tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post3706908012798501591..comments2023-09-24T07:53:50.826-05:00Comments on The Atheist Experience™: Regarding the studio technical problemsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-56342968639505712012011-02-19T17:30:22.936-06:002011-02-19T17:30:22.936-06:00At the risk of coming across as one who wants to c...At the risk of coming across as one who wants to complain about the quality of the end product that is either broadcast, or on offer via a download (the latter being all that is available to me), the problem that I guess I understand the least is the feedback problem.<br /><br />When people use the word "feedback", it can mean a lot of things. It can be used to describe obnoxious noises being created by speakers & microphones, or it can also mean perfectly clear audio that is being fed (mixed) accidentally into another signal.<br /><br />I'm not an audio engineer, and I've never used a mixing desk, but I do understand that as a general rule of thumb, you're asking for trouble whenever you have a microphone anywhere near a speaker in the same room. I've noticed, whilst watching previous episodes, that occasionally one of the hosts will ask for an adjustment on the speaker volume from which the caller's voices can be heard. I assume that this is NOT the same audio "stream" as viewers of the program hear, but one that comes directly from the phone. (I'm assuming the audio that viewers hear is mixed in to the stream at the mixing desk, so that levels may be controlled, etc).<br /><br />If this is the case, then I would think that this is one possible cause of noxious noises heard by viewers.<br /><br />As I haven't seen all episodes, I have no idea if the idea may have been attempted, but if I may be so bold, I would suggest that the hosts try using ear pieces of some kind to hear the caller on the phone. This would, I would think, eliminate the possibility of direct feedback between the telephone speaker in the studio, and the hosts' microphones... IF that is one of the potential causes of feedback.<br /><br />Just trying to help. Best of luck, and thanks for all your efforts in bringing the show to those beyond the city of Austin.<br /><br />Gary<br />Hunter Valley, NSW, AustraliaTassie Devilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16275398325804891235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-74987017355264581942011-02-14T18:05:54.691-06:002011-02-14T18:05:54.691-06:003G could maybe handle a single call under optimal ...3G could maybe handle a single call under optimal conditions, but even then the latency would probably ruin the call.<br />We should all pray for good LTE coverage in the area (praying helps. true story).<br />I have done a bit of testing on LTE here i Norway (different frequencies, but basically the same tech) and the latency is almost as low as a good DSL. Bandwith should not be a problem, even just on OK coverage.<br />The only real problem with LTE might be the data plans and maybe shared bw if there is a lot of other people using the same transmitter at the same time, but that's unlikely tho have any practical effect within these needs (as long as you have coverage in the first place). <br />Combine this with something like www.asterisk.org and you have a mobile switchboard.<br />It will cost you a bit of money and possibly quite a bit of work, but at least it would be yours and not the studios'.<br />And yes, I am fully aware of the irony in focusing my entire comment on giving advice when complaining and stupid advice was the thing that made you post this in the first place :p<br />That being said: Keep up the good work. Most of us understand that you do what is possible to make thing go as smoothly as circumstances allow.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05447613813185487252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-78286454433752292632011-02-14T09:50:51.339-06:002011-02-14T09:50:51.339-06:00All your hard works seems to have paid off last Su...All your hard works seems to have paid off last Sunday. Excellent audio. Excellent show. It was even up for download soon thereafter. Ahhh, blissKilgore Trouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01942361399957990430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-76885145508754530872011-02-14T00:53:48.611-06:002011-02-14T00:53:48.611-06:00@ Admin LOL@ Admin LOLMamba24https://www.blogger.com/profile/05946274556360577420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-1413939462245684802011-02-14T00:31:24.273-06:002011-02-14T00:31:24.273-06:00I'm picturing Matt and Jeff jumping up and dow...I'm picturing Matt and Jeff jumping up and down on the desk hitting the audio board, like the computer scene in Zoolander.Adminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08435379042731604819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-70475015966488258332011-02-13T15:58:33.050-06:002011-02-13T15:58:33.050-06:00@matt - right back at ya, buddy@matt - right back at ya, buddyUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08845158355583285201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-59248673889748966932011-02-13T15:49:46.977-06:002011-02-13T15:49:46.977-06:00you lost me at 'mix-minus'! :)you lost me at 'mix-minus'! :)MVPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00758626695429493011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-80937949993289945852011-02-13T01:43:01.986-06:002011-02-13T01:43:01.986-06:00I wonder if something like this might help:
http:/...I wonder if something like this might help:<br />http://www.nch.com.au/pbx/index.html<br />or some of their other software. <br /><br />I have this fantasy that you folks could just walk in with your own system on a laptop plus a router box or something, plug it in and away you go, bypassing the studio's phone system altogether. Of course there's the internet question. And this may not help at all with feeding back in the studio anyway.<br />I'm just being <i>that</i> guy with the unsolicited, inexpert tech help. *cringes Igor-like*. Have mercy. It's what we hunchbacks/geeks do.Muzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13623963325540060813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-14105631845077934332011-02-12T20:09:05.466-06:002011-02-12T20:09:05.466-06:00@john: http://www.prettymay.net/
It costs, but I&...@john: http://www.prettymay.net/<br /><br />It costs, but I'm sure a blog post to raise donations would do the job considering how many people voted on those "best podcast/resource" polls.BloggytheBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15373977167347907630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-30973515666253633062011-02-12T11:40:09.923-06:002011-02-12T11:40:09.923-06:00If Skype (or some other VoIP) has an ability to qu...If Skype (or some other VoIP) has an ability to queue multiple incoming calls, then we'd definitely be interested. There will be a time (probably in the not too distant future) when ChannelAustin will shut down, and it would be nice to have the alternatives worked out in advance.<br /><br />John I.<br />AETV crewJohn I.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10042984817701080159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-42858007786613352842011-02-11T23:50:01.663-06:002011-02-11T23:50:01.663-06:00OK, you guys are clearly struggling and you need m...OK, you guys are clearly struggling and you need my help. You've not thought of a bunch of things, I can tell. Just send me a direct message and I'll sort it all out for you.<br /><br />My main idea involves some pirate radio knowledge I obtained through the study of seminal classics like Pump Up The Volume and Sharktopus. Be aware that while it'll fix your phone problems, you may be required to occasionally fake a masturbatory session, and fend off attacks from various government projects that involve animal blending technologies. It's possible you'll have to kill some high school girls named Heather too, although I could be misremembering that.BloggytheBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15373977167347907630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-75788052380454107562011-02-11T21:39:26.224-06:002011-02-11T21:39:26.224-06:00@curt: a problem with 3g tethering connections is ...@curt: a problem with 3g tethering connections is that they, while having totally fine bandwidth (depending on where you are), usually have latencies that are quite a bit higher. doesnt really make much of a difference while youre surfing, but for VOIP its...well, now that i think about it, id still say its better than no phone calls at all. like an oldschool overseas call maybe :-)<br /><br />but i have to agree with MAtheist, that an excorcism is probably the most promising solution of all.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07746698077169342654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-27124131204454728452011-02-11T19:01:05.610-06:002011-02-11T19:01:05.610-06:00I think you should perform an exorcism on it.
(bu...I think you should perform an exorcism on it.<br /><br />(but go easy with the holy water)MAtheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12489281535410681576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-9171963303565728602011-02-11T12:42:58.966-06:002011-02-11T12:42:58.966-06:00Yeah, when I mentioned Skype, I was thinking of th...Yeah, when I mentioned Skype, I was thinking of the option to call in from the POTS phones so caller's wouldn't have to be on Skype, they'd just call from their regular phones.<br /><br />What I don't know is whether there's capability in Skype to have multiple people call in and be in the queue.<br /><br />For an Internet connection, my wife when she's at her office, uses her Android phone tethered with a USB cable to her PC, to give her Internet access through the 3G network. She says she doesn't notice any speed differences between that and using our network at home.Curt Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08048312089881459521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-63568597792220859182011-02-11T09:45:51.935-06:002011-02-11T09:45:51.935-06:00i saw that, but considering the number of shows wh...i saw that, but considering the number of shows where the phones didnt work at all vs. the number of shows where the live stream was lost (i assume the stream working is a sign that the internet connection didnt fail, which of course may be a wrong assumption), having a skype-in account might at least be a good "plan B" setup?<br /><br />not trying to argue here, just trying to find things that maybe havent been considered before. matts post that mentioned skype as a technically worthwhile but largely "theist-free" option sounded a bit to me like he wasnt aware of the option to call skype over a traditional phone number...of course i could be wrong, just thought id mention it :) in a "one improvised skype-in line is still better than no phones at all" kind of way, if you will...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07746698077169342654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-70124829078709051322011-02-11T08:10:38.380-06:002011-02-11T08:10:38.380-06:00Derek: Did you not see what I said about the inter...Derek: Did you not see what I said about the internet connection in the studio?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324968314168283095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-72101753474671979242011-02-10T22:09:04.581-06:002011-02-10T22:09:04.581-06:00skype really would seem like a good alternative, c...skype really would seem like a good alternative, considering that it apparently worked quite well in the completely improvised dillahunty studios. yes, you dont get many theistic callers that way, but maybe that could be fixed by setting up a skype-in-account. that way, your skype account can be reached via a traditional phone number, but you still get all of skypes technical benefits (on your end, anyway, but that seems to be the problematic one often enough id say, especially after what matt just described in the article).<br /><br />where i live, such a skype-in number is roughly $7 per month.<br /><br />sorry if this has been suggested before...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07746698077169342654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-44842493798876423302011-02-10T21:32:38.224-06:002011-02-10T21:32:38.224-06:00@nate - I heart you.@nate - I heart you.Matt D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06865398618141711897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-21480258483215859152011-02-10T18:44:32.799-06:002011-02-10T18:44:32.799-06:00Matt, some people just need to be bitched at, espe...Matt, some people just need to be bitched at, especially if they're lacking in sense that a team of intelligent people with actual real time access to the equipment in question haven't thought of the same suggestions they're sending to you.<br /><br />So yeah, bitch away.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16357000315675352088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-91775304916494974632011-02-10T16:43:43.689-06:002011-02-10T16:43:43.689-06:00Thanks for chiming in, Sharon. My experience with...Thanks for chiming in, Sharon. My experience with an all-volunteer organization is that there's never a shortage of people who have great ideas for projects that OTHER people should do. (Myself included. I used to be a member of the board of directors, but I haven't even run for the position in years.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324968314168283095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-38727065742233216962011-02-10T16:35:45.878-06:002011-02-10T16:35:45.878-06:00have you tried turning it off and turning it back ...have you tried turning it off and turning it back on again?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08845158355583285201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-78025497596045028572011-02-10T15:46:23.565-06:002011-02-10T15:46:23.565-06:00What so many don't realize is that you guys ar...What so many don't realize is that you guys are just average Joes who donate hours of your time and, often, money from your pockets both to run the ACA and do the shows. With no pay. And, often no reimbursement of your expenses. <br />I have been on the Board of an educational non-profit for years and sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry, and sometimes you get mad at how casually people offer useless advice. People who won't offer a few hours of their time to fill a Board position are always the first to offer advice, then get huffy when you don't take it.<br />Someone suggested we tape out meetings to post to our website. The mind boggles at both the cost (for video & sound equipment) and the time to tape, edit & upload it every month (plus the hassle of getting permission from our guest speakers.) <br />And I can't even get people to buy a $10 calendar or a $5 coffee cup to raise some funds for our Club.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15389476095618700931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-10211347860420615682011-02-10T14:25:27.264-06:002011-02-10T14:25:27.264-06:00Is there any way the tech folk or producers from t...Is there any way the tech folk or producers from the shows across the station can get together as a group or union to combat the issues? Or does this already exist?Chain Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16183595353121477835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-75640237224201439312011-02-10T14:09:35.126-06:002011-02-10T14:09:35.126-06:00The internet in the studio is not that great or re...The internet in the studio is not that great or reliable. Those of you who were watching the live feed last week should be aware of this already, because the feed just cut out completely about five minutes before the show ended. That wasn't a technical boo-boo by our guys: The whole internet went out. I couldn't hit any web pages on my laptop either.<br /><br />There are a very limited number of things we can change. And while we can fool around with the hardware on our end (phone systems, routers we brought, etc.) it's not like we can just pay for a whole new freaking ISP for the studio or change their phone provider.<br /><br />Again... they just spent ONE MILLION DOLLARS (cue Dr. Evil finger) on new equipment, and that is not the kind of money we are ever, ever going to have as a donation-supported non-profit.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324968314168283095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-62404070992827258202011-02-10T13:49:17.204-06:002011-02-10T13:49:17.204-06:00Skype isn't out of the question but we don'...Skype isn't out of the question but we don't tend to get theistic callers that way. We used it when we did the show from my place and you can sample those shows for the harsh reality.<br /><br />We're looking into it, but it may not fix a thing (or even be viable) given the limitations we have on what we can change/connect.Matt D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06865398618141711897noreply@blogger.com