Mike wrote:
>
> By MD, I mean the MiniDisc audio recording and playback media which is
> rapidly replacing the Compact Disc. While the metaphore is precisely
> the
> same (except for initial read write capability), the format is much
> small.
> 74 minutes of stereo (140 min monaural) on a 3 1/4 inch size MO disc in
> a
> protective, permanent sleeve.
>
> What I am unsure of is whether these cheap and popular MO discs are the
> same
> as previously used or if they are a new and different format. And, if
> anyone has examined the possibility of modifying the playback mechanism
> --
> which is a sophisticated and fast digital read/write device -- for data
> storage.
>
>
> So, while we may all like memory packs to be a mainstay of secondary
> storage, we all still rely on mechanical disks to a great extent. Not
> because we aren't forward thinking, but because they are damn cheap,
> practical and standard.
>
Sony have in the past produced a data version of the MD which for a variety
of reasons was never desperately succesful.
Be careful about the assumptions you may make about the storage capacity of
MD. The audio on them is compressed and not of cd quality, which is why MD
has been more successful in the portable and car audio markets than in the
home market. It is more of a replacement for compact cassette than compact
disc.
Iomega's family of products are rather more promising
HTH
Paul
