There has been a lot of articles about podcasting being posted recently in the “blogosphere”. If your “new to it”, the idea of podcasting can be a little bit intimidating, especially for those not technically savvy. I have recently come across a totally free and comprehensive software package and site that will turn the “process” into a lot of fun and make the recording process a lot easier: WildVoice.
WildVoice offers a free-to-post online community. I am very impressed with their site and the ease-of-use of their interfaces, whether posting, uploading, recording or whatever; it’s fun and features great options and graphics. WildVoice allows you a free 200mb storage area for saving posts, videos, images or podcasts.
If you are looking for a multi-media “blog” community, this may be for you. Unlike some other blogging communitties, WildVoice has it’s web 2.0 features integrated seamlessly and is a joy to use.
One of the best features offered by WildVoice is the free podcasting software offered as free a download (and indeed is free to use). This software (PC only) works wonders for composing a podcast and takes the edge off the “complexity factor”. It’s called WildVoice Podcast Studio and it’s the only all in one freeware solution that I know of for podcasters.
“WildVoice Podcast Studio makes it easy to record and publish your own podcasts online. The program provides an interface that enables you to record your podcast with your microphone, add background music and insert a variety of sound effects (meow, gun shot, dog bark and more than 100 others) to add a professional touch to your recording. You can organize your recordings in in multiple segments, which are later combined to create a single MP3 file. If you want to take it further, you can sign-up for a free account with WildVoice, that allows you to automatically upload and publish your podcast on their site. “
The great thing about their software is that you don’t actually have to have a WildVoice Account to take advantage of it. You can use the software and save it to an mp3 to be used with any online podcasting community or your own website. It even basic mp3 tagging as part of the program (with the option to add a picture directly to your mp3!).
If you are an educator thinking about experimenting with classroom podcasting or someone who is just starting with podcasting, this is a great “no cost” solution to meet your needs. Use the software stand alone or get your own WildVoice account and easily upload your production to the WildVoice servers, they are both win situations!
Get an Account: http://www.wildvoice.com
Get the Software: http://wildvoice.com/Pages/WildVoice_Studio.aspx
[tags]podcasting, freeware, audio, free, wildvoice, web 2.0[/tags]
I don’t know if you ever visit the website Woot.com, but basically it’s a site that offers some type of technical gizmo for a day at a fairly cheap (sometimes dirt cheap) price. Today’s product was a DVD/VHS recorder combo unit, and in the product description, the site authors take potshots at some of the ridiculous DRM protection schemes:
(quoted from Woot.com on 5/4/07):
“Anybody Got A Code For VHS Tapes?
Man, copyright infringement was so much more fun back when there were only a few of us doing it. I can still remember the great Short Circuit 2 battle of ‘88, when me and the LES Video Buccaneers crew had VHS copies of that family favorite on the street in time for the Christmas season, just ahead of the Rivington Street Movie Boyz. Ah, there were giants in those days. All we had to worry about was the occasional nosy cop, and we could usually deal with that by slipping the officer a couple of movies on the house. Then digital media came along, bringing all kinds of mugs and n00bz with it. The big companies lawyered up and went nuts with one harebrained DRM scheme after another. Like Three-Six Mafia almost said, it’s hard out here for a pirate…
…Except don’t get too excited about making DVD copies of your VHS movies. Most of them will have Macrovision protection, and so you won’t be able to copy those. Looks like you didn’t really “buy” that movie, you just rented it until the videotape rots away. I’ve heard there are ways around Macrovision, but, uh, I wouldn’t know anything about that. If you do manage to make a backup copy of a VHS movie you own, you better hope there’s a DVD player in your prison cell.”
For one, I find these comments kind of funny. But secondly, as a potential future consumer of a product like this one, I was curious as to what you guys might know about this Macrovision and also what other types of DVD writing protection schemes are out there for units such as these.
Sorry the comment was a little off-topic for the post.
Keep up the good work,
collegedj86
Collegedj86,
Sorry as you know we’ve been CRAZY BUSY! Just to get back to you about macrovision. You’ve probably seen it. It makes your picture look green and red and over saturated. It messes up the vertical sync as well. Older VCRs completely ignore it but any of those made in the last decade have it. It actually is added into the analog out and recognized at the analog in. When you are copying a protected VCR TAPE or DVD with macrovision recorded into it, it does strange things to it.
Wikipedia has a good article on it. GoVideo became a viable company because it sold dual deck VCRS that completely ignored Macrovision. I think they’ve now been forced to “comply”.
There are many devices being sold as “video stabilizers” that strip the macrovision out the signal and they are easily found. Some people even make their own. I’m not advocating them, but there are some legitmate and legal reasons to use them…
I’ve not visited Woot! much, but I will!
J. Pisano
Great find!Thanks…Just sent this link off to a friend just getting into podcasting…
Best from China…
OMBW
Lonnie,
Thanks for taking the time to drop us a note! Good luck with the program! :smile:
J. Pisano
[…] that deals with the fidelity of the podcast. I also wrote an article for podcasting newbies, Podcasting For Newbies: Easy To Use Freeware From WildVoice, that can get you up and running in no […]
[…] that deals with the fidelity of the podcast. I also wrote an article for podcasting newbies, Podcasting For Newbies: Easy To Use Freeware From WildVoice, that can get you up and running in no time!If you’re still struggling with this RSS stuff, […]