[A12n-forum] Audio (Re: Elements of a strategy for African language web content)

[dzo@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Following up on this mention of audio in web content ...

>Beyond text-based content it seems that the improvements in audio technology
>can allow a vast quantity of spoken content to be quickly added to or
>communicated on the Internet. Audio files will never replace text on the
>Internet, but in my opinion, they make it possible to create the new forms
>of content with various combinations of text, image and audio (based, if so
>desired, mainly on the audio). 

... I thought it would be useful to share part of what Simon Whittaker of 
WandEnet.com recently wrote me concerning a specific project (for web-based 
language modules).  Although the context is distance instruction modules on the 
web, I thought that the points and pointers Simon has on quality of audio and 
how to achieve it are useful to keep in mind for other audio web content.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
 
"One of the most important aspects of Internet based training is the audio 
quality. Since it is necessary for you to provide me with the original audio 
recordings, this is something we will need to look at carefully.

[ . . . ]

"You talked before about getting a better microphone to be connected to the 
computer. My suggestion is another! Buy a mini-disc player that will also make 
recordings, and a good microphone to go together with the mini-disc player.

"The reason for this is simple. Mini-disc makes the best recordings apart from 
DAT or a professional studio. There is no hiss on the recordings, no background 
computer noise, you can record an awful lot on one mini-disc, the system is 
very small so you can carry it around easily and make spontaneous recordings 
much more easily. The mini-discs are also very small and can therefore even be 
easily sent by post.

"Recordable mini-disc systems have come down in price considerably. They are 
now less than $100. A good quality mike might cost as much or a bit more (mine 
cost $200). But for an investment of $200-$300 you would have a sufficiently 
high quality recording studio!

"High quality audio is important!

"When you have made the recordings simply connect the mini-disc player to the 
computer. One end of the connecting lead goes into the headphone socket of the 
player, the other end into the mic socket on the sound card. ... "

...