Podcasts

Our most recent recording session of Confab had included the plan to incorporate a remote participant using Garageband's support of iChat audio. The dry run prior to the show encountered a serious problem. It wasn't an issue of bandwidth or audio quality. Instead, the problem was a limit in Garageband that creates an all-or-nothing scenario. You either have to record all tracks through iChat or all tracks through another source (i.e., USB or Firewire audio devices). There's no capability in Garageband to record a mix of iChat participants and participants connected through an external audio interface (which is how we normally record participant audio). This was a surprising detail, and derailed our plans to involve a remote participant for that particular recording session.

My plan is to acquire a JK Audio Broadcast Host digital hybrid for future inclusion of remote participants. It will allow public switched telephone network (PSTN) callers to be mixed into our show, while sending the show audio back to the caller. Although there are several digital hybrids that may work for this application, I know of no other way than to use a digital hybrid for reliable inclusion of remote participants when local participants are connected through a USB or Firewire recording device.

Stay tuned for further information as I get and test the JK Audio Broadcast Host.