Computer / Software

There's no shortage of Apple news this month, including the release of new versions of Logic, a revision to the iBook line and a new, cheaper G5 model.

The PCI standard has more ins and outs than you might be aware of. We attempt to sort them out, as well as highlight a problem that can cause software authorisations to expire before their time.

I'm a DJ who's looking to get into the production side of things (house and techno). I was going to opt for a PC over Mac. What should I be looking for in terms of processor speed, memory, soundcard and so on?

Many of the unwanted hums, clicks, and whirrs that compromise the performance of your computer studio are nothing to do with software. We take a look at what causes them, and how to banish them for good!

In recent months, SOS's online Mac Music forum has highlighted the difficulty with achieving the same number of channels of audio I/O under Mac OS X and Logic that were possible under OS 9. We investigate the problems and provide some solutions.

We discuss Apple's brand-new iMac, investigate how much power a musician can really expect from the latest Powerbooks, and explain how to save some hard disk space when installing Mac OS X.

The Windows XP Service Pack 2 is out, and it offers valuable bug fixes as well as enhanced Internet security measures. But as reports of a few audio-related problems surface, should musicians go ahead and install it?

Shareware might be cheap, but it can also make you very cheerful. We round up some of the best of the current PC music shareware scene.

The Jack low-latency sound server has been ported to OS X from Linux. We discuss its background and implications.

We investigate an obscure PC parameter that may be responsible for some otherwise 'incurable' soundcard stuttering problems.

Computer specifications have changed radically in the three years since Carillon launched their first music PCs, but the company's signature metal rackmount case and attention to detail still sets them apart. Their powerful Core 4 machine offers support for three monitors, plus a huge 400GB RAID 0 hard drive array for audio data.

Replies to more of your emails, letters and faxes.

Buying a music computer from a specialist builder is an increasingly popular option for the PC musician. We rounded up some of the leading names in music PCs to find out exactly what they offer.

New Cinema Displays, a new operating system upgrade, and a new iPod revision — all in this month's Apple Notes column.

Intel's latest chipsets are finding their way into new PCs — but do they offer any advantages to the computer musician?

Mac OS 10.3 (Panther) has been with us a few months, and has been dissected and evaluated to destruction in the mainstream computer press — but just how useful are its new features for Mac-based musicians and engineers?

Why does software always crash irrecoverably when you are at your busiest? And why are technical support lines unable to help you when you need them most? We offer some advice on how to avoid phoning them in the first place...

It has almost certainly happened to you at some time — a crash or a damaged or deleted file that takes days of music with it. If you don't want it to happen again, read on...

Apple finally announced faster Power Mac G5 models this month, along with a new wireless music technology for use with iTunes — plus the long-awaited opening of the iTunes Music Store in the UK.

Even if you've cleaned out all references to old hardware from your Windows registry, it's a fair bet that it is not quite as spick and span as it could be. Housekeeping tasks and installations leave behind their own trail of junk, but fortunately it can be removed. Find out how...

Thanks to the Internet and the generosity of talented programmers all over the world, it's possible to assemble a PC music software suite for no money at all. We round up some of the best download sites and freebie programs.