OVER 2 YOU 170 (02/03/04)

IPOD VOLUME

I like to use my iPod at the gym but I can’t turn up the volume loud enough to drown out the piped music. Has anyone solved this problem?

Mark Kirwin, via email

All iPods sold in the EU have been hobbled by legislation, which does not permit the output from personal stereos to exceed 100dB. While the hardware of the EU iPods is identical to those sold in the US the firmware is different and incorporates a volume cap to comply with the regulations. This was first incorporated in the version 2.0 firmware for the previous generation of iPods in October 2002 (see
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/

0,39020351,2123567,00.htm).

Despite numerous petitions
(http://www.petitiononline.com/ipodEU/

petition.html) from dissatisfied customers Apple has not responded by offering a firmware upgrade to non French EU customers (perhaps another iPod lawsuit is required). There are a couple of workarounds for the problem, however, including a software utility, which will increase the relative volume of MP3 files on a computer within the iPod database.
Luke Smallman, via email

The little known EU directive that restricts the maximum volume a portable music device can produce has been discussed at great length in the forums at http://www.ipodlounge.com. This level is set in the firmware that came with your iPod (and any subsequent updates). However, the US version of the firmware has no such restriction, but links to download this are notoriously difficult to find as it infringes copyright. Apple UK will not help you under any circumstances to update your firmware with a version that would circumvent this restriction. To remain completely legal you cannot upgrade your iPod with different firmware, but there are little programs available from iPodLounge that adjust the overall volume of the loaded files. The disadvantage of these programs is that they need to be run every time you add new files to your player.

The only alternatives you have are to either purchase an iPod direct from the United States (and as such avoid the restriction in the first place) or purchase a different player that has no such restriction.
Phil Green, via email

Until recently I experienced a similar problem with my iPod. I found it wasn’t loud enough to drown out the surrounding noises encountered on a busy tube train, when travelling to and from my office. I would recommend the use of a piece of freeware called “euPod Volumeboost”, which is free and can be downloaded from the following site: http://www.ringom.no/espen/ipod/. This application will boost the iPod’s volume level to one of several increased settings e.g. by +30% up to +60%.

Michael Hall, via email

Boosting the iPod’s volume to "drown out" the background noise could cause hearing damage. Instead try to find earphones that can exclude the noise. The ones supplied with the iPod hardly cut out any background noise but many companies have "closed" type in which the earpiece has a sort of earplug that reduces external noise. Sony MDREX71SLB is one example. For the ultimate, but expensive, solution try noise-cancelling earphones such as the Sony MDRNC11 and Panasonic RPHC50. These should eliminate all general background noise. However they are designed to mainly remove random low frequency (below 1,500 Hz) sounds so they may not completely remove the piped music. The difference should still be very noticeable. These are also effective for listening on aircraft, trains etc. Many more companies have "full ear" noise cancelling headphones but I do not consider these to be
really suitable for gym use.
Maxwell Smallman, via email

I hate to be a Luddite, but my cassette Walkman drowns out the piped music fine. They either built better amplifiers 15 years ago (yes, it's that old) or I have a better pair of earphones. I'd start by changing the latter (assuming Apple haven't gone for a proprietary connector, of course).

Paul Ganney, Head of Computing, Medical Physics, Hull Royal Infirmary

In response to Mark Kirwin's problem: Ask the gym nicely to turn the music down. Ask the gym nicely to turn the music off. Encourage other gym users who insist on music to bring their own players. Join Pipedown (http://www.pipedown.info/), which opposes piped music in public places.

Anthony C. Payne, St Bees, Cumbria

SAGE SOLUTIONS

We are in the IT Consultancy Business and use Sage accounting software. I have tried in vain to source a flexible and proven time reporting system. Currently I have to log all timesheets onto a spreadsheet and cross match this with invoices raised to clients. I am looking for a system that I can use to log time against various job codes and from that generate reports to assist me in producing accurate invoices and job profit controls.  A system that integrates to Sage would be a bonus but not essential as several jobs are on a fixed price rather than hourly basis. We do have several distinct jobs for a single client however so job coding is important. I cannot believe we are alone; I’m amazed how difficult it is to find the appropriate software. Is the answer out there?

Sue Melly, via email

Octonet (www.octonet.co.uk) a software Company based in Harrow, Middlesex, market software that appears to meet the requirement perfectly, including links to Sage. Their products can be viewed in the first instance at its Internet site under the 'Timelord' application. 

Jim Taggart, via email

I carried out what I believe was a comprehensive survey on this about 6 years ago. At that time the best product for a small or medium size business was Time Sheet Professional. Other systems may have since come onto the market but this must still be well worth considering. It is very flexible and can handle multiple tasks projects and clients.

I do not think it integrates directly with Sage but it has quite flexible data exporting so it should be possible to get the data across somehow. Information for invoicing can be exported directly into Word or Excel and other formats. It is distributed by Deepak Sareen Associates (http://www.timesheetuk.com/).

Maxwell Smallman, via email

The answer is a software package called Timeslips (http://www.timeslips.com/). It was the original Time and Expense recording and billing system and has been available in the UK since the late '80s.  Now supplied by an American software company called Best, which is in turn, owned by Sage.  The current version is fully network enabled and is priced from £325 for a single user copy. 

Bryn Taylor, via email

CAN YOU HELP?

I wish to create some eye-catching invitation cards and certificates. Does anyone know of a printer, or can suggest a way of printing silver or gold lettering and borders? Does anyone produce gold or silver ink cartridges for home printers?

Beth Taylor, via email

Over the next few months, I am going to need to regularly transfer 30 or so data fields from an Access record to similarly named fields in another application, which is web-based. Does anyone know of a simple means of doing this - perhaps involving a simple utility - as endless cutting and pasting is going to drive me mad!
Vivian Dunn, via email