Official Narniafancast News

[EveningStar]

Originally appearing on NarniaFansCast was restricted to staff members only. No longer! Are you NarniaFansCast material? Read on!

OVERVIEW: Your sound card gets noises from a lot of different sources...CD-Audio, microphone, MIDI, and Line In are the most common. When you listen to your computer with speakers or headphones, you hear all of these mixed together into one big wall of sound. However when you RECORD sound with your computer it asks you WHICH ONE of these channels to record. We will all be chatting in a free conference call on the computer using SKYPE. You choose MICROPHONE and only record your own voice. Everyone else does likewise. I recombine them here to sound like everyone is in a large imaginary studio. Don't be upset if it's just you talking with long gaps...that's normal.

WHAT YOU NEED: Your computer must have a sound card (obviously), a halfway decent internet connection (it doens't matter which half), a microphone and a set of headphones. The headphones are important so that the speakers won't be feeding back signal right into the mike. You will use two programs to do the deed...SKYPE (available free at www.skype.com) and AUDACITY (available free at audacity.soundforge.net). Free is our lowest offer...free and not a penny less!

WHAT IT'S LIKE: We get together at a pre-arranged time (usually Saturday at 7 or 7:30 pm CST, but that's negotiable). Everyone has audacity open ready to record. The recording source is set to MICROPHONE (easy to tell) and you are anxious to begin. You hear a ringing sound...incoming SKYPE call! You answer it by clicking on the green phone button (red hangs up, just like traffic lights!) You are now in a chat. I greet everyone, briefly discuss what's ahead, and say "Everyone ready? Ok. THREE...TWO...ONE...CLICK!" That's the signal for you to click the record button on Audacity. We may have a few moments of kidding around...don't worry. This is pre-recorded so we can cut that out. I will then say "Welcome to Narnia Fans Cast. I am your host John Burkitt..." Each of you will introduce yourselves. "I am Paul Martin", "I am Roger Thomas..." To keep people from panicking like folks at a dead traffic light, I might suggest the order in which you all say hello so you know it's safe to chime right in. I will ask a couple of questions having something to do with the news, the books, or the movies. Each of you has a chance to comment as you feel so moved. When we wrap up, we'll all say goodbye. "This was your host John Burkitt..." "And this was Roger Thomas..." See it's like hello in reverse. "Thank you for joining us and good evening."

Everyone stops recording and sends it in to me.

The music, news, Bard's Tale and whatnot is all added here in the studio.

Please contact me if you can record.

John

[The First Joke]

I think I might look into it! I've wanted to go on there for awhile, but I'll have to ask if we have all that stuff. I'm technically challenged.

[Gamegoofs2]

So that's how you do it!! Well I have all the stuff for it. Now what?

[EveningStar]

IMPORTANT NEWS

I need for everyone that HAS AN EXISTING SKYPE ACCOUNT or who OBTAINED ONE FOR NARNIAFANCAST to make sure that I can FIND them and ADD them to my list. I need to know your information.

Mine is user "royalmagi" registered under email chakal@catbox.com.

I do not need ... and do not want ... your password.

We need to arrange a time to get together to talk about what we need to do and have a quick question and answer session.

PLEASE REPLY IN THIS THREAD

John

[Gamegoofs2]

Ok well I'm King.everett if you don't get me that way I'll add you to mine.
Oh I can't wait

[office]

I`d sign up but my computer dosen`t download Skype. I`ve tried many times.

[coolkid10101]

do you still need someone?

I would LOVE to help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[EveningStar]

We need a large number of people, though five is the maximum that can be on a Skype call.

The same five people probably won't want to do it every single week. We need people we can ask when there is an empty chair.

John

[Gamegoofs2]

Did you get my screen name Eveningstar?

[EveningStar]

I got it, thanks.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to come on tonight to chat...if I can I will. What I have may be more than a bad cold. Alas...

I'd like to try 7:30 PM my time..which is CST. 7:00 in a pinch.

Obviously everyone needs to be there at the same time and date. Just like when you talk to someone on the phone you expect them to be on the call at the same time you are.

We need to make sure everyone's software is doing its proper function and check microphone levels. We need to make sure everyone has a good first experience. We'll go through that tonight if I'm able...and I'll really try to be able...

John