Complaints

I whine a lot about Ottawa being the armpit of Canada, bypassed by bigger bands travelling the 401 between Montréal and Toronto... usually stopping in Kingston - but rarely coming up here. And in recent years, we've had quite the drought of concerts; my favourite venue, Barrymore's, has pretty much converted to a dance-hall, Capital Music Hall still sucks - and rarely has good/big gigs, Zaphods and LiveLounge are fun and intimate, but either sell out too quick or you're really sardined in there. Not to knock the local/small/Cancon acts that do come to town, but Ottawa's had it pretty bad for a couple of years.

... Thus it's big & exciting when the Bluesfest roster rolls around, especially now that it's only vaguely constrained to the actual blues, you end up getting to see just about any type of act: rap, country, electronic, dance, metal, prog.rock... it runs the gamut, for 2 weeks!

This year, when the major acts were announced, I was just about ready to plunk down 250 of my hard-earned dollars... but I wanted to check one thing first: The photography policy.

Okay, this looks sane: personal photography is permitted, no rules banning SLRs, no tripods allowed (okay, why would you anyway?), no rules banning monopods. Restrictions are announced by the MCs before the shows.

Pretty reasonable. Let's do it!

Fast-forward to last week...

I got some great shots of Dream Theater, Metric, Lights, and even Rush!

But that's where the trouble started.

See, despite having legit tickets for every night, a friend of mine whom I've been giving photography tutorials to has a few All Access passes. So not only am I getting great shots from all sorts of bizarre locations on the grounds, I'm also pretty impervious to security and their whims - not that it'd been a problem anyway.

Until Rush.

See, I figured I'd take advantage of my special access and setup a time-lapse capture, using a wide-angle lens from about a 12' perch. Have a look:

Rush TimeLapse from Myke on Vimeo.

You'll notice the video ends somewhat abruptly. It turns out some maniac "band security" person started to haul down my camera by it's corded remote cable! Then he proceeded to get into an argument with my friend about what constitutes "professional photography" and what not. Word on the street has it that "band security" went through the crowd and attempted to seize other people's cameras & memory cards.

Okay - that sucks; aside from bad manners and some serious disrespect for people's gear - it's understandable, but that's if someone had announced that no photography was allowed. Thing is, there was no MC announcement before the Rush show.

Next event at Bluesfest - new photography policy! No cameras with detachable lenses!

Wait. What?

Bluesfest updated the website (and managed to actually break the page), and Tweeted saying "see website for more details" about the new policy... which has no real details, just that vague new rule. Add to this policy is the bit where the Bluefest site rotates through user-submitted content via their Flickr group, where they encourage people to post their Bluesfest photos...

Here's the thing, people are still allowed cameras - if they have media passes. I'd decided not to get those since I'm not a) media, b) shooting pro, c) trying to get in for free, d) interested in front-of-house photos, e) interested in getting kicked out after 3 songs. Also, last year they let any yahoo get a media pass; there were people up there with junk P&S cameras snapping away... It was a bit of a joke. This year it was clear they were only allowing select people, very few of them, and requests were due quite a ways in advance of the event (IIRC about 30+ days).

"Okay Myke, so don't go shooting. Just enjoy the music."

Well after a decade of shooting concerts, I've gotten pretty good at enjoying doing both thanks. And that's not really the point. I basically feel like we've been baited & switched. If it wasn't for the All-Access passes I've been getting, I'd be reconsidering attending.

As it is, I'm seriously wondering if I'm going to go next year... probably won't buy the full pack of tickets.

And I'm not the only one upset about it. Look at this thread that got everyone fired up about it in the local Flickr chapter, and this guy thinks it's pretty Klassy too.

I'd wandered over the the media desk, but they had no info or details and couldn't even tell me if I could get media access, especially since I'm not representing any media orgs. ('course I could always argue that Apt613 publishes my stuff

But I'm not happy about it at all. Even more so since security's enforcement is almost nil at best. There's still plenty of people wandering around with SLRs and no media passes - I know, I'm checking & asking. (Random tangent: I approached one guy who was accredited for Le Droit, and he actually knew my name... I wonder why.)

... still planning on shooting this weekend though, but I'll have to depend on my Double-Dot All-Access pass for armor.

Some other Bluesfest fails:
- motorcycle policy change
- Barney Danson Theater tickets... never know when those events are going to cost extra, till you get to the door.
- Poor/little on-the-day location maps
- lousy website (iframes? 1999 called, they want their Netscape Communicator Gold back)
- website outages (after FavQuest told me they wouldn't use Server North because they'd had issues with providers before. Okay! Enjoy your Amazon EC2!)

Apple's new iOS 4 is available for iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 and iPod Touch G2 and G3... but not for the original iPhone or Touch.

Okay, so what?

Well, as developers update their apps to work with the new OS, the dead-ended devices will slowly lose their ability to run updated software. I'm my case, this is actually going to be a huge problem because I sync both my iPhone 3GS (with iOS 4) and my iPod Touch G1 (running iPhone OS 3.1.3) to the same iTunes instance on my computer.

iTunes or the iPhone will compel software updates as time goes by... and because iTunes centrally manages the apps, it'll slowly invalidate everything from running on the Touch - eventually it'll only run the base apps that came with OS 3.1.3 and none of the 3rd party stuff.

Kinda sucks.

Not sure what I'm going to do about it, other than maybe using one of my other Macs (Mini? Laptop?) for syncing my Touch, but I'll lose podcast-synchronization and I'll have to link the music libraries - it'll be a serious pain the butt.

Any ideas? (Other than getting rid of some perfectly good hardware.)

Almost 100 days of suck completed!

Just as I started planning a post-Christmas trip to Amsterdam to see Alia & Martin & Samara, and celebrate the new year, my knee MRI gets booked too closely to make going worth it (in terms of affordability and time-spent.)
I guess I need plan for the unexpected, what with more tests, doctor's & surgeon's appointments - and likely surgery itself, I'm not really sure that I can plan any real trips/vacation at all in the next year... And we were talking about a family trip in the winter too. And K and I wanted escape somewhere too.

This 'blog is approaching LiveJournal levels of emo

Wrist MRI is confirmed for this weekend though!

... To my previous query. Rather candidly too, I appreciate that.

Hey Myke,

Thanks for the detailed information on your problem. Believe me, I understand your frustration. Unfortunatley, this is one of the stupid things about the iPhone. I agree, if you have USB for iPod, why would you use A2DP. Alas, until Apple provides a way to turn off A2DP/AVRCP, while maintaining HFP, the solutions you currently use would be the solution i'd use.

However, on my version of iPhone software (3.1.2), when I connect to an R800 and it kicks it to Bluetooth, on the iphone screen, at the bottom, there is a line that says connected and a bluetooth logo. If I click that, it gives me the option to quickly select between dock connector or JVC Unit. If i select dock connector, it's all good again. That might be an option for you. I'm not sure what version of software Apple added that feature into, so upgrading to the latest version in iTunes might provide a solution.

As for the USB hub, I don't believe you can use one. However, why not either A) keep the bluetooth dongle on the rear usb all the time, and the front for iPod...or B) vice versa (ipod on rear, and bluetooth in front all the time). B would probably be best, as the dongle should be unobtrusive on the front.

Let me know how it works out for you.

Just sent this note to JVC about my car stereo, we'll see if they respond...
(Mind you, this is what you'd call a 'first world problem')

---

Hi - I've got a KD-R800 with Bluetooth. This was installed in August 2009.

I love the unit, but I have an irritating problem that I don't know if it's possible to fix without a firmware update...

When I start my vehicle and connect the dock cable to my iPhone, music begins to play - this is desirable. Unfortunately, after a few moments the BlueTooth pairing completes and the iPhone switches to playing Audio via A2DP, even tho the JVC unit doesn't switch to that input (not that I'd want A2DP over the dock cable anyway)

I've determined three 'work-arounds' for this situation:
a) don't connect the dock cable until the BlueTooth has paired (this is annoying, and can take up to a minute)
b) Via the JVC menu -> BlueTooth -> Device -> Disconnect Audio (this is labour intensive)
c) Go to the iPod App on the iPhone and manually select the output (The iPhone is very latent at updating this menu, and this is a labour intensive operation as well)

Is there a way to permanently disable the JVC's A2DP profile? I can't think of any circumstance where I'd rather play audio via BlueTooth rather than over the Dock cable - since a) the dock sounds better and b) charges the phone.
There doesn't seem to be a way to disable A2DP on the iPhone either.

Given the new driving-cell-phone laws in Ontario, I'd rather not have to spend a minute fiddling with my stereo and/or phone EVERY TIME I start my engine.

And a second query (which I suppose I could answer via experimentation) - can I connect a USB hub to the KD-R800 so I can plug in the dock cable and bluetooth adapter via the REAR connection? This way I don't have to constantly remove the bluetooth adapter from the front (I'm concerned about losing it), or have cables hanging from my dash. Ironically someone just asked me the same question via my personal 'blog where I discussed this: http://www.mike.geiger.ca/blog/index.php?/archives/409-Exorcising-my-Blessed-Radio.html

Thanks for your assistance.

Myke

Called around some Mississagua and Toronto iPhone-approved Rogers dealers today, none of whom (that answered) had any stock on 16GB iPhones (seems there's a few 8GB units around.)
Most were expecting to take delivery of more on Monday, and anticipating line-ups like they had on Friday morning.
Stuck my nose in a few other locations... no stock at all.

So just a few minutes ago, I decided I'd call Rogers and ask about how my existing contract and voice-plan affect things...

Not actually significantly more valuable than the old iPhone, but the old one is now almost worthless.

Hardware really isn't that exciting: Added GPS, upgraded the Cellular Radio, evolved tech means better battery-life and better form-factor, but unless Rogers actually puts some real network behind the HSDPA network to realize speeds that even come remotely close to WiFi... I drop calls from my desk, which is in the center of suburbia...

Rogers are idiots, right?

It's going to be like the Razr, given the new prices ($200 for the 8GB model! The Touch is pricier than that.)

Speaking of the Touch, this is the second slap in the face of iPod Touch owners - $10 for another firmware update - and at that, this one that only really enables me to give Apple more money

Remember kids: Even though it's $200, over your 2 year contract at $70+/mo, you're looking at an investment of well over $2200 when you consider hardware, voice plan, data plan, system access fees, taxes... And that's ignoring any content, apps, or accessories.

It's coming to Canada, and it's better than a Treo. I think I want one. Pretty sure I'll jailbreak my Touch once Firmware 2.1 comes out.

Today's Rally for Network Neutrality was well attended and well covered by the media (even CJOH - which Bell owns!) and there was free WiFi!

Some moments from the rally

There's a private member's bill to be introduced by the NDP, while there's a lot of skepticism surrounding it, it's worth drawing attention to and writing your local representatives at all levels of the government! Remember - Bell Canada is a government funded private corporation that is inhibiting competition from Independent Canadian ISPs - ISPs like Server North!
As a ratepayer, you should be annoyed. As a consumer, you should be irritated. As a friend of mine, you should be furious.

If you like choice and performance when it comes to your Internet access, or you just like to support the little-guy... please sneak out early for lunch on Tuesday and join myself and many others on Parliament Hill to rally for net-neutrality.

Don't know what Net Neutrality is? Think double-dipping by telcos wanting to charge extra for access to Google or Facebook... or making them load slower or after showing you ads. Notice how your VPN connection to the office got slower recently? That's thanks to Bell's new DPI from Ellacoya/Arbor. Your BitTorrenting on Rogers just not moving at full speed, even though it's a legitimate download? Enjoy their "bandwidth resource management".

And that's just the beginning. The CRTC doesn't appear to get it, so come help us make sure the message is heard.

Tuesday May 27th, 11:30 - 13:30 on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

I was considering scaling back the dataplan on my Treo and getting the basic WiMax radio so I can use my MacBook Pro with it... Clearly not worth it. I wonder if I can live without data on the Treo at all, just to I can give my overpriced dollars-per-kilobyte to say... Telus. (Go Telus GSM go! Bring us an iPhone!)