I Thought We Had Learned Better

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio cables, good business ideas, mic cables, microphones & mic stands, Pro Sound — No Comments ↓

mic stand mic for goodbuyguys.comAudio pro trade journals usually have some version of a feature known as a “buyers guide”.  Some are more useful than others, and the ones that don’t require a manufacturer to advertise in order to have their products listed usually provide the most valuable information.

The buyers guide of Front of House magazine for February 2012 features digital audio snakes.  These replace the standard audio mic snakes (multiple mic lines bundled into a single jacket) that have been the pro audio standard for ages.

The standard mic “snake” or multi-cable almost always uses the XLR standard connector at both the female (microphone) and male (mixer) end of the cable.  This has been in use for decades.  Consequently almost every manufacturers’ microphones will work with almost every cable makers cables and will interface with just about every mixer manufacturer’s products.

The digital version of the mic snake is designed to take an analog signal generated by the microphone, convert it to digital data, transmit it to the mixer position and then either plug directly into the mixer or turn the signal back into analog audio so that it can be introduced to the mixer as a re-converted analog signal.

I counted no fewer than 12 different digital protocols in use in the buyers guide, which means that one company’s  equipment will not work with another’s.

While it is great to have device that reduces the amount of wire and the associated weight and bulk, having a system that will work only with itself means that sharing, cross renting, short term supplements (all practices that has helped lots of small companies grow and larger ones exploit more opportunities) is no longer an option.  Your stuff is not going to work with their stuff.

Until the pro audio industry adopts a standard for the transmission of digital audio like the xlr connector was adopted for analog audio in live sound systems, this is really going to be a problem.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

Duracell Olympic Promotion Set To End

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, batteries, good business ideas, Pro Sound — No Comments ↓

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comSince the beginning of the year, Duracell has been offering a $25.00 gift card with the purchase of $100.00 of Duracell or Duracell Procell batteries.  We have promoted this offer at our web site buybattery.com and have heavily promoted it to our customers.

Now the offer is set to end.  The last day for a qualifying purchase is March 31.

This offer is part of a larger campaign that Duracell has developed to promote its sponsorship of the 2012 Olympic games in London this summer.

Their latest effort, “Rely On Copper To Go For The Gold” will feature athletes in training for the London games.  The elite athletes will share their personal stories and appear in video and print ads that let the world know what it takes to make the Olympics.

You can see some of these athletes in training at the Duracell Youtube Channel, and don’t forget about the gift card promotion.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

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The Quarter Inch Connector-It’s Evolution Proof

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio cables, good business ideas, microphones & mic stands, Pro Sound, speaker cables — No Comments ↓

good idea jeff from buytape.comWe sell all sorts of audio cables with connectors, and there have been lots of new products brought to the market over the last several years that are real improvements.  Connectors like Neutrik’s Speakons and all sorts of data connectors are big improvements over their predecessors.

One of the worst audio connectors ever invented appears to the the one that will last until the end of time.  That’s the quarter inch connector.

quarter inch connector

This common audio connector dates back to the 19th century when telephone switchboards were first created, and it is almost unchanged in today’s version.  It is a two or three conductor connector and is used on millions of musical instruments and audio components.

The way the male version of this connector is designed to mate with the female version means that the center “hot” (signal carrying) conductor must touch and “short out” with the sleeve “cold” (ground carrying) conductor in order to be completely connected.  This almost always results in a loud popping noise in an energized audio system and may cause speaker or amplifier damage.

The standard version of this connector has no latching mechanism, so it is easy to unplug an instrument by accidentally stepping on the cable or tangling it up.

The reason that this connector will probably survive forever is that it is the standard that was adopted for electric guitars.  Because vintage guitars and vintage amplifiers are in such demand by today’s musicians, it means that the quarter inch standard must survive.

Otherwise, a guitar player with a collector’s edition guitar couldn’t use a new amplifier or a player with a new guitar couldn’t plug in to a vintage amp.

Unfortunately, this bad piece of design is with us forever.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

It Might Be Time To Fire Your Home Security Company

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, extension cords, web development — No Comments ↓

mic stand mic for buybattery.comI have posted a number of articles recently about industries that are at risk of being put out of business by free or inexpensive internet applications.  Home security may be the next victim.

Recently, I have completed a home security system using four internet-enabled robotic cameras that cost about $60 each and can be controlled remotely by my smartphone.IP camera

I can’t believe how well it works, and once the cameras are purchased, there are no monthly charges.

Here’s what I did.

The wireless security cameras can be placed anywhere within the range of your home computer network’s wireless router (usually a range of up to about 100 feet). Data connection  to the router is wireless, but the cameras will need power from a standard wall outlet or extension cord.

Once the router is configured (a complicated process, but it only has to be done once), the cameras can be accessed through a standard web browser that can be run on any desktop computer, smart phone or tablet computer.  That means that you can see what the cameras see from any internet enabled device.

After downloading a free app (advertising supported), to your mobile device (works on both Apple and Android smart phones and tablets) you can see what the camera sees on your mobile device screen, pan and tilt the camera and set it to automatically record for a preset length of time if its motion detector senses activity.

It even sends me an email with an image of what it is seeing when the motion detector is activated.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

Is Copper The New Gold?

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio cables, audio visual, extension cords, Pro lighting, Pro Sound, speaker cables — No Comments ↓

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comOn a recent cross country plane trip, I found myself seated beside a very talkative Oriental man.  He spoke pretty good English, and after a while I understood that he was a Chinese mining engineer who was on his way to Africa to begin an assignment for his company at a copper mine.

I told him that I was in the business of selling extension cords, and the conversation quickly turned to his assessment of how China was moving to become the world’s dominant player the copper trade.

A recent article in Bloomberg Business Week brought me back to that conversation.

The article was titled “Copper: China’s Red Gold“, and it lays out in detail how China is aggressively moving to control as much of the world’s supply of this common metal as they can and how no other governments seem to be paying attention.

China has spent over $100 billion buying up mining and energy companies since 2008 and at least $5 billion of that has been for copper mining reserves all over the world.

Why should you care?

If you are in the sound, lighting, concert or special event industry, copper cable is central to your life.  While it is possible to move the transmission of low voltage data to fiber, the only practical method for moving the high energy required for lighting stages and pushing speakers is copper.  If you need to move high amperage electricity from one place to another (like a dimmer rack to a lighting fixture or an amplifier to a speaker cabinet), then copper is your only choice.

Modern large scale concerts and major theatrical events depend on tons and tons of copper cable, and it looks like that in the future this is a market that the Chinese will control.

Back to my airline seatmate.  His company was so focused on their African mining project that he expected to be on the job for at least two years before he was given a break to visit his family back in China.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties.  We sell copper cables from Hosa, Mitee and Century Wire & Cable.

Glad I Didn’t Invest In That Career

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, good business ideas, Pro lighting, Pro Sound, special event production — No Comments ↓

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comBack in the days when I worked as a production manager for large corporate events, the sub-contractor whose job I envied most was the guy who provided the teleprompter service.  Corporate CEO’s wanted to be able to deliver their remarks without looking at a script and they all thought they looked like big shots on a stage with prompter screens.

The teleprompter tech was the last to show up, got to spend his time working directly with the corporate executives, and had his gear packed up and was on his way to the airport an hour after the show was over.  It might have not been the most exciting job in show business, but it definitely was the easiest.

I came across a new application for the IPAD today that puts a whole teleprompter into a brief case. Using the Ipad with some proprietary software and something as simple as a microphone stand, anybody can create a prompter on their own.

Even better, you can download a free app from the Apple Store and with a piece of glass, you can make your own for about $5.00.  It even makes use of the IPAD box!

And, of course, you’ll need duct tape.

Here’s a video that shows you how.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

Watching A BIG TV

Posted on by Jeff Posted in good business ideas, Pro lighting, Pro Sound, Staging — No Comments ↓

good idea jeff from goodbuyguys.comI took my son Kevin to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band last night in Greensboro.  I had seen the E Street Band before several times, but my son, who is about a third the age of Springsteen,  and had never seen his show, was knocked out.

One of the things that was most enjoyable about the show was how video was used.  The Wrecking Ball tour reverted to “old school” image magnification, something that used to be the industry standard, but which has been replaced by flashy active screens.

The three projection screens just magnified (made larger) the images of of the performers. No video inserts, no airplanes landings, no man on the street interviews, just the show made larger.

Best of all, it did nothing to call attention to itself.  The screens were not  the overly bright, in-your-face active screens that demand that you look at them, sometimes in a way that completely washes out the performer.  Best of all, because the images were projections, they made use of very high resolution video, giving detail that active L E D screens are not capable of delivering.  All image and no pixels.

We tip our hat to the set designer, and Pete’s Big TV’s, the video production company, for a job well done.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

The Internet Is Not A Phone Book

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas, web development — No Comments ↓

spokesperson for goodbuyguys.comOne of the things that makes our online sites different from lots of others is that we display our phone number prominently.  If you’ve ever tried to contact Amazon or Ebay by phone, you know what I am talking about.

The larger and more prominent the site, the less likely it is that phone contact will be an option.  Even though it can be terribly irritating, I understand why.  Let me explain.

I’m an internet content creator.  I spend most of my day adding content to our web sites to provide what we hope is useful information to customers and prospects.  That includes detailed explanations, product specifications and comparisons and “how to” animations and tips. We’ve been at it long enough that we feel that our sites far outstrip our competitors when it comes to providing information that supports what we sell.

We are blessed that most our sites do well in what is called “organic” search, which means that they show up in search results when you seek out products and information using standard search protocols.  If you search for something like “gaffers tape” or “Procell battery“, you’ll always see our sites on page 1.

For some people, finding us through search simply means that they look no further than the phone number.  Rather than take time to look through the site using a very powerful built in search function, they just reach for the phone.  Almost without exception, there is a more useful and illustrative answer to their question on the site than anything I could possibly tell them on the phone.  Every time I get one of these calls, I’m tempted to bury our phone number more deeply in the site (or at least no longer make it toll free!).

Oh, and while we’re on the subject.  When you send us an online request for our catalog, how about including your mailing address.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

What About The Gospel of Blue Screen of Death?

Posted on by Jeff Posted in arts education, audio visual, Pro Sound — No Comments ↓

good idea jeff from goodbuyguys.comI left the live “hands on” sound business about the time digital mixing consoles started to gain wide acceptance.  I was an early skeptic, but, obviously, this technology is ready for prime time.  What started in use on major tours and on Broadway has filtered down to high schools and many churches with price points that are now competitive with the high end analog consoles from ten years ago.

An article I read today might just turn me in to a skeptic again.  It details the decision of a Tennessee church to upgrade their sound system by using a computer (PC) based digital mixer that they put together by assembling components themselves that use the processor and other capabilities of a standard desktop computer to control their sound system.

The director of audio for the church estimates that they saved about $15,000 by taking this route, getting a high end digital mixer with 48 inputs and 48 outputs for just $6000.

It all sounded great until I got to the part where they talked about using a Dell computer for the heart of their system.  I’ve never used a desktop computer that didn’t deliver up the “blue screen of death” or otherwise do something that demanded rebooting at least once a day.

I’ll be surprised if this solution to sound system upgrading proves to be workable.

“He Is Risen” takes on a whole new meaning if life after death requires a three minute boot cycle.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

Want A Promotion? Learn To Look At Me!

Posted on by Jeff Posted in arts education, good business ideas — No Comments ↓

mic stand mic for buybattery.comI get to work with a lot of young people, and it makes my days much more enjoyable.  Between my office and working as a volunteer at the local high school and as an usher at  my church, I am exposed to lots of great kids.

However, one thing that I have noticed that is a real problem is the difficulty they all seem to have with eye contact.  If  there is any sort of a screen present (computer, tablet, smart phone, laptop, whatever) they almost always prefer to watch the screen rather than to look at me.

While I’m the first to admit that I’m not much to look at, I don’t think that these young people realize the potential cost of failing to look at the person who is speaking to them.  If I have a promotion or pay raise, a better assignment, or a little bit of useful knowledge to pass along,  they are much less likely to get their hands on it if they can’t look me in the eye.

Regardless of how much time they spend in some sort of virtual world, the young person who takes the time to  understand the power of looking at someone when they are speaking to them has a very useful skill and, potentially, a strong competitive advantage.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

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