Podcasting your Class

[Update: Now iPhones have voice recording built it with the latest software update! See the tutorials on converting and naming audio files to create podcasts. But AudioBoo, the service works from other devices and has some really cool features, like hosting and embed codes, so it's still worth checking out!!]

AudioBoo is a new service that allows iPhone podcasting.  You can download the free application from the iTunes Store, and begin recording, sharing, and publishing podcasts on the fly right from your iPhone.  It’s easy and simple to use, sort of like a twitter-type service for quick and easy podcasts.

One of the things I like best about this app is that the podcasts published to AudioBoo’s servers are returned with an embed code, so you can easily embed the player and podcast to any blog or website. (See AudioBoo’s website and click any podcast to see the share codes.)

It also offers Twitter and Facebook updates if you’re so inclined, and the founders have reported that they are working on a Wordpress Widget which will pull your latest “boo’s” (podcasts) right into your blog.

The interface for recording is minimal and intuitive, as is the audio player returned with the recorded podcast.  Below is a short video walkthrough of recording and publishing a podcast using this app:

Walking through Audioboo from Mark Rock on Vimeo.

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[Update: this feature was released in September and comes packaged with Snow Leopard]. One of the things that faculty often request when it comes to podcasting or creating multimedia materials for class is the ability to screen record. I’ve written about the various apps out there for screen recording before, but it looks like the future Quicktime X platform might change the game forever, and I’ve got to say I’m pretty excited about the potential. This may be sort of a geeky thing to get so jazzed about, but if you’ve worked with video across various platforms, have budgetary restrictions to deal with, and have tried to make the job of screen recording and distributing those to students for download a simple one, then you probably know exactly where I’m coming from!

Right now, on Windows machines, the best answer for this task is Camtasia, which costs around $200 for a single user educational license. Although it is a powerful app, it’s pretty much overkill for most of our faculty’s needs and there is quite a bit of a learning curve involved with using it.

For the Mac, there is no one all-powerful app like Camtasia, but rather some smaller yet efficient (and cheaper) apps like Snapz Pro, ScreenFlow, and iShowU. What always made me scratch my head is why Quicktime Pro, made for both Windows and Mac and only costs $29, lets you record audio and video from a webcam, but doesn’t also allow also for screen recording. Surely it wouldn’t be a large step for Quicktime Pro to have this ability natively.

This morning while checking the Apple rumor-sphere, (via Apple Insider) I happily discovered that Quicktime X, which is being packaged with Apple’s next OS release, Snow Leopard, is scheduled to have this ability built-in:

Artist Rendition of Quicktime X Screen Recording from Apple Insider

I’m hopeful that this will also be available for Windows users. Apple has done a great job thus far supporting the Quicktime architecture across both platforms, and it would be a shame if this didn’t continue. Admittedly, my job would be significantly easier if all our faculty were Mac savvy, but this is not the case.  (Our user rate is about 15-20% of faculty, 40-45% of students).

Anyone who works often with video knows how frustrating it is to work with Windows native .wmv files. Giving our faculty the ability to record their screens in .mov format for only $30 (if the prices stays the same) would solve a lot of problems and save a lot of money. In addition, we could have one standard across the university when it comes to recording, rather than supporting the 4 to 5 different software applications we have to support now.

We also use Podcast Producer running on an Xserve for all of our processing, compression, and publishing so faculty aren’t tied up with the lengthy post-production involved with working with video. Faculty can submit any video or audio file for processing that the free Quicktime Player will play (which of course includes any .mov file), and Podcast Producer will handle all of the post-production, publishing, and distribution for them. If Quicktime X allows for native screen recording, then faculty currently processing their own videos in order to export them from various screen recording programs they are locked in will be freed from that clunky, time-consuming task and can simply submit their files when they are finished recording them.

Am I asking too much here that Quicktime X will have the same set of features for Windows users as Mac users? Given that Apple has offered the same Quicktime Player and Quicktime Pro feature set to both Windows and Mac users, I don’t think I am. Then again there is the hardware and other technical elements that may play a part in a Windows user’s ability to do this with Quicktime X, but if Apple can make it happen, I sure hope that they do.

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Want to create an audio podcast? Do you have a new iPod or are you going to get one? The latest models of the iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch and iPhone all have the ability to record audio, which later can be brought into iTunes, turned into a podcast, and uploaded anywhere you’d like to deliver it.

The only requirement for the latest iPod Nanos and Classics is earphones with a built-in microphone or any other iPod compatible microphone. (If you own an older iPod Nano or Classic, see posts about purchasing and using the Griffin iTalk device. This is no longer needed on the latest versions of the iPod.)

For the iPod Touch and iPhone there is a free application from the iTunes Application store called iTalk Recorder which will also accomplish the task of recording audio from a microphone connected to your device.

Of course, there are cheaper recorders than an iPod. An Amazon search for “digital mp3 recorders” reveals all sorts of portable recorders at prices for anyone’s liking.

Regardless of whether you capture your audio with an iPod or other device, once the device is hooked up to your computer you can easily drag the files to iTunes to convert the files, rename them and add all of the necessary information.

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The Flip Video Ultra has been a big hit among faculty, staff, and students who have used it this semester. The video and sound quality are impressive for such a small, easy to operate, uncomplicated device. So far it has been used to record short student presentations, capture video of projects, and to video short student-related events. I promised to write a little something about using the Flip Video Ultra camera for video podcasting, so here’s a brief overview of what to do and what to keep in mind when using it.

Shooting:

• The camera runs on double AA batteries, and video recording uses a lot of power, so buy rechargeables and keep some handy.
• It can record 60 minutes of video clips before it is full (this is the Ultra series only, prior models only record for 30 minutes).
• The Flip software will put your videos into separate clips based on when you start and stop the camera, so use this to your advantage.
• To capture decent audio, make sure the camera is not too far away from speakers.
• Digital zoom can become pixelated, so it’s best to move closer to the subject rather than relying too much on this feature.
• A small, portable, 10″ tripod is available for the Flip for $29 to avoid shaking and moving, and it also can be mounted to almost any other larger tripod.

Editing and Compression:

Read the rest of this entry »

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Which type of podcast do you need to create for your course? Choosing the right format is important and dictates the way you go about creating your content and how much work is involved.

First considering the message and what is required to convey it effectively will assist you in choosing the best format and options.

Audio:

• Easiest format for the content producer (equipment: a mic and computer or portable recording device)
• Smaller file sizes, software editing tools (if needed) are available free (see Audacity)
• Most portable to the end user (can be played on many devices beyond a computer)
• Best suited for: lectures and any other message or discussion where visuals are not paramount to the message
• Equipment: Mircophone or Portable Recording Device, Computer
• Software Choices: Audacity, Garageband, Quicktime, iTunes

Video:

• More complex for content prodcuer (equipment requires a video camera or webcam, depending on recording locations)
• Very large file sizes, software editing tools range from free to very expensive (computer processing power and time required to process video also important)
• Less portable to end user (can be played on computer but may not play on certain portable devices)
• Best suited for: Messages when visuals of speakers or events are paramount to the message, or would greatly enhance message quality.
• Equipment: Flip Video or Other Camcorders, Webcams or Apple’s built in iSight Camera
• Software: Apple: iMovie, Final Cut. Windows: Windows Movie Maker, Avid

Screencasting:

• More complex for content producer (microphone and computer needed, must be done at computer)
• Large file sizes, software tools needed for capture and editing are not free and range from $50 to $400 depending on needs.
• Portability for end user depends on players (as in video example above)
• Best suited for: Tutorials and situations where content shown on the computer screen is central to the message.
• Equipment: Microphones and Computer
• Software: Windows: Camtasia. Apple: Snapz Pro or Screen Flow

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Another great explanation from the folks at Common Craft. Here’s their newest one, released yesterday, “Podcasting in Plain English”:

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[Update: This device works with previous versions of the iPod Nano and Classic and is no longer needed with the latest versions of these devices]

Faculty and staff have been using the Griffin iTalk Pro this semester with much success to record lectures and presentations. A group of students took one to El Paso, Texas, for Alternative Spring Break to record a series of interviews with Habitat for Humanity staff, local residents, and the students in the group.

While there are a couple of posts here about using an iPod with the Griffin iTalk for audio capturing, below are a few things to keep in mind to avoid snafus and to cut down or eliminate editing after you’ve recorded (although in some instances, and for more refined productions, editing will be unavoidable).

Recording:

• Be sure the iPod is fully charged and has sufficient space before using it to record.
• When the iTalk is connected, use the highest quality settings for recording so you get the highest sound quality possible.
• Be sure the device is as close as possible to the speaker.
• The iTalk captures your audio segments in clips depending on when the device is started and stopped. Use this to your advantage depending on what you are trying to capture (more below).

Lectures:

• If you are recording a lecture or class in its entirety, try not to stop and restart the device during the lecture or class. (Doing so will give you separate audio clips that you will have to connect later using an audio editing program.)
• Keep the device near-by the speaker at all times
• If there is a long introduction for a guest speaker, you may want to start the recording when the introduction ends and the speaker begins talking. Alternatively, you could record the introduction and the speaker in two separate clips just in case the introduction is something you may not want in the final production.

Interviews:

• Be sure the interviewee knows when the recording begins
• Have a list of questions ready (you may want to share these first before the interview begins). Also, engage with responses with further questions for elaboration. And let the interviewee do more of the talking.
• Make sure that the interviewer and the interviewee are in close proximity to each other and the device (for interviews on the fly and not in a formal setting, you may hold the device like a microphone and move it back and forth between persons speaking).
• If you are doing a series of interviews with different speakers that could be separate productions, stop and restart the recording so you have separate audio clips for each interviewee.

Editing and Producing:

• Editing of clips can be done in Audacity on Windows and Garageband on Macs (both free programs).
• If no editing is required, renaming, compression, conversion and adding the proper metadata to these tracks can all be done in iTunes.
• Keep in mind that all files from the iTalk recordings are large and must be compressed and converted for delivery in podcasts.

(Click the tags on the right for more posts and information on using the iTalk or for any of the topics mentioned here.)

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GarageBand and Audacity are both free programs that allow you to create, record, edit, and compress audio podcasts. GarageBand comes free on the Mac and Audacity is a free software program that you can download for Windows. (Links to these programs found in the right column of this blog.)

Penn State’s Educational Technology Division has created some excellent, short video screencasts detailing how to use each program. These screencasts are available as podcasts on Penn State’s iTunes U page.

To visit this page and view these screencasts, click the link below (requires iTunes installed on your computer). Screencasts are about 3 minutes in length and are enough to get you up, running and creating podcasts in no time!

Take me to Podcasting at Penn State Tutorials

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Do you need to capture what is happening on your computer screen for your podcast? There are a few great tools that allow you to record your screen and your voice simultaneously, great for training videos and tutorials.

Screen Recording on a Mac:

Ambrosia Software’s SnapzProX 2 Movie Capture ($69) for Mac is a lightweight program which runs in the background and can be called up at any time to record what is going on on your screen, a particular window, or your whole desktop. All movies are recorded in QuickTime format (and can be compressed later using QuickTime Pro). There is a 15 day free demo for download on their website.

Vara Software’s Screenflow for Mac ($85 for education) is a brand new tool for screen recording that offers everything Snapz Pro does, but also has more features enabling you to edit your screencasts, zoom in on certain parts of the screen, highlight areas, dim areas, and add transitions, among other things. There is a demo available on their website.

Screen Recording on a PC:

Tech Smith’s Camtasia Studio ($299) for the PC is a powerful program that allows you to record any part of your screen and (and your voice) and to edit your recordings after you complete them. Camtasia exports to multiple file formats, including iPod video, QuickTime, flash, RealMedia and others. There is a 30 day free demo available on their website.

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Apple’s QuickTime Pro is $29 and allows to you to record audio and video, and also enables you to compress and export these and other media files to various web-ready and iPod-ready formats, and works on Macs or PCs (internal or external microphone and/or internal or external webcam needed for capture). QuickTime Player is free and required to upgrade to the Pro version. The Player comes on every Mac, and on a PC when you download iTunes. If for some reason you don’t have the Player on your computer, you can download it free.

Apple has some tutorials for QuickTime Pro posted on their website:

Mac:
Creating an audio podcast with Quicktime Pro
Creating a Video podcast with Quicktime Pro

PC:
Creating an audio podcast with Quicktime Pro
Creating a Video podcast with Quicktime Pro

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This short 90 second clip covers how to use the Griffin iTalk to record audio on your iPod, which you can later convert to podcast ready formats. Use it to capture lectures, record interviews, discussions, forums, guest speakers, etc.

…This next 3 minute video covers what to do with the voice memo files that the iTalk puts into iTunes:

Easily Convert Voice Memos & WAV files to Podcast-ready Formats in iTunes

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Cell or landline, you can create a podcast on-the-go without access to a computer or other equipment. First, you visit http://drop.io to set up your account, or “drop”, as they call it.

Next, you choose a url name and a password. You are then given a unique phone number and extension to call. When you call, you are prompted to record. Later, you visit your site and there is your MP3 file, ready to listen, share, embed, or download. Very cool, and free! I have attached instructions with my sample test. Try it out!

Instructions for Using Drops

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CAS Academic Technology can lend you an iPod and the Griffin iTalk, as well as an attachable clip-on mic (optional, not required). With this simple solution, you hit the Record button and it captures your audio and saves it as a voice memo on the iPod.

Later, when you sync the iPod to your computer’s iTunes program, these “voice memos” are saved and you can rename and convert them for podcasting.

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This short clip will take you through the basics of using Audacity to create an audio podcast.

Download Video: Posted by <f

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