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Course
Web Site Development: Additional Website Components: Digital Audio |
Digital Audio technology is one that has been around for a decent amount of time. In essence, digital audio technologies allow you to create computerized representations of common analog sounds. Once this computerized version of the sound is created, it may be used in many different ways, such as being imported into an application like PowerPoint or being used on a web page.
Like Digital Video, there are two varieties of Digital Audio. The first, and simplest, is called "file-based" audio. File based audio is a simple file, sometimes referred to as a "Wave Form", that contains the pattern for a sound. This file may be generated through any input device, such as through a Microphone, Cassette Deck, CD Player, etc. The resulting file may then be used as you wish. The most common uses of file-based audio are as PowerPoint components or as enhancements to web pages.
The two icons below link to two different digital audio clips. The first one is relatively small in size, and thus should load up quickly on your computer. The second is rather large, and thus may take a significant amount of time to download. The critical shortcoming of file-based audio is that the entire file must be downloaded onto your computer before it can begin playing. This technology is not considered "real-time" by any means.
You may record and manipulate file based digital audio files using the Instructional Technology Services audio digitization station. This facility is located in Forcina Hall, room #111.
The second type of digital audio is called "streaming audio", and it works much like much like a TV broadcast -- when you wish to listen to an audio clip, a program called a "streaming media server" breaks up your audio file into little pieces called "packets". These packets race across the Internet one at a time and get reassembled on your computer in order. This type of audio will appear to begin playing instantly, and the file size is generally small. Unfortunately, quality is sacrificed when using this type of audio, but not as much is lost when compared to the amount lost by streaming video. The main use for streaming audio is web delivery - this type of audio is not suited for local presentations.
For more information regarding Streaming Media at TCNJ, click here!