Audacity
©2008 Audacity Audio Page 5 of 29
Audio Types
Audacity supports eight different audio types from a compressed mode to PCM 44kHz. In general, the
better audio quality settings produce larger files. Our default setting is PCM 11 at 16 bits. It produces a
file of about 1.3 MB per minute of audio. The compressed format (GSM 6.10) is less than 100 KB per
minute of audio. The quality is acceptable, but not as good as the PCM 11, 16 bit. Experiment with
different audio settings to find the best one for you. A default may be set in preferences, but may be
changed on a file-by-file basis from the record screen. Separate defaults may be set for Record and for
QuickMemo.
Creating Good Audio
Audacity will create a good audio experience, but it must be set correctly. There are many items that
affect audio quality. Two of them we covered above -- you need a good SD Card and you need to pick
the audio type that satisfies your taste. There are others as well. Some hardware is better than others
and some audio types work better on certain hardware. You need to experiment with what works best
for you.
You will need a balance between speaking too softly and overdriving the microphone. Both can be
problems, but both can be corrected by adjusting your voice and / or mic position. Both hardware and
people are very different. Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings. You will probably find a
setting mix you like.
My wife and I went on a bike ride recently. We just got started when my wife complained that she was
going back as her bike was broken and she couldn't continue. "My handle bar is broken. I can't ride like
this," she complained. We stopped and examined it. In putting the bike in and out of the garage, the
front tire got rotated 180 degrees. It was a pretty easy fix and made her all happy. The same goes for
audio quality problems. Examine the problem. It's usually a pretty easy fix. Don't be afraid to
experiment.
Note for Smartphone users: If you can record OK, but you can't hear the playback, it probably is
because the phone is set to vibrate when a call is received. On most hardware the phone ringer uses
the same speaker that Audacity uses. When the phone is set to vibrate, the speaker is turned off.
Headsets
Wired headsets work very nicely with Audacity. I use an UmeVoice high quality headset for speech
recognition. It produces a very high quality and has a background noise filter. I find that setting the mic
farther from the corner of my mouth than they recommend works best. Again, experiment with what
works best for you.
Bluetooth headsets do not work with PDA's and Smartphones. Sometimes it appears like they work, but
the voice is really getting picked up by the internal handset mic. You can experiment by scratching on
the mic, either the internal or the external. Bluetooth is becoming more and more popular and it's just a
matter of time before the handset manufactures will get the clue.
Quick Record and the Side Record Button
Many users want a quick record feature. The side record button, if available, one of the standard PDA
buttons, or the navigation pad can be used. The right side of the navigation pad is Go-To-Record which
is different from Record. It opens the file and the record screen, but does not start to record. It provides
the author the ability to add data to a field (priority for example) prior to recording. One of the buttons to
the side of the navigation pad is usually set for QuickMemo, which will record a Memo immediately. The
default for the side record button is set to record immediately. All buttons are programmable.
If the phone is off, most hardware requires a press of the power button to first turn it on. You can get
around this on some hardware by using the phone features. For instance, I have an ATT 8525 (HTC
Wizard). I can go to Start, Settings, System and access a feature called Key Lock. I can turn that off.
Then any button can be used to power up the phone.
