Re: [ARSCLIST] Archiving and Reformatting Digital Files

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Boy, some things never change. WMA and DSS sound like the latest version of microcassettes and 1 
7/8IPS , 3" reel recorders. Sigh. The human voice CAN sound wonderful. Unfortunately, many field 
recordings do not bring that quality back to the archive.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2006 12:12 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Archiving and Reformatting Digital Files


> Hello, Kathleen,
>
> You raise some interesting questions.
>
> In fact, so interesting that I decided to answer them here
> http://richardhess.com/notes/2006/08/17/dss-and-other-compressed-digital-files-in-an-oral-history-archive/
> rather than in the thread.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
> Richard L. Hess                   email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Aurora, Ontario, Canada       (905) 713 6733     1-877-TAPE-FIX
> Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.
>
>
> At 11:07 AM 8/17/2006, McCormick, Kathleen wrote:
> > I am looking for information resources and suggestions on handling
> > proprietary and/or compressed digital audio files for preservation.
> >
> > As an oral history archive, we are about to receive several collections
> > from various constituents that will originate in the Windows Media Audio
> > (WMA) format and potentially in the Digital Speech Standard (DSS)
> > format, both of which are compressed formats (among other potential
> > issues). I am trying to find information that relates to the
> > issues/problems/hopes for handling these files - issues such as should
> > and to what format should these files be converted to (can you convert a
> > compressed file to an uncompressed format? [my understanding is no, not
> > really.] or if you can, is there any benefit to doing that?).
> >
> > These are the first files of this type we will have to deal with and I
> > am dreading their arrival. Any advice would be welcome.
> >
> > Despite my strong advice against using consumer grade digital recorders
> > for collecting oral histories, professors and students are hard pressed
> > to spend $500+ on professional field recording equipment. Given that
> > there appears to be no middle ground recording equipment available for
> > under $300, they are choosing to spend as little as possible to get the
> > equipment. In which case, we are left to deal with the files in whatever
> > format they come to us.
> >
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Katie McCormick
> >
> > Reference Archivist and
> > Coordinator for the Oral History Program
> > Special Collections - J. Murrey Atkins Library
> > UNC Charlotte
> > 9201 University City Blvd
> > Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
> >
> > kmccormi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > 704-687-6288
> > http://library.uncc.edu/archives
> >
> >
> > "Whatever we do we may fail, but if we do nothing, failure is
> > guaranteed."