I'm experimenting with inputting sound files into a PowerPoint document which I understand need to be WAV files. Easi-Speak microphones are easy to use in the classroom and fun for the pupils, however they seem to automatically save in MP3. Instructions say toggling between MP3 and WAV is possible but I've experiemented with no joy. If anyone has had any success let me know.Update 13/05/09
Success! We have successfully changed MP3 files to .wav files via CDex software (thanks goes to my ICT department at school!). We then discovered how to add these onto clip art within the PowerPoint so that the sound file still works once sent outside of our network. We did this by right clicking on the clip art, selecting "Action Settings" and then browsed for the sound file...
Easi speak microphones have proved to be easy and effective ways of recording in a classroom with the ability to charge the microphone in the USB port whilst setting up the class. Once an opportune moment in the lesson has been found and recording has been completed, immediate play back is possible, again via the USB port which means that pupils can self analyse and record again quickly in order to correct their language as necessary. I love using them at the moment and hope to order more!
9 comments:
Hi Esther,
Have a look at this blog post which explains how to change the mp3 file extension of your audio files to wav which means it can be embedded in PowerPoint without dramatically increasing the file size:
http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2007/05/tes_ict_blog_so.html
Please tell me how you get on ;)
Best wishes
Joe
P.S Are you on Twitter? I'm joedale
Hi Joe
Thank you so much for your comment. You are a indeed an honoured guest to my blog (you may have noticed your ICT blog links under the "ICT in MFL - Blogs of note" section) :o)
Thank you for the information re audio files. I'm just adding the below links as note to self to take a look at later.
http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/?q=download
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA010348231033.aspx
I've not ventured into Twitter yet. I have enough trouble stopping myself tweaking my blogs constantly to add more distractions but I'll take a look...
I'll update when I've had a go on the audio files.
Esther
Hi Joe
I've managed to record the sound files in .wav format with easy speak, (press the mode button first for upto 5 seconds or so until the flashing orange light becomes permanent and then press the record button), so I'm now going to progress to learning about embedding versus linking the object into the PowerPoint as I need to send the file to a colleague in a different location with the sound files still working.
I'll let you know if I have any problems with this. I'll keep the CDex info to look at another time.
Best regards
Esther
That's great news Esther. The only issue with wav is it is much larger than mp3, probably ten times larger and the human ear can't really detect much difference between the two.
Embedding audio is definitely the way to go and cuts out the hassle of dealing with the files rather than one.
Ah - I'd got it in my head the wrong way round. So MP3 files are the smaller. So I should be able to embed the MP3 files as they are then. Job done! I'll update when embeded. I appreciate your comments so far.
Esther
Ah I remember - I'd been told that you can't embed or link MP3 files into PowerPoint, only wav files which started off my search for wav files in the first place. If you think MP3 can be embeded / linked into PowerPoint I'll take your experienced word.
I'll have another go...
That's right, but you need to use CDex to change the mp3 file extension to wav so that you can embed it not link to it.
Have a look at this blog post which explains how to do it.
http://snurl.com/e09id
OK - The above comment shows my end of day brain. Ignore that. I've gone full circle - note to self to get a moment to investigate Cdex download again to convert MP3 to wav whilst retaining file size.
http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/?q=download
http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2007/05/tes_ict_blog_so.html
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