Yamaha Expansion Manager (YEM) - using WINE (Ubuntu)

Yamaha publish the Expansion Manager for Tyros and the PSR series, with this you can merge Expansion packs together, create voices and drums then save as a custom expansion pack.

I downloaded version 2.3.1 for Windows, on my Ubuntu PC I have WINE installed.

Double click the EXE and it installs fine, no errors.

Run the Expansion Manager icon on the desktop and it works great, as a test I created a pack mixing the Europe and Mexico expansion.

My Yamaha PSR-S970 experience so far from Rimmers Music

I've not had a good start to my experience.

The dealer I chose to supply it (Rimmers Music @ Blackburn) had sent me a mail yesterday saying it was being delivered today and a courier reference.

Entering the courier reference gives me a "not found" message and it's now way outside the window they would deliver.

To say I'm not impressed is an understatement and I've no confidence in them now for my future purchases, my daughter wants a Fender Jaguar and I'll be sure to exclude them from my choices, even if they are a bit cheaper.

I'll probably end up with my 970 sometime next week, I've already got a buyer for my PSR-S650 and he's collecting it next Saturday so things could be interesting, I'll have to play the comb and tissue paper for a couple of days at this rate ......

Yamaha PSR-S650 USR Registrations

I'm switching to a Yamaha PSR-S970 today so I thought I would share my registrations I've saved with the S650.

Each USR file is saved with a registration for a song, please note the registration file will over write all 8 banks in the keyboard so be sure to save your registrations first using the file menu.

Copy the USR file(s) to the USER FILES folder on your USB thumb drive, load the USR file through the files menu.

Here's the location of my Registration files - one is called BLANK, this will load with just a piano in Registration bank 1, preset 1.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0i61ACEKeL_d1VTRFNTVEVLMjQ/view?usp=sharing

Pi 2 - Happy Valentines

The Raspberry Pi 2 has hit the stores and my wife uses mine as a media PC using XBMC so I got her one for Valentines (who says True Loves dead?) - she knows about it and was really keen to get one.

The Pi 2 takes a micro SD so I grabbed a spare one, I also noticed RaspBmc is posted end of life, in favour of OSMC (Open Source Media Center)

I went over to their download section https://osmc.tv/download/linux/ and installed the OSMC installer in linux, this seems a great idea as you have a dedicated installer so it's handy when you need to wipe or reprogram the unit.

I followed the Ubuntu/Xubuntu 12.04 info as my server runs 12.04 LTS.

As a tip, add the GPG key first, this saves you getting errors because the public key isn't qualified i.e execute these two lines first.

wget http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:osmc/xUbuntu_12.04/Release.key
sudo apt-key add - < Release.key 

Once that's done you just need to grab the rest of the code to install the OSMC installer (check the web site though as through time the link below will change).

sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/osmc/xUbuntu_12.04/ /' >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/osmc-installer.list"
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install osmc-installer

At this point you launch the installer, it's very straight forwards, it is all graphical and you just need to select your SD card, confirm you want to install, it wiped the card and put the files on in just a couple of minutes.

On powering up the Pi 2 it only takes a couple of minutes to completely install OSMC and Kodi, I'll have a play now and see what's what.

So far though I would say to try out OSMC and the new Pi 2 looks very nippy, boot time is really quick and it zips through menus.
    

Roller Bridge on Rimini 6

My Daughter damaged her Vintage VB 100 - the neck was beyond repair after falling over, fortunately the insurance covered much of the cost.

We got a beautiful Rimini 6 guitar, absolutely staggering to look at, as it bedded in though we notice the dreaded buzz that most guitars suffer with, tracing the fault it was the Tune-o-matic bridge.

I removed the bridge wire but it made little difference, the irony was her VB100 also had some bridge buzz from the Tune-o-matic.

Looking around I could see the solution was to invest in a bridge, a lot of people recommend roller bridges so I found one very cheap on Ebay that matched the dimensions, came with a saddle (which we didn't need) and some other hardware.

Removing the old bridge is just a case of loosen the strings and lifting it out, I realized then that the new bridge was not 100 match on the post holes, the old one was 8mm studs and the new one had 4mm studs, I didn't want to drill a new guitar and as the new bridge was only £11.99 I decided to manually expand the holes on it.

The plan was to get it to fit, see if it cures the buzz and if needed use this as a template to a more expensive bridge.

Anyway, I manually filed the holes (using a vernier caliper to help gauge how much to remove) and although I over filed a little here and there I pretty much got it right, the new bridge slotted on, I could adjust the azimuth and lock the two allen nuts then the bridge height needed setting, the existing bridge posts were still there so they can do that and finally the intonation for the string tuning.

Within 10 minutes of fitting this bridge the buzzing was gone, so it was just a case of adjusting the intonation etc.
The only thing I needed to do, because the roller bridge lifts the strings a little more aggressively I noticed a slight buzz from the saddle (as it had lifted a little), I cut a piece of neoprene about 1cm x 5 cm and slid it under, the slight buzz was gone from there.

Jim, her guitar teacher adjusted the intonation and its now sounding amazing.

I suppose Tune-o-matic are a choice, some will like them, some wont, its a shame it buzzes so badly as the quality of the Rimini 6 body is amazing, now though, even with a cheap set of strings on it's transformed, we'll get some Martin strings on in a week or two but already the effort in a couple of hours of filing to get this bridge to fit have proven themselves worthwhile.

The advantage of the roller bridge is you can lock everything, the bridge has two allen nuts to adjust it's azimuth then you can lock it to the bridge posts as tight as you want, then the strings can be adjusted individually and the adjustment locked, the saddles can be turned around if you can't get the intonation exactly right, there are two anchor holes, you can see in the pic that 3 are turned to face in one direction and 3 in another.

Even using a guess to file the slots bigger I found the strings lined up great, while I'm typing this Beth is hammering all sorts of tunes out on it and not a buzz in sight.

For the time being it's so good there's little point changing anything, if needed I'll use the one I've manually adjusted as a template to a replacement but it sounds so clear and crisp that it's staying on until we get to this stage.

Considering the small outlay I can't recommend the switch to roller bridge highly enough, even Jim was impressed with the bridge.

I got the kit from Streetwise guitars
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/streetwiseguitars?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

This is the kit I got

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271517959751

We didn't need all the hardware but for the money I've no complaints, I'll rate this 10/10 - it's my own fault the bridge post holes were not exactly right but it's no biggie to get a file out and it's encouraging that the issue wasn't the guitar  body, neck etc but just a cheap bridge fitted in the factory.

Windows 7 - Purge it with Fire

I've got more laptops to look at and fix from "Friends" than I have actual friends so I'm not sure what's gone on here.

One is more ridden with viruses and other filth that I think the only sure way to sort it out is to put in a furnace and let the flames sterilize it.

Turn it on and it's like watching a cartoon as multiple programs start (or try to start) and browser windows pop up like flags in the wind, then I found it had Omiga Plus loaded which is supposed to be for nasty than anything you've seen.

Looks like she's installed everything offered to her, I'll just have this program it MUST be good, it's free.

The browser redirects while your typing or even without touching it.
I went to put the Microsoft security essentials on, it would have been easier pulling a tooth out an angry bear.

I find it amazing that considering you pay for Windows they can't control it, the external viruses and malware are more extensive than ever, even while I was on the Microsoft site the browser popped up a window offering what looks like Microsoft engineers to check and fix my computer, clearly more malware.

Shocking is hardly the word to describe it - I'll have a go at cleaning it but it looks the only way to do this is the old fashioned way - wipe it and reload it.

Even now, while Security essentials is scanning it's popped up a window to tell me something else won't run.

Ah well, another day lost sorting these filth ridden machines out, I have none of this with Ubuntu, in fact I took my laptop to a site I knew infected my friends Windows machine, quite amusing as it asked for permission to launch an EXE file - which I gave, it then didn't quite know what to do so asked again, and again I gave permission and after a few seconds it opened about 50 windows in the browser then gave up.

In windows there's no indicator anything is happening, you go the site and you're infected, it's quick and silent.

Time to see what happens when Microsoft Security Essentials has finished .....

BMW 116ED 2 years on and a new arrival

I can't believe it's 2 years now since I've had the 116ED.

It's having it's 2nd Fleet service but in reality it's still 1400 miles or more from it's actual first service (Most modern engines are xx,000 miles or 2 years which ever comes first - in this case it looks about 25k perhaps 26k interval which is fine ).

This time it needs a couple of bits, some new brakes, front wipers (I replaced the rear a couple of weeks ago), new pollen filter and oil filter.

I replaced the rear tyres a few months back, the front are still fine - I suspect I'll get through 2 sets of rear by the time the front need changing.
The car comes with Michelin as standard, I'm a big fan of Michelin, having had them on many cars, they seem to suit this car very well, no skipping or shuddering, the rear were replaced with Bridgestones, they seemed to be quite different, taking a couple of months to settle in, they are not too bad but given a choice I would put the Michelin energy tyres back on.

All in all over 24000 miles I have averaged 51.9 MPG which is 50% more than my previous Diesel, my tax remains low and it's put money back in my pocket on the fuel and tax I've saved.

Motorways still return 60 MPG + with ease, the best I've had has still not been beaten 72.4 MPG on a 90 mile run at 50 MPH.

Another trip to  Scotland and back it advised I had saved 125 miles with my driving style and still 140 miles left in the tank and that's at the end of almost a 600 mile journey.

Steering, handling and everything are still like new, no thumps, rattles or parts falling off, no torque steer, no issues at all really.
It will be interesting to see how it fares for the next 2 years.

On the private side I used my company discount scheme to purchase a Fiat 500L for my wife, Pop star edition in Bright red - a massive discount and preferential interest rate meant it made the deal even more tempting, in fairness I offered her a choice of anything she fancied and after many weekends searching the 500L caught her eye, it's quite an unusual design, nice and funky inside with 500L trim on the red and black seats, we also opted for the 5ft SkyDome roof.

Town driving at the moment is returning 37MPG from the 1.4 petrol engine, we took it on a 100 mile run at 70MPH and returned over 55MPG so this looks a good compromise for low mileage family use - mostly it will be town driving, as much as I would have liked to get the 0.9L eco engine it was not going to pay for itself over the expected 5000 miles per year, saying that compared to Ford who wanted over £3000 for their 0.9L Eco engine Fiat only wanted £1400.

We're hoping to exchange it at the end of 3 years for another (if the scheme is still going) although we can purchase it for a nice reduction in the final price.
Service interval for this engine is 20000 miles so we won't technically hit the full service figure but we'll probably do a mini service at 12 months and a full one at 24 then a final mini service at 36 months.

It's got tons of interior room, 5 adults sit easily, headroom is vast and plenty of leg room the rear seats can even recline so it's great for tootling around in, City steering makes the electric steering even lighter and it's nice and quiet, made even better at speed with a 6 speed box. 16" alloys as standard also help ride comfort and noise levels, there was little point in going for different alloys, the standard ones are fine.

Body roll is low, almost on par with the 116, it's strange to see a car as high as our old Shogun but roll hardly at all, even in strong winds it's not moved much on the road so the drive is great on it, no bouncing along, just simple smooth driving - I've got an 08 plate Astra on loan while my 116 is being serviced and it's like sitting in a Jack in the Box, the damn thing is bouncing all over the road, pulling to the left (I don't miss the damn torque steer) and the steering rack is vague to say the least, thank God it's only for a day and I'm taking it back tomorrow, the 500L is vastly better than the Astra on its road presence, its amazing how chassis design and suspension has advanced in such a short time.

I won't even mention the noise from the Vauxhall 1.9D engine, it rattles like a box of spanners, getting in the 116 is considerably quieter (there's still a bit of diesel noise but also some nice noises then you floor the throttle), the 500L is very quiet, you notice the engine under hard acceleration but apart from that only know it's running because the rev counter tells you it is.

Boot space is great and includes an adjustable base which can be fitted in three positions, electric sun blind the whole length of the glass roof, voice controlled stereo with Bluetooth, it reads and sends text messages by voice, dials numbers and locations,  changes audio source, tunes the radio, even plays particular bands such as "Play ColdPlay", along with Cruise control, speed limiter and air con as standard it's well equipped.

A nice touch is the dash being colour coded to the car body so  a shiny red dash in this case - mid life crisis at a sensible level.

The Pop Star version has the 5 inch touch screen which is ample - the display colour coded to the car (I think you can switch between 2 colours)

One feature I noticed if you put a formatted USB thumb drive in the USB slot (by the 12v socket near the gear lever) you can enable Eco driving tips, it records your driving, acceleration/braking, cornering forces, gear changes and then you can view the report to improve your driving style.

It's a great idea and you just need their free app - http://www2.fiat.co.uk/ecodrive/#ecodrive/intro