You probably don’t know many certfied “Podcast and Streamed Internet Media Admin” specialists — well, you do now! I had my exam yesterday at a Prometric testing centre in Edinburgh for my Apple Certificate in Podcast and Streamed Internet Media Admininstration. I passed. I’m adding it to my other Apple Certification as a Certified Apple Help Desk Specialist. Ultimately I’m looking to gain my Apple Certified Systems Administrator badge.
Why bother? Well I think that just because we work for the church we shouldn’t be seen as “unqualified amateurs” “doing their best” “in their spare time”. I’d much rather that we were seen as the professionals in our field that we are. Not that anyone has said as much to me I should confess, but I think that nonetheless we should strive towards excellence in all that we do.
I also hope that it will give other churches and organisations more confidence in hiring us and our team to help them with their podcasting and streaming needs 
In case you’re reading this and wondering what benefit this has to the church, then why don’t you take a look online at either 10.30am or 6.30pm each Sunday where you can join us in worship taking advantage of our live internet stream. You’ll need QuickTime 7 from, er, Apple.
Archive for the ‘Audio/Video Tech’ Category
Not many of us about….
Thursday, July 12th, 2007Audio Hum
Monday, July 9th, 2007In church, we’ve been getting some hum from our computers when we play a music file, CD or DVD and plug it in to our sound desk. It vanishes (read “becomes harder to hear”!) when we crank up the volume, but for quiet tracks, it’s really obvious.
I suspect that it’s a ground loop ocurring between the sound desk and the computer and having done a little Googling today I find that this is a known situation between desks and computer audio sound cards.
So, how to fix it?
The recommended solution is to isolate the audio signal from physically (electrically) transferring from one system to another. 
I’ve found such a device from a JK Audio, the Pureformer Stereo Isolation Transformer. Using a pair of phono cables you connect the output from your sound card to the isolation transformer and then, using another pair, you connect the output from the isolator into your sound desk input.
I’ve found a UK supplier selling it at about £40 + VAT so I’m going to go ahead and get one. I’ll let you know how I get on!