Xitel MD-PORT Adapters

This information adapted from the minidisc.org page https://minidisc.org/part_USB_Audio_Adapters_Xitel.html

The Xitel MD-PORT family is a group of audio output devices meant for dubbing audio from a computer to a minidisc recorder.

Starting in the late 1990s, some Sony machines were bundled with these, but Xitel also sold them at retail.

These devices all use standard audio drivers on Mac OS 9.x or Windows 98 and later. They work with modern computers, although on Windows 10 and 11 some versions don't enumerate reliably. Removing the driver and re-connecting the device or disconnecting and re-connecting the device will complete the connection in Windows. (Tested so far: MD-PORT DG2 retail behaves poorly, Digital PC-Link DG2 enumerates correctly.)

The AN1 was sold both at retail and included with some units. Many early “PCIF” or “PC” units included the AN1. The device has a USB-B port and an analog audio minijack. Xitel claimed that it produced a cleaner signal than dubbing using an audio interface or a sound card.

Known Bundles:

• Sony MZ-R37PCIF
• Sony MZ-R55PCIF
• Sony MZ-R500PC

The DG1 was sold primarily at retail. The device has a USB-B port and a TOSLINK output jack.

The DG1 is compatible only for later Sony recorders (R70/90 and later) - as it turns the light off and back on between songs, as a way to automatically create track marks. Other units may not be able to catch up in time and may miss some audio as a result.

The DG2 succeeds the DG1 and was sold alongside the R70/90 and newer. The DG2 added a switch to allow the use of a continuous mode that works with older and non-Sony machines.

Sony bundled a version of the DG2 with MD recorders advertising a digital PCLink kit. The device should be functionally similar to the other versions of the DG1/2 except that it doesn't have the DIP switch.

Known Bundles:

• Sony MZ-R70PCs
• Sony MZ-R500DPC
• Sony MZ-R700PC
• Sony MZ-R900PC

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The MD-PORT IO is an additional device with funtionality similar to the DG2, but it adds an analog line input port.

Xitel's advertising for the device talked about using it to dub lecture audio off of minidisc onto your computer, and also mentioned it as a way to work around some of NetMD's limitations.