Interposer Helps GPS Receiver Overcome Its AgeWe return to [Tom Verbeure] hacking on Symmetricom GPS receivers. This time, the problem’s more complicated, but the solution remains the same – hardware hacking. If you recall, the previous frontier was active antenna voltage compatibility – now, it’s rollover. See, the GPS receiver chip has its internal rollover date set to 18th of September 2022. We’ve passed this date a while back, but the receiver’s firmware isn’t new enough to know how to handle this. What to do? Build an interposer, of course.
You can bring the by sending some extra init commands to the GPS chipset during bootup, and, firmware hacking just wasn’t the route. An RP2040 board, a custom PCB, a few semi-bespoke connectors, and a few zero-ohm resistors was all it took to make this work. From there, a MITM firmware wakes up, sends the extra commands during power-on, and passes all the other traffic right through – the system suspects nothing.
Everything is open-source, as we could expect. The problem’s been solved, and, as a bonus, this implant gives a workaround path for any future bugs we might encounter as far as GPS chipset-to-receiver comms are concerned. Now, the revived S200 serves [Tom] in his hacking journeys, and we’re reminded that interposers remain a viable way to work around firmware bugs. Also, if the firmware (or the CPU) is way too old to work with, an interposer is a great first step to removing it out of the equation completely.

Superstruct revenues jumped 26% to $222m in 2023 – the year before it was acquired by KKR in a $1.4bn dealCompany swung to an operating loss of £33.26 million
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TeMuFra ColoursIntroducing Colours, the ultimate tool for creating dynamic and complex sounds like never before. With its advanced technology and intuitive interface, this synthesizer lets you build your own... Read More

Wampler unleash the Cryptid Fuzz A highly flexible fuzz pedal designed to cover everything from smooth, vintage-style sustain to wild, glitchy chaos.

Latest Native Instruments & iZotope promotions Native Instruments and iZotope have just announced the launch of two month-long promotions that will see some generous discounts applied across their range of software.

PRS GUITARS LAUNCHES 40TH ANNIVERSARY CUSTOM 24-08 SEMI-HOLLOW LIMITED EDITION PRS Guitars today announced the 40th Anniversary Custom 24-08 Semi-Hollow Limited Edition. Bolstering this year's special models celebrating four decades of PRS Guitars, the Custom 24-08 keeps many of the foundational specifications as the original Custom – the guitar that started PRS back in 1985 – but adds a new level of versatility with its TCI pickups and EQ mini-toggle switches. This limited-edition instrument also features a “10-top” grade figured maple top, semi-hollow body, ziricote fretboard and headstock veneer, and special inlay package. Only 300 of this special release will be available worldwide, each including a certificate hand-signed by Paul Reed Smith.“The Custom 24 is one of the first two guitars I made to launch the company and has been our flagship design,” said PRS Guitars Founder & Managing General Partner, Paul Reed Smith. “Updating the 24-08 version for our 40th Anniversary with a semi-hollow body, EQ mini toggles, and this wood combination really allow the instrument to ‘sing’ in a full, beautiful voice of its own.”Now made with American alnico and updated build specs, TCI pickups are designed to offer a full, musical sound reminiscent of single-coil and soapbar tones without the hum.The dual EQ mini-toggle switches were originally developed in PRS’s Private Stock department and act as tuned high-pass filters when engaged (in the up position), removing shelved low-end and allowing the high frequencies through for more clarity and musical highs.PRS Guitars continues to celebrate this year with new product introductions each month. Stay tuned to see new gear and 40th Anniversary limited-edition guitars throughout the year at www.prsguitars.com/40 and by following @prsguitars on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, X and YouTube.The post PRS GUITARS LAUNCHES 40TH ANNIVERSARY CUSTOM 24-08 SEMI-HOLLOW LIMITED EDITION  first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

The minds behind the Las Vegas Sphere plan to put mini-Spheres across the globeWhile the Las Vegas Sphere revolutionised the live concert experience, building it came with a hefty price tag. The grandiose structure cost $2.3 billion to build, and has reportedly “lost over” $500M dollars since 2023. And it likely wont make it back any time soon, considering very few artists are able to perform there.
Filling the 20,000 capacity venue isn’t necessarily the problem – its the immersive wraparound LED screens. Artists must have the means to create high-quality visuals knowing that they are essentially one-use, tailor-made for the Sphere alone. However, plans have been made to change this: Mini Spheres.

READ MORE: “The availability of having anything at your fingertips devalues music”: Rick Beato and Rick Rubin discuss the impact of streaming

The smaller Sphere venues be built around the world and will seat around 5,000 people, according to EDM. The scaled down capacity and LED screen will allow smaller artists to experiment with the spherical venue’s potential. It also means that a wider variety of artists will be able to perform; certain genres may never make the top 10, but cult bands will comfortably fill a 5,000 capacity venue.
Mini Spheres will also see a more regular turnover of performers overall. It’s a factor that will benefit artists and audiences, encouraging more niche artists a chance to push their creative vision and also allow their fans to experience the Sphere. More shows could also mean a more regular flow of income for the venues.
So far, crowds have loved the Sphere’s groundbreaking visuals. U2’s 2023 residency opened the Sphere up on a high, with The Eagles and Anyma also hosting their own shows since.

Mini Sphere plans come as Sphere Entertainment Co.’s latest project, following on from the announcement of Abu Dhabi’s Sphere. The upcoming Abu Dhabi Sphere is set to “echo the scale of the 20,000-capacity Sphere in Las Vegas”.
London was also on the cards for a full-scale Sphere, before Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected the plans in November 2023. It was set to be built in Stratford near the Olympic Park and Westfield shopping centre before being shut down.
At the time, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “London is open to investment from around the world and Sadiq wants to see more world-class, ambitious, innovative entertainment venues in our city.”
“But as part of looking at the planning application for the MSG Sphere, the Mayor has seen independent evidence that shows the current proposals would result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents.”
Concerns included light pollution and the burden 20,000 Sphere concertgoers would put on public transport.

The post The minds behind the Las Vegas Sphere plan to put mini-Spheres across the globe appeared first on MusicTech.

Take Action SXSW Summit and Showcases set scheduleArtist for Action, Sandy Hook Promise, Bandsintown and the Music Managers Forum-US have announced an impressive lineup for their 2025 music business Take Action SXSW Summit and Showcases featuring Passion Pit, Ginuwine, Everclear alongside industry leaders and experts.
The post Take Action SXSW Summit and Showcases set schedule appeared first on Hypebot.

303 Day is over, but these epic deals on TB-303 emulations are still live at Plugin BoutiqueThe best deal celebrating 303 Day came from TB-303 Bass Line maker Roland itself, when it gave away 3,030 licence keys for its TB-303 software version. Naturally, those went pretty quickly, but fortunately, there are still some residual 303 deals kicking around at Plugin Boutique which you can take advantage of for a limited time.
First up, you can save a mighty cool 84 per cent on Audio Blast’s Abx3 soft synth, which takes inspiration from the legendary TB-303.

READ MORE: The best free and paid-for plugins you need to know about this week

“With a completely redesigned interface, Abx-3 makes it easier than ever to craft real-time sequences and dynamically adjust them during live performances in studio situations, too,” Audio Blast says.
Features include a 16- to 64-step sequencer, 606 pre-loaded presets, 32 oscillator shapes, a sub oscillator – selectable between Sine or Square – eight distortion types, reverse MIDI functionality, a Pattern Browser and loads more. It’s normally priced at £149 but until tomorrow (5 March), you can get it for just £30.30.
[deals ids=”77BjLMgW0hGlTf4d9txPmn”]
Next, we’ve got to draw your attention to Phoscyon 2, d16 Group’s own emulation of the TB-303. Dubbed the “last 303 you will ever need”, Phoscyon 2 takes the 303 blueprint to “entirely new heights”, adding a number of more modern features for the modern producer. And until 9 March, you can save a sweet 40 per cent, and grab it for £59, down from £99.
[deals ids=”3ve779oiyDxnRUssz3O1Ll”]
Lastly, Acid V, Arturia’s own emulation of the 303, is available until 11 March at a 50 per cent discount. Features include square and triangle oscillator waveforms, a two-octave sub-oscillator, resonant low-pass filter, a built-in distortion module with 14 algorithms, an advanced polymetric 64-step sequencer and arpeggiator and loads more. Get it for just £94.96 right now.
[deals ids=”2Yz1smy74AgyJjpoEI5LO”]
While commercial failure during its initial production run between 1981 and 1984 – owing partly to its somewhat unrealistic take on natural bass sound – remaining units were sold off cheaply by Roland and subsequently snapped up by electronic musicians and producers. Its sound became a staple in EDM genres like acid house, Chicago house and techno.
Browse all the latest deals at Plugin Boutique.
The post 303 Day is over, but these epic deals on TB-303 emulations are still live at Plugin Boutique appeared first on MusicTech.

Concert Ticket Breakdown: Who Wins, Loses & Why It MattersHave you wondered where your ticket dollars really go? Justin Kantor looks at the surprising concert ticket breakdown of costs, profits, and challenges faced by independent artists and venues.
The post Concert Ticket Breakdown: Who Wins, Loses & Why It Matters appeared first on Hypebot.

The Sound Ape offers the Noizebreaker, sci-fi-inspired Kontakt library FREE for a limited time
Noizebreaker is a new Kontakt library from Sick Noise Instruments, and you can download it free for a limited time. You should note that Noizebreaker requires the full version of Kontakt 5.8.1 or higher. The sci-fi-inspired library has a regular price of $57, but for the next couple of weeks (almost – at the time [...]
View post: The Sound Ape offers the Noizebreaker, sci-fi-inspired Kontakt library FREE for a limited time

Process.Audio releases FREE Protility plugin for cleaner mixes
Process.Audio has introduced Protility, a free utility plugin available in VST, AU, and AAX formats for Windows and macOS. Protility is designed as an all-in-one audio correction tool for mixing and sound design. It offers essential tools that help refine individual tracks before mixing. It’s basically a toolkit for cleaning up your audio before you [...]
View post: Process.Audio releases FREE Protility plugin for cleaner mixes

Get Audiomodern Freezr or Heavyocity MicroFX Refiner for FREE with any purchase
Plugin Boutique offers a choice between two premium plugins as a free add-on with any purchase throughout March 2025. You can select Audiomodern Freezr or Heavyocity MicroFX Refiner at checkout with any purchase at Plugin Boutique, so it’s an excellent opportunity to further expand your plugin collection at no additional cost. Heavyocity MicroFX Refiner Heavyocity [...]
View post: Get Audiomodern Freezr or Heavyocity MicroFX Refiner for FREE with any purchase

Singapore arrests alleged Nvidia chip smugglersSingapore just arrested 3 men for allegedly smuggling Nvidia chips.
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Klamper Audio Tropical HouseDive into the vibrant world of Tropical House with this carefully crafted sample pack. Featuring a wide range of high-quality sounds, this collection includes: 6 Clap samples One-Shot... Read More