Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show

Subject: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: davidmc24
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 10:36 PM

Rick Fielding has recorded the past ten episodes of his weekly radio show on cassete tape, and asked if there might be a way to distribute these recordings digitally. As far as I can see, there are two methods that can be considered.

The first step, regardless, is to digitize from casette. This would most likely be done by getting some audio cables to hook a stereo system up to your computer's sound card, and recording it into a .WAV file using a sound recorder. This would create a very large file, probably around 600MB per one hour show (assuming 44,100 Hz 16-bit stereo, a fairly standard recording quality. Lower quality would yield smaller file size). Also, the recording would take one hour per show.

The next step, to cut down on the size of the file, would be to encode the .WAV files to .MP3 format, roughly cutting the file size by 1/10th, perhaps only 60MB per hour. This would be done using a program called an encoder. There are many differant encoders. One particular encoder, the free BladeEnc (one of the best), takes roughly twice as long as the audio file to encode from .WAV to .MP3 on my machine. This is heavily processor dependent; the faster the machine, the faster it can encode. My machine is a AMD K6-2 300MHz running with a 100KHz system bus and 64MB of PC100 memory.

Anyway, at this stage, we've spent at least three hours per show recording, and have a 60MB .MP3 file per show. What do we do with the .MP3 files? Once you get the file, you can play it using an MP3 player, such as Windows Media Player 6 or WinAmp, but first you have to get the file. 60MB is a large download for most people. It could be broken into smaller downloads, such as 12 5MB files, but it would still be a long download, and would require a large amount of server space and bandwidth for anyone hosting them.

The alternative method of distributing such large files is sending them on CD. This would involve someone taking the .MP3 files, and using a CD Writer to make CD's (probably 10 shows per CD) that could then be sent by snail mail. This would be quite a time consuming process. Also, the CD-R media and shipping would cost money. I think that to justify those expenses, there would have to be a fee of at least $5 per CD (10 shows), assuming that the person was willing to work for free. Including labor, a more realistic charge would be $10 per CD.

An easier option is copying audio casettes and sending them by snail mail. This would still involve money for tapes and shipping, and recording time, but would be much simpler.

The purpose of this thread is to determine 2 things: 1) If people are interested in having copies of the show. If so, please post your preference of method. 2) If someone has the ability & is interested in making the recordings and handling distribution. Hope this information will be helpful.

davidmc24

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 04:40 AM

Hi, David - I think it would be ideal if we could have them available here at the 'Cat, like the Mississippi Crossroads program has been. Talk to Max, and see if he can make them available for us on RealAudio.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: Banjer
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 04:59 AM

Hell, it seems like it would be cheaper and more enjoyable if we was all to get on a bus or plane and just go and listen to the live shows! Sounds like a lot of techno poop goes into this sound stuff. Just think, a hundred years from now, if that long, future folkies (our grand kids) will be laughing at the antiquated methods we used..."Wow, awesome, dude, did they really do it that way? Musta taken forever"

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: bbc
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 10:21 AM

This is Mom speaking--I, for one, would love to have the shows available, in some format. As a easy minimum, I'd like a cassette of the Bill Sables show. Joe, if Max & Rick could coordinate making the show available over Mudcat, that would be great. Max has so much going on, though. Is that feasible? Max, are you listening?

bbc

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 10:35 AM

Ya know, thirty years ago this month, we planted a couple of guys on the moon (one was of course an Ohioan) and I'm reasonably sure that it took less technology than has been described here. I like Banj's idea...let's hop a jet. Geez!!!! I always enjoy listening to those of you who are computer literate......I enjoy listening, but I can say in all deference to the wizards that I don't have one freakin' idea what you're talking about! But y'all seem to be havin' a good time so go right on with the technobabble. I've been thinking of writing a book on catch phrases we should all know in the various worlds of "babble".......technobabble, psychobabble,etc. No meanings or definitions, just phrases to keep you from appearing the complete idiot---which I am.

catspaw

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: bbc
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 11:00 AM

I suspected that David's description of how it could be done would sound intimidating (didn't mention condoms, 'possums, or any instruments even once!), but the question *had* been raised & he was trying to answer it. Any other ideas are welcome. Particularly those of us trying to listen to the show through the static *would* like some way to hear it clearly.

best,

bbc

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 11:12 AM

Sorry Barb...and David

That wasn't an insult, just a bit of observation from the illiterate. I'm amazed at what can be done, I just don't understand it!!!! But I still think the book is a good idea.

catspaw :+)

Subject: RE: Recordings of Rick Fielding's Radio Show
From: davidmc24
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 11:35 AM

Then again, if you have a RealAudio server, and adequate space on your server to host hours of archive radio show, the distribution would be a piece of cake.

I had not been aware of Mississippi Crossroads, or that Mudcat had these capabilities. The files are still large, but RealAudio takes away the need for the user to download the entire show, by letting you listen to it interactively, and even skip ahead to other parts of a show.

I think that if Max and Rick could work it out, a similar set-up for The Acoustic Workshop would be the best option.