes the following input related settings:
• Input source: MIC, LINE, DIGITAL, INT MIC, OFF
• Options for MIC: MIC-Att, BASSCUT, LIMITER,
PHANTOM
• Options for LINE: LIMITER
• Options for DIGITAL: COAXIAL, OPTICAL, USB
input connections
22
23
RECORD
Slide this button to the right to enter record mode.
POWER
Press this button for one second to power ON and
press for more than one second then release to
power OFF. This button does not turn the power off
during recording and TOC operations.
16
17
DISPLAY
Changes the display menu through disc time, level
margin, time & date.
24
25
F1, F2, F3
Selects the parameters according to the
corresponding set-up functions on the display above.
LIGHT
Illuminates the display back light for a few seconds.
Hold it down for more than two seconds in order
for it to be continuously lit. Press it again to switch
off the light.
LCD DISPLAY
Shows level metering, disc information, timing
information and all the menu select and control
displays.
18
19
MARK
26
REC LEVEL LOCK
Marks the track number manually during record
mode and play/pause mode.
Mechanically locks the REC LEVEL knob position in
order to avoid accidental adjustment. Slide this
button up to lock.
SYSTEM
Changes the following system settings: REC MODE,
TRACK-INCREMENT, THRESHOLD LEVEL,
AUTO-START/CUT, AUTO-PAUSE, PRE-RECORD,
HEADPHONE MONITOR, OVERWRITE MODE,
REPEAT MODE, DIGITAL OUTPUT and AUTO
POWER DOWN.
27
28
REC INDICATOR
This LED will light up red in record mode and blink
in record pause mode.
BAT CHG INDICATOR
This LED will light up green when charging the
NiMH rechargeable batteries.
20
SETUP
29
30
PAUSE INDICATOR
This LED will light up yellow in pause mode.
Changes the following setup options: OPEN SETUP,
SAVE SETUP, CLOCK/DATE SETUP, DATE FORMAT,
PEAK HOLD METER and DISPLAY CONTRAST. Use
this button to save and recall set-ups. OPEN SETUP
consists of five user set-ups, which can be used to
store all the menu settings on the recorder, and
three recording presets – MIC REC, LINE REC and
DIGI REC.
PAUSE BUTTON
Use this button to pause the record or playback
operation. Pressing this button before pressing the
record button will put the recorder into record
pause mode, ready for recording.
7
SIDE PANELS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
31
32
PHONES SOCKET
1/4" jack socket for headphone connection.
36
37
USB CONNECTOR
USB interface port for a compatible computer.
LINE OUT LEFT AND RIGHT CONNECTORS
(Unbalanced RCA phono.) To send analog output
signals to other equipment.
OPTICAL I/O CONNECTORS
(TOSlink.) SPDIF digital optical connectors.
38
39
BATTERY COMPARTMENT
33
34
35
COAXIAL I/O CONNECTORS
(Unbalanced RCA phono.) SPDIF digital coaxial
connectors.
DC INPUT CONNECTOR
To connect the standard accessory AC adaptor,
or an optional car adaptor. DC12-14V.
MIC/LINE CONNECTORS
(Balanced XLR.) To connect either MIC or LINE
inputs.
40
41
MINIDISC SLOT
A disc must be inserted into this slot with the
arrow on the disc casing facing into the recorder.
REMOTE CONNECTOR
Parallel remote control connector.
SHOULDER STRAP ATTACHMENT POINTS
8
LCD DISPLAY
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
42-3 LEVEL INDICATOR
The bar meter shows the audio level in playback
45
46
DISPLAY MODE INDICATOR
Displays the track number, record/play time,
remaining time, total recorded time, level
margin, date and time.
and record. (42) left hand channel (43) right
hand channel.
44
RECORD/PLAYBACK MODE INDICATOR
The icons indicate pause, play and record
modes.
BATTERY INDICATOR
Indicates the battery capacity remaining or
whether the unit is connected to an external
power source (DC IN).
NOTATION GUIDE
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Throughout these operating instructions, the following
notation will be used.
•
When a button press is being illustrated in the text,
it will be written in bold type, for example:
Press the RECORD button.
•
When a word that will be shown on the
PORTADISC’s display is being illustrated in the text,
it will be written in inverted commas, for example:
Press this button until ‘SOURCE’ is displayed.
9
PREPARATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
BATTERY LIFE INDICATOR
POWER SUPPLY
When the PORTADISC is operated with batteries, the
battery icon will be shown in the bottom right hand
corner of the display. The PORTADISC will automatically
AC ADAPTOR
Use the AC mains power supply to operate the
power down if there is insufficient battery life remaining.
PORTADISC by connecting the standard accessory AC
adaptor (universal voltage 100-240 VAC) to the DC input
connector. You can also use the AC adaptor to charge
the rechargeable batteries within the recorder. If the
rechargeable batteries are loaded and the charge switch,
which is located on the back of unit underneath the
battery caddy, is set to ON, the green charge LED on the
front panel will light. The light will reduce in intensity once
the batteries are charged. The batteries will fully charge
in the PORTADISC overnight (at least 8 hours)
Display
DCIN
99%
Operation
Operating with external power source
Battery fully charged
Battery life low
40%
CAUTION – Be aware that different batteries have
different discharge rates and, in some cases, the
battery level indication may reduce very rapidly.
NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
Remove the battery cover and load the 8 supplied AA
type NiMH batteries into the battery caddy in the
Battery life
Recording
Playback
Alkaline
NiMH battery
2.5 hours
>3 hours
3 hours
>3.5 hours
NOTE – Times given are approximate. The recording
and playback time will be substantially shorter if
manganese or low capacity Nickel Metal Cadmium
(Ni-Cad) batteries are used.
battery compartment as shown below.
Make sure the charging switch (located under the
caddy) is set to ON. When charging the batteries, the
green charge LED on the front panel will light. Other
types of rechargeable batteries can be used but may
not achieve the same high levels of performance.
Optimum performance will be achieved using the high
capacity 1550mAh NiMH batteries supplied. If you
choose to use alkaline batteries, we suggest you obtain
the best quality, highest capacity AA cells available.
CAUTION – Do not mix charged and discharged
batteries or batteries of a different type (alkaline and
NiMH). Ensure you install the batteries with the
correct polarity.
DATE & TIME
Before using the PORTADISC for the first time, please
set the time and date, as this will enable the disc time
stamp function facility to work correctly. The date
format of your country may be set according to the
following procedure:
ALKALINE BATTERIES
Remove the battery cover and load 8 standard AA type
alkaline batteries into the battery caddy in the battery
compartment. Switch OFF the charge switch.
1. Recall date format by pressing the SETUP button
CAUTION – Before installing alkaline batteries, ensure
the charge switch is set to OFF. Do not mix new and
used batteries or batteries of a different type
(alkaline and NiMH). Ensure you install the batteries
with the correct polarity. Do not attempt to recharge
alkaline batteries as damage to the batteries or the
PORTADISC may occur.
until ‘DATE FORMAT’ is displayed.
2. The current format will be displayed in the bottom
left hand corner. Press the F1 button until the date
format which you want is displayed:
DD/MM/YY
MM/DD/YY
YY/MM/DD
POWER MANAGEMENT
3. Press F2 (‘SET’) to select the required format and
exit this page – should you wish to exit without
making any changes, press F3 (‘EXIT’) to return to
the display page.
The PORTADISC can be set to automatically power
down if it is left in STOP mode and none of the buttons
have been touched for more than 10 minutes. This
function can be enabled by recalling ‘AUTO POWER
DOWN ?’ from the SYSTEM menu button.
10
DATE AND TIME SETTING
INITIALISING
1. Press the SETUP button until ‘CLOCK/DATE
SETUP?’ appears.
If functions on the PORTADISC behave abnormally at any
time, it is a good idea to initialise the unit.
2. If you press F2, the current set-up date and time
will be displayed. For instance, in the DD/MM/YY
format, 02/01/00 10:24:00 means 2nd January,
2000, 10 hours 24 minutes and 00 seconds AM.
INITIALISING PROCEDURE
Power down the unit using the POWER button. Then,
press POWER to turn the power on while
simultaneously holding down the F1 and F2 buttons.
3. The digit on the left will be flashing. Press F1 or
y
AMS
want appears.
or
repeatedly until the number you
y
FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS
4. Once the correct number is flashing, press F3 or FF
to move the flashing digit to the right.
When the PORTADISC has been initialised or is newly
purchased, its settings will be as follows:
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to enter the required date
and time.
INPUT menu
L
R
6. Press F2 to finish the setup.
INPUT SOURCE
MIC-ATT
BASSCUT
LIMITER
MIC
0dB
OFF
ON
MIC
0dB
OFF
ON
DATE AND TIME CONFIRMATION
1. Press the DISPLAY button repeatedly until the time
is displayed:
PHANTOM
OFF
OFF
CLOCK
2. Pressing DISPLAY again shows the date:
DATE 02/01/00
10:24:00
SYSTEM menu
REC MODE?
STEREO
AUTO
-30dB
NO
NO
NO
TRACK-INCREMENT?
THRESHOLD LEVEL
AUTO-START/CUT?
AUTO-PAUSE?
TIME STAMP DATA CONFIRMATION
PRE-RECORD?
HEADPHONE MONITOR
OVERWRITE MODE?
REPEAT MODE
STEREO
OFF
OFF
When the PORTADISC plays back a disc that has a time
stamp, the time stamp data will be displayed as follows:
DIGITAL OUTPUT?
AUTO POWER DOWN?
OFF
NO
1. Press DISPLAY three times during playback to
recall the time of the recording.
2. The stamped time is displayed on the clock display
page, showing minutes and seconds. The 2-digit
number after the ‘/’ symbol indicates the MD
recorder manufacturer – this is 30 for the
PORTADISC.
SETUP menu
DISPLAY CONTRAST
DATE FORMAT
PEAK HOLD METER?
+3
DD/MM/YY
OFF
CLOCK
10:24/30
NOTE – Initialising the system will not change the
USER1-5 memory settings.
The stamped date is displayed in the DATE menu
when DISPLAY is pressed once more:
DATE
02/01/00
NOTE – Recorded clock and date information is not
available until the Table of Contents (TOC) has been
updated. This update only occurs when a disc is
ejected, or if the powered down with the disc still in the
PORTADISC.
11
PREPARATION
cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
SENDING DIGITAL AUDIO TO EXTERNAL DIGITAL
EQUIPMENT VIA COAXIAL OR OPTICAL OUTPUTS
CONNECTIONS
ONE COAXIAL OR
OPTICAL CABLE
CONNECTING MICROPHONES TO THE XLR INPUT
(Both outputs
If you use a stereo microphone, connect it to the XLR
mic inputs. If you use a single microphone, connect it to
either the left or right XLR mic input. (See page 15 for
further information about recording from a microphone
and page 17 for information about mono recording.) If
you use a microphone that requires phantom power, set
phantom mode to ‘ON’ by accessing the INPUT menu
(see page 15).
indicated with arrows)
DIGITAL OUT
(COAXIAL OR OPTICAL)
DIGITAL IN
(COAXIAL OR OPTICAL)
NOTE – Ensure the digital output is turned ‘ON’ – see
page 24 for details.
CONNECTING WITH A COMPUTER VIA THE USB
INTERFACE
MIC/LINE IN (L)
MIC/LINE IN (R)
MIC (L)
MIC (R)
USB CABLE
ANALOG SOURCE RECORDING VIA THE XLR INPUT
USB
COMPUTER
USB PORT
REMOTE CONTROL
The pin layout for the parallel remote connector is as
follows:
MIC/LINE IN (L)
MIC/LINE IN (R)
LINE OUT (L)
LINE OUT (R)
SENDING ANALOG AUDIO TO EXTERNAL ANALOG
EQUIPMENT
Parallel remote connector – pin configuration of Mini
DIN remote control:
LINE OUT (L)
LINE OUT (R)
LINE IN (L)
LINE IN (R)
CONNECTING TO DIGITAL EQUIPMENT VIA
COAXIAL OR OPTICAL
Digital source recording via COAXIAL or OPTICAL inputs.
ONE COAXIAL OR
OPTICAL CABLE
(Both inputs indicated
with arrows)
DIGITAL IN
DIGITAL OUT
(COAXIAL OR OPTICAL)
(COAXIAL OR OPTICAL)
12
DISPLAY DURING PLAY MODE
LCD DISPLAY
With the PORTADISC in play mode, the following
information will be displayed each time you press the
DISPLAY button:
The PORTADISC can display information about the
track, record/playback time, total recorded tracks plus
time, disc space remaining, level margin, date and time
in the display window.
Playback track number and playback time:
DISPLAY DURING STOP MODE
TRK001
0:02:05
DCIN
With the PORTADISC in stop mode, the following
information will be displayed each time you press the
DISPLAY button:
Playback track number and track time remaining:
TRK001
0:01:02
REM
DCIN
DCIN
Total number of tracks and total playback time:
Level margin:
TRK012
1:10:16
TOT
DCIN
MARGIN
L-09:R-11
MD time remaining:
Time stamped (current time of the day if there is no
time stamp recorded on the disc):
DISC
0:03:44
REM
DCIN
DCIN
DCIN
CLOCK
16:58/30
DCIN
Level margin:
Date stamped (the current date if there is no time
stamp recorded on the disc):
MARGIN
L-60:R-60
The current time of day:
CLOCK 15:18:24
DATE
21/09/00
DCIN
DISPLAY DURING RECORD MODE
The current date (the format will depend on your
setting):
With the PORTADISC in record mode, the following
information will be displayed each time you press the
DISPLAY button:
DATE
13/10/00
DCIN
Recording track number and recording time:
When you load an MD disc, the disc name, total track
number and total playback time will be displayed
automatically. Here is an example:
REC
DCIN
TRK004
0:04:05
Recording track number and remaining MD time:
Disc name:
REC
DCIN
TRK004
0:11:25
R E M
MONDAY’S NEWS
Level margin:
Total track number and total playback time:
REC
DCIN
MARGIN
L-21:R-18
TRK012
1:10:16
TOT
DCIN
The current time of the day:
REC
Pressing F1 will display the disc name (if available)
during stop and playback and pressing F2 will display
the current track name (if available).
CLOCK
17:20:12
01/12/00
DCIN
The current date:
REC
DCIN
DATE
13
PREPARATION
cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
DISPLAY BACK LIGHT
Press LIGHT to turn on the display back light for 5
seconds or, if you press and hold the LIGHT button, the
light will stay on permanently.
NOTE – We recommend minimal use of the display light
when the PORTADISC is powered by batteries. This will
maximise battery life.
DISPLAY CONTRAST
1. Press SETUP until ‘DISPLAY CONTRAST’ is
displayed.
DISPLAY CONTRAST
+3
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to choose the setting you want from ‘+1’,
‘+2’, ‘+3’, ‘+4’ and ‘+5’ (5 is the darkest).
3. Press the F2 button to confirm and then press F3
to exit this page.
14
RECORDING
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
BASSCUT mode
Bass cut setting
RECORDING FROM A MICROPHONE
OFF
Off
75Hz
150Hz
Attenuate below 75Hz
Attenuate below 150Hz
1. Press the INPUT button once to recall ‘SOURCE’
mode in order to select the correct input source
settings.
LIMITER MODE
INPUT-L
MIC
SOURCE
SET
INPUT-R
MIC
This mode selects the limiter function and automatic
gain control. In ‘GANGED’ mode, limiting on either
channel will affect the other channel by the same
amount, thereby maintaining the stereo image.
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose ‘MIC’. Then press F2 to
confirm.
You can select the input source for both left and right
channels individually:
1. Press the INPUT button once again to recall
‘LIMITER’ mode:
INPUT-L
ON
LIMITER
SET
INPUT-R
ON
SOURCE mode
Input source setting for left & right
OFF
MIC
LINE
DIGITAL
INTMIC
Input source off
External microphone
Line input
Digital input
Internal microphone
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose the limiter setting from
‘ON’, ‘OFF’, ‘GANGED’, and ‘AGC’. Then press F2 to
confirm.
LIMITER mode
Limiter setting
Once your input source is selected as ‘MIC’, the
following settings will also be available by scrolling
through the INPUT menu pages (by pressing INPUT):
ON
OFF
GANGED
AGC
On
Off
Ganged limiter applied
Automatic gain control (REC
LEVEL control is bypassed)
MIC ATTENUATION MODE
In ‘MIC-Att’ mode, you can select the attenuation to be
applied to the external microphones. Use this mode
when using high output microphones.
The Automatic Gain Control function automatically sets
the record level of an analog input in order to achieve
an optimum signal level. In this mode, the record level
control is bypassed.
1. Press the INPUT button once again to recall
‘MIC-Att’ mode:
NOTE – If one channel is set to GANGED or AGC, then
the other channel is automatically set to the same. If
you subsequently decide to set either channel to limiter
‘ON’ or ‘OFF’, you will need to select ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ for
both channels using F1 and F3 before setting this with
the F2 button.
INPUT-L
0dB
MIC-Att
SET
INPUT-R
0dB
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose the attenuation from
‘0’, ‘-15dB’, and ‘-30dB’. Then press F2 to confirm.
MIC-Att mode
Attenuation setting
PHANTOM MODE
0dB
No attenuation
-15dB
-30dB
15dB attenuation
30dB attenuation
The PORTADISC can supply +48V phantom power to
the external microphones.
BASSCUT MODE
1. Press the INPUT button once again to recall
‘PHANTOM’ mode:
With this mode you can select the bass roll-off
frequency. Use this mode to minimise rumble, wind
noise or humming induced by a power source.
INPUT-L
ON
PHANTOM
SET
INPUT-R
ON
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose the phantom power
setting from ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’. Then press F2 to
confirm.
1. Press the INPUT button once again to recall
‘BASSCUT’ mode:
INPUT-L
OFF
BASSCUT
SET
INPUT-R
OFF
PHANTOM mode
Phantom power setting
ON
OFF
On
Off
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose the bass cut frequency
from ‘OFF’, ‘75Hz’, and ‘150Hz’. Then press F2 to
confirm.
15
RECORDING
cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
2. Press F1 or F3 to choose ‘INTMIC’. Then press F2
RECORDING FROM LINE SOURCES
to set-up.
1. Press the INPUT button once to recall ‘SOURCE’
The internal mono microphone is suitable for use identing
tracks, etc.
mode.
INPUT-L
LINE
SOURCE
SET
INPUT-R
LINE
NOTE – If one channel is set to ‘INTMIC’, the other
channel will automatically be set to the same. If you
subsequently decide to change this setting, you must first
select the required source for both the left and right
channels using F1 and F3 before pressing F2 to confirm.
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose ‘LINE’. Then press F2
to set-up.
Once your input source is selected as ‘LINE’, the limiter
setting will also be available by pressing INPUT. See the
previous section for further details about the limiter
function.
BASIC RECORDING
1. Load the MD disc to be used for recording into the
opening as shown below:
RECORDING FROM DIGITAL SOURCES
1. Press the INPUT button once to recall ‘SOURCE’
mode.
INPUT-L
DIGITAL
SOURCE
SET
INPUT-R
DIGITAL
2. Press F1 and F3 to choose ‘DIGITAL’. Then press
F2 to set-up.
Once your input source is selected as ‘DIGITAL’, the
digital input mode setting will also be available by
pressing INPUT:
Load the MD disc with the
arrows facing towards the slot.
1. Press INPUT again to recall DIGITAL INPUT? mode.
DIGITAL INPUT?
COAXIAL
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to select the correct digital input source
from ‘COAXIAL’, ‘OPTICAL’ or ‘USB’. Then press F2
to confirm and F3 to exit..
To allow recording, the record
protection tag on the disc must
be in the correct position.
DIGITAL INPUT mode
Digital input setting
COAXIAL
OPTICAL
USB
Coaxial input
Optical input
Universal Serial Bus input
NOTE – If the digital source is interrupted (e.g., due to an
intermittent connection), recording will automatically
enter a record suspend mode and ‘Din Unlock!’ will be
displayed. Recording will resume as soon as the signal is
restored. If one channel is set to ‘DIGITAL’, the other
channel will automatically be set to the same. If you
subsequently decide to change this setting, you must first
select the required source for both the left and right
channels using F1 and F3 before pressing F2 to confirm.
For best results, we recommend HHB MD74 or HHB
MD80 (74 and 80 minute) professional MD media.
2. Adjust the REC LEVEL control for the appropriate
recording level. This control is not active if the
‘LIMITER’ mode is set to ‘AGC’ (Automatic Gain
Control), internal ‘INTMIC’ is selected, or if a digital
signal is being recorded.
RECORDING FROM MONO INTERNAL MIC
3. Slide the RECORD button to the right to start
recording if you want to record immediately.
However, if you first want to enter record pause
mode, press the PAUSE button first, then slide the
RECORD button. When you press the PAUSE
button again, the PORTADISC will start recording:
1. Press INPUT button once to recall SOURCE mode.
INPUT-L
INTMIC
SOURCE
SET
INPUT-R
INTMIC
16
• RECORD
• PAUSE, RECORD
followed by PAUSE
Start recording
Record pause
Start recording
HOW TO SAVE
5 user memories are available, named ‘USER 1’ to
‘USER 5’.
4. Adjust the recording levels so that the peak level
meters do not go beyond 0dB (marked ‘OVR’ in the
top right of the diagram below). If the recording
level goes above 0dB, distortion to the recorded
material may occur.
1. Make your record mode setting using the INPUT
button and the SYSTEM button.
2. Press the SETUP button until ‘SAVE SETUP’ is
displayed.
SAVESETUP
USER1
SAVE
EXIT
3. Press F1 to choose the user memory from USER
5. Press the STOP button to stop recording. Or press
the PAUSE button to pause recording. If you press
the PAUSE button once again in record pause
mode, the PORTADISC will start recording again.
1-5. Then press F2 to save.
HOW TO OPEN
You can open your pre-set record mode, which you
saved in the user memories from USER 1-5.
MONO RECORDING
You can double the recording time on an MD disc by
using the mono recording mode.
1. Press the SETUP button until ‘OPEN SETUP’ is
recalled.
OPENSETUP
USER1
1. Recall ‘REC MODE ?’ by pressing the SYSTEM
OPEN
EXIT
button once.
2. Press F1 to choose the user memory from USER
RECMODE
MONO
SET
EXIT
1-5. Then press F2 to open.
2. Press F1 to choose ‘MONO’. Then press F2 to
confirm and F3 to exit.
USEFUL RECORDING FUNCTIONS
NOTE – The left and right channels will be added and
recorded as a mono signal.
6 SECONDS PRE-RECORDING
This function enables you to record 6 seconds of audio
from the internal memory buffer prior to pressing
RECORD. This is a useful function for minimising the
chance of missing the beginning of a take.
SETUP MENU
ONE-TOUCH SETUP
ACTUAL RECORDING
BEGINS HERE
RECORD BUTTON
IS PRESSED
Use the SETUP button to quickly configure the
PORTADISC for mic, line or digital recordings.
TIME = 0 SECONDS
TIME +6 SECONDS
1. Press the SETUP button once to recall ‘OPEN
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘PRE-RECORD?’
SETUP’ mode.
mode is recalled.
OPENSETUP
MICREC
PRE-RECORD?
YES
OPEN
EXIT
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 until ‘YES’ is displayed. Then press F2 to
2. The following setup options are available by scrolling
through F1 from the ‘OPEN SETUP?’ menu page.
Press F2 to select.
set-up.
3. Enter record pause mode by pressing PAUSE
before sliding the RECORD button.
SETUP
PORTADISC settings
USER1 - USER5
MIC REC
LINE REC
5 user-defined settings
Microphone recording setup
Line recording setup
CAUTION – For the pre-record mode to work, you need to
wait at least 6 seconds after preparing the record pause
mode in order to pre-load the buffer. The PORTADISC will
not record the full 6 seconds of audio otherwise.
DIGI REC
Digital recording setup
You can save your input and system settings (which
were made by using the INPUT and SYSTEM buttons)
into 5 user memories and then easily recall them by
opening the user memories.
4. Press PAUSE to start recording. The PORTADISC
will record the audio, including 6 seconds of audio
prior to the start of the recording.
17
RECORDING
cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
5. Press the PAUSE button to enter record pause
4.
Press PAUSE, then select the track that y you want to
mode. Or press STOP to stop recording.
record over using the AMS
and
buttons.
y
INPUT MONITOR FUNCTION
NOTE – If no track is selected, recording will begin
automatically over track 1.
You can monitor the incoming audio signal even when
you are not recording (the input is always monitored in
record pause mode).
5. Slide the RECORD switch to the right to enter
record pause mode. ‘Overwrite!’ will be briefly
displayed.
1. Eject the MD disc by pressing the OPEN button.
6. Press PAUSE to begin recording. ‘Overwrite!’ will be
2. Make your record mode setting using the INPUT
briefly shown again.
and SYSTEM buttons.
If the new track is shorter than the track which is being
overwritten, the remaining part of the old track will
become the next track on the disc:
3. Slide the RECORD button to enter the monitor
mode.
4. The input audio signal will appear on the display
meter and on both the analog and digital outputs,
whichever analog or digital input source you choose.
BEFORE OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
TRACK 2
TRACK 2
5. Press the STOP button to cancel the monitor
mode.
AFTER OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
TRACK 3
(OLD TRACK 2)
PEAK HOLD METER
NEW TRACK 2
The level bar meter display shows the audio level with
peak hold functions. It can be set as follows:
If the new track is longer than the track which is being
overwritten, the next track will also be recorded over:
1. Press SETUP until the ‘PEAK HOLD METER’ setup
mode is recalled:
BEFORE OVERWRITING:
PEAKHOLDMETER ?
TRACK 1
TRACK 2
TRACK 2
TRACK 3
OFF
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to choose the setting you want from
AFTER OVERWRITING:
TRACK 1
‘OFF’, ‘2SECOND’, and ‘ON’.
END OF
TRACK 3
PEAK HOLD METER mode
Peak hold setting
NEW TRACK 2
OFF
Peaks not held
2SECOND
ON
Peaks held for 2 seconds
Peaks held until the STOP
or F3 button is pressed
CAUTION – Please be aware that using overwrite
mode can permanently remove existing recordings.
3. Press the F2 button to set-up. Then press F3 to
THRESHOLD LEVEL FUNCTIONS
exit the mode.
The threshold level setting sets the levels from which
both the auto increment and the auto start/cut
functions operate.
OVERWRITE MODE
It is possible to record directly over previously recorded
tracks without needing to erase them first.
RECORD THRESHOLD LEVEL SETTING
1. Press SYSTEM until ‘OVERWRITE MODE ?’ is
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘THRESHOLD
displayed.
LEVEL’ is displayed.
OVERWRITEMODE ?
THRESHOLDLEVEL
OFF
SET
EXIT
-30dB
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to select the overwrite setting from ‘ON’
2. Press F1 to choose the threshold level from
‘-30dB’, ‘-40dB’, ‘-50dB’ or ‘-60dB’. Then press F2
to set-up and F3 to exit.
or ‘OFF’.
3. Press the F2 button to set-up. Then press F3 to
exit the mode.
18
AUTO INCREMENT FUNCTION
When using the auto-start/cut function with a digital
input, the threshold level setting will default to -80dBFS,
as illustrated below (with auto-start/cut on):
The function enables new tracks to be created
automatically during recording.
1. Press SYSTEM until ‘TRACK-INCREMENT?’ is
displayed.
TRACK-INCREMENT?
AUTO
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to choose the auto increment setting
from ‘AUTO’ or ‘MANUAL’. Then press F2 to set-up
and F3 to exit.
If set to ‘AUTO’, a new track will be created if the input
signal level drops below and then rises above the level
set in the threshold level menu page (see previous page
for details). The signal level must drop for more than
two seconds before rising again to create a new track:
SILENCE TRIM
In addition, with auto-start/cut set to ‘ON’ during
recording, if the audio level drops below the threshold
level setting for more than 5 seconds and then rises
above the threshold, the PORTADISC will ‘silence trim’
the silent region to 5 seconds in length. ‘Silence Trim’
will be briefly displayed.
Before silence trim:
If set to ‘MANUAL’, this feature will be disabled and new
tracks are only created when MARK is pressed. The
MARK button will also function in ‘AUTO’ mode.
AUTO-START/CUT RECORDING FUNCTION
This function, ideal for environmental noise monitoring,
operates as follows:
After silence trim:
•
•
The PORTADISC will automatically start recording
when the threshold level setting is exceeded.
Recording will automatically pause when the audio
level drops below the threshold level setting for
more than 30 seconds.
The PORTADISC must be in record pause mode for the
auto-start function to operate.
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘AUTO-START/CUT?’
is displayed.
AUTO-START/CUT?
YES
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to choose ‘YES’. Then press F2 to set-up
and F3 to exit.
19
PLAYBACK
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
REPEAT A-B
NORMAL PLAYBACK
You can repeatedly play back a certain portion within a
1. Load the MD disc to be used for playback into the
disc opening.
track.
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘REPEAT MODE ?’
2. Press the PLAY button to start playback.
is displayed.
3. Press the PAUSE or STOP buttons to pause or
REPEAT MODE ?
stop playback.
A-B
SET
EXIT
❙
4. During playback, press the AMS
button once
2. Press F1 to choose ‘A-B’. Then press F2 to set-up.
to locate the beginning of the next track. Press the
AMS button once to locate the beginning of
❙
3. Play back the track you want to repeat. While
playing back the track, ‘A-B’ will be shown in the top
right hand corner of the display.
the current track. If you repeatedly press either of
the AMS buttons, the track will continuously jump in
the direction indicated. If the AMS
pressed repeatedly from Track 1, the PORTADISC
will ‘wrap round’ to the last track.
button is
❙
4. During playback, press the F2 button at the time
that you want the repeat function to start. As this
point has now been registered as A, ‘Repeat A-’ will
be shown momentarily on the display.
FAST SEARCH FUNCTION
5. Continue playback or press the FF button to reach
the place where you want the repeat function to
end. Then press the F2 button to set-up the repeat
end point – point B. The PORTADISC will now repeat
the portion between point A and point B.
You can playback a track in fast search mode by holding
down either the REW or FF buttons. If you hold the
buttons for more than 5 seconds, playback will enter an
extra-fast search mode.
‘Repeat A-B’ will be shown on the display
DIRECT TRACK SELECT FUNCTION
momentarily while rewinding from B to A.
6. You can also change points A and B during replay. If
you press F2 again during replay, the point you had
previously set as B will now become a new point A
and you will be able to register a new point B by
following the procedure mentioned in point 5 above.
You can locate a track you want by its number in order
to play it back.
❙
1. During stop mode, press AMS
or AMS
❙
repeatedly to choose the track number.
7. If you want to reset the repeat A-B setting, press
2. Press PLAY to start playback of the required track.
the STOP button, or change the playback track
❙
using the AMS
or AMS
buttons.
❙
REPEAT FUNCTIONS
AUTO PAUSE MODE
REPEAT ONE OR REPEAT ALL FUNCTION
With this mode, the PORTADISC will pause between
tracks. This mode is useful if you want to playback
particular tracks one at a time rather than continuously;
ideal for broadcast or theatre productions.
You can repeatedly play back a particular track or all
the tracks from the MD disc.
1. Press SYSTEM button until ‘REPEAT MODE ?’ is
displayed.
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘AUTO-PAUSE?’ is
REPEAT MODE ?
ALL
recalled.
SET
EXIT
AUTO-PAUSE?
YES
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to choose the repeat mode from ‘ALL’ or
‘ONE’. Then press F2 to set-up.
2. Press F1 to choose ‘YES’. Then press F2 to set-up.
3. Press the PLAY button to begin playback.
3. With auto-pause on, the PORTADISC will
4. The PORTADISC will repeatedly play back a
particular track or all tracks accordingly. Whilst in
the repeat mode, either ‘ONE’ or ‘ALL’ will be shown
in the top right hand corner of the display.
automatically pause at the end of the current track.
If you wish to replay the same track, press AMS
❙
once, then press the PLAY button. If you want to
start playing back the next track, simply press the
PLAY button. The PORTADISC will stay in pause
mode after playing back the next track.
5. If you want to cancel the repeat mode, choose ‘OFF’
for the repeat mode as described above.
4. To cancel the auto-pause mode, set this mode to
‘NO’ in the system menu.
20
EDITING
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The PORTADISC operates in four editing modes – erase,
1. Press the EDIT button until ‘ALL ERASE ?’ is
divide, combine and move. In addition, you can also
label a disc or individual tracks. These different editing
modes enable you to:
displayed.
ALL ERASE ?
YES
EXIT
• go to a particular point in the middle of a track
instantly,
2. Press the F2 button.
• combine two tracks together to make them into
one track,
3. ’ALL ERASE???’ will appear in the display window.
Press F2 once again to erase all the tracks.
• move a track wherever you want to,
• erase tracks.
ALL ERASE ???
YES
EXIT
4. Once the all erase process has been completed,
‘Complete!’ and then ‘Blank Disc!’ will be shown in
the display.
ERASE FUNCTION
You can erase a track by recalling the track number.
After erasing a track, the track numbers on all following
tracks will automatically decrease by one.
ERASE PART OF A TRACK
By using divide and combine functions in conjunction
with the erase function, you can erase a particular part
within a track (see the divide and combine functions
later on for further information). This example
This example illustrates erasing track number 2:
Track number
Track content
1
A
2
B
3
C
4
D
illustrates erasing the middle part A2 in track A:
ERASE
C
New track content
A
D
1. If there are two tracks already recorded as tracks A
and B, divide track A into three parts:
There are three ways which you can erase a recording:
A
B
B
1. Erase only one track.
2. Erase all the tracks at once.
3. Erase part of a track.
DIVIDE
A1, A2, A3
2. Now, erase the A2 part.
A1, A3
3. Then, combine A1 and A3 to make one track.
A (= A1 + A3)
ERASE ONLY ONE TRACK
B
A particular track will be erased by recalling the track
number.
1. Press the EDIT button on the top of the
B
PORTADISC until ‘ERASE ?’ is displayed.
ERASE ?
TRK002
DIVIDE FUNCTION
YES
EXIT
2. Press F1 to recall the desired track, e.g.,
The divide function divides a recorded track into two
separate parts, effectively adding a new track number
within a track for quick location.
‘TRK002’. Then press F2 to setup.
3. ’ERASE???’ and ‘TRK002’ will appear in the display
window. Press F2 once again to erase the track.
This example illustrates dividing track number 2 into
two parts, B1 and B2:
ERASE ???
TRK002
YES
EXIT
Track number
Track content
1
A
2
B
3
C
(4)
C
4. The erase process has been completed. ‘Complete!’
will be shown in the display.
DIVIDE
B1
5. If you wish to continue erasing other tracks, repeat
the procedure above.
New track content
A
B2
1. While replaying the track that you wish to divide,
ERASE ALL THE TRACKS AT ONCE
press PAUSE at the point where you want the divide.
2. Press the EDIT button until ‘DIVIDE?’ is displayed.
The function erases all the tracks recorded on the MD
disc. The disc name and track names are also
removed.
Then press F2 to setup.
DIVIDE ?
TRK001+000
YES
EXIT
21
EDITING
cont.
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
3. The display will repeatedly show the following
3. The display will now show the following messages:
one after another:
messages one after another:
Rehearsal !
TRK002
RH
Rehearsal !
TRK001+000
RH
RH
YES
EXIT
YES
YES
EXIT
EXIT
Track OK !
TRK001+000
Track OK !
TRK002
RH
YES
EXIT
The PORTADISC will playback the audio at the
dividing point repeatedly. If the audio plays from the
correct point, skip to point 5 in this list.
The PORTADISC will playback the end of the first
track (TRK002) and the beginning of the second
track (TRK003) repeatedly. If you are happy with
the sound played back, skip to point 5 in this list.
4. It is possible to adjust the divide point in 0.06
second steps by pressing either the FF button or
REW buttons repeatedly. The adjustment range is
from -128 to +127 within a track.
4. If the PORTADISC is not playing back the correct
point in the audio, press either F3 or STOP to
cancel the function. Then, start the procedure
again from point 1.
5. Press F2 to confirm.
5. Press F2 to confirm.
6. The divide process has been completed and
‘Complete!’ will be shown on the display. The
PORTADISC will now start audio playback from the
divided position. If the original undivided track had a
track name, the track after the divide process will
not have a name.
6. The combining process has been completed and
‘Complete!’ will be shown on the display. The
PORTADISC will now start playing back the audio
from the beginning of the combined tracks. If the
first track before the combine process had a track
name, this will now become the name of the
combined track. The name of the second track will
be deleted.
NOTE – If you want to cancel the divide function in the
middle of the procedure, press either F3 or the STOP
button. You can return the divided track back to its
original status by using the combine function.
NOTE – If you want to cancel the COMBINE function in
the middle of the procedure, press either F3 or STOP
.
You can return the combined tracks back to their original
status as separate tracks by using the divide function. If
‘Impossible!’ is shown on the display, you cannot use the
combine function with the two tracks you have chosen.
Due to a natural limitation of the MD system, you may
not be able to use the combine function if you have used
it too many times before.
COMBINE FUNCTION
This function combines two adjacent tracks into one
track. This is useful when you want to combine short
sections of recorded tracks into one. If you wish to
combine two non-adjacent tracks, you first need to
move them so they are next to each other using the
move function (see next column).
MOVE FUNCTION
This example illustrates combining tracks 2 and 3:
You can move a particular track to anywhere on the disc
simply by changing the track order. The track numbers will
be automatically re-aligned so that all the tracks have
continuous numbers in numerical order.
Track number
Track content
1
A
2
B
3
C
4
D
COMBINE
B+C
New track content
A
D
This example illustrates moving track C to between tracks
A and B.
1. During stop mode, press the EDIT button until
‘COMBINE?’ is displayed.
COMBINE ?
TRK002
Track number
Track contents
1
A
2
B
3
C
4
D
YES
EXIT
MOVE
B
2. Press F1 to select the first track number of the
New track contents
A
C
D
two adjacent tracks that you want to combine
(track 2 in this example). Then press F2 to set-up.
1. During stop mode, press the EDIT button until
‘MOVE >> ?’ is displayed.
MOVE >> ?
TRK003
YES
TRK002
22
2. Press the F1 button until the track number that you
want to move is displayed. Then, press the F3
button to choose the destination track number of
the move function. In the example given in point 1,
‘TRK003’ will move to the ‘TRK002’ position.
3. Press the F2 button to move the track.
4. Once the move function has been completed,
‘Complete!’ will be displayed.
NOTE – If you want to cancel the move operation in the
middle of the procedure, press either F3 or the STOP
button. You can return the moved track back to its original
position by going through move function again.
DISC & TRACK NAMING
You can label each MD disc and individual tracks with
alpha-numerical characters.
1. Press the EDIT button until ‘NAME INPUT?’ is
recalled.
NAME INPUT?
TRK001
YES
TRK002
2. Press F1 to choose the track number that you wish
to name. If you want to name the disc, rather than
a track, continue pressing F1 until ‘DISC’ appears
on the display.
3. Press F2 to set-up.
4. The digit furthest to the left on the display will start
blinking to indicate that the digit is ready to edit. If
the track or disc already had a title, this function
can be over-ridden with a new title.
™
CHARA ^
SET
SHIFT
buttons to
❙
5. Press the F1, AMS
or AMS
❙
scroll through available characters. Then press the
F3, REW or FF buttons to shift the editing digit.
Pressing PLAY clears all the characters and the
STOP button cancels the edit mode.
6. After you have completed entering the name, press
F2 to set-up.
The following characters (and space) are available for
naming discs and tracks:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789
:;<=>?@^_`!"#$%&’()*+,-./
NOTE – Pressing F1 in play or stop modes will display
the disc name, while pressing F2 displays the current
track name.
23
OTHER FUNCTIONS
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
HEADPHONE MONITOR
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘HEADPHONE
MONITOR’ is recalled.
HEADPHONE MONITOR
STEREO
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to select from ‘STEREO’, ‘MONO-L’,
‘MONO-R’ or ‘BOTH’ and then press F2 to confirm.
Press F3 to exit.
DIGITAL OUTPUT
The digital output on the PORTADISC can be switched
off, preventing digital howlround when connected in a
loop with other digital equipment.
1. Press the SYSTEM button until ‘DIGITAL OUTPUT?’
is recalled.
DIGITAL OUTPUT ?
OFF
SET
EXIT
2. Press F1 to select either ‘OFF’ or ‘ON’ and then
press F2 to confirm. Press F3 to exit.
KEY HOLD
This facility is provided to avoid any accidental operation
during recording. Each time you press the button for
more than two seconds, the hold function changes from
‘Key Hold ON’ to ‘Key Hold OFF’ and vice versa. The
following buttons can still operate even when the keyhold
function is on: KEY HOLD, LIGHT, MARK, DISPLAY and
POWER. The remote control connection will not be
affected by this function; i.e., it is always enabled.
COPY PROTECTION
The PORTADISC uses the Serial Copy Management
System (SCMS), which only allows first generation
digital copies of audio via the optical and coaxial digital
inputs.
24
USB INSTALLATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Universal Serial Bus (USB) audio transfer is provided for
easy exchange of audio with a compatible computer.
The format of the transfer is streaming audio – the
software you are using on the computer will control the
stored file format of the audio data.
The PORTADISC will automatically start any required
software installation when connected via a USB cable to
a computer.
WINDOWS 98/ WINDOWS 2000 USERS
1. Connect a USB cable between the PORTADISC and
your computer.
2. Follow the installation instructions to install USB
drivers (if required) for your computer. You may
require your Windows installation discs. There is no
software supplied with the PORTADISC.
3. Once the drivers are installed, the USB interface
can be used. Please ensure the application you are
using is selected in order to record from the USB
audio source (normally found in options menu).
4. Should you wish to play back via USB from the
computer to the PORTADISC, playback has to be
selected to be USB audio. Most PC output paths
will default to less than unity gain. To correct this,
open the output gain control panel on the PC and
select from options – playback USB Audio Device –
then with the level page open ensure that both the
Wave level control and the Output level control are
set to maximum and un-muted.
MAC USERS (OS 9)
1. Connect a USB cable between the PORTADISC and
your computer.
2. Follow the installation instructions to install USB
drivers (if required) for your computer.
3. Once the drivers are installed, the USB interface
can be used. Please ensure the application you are
using is selected in order to record from the USB
audio source (normally found in options menu).
25
MENU OPERATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
These diagrams show the basic menu operations.
Changing a page displays the current settings, with the
three functions keys (F1, F2 and F3) selecting the
parameters. When a parameter is flashing, pressing
‘SET’ will action this choice.
26
27
DISPLAY MESSAGES
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The PORTADISC may show the following messages while
operating.
No Disc!
No MD disc is loaded.
No Track!
The disc has been named but there are
no tracks recorded.
Blank Disc!
Nothing has been recorded on the MD
disc – it may either be a brand new
disc or it has been completely erased.
Protected!
The record protect tag is set to ON on
the MD disc.
Retry Error! Normal recording is not possible due to
excess vibration or scratches on the
MD disc.
Cannot Copy! Digital recording is not allowed due to
the SCMS copy protect function.
Din Unlock!
The digital source is not powered on,
or transmitting via SPDIF or the
connection is faulty. If this warning
appears, the PORTADISC will
Stand By!
If this is displayed when powering up,
the previous recording was not made
properly.
automatically enter a suspend record
mode and will resume recording on a
new track once the signal reappears.
TOC Reading! The unit is reading the TOC (Table Of
Contents) from the MD disc.
TOC Writing! The unit is writing the TOC onto the
MD disc. When a disc has been
Disc Error!
Disc Full!
The loaded MD disc is damaged in
some way.
recorded to or edited since last being
inserted into the PORTADISC, it is
necessary to update the TOC
information on the disc before it is
ejected. Do not power down or remove
the power source when ‘TOC Writing!’
is displayed otherwise you may lose
recorded information. If power is lost
during recording or editing, the
There is not enough space left on the
MD disc so further recordings cannot
be made.
Impossible!
The recording or edit operation is not
allowed due to system limitations.
Key Hold!
The KEY HOLD function is set to ‘ON’.
Name Full!
No more characters can be used in title
mode as it has reached the maximum
number permissible. Up to approx.
1700 characters can be used.
PORTADISC will automatically update
the TOC when it is next powered on.
TROUBLESHOOTING
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
Before you seek advice from an HHB authorised dealer,
follow the instructions below if you find any faults during
operation:
NO PLAYBACK
• There is a possibility of condensation – leave the unit
powered ON for a few hours.
• Does the MD disc have audio already recorded on it?
NOT POWERING UP
• Replace batteries or recharge them.
NO RECORDING
•
Check the battery polarity and battery case installation.
• Check the record protection tag on the MD disc.
• Is the MD disc a recording MD disc?
• Check the audio source and power connections.
• Check the REC LEVEL knob position.
• Check the INPUT SOURCE setting.
• Replace the MD disc.
• Check connection of the AC adaptor, mains plug and
DC plug.
• Remove the battery case and install it again.
PROBLEMS DURING OPERATION
• Initialise the unit by powering up while simultaneously
holding down the F1 and F2 buttons.
• Replace the MD disc.
THE USB IS NOT WORKING
• Re-connect the USB connector.
• Try installing again.
• Check that the digital audio format on the PC is
16-bit, 44.1kHz.
HIGH AUDIO NOISE
• Isolate the unit from any source of noise.
• The Mac or PC is not fully USB compatible.
28
MD SYSTEM INFORMATION
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
The MD has a different recording system from compact
cassette or DAT. Because of this, there may be
circumstances when the following situations occur
during operation. It should be noted that these are not
faults.
• ‘Disc Full!’ message is showing although there still
seems to be enough recordable time remaining.
The MD disc cannot record more than 255 tracks
regardless of the total recording time. Delete some
tracks or replace the disc.
• The recordable time does not increase even though
the short tracks have been erased.
Any track shorter than 10 seconds may not be taken
into account when calculating the remaining time. So
erasing short tracks may not increase the recordable
time.
• The sum of the recorded time and the time remaining
does not match with the maximum recordable time of
the MD disc.
A minimum of two seconds is the smallest recordable
unit in an MD recording. Even when a track is less than
two seconds long, the track will still occupy two
seconds worth of space. This means that the actual
recordable time will be reduced. Also, if there are
scratches on the MD disc, the damaged area will be
omitted from the recording. This will also cause a
reduction in the recordable time.
• When over-writing on a used MD disc:
1. The time remaining display may not show the
correct time or the recordable time remaining
may be drastically reduced.
2. You may not be able to record new audio and
erase the old material simultaneously.
In such cases, erase the previous recording using the
EDIT mode.
• The time may not show correctly on the display with
the mono format MD disc.
• Excess use of edit functions may cause audio
corruption so that audio hiccups will occur on playback
or fast search playback.
• A track that is compiled using the edit mode may not
allow the combine function to operate.
• The time stamp will not work correctly if a power cut
occurs while recording.
29
NOTES
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
30
TECHNICAL DATA
PORTADISC MDP500 MiniDisc Recorder
GENERAL
Unbalanced line output
Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MiniDisc digital audio system
Disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MiniDisc
Recording method . . . . . . . . Magnetic field variation overwrite
Reading method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non contact optical pickup
Laser . . . . . . . . . . . Semiconductor laser (wavelength 780nm)
Record/playback time
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCA phono
Output level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +8dBu @ 0dBFS into >10k
Headphone output
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4" stereo jack
Impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Output power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15mW
Stereo mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 minutes max
Mono mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 minutes max
Rotation speed . . Approx 400-900rpm Constant Linear Velocity
Sampling frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44.1kHz
(with internal SRC to cater for 32kHz and 48kHz source signals)
Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ATRAC Ver 4.5
Modulation system . . . . . . EFM (Eight to Fourteen Modulation)
Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Power requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-14V DC
Power consumption . . . . Approx 4.5W record, 3.5W playback
Weight with batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.0kg / 4lbs 7oz
Weight without batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8kg / 3lbs 15oz
Dimensions (WxHxD) . . 225 x 57 x 180mm/10 x 2.2 x 7.1 ins
Internal speaker power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250mW
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parallel
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-pin mini DIN
Digital connectors
Coaxial digital input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCA phono
Input impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Input level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5V p-p
Optical digital input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TOSlink
Coaxial digital output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCA phono
Output impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Output level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5V p-p
AUDIO
Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Hz to 20kHz, - 0.5dB
Wow & flutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Below measurable limits
Signal to noise ratio (playback) . > 89dB bandwidth 22Hz to 22kHz
Dynamic range (line input) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > 96dB
Microphone EIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > 122dB A-weighted
THD & N @ 1kHz ref 0dBFS . < 0.02% bandwidth 22Hz to 22kHz
Optical digital output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPDIF
Connector type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TOSlink
USB (Ver 1) input / output
Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Type B
Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windows 98/2000, Mac OS
I/O CONNECTIONS
Analog connectors
Balanced mic/line input
ACCESSORIES
Connector type . . XLR 3: Pin 2 + Hot; pin 3 - Cold; Pin 1 Ground
Mic input level for 0dBFS (level control at max) . . . . . . -52dBu
Line input level for 0dBFS (level control at max) . . . . . . . -2dBu
Phantom power (mic inputs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +48V, 7mA
The following accessories are included as standard . . . . . . . . . .
Soft case, carrying strap, battery caddy with 8 x NiMH
rechargeable batteries, spare battery caddy, AC adaptor/charger,
HHB MD80 MiniDisc, operating instructions, quick reference guide
NOTE: The specifications and design of this product are subject
to change without notice, due to improvements.
US patents 4,790,016 and 4,914,701 and foreign equivalents
licensed from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corportation.
Published by HHB Communications Ltd.
Copyright © 2001 HHB Communications Ltd.
All rights reserved.
31
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HHB Communications USA LLC · 1410 Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025-2501, USA
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