So the last mixing desk at Coventry talking newspaper has lasted over 25 years. With parts of the desk failing and a change in the way we record audio programmes, it was time to research into a mixing console that will cope with todays audio broadcaster :

Available from broadcast warehouse, a similar setup to our existing setup from d-r.nl. A system setup for live broadcast and production studio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Qu-pac looks very revolutionary with a rack system and the console desk operated by an ipad. Great for portability.

 

 

 

 

http://www.allen-heath.com/ahproducts/qu-pac/

 X-Air follow a similar design or ipad mixer :

http://origin.behringer.com/EN/products/XR18.aspx

 Keeping on the ipad studio theme, Behringer have their X-32 console.

http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Behringer-X32-32-Channel-Digital-Mixer/IOM?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BRAND%20-%20Behringer%20Audio&utm_term=behringer%20×32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://tascam.com/product/dp-32sd/images/

 

 

 

On a more portable level, roland are offering a portable 8 input device that’s as good as complete studio setup. Classed as the r-88 model. http://proav.roland.com/products/r-88/

Tascam 4 / 8 track recorder :

 

 

http://tascam.com/product/dr-10x/

Soundcraft offer their Si performer range. Ideal for theatres, small studios and houses of workship.

http://www.soundcraft.com/products/Si-Performer-1

Soundcraft-Si-Expression-1-Digital-Mixer 

and similar style from Presonus :

September 2015

Our first attempt at an app was published. The android app was written and approved by google and now available from the play store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.talkingnewspaper.myapp

If you have an android based phone, search for “Coventry Talking Newspaper” within google play and the app will be displayed as the first search result.

August 2015

We are currently working on the new app to enable easy access for talking newspaper audio. The design is a simple menu based system to locate the current program and archive shows. It is expected the app will expand over time to include other talking newspapers and links to other audio that will be of interest to the visually impaired in Coventry and the wider area. Looking through the available apps on iTunes, there is an app called “Talking News” which is a self designed app for Cotswold talking newspaper. and iblink radio.  Talking News is exclusive for Cotsworld and iblink is very large. Coventry talking newspaper is listed on iblink but its really hard to locate us. Having our own app will overcome some of the issues with iblink.

The Church of England announced in June 2105 that it would live stream more of its church services according to reports in the Daily Telegraph. Live streaming church services for the visually impaired and housebound is not new. In the Netherlands the ability to sign up on the services website  and receive the service is straightforward and widespread with companies such as solutions radio providing much of the equipment (see church web radio). Whilst the Netherlands system uses a dedicated equipment, the advance of smart mobiles mean it’s now cheaper to buyout a mobile phone and have a dedicated app to direct users through menus to the desired audio service.  The webstreaming service also see church and worship take-up to increase.

The talking newspaper APP – The Idea

I need an app created (designed for iphone and android) that lists a number of audio programs available for users to click on and play. The list is a simple text and website link list that will be created on our website as possibly an xml file. The app pulls information from the list and displays on the screen. The list will change weekly / daily and the app will therefore just link to this xml file. Once clicked the app will give the option to play the audio file, download the audio file, scan forwards and back via a progress bar. The audio needs to play mp3, wav, m3u, pls files,  have a “report this not working button”,  a donate button, a contact us page and the ability to include google mobile ads.  This app is for visually impaired uses and therefore needs minimal graphics and big buttons for the audio player.  There is a smilar app in the USA called iblink. We have been advised to look at the mobile template from codecanyon called the universal full multipurpose android app. This is a fully working tempate that is already written and needs code changing, updating and code removed. Most of the features from the app will be moved out and the area for podcasts, audio and streaming will be kept and linked into the website. While this is a cheap option, it may get us started and is far better than the build your app online services that are charging a monthly fee. This template costs a one off £15 fee.  If you have mobile phone app experience and wish to offer free services to a voluntary organisation please get in touch via the contact page.

The talking newspaper APP -submit audio for inclusion

Testing area for talking newspaper submission form design for TN’s to submit website location of current program :

[contact-form-7 id=”3410″ title=”Contact form 1_copy”]

One major reason for talking newspapers moving to USB technology is due to the large reduction in duplication costs.  USB duplicators are a fraction of the cost of Cassette duplicators. Here we have a round up of available USB duplicator machines.

PC connected USB Copier.

The Alertec range of products provide a bank of USB connections and software to copy mp3 files onto a bank of USB sticks. The cheapest range of copies but a PC is required. If a computer is already available that meets the specifications required, then this may be the cheapest option available. Alertec is available in the UK from Ballicom. More computers sell a number of versions to copy 10 sticks, 16 sticks and the larger 22 size copier.

Teac produce the copybox to copy upto 7 stisk at once using teacs own software. Also available from the copybox website and a similar product is available from multiburn.

The poor mans USB duplicator system

For an even cheaper option you can buy a 10 port USB from ebay or Amazon (typically a TechNet 10 port hub costs less than £25) together with USB copier software from either :

Image USB,
USB Duplicator
Flash Drive Image Writer

An image has to created as an extra step but it can save a lot of money of the budgets are tight. Also known as a “poor mans duplicator”.

Stand-alone USB Copiers

When a PC is unavailable for the copy process, a stand alone copier maybe more suitable, although they are more expensive. Stand alone will increase in price with the amount they can copy simultaneously. We start with the star tech 1:2 copier.

Startech.com 1:2 Standalone Usb 2.0 Flash Drive Duplicator And Eraser

Available in the UK from Ballicom.

1-6 duplicator from Megalynx

7,11 and 15 flash duplicators are available from microboards.

7, 15, 23 and 31 flash duplicators are available from  Systor

2, 7, 11, 15 and high speed are available from Graff Digital Copiers

For a large range of  EZdupe copiers visit kings audio.

Traditionally talking newspapers were analogue recorded, duplicated onto cassette tape and manually delivered usually by the royal mail. With changing technologies, cheaper duplicating and easy distribution of digital media, new methods have materialised. The modern talking newspaper records digitally and can use the digital recording in a variety of ways to enable listeners a choice of receiving their audio.

Talking Newspapers on USB stick

The USB stick has proved to be a firm favorite with many talking newspaper organisations. The USB stick usually contains a number of MP3 files that can be read by USB input audio equipment such as boomboxes. These mp3 audio files can also be uploaded from the USB stick onto a website. A website is made of two parts. The domain name (such as talkingnewspaper.org.uk) and the host, a large computer where these mp3 files can be accessed by everyone throughout the world. The domain name simply points to these files. Companies such as justhost.com, godaddy.com offer domain name and hosting products. To upload mp3 files, a file transfer protocol utility (FTP software) is required. For windows use core FTP and for apple mac use filezilla.

RSS feed for Talking Newspapers

Once the files are uploaded to your hosting site a rss feed needs to be added to inform other audio programs of your existance. An rss reed is a text file informing other wesbsites and digital products to the contents, description, date and location of the mp3 file. For apple mac use creating use feeder from re-invented software and for windows use rsspublisher. These feeds can be sent to companies such as itunes, tunes-in, iblink radio and stitcher for publishing in their podcast section. The sonata plus uses rss feeds to add information to it’s menu system. Submit your rss feeds to stitcher, itunes, tune in, iblink and wireless for the blind.

The process of updating rss feeds can me time consuming and complicated. At talking newspaper Coventry, we moved to using a content management system (CMS) to create our website and the rss feeds became auto-generated from the updates our members added. A cms is a program where all our users can log into to update information to the website with little computer knowledge required. Most newspaper style websites use a CMS. It’s more like using a word processor than creating a website. We use wordpress blogging system with a news theme layout from studio press. WordPress can usually be auto installed by the hosting company of your website. Various themes are available online free and premium to display content in suitable layout. Our members login, update the relevant categories with articles that link to the mp3 file locations and the RSS feeds are auto created. The website auto updates the front page with the latest articles. We have a category view website on wordpress called “full show” where we add the locations of each weeks show mp3 file. This category produced the rss file located at feed://kmy.7d3.mywebsitetransfer.com/category/coventry-talking-newspaper-full-show/feed. This location is where all other external sources gain their updates from.

External sources such as iTunes, tunein and sonata all gain their updates from this automated feed.

Using WordPress is easy for all volunteers to use and add information. Following logging in a user can add a post by clicking on the posts option and selecting “Add New”.

A new page opens with a text box enabling the user to type details of this week show. After selecting the correct categories and adding the podcast location details provided by our studio engineers, this weeks show is ready to go live online. At this point publish button can be clicked. If the podcast has not yet been produced, the draft option can be selected instead.

CMS systems

WordPress is one CMS system and the most popular by a huge majority. Joopla and Drupal also get frequent mentions. In the UK wordpress is used by the express and star in the west midlands and a handful of international newspapers as well. Other CMS systems for newspaper style content are available and discussed online including escentric, atex and saxotech.

Finally we can add information about your talking newspapers audio output onto this site. Just email us via the contacts button at the top of the page.

For information on RNIB, visit www.rnib.org.uk

RNIB accounts viewed online (charity commission website)