The awesome Playstation 3

I have just spent the last few weeks playing with my latest toys, a brand new PS3 and a Sharp 32″ HD LCD TV. I got the PS3 on ebay for Aus$780 so I could afford a few games as well as a second wireless controller. The clarity is simply amazing, a big step up from the old PS2. It has to be seen to be believed. It’s also great having the wireless controllers… no more untangling wires! I was able to connect to my Dlink wireless router after a bit of configuration ( it’s not as easy as connecting a mac to a wireless network, no where near it in fact), but after entering all my DNS addresses manually It connected and hasnt dropped out since.

You can get onto the Playstation store and download several demo games, a free Gran Turismo HD preview which is great, and I also bought Tekken 5 for $16 there. They then sent me a copy of Casino Royalle on Blue ray disc which is simply amazing in it’s clarity. Everything glistens and it’s just so crisp with beautiful colours. The Motorstorm demo is awesome and a great one to chuck on to show people the power of this thing. I bought NBA 2K7 which is a trully great basketball game with amazing graphics. It’s like watching the real thing, you can even see the sweat running down the players arms. I also bought Tony Hawkes 8 which is OK, Fight Night 3 which is a good one for a group of blokes having a few beers and a laugh at halftime during the football.

The best game I have though is Resistence Fall of Man. This game is just incredible, a great fluid feel to the movement, some really scary aliens to shoot and the sort of attention to detail that never ceases to amaze. I’m only a quarter of the way through it, but it’s awesome! Easily the best game I have ever played. I hear that they’ve only just begun to touch the surface with the current games when it comes to the power of this PS3 games machine. All I can say is bring it on.

Updating the firmware in a Pioneer DVD-R Drive

Heres a really good tip for updating the firmware in your Pioneer DVD-R Drive.
I have a Pioneer DVR-109 that I installed in my Powermac G4 Dual 1Ghz & had been having some problems burning a dual layer disk of a friends wedding video that I did for them. There was so much video & photo slideshow data in the iDVD project that a dual layer burn was the only solution. I ended up sorting out that the main problem was I was trying to use Imation DVD+R DL disks when Pioneer recommends using Verbatim DVD+R DL disks.

However before reaching that conclusion I found a way of updating the firmware on a mac, which is not easy as all the firmware installers that Pioneer release are for Windows.

There is a little program called DVRFlashX which does the job. DVRFlashX is a GUI Utility for Mac OS X to simplify the use of DVRFlash. This version is only compatible with Pioneer drives up to DVR-109 series and PPC Macs.

All you have to do is:
1 – Download DVRFlashX version 2.1 here:
( scroll halfway down the page to find DVRFlashX version 2.1 )
http://lasvegas.rpc1.org/
Then unzip it & you will have a folder on your desktop called DVRFlashX 2.1. Inside that will be the DVDFlashX application & another folder called Firmware.

2 – Download the original Pioneer firmware for your DVD drive model from here:
http://wwwbsc.pioneer.co.jp/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00001r_e.html

3 – Then use stuffit expander to open the .EXE file & you will find 3 files inside.
an .exe file, & two black files with funny names like RA100010.141 & RA100110.141.

4 – Put these two black files in the folder named Firmware.

5 – Then double click on the DVDFlashX application & you will be guided through the process of updating your firmware. DO NOT quit the app or do anything else on the mac while it is doing the firmware update.

After it’s finished you will have the latest firmware available for your Pioneer DVD-R drive.

Those people with newer drives like DVR-110 and above will have to use the terminal based DVRFlash Version 2.2. available here:

http://lasvegas.rpc1.org/

Then follow the instructions posted on this forum page:
http://nowonder.com/forums/howto-faqs/263749-howto-flash-new-pioneer-drive-mac-2.html

I must warn you that niether Apple or Pioneer endorse this sort of firmware update, so proceed at your own risk!

Powermac G4 MDD cooling and noise reduction

I have owned an awesome Apple Powermac G4 for about two years now. It’s a 1Ghz with dual processors which is commonly known as the Mirror Drive Door model or MDD for short, due to it’s mirror finished optical drive doors. It has been a faithful servant so far for all sorts of stuff like video editing, music production, photo’s, web surfing, email & business duties to name just a few. I noticed when I first got it that it was a bit noisier than my old G4 533 Powermac, but until my girlfriends mother complained one night that it kept her awake all night, I didn’t really take much notice of it. After that though it started to drive me crazy & I started a long campaign to quieten the thing down.

First thing I did was search google for information of how to do it & I found this page which document in detail how to replace the main 120 mm cooling fan.

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com

Here is a link to Apple’s description of how to replace the 120mm case fan

http://www.info.apple.com/usen/cip/pdf/g4mirror/fan_power_supply.pdf

After trying one fan that just didn’t cool the G4 well enough I found on a website called FrozenCPU.com, a “SilenX” 120x120x38mm – 18dBA – 90CFM which is whisper quiet & cools the mac just as well as the original Delta fan that came from Apple, only it’s about 300% quieter. It made a big difference.

I also read about a software modification to Mac OSX called ” Nap Mode” which to cut a long story short, basically cycles the processors down into a “mini sleep” sort of mode, reducing the temperature and therefore the noise from the fans is quieter without losing any speed. This made a massive difference, but also now made a new noisy high pitched sound from the power supply fans. For G4 MDD owners you must download version 3.5.2 of CHUD, later versions do not work with MDD Powermacs. Some other models of Macs come with Nap mode enabled as standard like the G5 Powermacs & the PowerBook G4, so it’s not a risk to use.

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/MDD_CHUD_feedback.html#storytop

I also created an applescript that I saved as an application & put in my Powermac’s start up items so that nap mode is automatically turned on every time I turn it on. To do this just download the applescript below, unzip it then open up System Preferences – Accounts – Login Items. Then just drag the nap mode applescript into the Login Items Box. Here is the link to my applescript:

An applescript to enable Nap mode

After more research I found that another main source of noise is from the standard power supply fans that come with the MDD G4, so I found the quietest fans on the net to replace them. I chose the fans that come on the Thermaltake Volcano 5 heatsink and fan combination – the Everflow model F126025DH, which spin at 4550rpm with a maximum airflow of 32 CFM and a noise level of 31 dBA. These are actually the same fans as recommended on the above instructions at http://www.xlr8yourmac.com, so I was confident that they would do the job. The installation is not for the faint hearted so if your not good with electronics & fixing thing’s I wouldn’t attempt it. This made a big difference once again. I also put in a foam insert between the power supply & the case as instructed below.

http://home.centurytel.net

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/g4_mirrored

Finally I put the Powermac down on the floor under my desk which quietened it down again, so after all these measures I now have a Powermac G4 MDD, which is whisper quiet and much more suited to music production.

Apple iPhone – another revolution begins

After several years of rumours & gossip about whether Apple would come up with a mobile phone of their own, they finally released to the world on January 9th 2007 a revolutionary device that incorporates an iPod, a smartphone and an internet browsing device. So what you might say, my phone does all that… but this thing is different. The iPhone with 4GB & 8GB storage and a 2 Megapixel camera, brings to the mobile phone market the effortless user interface & integration between a handheld device & the iTunes software on your computer that made the iPod the massive hit that it was & still is today.

Lets face it, most mobile phones are a pain in the ass to use with fiddly little clunky buttons. Instead of fixed plastic buttons that dictate that you can only have a small screen, Apple got rid of them and used one giant touch screen that covers the whole face of the unit. The controls & buttons change instantly depending on what you are doing at the time. If you are scrolling through your music or contacts, it is in full screen. If you want to send an email or sms, a little keyboard pops up down the bottom of the screen. If you want to view a movie or photo it covers the whole screen & If you want to view them in widescreen, you simply turn the unit to the side & it automatically shifts to widescreen. To zoom a photo in & out you use a pinching motion with 2 fingers. All this and much more is possible because it runs on a customized version of the powerful Mac OSX operating system, that’s right OSX, the same system that powers all of Apple’s computers.

It has wireless internet & bluetooth built in and a full size email & web browser built in, so that you can zoom in & out of web pages also. You can just find any wireless hotspot & start surfing the web including google maps & google earth, email & soon you’ll even be able to make free phone calls via Skype. It treats voice mail like a visual email type interface and you can make 3 way conference calls. And because it uses Mac OSX, iPhone can use the thousands of free Widgets that are available for OSX for instantly checking anything from stocks, news headlines, sports results or weather to web cams, jokes, TV & movie guides & recipes. Or you can create a widget yourself if there is something you want to be able to do specifically. The other thing is that Apple can update the firmware & OSX system software itself to add more features whenever it wants. Oh yeah I forgot it’s a mobile phone too!

I think you get the idea… this thing changes the game, it’s another Apple revolution in the making. But unlike 25 years ago when they invented the mouse & a graphical user interface, but didn’t patent it, this time they patented everything. So it’ll take years for the rest of the industry to catch up. Try copying this one Microsoft!

To check out the amazing demos of all these features go here:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/

The iPod is 5 years old.

As a long time mac fan I remember when the iPod came out 5 years ago, Apple said it would be a revolutionary device, but I and many others thought ” big deal, why would I need one of those”. So I held out from buying one for 3 years, eventually finding a reason to purchase a 20GB 4th gen iPod.



Nine minutes later our iTunes library of well over 2500 tracks was sucked up & transferred to the iPod. We use it mainly at work plugged into our stereo for music all day long & driving in our cars with a Fm transmitter sending it to the car stereo. iTunes & iPod have changed the way we listen to & purchase music. We’ve discovered so many new bands & artists & have a greater appreciation of music now than we ever did. After an upgrade to a new 30Gb iPod video we now also keep our favourite photos & home videos on the iPod to show our friends & family, as well as using it as a portable hard drive for computer files. The iPod was and still is a revolutionary product.



And Apple has indeed begun to capitalise on the iPod “halo effect” with mac sales up in every market & it’s US marketshare up 32% where Apple currently holds 6.1 percent of the U.S. PC market, making the company the fourth most popular PC maker in the country. Figures also reveal that over half these sales are to people who have shifted to Apple Mac’s from Windows. Mac evangelists call it “the second coming for Apple”… and they’re not far off the mark.

Cool Podcasts

I love podcasts, they give you the option to listen to your favourite radio show when and where you want on your iPod. Here are the Podcasts that I have subscribed to and I highly recommend having a listen to. I really enjoy racing around doing my vegetarian food deliveries & listening to these shows.

To subscribe to these shows:
In iTunes – Click on the “Advanced” menu up the top.
Choose “Subscribe to Podcast”
Paste the URL of the podcast in the box.
Click OK.

Now these shows will be automatically downloaded to your computer every time you open iTunes. Then when you plug in your iPod, they will be automatically transferred to your iPod under the “Podcast” menu in “Music”

Dr Karl – triple j’s science guru.
An edited package of Dr Karl’s magical hour, Live on Mornings with Zan. It’s roughly an hour devoted to the collective exploration of some of the great mysteries of life, such as “why does the water in the shower slow down just when it gets hot?”

http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/podcast/drk_rss.xml

Hack Highlights
Steve Cannane and the Hack team deliver the goods on what’s news around the country and internationally. They have some really interesting stories about all sorts of issues that affect all Australians & young aussies in particular.

http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/podcast/podcast.xml

Windows XP on IntelMacs

UPDATED: Apple on Tuesday created a stir when it introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to also run Windows XP natively.

The software, which is available as a download beginning today, allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to easily install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS X or Windows XP in full speed.

http://www.apple.com/au/macosx/bootcamp/

Two weeks before Apple announced Boot Camp, a contest started by a user who promised his boss that a new MacBook Pro would boot Windows XP at full processor speed so it could replace an aging IBM desktop, was won by a guy who calls himself narf2006. He succeeded in being the first person on the net to develop a solution to boot Windows XP on Intel-based Macs that has been confirmed by testers on various systems, and won US$13,854 in the process. I wonder if Apple had already cracked it & just waited until someone else cracked it too before releasing Boot camp or did they use narf’s crack to make Boot camp?.

The crew over at Gearlog have even benchmarked the speed of 3 intelmacs running Windows XP. They booted XP on a 20″ iMac, a MacBook Pro, and a Mac Mini Intel Core Duo all in the same room, and ran various tests between them and compared them to a few dual core Windows laptops. The MacBook Pro beat four other Core Duo laptops on the Photoshop test. The two Mac desktops outran even blazing-fast single core systems, which typically do the Windows Media Encoder test in 10-13 minutes.

http://gearlog.com/blogs/gearlog/archive/2006/03/21/8212.aspx

This opens up huge possibilities for thousands of people who really want a Mac, but need a quick pc for work, to play PC based games or to do programming on it in Windows XP. Now they can boot into Windows XP to do their work & then restart into Mac OSX when they get home to do all the fun stuff! It’s two computers for the price of one. Of course Apple knows like we do that once people start using the vastly superior Mac OSX, they wont bother booting into Windows unless they absolutely have to.

Cool gadget – The iTrip fm transmitter

As far as cool stuff goes, theres not many nifty gadgets around that are better than this. Anyone who owns an iPod should get one of these amazing accessories that plug into your iPod & transmitt the songs or podcasts playing to the nearest fm radio, whether it’s in your car, home or work. Theres no need for batteries as the iTrip draws it’s power from your iPod.

All you do is plug it in, tune your radio to 87.9 ( or change it to suit your needs) and you’ve got your own remote control mobile jukebox. The sound quality is surprisingly really quite good. You can get various models to suit any iPod, from the original pictured above to new versions with digital tuner & buttons to choose the frequency.

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itrip/

A new beginning

January 2006 marked a major new step in personal computing. After many years of relying on IBM & Motorola to come up with faster PowerPC processors( and continual disappointment ), Apple made the huge leap to the dark side, and released their first computers based on Intel processors, the iMac & the Macbook Pro.

Both sport dual core (twin processor) intel chips at 2.0 & 1.83 Ghz. The iMac is said to be 200-300% faster than the PowerPC G5 model it replaces, while the Macbook Pro’s 1.8 dual core intel chip is up to 400% faster than the 1.67 G4 PowerPC processor that it replaces.

The speed differences are not the only leap forward for Apple, both intel chips run much cooler, enabling Apple to start working on smaller thinner designs. Also, the switch to intel means that anyone could feasibly simply install Windows ( if they must) and boot into it at full speed anytime they need to use a PC only program, like when they go to work. Then when they get home they could boot up into Mac OSX.

Soon Microsoft, with their Virtual PC software and others like iEmulator http://www.iemulator.com/ and also Win Tel http://openosx.com/wintel/ will release emulator software that will allow you to run Windows & Mac OSX on the same screen, at the same time at full speed. This will surely open up a huge market share for Apple, which will tap into the millions of people who would like to go Mac, but have to have a PC for those one or two programs that they have to use for work such as graphic design studios, Architects & Engineers.

With the millions of iPod users around the world thinking of trying Apple Macs due to the ease of use factor and because of the many viruses, worms & crashes in the Windows system, this is perfect timing for Apple to cement a bigger and bigger market share.

The smart people will buy a Mac next time & have the best of both worlds.