Hurray for mp3s!

[threej_lc]

ITS ABOUT TIME! :-D

It seems that Catholic Answers are now planning to make the show available in mp3 format instead of just real audio. They are requesting our opinion on what bitrate would be good.

Put your feedback for bitrate opinions here. (Check out the options at www.jimmyakin.org)

[Jerry Usher]

Hey, we may be good, but we're not always fast

"The mp3's are coming, the mp3's are coming!!!"

Yes, it is about time

[Darin DeLozier]

Here are the links to some samples of last thursday's show in different bitrates. Please feel free to check them out, compare quality, and let us know what you think would be best!

Show2344 24 kbps, 24 kHz, MP3, MONO--9.5 meg
Show2344 32 kbps, 24 kHz, MP3, MONO--12.5 meg
Show2344 32 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--12.5 meg
Show2344 40 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--15.7 meg
Show2344 48 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--18.8 meg

Thanks for the help!

[michaelgazin]

Originally Posted by Darin DeLozier

Here are the links to some samples of last thursday's show in different bitrates. Please feel free to check them out, compare quality, and let us know what you think would be best!

Show2344 24 kbps, 24 kHz, MP3, MONO--9.5 meg
Show2344 32 kbps, 24 kHz, MP3, MONO--12.5 meg
Show2344 32 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--12.5 meg
Show2344 40 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--15.7 meg
Show2344 48 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--18.8 meg

Thanks for the help!

Show2344 24 kbps, 24 kHz, MP3, MONO--9.5 meg is certainly sufficient for hearing the message.

Show2344 32 kbps, 24 kHz, MP3, MONO--12.5 meg is a bit better of course. If space is an issue, I would recommend this quality of mp3.

Show2344 48 kbps, 44.1 kHz, MP3, MONO--18.8 meg is of course excellent quality. If space is not an issue, I would highly recommend this be the bitrate quality used. Excellent and crisp.

[ElizabethJoy]

Yayy, mp3's! Thank you!

Any of the mono mp3 formats are good - IMO, even the largest isn't going to be too large for people still on dialup.

Being able to load up a CD with shows to take on the road or play while I am elsewhere in the house will be terrific. I heard you mention podcasting and that would be just the greatest.

Love you people!

Elizabeth

[pacersFan]

This is good news. I will now be able to put these shows on my MP3 player.

As far as bit rate goes, I'd vote for the highest bit rate. I've got broadband and plenty of hard disk space, so I would prefer the best quality available.

[n4mrc]

FYI:

For those shows already in archive, you can download a free app that will convert the Real Audio to mp3. Go to http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/ and download the freeware version of Wavpad. As you are installing, it will ask you if you would like to download and install a few other apps. Make sure you select Switch. (or you can find and download Switch by itself but Wavepad is pretty cool!) I tried it this week and it works. It converted the Real Audio file to mp3 in just a couple of minutes.

p.s. Thanks Karl, Jimmy, Jerry, Tim, Alex J, and a special thanks to John Martignoni for the talk he gave at my parish 6 years ago that motivated me to go to RCIA! I love being in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church!!!

[Pete2]

Now here is the ultimate... set up the mp3's as RSS 2.0 feeds (podcasts). With a podcast, you can subscribe to the feeds using a special piece of software like "ipodder", and your computer would automatically download them... as soon as the mp3 is available, it gets downloaded!

http://www.ipodder.org/

One of the forum members here at CA has an absolutely brilliant Catholic podcast, that I highly recommend:

www.catholicinsider.com

And Vatican Radio is also set up as a podcast.

Any thought of CA radio shows being offered this way?

Pete