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News stories of May 11th, 2004: (later posted items first) |
| Hear Your (ITMS) Music Anywhere 0.6 |
Spotted it at MU - Hear Your Music Anywhere 0.6:
"The purpose of HYMN is to allow you to exercise your fair-use rights under copyright law. It allows you to free your iTunes Music Store purchases from their DRM restrictions with no sound quality loss. These songs can then be played outside of the iTunes environment, even on operating systems not supported by iTunes. It works on Mac OS X and many UNIX(-ish) variants. The Mac OS X version includes a drag-'n'-drop graphical user interface (GUI).
What's New:
The 0.6.0 release is pretty much a complete rewrite. There are no longer any non-GPL dependencies (the mp4v2 library was MPL and, thus, incompatible with the GPL). In fact, the MPEG-4 parsing is now home-grown and much more specific. Since we're no longer using the mp4v2 library to copy the meta data from the protected AAC file, it is left fully intact, including the apple ID of the user who bought the song. This proves that our purpose is for fair use and not for "piracy" and should help us in our legal battles."
For more info see http://hymn-project.org/.
I rarely bought any ITMS songs due to the fact my most used MP3 player does not support AAC files. And after the QT 6.5.1 install, converting the ITMS songs to AIFF/then to MP3 using Toast for instance no longer works.
(I bought a first model iPod 5GB, but the battery life has been poor since about 8 months after it was new. I'd buy/install a new battery but it feels like a brick compared to the small MP3 player I'm used to now, which also has features the iPod doesn't like FM radio/recording from radio and 10+ hrs of battery life on one rechargable AAA battery. It holds a fraction of the songs the iPod does, but enough for me personally. Controls aren't as slick as an iPod either, but for $100 AR I'm more than satisfied with it.)
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| Toast 6 to be updated for Dual Layer DVD Burner Support |
Roxio has a press release today that Toast 6/Toast with Jam 6 will be updated in June to support dual-layer DVD burning (appx 8.5GB).
Sony's DRU-700A dual-layer DVD burner is now listed at their website with a price of $199 for the internal version. But the down-side is according to reports - slow DVD dual layer burning (2.4x max rated for dual layer DVD+R burns, although DVD+R/-R single layer rating is 8x max) and the fact dual-layer media is probably going to be rare for awhile.
I'm sticking with my current 8x DVD burners (Pioneer DVR-107D and FW cased Plextor PX-708A) for now, but if any readers buy a Sony DRU-700A and try patchburn (to add iApps burn support), let me know or post a drive db report. Thanks.
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| Apple CHUD Tools 3.5.1 Update |
Apple has released CHUD Tools 3.5.1 (Computer Hardware Understanding Developer Tools). The changes listed there note a permissions issue was corrected as well as other updates/fixes to components.
The update is also available via the Chud Updater utility or from the Apple FTP Developer Tools directory.
Since last fall, CHUD Tools Hardware preferences pane was a popular way to stop the G5 power supply squealing/chirping noises by disabling "Nap" mode. (Although as noted on that page, Apple reportedly does not recommend doing that.)
Also last December I reported on some MDD G4 owners using CHUD to enable NAP mode for reduced CPU temperatures, however back then there were some problem reports with those systems and NAP mode enabled. (One reader had disk corruption after a freeze/crash.) I don't know if this much later revision would be more compatible or not. If anyone's using CHUD 3.5.0 NAP mode to reduced CPU temperatures on a G4 Mac, let me know if you've seen any problems in extended use.
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| Rate Your CPU Upgrade Reports Database Updated |
| The Rate Your CPU Upgrade database has been updated with 1 new report this morning (entries from Monday, entries today are added the next newsday morning). Total to date: 9,361. Here's a summary of the reports added today (search by brand/mac model for full reports - latest reports always shown first):
- Other World Computing G4/500-600MHz (at 600MHz) in B&W G3 (rated 9)
(My reviews of G4 and G3 upgrades w/apps/game tests, install info, etc. are linked on the CPU upgrades page. OC/CPU module articles are on the Systems page.)
(Warning - Overclocking may not be reliable and could lead to hardware failure or corrupted data.) You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand). For detailed reviews with performance tests and install tips, see the CPU Upgrades page.)
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| CDRW/CD/DVD/Hard Drive/Cardreader Compatibility Database Update Listing |
| The Drive Compatibility Database had 8 new reports added (reader entries from Monday, entries today are added the next newsday morning. Entries with no comments are not posted). The database includes reports on Combo DVD-CDRW, CDROMs, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD+R, CDRW, Hard Drives and Removables (tape drive, ORB, ZIP, MO drives, CF/Smartmedia readers, etc.) in all interface types (IDE, IDE RAID cards, Firewire, SCSI, USB, adapters). Current total 12,326 reports. (searching by drive type/brand, mac model etc. listed below will show the full reports, most recent first)
CDRW Drives:
- USB I/O Magic 48x16x48x used w/iMac slot-loading (OS X 10.3)
(listed under "other" brands, using Patchburn II for Panther burn support - but hangs noted on burning CDs.)
- IDE Philips PBRW5232L (52x32x52x) in B&W G3 (OS X 10.3)
(Using Patchburn II for Panther burn support.)
- IDE Samsung SW-252F (didn't note drive speed rating) in G4/AGP (OS X 10.3)
(Using Patchburn II for Panther burn support.)
DVD+R/RW + DVD-R/RW Drives:
- Firewire (Cased) Pioneer DVR-107/A07 used w/Powerbook G4 (OS X 10.3)
- Firewire Sony DRX-510UL used w/PowerBook G4 (OS X) (running 10.2.8)
(no native burn support - use Toast 5/6 or try Patchburn 1.1 for 10.2.x,
but this reader said even toast didn't recognize the drive. Either suspect
drive/fw case or PB G4 firewire ports)
- IDE LG 4082b (didn't note speed) in G4/AGP (OS X 10.3)
(using Patchburn II for burn support)
- IDE Pioneer DVR-107D in G4/AGP (OS X 10.3)
(native burn support in 10.3.3, he noted boot hangs with the drive,
not normally a problem.)
- IDE Pioneer DVR-107D in G4/AGP (OS X 10.3)
(Illustrated CD drive install guide here covers G4 towers up to the Digital Audio Model, Beige G3 MT and B&W G3 Macs)
You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches).
For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. (If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.)
(Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)
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