VideoLAN Client (VLC) media player has a nifty feature built in: it can play movies (and still pictures!) as color ASCII. This means visuals appear reminiscent of old BBS and terminal art. Since it's automated, it's not the most precise conversion, but I put some concert footage through it and was all grins. Here's how you do it, at least on the Mac side (since VLC is multi-platform):
Go to VLC menu > Preferences.
Click Video tab.
Change Output module to Color ASCII art video output.
BEFORE
AFTER
Play a movie and get out the bitcrushed popcorn. To screengrab a still shot like this with Skitch, I had to drag it into the VLC playlist, play it for a sec, then quickly pause it.
A brief google shows me not many know about this, so spread the lofi word! Previously related is my "8 Inspiring Stories of ASCII Art" for Smashing Magazine.
If you've ever read an online magazine, after PDF, it's likely you leafed through one powered by Texterity. Coverleaf has a bunch of examples and one I checked out recently is the Costco Connection. I've found Texterity mags pretty straightforward and don't have any insidious quibbles with the format, but how to link to a page is unobvious. Turns out the answer is quite simple; just head for the Share button, as shown here:
Interestingly, the same principle works on other formats too, like transhumanist h+ magazine's Flash format, where the option is represented by a Digg icon and called "Social bookmark this page". From there, if you click the Google icon, it'll show you the page URL.
The Zoom H4n "Handy Recorder" is very versatile. Not only does it function well as a mobile field recorder, it also doubles as a USB computer interface. What's the point of that? Well, since it has built-in condenser mics (and you can also attach external mics via XLR), it's very convenient to record your voice, as I've done across many videos with my Mac.
What's even better is that it has built-in effects which are quite usable. For instance, there's a limiter which prevents digital clipping, and while I wouldn't put it in the same "creamy analogue" class as some of my fave DAW software limiters, it can still protect you from overloads. There's also an amp simulator which can colorize instruments you record, or in my preferred case, my voice. I took some time to tweak that today and came up with an effects setting which has deeper bass and greater presence. No doubt I'll continue to adjust it as I find more room for improvement, but as this video makes clear, it's sounding very broadcast-friendly already.
If you have a Zoom H4n and want to try out the settings, here they are. Keep in mind my male voice is fairly low, so you should adjust to fit yourself (and your environment) better.
Start the H4n while it's plugged to your computer via USB and connect as AUDIO I/F. (I presume you've done this before; if not, consult the manual.)
Press MENU button.
Select EFFECT (click the wheel).
Go to a blank effect (like No.50) and click EDIT.
On EDIT:EMPTY screen, edit each of these sections:
PRE AMP EDIT
OFF/ON: ON
TYPE: AG MPRE (short for Acoustic Guitar mic preamp, I find it sounds thicker than the VOX MPRE which is supposedly for vocals)
COMP: 1
DE-ESSER: OFF
LOW CUT: OFF
BASS: 0dB
MIDDLE: 0dB
TREBLE: 3dB (boost of sharpness — note this isn't in the video I did above, I changed it after, it's subtle)
LEVEL: 80 (I find going higher starts to result in unpleasant distortion)
ZNR: 3 (raise this to reduce noise in noisy surroundings, like a computer with a loud fan)
EFX
OFF/ON: ON
TYPE: LIMITER
THRSHOLD: 10
RATIO: 7
RELEASE: 10
LEVEL: 90 (I'm experimenting with this; if I notice too much distortion I'll drop back to 80.)
LEVEL: 80
Then…
Choose RENAME from the EDIT:EMPTY screen and give your setup a fitting title, like "AWESOME". I named mine "LIMIT3" for the time being, after an earlier revision.
Make sure to click STORE and click EXECUTE to save it into No.50 or another empty slot.
Now try auditioning before/after to compare the difference.
What about using those effects on the road?
Good question! I haven't yet checked this in-depth, but I know the H4n has a somewhat different effects config when it's acting as a truly mobile recorder, so try adapting the above if you're on the go and want to record with such effects.
I find setting up these effects is a great timesaver…
so I sound pro voiceover-ready directly into the computer, and I don't have to mess around with an app's audio tools. (Nor does Screenflow, the most common prog I record Mac videos into, have such a way to do this.) And of course, if you plug your H4n into another computer, you can also access these same settings, making it even more convenient.
Until June 30th, Antares Mutator can be bought from audioMIDI.com for US$10. It's an attraction to get you to buy the whole AVOX 2 bundle. I found Mutator fun but don't have a burning need for it — still, I hope you enjoy this video showing a bizarre range of what it can do:
Some people remarked I started sounding Asgard at the end, and I've done Goa'uld voices in the past. So as a tip of the hat to Stargate SG-1 and knowing the question comes up a fair bit, here's my tutorial on how to use a flanger + pitch-shifting in Ableton Live to sound like those parasitic System Lords. There's also a gate + limiter effect, but as I explain, those are optional.
The really awesome thing is after you have an effects chain setup, you can easily drop in just about any voice clip and Goauldize it. Easier than having to run one process after another in a sound editor that doesn't allow live chaining like this.
Add Joel Goldsmith's original score for the final authentic touch!
I named mine "LIMIT3" for the time being, after an earlier revision.