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The Paracast Audio Quality Poll

  • Thread starter Thread starter ElmoFUD
  • Start date Start date
Forums New posts

The Paracast is available as a 128K audio file: Is it too large?

  • Yes. Return to 64K. I don't mind slight reduction in sound quality.

    Votes: 7 36.8%

  • No. Keep it as it is.

    Votes: 7 36.8%

  • I don't care either way.

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .

Free episodes:

E

ElmoFUD

Guest
Just downloaded the latest Paracast and Tech Night Owl Live episodes. Each weighed in at nearly half a gigabyte and were 128kbs. This takes a long time to download from a slow server. Also, since it is just voice 32 would be sufficient, 64 is what you have done in the past.

Thanks,
Elmo
 
Actually, file size is 153MB for each episode, which we've been doing since our network enhanced the bit size in October.

I would consider an alternative, either going back to 64K, or offering an optional low-res version.
 
Beginning with our October 12, 2013 episode, our network, GCN, began to release podcast files of our episodes in 128K form, resulting in a doubling of file size, to approximately 153MB.

This means that audio quality has been improved, but some of you have told us that you didn't mind 64K, which is close to what you get on talk stations on Sirius XM satellite radio. The main reason is the larger file size.

So, listeners, what do you prefer? Do you want to leave the audio quality as it is now, or revert to the original 64K format? You will see an audible reduction in quality, but not a severe one, and file size will be cut in half. That means the file will download twice as fast. It's your choice, and we will act on the results of this poll.
 
Even though it doesn't really take me that long to download the larger file sizes due to my connection, I voted to go back to 64K just for the sake of convenience and speed. I'm all for improved audio quality when it comes to music, but imo it's unnecessary for a talk radio show.
 
As I tend to store many episodes on my phone until I get round to deleting them, I'd say 64, but if there could be an option for both, that'd keep all happy.
 
The 64k has sounded fine on my machine. Downloading those extra packets might be worthwhile to enhance the sonorous tones of Gene and Chris. :cool: But quality of the call in guests' audio tends to be variable. Either way, it's all good.
 
Gene Steinberg said:
Beginning with our October 12, 2013 episode, our network, GCN, began to release podcast files of our episodes in 128K form, resulting in a doubling of file size, to approximately 153MB.

This means that audio quality has been improved, but some of you have told us that you didn't mind 64K, which is close to what you get on talk stations on Sirius XM satellite radio. The main reason is the larger file size.

So, listeners, what do you prefer? Do you want to leave the audio quality as it is now, or revert to the original 64K format? You will see an audible reduction in quality, but not a severe one, and file size will be cut in half. That means the file will download twice as fast. It's your choice, and we will act on the results of this poll.
Click to expand...

Oops. My mistake. I think I must've been looking at an overall number as I had three or four going at one time. Nevertheless, with a slow server it took nearly a half hour for the dl. Just trying to help. For voice audio, 128 is generally considered to be way overkill. With respect to other posters, A/B tests run in the last decade on audio suggested that 48kbs could not be distinguished reliably from 128kbs. The BBC standard is 64kbs, mono for voice.
 
I can distinguish the difference :)

We are mono, although the original recording before mix-down is stereo.

In any case, I'll abide by the poll 100%. Whatever you listeners decide is what we'll do. If we go back to 64K, I will recode recent episodes in that format for those who want them again.

But the final decision is still 6 days away.
 
An option for both would require some recoding of our site, for which I'd need a little help. Otherwise it'll be all one way or the other.
 
The quality was fine and had a issue last week download which disappeared twice once it was completed this week no problem maybe last weeks ones went down a wormhole with the man of steel:)
 
Seems like the phone connections (or maybe the phones!) are the weakest links in your signal chain. I don't know what could be done about that. 128k is not a problem for me, and I can hear the difference but it's really not a big deal except when there is other trouble, like the endlessly varying phone call quality. I have to deal with that at work and it drives me up a wall. Anyway, having both sizes available seems like a great idea if it's not too much trouble. I'd just as soon not hear phone hash squeezed through 64k into my decent but not great sound card. It all adds up. Or does it multiply? I forget.
 
Podcasts as a commodity . . . In the last few years we've seen dramatic growth in the number of talk shows on the Internet. Prospective listeners are surfing the Net, looking for a few interesting shows to download and play on the way to work, during lunch or maybe while babysitting. And most people have one thing in common: they're busy and their time is limited. From a purely sales and marketing point of view, I don't think The Paracast wants to be the audio show whose podcast is the largest, most time-consuming to download. Faced with a 35-minute download, many would-be Paracast consumers may "just keep shopping" and simply move on to a more "download friendly" site.

shopping cart1.jpg
 
Inasmuch as most my downloads I do via my phone and play the episode on my phone I'm all for the smaller...and lower quality audio download....for those times when I'm not near an available wifi (which I usually am) otherwise I get hit for the higher data usage and slower dl times. Like others have mentioned beyond that this is a speech podcast and not music I'm not overly concerned about the quality.
 
Gene Steinberg said:
Actually, file size is 153MB for each episode, which we've been doing since our network enhanced the bit size in October.

I would consider an alternative, either going back to 64K, or offering an optional low-res version.
Click to expand...

Maybe the option of both is a good idea, but for my ears keep the rate high as I can seriously hear the difference even if it is "only voice".
 
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