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Buy Mac Products – Fixed Join manager incompatibility with Haali splitter associated with AVI files.
– Fixed Incorrect audio timing causing audio artifacts after joining.
– Fixed Crash when saving output file to read-only area (Join manager).
– Fixed Synchronization lost after joining AVI with vbr mp3 audio.
– Fixed Join manager crash when adding audio-only AVI files.
– Added “Open folder” mode available via Join Manager Toolbar.(small arrow near the + picture).
– Added “Browse for output” request when Joining is completed.
– Added Ability to hide Joiner progress window.
– Files are sorted before adding into the list.
Replay Media Splitter 1.6.903B
Replay Music 3.56
– Fixed a registration code problem where a false “expired code” error was appearing for some users.
Replay Converter 3.31
– Fixed a frame size bug where if two or more videos of different frame sizes were converted, the orignal frame size setting would not work properly.
Kindle, compatible eBooks and DMCA
I just read in Slashdot about how Amazon Uses DMCA To Restrict Ebook Purchases. Basically, someone figured out how to get eBooks from another service onto the Kindle.
As a part of our business, we occasionally have spirited debates about the DMCA, and how it is to be applied properly. Basically, Amazon is trying to use the DMCA to shut out competing eBook formats. The DMCA does not cover interoperability – only copyright infringement – and in my opinion Amazon is clearly in the wrong in this case. No copy protection is being cracked here – a DRMed eBook remains DRMed.
As some of the commenters point out, Amazon’s business model is to make money selling the eBooks, and not the hardware. The Kindle is at best a break-even proposition for Amazon. If people are able to purchase eBooks outside of Amazon, then that destroys their business model to a certain degree.
Another comment articulates the legal position really well:
Leaving aside the issue of users’ rights, as far as I can see Amazon is just plain wrong on the law and lacks legal justification for the takedown notice. What the DMCA prohibits is the distribution of tools for overcoming technical measures for protecting copyrighted materials. The first program generates a MOBI ID from a kindle serial number. The second program rewrites a non-Amazon ebook so that it contains the id that will allow it to work on the Kindle with the given serial number. Neither program modifies or copies the Kindle’s software. Since the ebooks in question are not produced by Amazon, no material whose copyright belongs to Amazon is affected in any way. In other words, this software does not defeat any technical measure of Amazon’s for protecting copyrighted material since Amazon has no copyrighted material at stake here. The DMCA is inapplicable, and the takedown notice invalid. Indeed, it is so clear that this software does nothing to defeat protection of copyrighted material that I would say that the takedown notice was issued in bad faith.
What this software actually does is allow for interoperability, which is explicitly protected by the DMCA.
Replay Music 3.55
– Uses the new CD/DVD burn functionality.
– Fixed a transfer to iTunes bug.
– Fixed a bug with the validate registration buffer
Replay Media Splitter 1.6.903
– Can now join files of the same file type (audio and video) using the Join Manager
How to connect your TV to your PC
It seems like there’s a lot of interest in how online video might kill Cable and Satellite services like DirecTV and Comcast, so I started a mini home project to see what it would be like for someone to actually try to send streaming video from a PC to a large screen TV. I know there are a lot of different ways to do this, and I figured it should be pretty easy.
I went to Fry’s – the best super-retailer for everything geek in California, expecting to see some sort of all-in-one setup for this. I can’t be the only person wanting to do this right? Anyway – after about an hour of searching I finally found what looked like it was going to work – a VGA to AV converter (with 3 different outputs) for about $39, and a separate 3.5″ mini-jack to RCA cable for the audio ($17). I would have expected a nice all-in-one setup, but alas – the video and the audio are separate beasts. My laptop has a VGA output and a 3.5″ mini headphone jack, so I was all set. (There were some other USB-based audio enhancer thingys, but these seemed like overkill.)
Now – back home to hook all this up. It seemed to be pretty straightforward, although I couldn’t get my AV receiver to display the video. There’s probably some menu setup I needed to do, but not being very patient, I finally just hooked all three outputs into the front of the VCR (yes – we still have one), and lo and behold – it actually worked!
I was a little concerned about the quality – since I figured attaching the output directly into the AV receiver would be better, but testing with Hulu and iTunes video – the results were totally acceptable. I was immersed into my shows, and not noticing anything horrible with the video or audio quality.
So anyway – this is totally doable. I will probably go back and play with the AV receiver some more, and maybe try to clean up the wires (which my wife hates). Eventually a wireless system would be ideal. But it works! And it’s awesome. The house I’m in right now has no cable, so this is a great way to get more entertainment without spending $70+/month.
Do you have any experience hooking up your TV to your PC? Please share in the comments. I suspect a lot of people are interested in this.
Replay Converter 3.30
– Able to convert more audio files, especially Real audio.
– Drop down lists extend further down to show more options.
– Able to convert .swf files.
– Video and audio files convert faster.
– Verification buffer overrun issue fixed.
– Able to convert more types of ASF files.
– Fixed widescreen aspect ratio bug.
– Fixed a DVD entry bug.
– Able to extract subtitles from DVDs when converting DVDs.
– Able to convert more types of FLV files.
– Updated splash screen.
– Added a TrialPay button in Replay Converter’s registration screen.
CD/DVD Burner module version 2.0:
– Fixed a file buffer overrun issue.
– Added a new DVD settings process
Are we really ready to cut the cable?
According to this article in TV Week, people are indeed discontinuing Comcast, but may be moving to Satellite and IPTV services like Verizon. Online video may be making an impact amongst the digerati, but until there is a nice easy way to pull it up on your TV, online video has a ways to go. This is all in spite of the horrid economy.
Maybe that will change soon with better software – and easily available content? This should be an interesting year.
First Newspapers, now Broadcast TV?
You’ve probably read how many local newspapers are in deep financial doo-doo recently. Some have even closed, like the Rocky Mountain Daily News.
Now, the same thing appears to be happening to Broadcast TV. This article shows the writing on the wall.
The problems with the newspaper and broadcast TV businesses are similar: people prefer on-demand content. Why huddle around your TV at 8 PM Thursday to watch your favorite show, when you can watch tons of great stuff from sites like Hulu whenever you like? Why read the newspaper (which may be 12 hours out-of-date – god forbid!) when you can get the latest breaking news online?
We’re moving to an on-demand world, and any businesses that fail to adapt to that mindset are doomed to fail.