Mac mini : internet sharing for iPhone

By discovering Wifi networks listed in Snow Leopard’s menubar, and after verifying on Apple’s site, it is confirmed that the mac mini includes an Airport card. Then the mac mini’s Ethernet based internet can be shared with an iPhone using Wifi : in Sharing preferences, select Internet Sharing, then choose connection from Ethernet, to computers through Airport, and check the box.

DFMod : second part demo soon

A recent news on the DFMod site states that the first part (levels 1-6) will be released again (with some enhancements), and that a demo of the second part (unreleased levels 7-11) will be provided late December. A third part (remaining levels) will be released later.

EastWest TeraPack

EastWest presents TeraPack, a 1 Tb SATA disk (internal) preloaded with the full libraries (including Hollywood Strings and the recent The Dark Side), that allows testing of these during 10 days. It is priced 129$. Moreover a discount is provided on the licenses for a limited time (50% on most libraries, 12% on Hollywood Strings and 8% on The Dark Side).

Echo FireStudio 2

Despite the latest MOTU Fastlane’s driver version started as Snow Leopard compatible, it doesn’t send Midi data over the out port (only manages incoming messages from Midi IN). This problem has been confirmed here and there, however MOTU didn’t release an update since early January.

So my initial choice of the Apogee Duet (419 euros, audio only) had to be changed to an audio and Midi interface instead, the Echo FireStudio 2 (184 euros). No latency problem has been encountered, a 128 samples buffer works nice, that is (as reported by Logic) 11,4 ms round trip (recording and playback through the mix), in fact 5-6ms latency when using virtual instruments.

The sound seems more powerful (better dynamic) and more present for bass than with Echo MIA PCI card (that could achieve 256 samples on the G4), despite the later perhaps sounding clearer and more opened/precise (less mudded, less masking) – to be confirmed however. There is to note that the mac mini’s integrated converter sounds very close, and perhaps more pleasant.
Finally the Firestudio doesn’t require any driver.

280 North acquired by Motorola

The announce isn’t official yet (has however been confirmed by 280 North in the forums), Motorola acquired 280 North, for a high amount (reported 20 million $).

The Dark Side for PLAY

Doug Rogers (EastWest) and David Fridmann present The Dark Side, a 40 Gb samples library for PLAY : dark and eerie instruments, highly processed drums and percussion, basses, guitars, ethnic, keyboard, strings, and effected instruments. Audio demos are available. It is priced 395$.

NI Abbey Road 80s drums

Native Instruments presents Abbey Road 80s drums, a 20 Gb library (7,7 Gb once installed in compressed format) of drums samples (24 bit, 27 velocity levels) for Kontakt 4.1 / Player. The two provided kits are a Yamaha 9000 and a Slingerland Magnum, with Ludwig, Gretsch, Slingerland and Pearl snares.
Audio demos are available. It is priced 99 euros.

Mac mini 2010 performance

Under intensive audio work (plugins) the new mac processor load stays very low (a few percents where the MDD G4 was near the limit), and the tasks are well balanced on the cores by Logic. The fan doesn’t run faster and the computer doesn’t turn hot.

The integrated converter sounds warm and with an interesting color, despite probably not being as clear, and not allowing as low latency as a pro audio interface. There is still to compare it with an Apogee Duet to conclude, hoping not experiencing the hiss noise some users did (for most due to a ground loop through the audio wire).

Sometimes the Finder quits without reasons (when opening a disk image), and it also did many times while browsing/opening plist files in user/Library/Preferences (seemed due to two bad preference files whose creation/modification date is 2009 – no hints on their role).

Sometimes the system writes data (more than 600 Mb for a basic use) without obvious reason, and is then more disturbing than the very quiet fan. The resident memory is also huge (700 Mb – was only 150 Mb on the G4), in part due to the shared video memory (256 Mb), however it should be less.

Performance on games was great : Tomb Raider Anniversary demo, Lego Indiana Jones demo, and even Bioshock demo played very smooth in 1680×1050 (default medium graphics details for the later). The rendering was a huge step from the G4’s Radeon 9000 Pro (water textures and effects).

Crossover 9.1 allowed to play old Jedi Knight (DF2) demo perfectly in 1680×1050 (through activating the 3D accelerating in the game options), despite 2D option screens (and cutscenes) not rendering correctly (bad colors, and then close to unreadable text) – no problem for in-game (3D).

However the half back case was very hot (probably more than any macbook or imac) after playing 45 minutes of the most demanding demo. In fact the fan didn’t seem to run faster when playing, and those over-heating could lead to problems.

iTunes : migrate applications

To transfer applications (Mobile Applications) from a mac to a new one, two ways are provided :

The old disk is available (or has been extracted from the old computer if the later is not working anymore) :
– Copy the files iTunes Library, iTunes Library Extras, iTunes Library Genius and iTunes Music Library to the new iTunes folder under user/Music/iTunes.
– Copy Mobiles Applications (that was at the root of iTunes folder under Leopard) to iTunes Media (new subfolder in iTunes folder under Snow Leopard).
– Launch iTunes while pressing Option key: locate then the new iTunes folder for the library.

A message “This computer isn’t allowed anymore to use applications installed on the ‘iPhone, do you want to authorize this computer…” click on Yes –> n computers on 5 registered message.

Applications are now listed on the Applications tab in iTunes (once the iPhone is selected). There isn’t anymore an Applications section in the left pane contrary to iTunes under Leopard.

The disk isn’t accessible (the data are only available on the iPhone ) :

– Through the Store menu list under iTunes, authorize the new computer.
– Right-click on the iPhone (left pane) and choose Transfert purchases.

Kontakt/PLAY : licenses/libraries transfert

Here is the procedure to migrate (keep existing samples install) Kontakt 2, EastWest libraries based on Kompakt, BestService libraries based on Kontakt Player 2 or Intakt, and EastWest PLAY libraries. This also work if the old computer isn’t accessible/does not work anymore. The samples have to be located in an external disk (or if they were on an internal disk on the old computer, extract the disk and install it in an external disk case).

With previous versions of Native Instruments site, a Manage Registrations and Activations link (was also displayed in older Service Center) allowed to deactivate a license for a machine (even if not accessible). Now this option isn’t available, however we just have to click on B) Serial Number Registration, and then Register the serial number here to register again. It seems the site now takes care automatically of deregistering the old computer, and allowing the product to be listed from Service Center on the new machine.

Kontakt2 migrating

– Install Kontakt 2 from the original DVD (Rosetta will launch) : enter the serial (from DVD cover), and do not install the library.
– launch the Kontakt 2.2.4 (UB) update
– launch service center : click on Activate for Kontakt 2 product
– Replace the Content.plist file (located at user/Library/Preferences) by the one provided by on Native Instruments site (contains the list of libraries that will be considered by Kontakt2 – not required when using Kontakt 4).

The Kontakt 2 library still cannot be used from Kontakt 4 Player, even after clicking on Add or having added the path in Database tab. We have then to keep Kontakt 2.2.4 also.

Some other tricks are provided here.

Migrating libraries based on Kompakt or Intakt

– Launch the installer on the original DVD (Symphonic Orchestra, Symphonic Choirs, Colossus, Artist Complete, etc.), and force quit it when asking for library destination.
– At NI site, once connected, click on B) Serial Number Registration, and then Register the serial number here to enter the serial number again.
– Launch Service Center on the mac, the product will then being displayed, and can be activated.
– The library is now accessible from Kontakt 2 (direct access to the instruments files, or browsing after a Database rebuild). The provided Content.plist file at NI forums have to be copied into user/Library/Preferences before.
– To add the library in Kontakt 4 Player, just click Add and locate the samples library folder.

Note : Kompakt also works through Rosetta (have to be launched twice however for the library to be considered registered).

Migrate libraries based on Kontakt Player 2

The procedure is the same, except we have to do a custom Install to only install Kontakt Player 2. However the library isn’t considered registered from Kontakt Player 2 and Kontakt 2, even after registering on the site and having activated it through Service Center (message about encrypted library – is tied with the previous machine). In fact the library can be loaded from Kontakt 4 Player, by clicking Add (works for Strings Essentials 2 and Ethno World 4).

If we prefer using the original Kontakt Player 2 or Kontakt 2, we have to install the whole library again before activating it through Service Center : http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74253.

Reuse of PLAY libraries installs

Thanks to iLok authorization key, no step is required to transfer an EastWest Play product license from a computer to another :
– Install (optional) the Play application from the original DVD by doing a custom Install and uncheking Library. An error appears at the end, it isn’t a problem and is known by EastWest.
– Install the latest Play update (downloaded at soundsonline.com). By default the update selects the previously installed products (step 1) for the update (if not, choose Custom Install and select the products).
– Launch Play, and then open the Browser window, and Ctrl+click on the (empty) area under the Favorites button : through the contextual menu, go to Add Another Product Library, choose the submenu corresponding to the installed product (QL Ministry of Rock, etc.), and locate the library folder. This has to be done for each product.

Riven on iPhone soon / site

Cyan launched un a new site dedicated to Riven for iPhone, expected very soon at the AppStore. This full version provides zoom (to make interacting easier) and requires 2 Gb memory space to install (despite the size having being reduced from the original 5 CDs). An iPad version is also expected.

Rage on iPhone 4

Id Software unveiled during QuakeCon an iPhone version (iPhone 4 in the video) of its next game Rage, expected in 2011 for PC/Mac.