Pfft, most "audio pros" use Firewire these days. I remember getting quite excited about the audio line-in when I bought the 15" PowerBook G4 I'm using right now only to find I needed a preamp. \
It's not necessarily about if they could fit it in but should they. If the line-in's removal contributed to the across-the-board price drops, fine by me. It's good to know the headphone jack now sports another connector for audio input sans preamp, in addition to the built-in mic, USB2.0, and FW800.
I don't know, it isn't like mixing boards really change all the time. I mean, I had a FW400 Mixer and had issues using it, then somebody dropped my Macbook with firewire requiring me to buy a new laptop. I had all of this software that was relatively new, but I had to get a different mixer that supported USB 2.0. Now this comes out with firewire 800 which could have solved the problem with a little adapter, not to mention, it's cheaper.
Make up your mind Apple. Don't give us your BS "logic", get us all to buy into it, and then change your mind.
As for the audio ports, they were great for ripping audio files that couldn't be converted easily. I know there are other ways, but I used to run a 1/8" male to male into the audio out and in and just record commercials or random "not easily" converted audio files that way.
Before I started purchasing mixing boards and firewire or USB audio devices, the audio in was a great way to do some basic audio recording, especially if you were on the go. You could easy plug in a guitar or mic.
I don't buy the "it cuts down on cost". You're already drilling the unibody full of holes, what would two more cost?
I don't know, it isn't like mixing boards really change all the time. I mean, I had a FW400 Mixer and had issues using it, then somebody dropped my Macbook with firewire requiring me to buy a new laptop. I had all of this software that was relatively new, but I had to get a different mixer that supported USB 2.0. Now this comes out with firewire 800 which could have solved the problem with a little adapter, not to mention, it's cheaper.
1) Apple coming out with a new MacBook does not require you to ditch your old MacBook.
2) There were MBPs and polycarb MBs for you to buy if your old MB had become unusable.
Quote:
I don't buy the "it cuts down on cost". You're already drilling the unibody full of holes, what would two more cost?
If drilling holes were the only way to add a port, then sure, but it’s slightly more complicated than that. There is also an issue with space again which may be why the 13” MBP didn’t get the separate audio-in, but I don’t see why you’d use it if you have professional equipment. Apple could put it anywhere, but this is Apple and they follow a certain aesthetic which you should expect with each revision.
I use the audio input on my old iMac and my 13" aluminum Macbook a lot. If and when I get a new 13" Macbook pro, then I guess it would matter. The input comes in handy for getting audio from the tape out on a mixer, or anything with line or tape out. The USB microphones that are being sold for podcasting are not very good, but you can get a "Blue Iclcle", USB-XLR adapter that will allow you to use a good microphone in the USB port.
Like I said, it only matters if you buy a new 13" Macbook pro. If you can afford that, then you can afford an adapter or USB/firewire mixer.
I use the audio input on my old iMac and my 13" aluminum Macbook a lot. If and when I get a new 13" Macbook pro, then I guess it would matter. The input comes in handy for getting audio from the tape out on a mixer, or anything with line or tape out.
That hasn?t changed. You still have a 3.5mm analog audio line-in. What you don?t have is a separate line-in and line-out jack. Unless you are listening to headphones while importing your tapes there isn?t much of an issue. I doubt that many will be affected by this. In fact, the most likely to be affected seem to be those who will want to use old-style headphones with mic that have the input and output as separate plugs on the same cable.
The 13" still have Audio IN, it is just on the same jack.
Yes, that's my question. Is that jack a audio input hybrid because it has an extra conductor like the iPhone? Because that isn't exactly a solution for audio input since it's basically a special plug.
I'm hoping the hybrid jack is capable of auto-sensing and is reconfigurable to act as a standard 3 conductor audio input or output jack. There's been reconfigurable audio jacks in PC motherboards for a while so it can't be that hard to do.
One issue that I have is the lack of similar speakers on the 13-inch versus the 15-inch and 17-inch.
For what earthly listening purpose -- other than the 'ping' at startup, or a lo-res lo-quality Youtube video/audio -- did you use the 15-inch and 17-inch speaker for!?
They're all crappy. I am not sure I can tell the difference between the various levels of crappiness across the different models.
I used it to muck around in garageband. Basically I'd play a song through iTunes then use a male to male audio cord I had lying around to feed it back into the input on the same laptop and sample the song in garageband. Then I'd chop it up for shits and giggles.
Unless you are listening to headphones while importing your tapes there isn?t much of an issue.
I'm assuming that what they've done is make it take an iPhone-style headphone jack + mono mic input. If that's true, then the laptop no longer has analog stereo input.
If, on the other hand, what they've done is to make it either an input or an output, but not both at the same time, people would not be able to use headsets with Skype, or record a musical instrument while listening through headphones.
I have not heard the final word on this, but either way, it seems a little weak.
I'm assuming that what they've done is make it take an iPhone-style headphone jack + mono mic input. If that's true, then the laptop no longer has analog stereo input.
If, on the other hand, what they've done is to make it either an input or an output, but not both at the same time, people would not be able to use headsets with Skype, or record a musical instrument while listening through headphones.
I have not heard the final word on this, but either way, it seems a little weak.
Per Apple tech specs page: Combined optical digital output/headphone out (user-selectable analog audio line in)
Like the iDevices there is a separate connector. You can use Skype and such, but you?ll need compatible headphones.
I ran out and bought the last of the Black MacBooks the day they announced the 13" Unibody MacBook for FEAR I would never be able to get another 13" mobile Mac with a Firewire port. I told everyone that model was crazy and not to buy it. I wonder if sales were unusually slow on it. Glad to see Apple marketing came to its senses. I'm sure engineering protested a lot about the idea of not keeping Firewire on the first model. Made no sense.
I like the new model a lot. But it's not enough faster than my BlackBook @ 2.4GHz to make me want to get one until it runs @ over 3GHz with 4 cores. I'm standing pat now until 3GHz Quad Core MacBook Pros come out - prolly in 2011. I know they will start @ 2.5GHz later this year or early next year. But my mobile needs are modest so I'm happy with my 13" 2.4 GHz C2D BlackBook & 17" 2.6 GHz C2D Book Pro for another 2 years or so. Snow Leopard should be a great boost to both of their performance characteristics.
Per Apple tech specs page: Combined optical digital output/headphone out (user-selectable analog audio line in)
Like the iDevices there is a separate connector. You can use Skype and such, but you?ll need compatible headphones.
You are assuming you know what "user-selectable analog audio line in" means. Do you have inside information, or have any other technical details to point to? What you're saying makes sense, but until I have more information I won't jump to that conclusion. The word "selectable" strikes me as odd, since it would seem to imply the user would have to make some sort of system setting to change the output to an input, and if that's the case then it could not be used for both in and out at the same time.
Does anyone have any in-depth knowledge of Firewire 3200? All of the cables, connectors, and ports are visibly identical right? Have suppliers pushed out working silicon yet? Has anyone seen a tear-down of the new Macbook Pros?
I know it's highly unlikely, but is there any way the new MB pros could be FW3200 compatible? Even with a firmware upgrade? Wouldn't that be an awesome surprise? Like 802.11N!
As for the audio ports, they were great for ripping audio files that couldn't be converted easily. I know there are other ways, but I used to run a 1/8" male to male into the audio out and in and just record commercials or random "not easily" converted audio files that way.
Hmm... so you used an audio cable to go from your Mac, back to your Mac, to record audio playing out of your speakers? It may be simpler to just use audio stripping software. One neat little program is called WireTap from Ambrosia software (http://www.ambrosiasw.com/). It's a bit of a cost, I admit, but it lets you take audio from pretty much anything.
This isn't an endorsement, just a suggestion. I don't get paid, though it would be nice if someone wanted to pay me!
The hardware of the new MacBook Pro 13'' is pretty nice but this story about Jack troubles me.
I sometimes use the audio input in combination of the audio out to plug my guitar and listen to what I'm playing with headphones or some good quaity speakers.
Since I'm not a "pro" I don't wanna buy costly peripherals which can perform better than this combination. I have an amplifier but simetimes I wanna play with my cmputer: so now I won't be able to do that anymore ? And come-on, I don't care about the SD card stuff since I'm using a Sony camera with Memory Sticks.
I'm also concerned about those "headphone + mic" handset which can be very useful: will we still be able to use them ?
Apple is always bragging about "making multimedia easier" with their computer, but they did it wrong this time.
About the comming-back-from-the-grave of the firewire, I'm a bit surprised: I thought they wanted to trash the Firewire ?
Since Setve is gone, Apple's politic is becoming hard to understand. I'm trusting them less and less, which is the worse.
About the comming-back-from-the-grave of the firewire, I'm a bit surprised: I thought they wanted to trash the Firewire ?
They never said nor implied any such thing. A bunch of hyper over-reactive people assumed a grand conspiracy against firewire instead of the real reason - lack of physical real-estate.
Did anyone use the audio in port? Most pro audio users have other means of input, mainly outboard usb boxes, but mainly firewire ones. If anything, the addition of firewire is far better for the pros than anything else.
I have a Line 6 X3 Live modeling pedal (basically digital guitar effects, amps and cabinets for my Strats) that I pipe the S/PDIF digital output (stereo) through a digital coax->optical converter and in through the toslink optical digital audio input of my BlackBook to Logic. Its a very good digital signal, so no need to go to analog only to roundtrip back to digital again.
Yes, any "standard" analog goes through my FW-based MOTU UltraLite mk3 (which also does MIDI in via FW) -- except for vocals and mic'ed acoustic guitars which get the Apogee Duet treatment.
But its far cleaner to just take the digital signal from the modeling pedal completely digital into Logic. And even with a 2.2GHz BlackBook I can simultaneously feed digital audio in and one of the FW audio interfaces.
So yes, FW audio interfaces are tha shiznit, but digital audio inputs have their place in many budget mobile recording rigs.
I readily admit that the way I use this is an outlier (OTOH, its part of why I switched to the Mac platform). I will say that I don't really mind this going missing in the 13" MacBook (Pro) as long as the other MBPs continue to support it.
Comments
Pfft, most "audio pros" use Firewire these days. I remember getting quite excited about the audio line-in when I bought the 15" PowerBook G4 I'm using right now only to find I needed a preamp.
It's not necessarily about if they could fit it in but should they. If the line-in's removal contributed to the across-the-board price drops, fine by me. It's good to know the headphone jack now sports another connector for audio input sans preamp, in addition to the built-in mic, USB2.0, and FW800.
I don't know, it isn't like mixing boards really change all the time. I mean, I had a FW400 Mixer and had issues using it, then somebody dropped my Macbook with firewire requiring me to buy a new laptop. I had all of this software that was relatively new, but I had to get a different mixer that supported USB 2.0. Now this comes out with firewire 800 which could have solved the problem with a little adapter, not to mention, it's cheaper.
Make up your mind Apple. Don't give us your BS "logic", get us all to buy into it, and then change your mind.
As for the audio ports, they were great for ripping audio files that couldn't be converted easily. I know there are other ways, but I used to run a 1/8" male to male into the audio out and in and just record commercials or random "not easily" converted audio files that way.
Before I started purchasing mixing boards and firewire or USB audio devices, the audio in was a great way to do some basic audio recording, especially if you were on the go. You could easy plug in a guitar or mic.
I don't buy the "it cuts down on cost". You're already drilling the unibody full of holes, what would two more cost?
I don't know, it isn't like mixing boards really change all the time. I mean, I had a FW400 Mixer and had issues using it, then somebody dropped my Macbook with firewire requiring me to buy a new laptop. I had all of this software that was relatively new, but I had to get a different mixer that supported USB 2.0. Now this comes out with firewire 800 which could have solved the problem with a little adapter, not to mention, it's cheaper.
1) Apple coming out with a new MacBook does not require you to ditch your old MacBook.
2) There were MBPs and polycarb MBs for you to buy if your old MB had become unusable.
I don't buy the "it cuts down on cost". You're already drilling the unibody full of holes, what would two more cost?
If drilling holes were the only way to add a port, then sure, but it’s slightly more complicated than that. There is also an issue with space again which may be why the 13” MBP didn’t get the separate audio-in, but I don’t see why you’d use it if you have professional equipment. Apple could put it anywhere, but this is Apple and they follow a certain aesthetic which you should expect with each revision.
Like I said, it only matters if you buy a new 13" Macbook pro. If you can afford that, then you can afford an adapter or USB/firewire mixer.
I use the audio input on my old iMac and my 13" aluminum Macbook a lot. If and when I get a new 13" Macbook pro, then I guess it would matter. The input comes in handy for getting audio from the tape out on a mixer, or anything with line or tape out.
That hasn?t changed. You still have a 3.5mm analog audio line-in. What you don?t have is a separate line-in and line-out jack. Unless you are listening to headphones while importing your tapes there isn?t much of an issue. I doubt that many will be affected by this. In fact, the most likely to be affected seem to be those who will want to use old-style headphones with mic that have the input and output as separate plugs on the same cable.
The 13" still have Audio IN, it is just on the same jack.
Yes, that's my question. Is that jack a audio input hybrid because it has an extra conductor like the iPhone? Because that isn't exactly a solution for audio input since it's basically a special plug.
I'm hoping the hybrid jack is capable of auto-sensing and is reconfigurable to act as a standard 3 conductor audio input or output jack. There's been reconfigurable audio jacks in PC motherboards for a while so it can't be that hard to do.
One issue that I have is the lack of similar speakers on the 13-inch versus the 15-inch and 17-inch.
For what earthly listening purpose -- other than the 'ping' at startup, or a lo-res lo-quality Youtube video/audio -- did you use the 15-inch and 17-inch speaker for!?
They're all crappy. I am not sure I can tell the difference between the various levels of crappiness across the different models.
Did anyone use the audio in port?
I used it to muck around in garageband. Basically I'd play a song through iTunes then use a male to male audio cord I had lying around to feed it back into the input on the same laptop and sample the song in garageband. Then I'd chop it up for shits and giggles.
Unless you are listening to headphones while importing your tapes there isn?t much of an issue.
I'm assuming that what they've done is make it take an iPhone-style headphone jack + mono mic input. If that's true, then the laptop no longer has analog stereo input.
If, on the other hand, what they've done is to make it either an input or an output, but not both at the same time, people would not be able to use headsets with Skype, or record a musical instrument while listening through headphones.
I have not heard the final word on this, but either way, it seems a little weak.
I'm assuming that what they've done is make it take an iPhone-style headphone jack + mono mic input. If that's true, then the laptop no longer has analog stereo input.
If, on the other hand, what they've done is to make it either an input or an output, but not both at the same time, people would not be able to use headsets with Skype, or record a musical instrument while listening through headphones.
I have not heard the final word on this, but either way, it seems a little weak.
Per Apple tech specs page: Combined optical digital output/headphone out (user-selectable analog audio line in)
Like the iDevices there is a separate connector. You can use Skype and such, but you?ll need compatible headphones.
I like the new model a lot. But it's not enough faster than my BlackBook @ 2.4GHz to make me want to get one until it runs @ over 3GHz with 4 cores. I'm standing pat now until 3GHz Quad Core MacBook Pros come out - prolly in 2011. I know they will start @ 2.5GHz later this year or early next year. But my mobile needs are modest so I'm happy with my 13" 2.4 GHz C2D BlackBook & 17" 2.6 GHz C2D Book Pro for another 2 years or so. Snow Leopard should be a great boost to both of their performance characteristics.
Per Apple tech specs page: Combined optical digital output/headphone out (user-selectable analog audio line in)
Like the iDevices there is a separate connector. You can use Skype and such, but you?ll need compatible headphones.
You are assuming you know what "user-selectable analog audio line in" means. Do you have inside information, or have any other technical details to point to? What you're saying makes sense, but until I have more information I won't jump to that conclusion. The word "selectable" strikes me as odd, since it would seem to imply the user would have to make some sort of system setting to change the output to an input, and if that's the case then it could not be used for both in and out at the same time.
That hasn?t changed. You still have a 3.5mm analog audio line-in.
Fool. It's not stereo anymore.
Does anyone have any in-depth knowledge of Firewire 3200? All of the cables, connectors, and ports are visibly identical right? Have suppliers pushed out working silicon yet? Has anyone seen a tear-down of the new Macbook Pros?
I know it's highly unlikely, but is there any way the new MB pros could be FW3200 compatible? Even with a firmware upgrade? Wouldn't that be an awesome surprise? Like 802.11N!
As for the audio ports, they were great for ripping audio files that couldn't be converted easily. I know there are other ways, but I used to run a 1/8" male to male into the audio out and in and just record commercials or random "not easily" converted audio files that way.
Hmm... so you used an audio cable to go from your Mac, back to your Mac, to record audio playing out of your speakers? It may be simpler to just use audio stripping software. One neat little program is called WireTap from Ambrosia software (http://www.ambrosiasw.com/). It's a bit of a cost, I admit, but it lets you take audio from pretty much anything.
This isn't an endorsement, just a suggestion. I don't get paid, though it would be nice if someone wanted to pay me!
I sometimes use the audio input in combination of the audio out to plug my guitar and listen to what I'm playing with headphones or some good quaity speakers.
Since I'm not a "pro" I don't wanna buy costly peripherals which can perform better than this combination. I have an amplifier but simetimes I wanna play with my cmputer: so now I won't be able to do that anymore ? And come-on, I don't care about the SD card stuff since I'm using a Sony camera with Memory Sticks.
I'm also concerned about those "headphone + mic" handset which can be very useful: will we still be able to use them ?
Apple is always bragging about "making multimedia easier" with their computer, but they did it wrong this time.
About the comming-back-from-the-grave of the firewire, I'm a bit surprised: I thought they wanted to trash the Firewire ?
Since Setve is gone, Apple's politic is becoming hard to understand. I'm trusting them less and less, which is the worse.
About the comming-back-from-the-grave of the firewire, I'm a bit surprised: I thought they wanted to trash the Firewire ?
They never said nor implied any such thing. A bunch of hyper over-reactive people assumed a grand conspiracy against firewire instead of the real reason - lack of physical real-estate.
I Cant wait till more SDXC card and reader to come through though.
Did anyone use the audio in port? Most pro audio users have other means of input, mainly outboard usb boxes, but mainly firewire ones. If anything, the addition of firewire is far better for the pros than anything else.
I have a Line 6 X3 Live modeling pedal (basically digital guitar effects, amps and cabinets for my Strats) that I pipe the S/PDIF digital output (stereo) through a digital coax->optical converter and in through the toslink optical digital audio input of my BlackBook to Logic. Its a very good digital signal, so no need to go to analog only to roundtrip back to digital again.
Yes, any "standard" analog goes through my FW-based MOTU UltraLite mk3 (which also does MIDI in via FW) -- except for vocals and mic'ed acoustic guitars which get the Apogee Duet treatment.
But its far cleaner to just take the digital signal from the modeling pedal completely digital into Logic. And even with a 2.2GHz BlackBook I can simultaneously feed digital audio in and one of the FW audio interfaces.
So yes, FW audio interfaces are tha shiznit, but digital audio inputs have their place in many budget mobile recording rigs.
I readily admit that the way I use this is an outlier (OTOH, its part of why I switched to the Mac platform). I will say that I don't really mind this going missing in the 13" MacBook (Pro) as long as the other MBPs continue to support it.