The CWRL has two multimedia stations in Parlin 104A. CWRL instructors desiring to work on the multimedia stations should first contact AD Woo Yeom (auden@mail.utexas.edu) to have accounts set up in their name.

This master guide aims to provide instructors with a basic orientation to the array of programs available on the multimedia stations. Instructors may not know, for example, that they can create interactive, multimedia teaching materials that integrate text, sound, graphics, and video with such professional-quality programs as Director or Premier. While it does not purport to be comprehensive, the guide does bring together multimedia software tutorials and ideas on how to use the software to enhance both classroom pedagogy and professional development.

If you have created professional development or teaching materials using multimedia software, please share the materials with the CWRL by contacting an AD or developer.

To mount the Transfer, Admin, or Developer volumes on the multimedia station, go to Go > Connect to Server, type in <smb://syverson>, select desired volume, and type in Teacher folder password.

Making Audio

Broadly, making audio involves three main steps: importing, manipulating and burning audio tracks. Each of the three applications below features one or a combination of these capabilities. Briefly, you can use iTunes to import and burn and Peak, to import, manipulate and burn. To burn an audio CD, you may use either the multimedia stations or the iMacs; alternatively, you may check out a CD-burner to use on PCs.

iTunes (available on Macs as well as multimedia stations)

iTunes is Apple’s contribution to CD-burning software. Unlike other burning applications such as Peak 4 (see below), iTunes is strictly for importing and burning audio files. You can also use iTunes to listen to Net-based radio stations. To listen to CDs or Net Radio, however, you may use any Mac.

Note that the default format for iTunes when importing is Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). If you wish to import in a different file format, such as Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF), MP3 or WAV, go to iTunes > Preferences > Import and select your preferred format encoder from the Import Using pop-up menu. Note also that the default format for iTunes when burning is AIFF.

You can also convert already imported files in your Library from one format to another while retaining the original file. For example, you can save a copy of an uncompressed song file such as AIFF or WAV in a compressed song format such as MP3 or AAC. If you choose to convert from a compressed to an uncompressed file format, you shouldn't notice any reduction in sound quality. However, when converting between compressed formats, you may notice a reduction in sound quality. For the best results, if you want your audio encoded in a different file format, you should import the audio again from the original source using the new encoding format.

A tutorial is available on burning CDs with iTunes. For more information, consult the tutorial on the Help menu.

Peak 4

Peak 4 is a multipurpose digital audio capture program. You can use it to import, edit and burn digital audio tracks (cassette as well as CD) and encode MP3's, RealAudio and Shockwave files.

Help is available from the Peak Tech Support Site and the downloadable User's Guide (.pdf).

Making Movies

Digital Video Camcorders
The CWRL owns two digital video camcorders available for instructor use. To borrow a video camera, create a meeting on the Calendar Server and pick up the camera from in FAC 8.

iMovie (available on Macs as well as the multimedia station)
iMovie is an application that lets you edit your video footage and enhance it with sound (using iTunes), photos (using iPhoto) and text. You can also share your movie in a variety of formats: view it full-screen on your computer in iMovie; use iDVD to publish it on DVD and view it with any standard DVD player; or copy it back to a tape in your camcorder, then view it on your TV or record it onto VHS. iMovie saves only in QuickTime format (as a .mov extension). While all CWRL Macs and PCs possess this player application, some of your students may not. Therefore, you may want to provide them with this link to the Apple QuickTime Download.

Brief instructions are available on importing and editing video footage using iMovie, as well as sharing your movie in QuickTime format on the web (using Dreamweaver MX or HTML). For further information on editing, enhancing and sharing your movie, consult the iMovie tutorial on the Help menu or the iMovie 3 website.

Adobe Premier 6.0
Adobe Premier 6.0 is a professional-quality digital editing program to produce and manipulate video, film, multimedia, and Web content. Because it is a classic application (it works only on Mac OS9), you will may choose to create your movie in iMovie or Final Cut Express instead.

Resources and tutorials are available at Adobe's Premiere Support page.

Final Cut Pro 4
Like iMovie but more sophisticated, Final Cut Pro is a movie-making application that combines stylish editing, compositing, effects and audio tools with a broad range of formats, frame rates and resolutions.

For more information, consult the Final Cut Pro website.

Cinema Tools 2 (for Final Cut Pro 4)
A database that tracks the relationship between your original film and sound with its digitized counterpart in Final Cut Pro 4, Cinema Tools provides the vital link between your original film negative and your digital video edits. Help can be found on the Cinema Tools Support website.

iDVD
iDVD is an application that lets you design and create your own DVDs. Start with the movies you created with iMovie, Final Cut Pro, or any other application that exports movies in QuickTime format. Then use iDVD and its built-in themes to design the menus and buttons you'll use to access the movies on the DVD. You can use the iMedia browsers to import content from iTunes, iPhoto, and iMovie directly into your iDVD projects. You can even use iDVD to create a DVD slideshow from your digital pictures or other still images. Once you have designed your DVD, iDVD creates the disc using your SuperDrive (a drive that writes DVDs; it is the top drive on the CPU). The result is a DVD that can be played using most consumer DVD players and computers with DVD drives.

Remember that before you can create a DVD, you need to assemble your images in iMovie or Final Cut Pro and be sure your movies are in the right format for iDVD. All movies in QuickTime format except MPEG files, QuickTime VR, and Sprites can be added to an iDVD project. For best results, export your movies as QuickTime files that are in DV (digital video) format.

Brief instructions are available on sharing your movie in iDVD. For more information, consult the iDVD tutorial on the Help menu or the iDVD website.