Audio files can help guide the end user through the course and provide supplemental information. Each page or step within a course or simulation can have a supported audio file - MP3 or WAV - associated with the content. When in the Editor, all audio files inserted as WAV files are automatically converted to MP3. WAV files in existing content will be converted to MP3 during the publishing process.
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NOTE:
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Audio files must be in MP3 format to run on an iPad.
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NOTE:
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If using LAME on a uPerform application server, place the files in the following directory:[applicationdirectory]\Vignette\Collaboration\uPerform\ms
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NOTE:
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Using WAV files will increase the size of a course compared to when using MP3 files.
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Audio can be incorporated into two ways:
- Create an audio recording from directly within the application. This capability is excellent for quick, simple recordings that will not require further editing or processing. By default, recording audio within the Editor will create MP3 files. For Windows 7 users, refer to Installing LAME to convert WAV files to MP3.
- Import an audio file created with an external audio editor application. Using an external audio editor allows you more flexibility to enhance or edit your audio recording.
If using WAV files, it is recommended to use the following settings to avoid distortion in the published output:
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WAV File Setting
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Recommendation
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Recorded bit depth
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16-bit, mono
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Frequency (Hz)
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Between 32,000 - 44,1000 Hz
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Resulting Bitrate of WAV File
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512kbps - 705kbps
(i.e. 16 x 32,000 = 512k)
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Installing LAME - Windows 7 Users Only
To create MP3 files from within the Editor, your computer must have the LAME application installed within the application directory.
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NOTE:
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To perform this task, you must be an Administrator on your computer. If you are not, contact your IT department for assistance.
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- Perform a web search for "lame encoder download".
- Download the latest version of LAME that is compatible with your computer.
- On your computer, navigate to your browser's Download folder.
- Double-click on the LAME zip file to open the file.
- Select both lame.exe and LAME_ENC.DLL.
- Right-click the selected files and select Copy.
- Navigate to C:\Program Files\[applicationdirectory]\Client\bin.
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NOTE:
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It may be Program Files (86).
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- Paste both files into the bin directory.
- If the Editor is running, restart the Editor for the changes to take effect.
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NOTE:
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Once you have installed LAME, all recordings will be encoded as MP3 files.
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Creating an Audio File
- In the task pane area, select the Course tab.
- Select the page to contain the audio.
- Select to open the Recording Options window.
- Complete the following fields:
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Field
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Description
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Recording Device
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Select the input recording device. This selection is machine specific.
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Recording Quality
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Specify the audio quality setting.
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Setting
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MP3
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WAV
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High
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320kbps
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16-bit
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Medium
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128kbps
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8-bit
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Low
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64kbps
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8-bit
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Transcript
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Enter text for the transcript.
NOTE: Click the down arrow to display the text field.
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Length
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Displays the recording length in seconds once the recording is started.
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- Click
to start the recording.
- Perform any of the following:
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If You Want to
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Then
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Pause the current recording
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Click  .
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Stop the current recording
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Click  .
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Review the current recording
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Click  .
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- Click OK.
Importing an Audio File
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NOTE:
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The recommended MP3 encoding quality/bitrate is between 48-64 kbps. Ensure the file is converted to mono to keep the file size as small as possible.
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- In the task pane area, select the page to contain the audio.
- Click the Audio tab.
- Complete the following fields:
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Field
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Description
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Audio source
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Select Manual from the drop-down list.
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Audio file
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- Click Browse....
- Choose the MP3 or WAV audio file to import.
- Click Open.
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Modifying an Audio File
- In the task pane, select the page containing the audio.
- Click the Audio tab.
- Perform any of the following:
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If You Want to
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Then
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Play an audio file
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Click .
You can adjust the volume using the slide bar.
To stop the playback, click .
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Transcribe an audio file
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Enter the text of the audio file in the Transcript field.
NOTE: The transcript text is plain text.
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Delete an audio file
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- Verify the audio file you want to delete is displayed in the Audio file field.
NOTE: You can use Browse... to navigate to the proper file.
- Click Delete to delete the audio file.
NOTE: You will not be prompted to confirm the delete action. The file will be instantly deleted.
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