Podcasting What it s all about

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1 Podcasting What it s all about Podcasting...2 What it is...2 Current Uses...3 Subscribing to Podcasts...3 itunes Subscribe using the Directory...3 itunes Subscribe using the URL...10 itunes Player...11 Listening to Podcasts...11 Deleting Podcasts...12 Downloaded Files & Copying to mp3 Players...12 Juice Podcatcher...13 Subscribing to a Podcast using Directories...13 Subscribing to a Podcast using the URL...14 Downloading & Playing Items...15 Item Notes...15 Feed Administration...16 Copying Files to mp3 Players...16 Cleanup...16 New Alternatives...17 Links...17 BBC Trial...17 Podcatcher Software...17 Directories...17 Mark Morley 2007

2 Podcasting What it is The word Podcast is a portmanteau (or Frankenword) formed from broadcast and ipod, the popular mp3 player from Apple Computer, Inc. The term was first used 12 February 2004 by Ben Hammersley in an article in The Guardian newspaper. Podcasting is really another way of downloading audio files to any computer or portable media device. The introduction of a new way of listening to media (mp3 players) caused a change in the distribution method. This in turn changed people s expectations and placed them more in control of when and where they could access the media they wanted. This is why podcasting has really impacted. The benefit to you the listeners is that you have control over the information you want to listen to and when you listen to it, removing the time reliance on the media supplier (radio station). A podcast is a multimedia file (generally an audio file) that is distributed over the Internet using a syndication feed. Put simply, instead of you having to go to a web page to see if new files have been put up by the author, you can use some special software to register your interest (subscribe) and have any new files automatically downloaded for you, so you can listen when you want. Also, you can copy these files from your computer to a mobile device and listen where you want. The mobile device can be any mp3 player or increasingly a mobile phone (it doesn t have to be an ipod ). RSS 2.0 and the enclosure tag underpin podcasting. RSS 2.0 is simply a coding that dedicated software can read, and is called the podcast feed. Within that code is an element that tells the software where to look for a media file, the software then automatically downloads it in the background. When all the new files are read, the podcasts are shown as available for listening in the client software. You can add multiple podcasts to your client and it will check all the URLs for updates and download files as appropriate. It is generally possible to download or stream the audio files from a host web site as well. Similar to the word radio, podcast means both the content and delivery method. The author of the podcast is called a podcaster. When you add a podcast into your client software it is termed subscribing, and the generic term for software used to subscribe is podcatcher. Podcast Analogy Say you subscribe to a magazine (e.g. BBC Gardeners World). You fill out your request form and send it in. The publisher receives your request and informs the distributor, who stores the latest copy. The distributor calls Royal Mail who picks up a copy the same day and delivers it to your mailbox. Now here is the good bit. You don t have to go and get it because you ve got a pet that picks it up and puts it next to your favourite armchair for when you might want to read it. Not only that, it makes a copy and puts it in your briefcase or bag for when you are out and about and have time to sit down on a park bench and read it. 2

3 Current Uses Podcasting is finding a range of different uses. The majority are for talk shows covering a host of different subject areas. Radio stations are also providing their content for podcasting or download. Some local councils are producing podcasts for self-guided walking tours. Art galleries and museums in America, and recently the UK, are using podcasts to inform about exhibits and even incorporate the opinions of visitors. Other areas include stories for children or the visually-impaired. It is being extensively used in US universities as a supplement to lecture programmes, and is finding a similar use in UK universities. In business it is being implemented for just-in-time training. Subscribing to Podcasts There are two common ways to subscribe to a podcast feed. The first and easiest is to use a directory of available podcasts to subscribe. The second is to type in the URL of the podcast feed into your podcatcher software. itunes Subscribe using the Directory itunes has a directory integral to the software, in its itunes Store. Figure 1. itunes Store Podcast section 3

Once you are in this Podcasts section, there is a specific navigation system to use throughout. It is located near to the top of the page.

4 1. Start itunes 2. From the left hand menu, select itunes Store Figure 2. itunes left hand menu 3. From the next menu to the right (itunes STORE), select Podcasts Figure 3. itunes STORE menu 4. Once you are in this Podcasts section, there is a specific navigation system to use throughout. It is located near to the top of the page. Initially there are left and right arrow buttons and a house (Home) icon with Podcasts next to it. The arrows work like the back and forward buttons on a web browser. The home icon takes you to the itunes Store entry page. As you navigate further 4

The screen is now split into different sectioned to help you get to the subjects or specific podcasts you are looking for. 6.

5 into the category structure, additional parts are added to the right of Podcasts to form what is called a breadcrumb. You can click on any of these breadcrumbs to get back along the chain. Figure 4. Example of breadcrumbs 5. The screen is now split into different sectioned to help you get to the subjects or specific podcasts you are looking for. 6. Down the left hand side is a Categories list, which you can use to drill down to subject areas you want; and the Featured Providers where you can quickly access podcasts or some major media providers, such as BBC, Guardian Unlimited, Times Online, and National Geographic. Figure 5. Categories List Figure 6. Featured Providers menu 5

7. In the centre is a number of different icon driven sections, some of which you can scroll through. These tend to feature some of the most popular podcasts or video podcasts.

Highlights icon driven menu With the Highlights window you can scroll through the available windows of podcasts (four windows and eight icons per window) by clicking the arrows on the left and right

6 7. In the centre is a number of different icon driven sections, some of which you can scroll through. These tend to feature some of the most popular podcasts or video podcasts. Clicking an icon brings up the description page for that podcast and allows you to subscribe. Figure 7. Highlights icon driven menu With the Highlights window you can scroll through the available windows of podcasts (four windows and eight icons per window) by clicking the arrows on the left and right of the window. At the top centre there are three circles and one dot indicating where you are within the four windows. You can click the See All in the top right to get a new window with more icons listed on one page. Figure 8. Featured Video icon driven menu The Featured Video menu gives access to some of the popular video podcasts. They are split into categories, which you can choose using the tabs at the top. Other navigation is the same as the Highlights window above. 6

On the right hand side there is a list of 20 Top Podcasts. Figure 10.

7 Other areas of the central section have icons to take you to specific podcasts. Figure 9. Icons to specific podcasts 8. On the right hand side there is a list of 20 Top Podcasts. Figure 10. Top Podcasts featuring top 20 Clicking an item brings up the podcast s description page where you can subscribe. 7

8 9. Finally, above the Top Podcasts is a Quick Links box. The top two items in this box provide other ways for you to locate podcasts of interest. Browse provides a drill down categorised menu structure Figure 11. itunes Podcast Browser window Power Search allows you to search using the podcast Title, Author, or Description. Figure 12. Search inputs 8

9 When you select a podcast from the itunes Directory you ll see a page similar to: Figure 13. Example Podcast description page You can read information covering what the podcast is about; there may also be some reviews. You can click on an item in the list at the bottom to hear an individual podcast episode. If the podcast is of interest, you can click the Subscribe button to add it to your Podcasts Library section of itunes to receive future editions. Currently, it is free to subscribe to many podcasts, (indicated next to the Subscribe button). This may not always be the case. For some podcasts there is a small charge. 9

10 itunes Subscribe using the URL The other way to subscribe to podcasts is to copy the URL of the podcast feed into your podcatcher. This may just be given in a web page, and usually ends.xml or it could be provided via an icon you click on, similar to those shown on the left. For example, if you want to subscribe to the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time, you can go to that podcast s feed: Copy the feed URL into your podcatcher. For itunes: From the Advanced menu, select Subscribe to Podcast In the dialog box, paste the feed URL Figure 14. itunes Subcribe by URL Many podcasts now have an itunes one-click option, where you can click to subscribe directly in itunes to the podcast. There may even be an icon to click. 10

itunes Player Listening to Podcasts When you have subscribed to one or a collection of podcasts, you need to know how to play them, download any back issues, and even unsubscribe. Figure 15.

11 itunes Player Listening to Podcasts When you have subscribed to one or a collection of podcasts, you need to know how to play them, download any back issues, and even unsubscribe. Figure 15. Example of Podcasts in itunes In the left-hand menu, under LIBRARY click Podcasts to access all your subscribed podcasts. The names of the podcast series are listed. If a appears to the left of the name then clicking on it will expand the folder (a then appear) and the individual episodes are listed. If there are downloaded episodes yet to be played a appears alongside the podcast series name. You can update a podcast at any time by clicking the Refresh button in the bottom right. Any new episodes will be downloaded. A spinning orange icon appears alongside while a download is taking place. Any episodes you have downloaded appear as black text. Other episodes that are greyed out are available for you to download; simply click the icon and the episode is downloaded. Downloaded items that have yet to be played are marked with and once played the dot disappears. To play a podcast, double-click the dot, or the space where the dot was to replay. 11

To the right of the episode name you may see indicating a video podcast or to show an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file (currently.pdf format is only supported in itunes). No icon indicates an audio podcast.

12 To the right of the episode name you may see indicating a video podcast or to show an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file (currently.pdf format is only supported in itunes). No icon indicates an audio podcast. The other columns are: Time, which indicates the running time of the episode; Release Date, when the author published the episode; Description, the episode content. Deleting Podcasts If you no longer want to receive a podcast you can unsubscribe. Right-click on the podcast series name and from the pop-up menu select Delete. You are asked Are you sure you want to remove the selected podcasts and their episodes?, click Remove. You will then see: Figure 16. Removing Podcast - Save Files? Because podcasts are downloaded, the files are stored on your hard drive. These can be quite large files so you may want to delete them from podcasts you are no longer interested in; if so click Move to Recycle Bin, otherwise you can keep the files. Downloaded Files & Copying to mp3 Players You can locate a downloaded file by right-clicking on an episode and from the pop-up menu selecting Show in Windows Explorer. This opens the appropriate folder and highlights the file of the episode you wanted. Dependent on your mp3 player, you can copy the files across. 12

Juice software opening You are automatically put in the Subscriptions section (tab) and there may be two channels already

13 Juice Podcatcher Juice simply works as a podcatcher. Unlike itunes, Juice requires an external media player to play the podcasts. The Juice software opens and looks something like this: Figure 17. Juice software opening You are automatically put in the Subscriptions section (tab) and there may be two channels already subscribed, as in the example screen-shot above. Subscribing to a Podcast using Directories Clicking the Podcast directory tab to see a list of directories: Figure 18. Juice Podcast directory tab 13

Clicking on any of the directory names downloads its content to list available podcasts. Click on a podcast, and its URL appears in the box at the top.

14 Clicking on any of the directory names downloads its content to list available podcasts. Click on a podcast, and its URL appears in the box at the top. Click the Add button and an Add a Feed dialog box opens; click the Save button. The podcast is added under the Subscriptions tab. Subscribing to a Podcast using the URL If you know the URL of the podcast feed, you can use that to subscribe directly. Click on the Add New Feed button. The Add a Feed dialog box opens. In the URL field paste the xml address copied from the podcast website. For example, to subscribe to BBC Radio 4 Choice podcast copy the URL from the BBC website, or simply type it in: Figure 19. Juice subscribe by URL Click the Save button. BBC Radio 4 Choice is now added to your subscriptions. Figure 20. Radio 4 Choice Podcast added 14

Downloading & Playing Items The latest Episode or item is checked. Make sure the checkbox next to the episode you want is ticked and the State alongside is set to To Download.

15 Downloading & Playing Items The latest Episode or item is checked. Make sure the checkbox next to the episode you want is ticked and the State alongside is set to To Download. Click the Check for new podcasts button. The Downloads tab opens and you can see the status of the downloading podcast item. Figure 21. Juice Download tab Click on the Subscriptions tab. Click on the item you want to hear and then click your right mouse button. From the menu, select Play episode in mediaplayer Figure 22. Right click menu to play Your chosen mediaplayer should launch, that may be Windows Media Player, itunes, Winamp or Other, like Real Player, etc. (You can choose which mediaplayer to use from Files>Preferences >Player tab.) The podcast should start playing. Item Notes If you select Show Notes from the right click menu, you will be able to read the notes about the podcast item written by the author. 15

16 Feed Administration A podcast feed can be removed by highlighting it and clicking the Remove selected feed button. Details of a highlighted podcast feed, like its name and URL, are available by clicking the Properties button. A highlighted feed can be checked to see if there are any new podcast items for download by clicking the Check selected feed button. Copying Files to mp3 Players You can use the synch function in the mediaplayer software you are using to synchronize your mp3 player. Or, if you wanted to copy these podcast items onto your mp3 player, you can locate the downloaded files by right-clicking on the feed name for a pop-up window, and select Open downloads folder. The folder opens and you can copy the files to your mp3 player. Cleanup These mp3 files may be very large, so you need to clean up any files you no longer need. Click on the Cleanup tab Click on the drop-down menu arrow below Select a feed and choose the feed you want to clean up, and then click the Refresh button The items delivered in that feed are listed Select the ones you want to delete by checking the box alongside, or click the Select all button to check all of them Click the Delete button and the files are deleted Figure 23. Cleaning up unwanted Podcasts 16

17 New Alternatives There are now other ways of accessing podcasts. For example, btpodshow.com a major company in the whole podcast phenomenon has developed an online content directory and player system. Links BBC Trial BBC Podcast Trial Podcatcher Software Apple itunes Podcast Page Juice Podcatcher Software Directories Podcast Alley Podcast Directory Podcasting News Directory List 17

Chapter The Juice: A Podcast Aggregator

Chapter The Juice: A Podcast Aggregator Chapter 12 The Juice: A Podcast Aggregator For those who may not be familiar, podcasts are audio programs, generally provided in a format that is convenient for handheld media players. The name is a play