P3D Question: DIGITAL sound in 3d shows?

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

I know the list is busy with many subjects but I have to ask this question
about sound.

There are two formats of stereo slide presentations:  1) Live narration, 2)
Taped program.  Live narration is flexible, the presenter can throw in new
information, tell spontaneous jokes, reply to audience questions, etc.,
while taped narration is rigid but can provide some nice sound effects. 

I enjoy live presentations but would like to introduce sound to my
programs.  In my last trip to Greece I took with me a small tape recorder
and recorded sounds to accompany many of my images, like: Sound of waves in
the sea, church bells, traffic, ducks in the park, kids playing in the
beach, live performance of musicians in the streets or restaurants, even
planes taking off.

I would like to play these sounds while the corresponding images are shown
in the screen but still would like to maintain the informal live narration
which can be changed at will when new information or better way of saying
things occurs to me or a different audience is present (example: kids vs.
adults)

Up to this point, analog recordings based on cassette tapes are dominating
the field.  The other day I discovered a host of features in my computer
sound card for digital recordings that I was not aware of.  The prices of
CD recorders are dropping.  I was planning to invest on a 4 track tape
recorder but now I am wondering if this is a good time to go digital,
especially with a Pentium computer in my hands.

Imaging having the sound tracks in a CD as different tracks.  There is no
need to worry about the length of the tracks.  By pressing one button you
can jump to the next track when the image changes in the screen.  All you
need to do is to make sure that the track sequence matches the slide
sequence but even this can be reprogrammed if needed.  For example, I have
recorded live liturgy inside a church and have taken a few pictures from
the interior during the service.  I can play this sound while I am showing
the slides. It can be one slide, it can be 5 (more when I show the program
to our church group), it does not matter, the track is long enough and I
don't need to time myself or my comments.  When done, press the button for
the next track.

Seems that this is the ideal arrangement.  I can still have the stereo
slide presentation with live narration and respond to people's questions on
the spot but also have the sound bits all available at the press of a
button (or a food switch if my hands are tied in the manual feed of my TDC
stereo projector)

Does that sound reasonable?  If it does, what do I need to buy next? :-)

Thanks! -- George Themelis


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