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Sep. 14th, 2012 02:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
psipsy1: Weirdshift came and went, and my 6-day weekend also came and went. Got a gratifying mini-trip in, wrapped up a few loose ends left over from the larger road trip earlier this summer.
2: I'm inclined to skip the Japan trip this year, on account of a couple hefty expenses both foreseen and unforeseen. Otakon didn't help in that regard. Not all that happy about dropping out of it, but there are things I gotta do.
3A: My iPod may be starting to crap out after over four years. I may have a few tricks left that can save it or at least prolong its life. In the meantime I should figure out how to back everything up on it. Since iPods do not play by normal rules, this puts simple drag-and-drop out of the picture. Or does it?
3B: Semi-unrelated: I'm getting really sick of having to use those damn tape adapters that barely work for a few months then crap out entirely. It's not really a problem with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
aichan95. But nozomichan05 came with a tape deck, and that probably never saw an actual tape. It's not her fault, and she still has a 6-CD changer. If I have anything to say about it, the pile of dead tape adapters shall cease to grow starting this weekend!
3C: Another thing I'm sick of are those lighter plug/USB power port things that keep breaking or put out piss for energy (I swear one of them doesn't actually charge my phone, it just slows down the drain). So, there are going to be some hardwired USB ports getting installed. Time for some engineering.
3D: FunFact: The last car to come equipped with a tape deck was the 2010 Lexus SC430. In '87, my dad bought a Dodge Aries that came with an AM/FM radio, no tape deck. (Other cars that were older, including the station wagon I mentioned a couple posts ago, as well as an '86 300ZX I used to have, did have a tape deck which at the time was baller.) Then more cars came with tape decks. Then came the CD players and CD changers as tape decks faded out. Then came iPod compatibility. In researching new car stereos, I'm seeing a growing number of them come out that don't have a CD player at all. The more things change, the more they stay the same...
4: Years upon years ago, back in the late 90s, I got a Playstation, and it was good. However, there was a problem with some of the early ones where they would overheat. So, one solution was to flip the thing over while using it, or to have a fan blowing air on the underside. My friendstudiodorobo constructed such a device for me as a present one year, and I still have it, even though the above-mentioned Playstation hasn't seen use in years. I've found a new application for this device, which is for keeping my laptop's temperature somewhat lower than the boiling point of water.
5: Summer's not quite over, but there's not much left of it. It's definitely wrapping up and closing the pool earlier each day. If anyone needs me I'll be up in my space station.
2: I'm inclined to skip the Japan trip this year, on account of a couple hefty expenses both foreseen and unforeseen. Otakon didn't help in that regard. Not all that happy about dropping out of it, but there are things I gotta do.
3A: My iPod may be starting to crap out after over four years. I may have a few tricks left that can save it or at least prolong its life. In the meantime I should figure out how to back everything up on it. Since iPods do not play by normal rules, this puts simple drag-and-drop out of the picture. Or does it?
3B: Semi-unrelated: I'm getting really sick of having to use those damn tape adapters that barely work for a few months then crap out entirely. It's not really a problem with
aichan95. But nozomichan05 came with a tape deck, and that probably never saw an actual tape. It's not her fault, and she still has a 6-CD changer. If I have anything to say about it, the pile of dead tape adapters shall cease to grow starting this weekend!3C: Another thing I'm sick of are those lighter plug/USB power port things that keep breaking or put out piss for energy (I swear one of them doesn't actually charge my phone, it just slows down the drain). So, there are going to be some hardwired USB ports getting installed. Time for some engineering.
3D: FunFact: The last car to come equipped with a tape deck was the 2010 Lexus SC430. In '87, my dad bought a Dodge Aries that came with an AM/FM radio, no tape deck. (Other cars that were older, including the station wagon I mentioned a couple posts ago, as well as an '86 300ZX I used to have, did have a tape deck which at the time was baller.) Then more cars came with tape decks. Then came the CD players and CD changers as tape decks faded out. Then came iPod compatibility. In researching new car stereos, I'm seeing a growing number of them come out that don't have a CD player at all. The more things change, the more they stay the same...
4: Years upon years ago, back in the late 90s, I got a Playstation, and it was good. However, there was a problem with some of the early ones where they would overheat. So, one solution was to flip the thing over while using it, or to have a fan blowing air on the underside. My friend
studiodorobo constructed such a device for me as a present one year, and I still have it, even though the above-mentioned Playstation hasn't seen use in years. I've found a new application for this device, which is for keeping my laptop's temperature somewhat lower than the boiling point of water.5: Summer's not quite over, but there's not much left of it. It's definitely wrapping up and closing the pool earlier each day. If anyone needs me I'll be up in my space station.
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End of summer
Date: 2012-09-14 12:21 pm (UTC)Re: End of summer
Date: 2012-09-14 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-14 12:52 pm (UTC)3A: You can still drag-and-drop files from the iPod onto the computer, by going into the iPod via the My Computer icon. The catch is that all of the names are randomized alpha-numeric strings, so there's no telling what they really are until you double-click on them and open them up. Fortunately, all of the title/artist/album tags are kept intact. Good luck!
3B: I've only gone through 2 of those tape adapters since 1995, and with all the running around I do, you know they saw use...the only reason I can't use the one I have now is because my Insight's *TAPE DECK* crapped out on me and getting a new one is like trying to find a stand-alone VCR these days. Your best bet in replacing it is to get something that has an AUX jack. Those cables are around $10 and work even better than the tape adapter. Or else get one of those FM transmitters (though the tricky part with that is finding a clear signal on a station that isn't broadcasting!) - they also have the added bonus (or curse) of charging the iPod while you listen.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-14 04:33 pm (UTC)It's not the original files I'm looking to keep, thanks to a computer with enterprise-levels of hard drive space. It's the playlists, play counts, and other meta-data I'm hoping to keep.
Tried the FM transmitter bit with mixed success. When it worked it was great (even if I did have to max out the volume just to hear anything), but I always managed to find the other car that was using one on the same frequency, or an area with a station broadcasting in it. Ai's current stereo (inherited from Yamiko) has a built-in AUX port, as well as an add-on device that enables direct iPod control. The stereos I'm looking at getting have all that built-in.
If you absolutely must get another tape player, they do still make and sell them: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130KEHP203/Pioneer-KEH-P2030.html?tp=5684
no subject
Date: 2012-09-14 11:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-15 07:48 am (UTC)I've got an old Pioneer tape deck that I pulled from the Subaru. I think it might still work, I'd have to check.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-15 11:33 am (UTC)Hey, if it works I may just be able to take that off your hands for ya...my FM transmitter works ok, but it's either the radio reception in the area or my FM receiver -- it's never quite as clear as it should be, and there's always "that spot" where I lose all signal in the shadow of a mountain. :/
I actually used to use both the FM transmitter AND the tape adapter in tandem: the tape adapter made for a clear, consistent sound, and if I need to charge something else I can take out the FM transmitter, while the FM transmitter charges it and makes the iPod turn off and on with the car, just like a tape. :)
no subject
Date: 2012-09-15 03:29 pm (UTC)The best one I found was one that connected directly to the antenna input, so that outside interference was almost eliminated, while not broadcasting my own music to everyone around. Even that wasn't perfect: I had to crank the volume on both the source and head unit to hear anything.
I have to ask: When the tape deck was working, how *often* did you listen to tapes while driving (not counting using an adapter as an aux-in)?
no subject
Date: 2012-09-20 09:46 pm (UTC)