I scored a Portable MiniDisc player/recorder today (MZ-N510). I already have a couple older models (non-LP), but this one has some more 'modern' features like NetMD. My Googling has led to many dead links and outdated information. Is anyone using NetMD with Windows10 successfully? Or...anything with similar functionality? Thanks!
I don't have any NetMD Walkman, though should system compatibility be the main issue in getting this feature to work despite things like admin mode/login and compatibility mode (try these first when executing the program), you could try to look into installing a virtual machine ("VM") on your PC for that purpose alone with whatever Windows might be most compatible with it (probably 2000 or XP). It might be tricky to do that if you've never done it before though and you have to expect it to take a fair share of space (and your time). The positive aspect of a VM would be that you could use it to run other dated software. If it's got to do with the software itself that is required to use this feature (I believe it needed drivers and some program by Sony with an interface allowing file drag and drop) then I'm afraid I can't help much due to a lack of experience with these. Perhaps the Sony support site for the MZ-N510 might be of some more help? It actually seems all the necessary files are still available for download. At least I can access the *.zip files and the manual can be found as a *.pdf on that page as well. I'm afraid these pointers are all I can do, though I hope I could help in some way.
I feel like that questions was asked by someone else recently, I'm not sure what the answer was but a few years ago I needed some software that would only run on XP with a serial port. I was at the local goodwill and found a TOTL vintage Dell with every port known in the late 90's. It's worked great for applications like this and it was only $20.00 USD and pretty much mint but I did upgrade the battery to a long-life version for low dollars. There's probably a few computer stores around you that only stock vintage equipment.
I have the Sony MZ-N1 and I succesfully used the NetMD sucesfully in my Windows 1o laptop. It's quite a while ago, but I do remember that I needed to download a newer version of SonicStage instead of the one provided on the CD (I got the unit complete with all papers and acessories).
Thank you for the suggestions and related information. (August 2019) I successfully installed Sonic Stage 4.3 with 64-bit NetMD drivers and it recognizes the device (Sony MZ-N510). It was very straightforward and does not require the 13 year old whiz kid from down the street. Here's how I did it... 1) Register at ( http://forums.sonyinsider.com/files/ ) 2) Once registered, you can download Sonic Sate 4.3 (.exe) and the 64-bit drivers (.zip). ((The driver file is labeled Win 7 & Vista, but it worked with Windows 10.)) 3) Install Sonic Stage 4.3 on your computer Now you can use the software to burn a CD, but it won't give you the NetMD option because the NetMD drivers need to be installed. To do this, you need to set your computer to accept unsigned drivers. Here's how I did it (there are other ways...Google knows how)... 4) Left click the 'Window' icon in the lower left of the screen...left click the power icon...SHIFT + left-click the "restart" option. The computer will re-start in advanced boot mode. 5) Select the "Troubleshoot" option 6) Select "Advanced Options" 7) Select "Start Up Settings" 8) Click the 'Restart' button 9) Press the 'F7' key on your computer to select the 7th option (Disable Driver Signature Enforcement) (on my Surface Laptop, it's 'Fn' + F7) At this point, the system will restart. Now you need to install the unsigned driver that you downloaded. 10)Attach the NetMD device with a USB cable 11) Extract the .zip file containing the drivers 12) Go to the Windows "settings" screen. (click the Window icon in the lower left...setting is right above the power/restart button) 13) Select "Devices" 14) Click "Devices and Printers" 15) Double Click the NetMD device (it will have a yellow exclamation point next to it) 16) Click the 'Hardware' tab at the top of the window 17) Click the 'Properties' button 18) Click 'Change Settings' 19) Click the 'Driver' tab 20) Click 'Update Driver' ---> browse to the folder where you unzipped the driver files and click 'okay' Now, when you launch Sonic Stage with the NetMD device connected via USB, NetMD should appear under the 'transfer' option. Next time you re-boot the computer, it will go back to normal settings (i.e., if you ever want to install unsigned drivers, you would have to do steps 4-20 again. The NetMD drivers will not be affected and will continue to function).
I've used my netmd player on Windows 10 using the free version of vmware virtual machine Basically allows you to run Windows xp as if it were a program - ultimately it allows you to install the (awful) sonic stage software!
From my modest experience you won't get Win 10 to work with your NetMD recorder. I ended up using VMware on Win 10 with Win Xp running within the VMware software. I found out how to do this via a youtube video even though I didn't follow it exactly as he outlined. Unless you run it in a virtual machine you're going to get extremely frustrated. But the "positive" is that it is possible if you persist with the above. I hope this helps.
Hmm...so you're telling me that I can connect no problem, but that I will run into issues when I actually try to move files? bummer.
Okay. So...this was NOT the case. Using the above method to install Sonic Stage and the 64 bit drivers, I have successfully wiped a disc clean and am currently writing music to the disc. So far, zero frustration.
Okay. I’ve now done a few discs...clearing existing data and writing to the discs. Again, I installed Sonic Stage and the needed drivers following the fairly easy steps in post #5. No virtual machine with XP, no frustration, it just works. The merits (or lack thereof) of Sonic Stage can be debated...but making it work is pretty easy. So...now I can go digital to digital with my Sony CD/MD bookshelf system OR copy music files similar to an iPod. Next, I will have to find a component minidisc player/recorder.
Just followed your instructions. I had to use Fn +F7 (MSI laptop) to disable driver signature enforcement. Works a treat. Thanks for sharing your solution.
I have used Sonic Stage only in a VM with Windows XP, but I still prefer to use an external dac with optical output and record MD using a standard MD deck. What annoyed me most of Sonic Stage is the limited set of file formats it reads (I have almost all my music in lossless format) and in the end I had to convert the music in Wav (!) to pass it to Sonic Stage.
I am currently using Sonic Stage on Windows 10 64 bit, it is working great. I think that major updates to Windows 10 can sometimes break the 64 bit drivers but using the tricks mentioned above for installing unsigned drivers it is easy enough to get it going again. I am, currently just labelling tracks with Sonic Stage that I have copied from old tapes using a sony minidisc deck. I am recording onto that deck then using a Sony MZ NH900 with Sonic Stage on my pc to do the labelling.
