Sony MZ-R30 - Manual (Page 35)

How the MiniDisc got so smalt
Tho 2.5-MK'h MiniPisc. oncas<.\i in a
plastic cartridge that KH>ks like a 3.5-incl\
diskette (see' illustration below), list's a
new digital audio compression
technology called ATRAC (Adaptive
TRansfiirm Acoustic Ctxiing). To store
more sound in less space, ATRAC extracts
and enctxies only those frequency
comptMients actually audible to the
human ear.
Shock-Resistant Memory
One major drau back of optical read
systems is that they can skip t>r mute
when subjected to vibration. The MD
system resolves this problem by using a
buffer memorv that stores audio data.
Quick Random Access
Like CDs, MDs offer instantaneous
random access to the beginning of any
music track. Premastered MDs are
recorded with location addresses
corresponciing to each music selection.
Recordable MDs are manufactured with a
"User T(XT Area" to contain the order of
the music. The TOC system is similar to
the "directory management system" of
floppy disks. In other words, starting and
ending addresses for all music tracks
recorded on the disc are stored in this
area. This lets you randomly access the
beginning of any track as soon as you
enter the track number (AMS), as well as
label the location with a track name as
you would a file on a diskette.
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Q.
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5‘
3
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o
3
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3
User TOC Area Music Data
Contains the order and start/end
points of the music.
35