The Price is Right

If you’ve not downloaded Mackie’s Tracktion software, you should do it now — the free download ends December 31. I’ve been using this program for a few weeks now, and can’t recommend it enough.

iPod — MiniDisc killer?

Via iPoding — iPod-Linux Installer 0.3a Released.

According the manual, “Podzilla now supports Voice Recording for the 3rd Generation iPods (Dock connector + touch wheel).” This in and of itself isn’t all that exciting, but when you read on — “The format for recording is 44.1 kHz uncompressed RAW.”

Wow! That sure is better than the 8kHz, 16 bit mono files that the Apple firmware limits you to. The iPod community has known for a long time that the device is capable of much higher-quality recordings:

Before Apple released new firmware and Belkin released the Voice Recorder, much was made of the 3G iPod’s technical capabilities for audio recording. On paper, the 3G iPod could actually sample audio at CD-quality rates (thanks to Wolfson’s older 8731 chip) and record it in MP3 format (thanks to PortalPlayer’s earlier 5002 chip). But when Apple released new firmware, the iPod was limited to sampling audio at unimpressive, voice only-quality rates, and recording in uncompressed WAV format.

The Linux on iPod featureset isn’t 100% yet, but this does indeed look promising. I’d love to carry around a single, all-digital recording solution with virtually unlimited capacity.

Update: Just read Jordan Carter’s review of Linux on the iPod, and he calls the recording capability “a remarkable feature, unfortunately limited only to 3G iPods. A friend with Linux on his 3G demonstrated this to me – and it’s mind-blowing.”

Interviewing: BBC versus NPR

Jon Carroll on the difference between NPR and BBC radio interviews: “The BBC style of interviewing is very different from the NPR style; there’s a lot less sucking up, and a lot more veiled allegations under the thinnest veneer of civilized discourse.”

Weird coincidence

Re-listened to the “Bullies” episode of Wiretap last night before going to bed. The episode featured John Hodgman talking about winning.

After the episode was over, I picked up the copy of Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans that Carmody gave me for Christmas, and turned to where I’d left off. Strangely enough, the next piece was “Fire: The Next Sharp Stick?” by none other than John Hodgman.

Weird.

CBC Toronto job opportunity

Not related specifically to CBC Radio, but a good opportunity nonetheless. This one appeared in my inbox thrice today — once from Marion Coomey (via John McQuaker), and twice again from Liz Gesicki. Spoke earlier in the day to John, and have already sent off a cover letter and resume.

Encoder

Duties include: monitoring CBC Newsworld TV channel to record and process reports / pictures for use on CBC.ca/news website, searching CP photo website to purchase pictures for CBC use, processing purchased and captured images in Photoshop software for use on the web. Transferring various media files to the server via an FTP program and AnyStream software (will train).  Consulting with journalists to illustrate their stories with the best audio/video media possible.  Writing cutlines for reports and pictures.

Writing headlines for business partner media items (not CBC items).

Knowledge of the internet, FTP, and Photoshop software.

Hours (in general) Sat -Sun 3:15 PM – 10:45 PM  plus  some holidays / vacation coverage.

Contact: Mary Sheppard at Mary_Sheppard@CBC.CA