Minidisc System Limitations - Sharp MD-R3H Operation Manual

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Types of discs
There are two types of discs: playback-only and recordable
type.
Playback-only MiniDisc:
This type of MiniDisc is used for commercially available
pre-recorded music. This is the same kind of optical disc
as CDs. Playback is performed using an optical pickup.
(Recording and editing are not possible.)
A shutter will be used
on only one side (back).
Recordable MiniDisc:
This is a "raw disc" on which recording can be performed.
A magneto optical disc is used.
Recordings are made using a laser and magnetic field.
Repeated recording is possible.
Shutters will be used on
both sides.

MINIDISC SYSTEM LIMITATIONS

"TOC FULL" may be displayed even if the maximum recording
time on a MiniDisc has not been reached.
Even if the maximum MiniDisc recording time has not been
reached, "DISC FULL" may be displayed.
Even if several short tracks are erased, the remaining record-
ing time may not show an increase.
Two tracks may not be combined in editing.
The total of the recorded time and time remaining on a disc
may not add up to the maximum possible recording time.
If you fast reverse or fast forward over recorded tracks,
the sound may skip.
High-speed access
A unique feature of the MiniDisc is the ability to locate the
beginning of a desired track at high speed.
This is because the track number and track name data is
stored in a TOC (Table of Contents).
Shock Resistant Memory
During playback, approximately 10 seconds of information
is stored in the semiconductor memory. Therefore, even
when the pickup cannot read information for a second or
two due to an external shock, the sound continues without
interruption because the information stored in memory is
output.
In the MD system, the recording area on an MD is pro-
grammed in a TOC. If tracks are recorded, edited and partial
erased repeatedly, the TOC will fill up with information about
the tracks, even though the track limit (255 tracks) has not
been reached. If that happens, further recording will be im-
possible. (If you use the all erase function, the MD can be
reused as a blank MD.)
If there is a flaw on the MiniDisc surface, that area is auto-
matically excluded from the space available for recording.
Therefore, the available recording time will be reduced.
When the remaining recording time of a disc is displayed,
short tracks less than 8 seconds long may not be included in
the total.
For MiniDiscs on which repeated recording and editing oper-
ations were performed, the COMBINE function may not work.
Tracks recorded from a CD (digital recordings) and tracks re-
corded from some other equipment (analogue recordings) can-
not be combined.
A cluster (about 2 seconds) is normally the minimum unit of
recording. So, even if a track is less than 2 seconds long, it
will use about 2 seconds of space on the disc. Therefore, the
time actually available for recording may be less than the re-
maining time displayed.
If there are scratches on discs, those sections will be auto-
matically avoided (no recording will be placed in those sec-
tions). Therefore, the recording time will be reduced.
An MD which has been recorded or edited repeatedly may
skip during fast reverse or fast forward.
E-40
MD-R3H
Disc
TOC Sound data