Cisco turns thousands of Linksys users’ gear into bricks
July 26, 2010
I’m in the middle of upgrading our computers at work to Windows 7, which, by the way, is an impressive operating system and a very quick upgrade. Although you can’t upgrade directly from Windows XP (you have to reformat and start afresh), the process still takes less than half an hour. For the most part, all your hardware works. It’s just a beautiful process!
- Linksys wireless gear or paperweight? By taking drivers offline, Cisco has made bricks out of lots of expensive equipment.
BUT, there was one thorn in my side during all this — the Linksys wireless adaptors some of our computers use. We’re upgrading all our computers to the 64-bit version of Windows 7, and that requires a special driver. Linksys published this driver years ago, but I could no longer find it on their Website. Other sites linked to the page on their Website where it should have been, but it just wasn’t there anymore. This is how the six-hour nightmare began.
I searched Google for the driver. I searched forums. I searched everywhere I knew to look. I read about complicated workarounds. Some people said you should use alternate drivers by other manufacturers. But no real Linksys driver… until I finally came upon ONE user who happened to have saved the driver file before Linksys removed it from their site. With this one file, I was able to install the wireless adaptor in less than five minutes and get the computer online easily. Here it is, for those looking for it:
My question is: Why did Linksys not make this file available online themselves? (The latest driver listed on their Website was from 2002 and for WinXP only.) I can only guess that it has to do with the fact that they’re now part of Cisco. In the effort to rebrand, the linksys.com site redirects to the cisco.com site. Some of the content must not have made the switch. An innocent enough mistake… other than the fact that I have hundreds of dollars of Linksys gear that should not be obsolete, and they’re now paperweights, thanks to Cisco’s mismanagement of their driver database. The drivers exist to make these adaptors work with Win7, but Cisco just hasn’t put them online.
Maybe they want you to buy even newer gear??? Well, not me! If that’s how they manage their driver database, I can only imagine that gear I buy today might become unnecessarily obsolete in just a few years too. No thanks, Cisco. I’m off to find a different brand of wireless technology to use. Users shouldn’t have to rely on other users who happen to have saved driver files before they were ripped offline by the manufacturer.
And for anyone out there who’s been luckier than me, I’m still looking for a x64 driver for several other pieces of Linksys gear. Until I find them, I’ve got some really nice blue paperweights on my desk.
Photo courtesy: azn_racer_fan
Affordable Mastering for the Home Studio
June 2, 2009
Check out my new video tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-CAmJ_Qvbo&fmt=22
In this video, I share how I master tracks using Adobe Audition’s included plug-ins. Included are tips about:
- What “mastering” is
- Parametric EQ
- Dynamics
- Multi-Band Compression
- Stereo Expansion
- Hard Limiting
Enjoy! Any tips of your own you’d like to share?
Studio Monitor Selection and Placement
March 28, 2009
In this Webisode, I answer viewer questions about studio monitors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPWmM26Jovw&fmt=22
In summary:
- Always factor acoustic treatment into your plan.
- Smart positioning is key to getting accurate sound.
- Frequency response with a small tolerance (like -3 dB) is a key stat
I also forgot to mention that you can buy hardware or software devices that can help adjust the frequency response to work with difficult speakers or listening environments.
Hope this helps!
Home Recording 101 – Mixing
January 16, 2009
In the third and last installment of my videos featuring Pro Tools 8 and M-Audio hardware, we look at the process of mixing and mastering. First, we add inserts for EQ, dynamics and effects. Then, we automate the mix and bounce to a file. This file is opened in Adobe Audition, which includes some great plug-ins that can be used for a cost-effective way to master a track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUaFPU3JXUQ
This junk is in HD, so watch it full-screen, yo!
In summary:
- Well, I pretty much said it all above, didn’t I?
- The M-Audio ProjectMix I/O makes mixing a pleasure, with its flying faders and intuitive controls!
- Adobe Audition includes some great plug-ins that can be useful in mastering. It’s a shame Adobe discontinued the product (I think).
- I’d evaluate Adobe’s new product, Sound Booth, but they won’t ship it to me. I ordered it a full month ago, so if they don’t get on the ball, I’m going with Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro instead.
Home Recording 101 – Overdubs
January 15, 2009
As we continue to look at how the new Pro Tools 8 can be used in a typical project studio, I demonstrate how to overdub parts of a live performance that could use some touching up. We do that with MIDI instruments, real instruments and vocals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7A3nVlm5Po
This junk is in HD, so watch it full-screen, yo!
In summary:
- The M-Audio ProjectMix I/O makes all this quick and easy.
- Pro Tools 8 still doesn’t have as many included MIDI instruments and loops as other software packages, but version 8 is a step in the right direction.
- Just watch the video already!!!
Home Recording 101 – Recording
January 12, 2009
I’ve received some messages from people asking to see more of ProTools 8 in project studio setting. We’ll start this week with part 1 – recording the band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUptApwZhT8
This junk is in HD, so watch it full-screen, yo!
In summary:
- Before I can show off the power of Pro Tools 8, we need to get some audio into the program.
- The easiest way is to record a full band.
- But that requires lots of inputs.
- I’m using an M-Audio ProFire Lightbridge to record 16 inputs from a Sunday morning service.
- There are many more channels than that, but we’re using Aux sends wisely to fit everything in as best we can!
Microsoft Forgot About Leap Years
January 2, 2009
This is why I’m moving to Mac!
http://www.pcworld.com/article/156240/article.html?tk=nl_dgxblg
Brilliant!
