Show Discussions open

Those of you who’ve been around since we started this show know that I’d implemented a plugin that automatically closed the comments form after 4-5 weeks, basically to save me from having to clean up as much comment spam.

With the newer and better comment spam filters out there, I’d been thinking about removing that plugin and opening up the comments for the older posts, since new listeners wouldn’t have a chance to comment on an older show they’d newly come across.

Note, I said “thinking about”. Oddly enough, a software upgrade has pretty much forced me to abandon that policy. The plugin doesn’t seem to be compatible with newer versions of WordPress. Interesting, that… it looks like it might be an SQL error from a database change, but it’s pretty much is a moot point now.

So, if there’s an older show you’ve always wanted to comment on, now’s your chance!

Happy New Year, folks!

iTunes links

Some people might have had a few issues last week with the iTunes subscription to KAMN. The store folks were fixing a slight problem that prevented KAMN from being added to the FarPoint Media store page. I was told that the link would be changed, but the iTunes ID seems to be the same.

If anyone is still having problems, here’s the iTunes link to use.

And yes, there really is an artist’s page out there where you can see much of what Farpoint Media has to offer on one big, bold page.

Show #15 Delayed

Once again, technical difficulties have arisen to bite us, or rather me, in the ass.

Audacity sucks for use on a Mac, is all I can conclude. It works just fine when I record at 22050, but since many newer devices want 44100 I went to 44100, and I have yet to be able to record successfully at that rate.

You’d think it wouldn’t make a difference with enough RAM and free disk space, but so far, I haven’t been able to save anything over 30 minutes long in Audacity at the higher rate.

So, half of this week’s conversation about More Than Human (specifically, my half) is lost forever. We will either re-record the show, or I’ll figure out a way to make it a coherent discussion between just David and Joe.

In the mean time, I’m going to immerse myself in Garage Band to try to figure it out, and gleefully rip the piece of trash named Audacity off of my hard drives.

Show #12 Delayed

Sorry about this guys, but Show #12 about Logan’s Run will be delayed a few days due to unforeseen suckage, er, technical difficulties.

Meanwhile, may I direct your attention over here to this display of bright, shiny objects?

Aging Tech Gear

I guess it really was just a matter of time.

I finally bought a new video cable and spun up my old Sony MDP-605 laserdisc player to check out some old discs, and was met by an interesting surprise.

The sound was fine, but the picture didn’t work. Best description is that the vertical hold seemed off and the picture, what little there was of it, was distorted.

My first guess was a laser alignment problem, but I figured I’d do some Googling first. Alas, I was correct in that first assumption (scroll down about halfway if you’re even remotely curious).

I haven’t investigated how much it’d cost to get this tank fixed, but I do happen to have another laserdisc player. A Pioneer CLD-D406, which I believe was the very last consumer model sold in the US. I bought it, and haven’t used it… it’s been sitting “new in box” since December 1999.

I just have to go get it out of storage, and hope it still works, or I’m going to have to jump through some hoops to find a replacement.

And yes, I would find a replacement. Laserdisc is the only media I have left for the original Star Wars trilogy in it’s pristine original form.

update (14:00, 8 Feb): The “new” player works just fine. I’m currently watching the original version of the Babylon 5 pilot (before re-editing for TNT), in preparation for talking about it for the next Babylon Podcast. Wow, does the music change make a difference!