President's Message
February 2008

1.  In an historic first, the January BAS Winter CES meeting was live broadcast in streaming video and audio over the web on our website. Our Webmaster, Barry Ober, in Florida, says he was receiving it. I wonder if others were able to view it? This meeting is still available for archived / delayed viewing, HERE.

2.  I wanted to transfer some videotapes to DVD. After failing with a computer-based USB input program, I bought a Polaroid DRA-01601A DVD Recorder with 160GB hard Disc Drive. I did succeed with it, although the instructions are arcane. I recorded 4 program segments onto the hard drive, edited them to remove unwanted material, arranged them in order, titled them (11 characters max!) and burned a DVD. There are 6 different quality settings, allowing 1 hour to 6 hours on the DVDR. The DVD has chapters for the 4 segments, and indexes every 5 to 7 minutes. The recorder is noisy -- the combination of fan and disc drive is audible 20 feet away in my listening room. At least when you turn it off it is quiet. I finally fashioned a cardboard box to surround it on all sides except the back and cut an opening for the infrared sensor and put a piece of clear plastic over it. I cut an opening for the disc drive and put a swing down flap over it. Adding a 150 ohm resistor in series with the fan brought the noise to a reasonable level. It also has a digital tuner and can be used for time shifting, and has a USB port for computer interface. It does quirky things at times, betraying its computer origins. It is available for about $150.

3.  Warner Music Group has announced that it will sell songs and albums without anticopying software through Amazon's fledgling digital music service. In their catalog is the Reginald Goodall "Ring" in English. NYT 26De07

4.  For BAS members out of town we have a special offer for Jazz lovers. A package of 30 Jazz CDs, randomly picked from Ira Leonard's collection, for $22 including shipping in the USA. To order, send a check, made out to "Boston Audio Society", to David Hadaway, POB 460, Rindge NH 03461. These were donated to the Society by Ira's brother, Joe Leonard.

President, Boston Audio Society

email me HERE


 

The Boston Audio Society
PO BOX 260211
Boston MA 02126

problems? email Barry: webmaster@bostonaudiosociety.org

updated 3/27/08