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diff --git a/doc/krec/Makefile.am b/doc/krec/Makefile.am new file mode 100644 index 00000000..085981d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/krec/Makefile.am @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ + +KDE_LANG = en +KDE_DOCS = AUTO + diff --git a/doc/krec/index.docbook b/doc/krec/index.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..38665c91 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/krec/index.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,639 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" ?> +<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" [ + <!ENTITY kappname "&krec;"> + <!ENTITY package "kdemultimedia"> + <!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE"> + <!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE"> +]> + +<book lang="&language;"> +<bookinfo> +<title>The &krec; Handbook</title> + +<authorgroup> +<author> +<firstname>Arnold</firstname> +<surname>Krille</surname> +<affiliation> +<address><email>arnold@arnoldarts.de</email></address> +</affiliation> +</author> +</authorgroup> + +<!-- TRANS:ROLES_OF_TRANSLATORS --> + +<copyright> +<year>2002</year> +<year>2003</year> +<year>2004</year> +<holder>Arnold Krille</holder> +</copyright> +<legalnotice>&FDLNotice;</legalnotice> + +<date>2004-03-01</date> +<releaseinfo>0.5.1</releaseinfo> + +<!-- + vim: tw=80 et sw=2 ts=2 +--> +<abstract> +<para> +&krec; is a recording application for &arts;. It can be used to record any +sound coming into or out of the computer. Some effects for dynamics are +implemented as well as the possibility to play out what is recorded. +</para> +</abstract> + +<keywordset> +<keyword>KDE</keyword> +<keyword>kdemultimedia</keyword> +<keyword>KRec</keyword> +<keyword>aRts</keyword> +<keyword>recording</keyword> +<keyword>frontend</keyword> +</keywordset> + +</bookinfo> + +<!-- + TODO: (ordered by priority) + - Explained: + - Mainwidget + - more on exports + + Quality settings + + possible more examples for the compressors + + Configuration + + Recording from line-in +--> + +<chapter id="introduction"> +<title>Introduction</title> + +<sect1 id="why-krec"> +<title>Why I wrote &krec;</title> + +<para> +After working with &arts; for some time I realized that there is no recording +application for it except the command line tool <command>artsrec</command>. +I had to record a radio play some friends of mine wanted me to mix and +master and I wanted to use &Linux; for the recording. So I started +writing &krec;. +</para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="what-krec-does"> +<title>What &krec; does</title> + +<para> +&krec;'s function is quite simple. It connects to the &arts; server and records +what is routed to it into files. These files are in a special &krec; format but +it is possible to export to wave, ogg and mp3 files. +</para> +<para> +But &krec; has much more functionality. You can do multiple recordings in one +file even with overlaying functionality. +</para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="bugs_and_info"> +<title>Getting more info</title> +&reporting.bugs; +&updating.documentation; +</sect1> + +</chapter> + +<chapter id="first_glance"> +<title>A first glance at &krec;</title> + +<!--<para> +Let`s take a first glance at &krec; right after startup and I will try to give +some explainations what the different items are. +</para>--> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>Here's a screenshot of &krec;</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="krec-keramik.png" format="PNG"/> +</imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>Here is a screenshot of &krec; right after it started.</phrase> +</textobject> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<sect1 id="first_glance_items"> +<title>The &krec;-mainwindow in detail</title> + +<itemizedlist> +<listitem><para>At the top there is the <emphasis>menubar</emphasis> and two +<emphasis>toolbars</emphasis>. The first toolbar contains some usefull items +from the <guimenu>Files</guimenu>-menu, the second toolbar is shipped with +important functions from the <guimenu>Play</guimenu>-menu.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>The middle has the important parts: On the left is the VU-Meter +displaying the volume of the audiosignal currently recorded/played combined +with a volumecontrol to adjust the level.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>The main part shows the file and consists of four parts. First +at the top is the name of the file, the second shows the parts recorded in their +chronological order and scaled length. It also allows to disable or delete +parts via contextmenu. Below is the time line where you can see the current +position and (by clicking) move to the position you want. The bottom of this +block are two widgets showing the current position and the length in the +timeformat you want.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>At the overall bottom there is another toolbar containing a +compressor to edit the dynamics of your recording and a statusbar showing all +kinds of messages.</para></listitem> +</itemizedlist> + +<para> +See <xref linkend="krec_explained" /> for more info. +</para> + +</sect1> +</chapter> + +<chapter id="recording_howtos"> +<title>Howto record</title> + +<para> +This chapter contains some step-by-step tutorials which show you the way to go +for some good recordings with &krec;. +</para> + +<sect1 id="recording_from_music"> +<title>Recording from internal music</title> + +<orderedlist> +<listitem><para> +The first thing to do is a recording from our favourite &kde; +audioplayer. So start &noatun;, &juk; <!--JuK--> or &kaboodle;. We could +use other players but they have to use &arts; for their output, otherwise +recording is a bit more complex and beyond the scope of this section. So please +jump over your shadow and select a song to play in one of this three players +(all are shipped with kdemultimedia where you got &krec; +from). +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +In &krec; select the <guimenuitem>Audio Manager</guimenuitem> from the +<guimenu>Tools</guimenu>-menu. There you will see at least a line for &krec;::In +and a line for &krec;::Out. The second column says what type the item is, either +<emphasis>play</emphasis> or <emphasis>record</emphasis>. The last column says +where the sound for this item comes from or goes to. Currently the &krec;::In +item is (should be?) connected to <emphasis>in_soundcard</emphasis> which is the +input channel of your soundcard but as we currently want to record from the +player and the player plays to <emphasis>out_soundcard</emphasis>, we click on +the &krec;::In item to switch it to another source. Select +<emphasis>out_soundcard</emphasis> from the upcoming window and click +<guibutton>Ok</guibutton>. To learn more about the audio manager see <xref +linkend="audio_manager" />. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +Now the VU-Meter in &krec; should flicker up and down in a way corresponding to +the music your hear (if you don't hear sound you shouldn't expect the VU to show +something). +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +Now open a new file either by clicking on the first item in the toolbar or by +selecting <guimenuitem>New</guimenuitem> from the +<guimenu>Files</guimenu>-menu. Accept the quality settings for now or see <xref +linkend="quality" /> for more info. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +Select <guimenuitem>Record</guimenuitem> from the <guimenu>Play</guimenu>-menu +or press the <keycap>R</keycap>-key. After you are finished select +<guimenuitem>Stop</guimenuitem> from the same menu or use the +<keycap>S</keycap>-key. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>Saving works the standard way, if you are interested in +exporting see <xref linkend="exporting" />.</para></listitem> +</orderedlist> + +<para> +Thats it! Now you can hear your recording or export it (don`t forget to go back to the +beginning). +</para> + +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="recording_from_line_in"> +<title>Recording from Line-In or Mic-In</title> + +<para> +Recording outside-sources is a bit more complicated as it involves a lot of +different applications and hardware devices. I am assuming your hardware is +installed correctly, the drivers are working as they should and you are able to +control the hardware volumes via &kmix;. In &kmix; you can also select channels +for recording which basicly means that their signal is sent to the +analog-digital-converter (short ADC) and can be read by the driver and applications. This +works differently on almost all soundcards and drivers so you have to try a bit +before you can be sure... +</para> +<para> +Second important thing is that &arts; has to run in full-duplex mode. That means +that &arts; is reading from the soundcard and writing to it at the same time. +You have to start &kcontrol; and edit the soundsystem settings (or press Alt+F2 +and enter <command>kcmshell arts</command>). On the second tab-page you have to +make sure the checkbox for full-duplex is selected, clicking +<guibutton>Apply</guibutton> restarts &arts; which means that you have to restart +&krec; too. +</para> +<para> +After these preparations the VU-Meter (see <xref linkend="vu-meter" /> for more +info) of &krec; should flicker according to the +audio-signal you want to record and which you have selected for recording in +&kmix;. Adjusting the volume to the right values is very important for usable +recordings. If the amplification inside the soundcard is to high you get digital +crackles because the <glossterm>ADC</glossterm> can only create values between a +minimum and a maximum and if the signal is to loud it gets digitally clipped +which ruins the recording. On the other hand if the volume is to silent you get +the noise and hiss from the audio-hardware to loud into your recording. So you +have to choose a middle-way so the signal is not to loud and gets clipped but +not to silent to get lost in the noise of the hardware. Its almost always better +to leave some headroom. +</para> +<para> +Now you can adjust the level a second time in &krec; which then is a software +amplification. Here it is best to use the compressor to equalize the differences +between silent and loud parts a bit. More info on compressor usage can be found +in <xref linkend="compressor" />. +</para> +<para> +The remaining steps are the same as in <xref linkend="recording_from_music" /> +from step four and following. So if you started with that section you should +know it now. +</para> + +</sect1> +</chapter> + +<chapter id="krec_explained"> +<title>&krec; explained</title> + +<para> +This chapter describes some parts and functions of &krec; in detail and gives +some tips on usage. The items are sorted alphabeticly, not by importance. +</para> + +<sect1 id="audio_manager"> +<title>The Audio Manager</title> +<para> +The audio manager is used to connect the outputs from different applications to +existing or new busses. A bus is some kind of a virtual signal distributor. +Every play- or record-item can connect to exactly one bus but multiple items can +connect to a bus. Example: The output of &noatun; can connect to the main out +<emphasis>or</emphasis> any other bus. But multiple &noatun;s can all connect to the main out. +</para> + +<sect2 id="audio_manager_mw"> +<title>The main window of the Audio Manager</title> +<para> +It contains three columns: +</para> +<orderedlist> +<listitem><para>The name of the item playing or recording sound.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>The type of the item either <emphasis>play</emphasis> or +<emphasis>record</emphasis>.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>The bus the item is connected to.</para></listitem> +</orderedlist> +<para> +Click on an item and a dialog for choosing the wanted bus pops up. +</para> +</sect2> +<sect2 id="audio_manager_dialog"> +<title>The Busdialog</title> +<para> +The main part shows all currently existing busses. Select one to send your audio +to it or get your audio from it. Below you can create new busses to connect your +item to. +</para> +<tip><para> +To record from an &arts;-aware-player and listening to what you actually record +just create a new bus (<emphasis>test</emphasis> for example), connect your +player to it (you wont hear anything now), connect &krec;::In to the new bus +too and then turn on the <guimenuitem>Play Through</guimenuitem>. +</para></tip> +</sect2> + +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="compressor"> +<title>The Compressor</title> +<para> +If you are recording with a microphone you might notice that the level is +sometimes almost clipped and sometimes very low especially +singing or speeching voices. To correct this you can use the compressor. It +simply reduces all sound that is over the given <emphasis>threshold</emphasis> +by the factor given as <emphasis>ratio</emphasis>. Note that the threshold is +logarithmic, a mid setting is already relativ low but thats very usable that +way. Another note: ratio is at its highest turned to the left, the right end of +the poti means no compression at all. As this reduces the loudness there is a +<emphasis>output</emphasis> potentiometer to expand (or reduce) the sound. +<emphasis>attack</emphasis> and <emphasis>release</emphasis> let you control the +time after which the compressor reacts (the time going by after input first +exceeds the threshold) and the time the compressor still reacts after sound is +below the threshold. +</para> +<tip><para>Test it while you are speaking into your microphone with <guimenuitem>Play +Through</guimenuitem> enabled and you will hear the difference between the +plain and a compressed version.</para></tip> +<sect2 id="compressor_tips"> +<title>Tips for compressor usage</title> +<para> +These are <emphasis>only</emphasis> tips. In the end the only thing that counts +is how it sounds. So if it sounds as you want it, its probably the right +setting. And don't hesitate to do some experiments. +</para> +<glosslist> +<glossentry><glossterm>Normal speech</glossterm><glossdef><para>Most times a +single voice speaking for radio or television is very heavily +compressed. Because the main problem of speech is that the level is perhaps +the right way at the beginning of the sentence but probably not at the +end. Additionaly the wordendings are less loud than the start. That makes it impossible to use spoken +words without compressing it. Examplesettings: Short attack, mid-time release, +low threshold, very high ratio.</para></glossdef></glossentry> +<glossentry><glossterm>Mastering 1: Limiting the +level</glossterm><glossdef><para>To just limit peaks but not compress whole +dynamics use a high threshold, a high ration, a short attack and a short-to-mid +release. This protects your recording from some internal digital distortion and, +with the treshold a bit lower, removes rare (and perhaps unwanted) peakes and +gives more room for the actual recorded signal.</para></glossdef></glossentry> +<glossentry><glossterm>Mastering 2: Doing real +mastering</glossterm><glossdef><para>Doing real Mastering of music is difficult +and depends totally on your hearing and the music that is to be mastered. +Normally you will use fast attacks sou you get the level reduced fast enough at +the bass drum beat. On the other hand you don't want the music to be pumping up +and down just because of the bass drum beats so you select a longer release. The +compression factor shouldn't be much. Ideally you would plug a limiter after the +compressor to be free of clicks and clippings.</para></glossdef></glossentry> +<glossentry><glossterm>Single Instruments</glossterm><glossdef><para>These +settings depend on the instrument. While recording it is wise to use a +limitersetting.</para></glossdef></glossentry> +<glossentry><glossterm>Final tip</glossterm><glossdef><para>Use your ears and +do some practicing. Anything is allowed if it sounds right!</para></glossdef></glossentry> +<!--<glossentry><glossterm>Term</glossterm><glossdef><para>Definition</para></glossdef></glossentry>--> +</glosslist> +</sect2> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="configuration"> +<title>Configuration</title> +<para> +Two pages are available at the configuration. The first one is for general +settings and explained in this section. The second is about the default quality +settings and the same as described in <xref linkend="quality" />. +</para> +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>General settings</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="krec-configuration.png" format="PNG"/> +</imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>Editing general &krec; settings.</phrase> +</textobject> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> +<para> +The first part are settings controlling the way time and positions are +displayed. The style "Plain samples" just shows the number of samples, the next +one has optionally hours, minutes, seconds and samples. The third style is the +same as the second except that it shows frames instead of the samples. The +fourth style shows the size in megabyte and kilobyte and usefull for controlling +diskspace. On the right side of the styles you have the opportunity to select +the number of frames forming one second. +</para> +<para> +The checkbox below makes the timedisplays be more verbose and showing the unit +within. +</para> +<para> +If you want to restore the tip of the day at startup you can do so with the next +checkbox. The button below it brings back all the messages where you did select +"Don't show this message again", mostly messages fom the export functions. +</para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="exporting"> +<title>Exporting</title> +<blockquote> +<attribution>An anonymous fan of &krec;</attribution> +<para>Your app is very cool, I use it all my day but it really lacks exporting to +wave/mp3/ogg!</para> +</blockquote> +<para> +Here it is: the definitiv export functionality for &krec;. The available export +formats vary on the libraries found at compiletime, all currently available ones +are described in the following sections. +</para> +<para> +Selecting the wanted exportplugin is done via the filename: You select +<guimenuitem>Export File...</guimenuitem> from the <guimenu>Files</guimenu>, +choose the filename for the exported file and its extention and the plugin is +determined from your extention. The list of extentions in the dialog also shows +which exportplugins are available. +</para> +<para> +For understanding the general usage of export: Technically exporting works like +playing. That means that you have to go to the position where you want to start +the exporting before doing it. It also means that you can see the progress of +the exportation from the current position marker moving forward. And it means +that in the future its possible to export every selection you like just like +playing only a selection. +</para> +<sect2 id="export_wave"> +<title>Exporting to Wave (*.wav)</title> +<para> +The simpliest exportplugin. It exports your &krec; file to +a wave file with the quality settings you made for the whole file. +</para> +</sect2> +<sect2 id="export_mp3"> +<title>Exporting to MP3 (*.mp3)</title> +<para> +Maybe the most-wanted export possibility. This one exports your &krec;-file into +a mp3-file. +</para> +<important><para> +The qualitysettings you set up in &kcontrol; section +<quote>Sound & Multimedia</quote> / <quote>Audio CDs</quote> are used in +this version since &krec; also uses the same libraries as the audiocd:/-feature. +</para></important> +</sect2> +<sect2 id="export_ogg"> +<title>Exporting to OGG (*.ogg)</title> +<para> +This one exports your &krec;-file into an ogg-file. +</para> +<important><para> +The qualitysettings you set up in &kcontrol; section +<quote>Sound & Multimedia</quote> / <quote>Audio CDs</quote> are used in +this version since &krec; also uses the same libraries as the audiocd:/-feature. +</para></important> +</sect2> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="play_thru"> +<title>Play through</title> +<para> +For those who want to hear what they are recording there is the very useful +<guimenuitem>Play-Through</guimenuitem> option in the menu +<guimenu>Play</guimenu>. I advise using it as much as possible especially if you +do things like using the compressor or other effects and want to control what +actually is recorded. +</para> +<caution><para> +Be sure to not build a feedback loop while recording from +<emphasis>out_soundcard</emphasis> and activating +<guimenuitem>Play-Through</guimenuitem>. Such a loop is way to much for poor +&arts; and it slows your system heavily down! You might kill &arts;... +</para><para> +The reason is that &arts; calculates a network for audio for every sample +(acually blocks of samples) and if on sample is build via a loop from itself +&arts; has to calculate more than is possible. +</para></caution> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="quality"> +<title>Quality settings</title> +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>The properties for new files</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> +<imageobject> +<imagedata fileref="krec-new_file_properties.png" format="PNG"/> +</imageobject> +<textobject> +<phrase>This is the dialog for choosing the properties for new files.</phrase> +</textobject> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> +<para> +While creating a new &krec;-file this dialog is displayed and lets you choose +some settings for the quality of the recordings. All of these settings have an +impact on the size. +</para> +<para> +The <emphasis>sampling rate</emphasis> is the rate which tells audiosystem how +many samples to take during a second and is measure in Hertz (Hz) respectivly +Kilohertz (kHz). The higher this rate the higher is the maximum recorded +frequency. Since at least two samples are needed to rebuild a +<quote>sinus</quote>-wave the maximum recording frequency is half of the +sampling rate. The human ear is capable of hearing tones up to something between +10kHz and 20kHz depending on the age, little children are possibly nearer to +20kHz while normal adults have their maximum around 15kHz and elder people go +down to 10kHz. But even without actually hearing the higher frequencies they +still have an impact on what is heared and felt (corresponding keyword: psycho +acoustics). +</para> +<para> +The number of channels can be freely choosen depending on the task of the +recording. If you are using a mono-microphone without applying a stereo effect +you can safely choose <quote>Mono</quote> without the loss of data. +</para> +<para> +The last part are the number of bits used for one sample, possible values are 8 +and 16 bits. The more bits the more steps are available for the range from +minimum and maximum signal. 8 bits are one byte so this can also be referred to +as one byte or two byte samples. +</para> +<para> +The space needed for the recording can be calculated in a very simple way: Its +the sampling rate multiplied by the number of channels multiplied by the number +of bytes per sample multiplied by the number of seconds wanted to record. +</para> +<example><title>Calculating the size of one minute CD quality</title><para> +For one minute (60 seconds) audio in CD quality (44100Hz, 16bits, stereo) the +space needed is: 44100 * 2 * 2 * 60 = 1058400 Bytes = 10335.938 Kilobytes. That +is around 10 MByte of data per minute. +</para></example> +<tip><para> +Always use the best needed quality! Reducing the quality later on is always +possible, but enhancing the quality is not possible since then more data as +available is needed. +</para></tip> +<para> +The last item above the button is a checkbox for using the entered values +as defaults for every new file without showing this dialog again. +</para> +<para> +As the same dialog is also available in the configuration to choose the standard +settings, the "Use defaults..." checkbox is also accessible from there to get +the dialog for every file back. +</para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="vu-meter"> +<title>VU-Meter</title> +<para> +As the compressor is probably not necessary for every task the vu-meter with its +builtin volumecontrol is the most needed part of &krec; for recordings. It shows +the actual level that is recorded to the file after the used effects and +after the volume set with the control. If it is deep red most of the time +the recording is probably clipped and doesn't sound nice. If it flickers around +the bottom 2% its probably not much you will hear in your recording. +</para> +<tip><para> +For good recordings the level should be between -12dB and 0dB most of the time. +</para></tip> +<tip><para> +Use the compressor for editing the dynamics of your recordings. See <xref +linkend="compressor" /> for more info. +</para></tip> +</sect1> + +</chapter> + + + +<chapter id="credits"> +<title>Credits and License</title> +<para> +&krec; +</para> +<para> +Program copyright 2002-2003 Arnold Krille<email>arnold@arnoldarts.de</email> +</para> +<para> +Documentation copyright 2002-2004 Arnold Krille <email>arnold@arnoldarts.de</email> +</para> +<!-- TRANS:CREDIT_FOR_TRANSLATORS --> +&underFDL; +&underGPL; +</chapter> + +<appendix id="installation"> +<title>Installation</title> + +<sect1 id="getting-krec"> +<title>How to obtain &krec;</title> +&install.intro.documentation; +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="requirements"> +<title>Requirements</title> +<para> +In order to successfully use &krec; 0.5.1, you need &kde; 3.3. +</para> +<para> +&krec; should be within your kdemultimedia package. As this package needs a +running &kde; and &arts; too, everything should be fine. +</para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="compilation"> +<title>Compilation and Installation</title> +&install.compile.documentation; +</sect1> + +</appendix> + +&documentation.index; +</book> + +<!-- +Local Variables: +mode: sgml +sgml-minimize-attributes:nil +sgml-general-insert-case:lower +End: +--> diff --git a/doc/krec/krec-configuration.png b/doc/krec/krec-configuration.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 00000000..2dabbdf0 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/krec/krec-configuration.png diff --git a/doc/krec/krec-hicolor.png b/doc/krec/krec-hicolor.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 00000000..d8b8fcbf --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/krec/krec-hicolor.png diff --git a/doc/krec/krec-keramik.png b/doc/krec/krec-keramik.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 00000000..0fa4b174 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/krec/krec-keramik.png diff --git a/doc/krec/krec-new_file_properties.png b/doc/krec/krec-new_file_properties.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 00000000..676a58b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/krec/krec-new_file_properties.png |