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The Paracast Audio Quality Poll

  • Thread starter Thread starter ElmoFUD
  • Start date Start date
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The Paracast is available as a 128K audio file: Is it too large?

  • Yes. Return to 64K. I don't mind slight reduction in sound quality.

    Votes: 7 36.8%

  • No. Keep it as it is.

    Votes: 7 36.8%

  • I don't care either way.

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .

Free episodes:

As the Paracast is a speech-based show, I reckon the 64k bit rate is fine, especially if it keeps cost down anywhere. I didn't notice much difference, I mostly listen the podcasts in the car anyway. As far as I'm concerned mono is ok too, especially if it reduces any costs.

What is MORE important I think is the audio balance, i.e. keeping the levels between all contributors the same and trying not to let the network getaway with turning the volume of the ads up too much.

(It seems Don Ecker's 'Dark Matters' has no audio monitoring at all, levels all over the place - sometimes to the point of distortion. Been meaning to drop him a line about this for months...)

Ian
 
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It's a tie, folks, so we leave it as it is for now. But I would like some Web programming assistance so we can possibly offer two versions of the file. The current structure doesn't allow for it.
 
I'm willing to vote twice if it will break a tie. If so, put me down for another 64...:rolleyes:
 
Considering needed space for this and other important shows I am archiving, I am wotting for 64k as 128k is overkill in that sense (yes, I have all Paracast shows offline if something will ever happen on that route). However, considering my first sentence, I am probably not a average podcast listener who listens to the show and then deletes it, so my vote should not be a prevailing one. (but then again I could be wrong - maybe there are more people who likes to keep the shows offline then I think).
 
OK, 64K wins by a hair. We'll revert to 64K on both shows as of this weekend. But the possibility that both bit rates will be offered is still on the table, and we're promised some Web development assistance to make it so. Meantime, thanks all for the feedback.
 
I download everything from iTunes. They all seem to take about the same amount of time to download into my laptop and then onto my pod for the day. Some shows are really horrible-sounding, like it is done in a distant closet. Some shows have real level problems like Dark Matters. The Paracast sounds just right to me. Whatever you are doing DON'T CHANGE IT UP OR MAKE IT CHEAP. Thanks.
 
I've made the "great compromise." 96K. That way you get something better than 64K, with a file size that's not much larger, but also with audio quality not so different from 128K. How's that listeners?
 
I have all my life been a music but more impotantly a radio fan.I listen to the show thru a 200watt hi-fi which has internet radio built in.The difference on the 64 kb stations and the 128kb is very noticeable and I would of thought that the best quality possible and affordable is always best.
 
DaveM said:
Higher quality is always preferable whether it is music or voice.
Click to expand...
Richard Hawkins said:
I have all my life been a music but more impotantly a radio fan.I listen to the show thru a 200watt hi-fi which has internet radio built in.The difference on the 64 kb stations and the 128kb is very noticeable and I would of thought that the best quality possible and affordable is always best.
Click to expand...

Thanks and I could not agree more
 
Some people don't have a fast Internet connection, so the larger file size for 128K is a bit much. For me and others, it downloads in seconds, since we have a speedy server. I chose 96K because we don't lose much quality over 128K, since it's a mono feed, but file size is substantially reduced.
 
No. I'd rather you don't download those files. We are paid by one of our advertisers on the basis of downloads from our server (not much, but it helps a bit), but the file link must contain special redirect code for them to tally the downloads. If you get the show from GCN (and those files are really low quality), we aren't credited and thus lose money.

I'll leave the post here for a bit, but I will remove it, because it's potentially very harmful to us.
 
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