Frequently Asked Questions

	Which xtra should I use?
	Can I upgrade from the Amplitude Xtra to the AmplitudePro Xtra?
	Which versions of Director are supported?
	Can I get a student discount when I buy an xtra?
	What's the best sound format to use with the Amplitude and Amplitude Pro xtras?

Which xtra should I use?

Use the Amplitude Xtra if you want to:

• create animations in sync with the loudness (amplitude) of sound or music.
• lip-sync animated characters to spoken dialog
• draw sound waveforms

The Amplitude Xtra generates amplitude data which you can use to perfectly synchronize sound and movement in Director.

The AmplitudePro Xtra genertates spectrum and amplitude data. Use the AmplitudePro Xtra if you want to:

• do anything you can do with the Amplitude Xtra, plus...
• create frequency-based visualizations of sounds using normal Director sprites, imaging Lingo or Shockwave 3D.
• synchronize animations to frequency values.
• create graphical EQ displays.

Can I upgrade from the Amplitude Xtra to the AmplitudePro Xtra?

Yes, you can upgrade at any time. If you are upgrading between equivelent releases of the xtras then the upgrade cost will be the difference between the original cost of your current license and the current cost of the AmplitudePro Xtra license type (Single-User, 5-User, Site) of your choice. Please contact us if you wish to upgrade.

Which versions of Director are supported?

The Amplitude Xtra can be used with any version Director from version 8.5 to 11 (Director MX = version 9, Director MX2004 = Director 10/10.1).

The Amplitude Pro Xtra can be used with any version Director from version 8.5 to 11 (Director MX = version 9, Director MX2004 = Director 10/10.1).

Can I get a student discount when I buy an xtra?

Yes. Please contact us for details.

What's the best sound format to use with the Amplitude and Amplitude Pro xtras?

All of the following sound formats can be used with either of the xtras:

AIFF (uncompressed)
WAVE (uncompressed)
SWA (Shockwave Audio)
MP3

Uncompressed formats (AIFF and WAVE) files will be processed more quickly by the xtras than SWA and MP3. This is especially true for large sound files.

Both xtras supports most common sample rates including 48000Hz, 44100Hz, 22050Hz, 11025Hz, 7418Hz and 8 or 16 bit formats.

If you are processing MP3 files then be aware that Variable Bit Rate (VBR) and Joint Stereo encoding is only supported when the xtras are used with Director MX2004 or later.

More important than the sound format is the quality of the recording itself. You will get the best results using sounds with a large dynamic range (the range of loud to soft within the sound - 16bit sounds are best) and without clipping (distortion caused by digital overload during recording).

If you are using the AmplitudePro xtra to generate spectrum (frequency) data then we recommend that your sounds should have a sample rate of 22050Hz. This sample rate usually gives the best spread of values over the entire frequency range