Podcasting

Definition and the Basics

The Wikipedia definition of a podcast: A collection of digital media files distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers. A more interesting definition from another podcasting site offers that it's a way for consumers to time-shift and subscribe to Internet media.  This is similar to TiVo for Internet content.

How To: There are 3 basic steps to making podcasts easy and ready to use.  This is the traditional way of doing it.  "Traditional" sounds funny with such a new technology, but it's already becoming the old way as this technology advances - see "What's Next" below.

Traditional Method:

1. Get a podcast catcher: There are numerous podcast catchers, called aggregators, out there.  Choose one based on your media player, your preferred web browser (many are integrated), or just one you prefer to use.  Find a good list here.
2. Find a podcast: There are lots of podcast directories.  Check your favorite sites for existing RSS feeds.  Check Podcast Directory.  Do a Google search!
3. Get the podcast to a media player: Once you have subscribed to a podcast, it's usually just a matter of plugging your media player into your computer and syncing them up.  Most do this automatically, but it's best to check with your media player's manual or aggregator help section if you're having trouble. 

Other Methods:

• Eliminate the podcast catcher: You may run across podcasts that interest you, but that you don't want to subscribe to the feed as a regular routine.  Most websites that host podcasts will allow you to download the file directly - most commonly as an MP3 file.  This is no different than downloading any file from the Internet.  Typically it's just a right-click and a save-as to wherever you want it.  You can then transfer it over to your media player however you prefer.
• Eliminate the sync: If you download the podcast directly to your computer and don't want to sync it to your device through the device software or podcast catcher software, it is usually possible to load the file onto a media card if your device has one.  Many dedicated media players (iPod, for example) don't have expandable memory so the only way to get files to them is to sync.  Many players do accept memory cards, however, and most newer cell phones do as well.  It's a simple process to plug a memory card into a card reader and simply drag and drop the podcast file onto it.  Stick it back into your device and the music or podcast is there waiting for you.  The main advantage of this method is that it's usually much, much faster than syncing.  For large files, this can save a lot of time.

What’s Next:

Vodcasting

Vodcasting is also called 'vlogging', which is video-on-demand casting rather than audio-on-demand podcasting. Many sites that carry podcasts also carry vodcasts.  These files can get very, very large.  Make sure your media player or memory card can handle this. Files several hundred MB in size are not uncommon.

Streaming

Streaming is a continous process of transferring data or multimedia from a provider to a user. The name refers to the delivery of the data, which travels over telecommunications networks as opposed to television or radio.   The big advantages of streaming are that it doesn't involve any cables, syncing, or even a computer to access - just the media player.  Also, streamed files don't need to be complete to start listening to them.  For larger media files, this can be a time saver.  Most files typically begin playing after just a few seconds of "buffering".  There are two common ways to stream media content to your media player  or cell phone:

• WiFi: If you have a media player with a WiFi radio, you can usually stream audio or video with good results.  The speed of WiFi can usually handle both audio and video well.  Of course, this is dependent on a good signal and your media player's hardware. If you can connect to WiFi, streaming from there is typically free.

   

• Cell Radio: This is becoming more and more common, but can be complicated.  A word of warning - you need to have a data plan with your cell carrier to do this reasonably.  All of the major phone carriers in the United States offer unlimited data plans for phones and it's highly recommended you add this feature to your account before streaming audio or video. Accounts without a data plan usually charge by the kilobyte.  Even a relatively small podcast of 20 MB or so could cost several hundred dollars on some networks!  Most unlimited plans cost $15-$40 per month depending on your phone, network and plan.  If you do have a data plan, essentially the entire Internet - including podcasts - is available to you wherever you go.  It's usually just a matter of surfing to the podcast and playing it directly.  There are lots of software programs out there depending on your phone's operating system.  Windows Mobile and Palm Operating System phones in particular have very mature media streaming applications available.  The other big factor to consider is network data speed.  Older phones will be very, very slow to download anything and may not be capable of streaming audio at all.  On U.S. GSM networks (T-Mobile, AT&T), generally EDGE is acceptable but the newer 3G  radios (UMTS, HSDPA) are much faster and can rival home DSL speeds.  On U.S. CDMA networks (Sprint, Verizon) the EVDO radios deliver very high speeds and are good for both audio and video streaming.  Check with your device maker and carrier for details on your phone's capability.  The obvious advantage of this method is true on-demand, anywhere, anytime access to online media.  As network speeds increase and devices get more and more powerful, this is very likely to be one of the primary ways people get their media in the future.  There are even ways to stream your own music and your own television recordings from your home to wherever you are!  If you're ready for this, check out places like Slingbox.

Creating your own podcasts

A great resource on how to create your own Podcast using various media can be found here. This website gives both written instruction and visual examples to help you through making your own podcast step-by-step.

A site that offers free hosting of your podcast to try it out is Switchpod. If you like it, want to make more, or grow your podcast library they offer tiered pay packages based on file storage size.  The free account is plenty for anyone curious about podcasting to test the waters.

For higher education specific podcasts, a repository of podcasts can be found here. Called Ed-Cast, it's a joint effort between the University of Illinois at Springfield and the University of San Francisco. It offers a searchable database of topics that can be useful if you're looking for podcasts on a specific topic.