Photo by robinfeder on Flickr - used under a Creative Commons licence

The document is called How Do I Digitise Difficult Objects? and it shows some simple ways to photograph or scan one-off atypical objects including glass plate negatives, small reflective objects and scans from magazines or books.

Axial lighting set up used to photograph coins or medals

AAC improves on the file compression technology behind MP3 and marries it with the flexible MPEG-4 standard to deliver audio in a package designed to offer users the widest range of delivery and playback tools.

Our new advice document AAC Audio and the MP4 Media Format explains the benefits of using AAC in teaching and learning, and how AAC relates to video and other enhanced learning resources. We also look at compatibility and the software which you or your users need to work with AAC audio, and some of the features it can offer.

The MPEG-4 standard, of which AAC is a part, is a large and potentially confusing collection of standards and formats, so we try also to cherry-pick some of the most salient features to enable those working with AAC audio in MP4 or M4A format to understand the place of AAC in the wider MPEG-4 family.

This short guide to Uncompressed Audio File Formats summarises the essential features of common uncompressed digital audio formats, focussing particularly on the WAV family.

Suitable for archiving and working with high quality audio, uncompressed files are the best quality medium for digital audio, and figure prominently in the audio workflow at many stages. Here we examine their comparative strengths and how they have evolved to fill different needs, and take a look at the latest developments, including Multichannel Broadcast Wave Format and iXML metadata.

Watch this space - further advice on the AAC audio and the MP4 media format will be published shortly!

Although the service, previously known as TASI, has been in existence for more than ten years, the team re-branded last year to reflect the growth in the service offering increased support and advice to the FE and HE sector.

JISC Digital Media - a JISC Advance service - provides advice, training and guidance on the creation and use of digital media collections (still images, moving images and sound) and their use in learning, teaching and research within the UK FE and HE communities.

From help with finding and using the right media, to advice on creating and delivering digital formats or consultancy on managing a digitisation project, the team promotes good practice, technical expertise, the use of appropriate standards and the sharing of knowledge within education.

The achievements of the last 12 months have also given the team added cause for celebration - in addition to developing new advice documents and training courses for all media (audio, still image and moving image), the increase in team numbers has given us the opportunity to attend and participate in a wide range of both education and media specific conferences and exhibitions. We gained the platform at many events, promoting the JISC Digital Media team’s expertise and services.

In June 2009 the JISC funded project Video Assist was launched by the team. To date, four institutions have been successful in their bids for Video Assist and have benefited from the team’s film expertise.  A final call for the third and final round of entries closes on 26 February 2010 - go to the Video Assist page for further details.

September saw two launches: firstly, our fortnightly on-line surgery - a one-hour online help and support session, with themes ranging from Basic Microphone Technique and Placement to Using Flickr as a Source of Free-to-Use Images. Secondly, the launch of the service’s first newsletter Intermedia - a quarterly update on the work undertaken by the service and happenings in the world of digital media.

Happy Birthday JISC Digital Media!

If you would like JISC Digital Media to attend or present at your event or require any further information please contact Karla Youngs, Director on 0117 331 4380; email info@jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk or call 0117 331 4447.

Meadows in Imperial Valley, California. Photo from Oregon State University Archives on Flickr: The Commons. No known copyright restrictions

The first is Copyright: An Overview which provides a broad introduction to the subject: What is copyright? How long does it last? What are the exceptions that allow use of copyrighted works?

We also have Audiovisual Copyright: Frequently Asked Questions which answers the most common enquiries we receive through our helpdesk.

Finally there’s Copyright and Still Images: Frequently Asked Questions - these too are based on helpdesk questions.

A lot of historic film footage was captured on stock which is highly unstable and may not be around much longer. Some collections are potentially explosive and so this document - Analogue Film Types Used for Still and Moving Images - is aimed at helping users identify older film negatives in their collection.

The iconic image of the ‘Migrant Mother’ by Dorothea Lange, 1936. Photo from The Library of Congress on Flickr: The Commons - No known copyright restrictions

This picture was initially photographed on highly unstable nitrate film.

If you use digital audio in any way at all, you have probably come across MP3s. Home and office computers, mobile phones, iPods, media players… even car stereos and games consoles all now offer facilities for playing back MP3 audio, as well as viewing cover art, lyrics and the myriad other tags which can accompany them. But while most people are at least familiar with what an MP3 is, many don’t know how MP3 works, and which of its many options to choose to get the best from it.

Our new User Guide to MP3 aims to explain the essentials of MP3 in an accessible way, as well as exploring its more esoteric audio options and extended capabilities for encapsulating rich metadata.

There is a huge range of tools for encoding, decoding and editing MP3, so as well as technical background we cover some common tasks and processes, and include links to resources to enable you to become an MP3 power user!

The Taking Pictures under Available Light document provides a useful introduction to anyone using ambient light or other readily available light sources to illuminate a subject.

The Light Sources for Still and Moving Images document looks at a range of lighting from daylight through to specialist studio systems. It also looks at the different qualities and colour characteristics of each light type and how the light quality can be modified.

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