According to Mix Magazine, XTA has the new DP428 to add to their line of digital audio processors. I have always been a fan of XTA’s work, and I think this is a great step in the right direction for them.

the DP428 offers 4×8 matrix capability, 48dB crossover slopes and a host of EQ solutions. There are four inputs, each offering gain control, a 28-band graphic EQ, eight filters and a delay.

UPDATE: (March 29th, 2005 8:47pm - XTA’s DPA428’s web site is up and running) XTA is also announcing the ‘Walkabout’ kit. They might as well put their brand name on technology that many have been using for years. The kit contains a NetGear WG511T PCMCIA card, for use in a laptop computer, and a TCP/IP to RS-232 bridge manufactured by Wiser. XTA states:

We have found that the Netgear WG511T wi-fi card provides greatly extended range and improved stability, over and above any WLAN systems built into laptops or tablet PCs (such as those featuring ‘Centrino’ processors).

XTA has also gone through the trouble of re-writing the firmware for the DP226, DP224 and SiDD to enable set-up of the ‘Walkbout’ from the respective units. With the continuing push for integration in control protocols in audio, perhaps the next generation of products will have the TCP/IP interface built-in, rather than having to rely on external equipment and manufacturers for this sort of functionality.

XTA DP428 Audio Management System, Walkabout Kit

For more information about purchasing XTA products in the US contact Group One Ltd.

I love it!! This is classic. Some clever programmers built an application that emulates iTMS client, but conveniently forgets to add the DRM to any files purchased through the service. Sounds great to me. iTMS gets their money and the consumer gets the music without the hassle of DRM.

As you can imagine Apple was not pleased, and promptly released a required upgrade to iTMS, (Well, required if you want to actually purchase music.) that presumably plugs the hole in the transaction scheme that allows the rogue client to operate. That was yesterday. (2005/3/21)

This is today, and the ‘clever folks’ have already worked around Apples fix

DRM-free iTunes: wash, rinse, repeat?

OK, so I’m a geek, and burn a lot of CD’s for various reasons. I have seen many discussions on the Theatre-Sound mailing list about which is the best brand, or manufacturer, or dye color to use. I like this article because aparently there are folks out there who geek out to this aspect of computing specifically. I need to check out Club CD Freaks, and CDRLabs.com the next time I plan on buying a spindle of new CDR’s.
In my experience, I have always had reasonably good luck burning CD’s that work by burning the important ones at a lower rate. It takes a little longer, but when it comes to burning an audio CD that needs to be a good burn, it’s worth the wait.

Wired News: Blank Discs Not Created Equal

I got mine in the mail yesterday. It takes a little bit of time to get it set up initially, but, WOW! I have my home theatre set up, and it’s never been easier to control it. If I want to watch TV, I press the “Watch TV” button, if I want to watch a DVD, I press the “Watch DVD” button, and the whole system configures itself. Now, when I watch TV, I usually watch it through my ReplayTV, and want to use the speakers in the TV for the sound. When I watch a DVD, I want to use the stereo and all of my speakers for the sound. That means I used to have to use a different remote to control the volume depending on weather I was watching TV or a DVD. No longer, It was easy to have the Logitech Harmony 688 set up to control the whole system just the way I want to control it. When I switch activities, the functionality of the remote changes to accomodate that activity.

I can’t believe how easy it is to use. I have had other “Universal” remote controls, but this one is smarter than the others. Deffnitely the coolest thing I have purchased in a long while.

Check it out here:
Logitech Harmony 688

Did anyone else see the Oscars this year?
Check out this link to Randy Thom’s acceptance speech for Sound Editing for his work on ‘The Incredibles’.

Perhaps someone from the Tony’s heard this…

Thanks Randy for saying it loud and clear.

Academy Awards - Sound Editing Acceptance Speech

As you may or may not know, Jef Raskin, employee #31 at Apple Computer, passed away last week. I have always been impressed with Apples phillosophy, and products. (Check out Folklore.org for some great stories about the original Macintosh team.) For as much of a tyrant as Steve Jobs is rumored to be, he has something special goin’ on, and I think there was a lot of something special with all of the folks who helped build Apple Computer.
Below is a link to a paper that Jef Raskin wrote in back 1979, where he talks about what it would take to produce, sell and support sales of 1 million computers per year. Remember, in ‘79, there weren’t many personal computer being sold. Jef discusses the unbelievable goal of 1 million machines with amazing insight. I love the comments on support resources.
It’s mostly just an interesting read, from a computing pioneer.
Jef Raskin’s writings - Computers by the Millions (1979)

Look out Middleton, NJ..Looks like you’ll be the first to experience the 700MHz range getting taken over by WiMax or 802.16e. I realize that we users of wireless mics are “secondary operators”, however we have been feeling the digital spectrum crunch for a few years now (DTV). Allocating the 700MHz band (ch 52-59, 698-746MHz) to yet another wireless digital service is really troubling for us. Looks like we may be going back to VHF to find suitable space for our massive 50mW xmitters. ;o)
AT&T ready to trial wireless broadband

“Scientists have discovered what makes a tune catchy by pinpointing the precise part of the brain where a song’s “hook” gets caught. ”

After 800 shows, I just want someone to get it out…
Ever been killed with a song?

Here’s a great idea form the folks at Logitech. The Harmony 688 Universal Remote Control. USB interface for programming, and a simple interface for programming complex marcos to control your entire home entertainment system. There is even support for Tivos, and other DVR’s. Works with all flavors of Windows operating systems and Mac OSX with Safari 1.0 or greater. I never thought we would see the day when a remote control has 2Mb of memory!!

Logitech has it listed on their site for $249.00, but you can get it here for

Use the Blue link below, and then click on “New & Used” to find the lowest price (which should be $121.00, as of 6/25/2005 at 3:16pm PST)

Cadac finally released the remote mic pre they have been working on. I’m sure it will sound fantastic.

“The M16 combines 16 classic Cadac high quality microphone amplifiers in a 3U 10” rack, each featuring adjustable gain (from 10dB to 60dB in 5dB steps)” was the only thing that really caught my eye. 5dB steps? That seems to be not user friendly…

Take a look…
Cadac News Letter.pdf