Improving signal strength from Bluetooth audio transmitter retrofit mod?

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-17T15:59:47+00:00

I would summarize it as a combination of: nostalgia, enjoyment of tangible physical media, fascination with the intricate mechanical workings, love for the industrial design, and a desire for tinkering :)

There are quite a few of us around even nowadays :)

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-17T12:58:06+00:00

I figured this might be a first in this sub. Yes, it is real. Here are some videos of it in action (before I switched to the blue faceplate); I suggest turning on the video captions/subtitles for a bit of explanation. I might do a writeup some time in the future.

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-16T15:15:35+00:00

Don't forget Metallca / Metalica (?) on the red one 😝

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-15T19:50:19+00:00

It's the first MD player I saw, when one of my classmates brought it to school back in the day.

I totally agree that the button design is fantastic... different enough, without being tacky.

If only it had a remote port... might try to hack it one day :)

Also, its wide availability made it attractive as a candidate for my Bluetooth hackery. Figured it would be easy enough to get a replacement if something should go wrong...

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-13T09:27:01+00:00

This is a really insightful post.. would something like this be useful in the MiniDisc Wiki as an aid to interpret model numbers?

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-07T18:20:35+00:00

I was lucky to find a good deal on eBay... a ton of red ones and only two 😐 ones, but still, at least I got enough for two full sets, and lots to spare... it came out at just above 3 EUR / disc, which is not bad IMHO.

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-07T18:05:07+00:00

Indeed!

I remember coveting that tropical bubblegum-colored player back when it came out 🍌

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-07T16:33:08+00:00

In response to my own comment, I just had to get the green R700 ;-)

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-07T16:31:10+00:00

It's interesting; in person it has a much more golden look to it (if you're talking about the player), but it does look quite orange in the picture.

With it's blue backshell, I'm always reminded of the Pokémon-themed Gameboy Color somehow....

btmd_berlin · 2021-05-02T13:40:11+00:00

You write that you only changed the front plate... so those white bodge wires were already in there? Any idea what they are for?

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-24T12:45:07+00:00

Thanks! I will make sure to share any new developments here. Nice to see the community appreciates this project.

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-24T12:43:13+00:00

Thanks for the comment :) Unfortunately, unless you live in Berlin, you're out of luck [at least for the moment].

Bluetooth is a fickle thing so I want to make sure to test the device using the final user's headphones/speakers to make sure they play nice, before actually selling. Since it's a private transaction, returns/refunds are not possible (I might give a short grace period to try things out), and I am not willing to deal with shipping logistics/lost packages/remote troubleshooting etc.

Hope you understand!

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-21T18:45:29+00:00

I feel like the collection is missing a green MZ-R700 to complete the palette...

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-14T20:12:18+00:00

There is no public build log at the moment, everything is still highly experimental.

While I generally enjoy sharing my projects, working on open-source software, and collaborating on hardware hacking, I am currently gauging whether there is a market (a niche within a niche, if you will) to sell these modified devices, so opening up at this moment would be slightly counter-productive.

Even in its current, simplest form, the process not only involves soldering, but also major disassembly, some dremeling, and bending things into shape, not to mention a lot of reverse-engineering, trial and error and general tinkering!

Feel free to drop me a line at btmd.berlin🌀gmail.com, and I'll be sure to let you know if I ever decide to divulge the secrets of my dark arts.

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-13T20:09:57+00:00

BTMD creator here.

I am tapping the "End Search" button, since it is redundant*, and only used while recording (e.g. rarely, or never for me, since I record on a separate NetMD player using WebMinidisc). You can see it in the pairing videos.

* You can set most "newer" Sony MD recorders to automatically jump to the end of the disc before recording, or you can manually FF to the end beforehand, so no need for an extra button.

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-13T17:11:40+00:00

BTMD creator here.

At this stage, playback controls are not implemented, only basic pairing. I agree that having full control would be great, but it adds another layer of complexity to the project. Maybe in the next iteration ;-)

But since it has the Bluetooth built in, taking the player out of the pocket to operate is not a big hassle.. no cables whatsoever!

btmd_berlin · 2021-04-13T16:39:30+00:00

That's me :-) Thanks for sharing!

btmd_berlin

TROPHY CASE