Finally got Popcorn, CPU utilization, Office alternative

I finally got my copy of Popcorn. I'm now able to make backups of my kid's DVDs. It also included a copy of Discus so now I can print labels for all those other DVDs I created. Not bad!

The only problem is that I can't combine multiple DVDs like I was able with the Nero products on my PC. I'll look around for something to do this. Hopefully something free-ish.

I've noticed lately that sometimes Firefox eats up lots of CPU. I see in the Activity Monitor that it bounces around in the 60's then 80's then sometimes 90 percent CPU utilization. Closing it down then re-opening makes it go back to a normal few percent. Maybe there's something in my Favs group that I open in tabs that is freaking it out.

I also downloaded NeoOffice/J since the copy of Office on my iMac has expired. Stay tuned for how this works out.

This past Sunday I had a lightning storm come through my area. I'm not sure, but it seems like my house got hit! It knocked out my AC unit's controller board. It's been 90 degrees plus lately so I'm glad the HVAC guy was able to fix it a little while ago. It also knocked out my garage door opener, the phone service, 2 phones, a router, a switch, and a few other things. I had the router and switch on a UPS so I'm surprised those got zapped. I'm also a little nervous about one of my printers connected to an external network adapter. I think the switch it's on is dead too.

APC is sending me a replacement UPS and some forms to fill out for replacing the other gear. I hope that works out. Now I need to go research replacement devices. I think I'll go with at least an 8 port switch and router or maybe even a 16 port one. I may look into gigabit ethernet too.

I had a chance to catch NextFest over the weekend in Chicago. It was cool but could have been better. The VeinViewer thing was cool.

I implemented a workaround to my sleep mode problem - I disabled it. I had a very disappointing tech support experience with Apple's chat support feature. The tech support rep just abruptly ended the call as soon as I started asking about their return policy. Don't worry, I was just lining up my options!

It seems that my workaround is working but I would rather the product worked with all features it supports. Besides, I got into the Mac with the notion that "everything just works." Well, everything except sleep mode.

Popcorn(not yet!) and FM transmitter

Still no Popcorn. USPS said to call Amazon. I think the USPS lost the damn thing. They think Amazon got the address wrong. I don't believe that since I got the confirmation on the order and it's correct. I'll give Amazon a call just to follow their process. Then I'll let them have it. :(

I received my FM transmitter from Nextpower USA. The order came really fast(faster than my damn copy of Popcorn!). The little thing works like a champ! Very nice audio on my FM radio in my car off of a cheap USB stick. There's only a few problems compared to burning a CD:
When the power goes off, it goes off. I can't pick up where I left off.
There's no fast forward function. There's a next track function but no fast forward. I tried chopping up a podcast into 2 minute MP3's but then there's a little delay between tracks. This was my solution to simulate fast forward and rewind. It almost worked. I used Xmp3split to split the MP3 up.

Other than that the product works well. When I get my Shuffle, I'll give it a go with the audio in jack. Hopefully the Shuffle will remember where it left off and allow fast foward.

Now it's time to give Amazon.com an earful!

Sleep mode again

Well, I spoke too soon - it happened again. I came home today and the machine was in sleep mode and I couldn't wake it up. Keyboard didn't respond, nor the mouse. I held down the power button to shut it off and then powered back on.

I don't think I had anything else running in the background. Now I do(iPodder) so maybe the system needs to be running something all the time for the sleep function to operate. Seems little strange.

Maybe I'll give Apple tech support a call later this week for their next steps.

And no, I didn't get my copy of Popcorn yet! :(

Popcorn still not here / Podcast car solution

It looks like my copy of Popcorn got mis-sent. I called USPS and they said that it's definitely enroute but since it was mis-sent it could take longer.

What a load of bullshit!

In otherwords, if the package is to be delivered in 5 days, and they missent it, it could take longer. Seems to me I paid for it to be here in 5 days, it should be here in 5 days. Bastards.

Hopefully it will be here by Monday. I was hoping to play with it tomorrow.

Happy Father's Day to all of you Father's out there!

On the podcast front, I found this:


Instead of burning CDs of the various podcasts I download, I can just put them on a USB drive and plug that into my car. Hope it's not a POS.

Check it out here: Nextpower USA

Sleep mode/dictionary

I haven't had another recurrence of the sleep mode problem in a few days. I think I'll consider it case closed for now. I'll try letting the machine go to sleep without any other apps running.

Darth Vader sent me a web page with a cool feature of OS X. If you hover over a word and hold down [Control][Command]+D, it will bring up a dictionary definition of the word you were over. Very cool!

The only problem is that it appears it doesn't do this while in Firefox. Neat feature anyway.

I still have not received my copy of Popcorn to re-author a DVD and to print a label. I've got at least two DVDs that need a label. Hope it gets here soon.

Sleep mode/Loosing faith?/Kryptos/Podcast

The sleep mode issue hasn't occurred in the last day or two. There was a security update recently. Maybe that fixed it? It seems like the sleep problem wasn't happening before this when an app(like a BitTorrent client or something) was running in the background. This never happened on the Windows box I built(nor the Linux box). I'll just have to keep on eye on it.

With the recent Apple/Intel announcements, I'm wondering if I made the right choice here. I can't seem to do everything I want on the Mac(Quicken, print labels, high end games, etc.). And I had an x86 based machine to begin with. Will the only differentiator be the OS and software? Don't get me wrong, I think my iMac G5 is still a pretty cool system.

Here's something that might be another thing to keep me up all night trying to solve:

Kryptos

I've been trying to setup an automatic Podcast receiver. I tried loading the RSS Feed scanner in Azureus but I'm not sure it's working. I also have iPodder running. At least iPodder went and grabbed something as soon I got it configured. Let's see what happens tonight when the new TWIT comes out(hopefully).

And welcome to all the new people to this blog! I see the visit stats going up. Thanks!

Apple and Intel, sleep mode

This news is all over the 'net: Apple is moving to Intel processors over the next few years. It's covered all over the place:

MacRumors
Anandtech
Slashdot
Engadget

It also appears that they've been running OSX on Intel secretly for a few years! Cool. I wonder what the performance of an Intel based iMac will be?

But the bigger news is that it appears the SMU reset on my iMac may have corrected the sleep issue I've been having. It properly woke up this morning and when I got back home today. Let's let this run for bit before I declare it solved.

No keyboard and mouse on wake up

Well, it happened again. It went to sleep and did not respond to mouse movement or keyboard activity. Hitting the power button shut it off. Hitting it again turned it back on but the keyboard and mouse do nothing. Holding down the power button completely shut it off.

I then followed the procedure given to me last night by Apple tech support. This involved resetting the SMU. I unplugged it, waited 10 seconds, then plugged it back in while holding the power button.

I'll give this a try and see what happens tomorrow. Maybe it's a Bluetooth problem? I'm using a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Tech support and sleep mode

I used Apple's chat tech support last night at about 12:30am. I had a few instances where my iMac would not wake up from sleep. I think Darth Vader had a similar problem on a PowerMac.

Sometimes it would not respond to a touch of a key on the wireless keyboard. Using the mouse wouldn't wake it up either. Hitting the power button would power it down(hibernate?) but upon power up it would go back to the password screen. Holding down the power button made it turn off.

The support person on the chat suggested I reset the PRAM. This is done by holding [Command]+[Option]+P+R while restarting. So far so good. It woke up this morning properly.

I'll keep an eye on it.

Labels, first purchased Mac app, FPS

I ordered Roxio Popcorn so I can re-author my DVDs. I hear it also has a label printing component. I hope it's decent. I've been looking around(trying to find something near free) and I haven't really found much that looked like a must-have as far as a label printing program.

Sure there's Print Shop and others. I've gotten bitten by Print Shop in the past - I don't think it's very good.

I'm really surprised that iLife doesn't have something built in to print labels. It looks like iTunes might have something, but that's just for music. What about iDVD? And what about data disks you might burn? Seems like a little hole in the solution.

Anyway, I've got Popcorn coming in a short while. I had a chance to use up a gift certificate I had, so the price is right. I think this will represent the first application I purchased for the Mac. I also recently downloaded America's Army for a little FPS fun. Price is right on that one too - free as in beer.

CD/DVD Labels and iPhoto gripe

I finished an iDVD project and now I need to create a label for the DVD. I'm surprised that iLife doesn't include a label program(although I hear that iTunes might have one - but just for music CDs).

If anyone has a good one to recommend, post a comment.

On the iPhoto front, I've got a major gripe. I don't like the idea of making another copy of my digital picture library in my Mac. That's why I have a network to share the photos with my wife's computer and see them on my TV through my Tivo. Besides, I usually offload the photo's from our digital camera using my wife's laptop since it has a memory card slot built in. And since theire on the network, they get backed up every week automatically to an external drive.

What I'd rather have is iPhoto keep the originals as links to the original locations out on the network. I wonder if I can use a Unix "ln" command to replace these JPG files with a link to the original on the network?

BTW - I got a very fast response from the author of iPhoto Diet(thanks Martin!). He confirmed that iPhoto makes a local copy of photos by design. He suggested I take a look at iView Media.

I might monkey with the ln command and see what happens.