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Instructions
At the heart of Cuddletunes is something called a Soundtrack. A Soundtrack is a special playlist of MP3 sound files known as tracks. Each Soundtrack is specific to a particular child, and it always plays in the sequence the adults have specified. The Soundtrack is securely stored on the Internet on Cuddletunes servers so that authorized adults can access it from anywhere in the world to make new recordings and upload more music.
You can enjoy a Cuddletunes soundtrack three ways:
1. You can buy a Cuddletunes bear and download the soundtrack to the soft and cuddly bear
2. You can buy just the soundtrack and download it to some other MP3 player to play it
3. You can play the soundtrack right from the Cuddletunes web site through your computer's speakers
If you have a Cuddletunes bear, you can update the soundtrack on the bear as often as you want. Just connect the bear to your computer (PC or Mac) to synchronize the bear to the Soundtrack at Cuddletunes (just as an iPod synchs to an iTunes playlist, the Cuddletunes bear synchs to a Cuddletunes Soundtrack).
To access your child's soundtrack, just log into your Cuddletunes account and click on the name of the soundtrack. Clicking on the soundtrack name will open the soundtrack editor.
Use the "Make a Recording" button to create your own recordings. Choose the "Read a Story" option to read one of the classic stories that we have pre-loaded on the site, or chose the "Record a Message" option to record anything else (which includes reading a story book that you already have). Instructions for using the Story Recorder are accessed via a link at the top of the recorder.
Use the "Add Music" button to upload your own MP3 files of music or audiobooks.
Use the Invite User button to invite another adult to join Cuddletunes and create new recordings for the currently displayed soundtrack. The person you invite will get an e-mail with a link in it (similar to a Facebook friend request). When they click on the link, they will be able to create their own Cuddletunes account and they will be granted access to your child's soundtrack so they can make recordings or upload music. This is useful for inviting a grandparent to record a story, for example. (Or if a grandparent purchased the bear, then he or she can invite the child's parents into the soundtrack so they can add more music and recordings and update the bear from time to time.)
The bear will play any MP3 you put onto it. You can load your own MP3s directly to the bear or upload them to the site and then onto the bear. The direct method is faster, but going via the site has some advantages:
1. You can control the order of playback via the site
2. People can send an MP3 to the bear from anywhere (grandparents, for example, if you authorize them to do so)
3. The soundtrack is all backed up on our servers if something happens to the bear
You get one set of MP3 lullabies for free with the purchase of the bear. Today, we don't sell any additional MP3s music or audiobooks. In the future, we plan to add a music and audiobook store so people can easily buy additional content and add it into their soundtrack.
The annual subscription is for the recording and download service. You can invite as many adults as you want to use our web recorder, and they can make as many recordings as they want from anywhere in the world. You can download all those updates to the bear as often as you like. For example, out-of-state grandparents can read a book one chapter at a time, or record a series of poems or nursery rhymes or lullabyes. The first year of use is included free with the bear purchase. After 1 year, if you want to keep using the Web Recorder and download service, there is an annual fee -- currently just $1.67 per month. If you don't want to continue making new recordings, the bear will still continue to play whatever is on it.
Anytime you want to update the bear, just click on the "Update Bear" button on the soundtrack edit page. This opens the Download page with instructions for how to plug your bear in and download the latest soundtrack using our Synchronizer applet.
For further instructions, please see the FAQ list below or Contact Us via email for Help.
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Microphone Help
We are not able to detect any input from your microphone. If you were speaking, it's possible your microphone is unplugged or switched off or it's possible you don't have a microphone. Please review the information below.
First, look around to see where your microphone is. If you have a laptop computer, the mic is probably built into the display (it usually looks like pinhole in the display frame). If your laptop is closed in a docking station, you probably need to open the laptop for the mic to work. If you have a desktop computer, your mic could be built into the display but most often will be a separate device.
Once you find the microphone, see if it has a switch and if so make sure the switch is on. Try recording again and make sure you are facing the mic and not too far away or too close (8 to 12 inches away is usually good). Also, make sure that your speaker volume is turned up so you can hear the playback properly after you record.
If you can't find the microphone, you probably don't have one. You'll need to get a microphone or access cuddletunes from a different PC that has one. You can skip this step for now and try it again later from a different PC or after you get microphone.
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