minisdisc running slow - help!

Subject: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 23 Jun 04 - 04:58 PM

I need some techie help please.

My minidisc has suddenly started running slightly slow which means that it is now a quarter tone out with my keyboard. It was OK yesterday and now it isn't. I'm running it off mains power, not battery.

Is there anything I can do to put this right? It's buggering up my rehearsing!!!!!

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Backstage Manager(inactive)
Date: 23 Jun 04 - 05:03 PM

Some minidisc players have a variable speed function. Check and see if that's the case with yours. If it does, you may have inadvertently changed the spped. If you don't have that function, there's probably nothing you can do on your own.

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Amos
Date: 23 Jun 04 - 05:15 PM

Either the electrical juice is causing it or it is a mechanical fault, or there is an adjusatable control as mentioned above.

The first thing to try is a new battery. Even though you are running it off mains, if the battery is shot it could bugger up the supplied voltage to the motor.

After that, it's time for professional analysis to look for a mechanical fault such as a bearing or belt or whatever.

A

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jun 04 - 06:18 PM

Which make and model of minidisc? Some models can be reset to defaults fairly easily if they have got messed up somehow.

I'd be very surprised if the problem was a mechanical one. Problems with the motor are going to cause break-up and noise in the sound output, not a fixed detuning.

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 23 Jun 04 - 06:36 PM

I have had that problem once. I disconnected from the power source for about 3 minutes.   When reconected all was well once again.

These electronic things have minds of their own

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 02:02 AM

It is a Panasonic SJ-MR220 and I can find no mention of a variable speed control! Panasonic helpdesk have been silent on the matter!

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:08 AM

I assume that you are sure that it is the minidisk which is playing back flat rather than the keyboard (which probably has a pitchwheel) playing sharp.

Are these new recordings that you are comparing with the keyboard ? - if not, it might be best to make new ones and compare them. If you've got an electronic tuner, try recording a fairly pure (ie sine-wave) tone at various pitches and checking for the frequency shift at playback. If the recordings are from CDs, then you can't rely on them to be perfectly in pitch.

I would be very surprised if the motor is running slow - it would seem to me that the problem would be more likely to be a difference in the digital encoding and decoding functions.

If you have another MD player or recorder available, you should be able to establish wish side of the process is introducing the error.

Finally, do you need them to be exactly in tune ? - if you have a pitchwheel on the keyboard, you could easily use this to adjust to the minidisc, or if you are using the recorder to double-track, then set the pitch slightly sharp when you make the first recording.

You can find a PDF file of the Instruction Manual here and the service manual etc here.

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:21 AM

Thanks for this Dave,

Unfortunately it is definitely not the keyboard - I tested it alongside other instruments and it is the minidisc at fault. Yes, I do need it to be 'nearly' in tune - quarter tone out offends my ears so much I can't play.

The keyboard is a Roland XP50 and I am still trying to get to grips with the instruction book. It has a note bender so it might have a pitchwheel function somewhere (if I can find where).

Thanks for the manuals.

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:52 AM

It would be useful if you could determine whether it was the record or playback function which was at fault by playing the disk on another machine.

Are you making the MD recordings from the keyboard and then playing them back against it ? - if so a temporary work-around would be to deliberatey set the pitch higher on the keyboard when you record.

According to to this review of the XP50, it has a multi-function pitch and mod lever.

It's a pity that the XP50 doesn't have an optical digital-out socket like some of the latest keyboards, you'd then be able to make a recording directly via the digital-in socket on the recorder.

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 07:20 AM

Hi Dave,

it is definitely the playback not the recording function as it worked fine the previous day and played back at the same speed it was recorded on. It is of the whole band, not just the keyboard.

The pitch lever on the keyboard doesn't stay put but springs back to central position - suppose I could use bluetac!!!!

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 02:48 AM

how's this for innovation - I stuck the pitch lever down with blu tac and now I can play to the disc!!!! Short term until I can work out this new-fangled (old) technology.

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Amos
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 03:03 AM

Sarah:

Did you try changing out the battery?

A

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 03:41 AM

It hasn't got a battery fitted - I've only ever used it off the mains.

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: Amos
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 08:30 AM

Your sure there is none in it, eh? That blows my theory all to pieces!! Oh dear. The blue tac was very clever!

A

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From: GUEST,sarah
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 02:12 AM

mystery solved!!

The speed was dipped on the mixer when we recorded it!!!! I had played an earlier recording the day before which was at the correct speed hence confusing my poor brain.

Many thanks for all your help folks it is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Sarah

Subject: RE: minisdisc running slow - help!
From:
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 06:12 PM

Glad to have the problem solved! Great news, Sarah!