I have always been a big fan of VideoLAN - VLC media player, and with the most recent upgrade it looks like the best just keeps getting better.
The biggest improvement over past versions is that the FLV support is much better. So if you download a lot of YouTube (or any of the other video sharing sites) videos, you will no longer have to reload the player if you try to fast forward or rewind. You can check out the full list of features too for this tiny player, if you are not impressed yet. For more on this most recent release, check out the “What is cool in 0.9″ page or check out this video:
I was really behind Odeo years ago, thought it might be one of the break out podcasting web sites out there. Of course, then came iTunes and all the podcasting related sites just kind of got twisted in a tornado of, "what was that you do again?". Odeo is back though, with a fresh new look and I have to say it does look really pretty.
They have added a lot more video content - so they have both the video and audio aspects of podcasting covered now. Also the new design is pleasing to the eye and very functional. One little pet peeve for me was that it doesn’t keep me logged in. Each time I visit the site I have to login again.
Checking out my own page on there for the Web Hosting Show - I see another nice new addition. They actually updated the RSS feed! Before this redesign, it hadn’t been combed in a few months, so happy to see they are updating the podcast feeds they are watching because without it - well, you don’t have much of a podcasting service without freshness.
All in all, I wish the new Odeo the best of luck and who knows, if they can keep the feeds update this time around I might move my own subscriptions over there soon.
Simply Noise is here to fill the void, fill it with a lot of white noise! So what exactly is white noise and why might you need it? According to Wikipedia white noise is…
White noise is a random signal (or process) with a flat power spectral density. In other words, the signal’s power spectral density has equal power in any band, at any centre frequency, having a given bandwidth. White noise is considered analogous to white light which contains all frequencies.
So that answers the what, now how about the why? Here are some of the uses for white noise that are out there:
Aid Sleep
Enhance Privacy
Block Distractions
Mask Tinnitus
Configure Audio Equipment
Soothe Migraines
Getting back to the web site, Simply Noise - all it does is give you an orb to slide back and forth to increase or decrease the white noise they provide. What exactly is the noise they use? Think of it as the static sound you here when there is a TV channel not coming in clearly. All in all - this site does the job in a very simple way. Maybe in the future they can have the white noise come up via a popup window? That way if I needed it I could have it loaded up without having to keep the URL open 24/7.
The end of the month will be the Web Hosting Show’sthird year of production. Hard for me to believe that hundreds of people have been tuning into me week after week, but I appreciate any and all of them more than they would ever know. To do my best to pay something back to the community I thought I would share some of the podcasting tips I have picked up on over the past three years so maybe you can get your own audio podcast project off the ground.
Try moving the mic around!
That is the number one audio recording tip I would give anybody. You would be amazed how differently you can sound depending on where the mic is. Most will tell you to put it under your chin so you don’t “pop your p’s” but for me, I like to keep it at a distracting eye level (that is with a headset mic).
Move in a little closer…
You don’t want to sound like you are in an empty room, echoing around - unless you are pretending to be the booming voice of god in your audio podcast. Make sure your close enough to the mic to where you don’t sound too loud but your not sounding too far into the background either. This will take some time to find the exact spot that is right for you.
Try to speak from the heart!
Having a guide or show notes is good for a base, but don’t be afraid to go off on your own. Often times I’ll pre-write my show notes and as I record get off when I had wrote down. Why? Well after hearing it out loud I think to myself, “Well it would be better if I go off in this direction instead”. Then I’ll update my notes later to reflect that.
Try your best to eliminate any and all background noises. That means if you have a loud heater in the winter months, turn it off to record. If your air conditioner’s buzz is being caught by your mic, turn it off in the summer months. Suffer for your art so your listeners aren’t left wondering - what was that noise I just heard?
The last ‘bit of advice I would have for you is have fun! Don’t think of your show, audio recording or any other side project like this as a job. Treat it like a hobby. Audio podcasting might not be for everybody, but there is no way to find out if you like it unless you try. As long as you try to have fun with it, your listeners will pick up on that positive energy and will tune in again to hear more.
Here is a little more information about this episode of the best hosting podcast out there today if I do say so myself (and I just did!):
Need help picking the best domain name? Do you want some assistance finding the domain name register that is right for you? Have you considered the privacy concerns you might be giving up by getting that .com of you very own? I want to tackle domain names from head to toe to give people a guide to the confusing world of domain name registrations.
There are many subjects that take a little longer to explain and are confusing to most inside of the web hosting industry. Here are a few of the other special “guide” episodes I have produced. Read the rest of this entry »
I have always been a big fan of VideoLAN - VLC media player, and with the most recent upgrade it looks like the best just keeps getting better.
