Mini-discs: To the point...(OT)

["Lanpheer, James" <James.Lanpheer@cai.com>]

Mikey posed a good question on MD's and let me follow up by clarifying.

I'm going to give him source material on MD that he's going to add to.  In 
a
past life, we've worked together before.  Now, he lives in Texas, i live in
Denver.  I'm going to send him discs.  Obviously, i want to back up my work
before trusting it to snail-mail.  I'm working with the portable Sharp MD
MS-702.  The problem is:  How to best backup the discs?  Clearly, it seems
that its BEST (in terms of the quality of the backup) to copy the discs to
another MD player.  The problem is that i don't have a second unit, funds
are tight, blah blah, blah.  The inability to make backups could delay the
project anywhere from weeks to a couple of months (when my piggy-bank fills
back up).

We're wondering:
1.  What are the "best" options for backing up these MDs?  It would seem
that the "best" (highest quality of sound) option is to have TWO MD
recorders (i have one).  Are there any other options that come VERY CLOSE 
to
this one?
2.  If i need to get a second disc player, MUST it be another MS-702, or
will any second deck do?  Anything propreitary about the Sharp format that
say, a Sony MD deck couldn't read?
3.  Is there any risk to the data on an MD by sending it thru the mail?  
Are
there any precautions that we can take?

I think that about sums it up.  Sorry to be OT.  We get lots of good info
from knowledgeable people on this board!

Cheers!
Jim.