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RE: audio-only alternatives for video?

for

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Oct 24, 2001 7:40AM

Carol,
In QuickTime, the user needs to download any tracks associated with a file.
As a result in order to reduce the download for the three sets of users you
probably should do the following:
users wanting only the program audio and video:
offer a link to a video and audio version
users wanting audio descriptions, program audio, and no video:
offer a link to a version with program audio and audio descriptions
users wanting all three:
offer a link to a version with all three
In QuickTime, adding audio descriptions is pretty easy. Once these are
added to the movie with video and audio, you can just export the tracks that
you want to create the additional versions.
A link to directions for adding descriptions to QT:
http://ncam.wgbh.org/richmedia/qtdeschowto.html
If you really want to do a better job, a tool like SoundForge will allow you
to "duck" the program audio during the description, so that the descriptions
are more easily heard over whatever background sound exists.
Hope this helps,
Andrew

On 10/24/01 8:56 AM, Carol Foster ( <EMAIL REMOVED> ) wrote:
> Thanks! I'll pass this along. We are using QuickTime.
>
> Carol
>
> Andrew Kirkpatrick wrote:
>
>> Carol,
>> 1) What kind of video? Real, QT, WMP?
>> 2) What is ideal, from the user's perspective, is to be required to download
>> only the data that is useable to them. If a user is blind, the program
>> audio and audio descriptions are the pieces that are useable, so a version
>> with no program video will be a faster download. You are right about people
>> who are visually impaired wanting the video as well as the audio
>> descriptions (or a blind user sitting with a non-blind user), so these
>> people need all three parts. People who don't need the audio descriptions
>> only need the program audio and video, and shouldn't need to download the
>> extra data.
>>
>> Compounding this problem is the fact that not all players provide
>> functionality to allow the user to turn audio descriptions on and off. The
>> new RealONE player does, but it is a beta. QT does, but all tracks need to
>> be downloaded and a toggle inserted into the movie just turns the audio
>> description track on or off.
>>
>> There are different strategies for dealing with this situation depending on
>> the type of video you are serving up. Let us know what you are using...
>>
>> Andrew
>>
>> On 10/23/01 4:51 PM, Carol Foster ( <EMAIL REMOVED> ) wrote:
>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> We are looking at our first attempt to add audio descriptions of visual
>>> information to a video clip. The question came up about whether or not
>>> it would be okay to make a separate audio-only version of the clip and
>>> add the extra descriptions to that, rather than having to combine
>>> everything and have to pause the video to fit in all the extra words.
>>> The only drawback I could think of off the top of my head would be for
>>> people with low vision who would need the enhanced audio but may want to
>>> also see the synchronized video. I have never seen any examples of this
>>> being done. I think the only examples I've seen of audio descriptions
>>> are the WGBH ones where everything is combined, including the Pivot
>>> project where the video is stopped. Our multimedia person thought it
>>> might be easier to edit just the audio on its own, but we are all pretty
>>> new to making multimedia accessible.
>>>
>>> What do you all think?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Carol
>>>
>>> --
>>> Carol Foster, Web Developer
>>> Internet Publishing Group, Information Technology Services
>>> University of Massachusetts, President's Office
>>> (413) 587-2130
>>> <EMAIL REMOVED>
>>> http://www.umassp.edu/uis/ipg
>>> http://www.umassp.edu/uis/ipg/accessibility
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ---
>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view list archives,
>>> visit http://www.webaim.org/discussion/
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Andrew Kirkpatrick, Technical Project Coordinator
>> CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
>> 125 Western Ave.
>> Boston, MA 02134
>> E-mail: <EMAIL REMOVED>
>> Web site: ncam.wgbh.org
>>
>> 617-300-4420 (direct voice/FAX)
>> 617-300-3400 (main NCAM)
>> 617-300-2489 (TTY)
>>
>> WGBH enriches people's lives through programs and services that educate,
>> inspire, and entertain, fostering citizenship and culture, the joy of
>> learning, and the power of diverse perspectives.
>>
>> ---
>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view list archives,
>> visit http://www.webaim.org/discussion/
>
> --
> Carol Foster, Web Developer
> Internet Publishing Group, Information Technology Services
> University of Massachusetts, President's Office
> (413) 587-2130
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> http://www.umassp.edu/uis/ipg
> http://www.umassp.edu/uis/ipg/accessibility
> --
>
>
>
>
> ---
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view list archives,
> visit http://www.webaim.org/discussion/
>
-- Andrew Kirkpatrick, Technical Project Coordinator
CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
125 Western Ave.
Boston, MA 02134
E-mail: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Web site: ncam.wgbh.org
617-300-4420 (direct voice/FAX)
617-300-3400 (main NCAM)
617-300-2489 (TTY)
WGBH enriches people's lives through programs and services that educate,
inspire, and entertain, fostering citizenship and culture, the joy of
learning, and the power of diverse perspectives.