Mailbag

Are you struggling with issues related to your PC? Do you find yourself bewildered by constantly changing technology and needlessly confusing terminology? Are you tired of being put on hold by seemingly clueless technical support personnel? Then maybe it's time to turn to SIGPC for help!

Our team answers selected computer and technology questions from readers in this, the SIGPC Mailbag. If you have a question you want answered, please contact us at mailbag@sigpc.net.

Please note that due to resource constraints, we cannot guarantee a response to all questions. To help as many people as possible with common issues, all questions may be edited for readability and posted to this Web site.

SIGPC V4N7: Woe is ME

I've installed Windows ME on an IBM ThinkPad 760ED (133MHz,64MB). Where can I find drivers for the MWAVE DSP for this operating system? Are there any other sound card drivers compatible with MWAVE? That is, can I use some other Windows driver such as SoundBlaster?

Scott Tilley replies:

The MWAVE device on the ThinkPad handles both audio and modem. When I tried to install Windows ME on a 760ED, there was no special MWAVE driver available. I called IBM and they told me that the MWAVE driver for Windows 98 should work under Windows ME. However, when I installed the Windows 98 MWAVE driver, it totally ruined the Windows ME installation. After the splash screen was displayed, an error window always popped up indicating a problem with one of the system services, at which point the system hung.

I could not figure out how to cleanly uninstall the MWAVE driver; I could never get to a Windows ME prompt, even using Safe Mode. My only choice was to reinstall the operating system from scratch, but this time without audio or modem support. This configuration worked, but some of the ThinkPad's features were crippled.

The MWAVE is unique to the ThinkPad, and as such a generic Windows driver cannot be used with it. Your only choice is to live with a sub-par installation under Windows ME, or revert back to Windows 98. I chose the latter route for the ThinkPad. 

SIGPC V4N6: The Recorder Quest

I came across your review of three products while searching on "ICD-R100PC". It's a shame they can't get these just right. Have you looked at any other units?

Scott Tilley replies:

I have looked at a few other recorders, both digital and analog. The ones I reviewed were the best choices available at the time. It just happened that they were all Sony units. I think digital recorders are definitely the way to go, but only once the capacity of the memory cards increases -- and their price drops. For those cases where you just have to have excellent quality, and price is not a primary concern, then I would recommend the Sony ICD-MS1.

Is there a way of converting compressed audio files from Audible.com so that I can play them on my Sony nw-ms9 portable memory stick walkman, or my Panasonic e-wear portable sd audio player sv-sd7? They support Rio 600/800 and Sony IC  recorder. I can play the files on media player or real jukebox, but when I try to transfer the files they are under 10 seconds in length and can't be recognized. The files look like this .aa. Thanks in advance.

Scott Tilley replies:

The only way I know of to convert the Audible.com ".aa" files is with a tool such as Gold Wave. It is an audio editor that has support for this proprietary format. It does work, but it takes a while. You can create a (large) WAV file, or a smaller MP3 file, which you can then download to your Sony player (assuming it can play MP3); I think you can also create WMA files, but I don’t know about the Sony-proprietary ATRAC3 format.

SIGPC V2N7: Cooking with Cable

In this article, you said that you "installed a powered +10db signal amplifier between my office outlet and the cable modem". I have a couple of questions about the amp:

1. Where can I buy what and what specs should it have?
2. Does it only help your downstream performance? Or does it also help your upstream performance?

Scott Tilley replies:

I bought the amplifier at the local Best Buy. Most electronic stores stock them. They cost under $10. Basically they amplify the input signal by +10db. This is to compensate for the signal loss of -3db/-4db every time the signal is split along the coaxial cable. It only works on the downstream signal, not the upstream.

FYI, I no longer use the signal amplifier, since my cable company has finally upgraded their infrastructure to support two-way Internet connections. See SIGPC V4N5: Home Office Networking Made Complicated for more recent information on this topic.