What Is An Md - Sony MZ-R90 Operating Instructions Manual

Stereo Microphones ECM-717, ECM-MS907,
ECM-MS957
Stereo Headphones* MDR-series
CD text connecting cable RK-TXT1
Active Speakers SRS-Z500
Recordable MDs MDW-series
Your dealer may not handle some of the above
listed accessories. Please ask the dealer for
detailed information about the accessories in
your country.
US and foreign patents licensed from Dolby
Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
Design and specifications are subject to change
without notice.
∗ Whether you should plug the headphones
directly to i/LINE OUT on the main unit
or to a remote control, use only headphones
with stereo mini plugs.
stereo mini plugs

What is an MD?

How MiniDisc works
MiniDisc (MD) comes in two types:
premastered (prerecorded) and recordable
(blank). Premastered MDs, recorded at
music studios, can be played back almost
endlessly. However, they can't be recorded
on or over like cassette tapes. To record, you
must use a "recordable MD".
Premastered MDs
Premastered MDs are recorded and played
like regular CDs. A laser beam focuses on
the pits in the surface of the MD and reflects
the information back to the lens in the
recorder. The recorder then decodes the
signals and plays them back as music.
Recordable MDs
Recordable MDs, which use magneto-
optical (MO) technology, can be recorded
again and again. The laser inside the
recorder applies heat to the MD,
demagnetizing the magnetic layer of the
MD. The recorder then applies a magnetic
field to the layer. This magnetic field
corresponds exactly to the audio signals
generated by the connected source. (The
north and south polarities equate to digital
"1" and "0".) The demagnetized MD adopts
the polarity of the magnetic field, resulting
in a recorded MD.
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