For those of you with an Apple laptop and a need to rip it open, PB FitIt is offering their FixIt Guides for Apple laptops from the Powerbook G3 generation and forward (except for the current G4 iBooks). The guides are detailed, well-illustrated and broken into sections depending on which part you're working on. This here is some handy info for repairs and upgrades. Bookmark it.
BTW - The regular pbfixit.com also site is a great source for all manner of replacement parts.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Friday, September 24, 2004
UCF Closed Monday For Hurricane
From: John C. Hitt, President
Subject: Monday Closing and Cancellation of Monday classes
Given the latest predictions of Hurricane Jeanne's path and strength,
we have determined that it will be wise to extend our campus closing
through Monday. Therefore, the campus will close at 8 p.m. Saturday
night as announced, with the exception of the Student Union, which will
remain open until 10 p.m., but the campus will now remain closed until
7:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Essential personnel may be required by their
supervisors to workout throughout this period.
Again, let me remind students to contact their families now about
whether to stay in the Orlando area or return home. On-campus student
residents who remain on campus will be directed to designated campus
shelters, as will residents of Pegasus Point and Pegasus Landing, UCF's
affiliated housing. The shelters will open on Saturday at 6 p.m. For
more details, go to www.housing.ucf.edu . UCF students who live in
off-campus residences should locate the nearest county shelter and plan
to go there in case of a weather emergency.
Should we need to communicate with you further, we will do so by
e-mail, the university Web page (www.ucf.edu), or the local media.
I wish you all a safe weekend and a safe return to the university next
Tuesday.
Subject: Monday Closing and Cancellation of Monday classes
Given the latest predictions of Hurricane Jeanne's path and strength,
we have determined that it will be wise to extend our campus closing
through Monday. Therefore, the campus will close at 8 p.m. Saturday
night as announced, with the exception of the Student Union, which will
remain open until 10 p.m., but the campus will now remain closed until
7:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Essential personnel may be required by their
supervisors to workout throughout this period.
Again, let me remind students to contact their families now about
whether to stay in the Orlando area or return home. On-campus student
residents who remain on campus will be directed to designated campus
shelters, as will residents of Pegasus Point and Pegasus Landing, UCF's
affiliated housing. The shelters will open on Saturday at 6 p.m. For
more details, go to www.housing.ucf.edu . UCF students who live in
off-campus residences should locate the nearest county shelter and plan
to go there in case of a weather emergency.
Should we need to communicate with you further, we will do so by
e-mail, the university Web page (www.ucf.edu), or the local media.
I wish you all a safe weekend and a safe return to the university next
Tuesday.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Composers for Hire
Some of you might have seen Aaron King's Directing 3 short, ANDY IN LOVE. He got an interesting soundtrack composed for the film by some excellent local guys and they emailed to say they're interested in composing more for student films. The info's below.
Robert Reider and I are a composing team that can provide a complete score, in various styles, that can compliment the director's vision. For samples of our previous work you can refer to the website at thgnome.com/PodoMoloko.htm
Our work rate is around $50 per minute of completed audio, however we are certainly open to negotiation.
Contact info: Zack Jacobson (407) 421-4450
email - zspace17@hotmail.com.
Robert Reider and I are a composing team that can provide a complete score, in various styles, that can compliment the director's vision. For samples of our previous work you can refer to the website at thgnome.com/PodoMoloko.htm
Our work rate is around $50 per minute of completed audio, however we are certainly open to negotiation.
Contact info: Zack Jacobson (407) 421-4450
email - zspace17@hotmail.com.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
FASTER PUSSY CAT DIRECTOR RUSS MEYER DEAD AT 82
Let's revisit my days as an adjunct professor for American Independent Film. Ahhh...good times. And nothing set my heart aglow more than watching a class full of young know-it-all film students sit gape-mouthed at they watched Russ Meyer's boobsplotation epic, Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!, a classic that set the bar for John Waters entire career. If good taste is dead, this is the flick that bought the gun and booze.
Like that class, all good things must end. I'm sad to report that
Mr Meyer died Saturday at 82. Sample the Meyer legacy on VHS at Orlando's own Stardust Video.
On the up side, Meyer's death might mean his classic films will finally get the glorious DVD packaging and distribution they so richly deserve.
Like that class, all good things must end. I'm sad to report that
Mr Meyer died Saturday at 82. Sample the Meyer legacy on VHS at Orlando's own Stardust Video.
On the up side, Meyer's death might mean his classic films will finally get the glorious DVD packaging and distribution they so richly deserve.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Comments Enabled
At the request of student Will, I've enabled the Comments feature on this blog. Feel free to type thoughts there. Everything will get emailed to me, so keep the smut at a minumum.
To add a comment (or read previous comments), click the blue Comments link below. Another window will open and you'll have to click the Post A Comment link. Then another page will open and if you want to post without being a bloger user, you'll have to choose to post as Anonymous.
All in all, it might just be easier if you email me, but let's give it a try...
To add a comment (or read previous comments), click the blue Comments link below. Another window will open and you'll have to click the Post A Comment link. Then another page will open and if you want to post without being a bloger user, you'll have to choose to post as Anonymous.
All in all, it might just be easier if you email me, but let's give it a try...
Monday, September 20, 2004
Adventures in Bug Squashing
Some companies - particularly that big one named Microsoft - appear to spend huge amounts of time squashing software bugs. Every new program comes with a new set of bugs which require a bunch of updates and adjustments. It's annoying, but also the reality of computers. No matter what you're told, these boxes are works in progress.
However, I'd always had good luck with Apple gear and software, rarely encountering a problem that couldn't be dealt with painlessly. This was especially true with OSX, an operating system that seemed unnaturally rock solid (my home box runs for months without a restart or glich). So imagine my surprise when I notice the Final Cut Pro systems of UCF Film crashing every few minutes. After much research and work, I think I've solved the problem. We've had a full weekend of editing with no crashes. Yeah!
I thought it would be useful for you (many of whom I expect will buy Apple computers) to understand the process troubleshooting in case something like this happens to you.
The Problem Appears
After noticing our systems crashing, I investigate. I find out people have been experiencing problems for a while, but never told me. BAD MOVE. Always report odd computer behavior and crashes. Do not just assume it's user error or bad karma (one student last year was convinced that he personally could crash any computer he touched). And provide as much information as possible. Pointing at a computer and telling me "That one's bad!" doesn't provide the level of detail required for proper troubleshooting
Having cleanly updated every system this summer (to FCP 4.5 and OSX 10.3.5), I wonder - might this be a hardware issue? I use TechTool to check the RAM, discs, motherboard and other parts of a troublesome system. Nothing. I go through a standard routine with Disc Utility of fixing permissions, repairing extra hard drives and even run fsck - a UNIX repair command - in terminal. The problems seem to go away briefly, but soon reappear.
At the advice of a local Apple tech, I reinstall all the software on one system (as well as my normal extra stuff). Problems continue. At this point, my Apple rep asks me to collect the logs of the computer, which are available via the Console utility. He reads them and asks "What's this MenuMeter thing? It seems to be having problems on every startup." This is interesting because I have the MenuMeters program installed on every machine. Apple tech says it's an old program that - for whatever reason - is not loading properly at the start. I should remove it. I do so.
A note about Console logs - don't expect to be able to read them yourself. At least not completely. Most of it is hardcore computer gibberish like this:
Binary Images Description: 0x1000 - 0x57fff com.apple.Preview 2.1.0 (210) /Applications/Preview.app/Contents/MacOS/Preview 0x43a000 - 0x43ffff alex_lagutin.audio_hijack.server 1.2 /Library/Application Enhancers/Audio Hijack Server.ape/Contents/MacOS/Audio Hijack Server 0x469000 - 0x485fff com.unsanity.windowshadex.cocoa WindowShade X Cocoa Bits version 3.1 (3.1) /Library/Application Enhancers/WindowShade X.ape/Contents/PlugIns/WindowShade X Cocoa Bits.ape/Contents/MacOS/WindowShade X Cocoa Bits
But even within that mess, one can spot the occasional problem, such a AppleUSB Audio not loading properly. That's worth responding to.
Okay, so I remove Menumeters and the problem isn't solved. At this point, I read a Console log myself and see AppleUSBAudio not loading properly. On our Capstone systems, we use M-Audio's Sonica product for USB audio out. I remove the M-Audio software and pull the cables from the system.
The Capstone system becomes rock solid. But this can't be the same problem with the non-Capstone system as they don't use USB Audio. What's going on with them?
At this point, I do what I should have done at the start - AND IF YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM THIS LESSON, LEARN THIS - I went to the Apple website, logged into the user forums and researched FCP Crashes.
Surprise! Turns out this is a big issue. Many, many people are having problems (particularly with the G4 systems we have) and it appears to stem from upgrading to OSX10.3.5. A variety of people have differing opinions about what's happening and what to do, but the important thing is that the Mac community is talking and exchanging information. User forums are often the best, front line information you'll get about new and developing problems. The forums say there are two solutions - turn off EFFECTS HANDLING in FCP 4.5 or revert to OSX 10.3.4.
Meanwhile, my Apple tech suggests there is a problem with the firewire drives we're using. He says the console logs a littered with error messages indicating FCP wasn't getting data fast enough over firewire and crashed as a result. I ask "Could this be a problem with the firewire hubs we're using to connect the drives?" Perhaps. He suggests I make the connection direct.
Faced with this new information, I do two things - I disconnect the firewire hubs and I turn off EFFECTS HANDLING in FCP4.5. That weekend, no problems are seen. The machines and software are solid once again.
Which issue was really responsible? I can't say. All I know is that things are working. Later, I will experiment by turning on the EFFECTS HANDLING feature and seeing if that screws up the systems. In the meantime, I've reverted three of the four Capstone systems to OSX 10.3.4 (an easier task than I imagined thanks to Achive and Install on the OSX install discs).
The lessons learned are these:
However, I'd always had good luck with Apple gear and software, rarely encountering a problem that couldn't be dealt with painlessly. This was especially true with OSX, an operating system that seemed unnaturally rock solid (my home box runs for months without a restart or glich). So imagine my surprise when I notice the Final Cut Pro systems of UCF Film crashing every few minutes. After much research and work, I think I've solved the problem. We've had a full weekend of editing with no crashes. Yeah!
I thought it would be useful for you (many of whom I expect will buy Apple computers) to understand the process troubleshooting in case something like this happens to you.
The Problem Appears
After noticing our systems crashing, I investigate. I find out people have been experiencing problems for a while, but never told me. BAD MOVE. Always report odd computer behavior and crashes. Do not just assume it's user error or bad karma (one student last year was convinced that he personally could crash any computer he touched). And provide as much information as possible. Pointing at a computer and telling me "That one's bad!" doesn't provide the level of detail required for proper troubleshooting
Having cleanly updated every system this summer (to FCP 4.5 and OSX 10.3.5), I wonder - might this be a hardware issue? I use TechTool to check the RAM, discs, motherboard and other parts of a troublesome system. Nothing. I go through a standard routine with Disc Utility of fixing permissions, repairing extra hard drives and even run fsck - a UNIX repair command - in terminal. The problems seem to go away briefly, but soon reappear.
At the advice of a local Apple tech, I reinstall all the software on one system (as well as my normal extra stuff). Problems continue. At this point, my Apple rep asks me to collect the logs of the computer, which are available via the Console utility. He reads them and asks "What's this MenuMeter thing? It seems to be having problems on every startup." This is interesting because I have the MenuMeters program installed on every machine. Apple tech says it's an old program that - for whatever reason - is not loading properly at the start. I should remove it. I do so.
A note about Console logs - don't expect to be able to read them yourself. At least not completely. Most of it is hardcore computer gibberish like this:
Binary Images Description: 0x1000 - 0x57fff com.apple.Preview 2.1.0 (210) /Applications/Preview.app/Contents/MacOS/Preview 0x43a000 - 0x43ffff alex_lagutin.audio_hijack.server 1.2 /Library/Application Enhancers/Audio Hijack Server.ape/Contents/MacOS/Audio Hijack Server 0x469000 - 0x485fff com.unsanity.windowshadex.cocoa WindowShade X Cocoa Bits version 3.1 (3.1) /Library/Application Enhancers/WindowShade X.ape/Contents/PlugIns/WindowShade X Cocoa Bits.ape/Contents/MacOS/WindowShade X Cocoa Bits
But even within that mess, one can spot the occasional problem, such a AppleUSB Audio not loading properly. That's worth responding to.
Okay, so I remove Menumeters and the problem isn't solved. At this point, I read a Console log myself and see AppleUSBAudio not loading properly. On our Capstone systems, we use M-Audio's Sonica product for USB audio out. I remove the M-Audio software and pull the cables from the system.
The Capstone system becomes rock solid. But this can't be the same problem with the non-Capstone system as they don't use USB Audio. What's going on with them?
At this point, I do what I should have done at the start - AND IF YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM THIS LESSON, LEARN THIS - I went to the Apple website, logged into the user forums and researched FCP Crashes.
Surprise! Turns out this is a big issue. Many, many people are having problems (particularly with the G4 systems we have) and it appears to stem from upgrading to OSX10.3.5. A variety of people have differing opinions about what's happening and what to do, but the important thing is that the Mac community is talking and exchanging information. User forums are often the best, front line information you'll get about new and developing problems. The forums say there are two solutions - turn off EFFECTS HANDLING in FCP 4.5 or revert to OSX 10.3.4.
Meanwhile, my Apple tech suggests there is a problem with the firewire drives we're using. He says the console logs a littered with error messages indicating FCP wasn't getting data fast enough over firewire and crashed as a result. I ask "Could this be a problem with the firewire hubs we're using to connect the drives?" Perhaps. He suggests I make the connection direct.
Faced with this new information, I do two things - I disconnect the firewire hubs and I turn off EFFECTS HANDLING in FCP4.5. That weekend, no problems are seen. The machines and software are solid once again.
Which issue was really responsible? I can't say. All I know is that things are working. Later, I will experiment by turning on the EFFECTS HANDLING feature and seeing if that screws up the systems. In the meantime, I've reverted three of the four Capstone systems to OSX 10.3.4 (an easier task than I imagined thanks to Achive and Install on the OSX install discs).
The lessons learned are these:
- There is a conflict bug between FCP 4.5 and OSX10.3.5, particularly with the Mirror Door Macs (or maybe even AGP G4 Macs).
- The solution is to stay at OSX10.3.4 or turn off EFFECTS HANDLING in FCP.
- When you have a problem, check the user forums at apple.com and other video editing sites (like www.2-pop.com). Use the community for knowledge.
- Even a well-intentioned tech might not know everything, so be aggressive about finding your own solution.
- If you're going to edit a lot, consider keeping all non-essential software off the machine, just in case it could mess up another, more valuable program.
Friday, September 17, 2004
Local DVD Duplication & DV Tape Deal
Need DVDs? You could waste your time trying to burn one at a time here at school, or you could get smart and send them out of house to a pro. If you want to stay local, I suggest Horizon Duplication in Winter Park. They currently have a good rate for small runs - 100 DVDs duplicated for $2.55 each. If you want 4-color art printed on the disc, add an extra .65 each.
$300+ might seem like a lot to spend on DVDs, but it's a lot better than the months you'll spend here burning them on our systems. Call Horizon to get a bid - (407) 645-5656.
BTW - Horizon is selling Sony DV tapes cheap this month - $3.40 each for a 65 min tape, no minimum. That's a solid deal.
$300+ might seem like a lot to spend on DVDs, but it's a lot better than the months you'll spend here burning them on our systems. Call Horizon to get a bid - (407) 645-5656.
BTW - Horizon is selling Sony DV tapes cheap this month - $3.40 each for a 65 min tape, no minimum. That's a solid deal.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
A Better Browser - Firefox
If you're one of the many people sick of pop-up windows, security flaws and the generally annoying performance of Microsoft's Internet Explorer, you should check out Firefox, a freeware browser from Mozilla.
Firefox is a a solid release - although they still call it a beta - and there are versions for both Mac and Windows. It offers tons of flexibility to control the surfing experience. As a Mac user, I've pretty much stuck to Safari and Firefox for the past year or so without many problems. Only a couple of sites (mostly banks) require me to break out Internet Explorer. And that's changing fast. Firefox has been getting mucho press coverage as the first browser in years to gain popularity against IE (which is popular becomes it comes installed on every computer sold).
In addition to the above link, you can also download Firefox at Versiontrack.com.
Firefox is a a solid release - although they still call it a beta - and there are versions for both Mac and Windows. It offers tons of flexibility to control the surfing experience. As a Mac user, I've pretty much stuck to Safari and Firefox for the past year or so without many problems. Only a couple of sites (mostly banks) require me to break out Internet Explorer. And that's changing fast. Firefox has been getting mucho press coverage as the first browser in years to gain popularity against IE (which is popular becomes it comes installed on every computer sold).
In addition to the above link, you can also download Firefox at Versiontrack.com.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Get DV Magazine For Free
Those who've organized some kind of production company (or can pretend you have), can probably swing a free "professional" subscription to DV Magazine, one of the best print publications covering the world of digital video. Trust me, there's something good in every issue.
To subscribe, fill out the questionaire at dv.com/freeyear. I suggest you answer the questions...hmmmm...how to say this?...optimistically. Sure, you might spend $50K next year on gear, right? If nothing else, offer to receive the free product literature. Magazines need to have subscribers like that and use it as a sales tool when seeking ads. So in a way, you're helping DV Magazine.
Thank you.
To subscribe, fill out the questionaire at dv.com/freeyear. I suggest you answer the questions...hmmmm...how to say this?...optimistically. Sure, you might spend $50K next year on gear, right? If nothing else, offer to receive the free product literature. Magazines need to have subscribers like that and use it as a sales tool when seeking ads. So in a way, you're helping DV Magazine.
Thank you.
Tray-Loading iMacs Reach End of Life?
From the good folks at Smalldog.com came this article suggesting that the original tray-loading iMacs (made between 1998 and 1999) are reaching the end of their useful life. If you have one at home, you might recognize these issues. Back up now before you lose everything.
Tray-Load iMacs
by Troy@smalldog.com
Being in the computer repair business is interesting, because you can often see a trend in problems with certain models of computers,especially as they age. Right now, for example, I am seeing some odd issues with the tray-load iMacs. Over the last few weeks, several customers have brought in their tray-load iMacs for repairs.
The first recurring problem is that when the power button is pressed, the iMac will power on for about five seconds, then it will make a static sound and shut down. We have discovered that the analog video board is usually defective in machines with this problem. In tray-load iMacs, the power supply board works in unison with the analog video board, so Apple suggests that you replace the power supply board as well. This makes the repair too expensive to be worth doing.
The other common issue that we are seeing is with the 6 and 10 gig hard drives. It seems that the drive's controller board is burning up, causing our customers to see a blinking question mark at startup. Looking at the hard drive itself, you can see that one of chips is burned, usually the big square chip by the IDE plug. If your data is important and you did not back it up, I have had a pretty good success rate at installing another controller board on the unit and getting the data off the hard drive. The issue will be matching up your older hard drive with a good board. Usually you can do this by buying a working older hard drive. The best place (other than Small Dog if we don't have one in stock) that I have found to get one of these on the Web is http://www.shrevesystems.com/
Tray-Load iMacs
by Troy@smalldog.com
Being in the computer repair business is interesting, because you can often see a trend in problems with certain models of computers,especially as they age. Right now, for example, I am seeing some odd issues with the tray-load iMacs. Over the last few weeks, several customers have brought in their tray-load iMacs for repairs.
The first recurring problem is that when the power button is pressed, the iMac will power on for about five seconds, then it will make a static sound and shut down. We have discovered that the analog video board is usually defective in machines with this problem. In tray-load iMacs, the power supply board works in unison with the analog video board, so Apple suggests that you replace the power supply board as well. This makes the repair too expensive to be worth doing.
The other common issue that we are seeing is with the 6 and 10 gig hard drives. It seems that the drive's controller board is burning up, causing our customers to see a blinking question mark at startup. Looking at the hard drive itself, you can see that one of chips is burned, usually the big square chip by the IDE plug. If your data is important and you did not back it up, I have had a pretty good success rate at installing another controller board on the unit and getting the data off the hard drive. The issue will be matching up your older hard drive with a good board. Usually you can do this by buying a working older hard drive. The best place (other than Small Dog if we don't have one in stock) that I have found to get one of these on the Web is http://www.shrevesystems.com/
Friday, September 03, 2004
Get To Know Dealmac.com
If you like to hunt for computer-bargins, check out dealmac.com. The site offers a daily inventory of hot, and sometimes fleeting, deals on Macintosh-related software and hardware. You can subscribe to their email list and be sent a list of specials every day.
Dealmac.com is my first stop when looking for a product and a related bargain. You can search for specific items or categories. There are excellent related sites, including dealcoupon.com - a collection of coupons for internet merchants, dealram.com - an exhaustive listing of RAM prices for every kind of computer, and dealcam.com - a similar site for digital still cameras and camcorders. Check 'em out.
Dealmac.com is my first stop when looking for a product and a related bargain. You can search for specific items or categories. There are excellent related sites, including dealcoupon.com - a collection of coupons for internet merchants, dealram.com - an exhaustive listing of RAM prices for every kind of computer, and dealcam.com - a similar site for digital still cameras and camcorders. Check 'em out.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Requests Answered
Since Operations isn't selling media any longer, we asked the Student Union Computer Store to stock DVD-R media for student purchase. For some reason, they had a shelf full of DVD+R/RW, but not the stuff we use.
I'm happy to report that as of this afternoon, the store was stocking DVD-R media, priced at $1 per disc (with case!) for a 10-pack. They also have a better grade of DVD-R media for $3 per disc ($15 for a package of 5).
Finally, we have added a lovely new Panasonic DVD-R recording system in the dub rack to replace the nasty old DVD+R thing that kept breaking down. Enjoy.
I'm happy to report that as of this afternoon, the store was stocking DVD-R media, priced at $1 per disc (with case!) for a 10-pack. They also have a better grade of DVD-R media for $3 per disc ($15 for a package of 5).
Finally, we have added a lovely new Panasonic DVD-R recording system in the dub rack to replace the nasty old DVD+R thing that kept breaking down. Enjoy.
Like Your iPod? Then You'll Love The New iMac
The new iMac is here and this is what you need to know - it's got either a 17" or 20" screen, a super-quick G5 processor and Education Pricing is going to start at $1199 ($1099 if you don't need the CD/DVD drive). Sweet.
The other big news is that the revamped design makes it look an iPod on steroids. You like your iPods, right? Well say hello to it's big brother.
These models don't hit the street until mid-September, so we won't know how they work with Final Cut Pro for a while. One good sign - the internal drives are rated at 7200 rpm, which is what you want for video. Older iMacs and eMacs often had slower 5400 rpm drives.
Unless you really need the expandability or speed of a tower system,this new iMac G5 looks like the must-have system for the coming year. More when we know it. In the meantime, there are lots of pictures and Quicktime VRs at Apple.com to ogle.
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