HHB Follows the Way of the Disc
by Carl Lindemann
The MDP500 PortaDisc Field MiniDisc Recorder
Is a Worthy Successor to PortaDAT
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PRODUCT CAPSULE
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HHB
MDP500
PortaDisc
Thumbs up:
Well-thought-out controls
Extensive I/O options
Thumbs Down:
USB connection only 1x
Case flap for connections
could be better designed
Price: $1,545
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While it may seem that MiniDisc has become a dominant
format for radio field recording almost overnight, that "almost"
was, in fact, several years long.
After being introduced in the early ’90s,
the format was floundering till the ATRAC 4.x codec was incorporated
about two years ago. Suddenly, mini consumer recorders with near-CD
audio quality flooded the market.
The relatively cheap machines suffered from the
usual shortcomings of such gear. Inputs were limited to the usual
1/8-inch minijacks – typically powered for use with cheap
electret microphones – which made it a challenge to attach
professional dynamic mics.
Despite the need for workarounds and compromises,
the consumer MD portables have pushed cassettes and DAT to near
extinction. Now, the next wave of professional MD field recorders
could finish the job.
Forward and upward
When I received word about the work HHB was doing
developing what is now the MDP500 PortaDisc, I was invited to
offer my "fantasy specs" for the concept.
Although the reality does not quite live up to
that wish list, HHB has created a sturdy, serviceable field recorder
that stands equal to its sibling, the now-discontinued PortaDAT.
The company doesn’t consider this a direct replacement for
the PortaDAT; it says it is bringing its ideas behind field equipment
to a wider market.
The MDP500 has a familiar feel. It is about the
same size as professional DAT and cassette recorders. The layout
and feel of the controls are likewise comparable.
The transport controls and an integrated speaker/mic
are on the top with an LCD screen and additional controls on the
front. The right side has all the I/O connectors including three
digital formats – two S/PDIF with both RCA and optical connectors
and a USB port – analog balanced XLR inputs and RCA line
outs, plus a 1/4-inch headphone jack and a connector for a remote
control.
The biggest difference between this and other units
is the slot for MD media on the left side. The back holds the
eight "AA" cell battery pack. Fully loaded with batteries,
the 10 x 2 x 7-inch package weighs about 4.5 lbs.
The demo unit seemed rugged and robust. With few
moving parts, nothing rattles when you give it a shake. The unit
comes in a kit with AC adapter, a set of high-capacity NiMH batteries
and an extra battery holder. A car adapter kit is available.
Fit
and finish
When the MDP500 is put to use, the design shines.
The transport controls have a nice "click." Fingers
can feel that the connection has been made.
A "keyhold" button disengages other controls
and protects against accidentally stopping a session while making
a recording. The front controls offer a similar lock feature with
the recording level adjustment.
The rest of the front-panel controls cover a range
of options. The setup button takes care of basics such as setting
the onboard clock to timestamp recordings; setting the contrast
on the LCD screen and controlling whether the LCD reads in peak-hold
format.
The system button sets threshold levels for the
auto-start recording/cutoff capabilities as well as a variety
of additional options. The input button selects which elements
of the I/O are initialized including phantom power, automatic
gain control, a limiter, attenuator and high-pass filter.
Altogether, there is a plethora of options here,
making this quite customizable to exploit the unit’s capabilities
of the MD format. What I like most is that the control design
here doesn’t rely entirely on clicking through menus.
Under the display, three buttons on the front-panel
control selections on the options presented above. This can save
a lot of fumbling.
Another thoughtful feature shows an understanding
of how field recorders are used in real-life settings like a newsroom
operation.
Reporters are not stuck with having to reset their
preferences when sharing the unit with others. The internal memory
stores five configurations of presets and options so that everyone
can have it their way without hassles.
The included carrying case has clear panels to
access transport and front-panel controls as well as to monitor
levels on the LCD. The case comes with a handy pouch to store
black discs, cables and other assorted items.
The only alteration I would suggest would be in
the design of the flap over the I/O. To get an XLR mic cable and
headphone plug in, you have to open the side’s Velcro-enclosed
flap. It would be better if smaller panels opened to access just
the XLRs and the headphone. Otherwise, this unnecessarily exposes
all the connectors – a possible hazard under inclement conditions.
Hear to believe
Back in the studio, the audio can be offloaded
to a computer through the USB port. The process of connecting
the MDP500 to my Windows 2000 workstation was a no-brainer.
The operating system identified it as a USB audio
device. I just changed the device option on the audio editor of
choice on the computer and it was easy to record directly from
the disc.
The advantage of USB over the S/PDIF or even analog
outs is that you don’t need a soundcard to load recordings.
On my original wish list, the USB connector would read the MiniDisc
as a data drive – just drop and drag the audio into the DAW
in seconds.
That would get past the real-time playback bottleneck
so problematic when covering time-sensitive stories. One HHB representative
at the AES show in Los Angeles last fall indicated that future
versions may have a 4x read speed through the USB port.
The fact is that MD is probably not well-suited
to this kind of use anyway. Sony dropped efforts to use MD as
a data format – something of a competitor to ZIP drives –
several years ago. It seems that MD has inherently slow access
times.
Even though USB connectivity here does not allow
better than real-time playback, it should be a boon to those working
on Macs, particularly iMacs. A portable iMac and a PortaDisc would
make a nice combo for the traveling broadcast journalist. Ditto
for USB-equipped Windows-based laptops, too. Not having to add
a pricey pro audiocard is a real savings.
The MDP500’s ATRAC 4.5 sounded just fine in
both stereo and mono. As usual, the depth of ATRAC stereo seems
a bit shallow to my ears. Typically, I use the mono settings anyway
to extend the length of voice-only recordings.
With an estimated battery life of up to three hours
on a charge, that will just cover the 160 minutes maximum on a
single disc.
Speaking of sound quality, this was another one
of my "dream" criteria. When better ATRAC versions are
developed, you usually are married to the outdated one.
It would be nice to design this with an upgradable
chip containing the codec so that the investment in all the other
hardware can be extended as MD’s quality improves.
HHB is definitely on the mark with the MDP500.
Though a first-generation pro MD recorder, it shows a deep appreciation
for what is needed for fieldwork. The PortaDisc should quickly
become the pro MiniDisc of choice much as the PortaDAT was when
DAT ruled.
For more information contact HHB USA in California
at (310) 319-1111, fax (310) 319-1311 or visit the Web site at
www.hhbusa.com
