Why are these so cheap?

RobertCulp · 07-07-2006, 09:11

I know many claim MD to be dead, but why are these two units so cheap. Is there something I'm missing?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5128743.htm

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5128671.htm

swr12 · 07-07-2006, 09:20

You answered your own question, MD is pretty much dead everyone is using MP3 or CD walkmans, argos might also be trying to clear stock.

ILoveCats · 07-07-2006, 12:12

I liked my MD! I decided to try MP3 last year and have had a total of 3 - all have had problems with them and don't seem to work so well.

oxygenuk · 07-07-2006, 12:26

md = obsolete (kinda) = cheap

Lurch · 07-07-2006, 12:35

I wouldn't say that was particularly cheap though. Good price perhaps, but not cheap.

mattyl149 · 07-07-2006, 20:05

Someone I work with has been doing quizzes for years and has been using cassette tapes. I suggested he use MiniDisc as he can record bits of different songs for his music rounds, combine them, and do A-B erase or split the tracks and delete sections if he needs to. Plus the sound quality is better when recorded straight from CD and he can also name the discs and the different rounds on the disc. He can also see the time remaining and know when each song is about to finish

Basil Faulty · 09-07-2006, 00:03

These are cheap, cos Argos are winding down their MD range.

MD rocks in some circumstances. Ask any journalist, as MD is the recording method of choice.

For 'walkman' applications, it has been overtaken but it still has it's place. I was looking at the cheaper unit from Argos to replece my aging Aiwa unit - the only thing puts me off is that it doesn't have a mic in (which powers a mic) otherwise I would have it now.

MUCH better than a CD walkman, any day

ex-machina · 09-07-2006, 02:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil Faulty

MD rocks in some circumstances. Ask any journalist, as MD is the recording method of choice.

Ask any radio journalist. I'm a print film journalist and quite happily using an iPod to transcribe from. MD is unbeatable in portability and quality combined and the output can go straight to radio with the right mic. All of the radio journalists I work with (and some others) use MD.

jeffersbnl · 09-07-2006, 13:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil Faulty

MD rocks in some circumstances. Ask any journalist, as MD is the recording method of choice.

Depends on the age of the journalist! And the conditions they have to work in. Some older journalists long for the days of tape (as in reel to reel). Well built professional MD units are reliable but expensive, domestic ones break down very quickly in even slightly rough situations.

Ask any sound engineer and they'd say to avoid MD because of its very lossy compression.

MD is actually quite inefficent when it comes to editing sound, because you have to play the audio out of your recorder into a PC in real time, and with a loss of quality. A far better (but more expensive) soloution now are solid state recorders that either have internal storage or use flash memory cards. These are pretty standard now- more basic ones in local radio, more advanced one for larger stations. They usually record in MP2, MP3 (at quite high bitrates) or some in WAV. The files can be transfered very quickly (much much faster than real time) for editing or sometimes sending straight back into the editing system back at base.

07-07-2006, 09:11	#1
RobertCulp Banned User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 246	Why are these so cheap? I know many claim MD to be dead, but why are these two units so cheap. Is there something I'm missing? http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5128743.htm http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5128671.htm

07-07-2006, 09:20	#2
swr12 Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: London Posts: 461	You answered your own question, MD is pretty much dead everyone is using MP3 or CD walkmans, argos might also be trying to clear stock.

07-07-2006, 12:12	#3
ILoveCats Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Birmingham Posts: 174	I liked my MD! I decided to try MP3 last year and have had a total of 3 - all have had problems with them and don't seem to work so well.

07-07-2006, 12:26	#4
oxygenuk Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: London Posts: 108	md = obsolete (kinda) = cheap

07-07-2006, 12:35	#5
Lurch Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Sheffield Posts: 2,408	I wouldn't say that was particularly cheap though. Good price perhaps, but not cheap.

07-07-2006, 20:05	#6
mattyl149 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Old Hill, West Midlands Posts: 2,082	Someone I work with has been doing quizzes for years and has been using cassette tapes. I suggested he use MiniDisc as he can record bits of different songs for his music rounds, combine them, and do A-B erase or split the tracks and delete sections if he needs to. Plus the sound quality is better when recorded straight from CD and he can also name the discs and the different rounds on the disc. He can also see the time remaining and know when each song is about to finish

09-07-2006, 00:03	#7
Basil Faulty Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: West Norfolk Posts: 237	These are cheap, cos Argos are winding down their MD range. MD rocks in some circumstances. Ask any journalist, as MD is the recording method of choice. For 'walkman' applications, it has been overtaken but it still has it's place. I was looking at the cheaper unit from Argos to replece my aging Aiwa unit - the only thing puts me off is that it doesn't have a mic in (which powers a mic) otherwise I would have it now. MUCH better than a CD walkman, any day

09-07-2006, 02:43	#8
ex-machina Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 13	Quote: Originally Posted by Basil Faulty MD rocks in some circumstances. Ask any journalist, as MD is the recording method of choice. Ask any radio journalist. I'm a print film journalist and quite happily using an iPod to transcribe from. MD is unbeatable in portability and quality combined and the output can go straight to radio with the right mic. All of the radio journalists I work with (and some others) use MD.

09-07-2006, 13:42	#9
jeffersbnl Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 4,191	Quote: Originally Posted by Basil Faulty MD rocks in some circumstances. Ask any journalist, as MD is the recording method of choice. Depends on the age of the journalist! And the conditions they have to work in. Some older journalists long for the days of tape (as in reel to reel). Well built professional MD units are reliable but expensive, domestic ones break down very quickly in even slightly rough situations. Ask any sound engineer and they'd say to avoid MD because of its very lossy compression. MD is actually quite inefficent when it comes to editing sound, because you have to play the audio out of your recorder into a PC in real time, and with a loss of quality. A far better (but more expensive) soloution now are solid state recorders that either have internal storage or use flash memory cards. These are pretty standard now- more basic ones in local radio, more advanced one for larger stations. They usually record in MP2, MP3 (at quite high bitrates) or some in WAV. The files can be transfered very quickly (much much faster than real time) for editing or sometimes sending straight back into the editing system back at base.

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Why are these so cheap?