The Personal Hi-Fi Blog: Sharp MD-MT77 / MD-MT877

~~ Sharp MD-MT77 / MD-MT877 ~~

Portable MDLP Recorder

In 2000, Sony announced MDLP (MiniDisc Long Play), which added new recording modes based on a new codec called ATRAC3. In addition to the standard, high-quality mode, now called SP, MDLP adds LP2 mode, which allows twice as much recording time (160 minutes on an 80 minute disc) of good-quality stereo sound, and LP4, which allows four times more recording time (320 minutes on an 80 minute disc) of medium-quality stereo sound. The bitrate of the standard SP mode is 292 kbit/s, and it uses separate stereo coding with discrete left and right channels. LP2 mode uses a bitrate of 132 kbit/s and also uses separate stereo coding. The last mode, LP4 has a bitrate of 66 kbit/s and uses joint stereo coding. The sound quality is noticeably poorer than the first two modes but is sufficient for many users. Tracks recorded in LP2 or LP4 mode playback as silence on non-MDLP players. Sony announced they would cease development of MD devices, with the last of the players sold by March 2013{wikipedia}

Introduction

The MD-mt77 / MD-mt877 is the successor of the MD-mt66 / MD-MT866, therefore, they are very similar to one another in many ways the mt66 is like the mt77 excluding the ability to play MDLP format disc. The MD-mt77 was titled "MD-J" in Japan and it was very successful. The X-BASS Boost is quite rich and well balanced when compared to its competitors. Overall, Sharp was a little soft and had a grand taste. The mt77 design is very sophisticated in the same Sharp tradition (like the mt66 model) it looks that they were thinking of the overall experience from A to Z down to the box* (see accessories & Packaging), every aspect was taken into consideration. For example, the unit color is something very unique; it changes color if you look at it from a different angle, sometimes it appears blue or green/tourqize. which make it a very cool unit to walk with. one more example is the charging cradle which has a holder for the remote control for your convenience. Also, there is 3 color LED ("Navi" in Japanse) which indicates various modes of operations.

This picture shows the shift in color, on the Left: SHARP MD-mt877 appears blue. In the middle is the "MD-J" MD-mt77 appears to be Greener. On the right is the Silver MD-mt877.

Features

Smallest portable MDLP recorder in the world as of October 2000.

The MD-mt77 is the first Sharp MDLP player. It has Two-line 12-character LCD display, 40-second shock protection (provides 160-second protection in LP4 mode), digital recording level control, Microphone-synchronized recording function only records when sound is heard. Mono mode recordings can be played back at 2x speed. "Scan" feature plays the first five seconds of each track. Track "auto-mark" function can be set to mark a track at regular intervals (3, 5, and 10 minutes). "Name Stamp" function allows easy copying of character information from one disc to another. Can interface with a computer via USB connection kit (AD-PCR2), allowing track and title management and automatic label printing of a MiniDisc's contents, as well as an audio connection. Battery "memory effect" is reduced by automatic discharging circuitry in the charging stand. X-BASS boost.

MD Link with the USB Cable

LSI Hologram Chipset (Sharp ATRAC3)
24 bit DAC and ADC.
40-second shock memory.
Optical input.
3 color LED light shows the operating condition.
3 modes Bass boost.
Top open (clam-shell) disc insertion.
Back-lit LCD remote control.
Analog and digital recording levels.
Mic and digital synchronous start recording.
Disk/track "name stamp" function allows titles to be cloned from another disc.
2 x high-speed playback option on mono recordings.
Auto Play function and Auto Power Save function.
Conferencing Voice-activated recording.
Charging stand for the supplied flat Nickel-Metal Hydride battery.
The Unit can be operated while recharging.
Available in silver (-S) and blue (-A).

MD-mt877 Remote Control

Pages from the owners manual

Power Source

Charging time: Approx. 3.5 hours.

12 hours playback, or 6.5 hours of recording, on a rechargeable battery.
16 hours playback, or 6 hours of recording, on a single AA external battery.
29 hours playback, or 15 hours of recording, on a rechargeable battery and the external battery case.
1 AA size battery using the supplied Battery case.
1 NiMH rechargeable battery.
Adapter - DC 5V
Power consumption 7W. (AC Adaptor)

The MD-mt877H Charging Station

Accessories & Packaging

While the Universal box was a very attractive colorful box, the Japanese box was actually two different kind of boxes following the two colors available units; the silver unit was silverish-gray the blue unit was blue.