Robert Reads and Responds

I sit here typing this stuff and sometimes feel I'm the only one reading it. No, not so - I get replies.

The latest is from Robert Warnock at Ripfactory, he's their Metadata Support Specialist. Robert asks that I credit him and his colleagues for the improvements we've made in our Data Grooming functionality. Indeed much of what we offer is delivered by the latest version of their Audiogroomer software, customised for podServe's special needs.

Yes, thanks to Robert, Audiogroomer is a great tool and along with a couple of other packages and some home grown code, our take on Data Grooming rocks.

Ripping Wrecked by Locking?

For those who have forgotten we operate a CD ripping service (www.podserve.co.uk). At the end of each project we delete the files created along the way - often thousands of AAC or MP3 tracks. And as we also scan images for our clients from time to time we have images files to delete.

Ever since we've been using Macs this has been a smooth process, but I've noticed recently that one of our Macs is getting troublesome. Nothing major, but I sometimes have to go into the iTunes music library and manually delete some files. More troublesome is finding that files in Trash have somehow become locked. This is quite a nuisance, rather than rapidly clearing Trash the process stops. I was left with files left in Trash which I couldn't delete.

Unlocking a file with OS X is easy, just a few mouse clicks, but when you're stuck with 100+ locked files it becomes an unpleasant chore. I'm not alone in this as a Mac user client rang me saying he was having the same problem. So I did a bit of digging and found software which unlocks or locks files in a batch. I've run it a few times and it works well. It's simply called Locker and it's avaialable from vojousoftware.com.

So if you're struggling with batches of locked files, Locker is your answer.

Data Grooming Upgraded

I don't often get excited about computer software, but our new Data Grooming software is really exciting (well for me anyway).

The features list is greatly improved so in turn our clients get a better service. First, we've increased the list of classical composers in the database. Previously we'd found 40 pretty adequate but we've got many more now. I'll be surprised if we find any names to be added to the list.

Handling artist names is also much better. We can now remove one of the most annoying features of modern music - tha apparently endless use of 'featuring', 'feat.' and so on. It can increase the number of performers in a collection and make it hard to find the track you want via the Artist route. Well, say that annoyance goodbye.

Handling Disc 1 etc is more thorough, adding artist name to 'Best of' and 'Greatest Hits' works just as well, and is a little faster.

There's a facility to correct the inappropriate use of capital letters though I've yet to get to grips with the detail of how that works.

Anyway, enough for now, I'm off to play with our new toy. Any data you'd like us to groom for you?

AAC 1 - MP3 0

Looking at the small print in the recent Apple / EMI announcment about DRM free music it seems that the music file of choice will be Apple's AAC, and not the previously universal MP3. Why?

Well, recently Microsoft got hit by a massive lawsuit alleging copyright infringement over the technical rights to the MP3 codec. Perhaps neither Apple nor EMI fancied being hit in the same way.

Maybe EMI saw this as another way of controlling the distribution of their tracks. Maybe the thinking was MP3 is synonymous with those evil file sharing pirates, so AAC could be 'safer' in that respect.

I originally thought this was a simple marketing ploy to enable Apple to market their products (ie iTunes Music Store tracks) to Zune and the users of other MP3 players. It's more than that, each MP3 manufacturer will come under pressure to release firmware updates to support AAC on their players. users will have to find the upgrade, download it, apply it to their machine - how many will just not bother and buy a new iPod instead?

At a sweep Apple and EMI may have changed the drift of digital music. Where once MP3 was seen as the universal standard that accolade could fall to AAC.

Ripping Movies in iTunes?

So you can rip CDs, you can play CDs. You can download tracks from iTunes Music Store.

You can download movies from iTunes Music Store. You can play them in iTunes. So what's missing? Ripping DVDs.

We could be a step closer to the missing link in the entertainment puzzle, thanks to a recent ruling in America. Given Apple's great position with Apple TV, iTunes and video iPods surely ripping movies in iTunes is the logical next step.

This facility would unleash additional iPod, iMac and Apple TV sales. At podServe we have strong interest in this facility.

Watch this space. My money is on this happening in the next three months.

Itunes Music Store Enhancements

Macrumors today annouces two significant extensions to the facilities offered by iTunes Music Store.

The first is an advice function - based on past purchases you can be alerted to the availabilty of new music by the same artist. It's a cute feature, I wonder how long it will be before we're told of similar music we would enjoy, much as Amazon does now with its 'other readers have purchased' at the same time.

The second has financial impact - the ability to 'complete my album'. Noticing you've bought one or two tracks you'll be prompted (and probably financially incented) to but the rest of the album. Not only does this make sound business sense but it would go some way to narrow the gap between a downloaded album and the low priced CD suppliers. I wonder if it's Apple or the labels who are biting the financial bullet on this one.

But ...

With a full download costing £7-99 a physical disc offers good value for money. If you'll forgive the plug for our own CD ripping service (http://www.podserve.co.uk), we can rip a CD for £1. I can source a CD in my High Street music store for as little as £5, putting the two together we can still offer a saving plus the client gets a physical CD he can enjoy anytime.

Final shameless plug - podServe also rips your CD at a higher quality than iTunes Music Store.

My iPod's Ringing

I love music, but I run a business so calls need to come first. I've often been annoyed (with myself) by missing calls when my ringtone has been muffled by a loud track.

So when one of my clients drew my attention to the BluEye I thought I'd tell everyone. This is a £50 unit which plugs into the cable between your iPod and your headphones. It looks very much like the old iPod remote, or the current iPod radio. Like that it includes a 15 auto scan FM radio, but more importantly it gives you Bluetooth headset functionality for your iPod.

Obviously you need a Bluetooth enable mobile phone. Apparently you can make and receive calls via your iPod, get caller ID display on your iPod screen - and your music is automatically paused when you take a call.

You can find out more at www.blueye.co.uk or www.gear4.com or Amazon.

The BluEye is made in black or white.

RipFactory Riposte

Last weeks item on RipFactory prompted a long phone conversation with Patrick McGrath, a Director of RipFactory, on Saturday afternoon. I promised him an opportunity to reply. Here, unedited, is his response:-

Jeff

There are no graves dug for Ripfactory, nor will there be. We're here to stay and as the premier solution for ripping software that is Ripstation, we have a great and worthy product which rips a significant number of discs annually in the most efficient and automated way possible.

I'm saddened to hear you had any calls at all about us, and we'll be sure to get to the bottom of any issues that are directly raised to us - we take our software, support and reputation very seriously, and if there are any issues that can be sorted by us, then we will do all in our power to sort it.

We believe we have a fantastic product which is endorsed by our user base , but it is fair to say that we have had slowdowns over the past few months with our robotics (hardware). To address any issues , we have moved to new OEM partners , creating a new build , faster speeds and excellent warranty and support. The net effect in this is that getting it moving in such a short period of time was a difficult process and sadly this led to some significant delays on deliveries of hardware. We always deliver software immediately and where possible have lent smaller units to our customers to ensure things are moving. It would be fair to say that this led to much slower than normal time in getting hardware out the door, but our new OEM partners have been fantastic and we have been working through the backlog as fast as is humanly possible - as such within the next 10 days we should have all back orders cleared. From then on we make some changes - hardware will be sourced, paid for and supplied local to the user and RF will simply provide instant software deliveries for Ripstation - faster and more efficient for all.

In the main, aside from the few exceptions you have mentioned, our customers have stuck with us knowing that the support, products and collateral we have to offer are second to none. We thank them for that and we appreciate the fact that they see benefit in a long term relationship with Ripfactory.

Ripfactory will be around for a long time to come, supporting the CD ripping fraternity with exciting and more innovative products in 2007 and beyond. Watch this space indeed!

I hope this helps bring some balance to the picture.

Best

Patrick

************************

Patrick also promised that his support people would contact me to resolve the longstanding problem I have with their Groomer and Album Art applications, neither have worked properly since I paid for them. As yet I've had no contact ......

iTunes Five Minute Tune Up

You could significantly improve your music enjoyment in just five minutes. We've produced a quick and easy guide to how to get the best from your iPod.

And it's free.

All you need to do is e-mail us at tuneup@podserve.co.uk, or via the contact page on the main podServe site (www.podserve.co.uk).

We'll have your iPod humming in a few minutes.

Ripfactory RIP?

The original post has been deleted at the request of Ripfactory.