Muzak Encoding at Home? 77
zonker asks: "I work for a company that requires Muzak to be played over the speaker system all day long. However, I work into the night, well passed closing time, and often just crank up my own tunes on a computer with a nice set of speakers. I've been curious if anyone has developed any software that allows you to encode and burn to whatever format Muzak is using to make their discs. I've scraped around the net and haven't seen anything like it other than other people in similar environments that would like to make their own Muzak discs for their own after hours enjoyment. That thread has some interesting informational tidbits for starters. Does anyone on Slashdot know anything more about this?"
I could tell you how (Score:5, Funny)
Sorry
and the EUCD ... (Score:1)
your problem (Score:5, Funny)
There's your problem right there.
Re:your problem (Score:1)
Re:your problem (Score:2, Funny)
I really did when they get a Dylan tune going in soft, tinkly piano and have the whole sound compressed like helium.
In other news (Score:1)
Re:your problem (Score:1)
second of all, what sort of draconian homage to Ford requires Muzak be 'piped in' to pacify the workers? i really want to avoid ever having anything to do with such places, if i can, and that includes eschewing buying whatever they're pimping. as a consumer, i demand to know what corporation is a proponent of such misbehaviour on the part of the humanity in its midst
Literary References? (Score:2, Informative)
--Walter Pater
The Condition of Muzak - Jeremiah Cornelius
Thus, in a scene in Condition of Muzak (the end of the section called 'Outcast of the Islands'), there is a short discussion about the Japanese invasion of Australia and Jerry makes a reference
Re:your problem (Score:2)
I take it you didn't follow the link [muzak.com].
It's the audio you hear in the mall, in restaurants, everywhere and nowhere.
Re:your problem (Score:3, Insightful)
So, for us unenlightened people: Is Muzak a company, a general term for "elevator music", a specific electronic application or any of the above combined?
Re:your problem (Score:3, Informative)
Re:your problem (Score:2)
Re:your problem (Score:3, Insightful)
Because having silence would be very awkward. There's a bookstore near here that doesn't really have any music playing. When one is shopping near another customer, there's this sense that you must remain absolutely silent, so as to not disturb them or something. I can't really explain it further, but having silence is very awkward, having a background bed of music allows at least quiet conversation, walking without having to step tenderly, gas passing, all so
Re:your problem (Score:2)
You want to have people on hold listening to something that will soothe them, you want to have shoppers be motivated to stay longer and shop more, you want to have people waiting in the elevator to be less stressed.
There's a lot of science put in those compilations. Be it the bass or the actual melody.
Just like subliminal ads supposedly affect us, that music hypnotize.
Re:your problem (Score:2)
Re:your problem (Score:2)
So such a company wants to really drive home the point that "We have absolutely nothing of any interest to anyone. We will bore you to tears. You may as well just leave now and avoid the rush. Of course, we don't rush around here, either, so expect to wait in very long lines on the off chance you happen to find something you want to buy"?
Re:your problem (Score:2)
You mean the one that goes to a flash-only website?
Yeah, followed it. Saw no "click here to see our site annoyance-free" link. Closed the page.
Then again, as I already know about Muzak (though never tried visiting their website), I suppose it seems perfectly fitting that they make their website impossible to experience without annoyance.
Re:your problem (Score:2)
Re:your problem (Score:2)
easy fix (Score:5, Informative)
Re:easy fix (Score:2)
Solution not requiring electrical skillz: you can buy those now.
Re:"Buy?" Ha! (Obligatory cynical response.) (Score:2)
I meant male-to-male 1/8" mini audio cables...
Regardless of what they sell in the front half of the store, I contend that Radio Shack remains a geek haven. =]
Re:"Buy?" Ha! (Obligatory cynical response.) (Score:5, Funny)
You've got questions. We've got blank stares.
Re:"Buy?" Ha! (Obligatory cynical response.) (Score:1)
Three sites that might help: (Score:5, Informative)
The previous link led me to suspect Green Book as the format for Muzak. CD-Interactive Spec [philips.com]
CD-I Bridge: A program that reads Green Book Formats [disctronics.co.uk]
So it looks to me like you have two options- fiddle with the dip switches to find a setting that will allow you to play Red Book CDs, or find a program that allows you to write CD-Interactive Green Book Format discs.
Re:Three sites that might help: (Score:5, Informative)
Anyone who makes progress getting this stuff to run, let me know, it'd be great to carry a few "muzak that doesn't suck" CDs in the car at all times, and offer them to repressed workers in such environments.
Re:Three sites that might help: (Score:2)
Re:Three sites that might help: (Score:2, Funny)
Or moderate it to +4 informative. Either way.
The problem with CD-i... (Score:3, Informative)
every CD-BGM disc also needs to include a CD-i application to allow for playback on a CD-i player. [hitsquad.com]
If you read the CD-i spec, you'll see that it's basically just a generic "autoplay" type of disc. In fact, it may not even be that generic. Apparently, the CD-i machine either runs the OS-9 [rtsi.com] realtime operating system (made by these guys [radisys.com]) or it's loaded from the disc itself.
So, to make your own discs, you need to add a software
Re:The problem with CD-i... (Score:2)
OS-9 Level II took advantage of dynamic address translation hardware, and allowed a mapped address space of one megabyte on most systems, and up to two megabytes on others, most notably the Tandy Color Computer 3.
Aaah.. I need to get that one out of the attic someday. Fuzzy memories.
The only stuff I did with OS-9 was "ex rogue -x" and play Koronis Rift.
Was there anything else interesting to do?
Re:The problem with CD-i... (Score:2)
As far as whether there was anything else interesting you could do with OS-9, the answer is "yes" - if you had an assembler, a C compiler or BASIC-09, plus Multi-Vue (windowing). I mean, look at (just a few) of the CoCo 3 games that were made for OS-9: Koronis
If you're investigating... (Score:2)
If you want people to try to work on this, try posting an image.
If you're not investigating this, have you considered just switching the Muzak player to play regular CDs?
Re:If you're investigating... (Score:1)
I second that! If you're worried about copyright liability, just post the first and last copule megabytes of the disc.
Device to override Muzak (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Device to override Muzak (Score:4, Funny)
note to the "editors" (Score:1, Informative)
The word you want is "past." Just because words sound the same doesn't mean you can switch them.
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:5, Funny)
While pouring over messageboard posts, you should of come to the conclusion that for all intensive purposes, the battle your fighting... its hopeless.
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2, Funny)
Ahem. "You should have" instead. The "should of" sound you are looking for is the contraction, "should've." Check your own before you check anyone else's.
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2)
Someone mod parent funny, quick, before I start two worry that a living, breathing human can actually be as clueless as bibliophage seams to be.
French benefits (Score:2, Funny)
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2)
For all those about to post corrections....Whoosh! (Score:2)
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:1)
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2)
While pouring over messageboard posts
Well you are making the dude's point now aren't you? Only way you can pour yourself over the posts is if you are Odo from Deep Space 9. Or Bjork, perhaps; she claims to be able to do this in one of her songs ("come over, and I'll pour myself all over you").
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2)
But then I realized it was a feint, and you were trying to use some kind of ancient nerd-jitsu and reverse the troll against me. Not today, my friend - but I salute you nonetheless!
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:1)
And no, it's not hopeless. As long as there are those who still have the drive and the will to correct the errors as they see them, there is still hope. =D
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2)
Just because words sound the same doesn't mean you can switch them.
Kind of like you can't just switch your Muzak player to play regular CDs. Just because it's possible to switch it doesn't mean that you're allowed to. Just get some really really good closed-back headphones (www.sennheizer.com) and a ($PREFERED_RELIGIOUS_ICON help all us old farts) portable CD player!
:)
Re:note to the "editors" (Score:2)
I meant to say http://www.sennheiserusa.com/ [sennheiserusa.com]
I pressed the Z accidently before, and also should have checked the URL before I hit submit...
I'm up for a challenge (Score:1)
Line out? (Score:2)
Muzak CDs? (Score:1)
Re:Muzak CDs? (Score:2)
Re:Muzak CDs? (Score:2)
Re:Muzak CDs? (Score:2)
At least it's not piped in via satelitte... (Score:1)
Totally closed system, although many attempts were made to get around it, we ended up having to turn it down (at least we could control that much) and setting up someones boom box turned up to 11.
Re:At least it's not piped in via satelitte... (Score:1)
Re:At least it's not piped in via satelitte... (Score:1)
Re:At least it's not piped in via satelitte... (Score:1)
Re:At least it's not piped in via satelitte... (Score:2)
Dear god, mankind is doomed!!
Muzak, in fact, has their own satellite (Score:2)
Re:At least it's not piped in via satelitte... (Score:2)
Last time I had to work in a place with Muzak (10 years ago - high school), were could choose which of about a dozen channels to listen to. Classical, classics, pop, country, seasonal (Christmas - I don't know what they did the rest of the year), and several others that I forget.
We just had to go into the office and turn a knob to change it. We even had a different setting for the back room (normally turned to off).
Unfortunately.. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Unfortunately.. (Score:2)
Sheesh, RTFQ, he said he didn't want to listen to muzak.
In our building (Score:1)
The real question (Score:2)