ISDN - Is it worth it?

Todd Schick · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 63

Right.....right....I'm selling SourceConnect.....LOL!

Didn't you learn not to point fingers in grade school, Frank? Really classy.

Since you've stooped to such a low level, let me qualify my previous remark with something more substantial. Let's all have a peek at this post by Frank, shall we?

Within the next 30 days I will be making iSpeek available to the consumer. Here is a little information to wet your whistle...

iSpeek is an IP codec capable of real time "live" audio and .mp3/.wav recording in real time via the internet. iSpeek is Windows and Mac compatible. Users of iSpeek can invite up to three other members to the session depending upon bandwidth provided with your broadband internet service.

Cost for iSpeek will be under $300.00 with a small monthly service fee of under $30.00 per month. There will be no "per minute fees" and no additional charges. Additionally, we will be offering a hardware dongle version which may be taken on the road called iSpeek Phoenix.

Sure can't miss the name of the product, can you? Er.....call me whacky......but who's the selling what to whom here?

Again....isn't there supposed to be a moderator on this forum?

Moderator.....hello? Anyone there?

Allen Brown · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007, 21:14 (GMT) Post subject:

Frank Frederick · **Voice Talent** Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 65

Todd,

I am going to leave this post by you alone, and let you rant and rage all you wish. You are showing your childish-ness. We have had our differences and you have shown your level of professionalism in the past and you have been slapped down fairly hard for your childish antics.

Your jealousy is showing.

I may have been a bit forward in my presentation of iSpeek, but it was not intentional. iSpeek is my creation and I have spent many long hours and lots of money developing what I believe to be an answer to some of the problems with ISDN and IP codecs alike. If I am wrong, than I apologize to you and every VO artist who has taken offense. Please accept my sincere apologies.

What have you done lately for our fellow VO artists except rant and rage?

Good luck to you.

Allen,

I can give you numbers and statistics, but I would rather not. Let's just say the quality is great for broadcast. With this I mean a user can create "remote" broadcasts for a radio station or podcast with discernible quality. I realize "broadcast quality" is a subjective term.

The only thing I can add is: I like the quality enough that I have used it for several "live" broadcasts and interviews several times in the past month. The 653 Beta Testers of iSpeek are using the product and all have enjoyed the benefits. Our "Sister" product is doing well in it's genre' and enjoys a rather good reputation.

I guess my question is: Do you have a specific use of an IP codec in mind? Or, specific requirements for an IP codec? Not to "rile up" Todd anymore, please address specific questions to my email address and I will contact you personally and privately.

Toodles

F2

Todd Schick · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 63

Moderator?

This has now turned ugly as Frank is directly attacking my character......I think. At least, I think it was an insult, but nothing he's saying here really makes any sense....

But somehomw...it feels like an insult.

Hmmmm......

Moderator?

Anyone around?

Todd Schick · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 63

Oops....

Got sidetracked with Frank there...sorry folks.

I gotta run, but would like to leave you with some relevant thoughts regarding the ISDN issue.

It's been said by myself and others here that ISDN is not going anywhere.....anytime soon. The challenge we all face is getting engineers to make the switch; convincing them that the broadband alternative is not only better...but more cost effective.

This is where, I think, SourceConnect has made the most gains. Not in selling their product.....not in the quality (or lack thereof) in their software.....but in creating awareness of the technology in the professional studio forum.

An engineer turned me on to the software in the first place. Why? Because he was looking for a way to improve remote audio and save money.

SourceConnect is a plug-in for ProTools (which also works with other software) - the defacto industry standard for professional audio engineers. They didn't have to announce they made it for the MAC.....they simply made it for the software all the professionals use, regardless of the platform.

In doing so.....they got the engineers talking which, I feel, is huge....because the more engineers who embrace the technology, the closer we all are to getting rid of the technology that is ISDN.

Almost every single engineer I work with uses ProTools. When I found out that there was a plugin for it that was a broadband remote recording alternative.....that's when I got optimistic about the demise of ISDN.....becuase now, during a session....all I have to say is.....

"Hey, have you tried that broadband plugin for ProTools...?"

Key words..... "Protools" and "tried." Most engineers have an iLok, and they can use SourceConnect for 30 days and check it out. I've had guys try it out with me the same day I mentioned it......

The more engineers we can get on board.....the closer we are to the demise of ISDN.......amen to that.

We all have our own opinion about what software is best for us.....but I think the important point is.....what software are the engineers using?

Will AudioTX talk to SourceConnect? No.

Will other software offerings talk to SourceConnect or ProTools? Well.....they better or they'll be left in the dust trails of the software that does.

Right now, the engineer and the talent need to have the same software package to make the IP thing work without a hitch.

My feeling is - anyone developing this type of software better get their head around how it interfaces with ProTools......and make it as universal and ubiquitous as possible.

One thing we do know.....most of the engineers out there use ProTools - the single common denominator in this issue. Engineers understand ProTools.....talk about that first.....and then a plugin....and you'll get their attention.

Allen Brown · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007, 23:26 (GMT) Post subject:

Todd and Frank-

Despite the dust-up, thanks for the info.

As a regular ISDN user this is a subject I find very interesting. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of things. Looks like I'll have to dig a little more deeply to get to the facts.

J.S. Gilbert · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007, 01:39 (GMT) Post subject: My 2 cents

You guys are all hacks. The clients should hire me only. I will fly to them and not only give them award winning v.o. work, but also their choice of Swedish or Shiatsu message, cook them a gourmet meal and wash and wax their cars.

Now doesn't that beat some little box on your desk or some vaporware?

Okay, seriously. 2 weeks ago I was flown from S.F. to L.A. went down to Margarita Mix in Santa Monica recorded 2 words for a national AFLAC commercial and then flown back to S.F.

They didn't want me on an ISDN line. I had my agent beg them to put me on an ISDN line. They had one actor on ISDN from New York, just becuase it was too far for him to fly and return in a day. He doesn't own an ISDN line. They used one of the many fine studios in New York.

I also did 5 or 6 jobs from my studio with the clients on a phone patch this past week. The sessions were available for download within 3 minutes of recording and they were free to bring me back in while editing to have me redo anything they wanted. (unless they wanted me to do some edits, etc., then they had to wait a little while)

I offer ISDN. I have several terrific buddies with studios nearby with ISDN It comes up once in a blue moon and when it does, there's always plenty in the budget for me to throw my buddies some dough for using their places. The other nice thing is that when somebody does want me on an ISDN line, usually they also want a seperate engineer riding the session and they often want it in some ProTools format. Less for me to worry about.

I have regular clients who have me record via phone patch all of the time. Of course I am not so stubburn to say that I wouldn't get a system in here at the drop of a hat if it made sense. I should also mention that many of my friends who do regular station announcing had their ISDN lines and Zephyrs or whatevers put in by the stations. (and if they lost the gigs, the stations would pull out the systems and the v.o. guys would NOT replace them on their own)

I'm imagining that we still have ISDN, a stupid, overpriced and antiquated system in place for a couple of reasons.

1. It's somewhat elitist.
2. After having invested thousands in gear, people and studios don't want to switch
3. The installed base of ISDN users will have to be switched over to something else.
4. The industry is unwilling to settle upon an industry standard.
5. Other delivery systems being put into place making it even more difficult to agree on an industry standard.

We currently have a fight between Blue Ray and HD DVD. The winner of this fight stands to make billions. Unfortunately, we are all already losers. The last thing I can think of that anyone decided to be a standard was the XLR connector and look how nicely that worked out.

Lest you think I'm a Ludite or some such, I have the distinction of being the FIRST voice actor in the U.S. to create and send out demos on CD's and currently the only voice actor that routinely sends out his demos on USB thumb drives. And the same guy who doesn't own any ISDN solution.

--j.s.

Amy Snively · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 1028

J.S. Gilbert

I forgot to mention that we got Orange Peel Beef and those great dumplings catered from P.F. Chang and that I got to lay in the hammock. None of which are available via ISDN.

js

Amy Snively · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 1028

Classy. You're livin' the life!

I wish someone would fly me to SF... I never get flown anywhere. It's just part of the burden of already being in L.A.

Ronald T Robinson · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 1008

I've been to Disneyland! And it was on a cold, March day so we didn't have to line up for anything! I think Goofy grabbed my ass. (This was when I was "cute".)

Actually, I was flown down to consider an offer from KCBQ in San Diego when they were still rockin'. I think the PD grabbed my ass.

As to ISDN: good thing a buddy has the set-up down the road. He likes it when I grab his ass! Smile

Earl Edwards · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27

Todd

Todd Schick · **Voice Talent** Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 63

From your post 2 days ago in the "Hello" index:

I'm a want to be seeker. I know that most want-to-be folks here are VO artist, but that is not my goal right now. I’m former Radio, TV, Cable, do you want fries with that, regarding my past world. But Im between gig right now.

I do some reads for political candidates, so I only work ever two year, but they like my delivery. It helps that I’m the media producer for their radio and TV ads, I some times help with print ad placement.

In reading this BB I have seen many good post from really helpful folks. From time to time I see the “My ball is rounder than yours” post.

Well......it's painfully obvious to me that you've come to the table with a fair amount of attitude....indeed, your last post directed at me would support that theory.

It's my advice to you that perhaps you should think through your replies a little more carefully before you start dissing others.

For the record, my comment about "hacks" came purely from experience. Long before I had the ISDN service, I was roundly dismissed as a "hack" by engineers and producers alike simply for not having "the box" in my studio - at the time, a $5000 investment.

From J.S. Gilbert in this forum:

I'm imagining that we still have ISDN, a stupid, overpriced and antiquated system in place for a couple of reasons.

1. It's somewhat elitist.

Indeed, his first observation.

I get the feeling you're taking this all a touch too personally, Earl.....but then again, I'm guilty of that on occasion myself; it's an easy trap to fall into. Relax, calm down....put it into context....and above all, pick your arguments carefully......

You'll learn more by replying to a "subject" rather than a single word.

Earl Edwards · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 05 Oct 2007 Posts: 27

Yea you’re right I do take it this seriously. I take craft seriously in any thing I do.

It bothers me to see hacks in any endeavor. I'm glad you have good tools. I have good tools but I would never need to infer that others are hacks from not having the same tools I use. Remember you chose the language you used not I.

BTW, I have ISDN, don't use it for cost factor reasons, I have ProTools, I was a pro when I bought it, so this simple "My Ball Is Rounder" post gets me up and ready to share my heartfelt opinion.

Keep on trucking, you da man.

Don Randall · Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007, 00:38 (GMT) Post subject:

To those of you who have stated your case so very emphatically, I must say to you: "I agree".