Sunday, June 03, 2007

FTP BLUES

I am a lover of history (specifically black history). I have a passion for the stories of black americans. You know Nat Love, Frederick Douglass ect. About a year ago I found this excellent website with with dozens of slave narratives on it for free called Documenting the American South. Since I love reading black history anyway I figured why not recorded them onto my hard drive and then upload the audio narratives into the net. Then provide a link to the black history blog


Once that is done I would have then be able to provide a link to the black audio history blog I am currently working on. People could download these links to cd's or ipod, mothers could download this onto thier phone's or ipods and then bring home to their children to use as entertainment during story time or as an instruction tool.


I wanted to get started on this project this summer but sadly the FTP BLUES is bringing me down. I have been thinking about doing this project for a year now and I brought the website with the purpose of hosting this 30 minute black history narraties burned to MP3's. I SPECIFICALLY asked the saleslady if I would be able to do this. I was told thier was a very easy to use tutorial on exactly how to upload Mp3 to server using an FTp client and that thie were actually instructions for several different clients. I specifically made it clear what I wanted to do with audio files and was told that the package I got would allow me to do that easily. The SALESlady probably told me this ish to get me to buy the package.


Now 5 months later it still takes 10 minutes to upload a 3 minute mp3 to my server. This is after hours of reading thier tutorials and trying figure out how to use the few free programs they have listed. I starting to wonder if that saleslady didnt tell me the ish I wanted to hear to get me to purchase my webservice from this company. I have followed the instruction explicitly and Im still not getting anywhere close to Transfering the files I would like to to my server.


What is annoying me is the thought that I may have to go out and buy an FTP program when I dont even know what I need and whether or not it will work properly. I could end up getting suckured again just like with the website I bought. Most annoying is this I am ready, willing and able to get this project moving but atlas the ftp blues is holding me down. If only I knew of a simple to use ftp client I could get this ball rolling this summer but once again the ftp blues will not allow that to happen. So sad.

8 comments:

Tafari said...

A few things that may be making the upload slow are a) file size b) your internet connection (cable, DSL, dial up) & c) band width.

I upload Mp3's to my server often & it usually takes me about 6-10 minute s to upload (usually 30-65 MB at a time).

Goodluck,
Bygbaby

Dangerfield said...

" I upload Mp3's to my server often & it usually takes me about 6-10 minute s to upload (usually 30-65 MB at a time)."

mark bey: Yo Bybbaby thank you for the info, the problem is this I need to load mp3 of at least 30 minutes because I am trying to transribe complete narratives.

If It takes 10 minutes to upload a 3 minute mp3 can you imagine how long it will take to record and then upload an entire book!

Anyway I will check into those things you mentioned that might be slowing me down. Thank you bybaby.

CapCity said...

Good luck w/ your FTP issues. can't help u there.

i just wanted to thank u for coming over to my spot, mark. i haven't joined the afrospear because i have so much of my own writing to get out of me that i don't want to commit to focusing on the themes & issues that the afrospear is working with. i enjoy reading the ideas & exchange of the afrospear. thanx again for reaching out to me on that.

Dangerfield said...

I understand Capcity and I wish you all the best in writing and gettng out the things you need.

Also please keep this in mind, we (the afrospear forum members)know that most people are locked down by thier own priorities so its not a big deal at all that you dont have the time to join. this is why we are trying to build up a large membership so no one individual has to do too much to make great things happen via the afrospear/blogoshpere. Mark

Lisa Johnson said...

Hi Mark! I hope you can get things working like you want with the mp3s. Thanks for dropping by my blog! I appreciate the comment. I'm looking forward to seeing more of what AfroSpear is about, but right now I'm not ready to join.

Dangerfield said...

Thank you anali for stopping by, check out the Afrosphere at your conviencence and then join or contribute at your conviencence.

I enjoy your blog and stop by again whenever you feel like it.

Hathor said...

Since you are recording voice, you should lower the sample and bit rate. Voice only needs a little bandwidth. If the software give you examples it wont be difficult to experiment. Either way change those setting and see if you can get the file size down without sacrificing the quality of your voice. I think the voice range is about 2Khz, whereas the audio range is 20Khz. Good luck with your endeavor and let us know when the sites up.

Dangerfield said...

Thank you for your suggestions Hathor. The problem with shrinking the file is this I am going to be mixing actual music from the time period to bring some of these narratives to life. Here is a website I will be getting music from http://www.redhotjazz.com/

Here is an example. of what I would like to do this is the Diary of an african american soldier during the civil war.

part 1 www.markbey.com/woodln1.mp3

part 2 www.markbey.com/woodlin2.mp3

part 3 www.markbey.com/woodlin3.mp3

part 4 www.markbey.com/woodlin4.mp3

I really would like to be able to upload 30 minute files in at least 5 to ten minute otherwise it will be much to time consuming to make this thing happen the way I want to. Thank you for your advice. I hope all is going well with you.