Filed under: Audio, Airport, Ask TUAW, MacBook, Snow Leopard
Ask TUAW: Recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, website hosting and more
We're back with another edition of Ask TUAW! This time around we've got questions about recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, the best place to go for web hosting and more.As always, your questions and suggestions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions!
Petre asks:
I just bought a new guitar and I'm thinking about using it to record some of my songs with my new iMac. Any recommendations for a good method of connecting a guitar so I can record?
Fortunately, you're in luck, in that the Mac is made for people trying to do just what you want to do. There are several options to accomplish this and it really just depends on how good you want the audio to sound and what your budget is. To get the best possible quality, you're going to need a few items.
First, you're going to need some recording software. Fortunately, that's already on your iMac as you can use Apple's GarageBand for all your entry-level recording needs. Second, you'll need some sort of digital audio interface that connects your guitar's output to a USB or Firewire interface on your iMac. Some good ones to take a look at include the M-Audio MobilePre, the M-Audio Firewire Solo or the Line 6 Tone Port series. Then, all you need to do is plug your guitar into the converter and the converter into your Mac and you're good to go. Of course, you'll want to be sure and update the driver to the latest version and read the manual to get the most out of your converter.
If you're not as concerned about audio quality, you can also use a converter cable, such as the Monster iStudio Link, to connect your guitar directly to the mic input on your iMac. That will allow you to record directly into your Mac but won't give you the best possible audio quality or level of customization you could get from a digital converter.
Mike asks:
I have a Macbook which for the life of me I can't get to work properly with any Wi-Fi router that is using WPA. With WEP it works fine and the connection is consistent. If I switch to WPA then I have an intermittent connection. Any ideas what could be the problem?
Unfortunately, you're experiencing an issue that is plaguing many MacBook users since updating to Leopard. It is a known issue and I hope Apple is working on some sort of fix. I experienced the same issue with my previous MacBook Air but it hasn't happened with my unibody MacBook (at least so far).
As comforting as it may be to know you're not alone with these issues, let's at least try to see if some of these steps have any positive effect. First, make sure whatever router you are trying to connect to with your Macbook has the most recent firmware. Older firmware is often one of the reasons why wireless connections have issues.
Second, if you've ever connected with this router successfully in the past, try deleting the associated wireless network from your list of preferred wireless networks in System Prefs> Network> Airport>Advanced>Airport, restart your Mac and then connect to the network again.
Also, you can try several other things including assigning a channel manually on your router instead of letting it choose the channel automatically, performing a hard reset of your router, checking to make sure there's no other 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz devices in use at your location, and as a last resort, moving the "SystemConfiguration" folder located in /Library/Preferences to the Desktop then restarting and deleting .plist files associated with your network settings. These files are com.apple.internetconfig.plist, com.apple.internetconfigpriv.plist and com.apple.internetconnect.plist located in the following folder: ~/Library/Preferences/ directory (this is the Library directory within your User folder).
Finally, if you're not using an Apple Airport Base Station you may want to consider getting one. I've been using them for years and they consistently, and this is no surprise, work best with other Apple hardware. If all else fails, a call to Apple Support or a trip to your local Apple Store Genius Bar may be in order.
Nirgal asks:
I've read that Snow Leopard's 64-bit architecture will allow a large increase in the amount of RAM that can be accessed by the OS. Will this do anything to increase the maximum amount of RAM I can install on my iMac, or is the current limit a physical limit?
It's difficult to say what will happen in future OS releases like Snow Leopard, especially given Apple's penchant for secrecy. That said, I would bet that if there does end up being a way for Snow Leopard to access a larger amount of system memory, current Mac models probably won't benefit from it due to hardware limitations.
Jose asks:
I have several applications that start automatically every time I start my Mac or log into it. How can I stop them from loading?
Finally, a relatively easy question. To control which programs start when you log into OS X, go to System Prefs> Accounts> Login Items. Once there you will see a list of all the programs that start once you log in.
To stop certain ones from starting at login, simply select the ones in question with a click and then hit the " - " sign near the bottom of the window. That will delete them from the list and they will no longer start at login.
Quentin asks:
I've got a few websites and I've been combing the Internet looking for the best place to host them. Where should I go for web hosting, email, etc.?
That's a question I get asked frequently and one that I've been able to solve to my complete satisfaction only through a lot of trial, error and frustration. If you ask around, you'll undoubtedly get various answers about the best places to host sites, the best customer service, etc.
You will also get quite a few horror stories from various sources and anytime you're considering a web hosting company, it's always a good idea to type the name of the company you're considering followed by the word "sucks" into Google search. If you do, you'll be amazed how many people will be convinced the host you are considering is the worst possible place to go.
I've tried a lot of hosting companies over the years and the only two I ever recommend these days are Media Temple and Mac Highway. For larger sites or multiple domains with lots of traffic and higher demands, Media Temple has worked best for me and for my clients. I've had clients on both their Grid and their Dedicated Virtual hosting and they've consistently provided great service.
For smaller sites, personal blogs and the like, Mac Highway has been rock solid and I've been hosting my personal blog there for years on their Large hosting plan. Like Media Temple, Mac Highway excels at customer service and when you call them for support, or with a question, you may actually end up talking to one of the owners. That's the level of dedication they have.
Plus, as a bonus, they run entirely on Macs and OS X Server, which is also pretty cool.
I have a Macbook which for the life of me I can't get to work properly with any Wi-Fi router that is using WPA. With WEP it works fine and the connection is consistent. If I switch to WPA then I have an intermittent connection. Any ideas what could be the problem?
Unfortunately, you're experiencing an issue that is plaguing many MacBook users since updating to Leopard. It is a known issue and I hope Apple is working on some sort of fix. I experienced the same issue with my previous MacBook Air but it hasn't happened with my unibody MacBook (at least so far).
As comforting as it may be to know you're not alone with these issues, let's at least try to see if some of these steps have any positive effect. First, make sure whatever router you are trying to connect to with your Macbook has the most recent firmware. Older firmware is often one of the reasons why wireless connections have issues.
Second, if you've ever connected with this router successfully in the past, try deleting the associated wireless network from your list of preferred wireless networks in System Prefs> Network> Airport>Advanced>Airport, restart your Mac and then connect to the network again.
Also, you can try several other things including assigning a channel manually on your router instead of letting it choose the channel automatically, performing a hard reset of your router, checking to make sure there's no other 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz devices in use at your location, and as a last resort, moving the "SystemConfiguration" folder located in /Library/Preferences to the Desktop then restarting and deleting .plist files associated with your network settings. These files are com.apple.internetconfig.plist, com.apple.internetconfigpriv.plist and com.apple.internetconnect.plist located in the following folder: ~/Library/Preferences/ directory (this is the Library directory within your User folder).
Finally, if you're not using an Apple Airport Base Station you may want to consider getting one. I've been using them for years and they consistently, and this is no surprise, work best with other Apple hardware. If all else fails, a call to Apple Support or a trip to your local Apple Store Genius Bar may be in order.
Nirgal asks:
I've read that Snow Leopard's 64-bit architecture will allow a large increase in the amount of RAM that can be accessed by the OS. Will this do anything to increase the maximum amount of RAM I can install on my iMac, or is the current limit a physical limit?
It's difficult to say what will happen in future OS releases like Snow Leopard, especially given Apple's penchant for secrecy. That said, I would bet that if there does end up being a way for Snow Leopard to access a larger amount of system memory, current Mac models probably won't benefit from it due to hardware limitations.
Jose asks:
I have several applications that start automatically every time I start my Mac or log into it. How can I stop them from loading?
Finally, a relatively easy question. To control which programs start when you log into OS X, go to System Prefs> Accounts> Login Items. Once there you will see a list of all the programs that start once you log in.
To stop certain ones from starting at login, simply select the ones in question with a click and then hit the " - " sign near the bottom of the window. That will delete them from the list and they will no longer start at login.
Quentin asks:
I've got a few websites and I've been combing the Internet looking for the best place to host them. Where should I go for web hosting, email, etc.?
That's a question I get asked frequently and one that I've been able to solve to my complete satisfaction only through a lot of trial, error and frustration. If you ask around, you'll undoubtedly get various answers about the best places to host sites, the best customer service, etc.
You will also get quite a few horror stories from various sources and anytime you're considering a web hosting company, it's always a good idea to type the name of the company you're considering followed by the word "sucks" into Google search. If you do, you'll be amazed how many people will be convinced the host you are considering is the worst possible place to go.
I've tried a lot of hosting companies over the years and the only two I ever recommend these days are Media Temple and Mac Highway. For larger sites or multiple domains with lots of traffic and higher demands, Media Temple has worked best for me and for my clients. I've had clients on both their Grid and their Dedicated Virtual hosting and they've consistently provided great service.
For smaller sites, personal blogs and the like, Mac Highway has been rock solid and I've been hosting my personal blog there for years on their Large hosting plan. Like Media Temple, Mac Highway excels at customer service and when you call them for support, or with a question, you may actually end up talking to one of the owners. That's the level of dedication they have.
Plus, as a bonus, they run entirely on Macs and OS X Server, which is also pretty cool.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Josh said 10:46AM on 5-20-2009
I love the idea to search for the name of the webhosting and "sucks" in google. That's great. Thanks for the tips. I am going to use MacHighway and hadn't heard of them before this.
Reply
kris said 10:47AM on 5-20-2009
the intro to the post says there are questions (photo contact sheets, automatically opening downloaded files) that i don't see in the full post. what happened?
Reply
William Hook said 10:47AM on 5-20-2009
I use Minthost.com for my hosting and they're pretty much rock solid. Highly recommended. :)
Reply
Brassen said 10:52AM on 5-20-2009
ASK TUAW
Hi, I'm on a black MacBook (early 2008), 10.5.7.
I'm considering upgrading my standard HD to a Seagate 320gb 7200 RPM, witch is a SATA II, and as far as I know, my MacBook is SATA I. Will there be a problem or it will automatically "adapt"?
Also I plan to make a clean install on the new HD, so I'll put the old one on a external USB enclosure. When on the new install will I be able to access my files/folders from the older drive to drag (eg. iTunes, documents) to the new or it will be blocked (i have a password to log in to my account)?
Thanks!
Reply
livelikeasam said 11:06AM on 5-20-2009
I installed that hard drive in my Macbook, works perfectly, make sure you buy the BJKT model, it has a freefall sensor to prevent damage if you drop your MacBook
emil said 10:56AM on 5-20-2009
I signed up for Dreamhost very late last year when they were running a promotion and got 2 years of hosting with unlimited everything for $90 or so. I've heard very mixed reviews about them, but haven't had any problems so far. Their support has been far more helpful than any other hosting service I've used. So I recommend checking them out.
Reply
Andrew Timson said 11:52AM on 5-20-2009
I've been using Dreamhost for 3-4 years now, and I've been happy with them as well.
Tim said 11:05AM on 5-20-2009
I have a problem similar to Jose, except that the apps I want to stop from loading at login do not appear in the "login items" list, so I can't remove them. Any suggestions?
Reply
Patrick Leary said 12:51PM on 5-20-2009
Most likely the "auto-start" is a preference in the application itself.
Josh said 1:35PM on 5-20-2009
I had that problem with iTunes. When it shows up in your dock, right click the icon and unselect "Open At Login"
Steve said 11:38AM on 5-20-2009
If you're out in Asia you can try www.AsiaFastHosts.com They use 100% Mac Servers and have excellent friendly support.
Reply
malik said 11:40AM on 5-20-2009
for recording stuff i have a behringer fca202 firewire audio interface, which costs me under € 100 the m-audio gear is pretty expensive for entry-level no?
Reply
Petre said 5:43PM on 5-20-2009
Thanks Malik, that's a great suggestion!
I ended up going with the Line 6 POD Studio GX for $99 (http://line6.com/podstudiogx/) because of the additional software features.
Alancito said 12:07PM on 5-20-2009
Re: Media Temple hosting -- Karelia Software (Sandvox) are not impressed with them:
http://www.karelia.com/news/weekend_website_outage.html
Reply
sn0man1 said 12:33PM on 5-20-2009
Help me TUAWites... your my only hope.
I have an aluminum macbook http://www.apple.com/macbook/ which I just bought in February. I also am an avid fan of my wired Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer. I currently own a version 3.0 model http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=087.
Onto my problem. When the computer sleeps for a longer amount of time, and I wake it, the mouse doesn't track right. The buttons work just fine, but i feel like i have to pick it up and scroll 30 times to move just a couple inches. When I say longer amount of time, I mean over an hour at the least. I know this because if I go up to the apple menu and click sleep... then come back 15 minutes later and wake it up, the mouse tracks fine.
Steps I've tried to resolve the problem.
1.) Uninstall the intellipoint drivers... 6.3 at the time
2.) Run with the mouse plugged into mac keyboard
3.) Run with the mouse plugged into the macbook itself
4.) Disable sleep... this works, but is not a solution in my book.
5.) take it into the apple store *
6.) After awake from sleep, unplug and replug the mouse... this works, but not a solution
7.) Install the 6.3.1 intellipoint drivers... doesn't fix it.
* I took it in to the apple store (thank god i bought apple care), and they said they would take a look at it, but that they would posses the machine for a week or more. I described to the genius bar person the issue based on how long it sleeps. He said something about clearing the "preference cache" (paraphrasing, cause i stupidly didn't write it down) but said honestly he didn't think it would work. I left feeling things would be great.
I got a call 3 days later saying that it was an issue with the microsoft mouse combined with my preference to have a password on wake from sleep/screensaver. They further said that if I disabled password on wake that I would not have the problem. They also pointed out that if I bought a mighty mouse I would not have the problem.
I went home with my macbook and my mouse... dejected... and tested without password on restart. The problem is not as extreme, but the problem is still there.
my email is my screenname @hotmail.com
Reply
Patrick Doyle said 12:56PM on 5-20-2009
The wireless issue you addressed reminded me of a question I've had in the 3 months I've owned my new MacBook (white, early 2009 model, 10.5.6 just updated to 10.5.7.)
When I attempt to connect to a public wireless in a new location (say, on the commuter train), I can frequently see a bunch of different base stations available. I can't connect to any of the encrypted base stations, so that knocks out about half of them. How can I tell which one has the best signal strength or signal quality? In my specific case on the train, there are sometimes 2 base stations on different cars one the train, one close to me and one further away, as well as one on the platform (perhaps) or one in the coffee shop near the platform. I would like to select the best one. How can I do that?
--wpd
Reply
Sigbhu said 5:15PM on 5-21-2009
Have you tried CoconutWiFi? it gives some useful info, replaces the WiFi icon in your menubar, and is free.
GlennAC said 1:53PM on 5-26-2009
Patrick, I use iStumbler for detecting local networks and their strength.
http://www.istumbler.net/
I hear rumors that a future feline OS will have a slightly modified Airport menu which indicates the signal strength of each of the networks it detects.
Sigbhu said 12:57PM on 5-20-2009
I use Mail to access my GMail account via IMAP. I have a problem I can't seem to fix :
I want to delete a lot of old mail in my GMail account. So I go to "All Mail" under my GMail account in Mail (the application), sort the messages by sender, and junk the ones I don't need. The problem is, they don't go. They pop back after a few minutes. I tried using "Erase deleted messages" by right-clicking on the folder, but that does nothing.
How do I delete these mails from within Mail?
(Leopard 10.5.7, MacBook)
Reply
DJFriar said 3:38PM on 5-20-2009
This is actually an issue with following Gmail's setup guide. If you want to be able to manage the folders yourself, you have to remap the folders. Follow the guide here:
http://5thirtyone.com/archives/862
I actually removed all my accounts, then redid the setup as suggested at that site. The resync took a few hours, but has been flawless since. I highly recommend it to anyone using Gmail in Mail.app