Powerbook DO what MacBook Pro DON'T! :-)

[DouglasCarroll]

So today I needed to transfer an audio book cassette (remember those!) from the cassette into my Mac in order to get it onto my iPod Classic. This is a cassette I've been looking for a long time for since the presentation is ONLY available on out of print cassettes. Anyways, I went ahead and used the most efficient way of doing this...with my PowerBook G4 and Sound Studio 3 from Felt Tip software. Why? Because, although I LOVE my 2015 MacBook Pro, Apple thought they would be "real funny" and after 2012 they removed the 3.5" audio in port from the Macbook Pro and instead think it's better if you go out and spend more money for a USB dongle to get the port back OR you can jury rig the headphone jack with an audio in but then you cannot monitor the audio through your speakers since the computer turns them off once you insert anything into the headphone jack. (Lame)

Real cool Apple (not!)

So, using my trusty PowerBook G4 1.67GHz I was able to easily transfer the audio, import it into iTunes, convert it into an AAC, and then transfer that into my iPod.

Just like old times!

Nice!

 

[AphoticD]

That's a practical use for a PowerBook! Even after two decades or so, PowerPC continues to fit the bill for audio processing and in some prefered use-cases, music production et al.

Curiously, I spotted cassette decks on a handful of consumer portable hifi stereo systems in stores like Target and Kmart this Christmas period... Are tapes having a comeback? Are the cool kids going to be rocking Sony Walkmans again?

What's old is new again...

 

[DouglasCarroll]

That's a practical use for a PowerBook! Even after two decades or so, PowerPC continues to fit the bill for audio processing and in some prefered use-cases, music production et al.

Curiously, I spotted cassette decks on a handful of consumer portable hifi stereo systems in stores like Target and Kmart this Christmas period... Are tapes having a comeback? Are the cool kids going to be rocking Sony Walkmans again?

What's old is new again...

Hard to say about casettes, but last year vinyl records outsold cd’s for the first time since 1987 so who knows. I also bought my wife an instant film “polaroid” type of camera for christmas so those are a thing again. Leica is selling film cameras again too so, yeah, old is cool again!

Funny though how people consider my iPod Classic “Old”. Ha ha ha

😀

 

[ojfd]

Even after two decades or so, PowerPC continues to fit the bill for audio processing

With some modern day resource hungry audio processing I can easily bring any PPC machine to a halt.
(I still remember how I could load only single instance of Waves C4 plug-in on my G4/450 accelerated PM9600. Any more and machine became slow as snail).

and in some prefered use-cases, music production et al.

Sure, if one still has PCI based audio hardware (ProTools, Motu) around, then why not.

Are tapes having a comeback?

Reel to reel comeback has been going on for about a decade. As to the cassettes, I know some local youngster bands that are releasing their material exclusively on cassettes. No digital downloads, no piracy. And it's hip to them and their fan base.

 

[eyoungren]

I know some local youngster bands that are releasing their material exclusively on cassettes. No digital downloads, no piracy. And it's hip to them and their fan base.

For now I suppose. In the 1980s dual cassette decks were common. I had one in 1985. Your friends let you borrow their commercial tapes and you made a copy (because dual cassette) and gave them back the originals.

I don't know about other areas, but in my area you can always find a dual cassette deck system at the Goodwill for less than $15. If you're dedicated to getting one of those 1980s setups with the deck, equalizer, control center, CD-player and record player the Goodwill is also your friend. Lots of Sony and other name brands to be found there in pieces.

What I can't seem to find is the giant speakers that were common in the 80s. Had my 15" speakers stolen in 1997 and I'd like them back.

 

[dandeco]

That's a pretty good idea! My CalDigit TS-3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock does have a 3.5 mm audio input jack for if I want to do an actual analog input into my M1 MacBook Air. But I DO have some other Mac laptops with such jacks, including a PowerBook G4 like the OP mentioned, a 2006 Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro, a mid-2009 white polycarbonate MacBook, and a mid-2012 unibody 15" MacBook Pro (the 13" model didn't have one).
Similarly, if I want to burn a video DVD, like if I were to digitize someone's analog home movies like I've done before, I could use Roxio Toast Pro and burn the disc using my MthsTech external USB-C Blu-ray burner. Or alternatively, if I want to use the elegant iDVD menus and themes, I can just boot up one of my older Mac laptops with a built-in Superdrive and an older MacOS version with iDVD loaded onto the system, bring my finished video files to that Mac (especially if I can create chapter markers on my M1 Air using Final Cut Pro or something), and author the disc that way!

My 2012 unibody 13" MacBook Pro running Mac OS 10.11 El Capitan is good for that, and it even has DVD Studio Pro if I want to make even more elaborate discs, which I haven't done yet but may eventually need to do so.

 

[Dronecatcher]

Are tapes having a comeback?

They never went away for me

 

[eyoungren]

They never went away for me

View attachment 2331681

I gave my deck and speakers to the Goodwill in 2018. The turntable had finally failed (probably needed a new belt) and we were moving so I was looking to let stuff I hardly ever used anymore go. The deck had started being flaky too and with all my music being digital at that point I hadn't used cassettes in years. Some of them had started to break as well (bought in the late 80s or early 90s).

Hopefully it went to someone who appreciated it and could fix it. I lucked out when I got it at 15. My parents were returning a microwave my aunt didn't want and they agreed to get me the stereo system instead.

 

[Dronecatcher]

I gave my deck and speakers to the Goodwill in 2018.

Actually, I'm being a bit disingenuous - I dumped my vinyl, CDs and tapes around 2006 and immediately regretted it.
Within a year I was buying back analogue gear and pick up odd CDs and tapes when I chance upon them.

You do feel the 'weight' of hardware when you're moving home - I certainly get that!

 

[MBAir2010]

jeez, my neighbor never owned a computer, so I let him my gen5 2017 iPad.
meanwhile that sound system is amazing, like we all used from 1980-200?
hidden monster cable wires, 100 disc player surround sound, 5 channels
I think mine was mostly Kenwood with incredible infinity speakers.
sadly I had to donate over $3k with of abandoned stereo equipment several years ago.

now im happy with these 2 HomePod mini speakers and a mica mini

 

[eyoungren]

Actually, I'm being a bit disingenuous - I dumped my vinyl, CDs and tapes around 2006 and immediately regretted it.
Within a year I was buying back analogue gear and pick up odd CDs and tapes when I chance upon them.

You do feel the 'weight' of hardware when you're moving home - I certainly get that!

I do have a Sanyo 'Walkman' that still works. Funnily enough, it was bought in a duty free shop at Heathrow when we were leaving England in 1983 after a visit. I still use it every once in a while.

But I've held on to tapes so long that age catches up because it just sits.

 

[Dronecatcher]

Sure, if one still has PCI based audio hardware (ProTools, Motu) around, then why not.

Thanks to OSX's mighty Core Audio you don't even need any extra hardware - my last musical project was written completely on my 12" Powerbook.

 

[ojfd]

Thanks to OSX's mighty Core Audio you don't even need any extra hardware - my last musical project was written completely on my 12" Powerbook.

There are projects and then there are projects

 

[MBAir2010]

I might have to unbox that MacBook Air 2010 11" High Sierra
since I need to use CS4 photoshop instead of "busy UI" affinity designer today.
simply because I need to design a new website since my others went "poof" yesterday PM.

 

[weckart]

Reel to reel comeback has been going on for about a decade. As to the cassettes, I know some local youngster bands that are releasing their material exclusively on cassettes. No digital downloads, no piracy. And it's hip to them and their fan base.

From what I have seen, there are precious few manucturers of cassette tape these days such that these hip releases on cassette are having to use up precious stocks of old but unused TDK, Maxell etc or cannibalise older, unsold commercial releases and overlabel them.

 

[ojfd]

From what I have seen, there are precious few manucturers of cassette tape these days such that these hip releases on cassette are having to use up precious stocks of old but unused TDK, Maxell etc or cannibalise older, unsold commercial releases and overlabel them.

They use New Old Stock. There are still plenty of those on ebone. AFAIK, they release less that 100 pieces per album. Custom artwork and all that stuff. Being an old fart, I find it silly, but, on the plus side, they get paid for their music and that is good!

 

[doctor_dog]

I just have to ask...is the post title a reference to Sega's Nintendo take-down adverts from the 90s? Or am I projecting my own thoughts onto it =)

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

That's a practical use for a PowerBook! Even after two decades or so, PowerPC continues to fit the bill for audio processing and in some prefered use-cases, music production et al.

Curiously, I spotted cassette decks on a handful of consumer portable hifi stereo systems in stores like Target and Kmart this Christmas period... Are tapes having a comeback? Are the cool kids going to be rocking Sony Walkmans again?

What's old is new again...

I think cassette has been in use by the indie too cool for school kids for quite a while now. \I remember when compact discs hit the scene and you had music stores split right down the middle with CDs on one side and cassettes on the other. I really liked the clarity of the cd format so transitioned quickly but also experienced the transition away from CD to digital formats while writing/touring/performing music which was interesting because there was a definite crowd that 110% expected the physical CD and the other half that would look at us like neanderthals for not offering a digital option. We actually did something similar with some vinyl releases around the TOTC, so yeah not cassette but a similar "lets release on an old format" idea. I think I do get it as there is an exclusivity to releasing music on a media format that is older than you are for the cool kids and a nostalgic enjoyment for us old people as well as a rebellious DIY pushback to technology and the promotional systems in place that use them.

I have probably 4-500 CDs in a closet which I am still slowly converting to a digital format LOL and the hardware to play it all (CDs cassettes, vinyl).

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

So today I needed to transfer an audio book cassette (remember those!) from the cassette into my Mac in order to get it onto my iPod Classic. This is a cassette I've been looking for a long time for since the presentation is ONLY available on out of print cassettes. Anyways, I went ahead and used the most efficient way of doing this...with my PowerBook G4 and Sound Studio 3 from Felt Tip software. Why? Because, although I LOVE my 2015 MacBook Pro, Apple thought they would be "real funny" and after 2012 they removed the 3.5" audio in port from the Macbook Pro and instead think it's better if you go out and spend more money for a USB dongle to get the port back OR you can jury rig the headphone jack with an audio in but then you cannot monitor the audio through your speakers since the computer turns them off once you insert anything into the headphone jack. (Lame)

Real cool Apple (not!)

So, using my trusty PowerBook G4 1.67GHz I was able to easily transfer the audio, import it into iTunes, convert it into an AAC, and then transfer that into my iPod.

Just like old times!

Nice!

And folks say we are just retrotech hoarder junk junkies It is fantastic when that habit of holding on to our technology serves a unique need that would otherwise require the acquisition of yet more devices. Oh the irony.

 

[eyoungren]

I remember when compact discs hit the scene and you had music stores split right down the middle with CDs on one side and cassettes on the other.

As do I. Wherehouse and Sam Goody.

Unfortunately, what I recall most about the introduction of CDs was the unconscionable waste of packaging. Before they simply just started shrinkwrapping the jewel cases, CDs came in those long rectangular boxes. More than half the box was air inside.

So glad they ditched those boxes.

I have probably 4-500 CDs in a closet which I am still slowly converting to a digital format LOL and the hardware to play it all (CDs cassettes, vinyl).

I had a decent amount of CDs up until my wife and I got robbed in 1997. I managed to get most of them back, but I know there are some I didn't. When iTunes came around though I made an effort to insert and capture every disc, so my entire collection went MP3 a long time ago. It just keeps getting bounced around from hard drive to hard drive over the years.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

As do I. Wherehouse and Sam Goody.

Unfortunately, what I recall most about the introduction of CDs was the unconscionable waste of packaging. Before they simply just started shrinkwrapping the jewel cases, CDs came in those long rectangular boxes. More than half the box was air inside.

So glad they ditched those boxes.

I never understood that either. Maybe it was a theft thing since cassettes were in those long plastic frame things too. Regardless I am glad they went away.