In this issue:

• "It always has to be about YOU, doesn't it?"
• Monthly screencast: Solving audio capture issues in Camtasia Studio.
• Hardware review: Røde Podcaster.
• Daniel's stunning admission: "I'm a cheater!"
  
• Job posting: The Monitor.
  

 "It always has to be about YOU, doesn't it?"

Dear :

The last issue I sent out was The Screencaster's first ever. I'd been planning its launch for some time, and was incredibly psyched about putting its content in front of the eyes of aspiring screencasters everywhere. But in the text itself, aside from the little "#1" designation in the subject line, I made no mention whatsoever that it was in fact the very first.

Why? 

Because, dear Reader, except for its creator (me), experience has taught me that no one would particularly give a damn. Truthfully, I've never really ever seen the advantage of grandiose product or web site launches. The attitudes of these companies are reminiscent of a line by Bette Midler from the otherwise forgettable 80s tearjerker Beaches:

"But enough about me. Let's talk about you. What do you think about me?"

"Premiere issues" and "launch parties" put the cart before the horse by placing creator over audience. As a screencaster (regardless of whether your forte is training or marketing), you need to stayed decidedly focused on the latter group. It's the audience you need to attract. They're the ones from whom you want the attention, the desire, and eventually, the dollars.

In the heady days of the late 90s, web companies lost sight of this, and we all know what happened. Companies who are all talk and no listen tend to very quickly go the way of the dot-bombs. I certainly understand that "lowly" screencasters inside of larger organizations may not be in total control of the message, but I encourage you to exert whatever influence you may have if you see management going off the rails into self-indulgence.

In the interest of "walking the walk¸" I'd like to formally invite you to tell me what YOU would like to see in an upcoming issue of The Screencaster. I already have a lengthy "ideas list" for future topics, but it would be good to know if I'm on the right track, and that's where you come in.

In the future, we may doing more formal input gathering like surveys or polls, but for the time being, I'd like to keep it informal and freeform. So please shoot me a quick message at info@dappertext.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Monthly screencast: Solving audio capture issues in Camtasia Studio

Being a daily lurker on the TechSmith User-to-User forum (as well as one of its most prolific posters) has its advantages when planning each issue's screencast. It allows me to easily pick out the most common problems that people are experiencing.

One thing that comes up again and again is the recording of audio. Narration, system sound, background music, keyboard and mouse effects. A lot of folks experience major problems when recording sound, particularly system sound (i.e. what you hear out of your speakers).

Sorting these issues out can be a mess, considering that there are dozens of manufacturers with different driver versions and other software, a mess compounded by the fact that Windows XP and Vista are very different when it comes to how they handle audio devices. Hopefully, the accompanying screencast can help you introduce those dulcet tones into your videos with a minumum of hassle:

Hardware Review: Røde Podcaster.

As long as we're on an audio kick in this issue, I'd like to cover a recent acquisition I made while on the road. My family and I made an extended trip to the U.S. for medical reasons, and my studio setup, with my microphone, preamp & vocal processor, audio interface, and various cables, was going to be too unwieldy to come along for the ride.

I needed to lighten the load. I needed simple. I picked up a Røde Podcaster.

I should start this review by saying that I'm already something of a Røde fanboy. One of my main studio mics is the Røde NT-1, and I use their NTG-1 shotgun mic with my camcorder.

This Australian manufacturer is incredibly skilled at producing low-cost, great quality microphones with incredibly low self-noise, and the Podcaster (at around $200) is no exception.

But why merely tell you about it in text form? The rest of this review is in audio format, recorded using the Podcaster. I did have to compress the fomat in MP3 format, but this is actually a good thing, as it should convey more-or-less exactly what your screencasts will sound like when using this mic.

Get your special audio review of the Podcaster.

Stunning admission: "I'm a cheater!"

Okay, folks, I have a confession to make. I've been cheating on you with another newsletter. The good folks at TechSmith approached me a few months ago about providing a guest critique for a chosen user-submitted screencast, for publication in their excellent Camtasia Studio News You Can Use. The temptation was just too great, and I broke down and ultimately acquiesced. But I swear I was thinking of you the entire time...

At any rate, the response was so positive that we decided to make it a regular thing (a screencasting affair, if you will). Every three months or so, I'll be contributing a new review of some brave soul's screencast.

So, if you're a Camtasia Studio afficionado, don't forget to go sign up for their newsletter. You'll get loads of great CS tips and tricks, and even better, more of me. So don't miss out...

Job posting: The Monitor.

With the feedback I've received thus far about the Screencaster, it's clear that its subscriber base runs the entire gamut of professional endeavor. We've got academics, corporate trainers, internet marketers, government employees, and yes, the occasional aspiring professional screencaster.

This PSA is aimed solely at the latter group. The folks at the Scientific American are looking for a new pro screencaster to help continue their utterly fantastic humorous/informational video magazine,The Monitor.

Here's a sample of a past Monitor screencast.

They now need a new stalwart screencaster to pick up the baton. My dance card is currently too full to accept a regular weekly gig, but perhaps YOU have what it takes to carry The Monitor forward. If interested, please contact John Pavlus.



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All of the above is ©2008 by Daniel Park, except in the case of articles by guest authors, who retain all rights to their own musings.

Feel free to send Daniel rants, raves, and other assorted bits o' feedback to info@dappertext.com.

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