MiniDisc
CD DVD Recovery - MiniDisc
MiniDisc is a disc-based data storage device introduced by Sony for storing digital audio contents. MiniDisc is based on magneto optical medium. The first MiniDisc was announced in 1992 and was based on ATRAC audio data compression standards. MiniDiscs were widely respected because of their reliable format, especially in portable audio storage such as field recording.
Technology
MiniDisc is housed in a 68 × 72 × 5 mm cartridge with a sliding door. The shutter opens automatically by a mechanism upon insertion. The discs can be either recordable or pre-mastered. MiniDiscs use a magneto-optical system to prepare the disc to record data. The disc is treated with laser to make it susceptible to a magnetic field. Recordable MiniDiscs can be recorded up to one million times, claims Sony.
MiniDiscs were popular in Japan and Asia as a replacement for analog cassette audio tape system.Since MiniDisc could not become successful elsewhere, Sony licensed MiniDisc technology to other manufacturers such as JVC, Sharp, Pioneer and Panasonic. Even in Japan, MiniDisc faced new competition from compact disc consortium. At the same time, traditional cassette tapes were still popular in certain quarters.
Sony introduced the Hi-MD format for MiniDisc in 2004. They were 1GB discs and had ability to act as USB drives. Hi-MD units allow the recording and playback of audio and data on the same disc. It was also compatible with standard MiniDiscs.
Because of the waning importance of the MiniDisc technology and increasing popularity of solid state MP3 players, Sony now produces only one model of MiniDisc, the MZ-RH1, which is also available as the MZ-M200 in North America.
