THIS POSTER SESSION WAS PRESENTED AT THE 1995 CAUSE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. IT IS PART OF THE ONLINE PROCEEDINGS OF THAT CONFERENCE. PERMISSION TO COPY OR DISSEMINATE ALL OR PART OF THIS MATERIAL IS GRANTED PROVIDED THAT THE COPIES ARE NOT MADE OR DISTRIBUTED FOR COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGE. TO COPY OR DISSEMINATE OTHERWISE, OR TO REPUBLISH IN ANY FORM, REQUIRES WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR AND CAUSE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: CAUSE, 4840 PEARL EAST CIRCLE, SUITE 302E, BOULDER, CO 80301; 303-449-4430; E-MAIL INFO@CAUSE.COLORADO.EDU. CD-ROM PRODUCTION ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET Margaret W. Hougland, Ph.D. and R. Daniel Merrick, M.D. East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine PO Box 70582 Johnson City, TN 37614-0582 houglanm@etsu-tn.edu ABSTRACT The immense storage capacity of the CD-ROM and the rapidly decreasing cost of CD-recorders are bringing this media storage tool to the eyes of many. Those with large storage needs and limited financial assets ae taking a second serious look at the CD-ROM. Many educational institutions, by virtue of their diversity, have most resources needed for CD-ROM production, except for the specialized equipment. Why Make a CD-ROM Disc? A CD-ROM disc hold up to 650MB of randomly accessible data which makes it well-suited for archival storage, large file distribution and multimedia. Interactive multimedia programs usually require more storage than a 1.44MB floppy disk can hold. The cost of a blank CD-ROM disc is now below $10 or about $.02/MB. The storage capacity of a CD- ROM equals about 450 floppy disks (1.44MB). Cost estimates for commercial multimedia programs run as much as $250,000 and higher and involve teams of 6-12 people full-time for nearly a year or more. By using existing physical resources and soliciting the input of faculty, we developed a team for producing an interactive multimedia program for continuing medical education. The financial outlay will be about $15,000. Multimedia Project Plan Multimedia projects mean teamwork with players devoted to specific aspects of the project. Plans for a multimedia project can be divided into three phases: design, implementation and testing. The design phase includes setting goals and objectives, analyzing resources, establishing a time schedule, determining the visual appearance of the project and developing content. During the implementation phase, elements of multimedia (text, graphics, animation, sound and video) are integrated into a coherent program. Alpha testing usually occurs as implementation proceeds and beta testing concludes the final phase. Marketing and distribution are best left to a publisher unless the distribution is to be limited. Analyzing Resources Software requirements influence hardware choices significantly. Software and hardware incompatibility is a major problem of CD-recorder (CD-R) technology. Two software programs are needed for multimedia CD-ROM projects: multimedia authoring software and CD-R software. Multimedia authoring software, for combining the various media, can spell success or failure of a project. Several factors must be considered in selecting authoring software: * cost and licensing. Usually educational discounts are available, but programs usually range from $200 to over $2000. Licensing the CD product varies from a royalty per copy to a set price per title to no cost. * ease of use. Experience with computer assisted instruction before tackling multimedia helps. * media management. Organizing and keeping track of different types of media can be facilitated by the software. * extensibility. This feature is necessary for accessing peripherals and databases. * cross-platform capability. Depending on the audience, the program may need to be delivered to PC, Macintosh and UNIX platforms. Cross-platform multimedia authoring choices are limited. * service and support. On-line help, tutorials and telephone support are important to some developers. CD-recorder software should be select first, based on needs then a CD-R chosen that will support the software. Often the software is bundled with the CD-R. Features to consider include: * drag and drop editing. The geographic location of files on a disc affects retrieval time. The CD's file directory can be constructed with an intuitive drag and drop interface. * multisession & multivolume support. The entire CD may be created in one recording session (disc- at-once) or several sessions depending on the flexibility of the CD-R software. * CD formats supported. There are dozens of CD data "standards". Most drives run the basic formats but may not handle sophisticated tasks like MPEG encoding or CD-ROM XA interleaving. * simulation. Better software supports the creation of virtual and physical images of the files in the exact order that the files will appear on the CD and simulates playing the CD before actually pressing the disc. * error reporting. This feature verifies that each component of the system can handle the demands of the recording session before mastering begins. Hardware for CD-ROM production is usually present on campus except for the specialized equipment. Minimal CPU requirements are a 486 DX2/33 mHz or 68040 Macintosh with 8MB RAM or better. At least 1.2 GB of free hard disk space is needed. An extra AV hard drive or one that delays thermal recalibration is preferable to prevent fatal interruptions in the data stream. Many CD-recorders also require a SCSI connection. CD-recorder costs have been falling at a rate of about 50% every 10-12 months. Although the ease of use is improving, CD-R technology is still not for the faint of heart. Technological improvements continue to facilitate the task. CD-recorders features vary, but the following features should be considered: * Recording speeds. Data is transferred in multiples of 150KBps. A double-speed recorder reads or writes twice as fast as single speed drive. * Buffer size. Large cache means more fault-free recording and allows use of the newer standard hard drives. * CD-ROM drive emulation. Files are test before starting the mastering process by playing them at the lower CD-ROM drive speeds. * Multiple platforms supported. Some CD- recorders do not support all data formats (CD-ROM XS, hybrid, mixed-mode, audio). Personnel costs are a major factor in commercial projects; however, faculty and staff may be recruited in an educational setting. A project director is essential to coordinate activities and keep the project on schedule. Personnel resources such as graphic artists, programmer, sound/video technician, content author and copy editor may be found in a variety of departments. It is nearly impossible for one person to fill all rolls; although it is possible for a team member to serve in more than one capacity. Current Costs If equipment is not available at the institution, the following average costs may be anticipated: computer system-$2000, extra AV hard drive-$1000, CD-recorder-$2000, multimedia software-$500 and CD- R software-$400 (may be bundled with CD-R). Realize that prices change constantly and, depending on the need, the lower end of price scale may be satisfactory. Conclusion Many resources for making CD-ROMs are already at educational institutions. Multimedia CD-ROM projects are the work of many. CD-R is still complex technology. CD-ROM production is more affordable as the cost of CD-R hardware and software decreases. The key is to find the software best suited for the project needs and budget, then look for the lowest price of compatible hardware. Information Resources Internet Usenet Groups: comp.publish.cdrom.hardware, comp.publish.cdrom.software, and comp.publish.cdrom. multimedia "Budget CD recording." _Byte_, Mar. 1994, p. 145. "CD-R is still hard to master." _InfoWorld_, July 17, 1995, p. 58. "CD-recorders: Are they finally worth it?" _Multimedia World_, July 1995, p. 82. "CD-ROM Mastering: What are your publishing options?" _T.H.E. Journal_, Feb. 1995, p. 80. "Desktop CD-ROM publishing." _MacWorld_, Mar. 1995, p. 122. "Feel the Burn." _MacUser_, Jan. 1996, p. 86. "Mastering Multimedia." _MacUser_, Oct. 1994, p. 82. "Make your own CD-ROMs." _MacUser_, June 1994, p. 100. "Roll your own CD-ROM." _PC Computing_, Aug. 1995, p. 183.