Yesterday I came across a video giving a sneak preview of iTunes Match, Apple's cloud based music storage facility. I posted a link to it on the podServe Facebook page. The video appeared to show how this new service will both store and stream your music direct from the cloud to a portable music player with web access (iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch).
Today I saw another video which if correct "proves" that at least at the prototype stage Match does not stream music. Instead tracks are downloaded to the device and played from there.
Which is correct? I don't know. Does it matter? Well, yes. Let me give you one example.
We run a CD ripping service and naturally clients ask us which is the best music player? Our clients typically have very large music collections so the obvious choice would be the iPod Classic. Big internal hard drive, just dying to be loaded with as much music as possible. But beyond that, not a great deal of use. Compare that with the iPod Touch which allows you to access the internet and also has a better range of games; or the iPhone, one of the best smartphones, which is used by many of our clients already.
Well I'd say if iTunes Match actually streams music the better option is to go with the iPhone or iPod Touch. That way, via mobile web access, you'll be able to play all your music and tackle many other tasks. No streaming, well back to the iPod Classic as our preferred iPod.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
How many MP3s on a CD?
One of our clients asked a simple question - how many MP3s can I get on a CD?
He has a new car and the stereo will play digital music direct from a CD. So, how many can he put on each disc? Shouldn’t be too hard to answer.
OK, a standard CD with music, such as you used to buy in HMV, stores just over an hour, say 70 minutes. However in data terms that’s around 750 Mb.
MP3 music is in data file format so the roundabout answer is as much music as will take up 750 Mb. As a CD ripping service we rip at 256 kbps into AAC format, the equivalent in MP3 would be 320 kbps. In our format you’d get much more music in digital format, around 7 CDs worth. As MP3 files the answer would be around 5 CDs worth. Roughly.
You could get more if you dropped the quality setting, so the music files are more compressed. The quality is worse, but that may not be a problem if the in car sound system is less than top notch. You could go down to 128 kbps for music and the sound might be acceptable.
If you were recording spoken voice (such as audio books) you can drop as low as 64 kbps and the quality will be acceptable, there just isn’t so much data in a speech compared to a symphony.
So, how many MP3s can you get on a CD? This CD ripping service says 5,7 music CDs or 12 CDs worth of spoken voice.
He has a new car and the stereo will play digital music direct from a CD. So, how many can he put on each disc? Shouldn’t be too hard to answer.
OK, a standard CD with music, such as you used to buy in HMV, stores just over an hour, say 70 minutes. However in data terms that’s around 750 Mb.
MP3 music is in data file format so the roundabout answer is as much music as will take up 750 Mb. As a CD ripping service we rip at 256 kbps into AAC format, the equivalent in MP3 would be 320 kbps. In our format you’d get much more music in digital format, around 7 CDs worth. As MP3 files the answer would be around 5 CDs worth. Roughly.
You could get more if you dropped the quality setting, so the music files are more compressed. The quality is worse, but that may not be a problem if the in car sound system is less than top notch. You could go down to 128 kbps for music and the sound might be acceptable.
If you were recording spoken voice (such as audio books) you can drop as low as 64 kbps and the quality will be acceptable, there just isn’t so much data in a speech compared to a symphony.
So, how many MP3s can you get on a CD? This CD ripping service says 5,7 music CDs or 12 CDs worth of spoken voice.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
CD & DVD Copyright - Sense at Last
As the owner of the UK's first CD ripping service I've felt the force of the music industry. They were upset and made their feelings known. They were the powers that be and they were going to close us down, forthwith. Letters and meetings followed, and quite a few threats too.
Eventually it all calmed down. The PRS issued a statement saying nobody would be prosecuted for CD ripping provided it was for personal use. And Apple sold a few more million iPods, along with the train loads of other MP3 players, quite a crowded market a few years ago. In all these years I don't believe either our activity or that of any iPod owner has significantly impacted on the issue of file sharing or music piracy. How did anyone think that all those iPods got their music, other than from CD ripping?
Now, faced with the undeniable fact that everyone has been ripping CDs, the Uk government is planning to allow "format shifting" for CDs and DVDs. That's to say, if you own a plastic disc with music or film you will be allowed to rip those into a digital format, provided it's for your own use. Given that everybody is, and has been, doing this it's a recognition that even if this practice is frowned upon it's unprosecutable.
We moved into DVD ripping. Our clients demanded this and we gave in to requests. At the outset we were mainly ripping home movies and from that we got into converting video tapes into DVDs and computer files. People wanted several things. First, the greater ease of use of the DVD compared to a video tape (even for those who still had a working camcorder); second the ability to edit footage given the greater power of PCs and good software; and thirdly the better availability of film at home via video streaming technology.
Today we are in the position that music and film is better, from virtually every perspective, as a digital file rather than a plastic disc. It is a recognition of the inevitable. It's a dose of legal fresh air in what had become a rather stuffy room.
As a small footnote, and maybe an example of clever timing, action is being taken against two solicitors who zealously initiated procedings against alleged file sharers. I don't have any sympathy with people who steal games and movies, but solicitors sending letters simply demanding large sums of money to avoid prosecution is simply wrong. It was employing the weight and more importantly the cost of legal procedings to scare people into paying.
Today's announcement will bring a much needed dose of common sense to this area.
Eventually it all calmed down. The PRS issued a statement saying nobody would be prosecuted for CD ripping provided it was for personal use. And Apple sold a few more million iPods, along with the train loads of other MP3 players, quite a crowded market a few years ago. In all these years I don't believe either our activity or that of any iPod owner has significantly impacted on the issue of file sharing or music piracy. How did anyone think that all those iPods got their music, other than from CD ripping?
Now, faced with the undeniable fact that everyone has been ripping CDs, the Uk government is planning to allow "format shifting" for CDs and DVDs. That's to say, if you own a plastic disc with music or film you will be allowed to rip those into a digital format, provided it's for your own use. Given that everybody is, and has been, doing this it's a recognition that even if this practice is frowned upon it's unprosecutable.
We moved into DVD ripping. Our clients demanded this and we gave in to requests. At the outset we were mainly ripping home movies and from that we got into converting video tapes into DVDs and computer files. People wanted several things. First, the greater ease of use of the DVD compared to a video tape (even for those who still had a working camcorder); second the ability to edit footage given the greater power of PCs and good software; and thirdly the better availability of film at home via video streaming technology.
Today we are in the position that music and film is better, from virtually every perspective, as a digital file rather than a plastic disc. It is a recognition of the inevitable. It's a dose of legal fresh air in what had become a rather stuffy room.
As a small footnote, and maybe an example of clever timing, action is being taken against two solicitors who zealously initiated procedings against alleged file sharers. I don't have any sympathy with people who steal games and movies, but solicitors sending letters simply demanding large sums of money to avoid prosecution is simply wrong. It was employing the weight and more importantly the cost of legal procedings to scare people into paying.
Today's announcement will bring a much needed dose of common sense to this area.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Ford Drops CD Ripping
OK, Ford Motor Company don’t rip CDs. We rip CDs, they sell cars.
Up to now it’s been possible to buy a car in which you could play CDs, but Fords are phasing that out from their range, in favour of an iPod jack plug and a Bluetooth port. So, where does that leave your CD collection? Stranded.
It’s another nail in the coffin of the CD. What can you do? The writing on the wall is clearly saying you need to get your music off CDs and into a digital format. That’s what we can do, it is the only way to release value from your CDs.
podServe - the Ford Motor Company of the CD ripping world.
Up to now it’s been possible to buy a car in which you could play CDs, but Fords are phasing that out from their range, in favour of an iPod jack plug and a Bluetooth port. So, where does that leave your CD collection? Stranded.
It’s another nail in the coffin of the CD. What can you do? The writing on the wall is clearly saying you need to get your music off CDs and into a digital format. That’s what we can do, it is the only way to release value from your CDs.
podServe - the Ford Motor Company of the CD ripping world.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
USB Shorts
From time to time we get called out to our CD ripping clients to help out with computer problems, which is where I've been this morning. The problem sounded simple, after years of normal service our client had plugged in his iPod and his PC had promptly died.
It's something he'd done, well, hundreds of times with no problems. Naturally he assumed that something in iTunes had corrupted his computer and Windows Vista. When I got there the PC was completely dead, as if the power supply had failed. So I checked the power cable, tried the cable from their kettle, no problem in the mains. Screen worked OK, just when you hit the on button absolutely nothing happened. My line of thinking was that this was a dead PC and the only way forward would be a new machine.
The client asked if the iPod had killed the PC or if, even worse, the failure had blown up the iPod. I should explain it was sitting unhappily on his desk. I thought I'd try it in my MacBook just to be sure so I lifted it up to unplug it. As I moved the iPod there was a flicker from the cooling fan inside the PC. I unplugged the iPod (which was undamaged), then unplugged the sync cable. Each move caused a tiny burst from the box. Having unplugged the sync cable I got a real burst of power so I tipped the box up and had a look at the front USB ports.
At that point I could see the cause of the problem. The tiny piece of plastic in the USB connector had broken, exposing the metal prongs that allow data and electricity to flow down the cable. Then, I'd guess when our client put the cable into the port, the prongs had been bent resulting in one of the prongs touching the metal surround.
A dead short.
I dug out my trusty metal comb which was slim enough to be able to lift the offending prong from the surround. At which point the PC burst into life. One happy client.
It's something he'd done, well, hundreds of times with no problems. Naturally he assumed that something in iTunes had corrupted his computer and Windows Vista. When I got there the PC was completely dead, as if the power supply had failed. So I checked the power cable, tried the cable from their kettle, no problem in the mains. Screen worked OK, just when you hit the on button absolutely nothing happened. My line of thinking was that this was a dead PC and the only way forward would be a new machine.
The client asked if the iPod had killed the PC or if, even worse, the failure had blown up the iPod. I should explain it was sitting unhappily on his desk. I thought I'd try it in my MacBook just to be sure so I lifted it up to unplug it. As I moved the iPod there was a flicker from the cooling fan inside the PC. I unplugged the iPod (which was undamaged), then unplugged the sync cable. Each move caused a tiny burst from the box. Having unplugged the sync cable I got a real burst of power so I tipped the box up and had a look at the front USB ports.
At that point I could see the cause of the problem. The tiny piece of plastic in the USB connector had broken, exposing the metal prongs that allow data and electricity to flow down the cable. Then, I'd guess when our client put the cable into the port, the prongs had been bent resulting in one of the prongs touching the metal surround.
A dead short.
I dug out my trusty metal comb which was slim enough to be able to lift the offending prong from the surround. At which point the PC burst into life. One happy client.
Friday, July 22, 2011
The CD Ripping Scene in Lion
As a CD ripping service we use a mix of Windows (XP, Vista and Windows 7) and Mac computers so the recent announcements are interesting. Would you like to jump in?
First, Apple's new operating system, code named Lion. Available for download now for a bit over £20 from the download store. A host of great new features. But ... Not all software will run happily under Lion. For example the Sonos controller program does not yet work with Lion so if you have a Sonos system hold on for the moment. Sonos have said there will be a new version but I don't have a due date. Some software may not run (older versions of Photoshop included) so if there's anything you rely on check with the vendor to make sure a Lion variant is out there.
Second, no CD drives. Neither of the new computers have a CD or DVD drive. This effectively stops CD ripping on those units - unless you have a free standing USB connected drive.
First, Apple's new operating system, code named Lion. Available for download now for a bit over £20 from the download store. A host of great new features. But ... Not all software will run happily under Lion. For example the Sonos controller program does not yet work with Lion so if you have a Sonos system hold on for the moment. Sonos have said there will be a new version but I don't have a due date. Some software may not run (older versions of Photoshop included) so if there's anything you rely on check with the vendor to make sure a Lion variant is out there.
Second, no CD drives. Neither of the new computers have a CD or DVD drive. This effectively stops CD ripping on those units - unless you have a free standing USB connected drive.
Apple Drops CD Ripping
OK, that’s an hysterical headline, an exaggeration. But just a bit.
Apple has launched a couple of new computers, a great new entry level laptop and a replacement for the trusty Mac Mini. I have a great affection for both. I’m writing this on a MacBook and my main production machine is a trusty Mac Mini. Just love Apple and Mac. Very tempted by the new boxes when I saw them. But ...
Neither machine includes a CD drive. Looking at the Apple store they still list the add on of the superdrive (at $80) but the product description suggests in the case of the Mac Mini it only connects to the version running Lion Server. Don’t worry about the details just note that’s the most expensive variant.
For the typical Mac user, by the way I’m off to see one on Monday assuming their new MacBook arrives, this means they won’t be able to rip CDs. As a CD ripping service you might think this is great news for us, and indeed it may be, but it’s also yet another nail in the coffin of the humble CD, another barrier to realising value from all those plastic discs in all those CD racks.
Apple has launched a couple of new computers, a great new entry level laptop and a replacement for the trusty Mac Mini. I have a great affection for both. I’m writing this on a MacBook and my main production machine is a trusty Mac Mini. Just love Apple and Mac. Very tempted by the new boxes when I saw them. But ...
Neither machine includes a CD drive. Looking at the Apple store they still list the add on of the superdrive (at $80) but the product description suggests in the case of the Mac Mini it only connects to the version running Lion Server. Don’t worry about the details just note that’s the most expensive variant.
For the typical Mac user, by the way I’m off to see one on Monday assuming their new MacBook arrives, this means they won’t be able to rip CDs. As a CD ripping service you might think this is great news for us, and indeed it may be, but it’s also yet another nail in the coffin of the humble CD, another barrier to realising value from all those plastic discs in all those CD racks.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
CD Ripping and NAS Drives
Yesterday evening had a late night "get it off your chest" session with a post on the site blog for our CD ripping service, podServe.
Today a more measured tone and some advice. Advice for people who rip CDs and store their music on a network attached unit. I have found most wireless networks will, if they provide a reliable connection at all, will happily deliver streamed music around you house. That's the getting music out side of the equation. Data volumes are relatively low - you get a whole CDs worth of sound out in around 60 minutes.
Ripping CDs is a different proposition and doing that over the same connection is asking a lot. A decent Mac, PC or a laptop will ring at 10, 15, 20 times faster that realtime. A CD gets ripped in around 3 minutes. The data comes off the CD drive, into the computer and is shunted off to the network. A bit of simple maths, you network wireless pipework needs to be around 20 times fatter, sadly it isn't.
So my advice has to be, when ripping CDs to a NAS drive, invest in a bit of ethernet cable and plug that it, at least for the duration of the ripping session.
Today a more measured tone and some advice. Advice for people who rip CDs and store their music on a network attached unit. I have found most wireless networks will, if they provide a reliable connection at all, will happily deliver streamed music around you house. That's the getting music out side of the equation. Data volumes are relatively low - you get a whole CDs worth of sound out in around 60 minutes.
Ripping CDs is a different proposition and doing that over the same connection is asking a lot. A decent Mac, PC or a laptop will ring at 10, 15, 20 times faster that realtime. A CD gets ripped in around 3 minutes. The data comes off the CD drive, into the computer and is shunted off to the network. A bit of simple maths, you network wireless pipework needs to be around 20 times fatter, sadly it isn't.
So my advice has to be, when ripping CDs to a NAS drive, invest in a bit of ethernet cable and plug that it, at least for the duration of the ripping session.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
FLAC CD Ripping
We are a customer focused business - if you want something we do everything possible to deliver. This brings me FLAC.
FLAC wasn’t part of our original service offering, mainly due to our focus on Apple, iTunes and music file formats compatible with that system - AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless and AIFF. However there have been requests, initially infrequent but more so lately, for FLAC and of course we don’t like to disappoint.
So, following tests, we now have a reliable platform so we’re confident we can deliver top quality results whether you want our standard formats or FLAC.
FLAC wasn’t part of our original service offering, mainly due to our focus on Apple, iTunes and music file formats compatible with that system - AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless and AIFF. However there have been requests, initially infrequent but more so lately, for FLAC and of course we don’t like to disappoint.
So, following tests, we now have a reliable platform so we’re confident we can deliver top quality results whether you want our standard formats or FLAC.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
NTLDR is missing
Called in by one of our CD ripping clients to help out with their computer. I was given a shopping list of problems, the main one being a new iPhone was not being recognised, even though a trip to the Apple store in Regent Street, London had proved there was no problem with the phone itself.
The computer in question runs XP and is rather long in the tooth. Another problem is that the sync process with their iPod Classic has become erratic, syncs can be fast but error prone or immensely long (like 12 hours) with only a few tracks getting copied across.
I started working through settings on the Apple Mobile Devices service, which required the PC to be restarted several times. First couple of times, no problem, but then the machine failed to start up properly showing the error message - TLDR is missing.
Google search from my own Mac showed up that this should be NTLDR is missing, the screen alignment had shifted a little to the left and the N was out of view. The suggestion was that a file was missing, and some people had fixed their problem by copying a missing or corrupt file from another XP system; or indeed reloading the whole operating system. Feeling depressed at the prospect of such a tedious task the second user of the PC popped into the room.
Seeing the NTLDR is missing message he pointed out this often happens, and that it can be fixed simply by unplugging "that thick cable". The cable in question was the USB connector from a LaCie hard drive. He was indeed right, I unplugged the LaCie (and the other non-essential devices plugged into USB ports) and the PC restarted just fine. Plug the hard drive back and it was found fine.
This got me thinking. Maybe the fundamental problem with the machine is the functioning of the whole USB connection. The PC in question is somewhat long in the tooth so perhaps the USB card is failing. USB makes connections and supplies power, perhaps it isn't supplying sufficient power to enable a recent iPhone to be recognised. Or possibly there's an issue with the hard drive's USB cable which is interfering with the iPhone and the iPod. The last point is hard to validate as the data both the iPhone and the iPod need to access is on that drive.
In the light of this the three of us stood round and scratched our heads for a while. In the light of all the problems the feeling was further tech support work was just throwing good money after bad. It is time this XP worker was retired, so a new machine will be ordered, with a bigger internal drive and a brand new USB interface. When this is installed my belief is that these problems will go away.
The computer in question runs XP and is rather long in the tooth. Another problem is that the sync process with their iPod Classic has become erratic, syncs can be fast but error prone or immensely long (like 12 hours) with only a few tracks getting copied across.
I started working through settings on the Apple Mobile Devices service, which required the PC to be restarted several times. First couple of times, no problem, but then the machine failed to start up properly showing the error message - TLDR is missing.
Google search from my own Mac showed up that this should be NTLDR is missing, the screen alignment had shifted a little to the left and the N was out of view. The suggestion was that a file was missing, and some people had fixed their problem by copying a missing or corrupt file from another XP system; or indeed reloading the whole operating system. Feeling depressed at the prospect of such a tedious task the second user of the PC popped into the room.
Seeing the NTLDR is missing message he pointed out this often happens, and that it can be fixed simply by unplugging "that thick cable". The cable in question was the USB connector from a LaCie hard drive. He was indeed right, I unplugged the LaCie (and the other non-essential devices plugged into USB ports) and the PC restarted just fine. Plug the hard drive back and it was found fine.
This got me thinking. Maybe the fundamental problem with the machine is the functioning of the whole USB connection. The PC in question is somewhat long in the tooth so perhaps the USB card is failing. USB makes connections and supplies power, perhaps it isn't supplying sufficient power to enable a recent iPhone to be recognised. Or possibly there's an issue with the hard drive's USB cable which is interfering with the iPhone and the iPod. The last point is hard to validate as the data both the iPhone and the iPod need to access is on that drive.
In the light of this the three of us stood round and scratched our heads for a while. In the light of all the problems the feeling was further tech support work was just throwing good money after bad. It is time this XP worker was retired, so a new machine will be ordered, with a bigger internal drive and a brand new USB interface. When this is installed my belief is that these problems will go away.
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