A Trader’s Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper
The Lois McKendrick runs headlong into trouble when a routine in-system transit goes bad. Ishmael and the rest of the crew must scramble to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it in order to keep the ship alive. Learn more about the officers and crew as they struggle to keep their ship and discover how Ishmael finds out how wrong he’s been about what it means to be a spacer in this latest Trader’s Tale.
I should have summarized at the beginning of that detailed explanation:
According to the link you provided, the Behringer Tube Ultragain MIC200 does NOT have a stereo output jack. It is a BALANCED MONO jack, and should not, in any practical scenario I can think of, be used with a standard stereo cable into the iRiver. THAT is the error.
A mono balanced signal is an enhanced method, using two conductors, of carrying a mono signal. Though two signals are used, there’s nothing stereo about it, and treating it as such has led to the polarity inversion problem. Not your fault; it’s that wacky Walkman/iPod convention of TRS stereo audio cables — an area previously confined only to 1/4″ stereo headphone jacks in pro audio. Can’t believe they aren’t warning consumers about this as pro and consumer audio meld.
I’d be happy to explain to you the best technical method of solving this problem (theoretically the lowest noise) via cabling, but for simplicity, just find a way to never use, EVER, the right side of your “stereo” .MP3 files from the iRiver. Consider the right side poison; it’s the inverted polarity signal.
The Behringer manual shows these connector types visually, if that would make it easier to understand. That may have been what led to you thinking it’s stereo though. Y’know, they really screwed up marketing a balanced output device to any normal consumer w/o explaining the pitfalls of confusing the TRS connector with a stereo signal. Even many musicians would be confused by this, though balanced signals are much more common on their gear.
AHHH! That DOES explain it. Had I been a little more diligent in my research, I probably would have been able to figure that out on my own — sometime next year.
Audacity does a good job of splitting the tracks and centering. I’ll talk to the Podiobooks people about retagging, and reloading the 14 episodes of Full Share as soon as I get 15 and 16 done. (Which I WILL do following these excellent sugestions!)
Thanks SOOO much for your guidance on this!
Nate
the refresh button just fell off my browser.
that’s why you subscribe and let your reader lot it when it’s ready.
patience.
16 is going to be very large and it’s also going to be the last one for probably 8 or 9 MONTHS
nl
Oh, Nate! 8 or 9 months? I know, you are demanding a life beyond the Lois McKendrick.
I have so enjoyed the series so far, it’s going to feel like I’m breaking up with Ish ’cause it’s best for him but the sorrow… I’m being silly but I will really miss my adventures into the Big Dark. I was hooked from the first Episode and it’s been a rapid but eventful journey.
I bet you didn’t realize how it would take off or how demanding your audience would be. You have truly spoiled us. I don’t see any other author penning excellent novels in so short a time, never mind giving audio files for free at the same quick pace. Thanks so much for bringing your story and characters to us.
I’ll look forward to the conclusion of “Full Share”, bittersweet though it may be and I’ll still be here (in good company at Podiobooks) awaiting the next series’ installment. You’ve worked hard and deserve to rest that brain of yours, parting is such sweet sorrow (oh, sorry, I was caught up in moment!).
:) Joan
PS. I checked out the websites listed on the home page. Most of it is over my head but the sites look wonderful!
That should be Deep Dark, shame on me!
:o Joan
I just hope enough of us fans are donating to make your time on Double Share worthwhile. Whaddyasay, everyone, did you just pay for Quartershare and call it good, or have you donate for each one.
I’ve paid for all three so far. I paid for Full Share after about five chapters….
As soon as the sludge stops hitting the ventilation system, I’ll be able to pony up for the books. It’ll be a first time for me. :D
I, for one, applaud Nate for finishing the first book, let alone the subsequent ones! There are several authors who started posting their works here then, for whatever reason, faded from sight somewhere in the middle of the story. I hate that.
I’ll be happy to wait the time necessary for the next installment of the saga to be brought to full term (I understand that writing can be a lot like giving birth!), since I have great faith that Double Share will be of the same story and production quality as Quarter, Half and Full Share have been.
(Ok, now that I’ve buttered you up, Nate, how comes the work on episode 16? )
All the best!
Did I miss # 15?
I dont think it’s been posted at PB yet, but you might look at
http://durandus.org/media/PB-FullShare-15.mp3
might be something there :)
N
Thanks!
I HAVE to say that yours is the BEST Podcast on all of PB.
Yours is the podcast that finally got Ms. Grumpy to listen to podcasts with me!
Thanks for a great podcast and a happy house hold!
I just had to post a review.
[quote]I have to say that this is one of my favs! I admit that I’m a podcast junkie. I listen to about 40 titles. (I have a lot of time in the car and @ work!). Most titles I put in an MP3 player and listen to away from the computer. These… I can’t wait that long. Of them all I MUST say that Quarter Share, Half Share and Full Share are some of the best stories and more importantly storytelling ever.
Writing is so much different than storytelling I see it as a lost art that was and is in dire need of revisiting and reviving. I’m glad it has made a come back and Nathan is a wonderful spokesman for it.
Long ago I gave up on the “Super” Hero in stories. It seemed that the Every Man was missing. Where was the me in the stories. No mention was made how the “Man” became “Super Man” well in this series we get to see how it is done. 1 day at a time. 1 right choice at a time. Made over years with countless missteps along the way.
Some I have talked to call the arc “Trite” and over used. Orphan goes out to sea and makes good.
But the siren call of the “deep dark” feels different to me than that of the sea. Maybe it’s in Nate’s voice, that I feel the lonleyness. Maybe it’s in the words he chooses that convey the sense of belonging Ish feels on the Lois. But the hero seems more like me more like everyman every teenager scrambling to find his way in the big bad world. Maybe it’s in the others around him that point the way with genital encouragement not rules and directions that remind me of… well me.
So my thanks to Nate for hours of enjoyment. [/quote]
Thanks again for the hours of work on your part in giving me the hours of enjoyment on my part.
Ah, Nate. Very sneaky of you ;)
And very appreciated!
Well, loved epi 15. Can’t wait to hear 16 and wrap it up.
Are we ever going to get any podiobooks about Ish’s life at Port Newmar? (sp?)
“Ever” is such a black/white word.
Let’s just say “Ishmael Goes to College” is NOT a story I’m really that interested in telling.
I think “Ishmael Goes to College” would make a handful of shorts, at best. College life is not terribly interesting.
I’m *much* more interested in “Ishmael Graduates from College and gets job offers” particularly after the advice that Capt. Giggone gives him in episode 15.
Again, Nate, thank you so much for the great series of stories. The worst part about them is that I keep consuming them as soon as they “hit” rather than making them last. :)) Oh, well.
Geordon,
I’ve had the same problem. I solved it by just listening to all three stories all over again every couple of weeks.
Works kind of like a drug fix, keeps the jitters away just barely long enough for you to reach the next one!
Nate, thanks for the books. Good luck at publications. I liked where you took Full Share. The last episodes were on autopilot as Ish put the trading and his relationships on auto. You had great details, don’t get me wrong: I liked the meeting with Pip’s dad, and the Sarah/CC thing. The astrogation improvements were good solid Sci-Fi, nice. But before you publish are you going to amplify those last chapters? I mean compared to the details of making omelets and touring sludge farms, it was written in fast-forward, no? Almost didn’t fit. So many great characters. Go ahead and tell us how the co-ed knitting team did in their trades, have someones else strike it rich, too, or loose it all, or you know just something with all your cool characters. Oh, and you did this great exploration of spacer families and spacer culture, and once Ish stumbles on to it. How did that effect the port stays? Where the gatherings at 02 different. Did he ever fork out for a shuttle down to a planet for a trade? I’ll shut up, you’re the author.
I am really loving this series. I find myself eagerly awaiting each new chapter. It has that classic narrative to it along with a SciFi setting. It is quite unique and thoroughly enjoyable. I don’t really want it to end.
There’s not much praise I can add which hasn’t already been said. Thanks for the books so far, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come!
In the meantime – curious if anybody else on this board has recommendations to make for other podiobooks. I enjoyed Shadowmagic, but am having trouble finding other selections that can really keep me engaged.
you should try Jack Palms II: This Is Life by Seth Harwood and Serve It Cold by Ronnie Blackwell also Crescent by Phil Rossi there good ones
Bruce, if you’re into horror-type, definitely check out Scott Sigler’s stuff. I also like J.C. Hutchin’s “7th Son” trilogy, and give another vote for “Crescent”.
Back to the Golden Age: Nate’s said that Full Share will be the end of the tale as far as the Lois goes. I hope that we’ll see Bev in the future, though, and have some word about Bril and the rest of the crew in the future. Maybe some “letters from home” sort of interludes?
Superb! I would go on and on but in brief, I want you to know that I really enjoy all of your work and the wait is insufferable. I hope your dreams come true.
Please don’t leave us hanging any longer – it’s driving me crazy :) Just upload the last episode and get it over with :)
The Immortals, by Tracy Hickman, is also good. It’s on podiobooks as well.
Nate,
Is everything Ok overthere? We have missed your presence on the board. It’s been 2 weeks since you let us know you’re alive!
I’m alive!
I’ve been focused on trying to get this ending re-done and failing. I’m reminded of Yoda’s line: “Try?? There is no try! There is only do or do not!”
So far, I’m in the do not region, but there’s hope!
take a deep breath. Walk on a beach. Relax. Do whatever you need to do to get into the ‘do’.
We’ll wait. Personally, I’d prefer to wait for something good, not something rushed.
In the mean time I’d like to encourage everyone to donate via podiobooks/paypal. Nate, you tell an awesome story, thank you.
Well, good luck with it. We appreciate the work you’re putting in for our enjoyment. We can be patient until you get it done to your satisfaction. Really…
Yeah, sure I can wait – I was just under the impression that it was done already, that’s why I was a little waspish :)
It *was* done. But then I had to do Double Share and the beginning of Double Share meant I had to go back and redo the ending of Full.
Sorry about that.
Nate – Can you provide us any broad insight into the story development for Double Share? Where do you want to be at the end of DS in terms of character/story development and its relevance to the larger spectrum of life of the distant future that you’ve developed. Thanks for your feedback and keep up the great work.
You could just post the ‘alternate ending’ as originally scripted and then the ‘true ending’ when that’s ready. I sure wouldn’t mind an extra episode or two. ;)
I would except I’m tied to 16 epis by the ID3 tagging.
I’m sure we wouldn’t mind downloading the alternate ending as some other file name from your website. I mean, I don’t really know anything about mp3s or ID3 tagging or how any of that works, so maybe that wouldn’t work either.
May I suggest episode 15.5 to get around the issue with the ID3 tagging? Seriously, take your time and get it right, but I’m also in withdrawl.
Keep up the great episodes. I keep updating my podiobooks subscription in hopes of another episode for Full Share. I really like the style, content, characters and story-line. I’m hoping that this pause in Full share does not mean that Double Share is in jeapordy, because I’m hooked. I’ve been listening since 1/4 Share. This is my favorite podio book series out there. Thanks for all your hard work.
The LAST episode of Full Share has to be re-written (added to, actually) in order for the transition from Full to Double Share to work properly. While it’s going to be “a while” before Double Share sees the light of day (probably next spring sometime), it’s far from being in jeopardy.
Nate,
Please forgive my presumptuousness. If you make Double Share a pay download only I would buy it in a heartbeat. You have a following of raving fans and I bet you would get people who have been listening all this time for free to finally pony up for your excellent story. Perhaps thousands of people. You deserve it. 3 free excellent books should certainly establish the trust in content value. Some people think that you will get people who listen for free to also buy the book but, I almost never read printed leisure material. I have poor vision so, I listen to audiobooks all the time while working at my mindless labor job, before I go to sleep, while shopping and driving. I have been working on a book (about 65,000 words) so I know you have a zillion hours into the work you have presented thus far.
Another note, your audio quality is excellent.
I think releasing on Podio books is a great place, and I know I have contributed for the last 2 books through podio books, pay the author. Anyone not make a contribution so far?
with the title of then next book being double share dose that meen that we miss the years where they are in the accadamy???
Keep up the great books?
yes we do. trust me if nat where to write it
it would go something like
1. wake up
2. go to class
3. study ass off
4. eat
5. go to sleep
6. loop back to 1 and repeat till done
do you wont to put him though that real lets face it
collage is boring as hell
I don’t know. One of my favorite Heinlein juveniles was Space Cadet. Students at a space academy don’t have to stay classroom bound.
There’s a lot of opportunity for back story there. It just doesn’t fit in the “share” schema. I’d either have to give it really short shrift in order to get to Double, or spend the whole book on it.
I’ve chosen to skip it. Double Share starts when Ishmael leaves Port Newmar and takes his first job as an officer.
I for one would be willing to pay for this kind of content – as long as it wasn’t DRM’d silly, like Audible or something stupid like that :)
Air… need some air… turning blue waiting for final chapter. On a more serious note, any chance it’ll be out in September?
I finished the re-write on Saturday. It needs to be recorded. I couldn’t do it yesterday so the next opportunity is likely to be Thursday.
It’s long, 14,000 words and will run an hour or so.
These are great books! I wonder if you have considered publishing them, if not through “regular” channels, then maybe on lulu.com?
Sounds good. We can’t wait!