Portable Content Formats

Overview

This section includes detailed descriptions of the typical formats used for portable media content, with suggestions for the best file formats and tools to use for specific formats. In some cases, the focus will be on iPod/iTunes playback, which is widely supported within Duke. The section also includes information about the post-production tasks (i.e. after the recording process is complete) to put the finishing touches on the content for the chosen format.

Choosing the best format to use is often as much an art as a science. While it would seem obvious in some cases that having more visuals with audio is better, the tradeoff may be a limit in portability (for students who do not have 5th generation “video” iPods or other media devices capable of playing back enhanced media formats) or in longer download times for students with slower network connections or who are participating in online courses. It is important to be aware of the technical capabilities of users of your materials and weigh those against the pedagogical benefits of more robust content forms.

Content formats at a glance

Content format	Advantages	Best for
Audio only	Smallest files; most portable (in mp3 format) to different devices or by copying to audio CD or to a flash drive	Shorter recordings or for student populations who do not have good access to networked computers
Audiobooks	Chapter markers make it very easy to browse content and locate pertinent segments easily on a computer and on an iPod	Lecture-length recordings or recordings that cover several different topics and could benefit from quick shortcuts to content
Enhanced audio	The inclusion of images or graphics in addition to audio and chapter markers can help illustrate content more fully	Content that benefits from visual support for satisfactory comprehension
Narrated slideshow	This simulates the classroom experience of a PowerPoint-type slideshow with narration	Summary or overview narrations of content with graphic and text visuals
Full movie	Full-motion video can convey context and nonverbal content more effectively than any other format; screen capture movies can provide very effective technical documentation	Content or situations where providing the full audiovisual experience can significantly enhance student understanding and retention of an important concept, idea or experience

Audio-only files

This format is the most flexible to implement because audio-only files can be accessed in so many different ways on a computer and on many different kinds of portable devices (including burning to audio CDs). This format is ideal for shorter recordings that focus on a single topic. However, for longer recordings, or for shorter recordings that cover multiple topics, the absence of bookmarks or chapter markers can make it difficult for the listener to cue up specific parts of the recording quickly. This can reduce the effectiveness of the recording for review purposes.

Primary file formats for portable playback	MP3: This compressed format is near ubiquitous in its playability on computers (Macintosh and PC) and in software programs such as iTunes and Windows Media Player. It also works on iPods and other portable media devices, including many cell phones (for smaller files). Many audio files can be saved in compressed MP3 format without significant loss of sound quality. M4A – This standard Apple format will play in iTunes on both the Macintish and Windows PCs and on iPods but it will not play in Windows Media Player, which is the most common software application for media playback on PCs. WAV – This uncompressed format provides good sound quality but produces a much larger file than other formats, which will cause a significant increase in download times for students on slow network connections.
Suggested tools & strategies	Audacity - For recording, editing and export of digital audio files. iTunes - For quick conversion of existing digital audio files to MP3 or iPod format and for input of labels (metadata) useful to iPod users. ProTools/SoundForge – Higher-end digital audio editing software packages with more sophisticated (and harder to learn) editing interfaces and capabilities. These programs may be overkill for many recording and editing situations.
Post-recording tasks	Edit the digital audio file name so that it is meaningful to the student or user who downloads it (and still in accordance with the standard naming convention in place for your project). Add the descriptive information for the track in iTunes by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu and then adding in text labels for track Title, Album, Genre, Year and any other fields that describe the content. This will help the user find content easily in iTunes or on an iPod. Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Primary file formats for portable playback

MP3: This compressed format is near ubiquitous in its playability on computers (Macintosh and PC) and in software programs such as iTunes and Windows Media Player. It also works on iPods and other portable media devices, including many cell phones (for smaller files). Many audio files can be saved in compressed MP3 format without significant loss of sound quality.

M4A – This standard Apple format will play in iTunes on both the Macintish and Windows PCs and on iPods but it will not play in Windows Media Player, which is the most common software application for media playback on PCs.

WAV – This uncompressed format provides good sound quality but produces a much larger file than other formats, which will cause a significant increase in download times for students on slow network connections.

Suggested tools & strategies

Audacity - For recording, editing and export of digital audio files.

iTunes - For quick conversion of existing digital audio files to MP3 or iPod format and for input of labels (metadata) useful to iPod users.
ProTools/SoundForge – Higher-end digital audio editing software packages with more sophisticated (and harder to learn) editing interfaces and capabilities. These programs may be overkill for many recording and editing situations.

Post-recording tasks

Edit the digital audio file name so that it is meaningful to the student or user who downloads it (and still in accordance with the standard naming convention in place for your project).
Add the descriptive information for the track in iTunes by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu and then adding in text labels for track Title, Album, Genre, Year and any other fields that describe the content. This will help the user find content easily in iTunes or on an iPod.
Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Audiobooks (audio with chapter markers and bookmarking)

This format is ideal for longer audio files or for any audio file that with content that covers more than one major topic or thematic area that students may wish to cue up separately. The inclusion of chapter markings allows the user to move quickly between different segments of the same recording, which makes it much easier to find content for review or to listen multiple times to specific sections of the recording. This format is strongly recommended for recordings of more than 12-15 minutes in length.

Students listening to content in iTunes can navigate between sections using the Chapters menu that displays when an audiobook is selected. Students listening to audiobook content on an iPod can move between chapters by selecting fast forward or rewind using the iPod click wheel. Students using tracks linked together by gapless playback can move from one segment to the next by navigating backward or forward to the next track.

Primary file formats for portable playback	M4B, AAC: These are Apple-proprietary formats that include chapter markers for playback in iTunes (Mac/PC) and on iPods. These do not transfer directly to Windows Media Player, but the files can be burned to an audio CD from iTunes if desired for playback of the audio content (chapter markers do not transfer).
Suggested tools & strategies	Audiobook Builder: This shareware software is a very easy to use and straightforward way to add chapter information to multiple audio tracks that are intended be played together as a single unit. This is a Macintosh only program, but the files it creates can be played on Macintosh or PC version of iTunes or on iPods. iTunes chapter title workaround: You can use the “gapless playback” feature of iTunes to make two or more distinct audio tracks play together seamlessly but still be more easily browsable than if they were a single long track.
Post-recording tasks	Divide a single long digital audio file into several distinct files using the Label/Export Multiple feature of Audacity. Use one of the strategies listed above to create a single audiobook file or series of gapless playback files. Add metadata in iTunes by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu and then adding in labels for Album, Genre, Year and any other fields that describe the content. This will help the user find content easily in iTunes or on an iPod. Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Primary file formats for portable playback

M4B, AAC: These are Apple-proprietary formats that include chapter markers for playback in iTunes (Mac/PC) and on iPods. These do not transfer directly to Windows Media Player, but the files can be burned to an audio CD from iTunes if desired for playback of the audio content (chapter markers do not transfer).

Suggested tools & strategies

Audiobook Builder: This shareware software is a very easy to use and straightforward way to add chapter information to multiple audio tracks that are intended be played together as a single unit. This is a Macintosh only program, but the files it creates can be played on Macintosh or PC version of iTunes or on iPods.

iTunes chapter title workaround: You can use the “gapless playback” feature of iTunes to make two or more distinct audio tracks play together seamlessly but still be more easily browsable than if they were a single long track.

Post-recording tasks

Divide a single long digital audio file into several distinct files using the Label/Export Multiple feature of Audacity.
Use one of the strategies listed above to create a single audiobook file or series of gapless playback files.
Add metadata in iTunes by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu and then adding in labels for Album, Genre, Year and any other fields that describe the content. This will help the user find content easily in iTunes or on an iPod.
Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Enhanced audio (for playback on iPod/iTunes only)

Enhanced audio is an audio podcast/file with chapter markers and image files embedded within the content. The image files are not limited to chapter artwork as with audio books. You can also embed links to Web sites; these links could then be clicked and browsed if the podcast file is being viewed on a computer with a live network connection. When viewed on an iPod, the link address will display during playback but cannot be opened directly, since the iPod does not currently have wireless capabilities – this may change with the new iPhone, though!

Primary file formats for portable playback	M4B, AAC: Both of these formats can be exported for playback on iPods and iTunes (Mac/PC). Note that these files will not play in Windows Media Player or on portable devices that are not iPods. Both file types can be burned to audio CDs if needed; in this case only the audio would be accessible to the person listening to the CD.
Suggested tools & strategies	GarageBand: This software is part of the iLife suite that is available for Macintosh. Its interface allows you to easily add images and Web links to audio files, to create an enhanced audio file that can be used as a podcast or for regular download for playback in iTunes or for synching to an iPod on Mac or PC. It also includes a wide variety of background music loops you can add to your file. QuickTime Pro: This software (Mac/ PC) allows you to build an enhanced audio file. Given the number of manual steps, however, this is not the best software to use if you have GarageBand available. Camtasia Studio: Camtasia can be used to produce movie files that function like enhanced audio, but are technically distinct (and cannot be copied to audio CDs from iTunes).
Post-production tasks	Assemble the images you wish to use into a folder, for import into GarageBand or other program. Add the images into your chosen program. Import your recording into the program you are using. Adjust the display time of the images to coordinate with the appropriate segments of the recording. Add chapter information as well as Web links if desired. Export to the format you want your students to use. For iPod format: import into iTunes and add metadata by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu and then adding in labels for Album, Genre, Year and any other fields that describe the content. This will help the user find content easily in iTunes or on an iPod. Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Primary file formats for portable playback

M4B, AAC:
Both of these formats can be exported for playback on iPods and iTunes (Mac/PC). Note that these files will not play in Windows Media Player or on portable devices that are not iPods. Both file types can be burned to audio CDs if needed; in this case only the audio would be accessible to the person listening to the CD.

Suggested tools & strategies

GarageBand: This software is part of the iLife suite that is available for Macintosh. Its interface allows you to easily add images and Web links to audio files, to create an enhanced audio file that can be used as a podcast or for regular download for playback in iTunes or for synching to an iPod on Mac or PC. It also includes a wide variety of background music loops you can add to your file.

QuickTime Pro: This software (Mac/ PC) allows you to build an enhanced audio file. Given the number of manual steps, however, this is not the best software to use if you have GarageBand available.

Camtasia Studio: Camtasia can be used to produce movie files that function like enhanced audio, but are technically distinct (and cannot be copied to audio CDs from iTunes).

Post-production tasks

Assemble the images you wish to use into a folder, for import into GarageBand or other program. Add the images into your chosen program.
Import your recording into the program you are using. Adjust the display time of the images to coordinate with the appropriate segments of the recording.
Add chapter information as well as Web links if desired.
Export to the format you want your students to use.
For iPod format: import into iTunes and add metadata by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu and then adding in labels for Album, Genre, Year and any other fields that describe the content. This will help the user find content easily in iTunes or on an iPod.
Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Narrated slideshow

A narrated slideshow can be either an enhanced audio file or a movie file, but given the prevalence of PowerPoint or similar presentation software for instruction (and the usefulness for students), it is worth drawing out this content format in its own category.

The basic concept is that you play back your PowerPoint presentation using a tool that allows you to simultaneously record your voiceover narration. The program captures everything that shows on the screen during your presentation and saves your voiceover as well.

The primary consideration in this content format is the design of the presentation slides. Content that is very text heavy or has small print will not be easily viewable on an iPod, although students who play the content back using a computer should not have difficulty viewing slide content.

Primary file formats for portable playback	M4B, AAC, M4V These are Apple-proprietary formats that can be exported for playback on iPods and iTunes (Mac/PC). Note that these files will not play in Windows Media Player or on portable devices that are not iPods. M4B and AAC file types can be burned to audio CDs if needed; in this case only the audio would be accessible to the person listening to the CD. M4V files are true video files that cannot be burned to an audio CD for playback. MOV This is also an Apple proprietary format that can be created by some programs. Although this format can be used in iTunes, it will not synchronize and play to an iPod, so the best practice is to convert the file in iTunes for iPod playback.
Suggested tools & strategies	Camtasia Studio. This program (PC) has a built-in feature to capture the screen display of a PowerPoint presentation and record a narration as you move from one slide to the next. You can save the results as an iPod video file (M4V) Profcast. This program (Mac) has an easy to use drag and drop interface to play back your PowerPoint or Keynote presentation and record a narration as you move from one slide to the next. You can save the results as an enhanced audio file or as an iPod video file.
Post-recording tasks	Use one of the tools listed above to record your narration. If you’re using Camtasia, make sure you save your Camtasia project file separately before you export since this can be reused to export other formats. Export to iPod format. Camtasia also has options for other formats that may be useful to your students, such as RealMedia and Windows Media. Add metadata in iTunes using “Get Info” in the File menu. Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Primary file formats for portable playback

M4B, AAC, M4V These are Apple-proprietary formats that can be exported for playback on iPods and iTunes (Mac/PC). Note that these files will not play in Windows Media Player or on portable devices that are not iPods. M4B and AAC file types can be burned to audio CDs if needed; in this case only the audio would be accessible to the person listening to the CD. M4V files are true video files that cannot be burned to an audio CD for playback.

MOV This is also an Apple proprietary format that can be created by some programs. Although this format can be used in iTunes, it will not synchronize and play to an iPod, so the best practice is to convert the file in iTunes for iPod playback.

Suggested tools & strategies

Camtasia Studio. This program (PC) has a built-in feature to capture the screen display of a PowerPoint presentation and record a narration as you move from one slide to the next. You can save the results as an iPod video file (M4V)

Profcast. This program (Mac) has an easy to use drag and drop interface to play back your PowerPoint or Keynote presentation and record a narration as you move from one slide to the next. You can save the results as an enhanced audio file or as an iPod video file.

Post-recording tasks

Use one of the tools listed above to record your narration. If you’re using Camtasia, make sure you save your Camtasia project file separately before you export since this can be reused to export other formats.
Export to iPod format. Camtasia also has options for other formats that may be useful to your students, such as RealMedia and Windows Media.
Add metadata in iTunes using “Get Info” in the File menu.
Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.

Full Movie

This is the most full-featured type of content format, as it can contain video as well as still images, graphics, audio and text. It also results in the largest files, which may have an impact on students with slow network connections. For this reason, you may wish to consider offering multiple ways for students to access movie content, including downloadable and streaming options, although careful consideration of the copyright implications is important before making content available in downloadable format.

The primary recommendation for video work is to make sure that you save your video project space (in whichever video editing program you use) in addition to saving the exported file in iPod or other formats. This will allow you to go back later and make additional edits or export to a new format.

Primary file formats for portable playback	M4V This Apple-proprietary format can be exported for playback on iPods and iTunes (Mac/PC). Note that these files will not play in Windows Media Player or on portable devices that are not iPods. MOV This is also an Apple proprietary format that can be created by some programs. Although this format can be used in iTunes, it will not synchronize and play to an iPod, so the best practice is to convert the file in iTunes for iPod playback.
Suggested tools and strategies	Macintosh-based video editing programs such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro are ready out of the box to export digital video for iPod playback. However, there are other programs that can help you format video content for iPod/iTunes U playback if you are using video content created using a PC/Windows editing environment. QuickTime Pro: This software (PC/Mac) can take video in AVI format from Windows-based video editing programs and export it in iPod format. Camtasia Studio. This PC program is great for making screen capture movies (ideal for documentation) or for narrating presentations. It can export files in M4V format for iPod/iTunes playback. iTunes: iTunes can convert movies in different QuickTime formats (most of which would have the .mov extension) to the correct M4V format for synchronization with an iPod.
Post-recording tasks	Use your preferred video editing program to create a video file. Export in iPod format or use QuickTime Pro to transfer to iPod format. Add metadata in iTunes by choosing “Get Info” in the File menu. Place a copy of the finished file(s) in the project archive.