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sirfrogsworth · 2 years ago

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Whenever I see an up-and-coming Youtuber I notice they often make the same mistake. When the time comes to increase production quality, the absolute first thing you should do is invest in improving your sound. Not the camera or the lens or lighting or set design. Audio quality trumps all of that. People being able to understand what you are communicating should always be the highest priority.

And the cool part is you can do this with a cheap lav mic. There are some that can just plug right into your phone. The next priority is learning how to set levels and make sure your voice isn't distorting from being too loud. You can even record a little quiet and bump up the levels later on. But if you record too loud to begin with, you can't fix that.

After that you can "treat" your room. Which just involves controlling echo and reverb. Foam acoustic panels are expensive and not necessary. You can do the same thing by just filling your room with stuff. Furniture, books, blankets, pillows. You want to eliminate large flat surfaces. If the sound has to bounce around on 20 different surfaces before it comes back to your microphone, it will have much less energy.

You can also figure out which wall is the biggest echo offender and hang a couple of heavy blankets in front of it. If you can score those moving blankets on the cheap, those work great. And if you can put a gap in between the blankets that will further reduce echo/reverb. You don't have to cover the entire wall, just the main area in front of where you are speaking. If you can reduce that very first reflection, the sound will have much less energy to bounce off other surfaces.

All that said, sometimes people will go overboard with sound and buy that giant phallic SM7B dynamic microphone. I see those things everywhere. Yes, Michael Jackson used it and it does sound great. But with so many quality USB mics that plug straight into your computer, it is a huge hassle and really overkill unless you just enjoy audio tech and want a cool toy. The SM7B requires extra equipment to make it sound good. It's XLR so you need a special interface. And most people add a "cloudlifter" because it isn't very sensitive and can be really quiet without it. Plus, dynamic mics need to be super close to your mouth and I think covering half your face with a giant mic isn't the best visual. There are lav mics in a wide spectrum of price ranges that can be hidden and sound great. Or you can do a shotgun mic like they use in movies. It can be hidden offscreen and pick up your voice from a distance.

Big dynamic mics are great for people with baritone voices. If you are James Earl Jones and you want to show off your voice, the SM7B or something similar makes more sense. Beyond that, most of your viewers just want clarity. Good room treatment and a $30 lav mic can achieve that pretty well. And if you watch a few tutorials on how to EQ and process audio, you can do a lot to make a cheaper microphone sound great. Reaper is a wonderful audio program with professional features and a reasonable price.

TLDR... fix your sound first!

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mikufigureoftheday · 5 months ago

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miku instruments? 🥺

Miku herself is an instrument technically bc shes is a voice bank, so they obviously had to launch some cool physical ones to help artists make tunes~

There's a few guitars

some keyboards/pianos too

there's some cute mics so you can sing world is mine as loud as possible at 1am

and of course, the best

#asks #compilation

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accidentalmistress · 7 days ago

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I've been working on this for a long time, and I still didn't go over everything I want to go over, so this is going to end up being a multi part series on how I make my wavs, as well as a bit of general audio engineering.

Reed Behind the Scenes Part One:

Microphones and Recording Environment

A couple of notes before we begin:

For this series I'm going to focus on audio recordings, not video recordings, as they are very different mediums with different requirements. I am by no means an expert, I just have a little more experience with audio production than the average person.

All of my equipment is in the Android/Microsoft ecosystem, and as such I do not have much experience with Apple products. I apologize in advance if anything I discuss does not work within the Apple ecosystem.

Let's talk about microphones. You can't make a recording without one, whether it's the one in your phone or a standalone mic. I use the latter, but some phones have decent mics. Since we just mentioned Apple products, I will say that I have heard that the microphones in iPhones are pretty good these days. When I record on my phone, I prefer to use a dedicated recording app, because it allows me to record directly to an mp3 or wav file that I can then export to my computer for editing, as opposed to recording a video and trying to rip the audio later. I use an app called Voice Record Pro, but there are plenty of voice recording apps out there.

For my best quality work, I use my microphone. You don't need a super fancy mic to make good recordings, but the kind of mic you get is important. There are many different kinds of mics at many different price points, but they generally fall into two categories: USB and XLR. USB microphones can plug directly into your computer, whereas XLR mics need to pass through an interface first. For the vast, vast majority of people looking to get a mic for making fetish content, I am going to recommend getting a USB mic, and the main reason is cost.

For XLR mics, you need two pieces of equipment: the mic itself and an audio interface to run it through to a computer. Not to mention XLR cables, a stand, and a mount. Even if you get a relatively inexpensive XLR mic, after you get all of the other equipment and accessories you need, you may as well have splurged on a decent USB mic.

I only recommend investing in a good XLR if you want to pursue a professional audio career of some kind, and even then I'd wait to sink serious money into it until after you've gotten your feet wet and know that it's really what you want to do. These can be very difficult industries to break into. I do professional voice work, so for my setup I have a Neumann TLM 103, Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface, and a Surface Go tablet for recording. More on that in a bit.

In both USB and XLR there are generally three types of microphone: condenser (which is also sometimes called capacitor), dynamic, and ribbon. I'm not going to get into ribbon mics, because you don't need one just for snz content, and I'm not well-versed in them anyway. Most of the mics you will encounter when shopping for one online will be either condenser or dynamic.

Condenser mics are more sensitive than dynamic mics, so they're generally clearer and better suited for voice work. I'm using the word “generally” a lot here, because there's such a wide range of mics, and you may very well find a dynamic mic that works better for your voice and your space than a condenser mic. Unfortunately, the only way to really know for sure is to get one, try it out, and return it if it doesn't fit your needs.

There's this idea that dynamic mics are better for untreated spaces, because they're less sensitive and will therefore pick up less background noise. That's not exactly true. Dynamic mics do pick up fewer audio frequencies than condenser mics, so if you have some background noise that's outside of your mic’s frequency range, then that may not get picked up. Your average background noises, though—loud neighbors, motorcycles and trucks driving by, your cat meowing, the hum from your PC fan—those sounds will still get picked up. The best thing to do is to sound treat your space, but we'll get to that later.

I'll post a few recommendations, but I haven't used any of these mics for myself, so these are recommendations from the voice acting community at large as good budget mics. Any prices are USD, and unfortunately I don't know the global availability of these mics.

USB Mic Recommendations:

Blue Yeti USB

AudioTechnica AT2020 USB (Note that there is also an XLR version.)

Both can be purchased under $100 pre-owned. Both retail for around $130 new. If you're in the US, the nice thing about the Blue Yeti is that you can walk into just about any Best Buy and pick up a brand new one on the spot.

XLR Mic Recommendations:

RØDE NT1 5th Gen

AudioTechnica AT2020 XLR (As mentioned above.)

The AT, at about $100 new, costs less than half as much as the RØDE at $250. If you're set on an XLR but shopping on a budget, that may be the mic for you. The RØDE, on the other hand, is a great introductory mic for professional voice work. For these mics you'll need an audio interface, also called a preamp. A solid one for the budget-conscious, and what I use, is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, which will set you back about $100 new.

The microphone I use, a Neumann TLM 103, retails for about $1,200 new. You can sometimes find them under $600 pre-owned. They're pretty much the gold standard in the animation industry for how well they can handle loud sounds, like yelling and screaming, without clipping. I invested in one several years ago when my husband got a nice bonus from work, for which I am eternally grateful. Do not go this far unless you are serious about voice work.

Now that you've learned far more about microphones than you ever wanted, let's talk about sound treatment for your recording space. Whether you're using a dedicated mic or your phone, sound treatment will always elevate the quality of your recordings. Even the highest quality mic in an untreated space will sound worse than an average quality mic in a well-treated space.

What is sound treatment? Sound treatment is taking steps to reduce and eliminate the amount of background noise and reverb from the space you are recording in. Have you ever noticed a slightly echoey quality to your voice in recordings? Like you can "hear the room"? That's reverb. When you speak, the sound waves go from your mouth to the microphone , but they also go out into the room and reflect off of the walls before coming back and hitting the microphone again, creating that slight echo. You'll need a sound treated space to prevent that from happening.

One fairly easy and inexpensive way to do this is to utilize thick moving blankets. You can try tacking them up in a closet or hanging them from a booth frame. I currently use a recording booth made from a PVC pipe frame with a double layer of moving blankets hung around it and draped overtop. (Here’s a link to a video tutorial on how to build your own). Another method is to use sound dampening panels hung on the walls of your recording space. A lot of folks use those textured foam tiles. Just be careful with those because if you get really cheap ones the foam can be poor quality that doesn't dampen sound very well. (The Foam Factory sells great acoustic foam, but the cost can add up quickly depending on the size of your space.)

I've also seen booths that are made by lining the walls of a closet with carpeting, so if you happen to have some carpet remnants that might work for you. I’m upgrading my own recording space by converting a closet into a recording booth. I'm building sound panels made from wooden frames filled with sound dampening insulation that I’ll hang on the walls. (Here's a link to that tutorial as well, but that option costs a few hundred dollars in supplies.) If nothing else, a closet filled with hanging clothes can do in a pinch to dampen background noise.

Let's talk a little bit about computers while we're on the topic of background noise. Remember way back when I mentioned my Surface Go tablet? Now remember when I talked about how mics can pick up PC fans? The Surface Go is how I get around the problem of PC fan background noise. The Surface Go doesn't have a fan, so it doesn't make any noise. I can bring it into the booth with me, hook my interface up to it, and use it to run my recording software. I'll then transfer the file to my main PC for editing. If you can do so with your space, you could potentially get cables that are long enough to leave your PC tower outside of the recording space so you can't hear the fan. Definitely cheaper than buying a tablet just for recording.

For editing, I use Audacity, which is a free digital audio workstation, or DAW. Another popular DAW is Reaper, which is "free" in that they don't limit the trial version, so you don't need to pay to use the full version (although they'd really like you to buy a license). I'm not going to go too far into depth on software and editing here, since I plan to do a Part Two on how I edit my recordings. Besides, this post has gotten long enough, and this seems as good a place as any to end it. I'm always open to questions on this kind of thing. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but I'll answer what I can, and if I don't know the answer I'll do my best to find the information for you. Thanks for reading this far, and I hope you've learned something that's helpful or at least interesting to you in some way 😊

#snz wav maker #snzblr #reed rambles #behind the sneens

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katatty · 4 months ago

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Hi, Kat! Fellow UK simmer here - been following you for a while here on tumblr (love your MCC posts), and am currently binging all your YouTube content after recently stumbling across your channel! I have a quick question related to YouTube, if you don’t mind answering, as I’m interested in potentially making some videos of my own. May I ask what software and setup you use to record your videos? As your audio is very good, I presume you use a mic? Your screen recordings are very smooth so I’d be interested in what programme you’re using, although I’m sure your computer has a lot to do with that. I hope my question makes sense! Thanks in advance for your help.

Hello! I don't mind answering at all, I am answering it publically in case anyone else is interested but do feel free to message me if you want to chat in more detail, I'd be happy to talk shop :) I wish I had people to talk to when I started out, I was too intimidated to approach anyone lol!

(and aaaa, I'm flattered to hear you are binging my channel, thank you!! its funny (but nice!) hearing a compliment on my audio bc I am self-concious about it and think it is not the best, hahaha)

I use OBS Studio for recording, which I think is pretty standard. But I do my video editing in Vegas Pro which idk if its common (I think people usually use adobe these days?) but I used a pirated version of Vegas to make AMVs back when I was a teenager so that was what I went with XD

I do have a decent PC but also play with low cc when I am recording for Youtube, as the game runs a little smoother and doesn't lag too much, which I think looks nicer on video! I also delete all my raw footage after I have finished editing/rendering as the files can get pretty big

edit: forgot to include this (idk if useful) but my OBS settings are set to recrod at 60FPS at a resolution of 1920x1018

I do use a mic! My first few videos were just recorded on a cheap bluetooth headset I used for work but the sound quality was pretty bad, haha. TBH I don't know much about mics, my partner is a musician and has a bunch of mics & equipment so I just borrowed his stuff lol! The mic is an Audio Technica AT2020 condenser microphone and its plugged into a M-Audio M-Track Solo USB audio interface (as the mic wouldnt plug into the PC otherwise, the interface also lets you adjust the gain which is nice) but idk if you really need something that fancy. I usually see people reccommend the Yeti mic for YouTube, which doesn't need an audio interface, idk if it is actually good or not but it seems like a popular choice?

Although if you are just starting out, I would not invest in any expensive mics or anything right off the bat - since you want to see if you actually enjoy the process of making videos first before spending any money on it! (For me at least I spend a LOT more time editing footage than recording it, it's very time consuming, although I think some creators do a lot less editing so its a style preference maybe). IMO Just start out with whatever you have and you can always upgrade later.

Also, the main thing I learned quickly which I think helped me about as much as using a better mic was having good "mic discipline". That's like, making sure your head/mouth is always the right sort of distance away from the microphone, making sure its positioned properly, trying to keep the volume you speak consistant, etc. I am still not always the best at this tbh! but am getting better :D

Hope this was useful!! Like I said, please feel free to msg me if you want to chat more about YT stuff :)

#FAQ #oh & the mic has a sock over it. thats the pop filter

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smellslikebot · 10 months ago

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if you've ever wondered how to record/stream Nintendo DS gameplay and you have a Wii U collecting dust somewhere, consider Wii U Homebrew...

wiiu.hacks.guide <- do this

early on you'll be prompted to make a NAND backup (that's the Wii U's internal storage), so if you have a 32GB Wii U, you should use an SD card with more than 32 GB of free space. also be sure to:

install the SDCafiine plugin on the guide's "Finalizing Setup" page (or get it while downloading Aroma). this is a mod manager, so we'll be able to add a "pixel perfect" mod to DS Virtual Console games

download 01_sigpatches.rpx and place it in the wiiu/environments/aroma/modules/setup folder on the SD card. this allows unsigned games to launch

download + unzip NUSspli-x.xxx-Aroma.zip and move NUSspli.wuhb to the wiiu/apps folder

with the SD card in the Wii U, turn on the console and launch NUSspli from the Wii U menu. search the downloadable titles; if the DS VC game you want is available there (or here), take note of the 16-digit "title ID" associated with the game as you install it. if your game isn't there, you'll need to use something like the Ultimate Wii U Virtual Console Injector (for Windows):

first, check this Wii U VC NDS Compatibility List to make sure the game isn't incompatible (DSi enhanced games won't work, for example)

follow the UWUVCI Nintendo DS Inject Guide-- you'll be prompted for a "Wii U Common Key", which you can get from your nand backup, and a "Title Key" for whichever random base game you'll be injecting your NDS rom into (googling "wii u title keys" should point you in the right direction)

now that it's packaged in the SD card's install/ folder, you should be able to use NUSspli to install your injected DS VC game! you'll have the option of installing either to NAND or external USB storage. (supposedly there's some risk in installing to NAND, but the other option requires USB storage that's fully formatted to Nintendo's proprietary format-- no partitioning-- so just do what works best for you 😮‍💨)

finally, for pixel-perfect screen layouts, get the Pixel Perfect Layouts mod by HEYimHeroic (download link). the SD card layout will be sd:/wiiu/sdcafiine/XXXX/Pixel Perfect Layouts by HEYimHeroic/content/... with XXXX being replaced with the game's title ID (no dash). if you don't know an installed game's title ID, you can check by finding the game in the SaveMii homebrew app.

now the game should have some nice and crisp display options, plus you can make great use of the Wii U gamepad's touch screen for games like Trauma Center and Ouendan! (keep in mind, though, that microphone features may or may not work depending on the game?)

#wii u #nintendo ds #homebrew #reference #bold text

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hayleymarriedjakurai · 5 months ago

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hello hi hi..! could i ask what the best way to get into voice acting is? or your personal experience?

prepare for an essay, i got a lot for you!

- don’t let age stop you. i started at 14 and started getting my IMDB credits at 14 too. i started with a usb microphone and a pair of beats.

- Casting call club is your best friend. It has tons of projects that you can audition for, lots of them unpaid/fan projects but very good experience!! and they’re fun

- don’t get a bunch of crazy equipment just yet. all you need at the start is a simple USB microphone and a pop filter. I always recommend the Samson c01u pro. It was $60 USD when I got it but maybe that’s changed…

- Talking to yourself counts as practice.

- Use your body. It isn’t just speaking into a microphone. It’s like full body acting, just staying in the same spot. Your face will change and your arms should want to move!

- Impressions are NOT the same thing. If you can’t do any, it doesn’t matter! I can’t do ANY! It’s about emotion. Same thing with if you can’t make your voice higher or lower- it doesn’t really matter. It’s your emotional range that’s important.

- Lastly, try to have a decent standard for auditioning. Don’t audition for projects that don’t even give you lines, for example. Or something with no description at all. Besides casting call club, twitter is another good place to find calls!

#voice acting #gonna start tagging asks #hayley answers #voiceover

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pettyrevenge-base · 1 year ago

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My brother ransacked my room. I cost him a job, prevented him from sleeping, and jacked up his phone bill.

New account for anonymity sake. Let's set the scene. It's 2010, I had just turned 18 and spent a long summer week away from home enjoying my new freedom to come and go from my parent's house as I pleased. During the week I crashed at friends' houses, went camping with other friends, video games, and all the cigarettes and tobacco products and snacks me and my friends could afford.

My meth addicted brother (27), I'll be referring to him as Mack, who thought he was going to make it big in the music scene because of of all the different drugs he was willing to do. He thought being on acid made him play as well as Jimi Hendrix because Hendrix did acid. This is relevant because in one of his many drug induced rampages, Mack was convinced his USB microphone was in my room. So Mack knocks on the door while I'm away, convinces my dad that he was recording in my room and left it in there. It was never in there. He was never there. My dad was so wrapped around Mack's manipulative finger that he never questioned anything he did. I kept careful inventory of my room because my parents and siblings would steal from me all the time and try to use my bedroom as a storage room for all sorts of things. Thinking back, his excuse was likely just to steal from me like the rest of my family did.

Mack goes into my room, tosses the place like out of movie scene during one of his notorious benders. He flips the mattress. Empties out every dresser drawer onto the floor. Nothing was left the way I had left it. After all was said and done I had to spend 3 days cleaning and reorganizing my room because of how badly this tweaker destroyed everything of mine. Things were broken, clothes everywhere, bins and boxes dumped on the floor. It was like a tornado had rampaged through a trailer park in Iowa. My dad had heard all of this going on and did nothing.

I showed my dad the mess. Dad just shrugs at me and says "He's in his 20s, what do you expect me to do?" "How about fucking stop his strung out ass from tossing the place? How about at least calling him to have him clean up his mess?" I replied. He practically ignored me and before walking off says "He was looking for his microphone and you need to just deal with it." Going to my mom was no different. Mom was so terrorized by him that she wanted no part of anything involving him because she felt unsafe. I can't blame her. He became aggressive when challenged on anything he did wrong.

Realizing nothing was going to be done by my parents and this was no matter to call the police over since Dad let him in the house, I did exactly what my dad said and dealt with it. I tried to be 'diplomatic' at first and asked him to come clean up my room. He laughs, makes fun of me, then says "I needed my microphone." I asked if he found it, I know he didn't because I knew where it was. Over in my dad's garage. He never answered. I scooped up the microphone to hide it even better. Stuffed into the rafters of an old shed on the outskirts of the property, inside of a large PVC pipe stacked up with other pipes. It's where he went to smoke his meth sometimes so I knew he wouldn't be looking for it there due to the paranoia of being caught by any of us. I gave Mack one final warning text to 'Clean it up or else'. He again made fun of me, "Crybaby bitch! How difficult is it to clean your own room? You're just a lazy piece of shit!" The last one really torqued me because he was a thief and did everything he could to get out of work.

Later that night I decided to do my best Tom Petty impression.

I leave my parents' house to sit around a campfire at a friend's house. I waited until I left because then Mack couldn't find me, neither could my dad. I knew my dad was going to simp for him and defend him yet again. I waited until Mack would've been nice and comfortable at home. I lit my first cigarette of the night and promised myself that nothing would stop my ensuing plan until I smoked the whole pack. I had recently learned how to SMS bomb. At the time, you could add the same contact into your SMS app multiple times for a group chat. I believe it was up to 30 on the phone I had. For every 1 SMS/MMS I sent him, he received 30 in total. I spent hours sending messages to Mack. If I had a cigarette in my mouth, I was text bombing him. I spent from 9pm until 4 am sending Mack thousands upon of thousands of text and picture messages. I have now dropped a Hiroshima sized text bomb on the fancy Blackberry he was so proud of buying a week or two before this.

For anyone wondering, it was simply a copy and pasted text that said "This stops when my room is clean" and a picture of the mess he had made. I alternated back and fourth. This took very little effort and left him inundated with notifications every 1-3 seconds. This effectively DDoSed his phone into oblivion. It was locked up tighter than New York subway car. He could not call, text, or even open anything on his phone other than my text messages.

Dad starts frantically calling me around 1am. I ignored it. Then my mom calls me and leaves a voicemail for me to call him. Worried it's an emergency, I call dad back. Dad picks up the phone, screaming at me "His phone is locked up and he can't use it! You need to stop this RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" I replied "He needs to go and clean up the mess he made of my room RIGHT FUCKING NOW or just deal with it like I have to." The argument continues for a while longer, the entire time he's defending Mack tooth and nail. Eventually I broke it to my dad that there was nothing I could do to stop the flow of messages and notifications. He hung up and never brought it up again.

After the smoke had cleared (pun intended) I found out Mack had his Blackberry locked up for 10 days. He wasn't able to respond to a job offer and wasn't smart enough to leave an alternate contact means. The job went to someone else by the time Mack was able to return their call. He was still going to be stuck at the job he loathed for a while longer. His phone plan had a monthly SMS/MMS and data limit that I absolutely destroyed. The month's bill was over $300, I wanna say closer to $400. His live in girlfriend was also pissed because they had to leave the phone on and plugged into a charger to let it process the messages from my mass messaging campaign the night before. The notifications made the phone unusable and they were stuck listening to the notification sounds for those 10 days. They tried stuffing it inside of a blanket but the phone would get too hot and they were worried it would start on fire. On the counter, plugged in to an outlet it sat. Keeping them awake and annoyed constantly.

Another 2 months roll past, I finally decided he could have his microphone back... Kind of. I took it out of hiding and stuffed it in his keyboard box that was also stored at my parent's house. He found it there not too long after and never even apologized for what he did, not that I ever expected him to. He even bragged about finally finding it. He never went into my room again without my permission out of fear of his phone being locked up again.

TLDR; Bro ransacked my room looking for his microphone that wasn't there. I sent him literally thousands of text messages that made his phone unusable. I cost him a job, 10ish days of sleep lost to constant notifications, hundreds of dollars on his phone bill, and a terrible home life with his GF because of all of that. I also hid his precious microphone for an additional 2 months before giving it back.

Source: reddit.com/r/pettyrevenge

#pettyrevenge #lol #omg

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naveed-512 · 2 years ago

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There are many different types of microphones on the market, but when it comes to dynamic USB microphones, there are only a few that stand out from the rest. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the best dynamic USB microphones available and review them for you.

We will also provide a buying guide to help you choose the right microphone for your needs, and answer some of the most common questions about dynamic USB mics. There are tons of USB microphones available but most of those comes with a condenser capsule, which is not ideal for some conditions.

So, dynamic capsule is pretty helpful in noisy conditions. So we’re specifically focusing on some of the top dynamic USB microphone for all budgets.

When you’re just starting out, USB microphones are a great option because they’re easy to use and don’t require any special equipment. Also known as digital or “plug and play” mics, they are one of the most popular types of microphones among podcasters.

#Best Dynamic USB Microphone

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indepthjaybeats · 1 month ago

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Looking for the best budget microphones for rappers that deliver professional sound quality? In this video, we'll be counting down the top affordable mics that will take your rap game to the next level without breaking the bank. From USB mics to dynamic microphones, we've got you covered. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned rapper, this video will help you find the perfect mic that fits your budget and needs. So, what are you waiting for? Let's dive in and find out the best budget mics for rappers who want PRO sound!

#rappers #singers #songwriter #mics #audio technica #homestudio #recording #recording music

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faizan2f · 6 months ago

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Virtual Classroom Solutions

Set up a Best Smart Virtual Classroom Solutions with PeopleLink

The need for smart classrooms in schools, colleges, universities and online tutorials is increasing day by day. It is increasingly important for the technical departments of Schools, Universities, and Colleges to understand how to set up the best smart classroom solution for their organization.

An ideal smart and virtual classroom solution not only should provide a seamless classroom environment for the students and teachers but should be easy to set up and use and Affordable to implement. PeopleLink offers smart classroom solutions that transform every traditional classroom to a boundary-less virtual space where students and teachers can interact in a face to face real life like session very easily. This on-demand learning helps students to have a better learning curve wherever they are – either on-campus or off-campus.

With PeopleLink’s complete online classroom package that operates on a unified communications platform, All you need is a moderate bandwidth network coverage in your school or college or any online teaching institute to get the maximum user experience. With innovative and meaningful use of technology, PeopleLink is transforming the way teachers teach and students learn in schools.

Smart classroom technology is a success as visually attractive methods of teaching engage the audio-visual senses and are proven to be more appealing to the students.

Let us understand the main basic requirements to set up a successful Smart Virtual Classroom Solution with PeopleLink.

Desktop , Laptop, Tab or Mobile with Internet Connectivity

The use of familiar technology like desktop or laptop makes students feel more comfortable and confident. Students can connect from their home or distant location to the teacher using the device of their choice as a desktop, laptop or mobile.

Digital Podium (at Teacher’s location)

Digital Podiums are the modern version of the classic podiums with inbuilt touch screen monitor and laptop interface. This e-podium’s laptop interface is just like any other laptop, enabling you to connect to the internet with video, audio, USB ports, etc. These new-gen podiums are ideal for any smart online classroom and pave way for smarter lectures, seminars, and presentations. These smart podiums come with microphones and digital signal processor which produces HD quality audio.

The lecturer/instructor can operate the whiteboard from the podium using the touch screen monitor, which eradicates the visibility issues among the audience. Proper engaging with the students/attendees can be done. These seamless designs give your smart class room’s or auditorium’s rostrum a great advantage. PeopleLink provides a wide variety of digital podiums.

Auto Speaker Tracking Camera – The teacher can move around freely without the need of an additional person to manage the camera.

The PeopleLink’s speaker tracking camera as the name suggests works with audio positioning and face detection technology. With 12x optical zoom, and 72.5 ° field of view the camera precisely tracks your speaker. This audio-visual tracking camera has inbuilt meeting algorithms that switch between zoom in the speaker and the panoramic view of the enter online classroom as programmed.

This smart camera is exclusively designed for video conferencing, video chats, streaming, recordings from virtual classrooms, auditoriums, etc. The H.264/H.265 video compression and 1080p resolution with 60 fps make every video call or recordings crystal clear giving face-to-face like user experience. This teacher tracking camera has HDMI output, audio output and audio inputs highly compatible with your existing video conferencing system.

Student Tracking Camera – Keep track of all Students connected from different locations

PeopleLink’s student tracking camera is a smart PTZ camera that auto-tracks, and captures the audience in online classrooms, auditoriums or any conference rooms. Auto-tracking and auto-zoom in and zoom out (up to 20x optical zoom) are possible with the embedded image processing and analysis algorithms. Users can configure these cameras very easily with just a few steps. These auto-tracking video conferencing cameras can record high-quality videos (1080p with H.264 video compression) and stores in a local storage module. It also has a static wide-angle camera to capture the classroom at a wider angle.

Where to use this?

Consider that your math teacher has not come to your class due to personal reasons. But has informed that he will connect from home as he knows that yours is a online smart classroom. In such a scenario, the student tracking camera relays the picture-perfect video to the remote location where the lecturer is located.

Document Visualizer – Project Your Documents on Large Screen

Document Visualizers is one of the key players in a smart classroom, meeting room, or training room as it helps every student participant to view the shared documents on screen at full HD resolution. PeopleLink offers you industry best document visualizer named PeopleLink iVision Beta. The smart camera of this device allows you to magnify the document up to 32x optical zoom and 16x digital zoom making the document easily readable. The camera can be rotated at an angle of 350 degrees both horizontally and vertically so that you can get improved coverage of the document.

This camera document scanner’s output can be connected not only to a projector but also to Desktop PC, Laptop, and RGB display out. You could also use the HDMI Port to transmit both high definition video and audio output at the same time.

This makes the document visualizer highly versatile and compatible. The document visualizer’s peripheral also helps to connect to a mic, two audio inputs (from PC and laptop) and audio out enabling the device to send audio along with the shared documents.

Its’ portable design, the camera cover, the intuitive control panel and the left/right fill lights on top of the document tray are added advantages of this document camera visualizer.

Audio DSP and Ceiling Microphones – Hear every Participant Clearly

Are you are looking for a complete and integrated solution for high-quality audio communication for your training rooms, virtual classrooms or any conferencing rooms? Try our PeopleLink DSP CM Pro, you will know why it is the best choice. Our Voice Collaboration DSPs are configured with echo cancellation, noise suppression, and high SNR.

Our Digital Signal Processors supports the wireless mic and has the best mixer which does intelligent sound mixing and recording. The audio processing is basically done with the 3rd Generation of Auctopus Audio Processing Algorithm. Along with this DSP CM Pro, PeopleLink offers Spherical ceiling microphones, which is capable of picking up HD audio up to 10 meters.

This digital audio processor has six 3.81 phoenix interface and bus structure for transferring data. It also has a b-type USB port. This Digital single processor with ceiling microphones is highly compatible with your audio and video software. On the whole, you can present your virtual classroom with streamlined audio using this Audio DSP and ceiling microphones.

Interactive Display – Touch sensitive Display for interactive learning

The ultimate aim of online smart classrooms is to present the students with intuitive sessions having more scope for interactions. Peoplelink’s interactive displays work hand in hand with you to provide the best virtual classroom experience for both on-campus and remote students. One such notable recommendation is PeopleLink Interactive Display T86, a 86 inch display with 16:09 aspect ratio and 3840 x 2160 pixels 4k ultra HD resolution.

With these interactive flat panel, you can write using your finger and also with an interactive pen. This stunning display provides up to 10 touchpoints, that is, you can write with your 10 fingers at the same time. Isn’t that great?! Yes, when installed on a virtual classroom, you could call up to 10 students at a time and make them write on the screen.

This interactive touch display operates both on Windows and Android operating systems, which opens the horizon of embedding interactive tools, exclusive editing tools, and various learning software. The lecturer can plan for fun engaging activities with all the student participants and easily connect to any mobile device like Chromebook, laptops, tablets, ipads which is welcome to be used in schools and universities worldwide.

With the lightweight and slim design and minimal bezel design makes it easy for installation on walls and does not protrude much from the wall.

This modern and wide interactive screen plays a vital role in the smart classroom and also in training rooms easily bringing all the participants in unison. Try our PeopleLink Interactive Display T86.

MultiLocation Video Conferencing for Education that works even at Low Bandwidth

When it comes to remote teaching or learning, PeopleLink’s Omnipresence is an apt multi-location video conferencing solution for conducting virtual smart classroom sessions.Omnipresence FeaturesBenefits/UsesVideosGet Ultra HD 4K videosEasy integrationConnects with any remote system with easy integration. Also, deploy at reasonable installation and operational costSmart touch-enabled controllerPeopleLink Insta Controller, a smart portable gadget that controls the entire conferencing system in just a single touch – session initiation, virtual classroom AV control, lighting control of the classroom.Supports up to 16 screens (single or multiple) in houseIn your classroom, you can have up to 16 screens showing remote participants and also supports 16 camera inputsGet uncompromised video audio quality even at low bandwidthNot all remote students may have access to the high-speed internet; sometimes students would also want to take sessions while travelling. Having this in mind, PeopleLink has designed this solution to work even in low bandwidth internet.Share data easilyYou could share rich contextual media or data to all your student participants. By this way, you can make them understand the concepts what you are arriving at very easily. Teaching and learning process is quick here.Transmits multiple video feeds to remote connectorsThe students at remote locations can view the perfect video streaming and transmits multiple videos to the students connected from different part of the world.

All these products and solutions by PeopleLink, serve a great purpose in a smart classroom helping not only the students physically present in the classroom but also those who have connected remotely. PeopleLink’s smart classroom solutions are of great support to the technology-embraced educational systems.

#communication #conference #video conferencing

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charlesmwa · 2 months ago

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What’s the Best Gear for Hosting Live Podcasts on Social Media?

In the age of social media, podcasts have taken a massive leap from pre-recorded episodes to live, interactive formats. Hosting live podcasts on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok allows creators to connect directly with their audience, build relationships, and create authentic moments in real time. But to make your live podcast successful, having the right gear is non-negotiable.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned podcaster, investing in the right tools can elevate your production quality, making your content stand out in a sea of live streams. Let’s explore the best gear for hosting live podcasts and why each piece is crucial for delivering a polished, engaging experience.

1. Microphones: The Backbone of Any Podcast

Your voice is the star of your podcast, so a high-quality microphone should be your first investment. Live podcasts demand crystal-clear audio to ensure your listeners stay engaged and don’t miss a word.

Dynamic Microphones are ideal for live settings. They’re durable, reduce background noise, and handle loud environments well. This makes them perfect for live social media sessions where unpredictable noise can be an issue.

Condenser Microphones capture more detail and are great if you’re streaming from a quiet, controlled space. They provide studio-like sound but are more sensitive to background noise.

Look for a microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern, which focuses on your voice and minimizes background sounds.

2. Audio Interfaces: Bridge the Gap

If you’re using a professional microphone, you’ll need an audio interface to connect it to your computer or mobile device. An audio interface converts your microphone’s analog signal into digital audio that your streaming platform can process.

Choose an interface with at least one XLR input (for your mic) and USB connectivity. Many modern interfaces are compact and portable, making them ideal for podcasters on the go.

Look for features like gain control and headphone monitoring, which help you fine-tune your sound during the broadcast.

An audio interface ensures your listeners hear you as clearly as if they were sitting in the same room.

3. Headphones: Monitor Your Sound

Monitoring your audio in real time is essential to catch any issues before your audience does. A good pair of headphones allows you to hear exactly what your listeners are hearing.

Closed-Back Headphones are perfect for podcasting. They prevent sound from leaking into your microphone and offer an immersive listening experience.

Prioritize comfort, especially for long live sessions. Lightweight headphones with cushioned ear pads are a great choice.

Monitoring your audio ensures your levels are balanced, and any potential hiccups are addressed immediately.

4. Lighting: Look Your Best on Camera

While podcasts are traditionally audio-focused, live podcasts on social media often include video. Good lighting can make a huge difference in how professional your stream looks.

Ring Lights are a favorite among content creators for their ability to provide soft, even lighting. They’re perfect for illuminating your face during live sessions.

LED Panel Lights are more versatile and allow you to adjust brightness and color temperature to match your setup.

Lighting not only enhances your appearance but also keeps your audience focused on you, rather than distractions in your background.

5. Cameras: Level Up Your Video Quality

If your live podcast involves video, investing in a quality camera can make your streams more engaging.

Webcams: Modern HD webcams are an affordable and easy-to-use option for beginners. They plug directly into your computer and deliver decent quality.

DSLR or Mirrorless Cameras: For a more professional look, consider using a DSLR or mirrorless camera with streaming capabilities. These offer superior image quality and customizable settings.

Don’t forget to position your camera at eye level to create a natural and inviting angle for your audience.

6. Pop Filters and Shock Mounts: Minimize Distractions

Live podcasts are unpredictable, and the last thing you want is your audience being distracted by plosive sounds (like “p” and “b”) or vibrations.

Pop Filters are affordable tools that reduce harsh sounds caused by sudden bursts of air. They’re a must-have for any podcast setup.

Shock Mounts isolate your microphone from desk vibrations, ensuring clean audio even if you accidentally bump your desk or move your mic stand.

These small additions go a long way in maintaining high audio quality.

7. Mixers: Fine-Tune Your Sound

A mixer gives you control over your audio levels and allows you to incorporate multiple microphones or sound effects seamlessly.

For solo podcasters, a simple mixer with 2–4 channels is sufficient.

If you’re hosting guests or incorporating music, a more advanced mixer with multiple inputs and effects can enhance your production.

Mixers are especially helpful if you’re streaming directly to social media platforms, as they allow you to adjust sound levels in real time.

8. Internet Connection: The Unsung Hero

No matter how great your gear is, a weak internet connection can ruin your live podcast. A stable and fast internet connection ensures your stream runs smoothly without lag or interruptions.

Use a wired connection whenever possible for the most reliable performance.

If you’re using Wi-Fi, position your setup close to the router and consider upgrading to a faster plan if needed.

9. Stream Decks: Simplify Your Workflow

If you’re hosting live podcasts frequently, a stream deck can be a game-changer. These devices allow you to control your stream with customizable buttons, making it easy to switch scenes, adjust audio, or trigger sound effects without fumbling around.

Stream decks add a layer of professionalism and make multi-tasking during live sessions much easier.

10. Backup Power and Storage: Stay Prepared

Live podcasts don’t come with a pause button, so preparation is key.

Keep a backup power source, like a portable battery or uninterruptible power supply (UPS), to avoid interruptions during unexpected power outages.

Record your sessions locally on an external drive or cloud storage. This not only provides a safety net in case of connectivity issues but also gives you content to repurpose later.

Why Invest in Quality Gear?

While it’s tempting to cut corners when setting up your podcast, high-quality gear pays off in the long run. Professional equipment ensures your audience stays engaged, helps you build credibility, and sets you apart in a crowded digital landscape.

When shopping for audio gear, it’s always a good idea to purchase from professional audio shops. Not only do they offer a wide range of options to suit your needs, but they also provide expert advice to help you make informed decisions.

Final Thoughts

Hosting live podcasts on social media is an incredible way to connect with your audience, share your ideas, and build a loyal community. But success doesn’t just come from great content—it’s also about presentation.

With the right gear, you can deliver a seamless and professional live podcast that keeps your audience coming back for more. From high-quality microphones and lighting to reliable internet and backup power, every piece of equipment plays a role in creating an engaging experience.

Invest in the tools that best suit your needs and goals, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a standout live podcaster in no time.

#audio #audio gear #music #dj #professional audio #audio shop in brooklyn #brooklyn #podcast #podcasting #social media #audio equipments #pro audio gears

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