Recording CDs with Track-Marks
This page pertains to equipment that can send audio to a minidisc recorder, especially including trackmarks and gapless audio.
The general rule is that CD and DVD players with digital outputs can do this, but I'm taking it upon myself to document which ones are tested and/or documented to work.
I've been told before this is a fool's errand because the number of these things is very high, however I'm doing it because in my experience the number is not actually all that high, relative to the number of extant CD/DVD players, or even minidisc machines.
Plus, some things you'd think would work don't.
This page is only really about CD dubbing. Check the Minidisc Project/Info Hub page to see if I've had a chance to write down how to get trackmarks out of a computer-sourced recording.
SPDIF Note:
SPDIF, the Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format, comes in two main flavors: Optical (also called TOSLINK), and Coax.
The two physical connectors can be converted back-and-forth between each other, so if you have a digital source with coax output, you can use a covnerter to get optical. The reverse is also true.
Coax digital audio is lamost always an RCA connector, often colored orange, labeled as Digital or Coax.
TOSLINK has two physical connectors, the larger square connector is common on set-top devices and very old devices. MINI TOSLINK is a 3.5mm minijack, often as a combination jack with an analog connection. The device will pick optical vs. analog automatically, but if there are any other functions overloaded onto the same port (e.g. line vs. headphones or microphone) there may be another way to specify which type of analog connection. There are adapters to convert the big/square TOSLINK cables to mini TOSLINK cables, the most flexible option is to buy a cable that includes "big" connectors on both sides and includes two of the TOSLINK to minijack adapters, such as this one from Target.
Further Modding Note:
SPDIF or TOSLINK can often be added to other devices such as computer CDROM drives and lower end CD players. This page isn't about that, at least not yet.
Playstations:
The Sony PlayStation 2, 3, and 4 have digital optical output. The 2 is known to send track marks correctly, however it can only play pressed CDs.
The 3 and 4 may need to be tested, and their direct CD playback functionalities vs. built-in file players or streaming services may all work differently. Please hit me up if you have tested this.
Portable CD players:
- Sony D-303, D-555 - models from the late 1980s, have full-sized TOSLINK output
- Sony D-465 and D-475 - manual - dankpods video
- Sony D-E551, 556, 555, Z555
- Sony D-E561 - as sold by minidisco - Sony manual - AA batteries
- caution: most other "5" and "6"-series discman/CDwalkman do not have optical
- Sony D-E7 series
- E706, 707, 771, 770, 775
- Sony D-EJ7 series
- Sony D-EJ721 - visually confirmed to have toslink on goodwill auctions - manual
- Sony D-EJ785 - manual
- Sony D-FJ75TR - manual - as seen on techmoan - has optical output, supports CD-TEXT transfer w/ the RK-TXT1
- Sony D-EJ815 (USDM version)
- Sony D-EJ825 (USDM version) - Sony manual
- supports CD-TEXT display on remote and transfer w/ RK-TXT1
- two gumsticks
- works with RM-MC10L/11EL remotes
- Plays CD-R but not CD-RW discs
- Sony D-EJ885 - manual - has optical
- D-E888
- Sony D-9 and E-EJ9 series
- D-E990
- D-EJ985 - manual - no support for RK-TXT1
- Sony D-EJ2000 - Just-CD - manual -
- Sony D-E01
- Sony D-NE1, D-NE10, and NE20
- These are also ATRAC players, but SOny's advice is to use analog when dubbing ATRAC files from CD to MD, so it likely outputs an SCMS-protected signal
- Trip report: I have a D-NE800 now and it simply does not turn on the light when it's playing AT3/MP3 files, so Sony simply declined to implement digital output of files
- Sony D-NE7 series
- D-NE700 is confirmed- manual
- D-NE710 DOES NOT have optical - manual
- D-NE720 DOES NOT have optical - manual
- Sony D-NE8 series
- D-NE800 is confirmed - manual
- I have one of these.
- Plays both CD-R and CD-RW discs
- These can NOT play MP3 or AT3 files on the digital output, but they do not appear to differentiate between pressed and CD-R/RW audio discs w/re SCMS
- D-NE820 is confirmed - manual
- D-NE830 DOES NOT have optical - manual
- Sony D-NE9 series
- D-NE9 confirmed to have optical via eBay pictures
- D-NE900 - confirmed - manual
- D-NE920 - confirmed - manual
- Kenwood DPCKT102 - as sold by minidisco - hello kitty version available
- Panasonic:
- SL-CT790, SL-CT780 (manual) (looks like maybe only the JDM versions of these have line outputs...)
- SL-CT820 (Just-CD Link)
- Optimus
- CD-3400
- Akai
- PD-X733
Set-Top/Component CD-DVD players, and Bookshelf Stereos:
- Sony CMT-X1 - compact stereo, CD drive on the front, has an optical output
- Sony LBT- series (sometimes called MUTEKI) often have digital output, unfortunately solid documentation for these is unusually difficult to come by
- Sony LBT-XZ66i (BestBuy link, for details)
- Sony LBT-ZX99i
- Sony CDP-XE520, XE320, XE220 - Reddit Post - Manual
- Sony CDP-XE500 also has digital output, the XE400/300/200 do NOT have digital output
- The CDP-XE520 through XE570 have Control-A1II and can send CD-TEXT
- These did get sold in the US but they "weren't very popular" and among them, the XE500 and XE370 seem to have been the most popular
- Sony CDP-XB series
- Seems to primarily have shipped in Asia and Europe
- Seems to primarily have shipped in Asia and Europe
- Sony CDP-x15 Generation:
- CDP 215 does not have optical output.
- CDP-315 has optical output: manual
- Sony CDP-CE 5-CD changers
- Many of Sony's 5-CD changers have digital output, usually TOSLINK optical, especially CE3xx and CE5xx series
- I have a CDP-CE375 and have confirmed it sends trackmarks fine, and the MD recorders all wait patiently enough while switching discs, if you do a multi-disc HiMD or MDLP dub
- CDP-CE415, CDP-C360Z are confirmed NO DIGITAL - manual
- CE525 through 575 also have Control-A1II and can read CD-TEXT
- The CDP-CD500 is the newest known Sony 5-CD changer, it has a digital output so it shoudl work fine
- This model also has a USB port and can do CD -> MP3@128k dubbing, and play some filetypes back off the USB device, however we don't know if it can do file -> MD dubbing this way or if like the D-NE portable CD players, MP3 to digital output is blocked
- This model also has a USB port and can do CD -> MP3@128k dubbing, and play some filetypes back off the USB device, however we don't know if it can do file -> MD dubbing this way or if like the D-NE portable CD players, MP3 to digital output is blocked
- Sony CDP-CX Many-CD changers
- Many of these have digital/optical output and most of them have Control-A/S for automation and potentially CD-TEXT transfer, although those Control systems are typically documented separately
- Sony CDP-A39, S35
- These are compact CD players, most commonly available in Japan, there could be other models, but the period informational page about the A39 in particular calls out MD dubbing
- Sony RCD CD recorders
- Any of these with digital output should send track marks correctly. These can detect when you're playing a CD-R/RW and those discs might not play
- Sony DVP-S300, S330
- CDs play fine, track marks as expected, works well without the remote or a TV, has both coax and optical, also has dual analog line level output but that wouldn't get you track marks.
- Has a Control-S port for integration with an amplifier or receiver
- Sony DVP-S360, S363, S365 - Manual - mentions MD/DAT on the digital outputs, from ~2004
- Sony DVP-S560
- Sony BDP-S550 (as tested by ij4xs in discord)
- Sony DVP-FX820
- portable DVD player, abundant on eBay, ~2008-11ish - sends track marks to MD recorders correctly, but PCM- recorders pick up extra dead air before/after disc
- the optical output can be enabled or disabled, and set to PCM or Dolby, with no disc inserted, click menu then navigate to audio, enable the audio and set it to PCM mode.
- does not recognize CD-TEXT
- works with MP3 discs (haven't tested digital output yet as of 2023-07-08)
- Sony DVP-SR210P and SR510H
- These are currently on sale for $35 and $45ish respectively, your local Best Buy has minimum five of each on hand right now
- They have coaxial digital output ports, so they should work fine with any MD recorder with one of those
- And, coax <> toslink adapters exist
- However, by the time you spend $35 on a DVP and $25 on an adapter you may as well have gone to Goodwill and gotten an older one for $15, still, it's a brand new compact option that should work
- Both include remotes and claim to playback MP3s (and potentially other files) but MP3 -> Digital is untested
- The 210P oputputs composite and component, the 510H swaps component for HDMI, but you shouldn't need to connect them to a TV/display
- Sony BDP and UBP
- As with the DVP family, most of these have separate digital audio output as well, with a mix between coax and toslink outputs
- it's an open question as to whether these will work, but if you have one, please try and let me know
- Similarly, these can almost all play files from discs or USB, we don't know if those can go via digital and whether there's trackmarks and/or if they come through as protected and can't be recorded
- Philips CDR795 (from Birch in discord)
- JVC
- FS-SD5R (JVC product archive)
- FS-SD7R
- FS-SD9R