Richard Farrar's Blog

By now you’ve probably heard of the term “bit rate” used in connection with MP3 tracks and podcasts, you may even know that higher bit rates give better quality audio. However, like most things in life, nothing is simple and we can further complicate the whole bit rate discussion with variable and constant bit rates. So, what are the pros and cons of these constant and variable bit rates?

Choosing a bit rate for a podcast, or an MP3 track, is a bit of a balancing act at the best of times. On the one hand, higher bit rates (variable or constant) give improved audio quality, whilst on the other they lead to bigger file sizes.

Introducing yet another variable into the equation, that of constant or variable bit rates, only serves to confuse the situation even further. What then are the relative pros and cons that may affect your choice of type of bit rate to use?

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Any system is only as good as the weakest link in the chain and audio systems are certainly no exception to the rule. Assuming that your music system is producing reasonably pleasant sounds, you may never stop to give it a second thought, but with a few simple tests you can check to make sure that your speakers are wired correctly and that you’re getting the best out of your system.

Attaching speakers to your Hi-Fi system usually only requires a few cables. You wouldn’t think that getting these cables mixed up would present much of a problem would you, providing your music plays back OK and no smoke comes out of the system?

Well, under most circumstances you’d be right, with a simple channel mix up being the most likely probable outcome, but if you have a real knack for getting things back to front, then you could have your speakers wired out-of-phase, which while it won’t do any damage, certainly won’t help you to get the best out of your system.

These potential problems are easy to spot with a few simple tests and luckily the corresponding remedies are equally simple.

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Photo by davideferrari

In today’s  society our senses are being continually bombarded with an overwhelming and virtually limitless stream of information. How do we cope with it all? Podcasts are yet another potential drain on our valuable time resources. So, if you choose to satisfy your information cravings with this modern medium, when do you say enough is enough?

If you listen to podcasts, what is the ideal length of a podcast to fit in with your busy schedule? When do they become too long, and when are they too short to be worth bothering with?

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Podcasts, by their very nature, are designed to be listened to on portable media players such as the ubiquitous iPod. However, podcasts are merely computer audio files that can be played back on a variety of media devices, be they portable or not, which opens up a host of possible listening opportunities.

A podcast at its simplest level is nothing special. In essence a podcast is a simple computer audio file (usually in an MP3 format), that can be played back on a range of equipment from desktop PCs to mobile phones and MP3 players.

The vast array of modern devices that now support the playback of MP3 files, and consequently podcasts, is bewildering. This in part has been instrumental in the success of podcasts, because they can be listened to practically anywhere, making them an extremely accessible media format.

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The Internet Monthly is a monthly podcast dedicated to the latest news and developments in the internet that I produce for Zen Internet and syndicate on my blog. However, things don’t always go according to plan!

Everyone has their good days and bad, and recording podcasts is certainly no exception to the rule. So, I have put together a short collection of out-takes and bloopers made during the recording sessions of the monthly podcast for your seasonal amusement. Enjoy…

Podcast Bloopers 2008

The Internet Monthly – Podcast Bloopers 2008:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Or, download: bloopers.mp3 [2’ 44”, 1.3MB]

Thanks

Before the final days of 2008 draw to a close, I’d just like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of you that have followed my blog over the last year. Hopefully I haven’t peaked and I’ll have plenty of interesting things to talk about in the new year…

Merry Christmas!