Another thing I’ve learnt is that I can only have 1 MP3 per post, damn!
Anyway, this is the 32KHz MP3. If there’s any problems, then please do let me know. The MP3s work for me at least, though I’m not sure if they work for anyone else atm, so comment below in the relevent post.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 0:29 — 672.9KB)
These recordings are essentially tests for quality, and also to see how they’re handled by the plugin. If I sound like a chipmunk for either of them, it’s likely I’ll have to stick to 44.1Khz in the future, which is better than 48Khz, marginally. Additionally, I’m aware that I said 16Hz and 32Hz when they both should have been Khz… whoops! The numbers are more important anyway.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 0:33 — 521.3KB)
Well, this is it, the first episode of the new phase of the DiggerCast! This one took us a while to get completely right, although we welcome feedback on the episode. Please note that there have been changes made to decrease the file size further and thse will be implmented from the 3rd ep onwards. Additionally, due to the fact that the sites used weren’t the best and haven’t really been updated, I won’t be adding specific links as you’llfind everything easily enough. However, the articles we talked about in more detail on Fark will be listed and will always be listed under a separate title. Keep in mind as well, that we’ll also start referring to the dates that we cover in each episode from the 3rd ep as well. But, without further ado, the links and the episode:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:07 — 26.6MB)
I apoligise for not releasing these sooner. I’m still actually editing the two episodes that have been recorded and I’m also optimising them as well as locating all the links we looked at too. Additionally, I’m looking at optimising filesizes too since I learnt that I have been recording at too high a sampling rate, which increases the filesize further! Initially, I was recording at 48KHz, but since learning that the human voice tends to peak at 5KHz, it seemed rather pointless exceeding 16KHz, so this is what all episodes will be recorded at in the future. The initial recordings will be staying at 192Kbps, although I’ll be lowering them to 64Kbps, which halves the file’s footprint. What does this mean overall? Well, it means that the MP3 of each episode will be much smaller to download, with very little discernable difference in audio quality. This means it’ll make the episodes faster to upload and download.
One thing I plan to do is to record short clips of myself and Ollie saying similar stuff in 4 different clips (one each at 16KHz, 32KHz, 44.1KHz and 48KHz), then bringing them down from 192Kbps to 128Kbps (CD quality), 96Kbps and 64Kbps respectively. This will allow you to hear the differences yourselves and also compare the filesizes between them. There will always be a 128Kbps version of each podcast available, though the 64Kbps version will be the standard version. The 128K version will have to be requested and if there’s enough demand, I may also start developing an edited 192K version as well. The only 192K version available at the moment is what I term the “raw” file, which means that it has all the bits I edited out. As for why I edited them out, it’s usually because the bits were too boring, or there was a little too much dead air, or there’s certain parts I deemed inappropriate. The inappropriate parts are essentially me getting the wrong idea about something and continuing on about it, or parts I deemed unsuitable to discuss on the air.
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I’m aware that there’s not been much in the way of updates recently, and I apoligise for this. However, I would like to inform you that I recorded a pilot episode with Ollie, although I’m not releasing it to the public at the present time, as it was a dry run. The sites what were drawn were also a bit crap. However, either this weekend, or the next, I’ll be recording another pilot with hopefully better sites. As for who will be in the pilot, I can’t say as I honestly don’t know. However, I assure you that we’ve started to nail down the show format pretty well by this point. As I have said in the past, the show will last no longer than 45 minutes (another reason why the pilot can’t be considered official; it overran by 30 minutes!) and we’ll discuss a site, if not two, then dedicate the final 15 minutes to a section I lovingly call “The Weekly Farkage”. This means that we’ll be discussing a few of the best stories of the week from Fark.com. Of course, given that we have time constraints and all that, we’ll only be picking out the best from the Sunday of recording up till the Friday of that same week. However, the Saturday (ie the day before we record) will go live.
As for why we don’t do Sunday… well, that’s pretty simple actually. Because the time of day is usually the afternoon in Europe, the day hasn’t began for most of America, where Fark.com is based, so in order to make sure we have the most complete lists, we’re only doing complete days. Doing an incomplete day just means more time is spent on the podcast and when you’re trying to keep it within 45 minutes, it’s hassle. Of course, if people think it should be longer, you can comment here. Keep in mind though that this will be a weekly podcast, although not every week as there will be breaks. We still need to get some things nailed down with it, but rest assured, this one won’t be going the way of the other two; it has a reasonable amount of planning attached to it, enough that the spontanious nature of the show can be kept.
I guess now is a good time to mention that transcription will not be available for the pilot episodes, although there will be transcription available for the episodes proper, ablbeit a few days after the podcast has gone out. I need to sort out a system for transcription and believe me, it’s not easy! It took me about 15 odd hours to transcribe the 2007 pilot! That said, if anyone would like to offer their services for transcription, please do let me know, as I’d appriciate it!
As usual though, watch this space.
To get the ball rolling and so I can remove all references to the DiggerCast to the Stormhaven Radio website, I’m uploading the 2007 pilot episode once more. For those of you who haven’t heard it yet, have a listen and laugh at our silliness.
Do keep in mind though that the format for the new episodes is somewhat different to the pilot although hopefully it will be as funny. Additional pilots for Phase 3 will follow, with other team members. The hosts are still being gathered up, so check the “The Team” page to see who will be appearing.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:55 — 16.4MB)
It’s still worth seeing. This is via Ashens on Twitter: http://cli.gs/Jg30R
It was so awe-inspiring, it had me close to tears.
This is the new home of the DiggerCast! When the site is properly up, you should be able to access the Phase 1 & 2 archives via the sidebar. There won’t be much happening here for some time yet, although you’ll see the Phase 1 & 2 archives being moved here, and also as a new thing, you’ll also get to hear the Phase 2 test podcasts, which were never fully completed. There should be at least one pilot cast by the end of this year, with a few more to come, to introduce the team members properly as there will be a bigger team than usual, although they won’t all be on at the same time. I’ll be introducing them in the pilot, and adding them to the site as time goes on. Some of the people I introduce will just be guest hosts for the DiggerCast, with others being proper hosts, joining me when they have time. Another few will be appearing on another podcast I have planned, or on Stormhaven Radio, though that’s a while off yet.
I’m hoping that with Phase 3.5, I’ll have finally gotten things right!