This topic is generating quite a lot of discussion. Since I do quite a lot of work with MP3 audio for Handihams, maybe I can share some of what I found out.
Audacity is an open-source software audio recorder that is reasonably accessible, but requires a bit of work with initial setup, as you have to either locate the MP3 encoder on your hard drive or download it to a known directory before it is possible to export to MP3 format. The encoder is called the "LAME encoder". Audacity, which is entirely free, is available at Source Forge:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
The LAME encoder is also free and there are links to it on the website above. All of these recorders are somewhat graphic in nature, and it is not necessarily obvious to a sighted user like me how one would operate the player from a pulldown menu. Fortunately, blind users can access and use these functions anyway through keyboard shortcuts! There is a helpful article here:
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audacity_for_blind_users
Once Audacity knows where to find the Lame encoder, it will not ask again, so this is a one-time setup deal. After that, you can do your recording and then export to MP3.
Another open source project that I really like is called CDex. This program is handy for extracting audio from a compact disc and turning it into some other digital audio format. You can find information here:
http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/features.html
Like Audacity, CDex is totally free. I have used it for several years and find it to be very useful to make a conversion to MP3 when one of our volunteer readers submits a book to us in compact disc audio format.
Virtually any audio format can be turned into any other audio format by recording from one device into another. For example, many portable MP3 players have a line input function, which means you can record audio using a patch cord from the output of your computer's sound card into the MP3 device. You can also record audio as it is being played by the computer's sound card using Audacity. Using the Windows Mixer, you have to set up the correct settings in the recording mixer, which can be a bit confusing. However, anything playing audio on the computer can then be recorded in real time into a digital file which you can save in whatever format you deem useful. You can also reverse the process and record from the MP3 player into the sound card of the computer. The patch cord system is useful for turning those old cassette tapes into digital audio.
Textaloud MP3 is a program that will convert text, such as this e-mail, into an MP3 audio file using a synthesized voice. It can come in handy for a variety of applications, as you can well imagine.
Overall, my experience with WMA has not been a good one. This is the format used by a digital audio library service available to me through my local City Library. The service is called "Net Library". Anyway, using this service you can read digital books online and also download audio books with a license to use them for three weeks. You can renew the books after that one time for two weeks. These are the same books that you would buy in audio format at a commercial bookstore. It is available to all library patrons. The format is WMA, and this will work only with selected off-the-shelf MP3 players. I use an IRiver player, and have been able to listen to several books in this format. However, problems with the license restrictions sometimes keep the file from playing as it should and I spent quite a bit of time fiddling with tech support before eventually figuring that this system was "not ready for prime time". I figure if I, a relatively geeky ham radio operator, can't make this thing work right, John Q. Public doesn't have much of a chance!
I never record anything in WMA at home because MP3 is the more universal format. The file size with either format depends on the sampling rate which can be relatively low for spoken word audio and quite high for something like classical music. So you can't really say WMA is smaller or larger than MP3.
Each week, I record the Handiham World Weekly E-Letter and save it in 24kbs MP3 audio, which is perfectly adequate for spoken word streaming from the Handiham website and for the weekly podcast. The sample rate you choose will depend on the application you ultimately plan for your audio. The file size is smaller at 24kbs, so if someone wants to download it on a dial-up connection they can manage.
I hope this adds something to the discussion.
73,
Pat
[log in to unmask]
Best Regards,
Patrick Tice, WA0TDA, Manager
Courage Handiham System
3915 Golden Valley Road
Golden Valley, MN 55422
Voice Toll-Free: 1-866-426-3442
FAX: 763-520-0577
TTY: 763-520-0245
[log in to unmask]
www.handiham.org
Visit Handi-Hams on the web at http://handiham.org for our online audio news, information about our program, and much more. While you're there, link to www.courage.org and learn how abilities and disabilities can become possibilities.
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message is for sole use of intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, distribution or copying is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by replying to this e-mail and destroy/delete all copies of this e-mail message.
-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jeff Kenyon
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 11:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: mp3
Well, the recorder I had that did MP3 files was a Murrance, and it is very
advanced, and some things you have to have sight to do with regard to
settings, but it was one great recorder. I'm just wondering if anyone
knows of a fully accessible digital recorder that will allow one to record
in MP3? The major drawback to the one I had to return to the state here a
while ago was the fact that for settings you needed to get sighted help.
On Tue, 1 May 2007, John Miller wrote:
> Actually, I haven't done a lot with wma files, but the little I have done,
> they can be the same or smaller size as compared to mp3. I don't think
> they're too bad just finding something to play them can be. I like mp3's
> because my ipod, and my MP3 disk man will play them.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeff Kenyon" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 12:20 PM
> Subject: Re: mp3
>
>
> > Hi Howard, what do you all think of .wma files? I just had to give up a
> > digital recorder that did MP3 for my part time job, but still have my
> > Olympia with wma, and I don't think that wma is that bad. I wonder though
> > does .wma take up more space or MP3? I can set up my recordings with the
> > Olympia for different sound fields, but I don't think wma is that bad
> > either.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 1 May 2007, Howard Kaufman wrote:
> >
> >> They probably will, but might need to be made at a higher bit
> >> rate. Some players need 80 kbps or higher to recognize them. That
> >> makes for better sound but bigger file size.
> >>
>
______________________________________________________________________
All Inbound Courage Center email is scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
______________________________________________________________________
|
