Optimizing sound for the Internet.

Abstract

Attention to the quality of audio in streaming or downloadable media is often overlooked. But consider the importance of sound in the typical ‘talking head’ lecture, or the issue of how streaming audio helps or hinders those with visual or hearing disabilities. Developers and producers need to know how to maintain high fidelity, how to integrate media players with screen readers, and how streaming audio can help solve accessibility problems. Eventually, broadband accessibility and improvements in coding techniques should minimize the loss of quality when converting prerecorded media such as CDs and DVDs to the Internet. In the meantime, the Internet is still an excellent way to disseminate sound, so it is worthwhile to focus on creating the best possible representation of the original recording.