OT: Best Option for Web Delivered Voice Overs

[Sivakatirswami]

On 3/14/10 10:35 AM, Joe F. wrote:
> You want your original "master" recording to be a large file. 
> Especially if it's something that needs to be "future-proof".
> "Encoding" as mp3 or AAC, or whatever, is compression for file size.
> It doesn't make sense to compress an already compressed file like an mp3.
> You'd want to always be converting from the original "full resolution" 
> file for optimal results.

Depends what you mean by "optimal" in my case file size is the key 
variable, download time.

full resolution WAV to mp3  --> 56k
Full resolution WAV to AU --> 114k

56k mp3 (same audio)  to AU  --> 56k  (assumes want to import rev audio 
clip)

difference in quality between the 114 K au file converted from full 
resolution file and the same audio.au converted from the mp3 -- 
practically indiscernible to my ear. but < 1/2 the size.  So, this 
breaks the rule but does make some kind of sense... 20 VO captions at 
56k - 1MB+  20VO captions at 116K @ = 2MB download....

>
> As far as "work flow": it's not clear, but it sounds like you want to 
> do the recording within your stack.

exactly... benefits:
1) auto scripted naming of the caption VO files to match filenames of 
slides
2) on board teleprompter either by simply viewing the slides and then ad 
lib the audio (for Q and D productions), or set up caption fields, 
script/practice the captions in advance for more careful delivery...
3) apples scripted 'drivers' for external processing

etc. never switch to another program... (set up Switch in the background 
to handle files in a watch folder... )


> If the point is simply to get playback in the stack (recording not 
> needed) then it would be far more efficient to use dedicated tools to 
> create the recordings, then reference the audio from within your project.
> If you must record within your stack then you'll have to live with 
> some serious limitations. 

I recorded some simple audio using Apple's Sound Track Pro using our 
super hi-end Newman BCM104 broadcaster's microphone (incredible 
quality!) vs Quick and Dirty recording in RunRev saving to WAV using the 
Samson USB mic.  processed both files  (to MP3 using Switch) all the way 
down to 56K mp3 and compare: OK, yes, the Newman gives a bit more 
"rounded" quality, but the RunRev --> WAV -- mp3 was certainly OK for 
our needs.