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As far as I know, the minidisc players that connect via USB aren't compatible.  You can still record via the sound input port at 1x speed though...  But if you want to record in super extended mode, it's gonna take a while!

Now, I have no idea whether it would work via VirtualPC or anything...

Apple's iTunes page has a list of supported players.

I would rather cough up a few bucks more and get a $199 reconditioned iPod off Apple's specials section at the AppleStore.  Seriously, throw that analog cable away and get that 1394 digination.  Rock on like Jim Adkins.

Ipods are very awesome but I'm gonna say go with an MD. It really depends what you want. I have an Sony MD which I love to no end. I use it all the time with my g4 powerbook. I love the discs since i can burn them thousands or hundreds of times without losing quality. They're also cool as hell to look at. All my friends are in love with it. And if you really want to you can get an MD receiver. They make a few on the US market and a smurfload in Japan.

It really depends on how you'll use it. I have a stereo from Japan with MD, my MR2 has an md receiver (Blaupunkt), and I use them all the time. Also, you can get an MD external drive which works pretty much like a CD burner, i know you can order them from japan and i think ive seen them in crutchfield.

happy hunting

bennie

go with the reconditioned ipod for 200

i have a md player/recorder and it was a big pain in the ass just to get songs onto disk...firewire does this instantly...havent even touched my md since i got my ipod

How much do mini disk players cost?  The one's I've seen (although in passing as I am not interested in them so there may be less expensive ones) were in the $150-200 range.  Also, how much does each disk hold?

For that price I'd go with a used iPod.  I paid $150 for mine used from a friend that upgraded to the 20GB model.

...And those prices sound more or less normal. The fancy ones run higher.

Alrighty then.  If the original poster says that the friend can not afford an iPod then a minidisk player is also straight out?  A Rio is a nice less expensive option but you can only fit about 10 songs at decent quality on them.  If you can deal with that then go for it.  I would just save my cash up and wait until I could afford the iPod, its worth it.

Oh, and I was kidding about the 'k' thing.

i remember minidiscs being 184mb, but i could be wrong. it should be the same as mini cds

bonka, i think its the tax applied on that sort of thing...just like cdr's

i swear i read somewhere that theres about 100 bucks tacked onto the price of an ipod there.

Ummm... That was a proposed tax. AFAIK they never went ahead with it...

The reason an iPod is relatively expensive is becuase of the exchange rate. A new 5 GB model is $300 US which works out (with present exchange rate) to about $470 Canadian. Add in 7% GST plus whatever your Province's PST is (nothing here in Alberta, but Bonka [in BC] would be paying about a total of 14% in tax ) and you end up with a bunch o' cash spent on that 5 GB of music

Apple's prices really aren't that far off the US prices. A 5GB at the Canadian Apple Store goes for $479. It's just the exchange screwing you over.

The special ran out, but may still be around some Apple Retail store.  But mind you knowing that MacWorld is coming around, and the special is only to sell overstocked iPod that will be obsolete, don't ya know!?