On the Digico site they are offering a “7 Title, 64 Chapter” training DVD for the line of control surfaces though offer no other specific info. To register for one, hit the Digico site and click on the banner when it rolls by which will take you to the signup site where they take your basic info and presumably will send the DVD. I’ll post more when I get mine.
How many of you are old enough to remember that? I ran across what looks to be a great little tool for storing multple password and log on info. It’s called PC-Mac Password Vault. It uses USB flash drives, just like the new iPod Shuffle. I almost picked one up but I’ve got a 15GB second generation iPod that’s only about half full. Though if I’m able to use the Shuffle not only as a password safe but also as way to store the settings of, say, a Digico D5 or D1 that would make a great deal of sense. Too bad most other surfaces aren’t USB hosts. Now if I could record to that flash drive or playback via USB that would be deluxe. You could playback through the headphone out as I do with my iPod but that wouldn’t be as slick as going direct from the device.
Another great Gillmor Gang Podcast is posted at IT Converstaions. Fresh from the Public Broadcasting New Media Summit this installment looks at various content and business models for Podcasting with many comparisons to the current PBS/NPR models as well as traditional broadcast models at one point asking if NPR is the Clear Channel of public radio. If NPR or the CPB was anywhere near what Clear Channel was, they wouldn’t have to beg for money a couple times a year.
Good stuff particularly for folks that are trying to brainstorm business models for content sites with high value technical information. Hey, I know a guy that’s been working on that lately. 
Looks like the digirati elite as well as iPod toting masses are finally getting hep to personal monitors. The pro ear monitor market has been all a buzz about selling pro quality product to the millions of iPod toting school girls and their parents for the last couple of years. Looks like it might finally be reaching critical mass.Scoble’s just posted a link to a Buzz Bruggeman post raving about his Etymotic ER-6i mons. FWIW, I’ve used ER15 and ER25 plugs for several years. Pro sound guys and musos using ears have long been using personal monitors, or “ears” for high fidelity playback of music long before the iPod saw the light of day. On many tours artists or crews carry an additional set for the sole purpose of recreational playback.
The cool thing about the Etymotic is that they match the iPod though in terms of fidelity I think either Shure E2c or Futuresonics EM3 (also marketed as the Sennhieser IE3) are a much better value and in the case of the EM3, a better sounding product for less money though they don’t match the iPod like the ER 6i does. On the high end of the scale we’re using either custom moulded Ultimate Ears, Futuresonics or Sensaphonics. Those are available in a variety of configurations in the US$550 to US$850 range per pair compared to the US$100 (EM3 and E2c) to US$150 (E3c and 6i) for the generics. I’ve been using Ultimate UE5 and UE7Pro for the last several years though use EM3s for non work related playback as well as Shure E3s and E5s from time to time.
Once you start using high fidelity ear sets, you’ll never go back to those crappy stock buds again.
I’m either Goth Barbie or Exotic Dancer Barbie…. Hmmmm
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A few of weeks back I posted this story about the closing of the only remaining open reel tape manufacturing plant in the US.
There is an article on SPARS that is an inteview with Quantegy President and Chief Executive Dick Lindemuth. The Reader’s Digest version is that they have resumed limited production, are going through Chapter 11 reorganizaion and plan on continuing operations.
To paraphrase Twain, “The death of open reel tape has been exagerated.”
I was all set to check in at the Holiday Inn Express, or so I thought. Due to circumstances beyond my control (they screwed up) I traded my HI Express room with free high speed Internet and breakfast for a Days Inn and Suites that was really a low budget weekly on the doorstep of Little Saigon that was lucky to have electricity or even phone service. In other words, some place I might have stayed during my “formative years” about a quarter century ago. When I came home from my first real tour in the early 80s I did a stint in the weekly rental scene in the shadow of the convention center, none of which exist anymore. I grew up in the area surrounding the Anaheim Convention Center and it’s quite a different place these days. They say you can’t go home again and that’s true. The people living in those houses now have no idea who you are and would probably have you arrested for trespassing.
Back in the cramped spaces of the Orange Umbrella was a neat little addition to the Vertec family. The ability to add power amp and controller modules to the Vertecs you already own to turn them into self powered boxes. The module is basically an iTech that was roughly the same size as the rear panel. The panel is removed exposing a preinstalled molex connector to which the module attaches. Because the Vertec rigging is a stiff pivot point, the change in center gravity effects only the weight dispersion at the bumper at the top of the hang. It’s a pretty slick retrofit. I’m not a JBL dealer so I wasn’t able to get prices and the pics I snapped are aweful, not useable. I thought JBL might have info and pics on the site by now but they don’t. They’ll be ready to ship soon I was told by a rep so I’d reckon the info will be posted soon. I’ve always liked the Vertec and thought is was a great box and this is a dandy addition.
While we are on the subject of new product news from NAMM (these guys didn’t show at NAMM), Meyer Sound Labs has introduced two new Milo boxes, (Milos have been a fav of mine for almost a year or so now) a narrow horizontal box 60 degrees x 10 degrees nominal and a wider Milo 120 degrees x 10 degrees nominal. I’d reckon they are priced in line with regular Milo so bring a Varsity sized wallet if you’re interested in getting some.
The Meyer site has the info…
It’s a few hours after another edition of Winter NAMM has been put to bed. I left the show floor two days ago. My last NAMM was 2002 where I was an exhibitor, not just part fo the cattle. Prior to that I had at least attended most years and in my former life did several gigs there over the years. During the few years I was exhibiting the dynamic with what were once my suppliers and vendors changed to one of being my colleagues. Over the years changes in personnel and losing contact with many folks left me knowing far fewer people than in years past over the last couple of decades. This year on the floor I knew hardly any of the people working in the booths and I doubt any of them knew about either me or more importantly the LAB. Of the people I did still know, most of them are now in senior positions at various manufacturers so I’m still able to get a door or two kicked open if required.