Articulate Storyline Audio Compression issue

Oct 29, 2012

Hi there

I am having issues with audio quality when recording screens.

I notice that screen recordings end up with audio issues whenever I actually do something on the screen. It's as if Articulate Storyline's default is to record at a constant bit rate, so any movement in combination with the audio recorded results in additional audio compression and thus sound that sounds crackly or fuzzy.

I've tried this with my $50 Logitec headset and my $300 RODE line in microphone with digital transformer line in.

I cannot see where to adjust the record quality or to change from CBR to VBR recording and cannot see where I set preferences for audio quality.

The audio is not acceptable quality so am hoping someone out there can point me to an answer.

Cheers

KerryJ

33 Replies
Gerry Wasiluk

The only control I know of is when publishing, and that affects the output.

When the publishing dialog box comes up, click the link next to the works "Quality:" and you can set  the audio bitrate for the output.

i suppose you could record your audio outside of Storyline and import in it.  Here's the WAV preference for that:  http://www.articulate.com/support/kb_article.php?product=st1&id=l23dl3g8esrl

For giggles, if you can, try a USB microphone and test it out.

I would never use a mic with analogue in.  Sometimes the conversion from analog to digital by the computer results in some very scratchy or distorted audio.  Best to keep everything digital.

Kerry J

Hi Gerry

I was aware of the publishing option, but thanks for trying.

The issue has nothing to do with the microphone. As I mentioned, I tried two different mics and had the same issue. Plus, I tried both mics with Audacity and had no issues.  It is an Articulate compression issue.

I don't want to record the audio outside of Articulate or edit it with another program, I want a screen capture program that does it all in one hit.

Again, thanks for trying.

Cheers

KerryJ

Daniel Brigham

Kerry:

When you publish, switch the audio bitrate to 64 or higher. I like 64 because I get a relatively small file size and good quality. Of course, the higher you set the audio bitrate, the larger the file.

I've noticed that when I preview my slides the audio is compressed, but when I choose the higher settings and publish, things sound as they should. Let me know how it goes.

Rick Cheeseman

Hi Kerry,

Did you get a chance to try out Daniel's suggestion?  I haven't switched to Storyline yet but have felt some frustration with audio rendering by Presenter so I have some empathy.  I am just a novice when it comes to sound engineering, but I have a yearn to learn and the experience and knowledge in this post is valuable.

Thanks,

Rick

Ann Foley

Any other ideas surface?  I am having the same issue as Kerry - in my case, it's stutters and starts/stops more than crackling.  I've even tried to not type or click while speaking but it seems that even moving my cursor across the screen can randomly cause issues.  I tried publishing with an audio bitrate of 64 but it didn't help.

I hate to have record the audio separately but...

I don't have any problems with audio quality when I record just sound, by the way.

Appreciate any advice.

- Ann

Ann Foley

Sigh... I guess my first try was too short of a sample to reveal the issue and once again, I am experiencing gaps in sound and quality issues with the audio when I do screen recordings.  I'm going to go ahead and record a separate audio file to play over the video but if you have any other ideas on how to troubleshoot this, I'm very interested since for recording "snippet" type content, I'd rather go the faster route and do my audio and video at the same time.

Thanks,

Ann

Peter Anderson

Shoot, sorry, Ann. The only other suggestion I'd make, is to check your audio quality settings when you publish, and try increasing the bitrate up from the default 48kbps, as mentioned near the top of this thread. 

Or, if you'd like, we'd be happy to take a closer look at it. You can submit a case, including your .story file, using this link so our support team can assist you further.

 

Thanks!  

Kristine Stollar

I have experienced the same issue, and can find no workaround. I have opted for full studio recording to meet the quality requirements of the client. This is not feasible in all circumstances I understand. But ultimately if the client wants high audio quality in a rapid authoring tool like SL, they have to pay for studio time. If not, they have to live with what is available recording on a PC. 

Kristine Stollar

The audio issues while performing a screen recording has to do with ongoing memory issue with SL. Look at our CPU usage while performing a screen recording....I had the same issue. You may have to opt for studio recording. Most clients though will understand this as a cost outlay. Is the client refusing to pay for studio time? 

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