Dear Matthew, Hmm, this is a difficult one to answer - if you look at
technology trends:
- CDs generally are stable or in decline (both audio and CD-ROMS)
- Minidisk is growing marginally (but is not shipping in the same volumes)
- DAT featured for a while, is still used professionally, but is not a
growing market
- MP3's are growing in use massively
- DVD's are growing at a faster rate than any other comparable technology
My guess is that over time, DVD will generally become the preferred medium
for video, audio and data, although the technology needs to mature a little
more.
Portable machines which digitise audio straight onto CDs are few and far
between currently. Minidisks are good for this sort of thing (they work well
when recording); they also allow digital copies of a CD to be made, but have
a digi-copying block in place preventing digital copies being made of the
minidisk. You can copy the output of a minidisk, but only in an analogue
fashion. This makes migration from this platform problematic.
MP3 will dominate in the personal audio market, although whether it will be
a long-lasting standard is difficult to say. It can also be a "lossy"
recording method if you are not careful - but acceptable in quality for
straight-forward recordings. I know of a few people who are digitising their
CD collection and storing them on a CD-ROM. Paradoxically, it is possible to
get the equivalent of about 30 - 40 CD albums on one CD-ROM!
My advice would be to stick with an accessible "standard" format for the
time being - that may mean going with analogue recordings and then
digitising direct onto CD/Hard disk.
Regards
Chris Meaney (AIMC)
Managing Director
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-----Original Message-----
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Matthew Stiff
Sent: 18 June 2001 13:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Second World War etc
I can testify to the quality of the Marantz recorder having done Rob Perk's
course and used one in my previous job. However, that was some time ago and
prior to the existence of professional quality minidisc recorders.
I would be interested in the views of those on this list as to whether in a
digital age we should still be using analogue recording equipment? Digital
recordings can be archived on a server (with the subsequent ease of upgrade
path (although admittedly this will require large disc capacity). Analogue
recordings will need to be kept on audio tape (with future upgrade problems)
or digitised (in which case,why not record them digitally in the first
place?). I raise this question because already the use of audio cassettes
can be seen to be in sharp decline. No doubt the same fate awaits minidisc
recorders/players (witness the decline of the CD-ROM which has already
begun). However, by using standard digital audio file formats it should be
possible to keep ahead of changes in hardware for the time being at least.
I cannot claim any expertise in oral history or any knowledge of the current
state of play, but I would be interested in people's reactions to these
thoughts.
Best wishes,
Matthew
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Dr Matthew Stiff
Head of Standards
mda
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OX2 0HT
Tel: +44 (0)1865 200561
Fax: +44 (0)1865 200561 (by arrangement)
email: [log in to unmask]
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URL www.mda.org.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rosalind Collier" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 8:15 PM
Subject: Second World War etc
We are planning a 2 World War small exhibition, Rye's War (E.Sussex) for
next
year. We will be doing a lot of educational stuff with it (many of us are ex
teachers!! See various articles about the usefulness or not of ex teachers)
but we are also being encouraged to record oral history of local people.
I am getting confused about the right sort of recording equipment to use. I
understand a Marantz is the best, but I have seen what seems to be the right
one at £300 odd, and been quoted £1700 (with VAT).
Any ideas? All help very gratefully received.
Rosalind Collier
Rye Castle Museum
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