Technical Difficulties

What frustrates you? I have a very low threshhold for remaining calm when dealing with computer problems. Everything from a loose cable to a malfunctioning USB port can cause problems, so they are often a time-consuming challenge to diagnose.

I’m having a static issue with a voiceover client. Though my 44,100Hz, 16-bit, 128Kbps file specifications (not that I know exactly what all those things mean, but I played Concentration enough to see when two things are alike) match those of other voiceover talents she uses, when she converts my clean-sounding MP3s to the format she needs, she hears static.

I’ve tried troubleshooting every which way. Fortunately the client is willing (for the moment, at least) to check out test files I send after trying potential solutions. I use Audacity, great, easy to use, free recording software. First I rerecorded the script to see if maybe my initial MP3 got messed up somehow, because she said the first few jobs I did for her were fine. And I have no idea what I might have done to my computer that makes it different from a week or so ago. Didn’t work.

Then I tried adjusting some settings (faithful readers are aware that I am not a recording engineer, so it’s frustrating enough to choose between ID3v1-more flexible or ID3v2-more compatible, or deciding if real-time dither and high-quality dither should be shaped, rectangle, triangle or none). That didn’t work, either. I had a VO friend with more engineering skills try to figure this out, and tried yet another settings change. No go.

Today I downloaded the trial version of another home recording program, Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio. I’m figuring out how to get it to do the tasks I know how to make Audacity do. I’ll send a test file Monday to see if somehow that solves the problem. If not, I’m not sure what else to try…sigh. Fingers crossed…