A couple of months ago we set out to start a new podcast for the community of people who are interested in desktop customization, skinning, and just tech in general. When we started I was using a inexpensive Logitech USB mic. It’s a very good mic for the price, but it’s not up to any type of professional recording level that I now need. With that I sought out an alternative which was insanely expensive, but still had a very good sound quality. I read review after review and did quite a bit of research before deciding on which one I should purchase. The choice I made was the Samson C01U USB condenser mic.
I chose this one for several reasons. One being it was was on the very few condenser mics on the market that was USB, which is a big plus because I didn’t want to have to buy a mixer, and I liked the ability to plus it in to pretty much any computer. On Windows Vista and OS X Leopard, it’s basically just plug and play without any additional software or drivers needed. The next reason was price….less than $100 which a great deal considering the specs on this mic. Depending on where you shop, you can find this with a decent discount.
Included in the box is the microphone itself, a desktop stand, and quite a long USB cord which is very nice, and sometimes uncommon with electronics. If you are on Windows XP there is software that is included that adds an Input Level Meter, and some other features, but it’s not compatible with Windows Vista. The only problem I had during setup was the mic was recognized, but I could not adjust the sound. After 20 minutes of scratching my head I realized I needed a driver update from Windows Update. No big deal, but be sure to check to make sure you have the latest updates when installing.
I used the mic on both a podcast and the recording of a screencast. I was pretty blown away by the quality of sound, and it was a complete difference between the C01U and my previous USB microphone. Background noise was minimal and my voice came through as clear as I can imagine it sounding. I used a few different applications to record the sound including Camtasia Studio 5, and although I configured each application for its own sound settings, the results were basically the same across the board. I didn’t have a problem configuring the C01U for use with these applications other than making sure the mic was the selected recording device.
Obviously, there are better mics out there, but they will also cost you a significant amount more. For the money and quality, this mic gets the highest rating I could give it. I have no problem recommending it for anyone who need a good, but inexpensive mic for podcasting or other recording types. For more information visit the Samson C01U product page.
The latest episode of the WinCustomize SkinCast is now up, and this week I go solo and do a re-cap of the latest news and happening on WinCustomize.com.
The latest edition of the SkinCast is up. We have a great discussion about the launch of Impulse, and our special guest Seabass even takes the time to give several support tips on making the most out of Impulse. After that Seabass tells us about his design and skinning skills, and also gives tips to people in 3D design and .dream creation. It’s a great episode so be sure to check it out!
I’m solo on this weeks edition of the WinCustomize SkinCast as Zoomba is off doing real “work”. However, I did have a great guest this week and that was Jorge (JcRabbit) who is the developer of WinStep. I talk with Jorge about the development of WinStep and how Vista has affected the work. We also touch on what we might see in the future from WinStep.
The latest edition of the WinCustomize SkinCast is now up. This week we talk about the ‘06 GUI Champs, and give some info about the 2008 GUI Champs. If you are a graphic designer, skinner, or artist, you will definitely want to start keeping track of this topic.
Episode 5 of the WinCustomize SkinCast is up, and this weeks guest is David Roman (aka RomanDA). We talk about several things, but the main topic this week was DesktopX. We cover several DesktopX topics including the new community project site at www.desktopx.info.
The WinCustomize SkinCast has made it to episode #4, and the momentum keeps going and the support so far has been great. Both Zoomba and I are still relatively new to this whole podcasting thing, but I think we are getting the hang of it. Just a quick recap of what the SkinCast is exactly for people just now seeing this. The WinCustomize SkinCast is a podcast dedicated to basically all things related to desktop customization, the technology behind it, and the community that drives it.
Episode 3 of the WinCustomize SkinCast is now up, and the best we have done so far. This week we talk with WC moderator Zubaz, and discuss several things including the new Crystalline WindowBlinds skin. Come have a listen and you can subscribe to our podcast via iTunes with the link below.
There are several ways to listen to podcasts, including our own WinCustomize Skincast. There is an imbedded player on the SkinCast page, a link to download directly, and links which allow you to subscribe to the feeds. Subscribing to feeds is my preferred method, and iTunes is what I use for the various podcasts I listen to.
The big advantage to using iTunes is it will check for new episodes automatically and download them for you. That way you don’t have to keep watching WinCustomize to see when the latest SkinCast is up. While you are there, don’t forget to leave a comment about the show.
Today is a great day in the world of skinning and desktop customization. Why you ask? Well today we debut the very first episode of the WinCustomize SkinCast!
The WinCustomize SkinCast is hosted by myself and Zoomba, and will cover misc topics from all around the skinning and tech communities. It is our first one, so we have a few things to work out still, but we will have guests, interviews, and all the good stuff you come to expect from WinCustomize.
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