32 kbps MP3 downloads: useful?

Hi,

I would keep the 32kbps for the free users, and  limit it even more. The free users gets too much for free. Which kept me from paying, but the people of cpod are doing a very goooood job, so i started to pay. I also in the past,  used the cpod without paying.Too easy to get the high quality of learning. 

I would keep the 32kbps for the phones, and slow net. Well i am using only the 128. Actually i did not check the quality difference between 128 and 64, i just assume is better :)

cheers

What would be nice also is to be able to select which quality you want the Flash Players to play. I'm not too sure which version of the dialogue I am listening to when I use the flash player.. I assume it is the 64kbps one..

Where have these 32K files been hiding ? . I download the 64k files,  Can't see the point in 128 quality/file size - I would certianly use the 32k if the encoding is ok

Perhaps you could convert them to 32kbps WMA format. The quality of a 32kbps WMA is nearly as good as a 128kbps MP3 for human voice.

And I suggest that you make the low bitrate audio available to non-paying subscribers,  as they are specially useful to people not on broadband. There are still lots of people using painfully slow dial-up connection. There was a time I used to be kicked out of LAN-houses for using up all their bandwith downloading all cpod lessons at once, now I have breadband at home whoopie!!!

I think it is a temporary thing till they sort out the need for it.. well I hope so.. otherwise John wouldn't be asking..

I am SO frustrated. I just discovered the 32k ones have been scrapped meaning i have to go up to 64k which costs me twice as much to download and doesn't have the full transcripts. If we can't have the 32k ones could we please at least be able to get the 64k ones with transcript?

i never used them actually. I played once with the 64k files, but as - at this time - the ipod did not show the transcript of the lesson - I changed back to 128 and I feel happy. (never change a working system).

from my point of view -> no need, but I respect the others here, so I vote for keeping them 32k :)

I've only recently been able to get a decent ADSL connection. I live approximately 30 mins drive (45mins by train) from the very centre of the city of Sydney. Before that I was paying through the nose for a very slow, low megabyte connection. I don't need 32kbps files but I certainly would have preferred them 6 months ago!

PLEASE keep the 32kbps files. While i have a fast connection, i am charged per megabite for everything i use and am on a low budget. Having the lower option allows me  to be able to afford to download most of the relevant lessons easier.

32kbps files -- I don't have access to them, but have occasionally transcoded the lessons down to 32kbps myself so that I can fit more of them on my mp3 player when I'm away for an extended period. The size of the download itself doesn't cause me any problems.

Prices and budgets -- There's no question in my mind that $240 is good value for money. That still doesn't stop it being way too expensive for some, myself included at the moment. I agree that the basic membership at $60 is a pretty good compromise for the transcripts etc. Given a choice of price points people tend to pay what they can afford rather than carefully analysing the value of each added feature (That's why we have Student/Home/Office/Enterprise editions of basically identical software...).

As for offering a good free service -- I'm convinced that this is one of Chinese Pod's business strengths. The ability to learn reasonably effectively as a free member has given me the opportunity to see the real value of the service and so recommend it to many others -- at least two of whom now have premium memberships (why did I only spot the Praxis Language Affiliate Program this week?!).

For myself I'll probably shortly fork out for a basic membership since I do now need the transcripts to get much further. Without getting so much out of a free membership I'd have given up long ago and Chinese Pod would get nothing.

user3881:

Sorry to go back to the old subject again.

I just wanted to say, whether you are doing the basic $60 dollar membership or the $240 Premium or the $2400 Practice Plan, the point is that you're paying into the system.

The good people at Praxis don't bring us these lessons for free. John, Jenny, Aggie, Amber, Connie and all the rest do need to be paid for what they do, and we, the users are the ones who essentially pay their salaries.

These lessons may be free to download and listen to but they were NOT FREE to produce and bring to us, so for that I'm proud to say I've paid into the system, as have you.

We're not like other users here soliciting the reasons from users as to WHY they should pay, and maintain it's pointless to upgrade because they can always just milk the system and sign up over and over again for new free 1 week Premium memberships through fake e-mail addresses.

You and I are supporting the others like this particular individual who prefer to take advantage of this site and what it offers instead of putting a little bit back into it to help keep it working.

So whether you're paying $60 or $2,400 it doesn't matter, it's all good! Let all of us proud paid members stand together and shout at the top of our lungs...加油!

John,

The better question might be to ask, "How many people download via EDGE/GPRS (or dialup which is just a little slower than edge)?" As for 64 v. 128.. I like the higher bitrate files, but 64 works just fine. If I have trouble with a word I refer to the vocab tab or pdf.

As for the price, $240 isn't that bad. I understand if some users just don't have it to spare. A 64 kbps stream and pinyin + simplified characters seems to be a good compromise for the basic package.

I can't believe the producing the low qual option is that much overhead--or is it?

In any case, back to the original topic - if I had a premium account, I'm not sure that I would use the 32kbps files very often. I've found that the 64kbps work fine in most situations.

xiaohu, as a student, I wouldn't have been willing to pay $240 (£120) for a year. Once I paid off accommodation for the first term, I only had 45p left of my loan!

Do Chinesepod do a student discount? Because lack of student discount put me off for a couple of years.

user3881:

Okay. 我相信你！

:)

You said: "...$240 per year ISN'T expensive. Unless you're unemployed, a bum living on the street, or live in a country where the exchange rate is so great that $240 American dollars turns into thousands, you CAN afford $240 dollars per year!"

I, for one, do not eat out and do not purchase anything like lattes or fast food every day. Please don't base your opinion about what people can spend on your experience with your friends irresponsibility. I have a job, my husband has a job, we pay a mortgage and our bills, and - yes - $240/year is too much for me. The basic $60 account is all I can afford at this point.

AuntySue:

True, I've never lived outside the USA, maybe I don't have enough experience to be a fair judge.

xiaohu, we all agree it is worth the money, but I just think you need to experience a little more of the non-USA world before making claims about what can be done with all other people's budgets.

Rich:

LOL!

Right, let's say no more about that!

:)

Yeah, support the starving ChinesePod staff (who go to coffee houses all the time I hear. ;)

Seriously... their work is much more in-depth and time consuming than any Chinese textbook author & publisher has done I don't doubt, textbooks can cost you even $45-$50 (I just bought a book to learn Business Chinese for $55 for a course that lasts only 2 months, and that is just for the book, not my tuition!). You do have to decide what is worth it for you, but also how you can support the work of others that you approve of, and as I agree with xiaohu, one can cutback in some places to find that extra money, and must remember the gain they will receive parting with that money.

Yet let's shut up, I don't want them rising prices... ha ha.

AuntySue:

I don't think it's presumptuous at all. If someone says they can't afford $20 dollars per month, it only shows where their spending priorities are. IF a premium membership on Chinesepod is the most important thing to them, the money WILL be there.

I'll give you an example. I have a friend who is AWAYS complaining he's broke. At one time I lent him $500 dollars to pay his rent because he was almost 2 months behind. He still owed $3000 on his car payment, which he hadn't made a payment in almost a year, and was constantly getting repossesion threats in the mail from the loan company, and he "couldn't afford" car insurance.

(It took him 2 years to finally pay me back the money I loaned to him).

Now, this guy ALWAYS seemed to have money to go to Starbucks, ($10 dollars per day, $300 dollars per month for Coffee), to go to restaurants ($30 dollars per day, $900 dollars per month for eating out), to 足浴 3 times per week ($240 per month for massage), to buy CD's ($225 per month for Music) among other things.

So once again, we're talking about priorities. His priorities were to his guilty pleasures, and then IF he had money left over he would put it to what was really important.

I find the vast majority of people who are always claiming they are broke are just like my friend. In fact, I USED TO BE just like him. I didn't watch what I was spending, going to movies all the time, out to eat, to buy DVD's, Video Games, things I really didn't need.

It's amazing one you start cutting back on things like that, how much you don't miss it, and once you really look at how LITTLE THINGS add up fast, it will make your head spin!

If someone were to say they don't have enough money for the practice plan...okay I could buy that, because $2,400 per year IS alot of money (however broken down as $200 per month isn't too bad)...BUT $20 DOLLARS PER MONTH?

I say once again, $240 dollars per year is NOT alot of money.

If $240 at ONE TIME is a bit much to swallow, there is always monthly billing! And besides, it's SO WORTH IT!

It is a little presumptuous to make claims about what others can or cannot afford, or what their circumstances or lifestyles must certainly be if they cannot.

user3881:

$240 per year ISN'T expensive. Unless you're unemployed, a bum living on the street, or live in a country where the exchange rate is so great that $240 American dollars turns into thousands, you CAN afford $240 dollars per year!

Besides, you can always purchase the month to month plan. ;)

I'm not a Premium subscriber (wish I could be!), but I always use the 64s unless I'm having difficulty hearing the difference between words. Then I download the 128 to see if I can hear it better. I burn the 64s to an audio CD for listening to on the way to work in the car; so far, about 6-7 lessons fit per CD, depending on the lessons.

(As for $240 a year being inexpensive - please remember that it's all a matter of perspective. What's inexpensive for some is quite expensive for others.)

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

Moloch, we do have stats, but we always find it very worthwhile to hear what users have to say, as just one without the other can, at times, be somewhat misleading.

I'm thinking... wouldn't ChinesePod have detailed stats on how many people are using the 32 kbps files? Or are those stats skewed by people inadvertantly clicking on the 32 kbps link and not knowing any better.

In Canada, cellular data plans are still pretty pricey compared to other parts of the world.. $65/month for 1 GB is about the best you can find right now.. so 32 kbps may be desired by some people, due to cost. Actual download speed isn't really an issue where I am.

Anyways, I agree with people about the difference between 64 and 128.. I don't hear one. With CPod's studio equipment, and for an spoken audio podcast, 64 kbps is more than adequate in my opinion...

John:

By the way, I think the 32 k files would be worth keeping.

I think for people on the free accounts there should ONLY be the option to download the 32 k files to provide a marked incentive to upgrade.

I honestly thing Chinesepod gives away too much for free, I feel you could sell more memberships if you held back a little more of the real goods.

For $240 per year for the full membership (without practice plan) it's so inexpensive and so worth it people should really feel what they're missing if they don't upgrade.

rich:

I don't waste storage space on the 128 kbps files, not because I'm so worried about the storage space, but the improvement in sound quality between the two files is so slight that there is no point in wasting the storage space.

Of course originally I wanted the best of the best so I only downloaded the 128 kbps files, but when I started experimenting trying the other files, I discovered there is very little difference.

For Chinesepod podcasts 64 seems to be the magic number.

I've never used the 32; I have my iPod touch, and I just run everything through iTunes and the ipod.

I never used the 32kbps files, just the 64. I have always wondered if the 128kbps is really that much different when listening to just human voice. I understand for music, but unless you or Jenny starts singing with background music...that'll be the day...I only see 64 worth downloading. Does anyone ever heard that much different between the two? Just my 2分.

of course that wasn't the question, but I even question the reason for 128kbps, except for sound-quality die-hards.

I have found that the regular 64 kbps file sizes are okay to save space in my phone. I have a 2 gig card and still have plenty of space left. Being that upgrading to an 8 gig cards isn't that expensive it hardly seems that the 32 kbps files make much sense considering the sharp drop in quality.

Besides, I think most people are going to iPhone, or iPod touch, in which case there is so much storage space, the smaller file sizes aren't really an issue.

Hmmm, interesting.

They're only going to be less and less useful as time goes by. Already, a 2MB file vs. a 4MB file hardly seems like a big "savings" considering the loss of sound quality.

Still, if any of you are in love with the 32 kbps files, we want to know!

The situation might be different in countries that have third world networks, like Oz. Most of my friends still have Internet accounts that only allow 200 megabytes per month, and I still hear about people paying 32 cents per kilobyte (yes kilo-) for all net traffic on their mobile devices.

I've used the 32k files and found them a worthwhile tradeoff at times. For Spanish they seem to work better than for Chinese, the pronunciation being somehow more predictable, less subtle.

I'll download the 32k manually whenever I must hear something as soon as it's released (in peak net time) instead of waiting until it gets downloaded overnight/morning within my daily period of uncounted downloads, and then I'll keep only the good 64k file for future study.

I could quite easily live without them. I can't say the same for other people who have bandwidth that is limited beyond your reasonable imagination.

Dont use it.

I find that at 32 kbps the sound quality vs. size trade off becomes not worth it. To me, it sounds like I'm listening to you through a tin can and it's quite distracting. I use 64 kbps which works well for me.

Plus my Palm Treo downloads faster them my computer at times so download speed isn't a factor for me.

By the way:

Is the IPhone CPod-compatible, i.e. does it display Hanzi?

It took me forever to get Hanzi on the current Windows-Mobile-5-brick (contract based slavery duration is approaching its end - yippieh!).

I never use the 32k files but I doubt my habits give much of an indication as to what other people do.