Most recording studios use specialized voice processing systems for processing audio data. The best possible method for moving this data from the studio system to the Blueworx Voice Response system is direct file transfer across a network (for example, using TCP/IP FTP). If you transfer digital data directly, when using the batch voice import utility, you should bypass the bvi_rec step and go straight to bvi_seg.
This gives identical results to direct file transfer as the movement of data is 100% digital. If the recording studio uses Apple Macintosh based sound-processing applications, you can use Apple’s system extension, Macintosh PC Exchange, or an equivalent product, to format a Macintosh diskette so that it can be read by a Power System. Write a diskette in a DOS format and use the AIX supplied utility ‘dosread’ to read it.
You can fit about two minutes of 8 kHz sampled voice on a 2 MB diskette.
This is a good way of moving digitally-recorded audio data in bulk from a studio to the Power System. However, there is currently no method of taking a digital output from a DAT player and transferring it directly into the Power System without translating to analog and back again, using the Ultimedia Audio Adapter. The digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversions always introduce some low-level noise and distortion, but these are usually negligible for a system with optimum input level.
This is not recommended, because analog tape, even of the highest quality on the best audio equipment, can introduce low-level noise that can cause voice quality problems especially with compressed data. The compression algorithm operates best with a noise-free input signal. However, if you have no alternative, write a tape in AIX format and then copy data directly from it into the AIX file system.