Blog and Podcast
SOLVED: Microphone volume not staying put
A while back I was having trouble getting my audio input level to remain constant. It turns out that the problem was with Skype. Background I do video interviews via Skype and other services on my MacBook Pro. Since interviews contain multiple audio sources, if my audio input doesn’t stay constant, it creates a big…
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Recording audio for screencast demonstrations
If you want more professional results, record audio independently of screen actions. Here are two quick videos of the same content. Neither took long to produce, and I’ve listed the pros and cons of each approach after each video. Simultaneous audio and screen recording Benefits: Recordings can be rapidly produced, don’t generally benefit from post…
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Remove hiss in audio recordings
Got great equipment? Tried everything, but still have hiss in your Mac OS recordings? Check this out! Background I recently bought “the stuff” that pro podcasters use with an eye toward creating the Tech Comm Tools podcast. I got: A high-end Heil PR40 microphone An equally high-end Mackie 1402VLZ4 mixer A boom stand with suspension mount A pop…
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Matt Sullivan interviewed by eMediaChat
My thanks go out to Rick Zanotti and Kirsten Roarke of eMediaChat for having me on to discuss FrameMaker, #TechComm, and video. Here’s the video: eMediaChat 61: Matt Sullivan and FrameMaker from RELATECASTS on Vimeo.
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Presenter 10: Recording/Editing limitation
I have quite a few things going on right now…If you’re feeling impatient, feel free to skip to the bottom of the article. If not, read on! So I finally get my new audio setup (very exciting, and if you see any of my upcoming Adobe webinars, or my guest interview with Kristen Roarke @rourketraining and Rick Zanotti…
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Using Video for Technical Communication
I’m getting ready for my upcoming summer school session for STC on Tech Comm Video, so I figured I’d create a series of posts to share some of the high points with the TC2LS community. If you’re interested, the class will be three-hour online sessions for six consecutive Tuesdays, and starts on Tuesday, August 5th.To…
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What I use: Digital Audio Recorder
While preparing for my upcoming TC2LS podcast, I’ve seen universal agreement on the importance of capturing audio independently from computer software using a digital audio recorder. Along with being a convenient portable recorder, you also minimize the risk of losing important podcast or Skype recordings due to computer unpleasantries. Get a digital recorder Here’s the one…
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Placing YouTube video (without related videos) into WordPress blog posts
So, at the risk of turning this into a Chicken v. Egg debate, here’s an overview of how to create a post to hold a YouTube video in WordPress. Why is this a Chicken v. Egg conundrum? Well, I’m using WordPress to write this out, using YouTube to show the process, and the video itself…
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What I use: online meeting and podcasting audio setup
About 2/3 of my billable work (or more!) is done via online meeting. So it’s no surprise I’m a bit picky about what I use for audio in those meetings. Here are the components, and also their backups, complete with affiliate links to purchase them, if you’re so inclined. Microphone (Audio in) Heil PR-40 Dynamic…
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What I use: Wireless remote control power outlets
Recently I had a hot water recirculating pump installed at our house. Great pump, but I opted for one without the scheduling and remote controls included with the unit because they doubled the cost of the pump. Instead I found these nifty wireless remote control outlets from Etekcity on Amazon Etekcity® 5 Pack Wireless Remote Control Outlet…
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Creating a quality webcam video
In the last year I’ve been increasing my use of webcam video. I use it for online training, recording recaps of my Slideshare content, and for posting video blog entries to YouTube and my website. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things that I’ve organized into a class. Here’s a recap of my lessons learned,…
Read MoreWriters UA Presentation: Video in technical communication (video preview)
I’m really looking forward to being in Palm Springs and seeing all my WritersUA and tech comm pals! I’ll be giving three presentations there, and this one is 40 minutes on Wednesday at 10am. It’s a short session, so it’ll be packed with tips and best practices for including video in your technical docs. I…
Read MoreWriters UA Presentation: Using video with Technical Communication Suite 5 (video preview)
I’m really looking forward to being in Palm Springs and seeing all my WritersUA and tech comm pals! I’ll be giving three presentations there, and this one is 90 minutes on Monday at 2:45. The first 45 minutes will be focused on placing video in Captivate, FrameMaker, and RoboHelp, and the second 45 minutes will…
Read MoreUsing screener.com for short demos
(I used QuickTime Player to record this clip using my Thunderbolt display and external USB mic) Ever wanted to do a quick video or computer demonstration, but were too scared to try? Odds are you haven’t seen what Articulate makes available at screenr.com. All you need is an internet connection, some sort of microphone attached…
Read MoreEmbedding YouTube Video in a WordPress Post
Ever need to embed content in your WordPress site? Since WordPress 2.9, there’s been an easy way to automatically embed some of the most popular web content using the HTML view within the WordPress editor. Here’s an example: I discovered I can embed tweets and YouTube in WordPress posts by pasting URL into a blank…
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