Podcasts

C_Ronaldo

Can you download any podcast available worldwide not just uk ones

Ruby_Pudding

C_Ronaldo wrote:

Can you download any podcast available worldwide not just uk ones

Yep - I often download USA based ones

sra

There's no full definition of what a Podcast really is yet. The one dreamt up by the dictionary is laughed at by everyone who makes podcasts.

The main problem is that many people are now re-labeling any media file they offer as a 'podcast' (when most would say it isn't) so they can really restrict it in any way they want - and charge money for it.

In general though, a podcast is a media file linked on an RSS feed that's available to anyone and is free.

So you should be able to listen to any podcast you wish. The reason Podcasters have to go to The Podsafe Musice Network and similar places to get music is that the big labels can't imagine granting permission for a show that's going out worldwide without Copy-Protection

Lawbag_2

can anyone explain to me what the big deal is about podcasts?

aren't they just mp3 files of someone talking?

haven't we been able to do these for years any way?

MercilessKiller

With a media program such as itunes podcasts automatically update.

Imagine it to be a radio show but you can listen to it whenever you choose and it auto updates to the latest episode (though you can save a backlog).

Instead of going to a website and re download a new episode of a tech program, you just open up itunes, click on the file and listen to the new episode.

think of it as a changing .mp3

sra

Yes it's a normal mp3 file.

The key is RSS.

When they started using RSS feeds to list the mp3 files available from a website, it made automatic downloading possible. Combine this with much cheaper hosting, and new bands desperately trying to get heard, and it means that just about anyone can have their regular own radio-style show.

You can find podcasts at the bottom of the thread I'm making here.

Examples:
Music:http://www.threefromleith.com/ (You can use the player on the right)
Talk: http://www.topofthepods.com/
Video: http://hopeisemo.com/

The main thing to understand is that I don't have to visit any of the sites above. Itunes (or any other podcatching software) automatically checks for new episodes and downloads them for me to play on my computer or Ipod/mp3 player

wolfman

Lawbag wrote:

can anyone explain to me what the big deal is about podcasts?

aren't they just mp3 files of someone talking?

haven't we been able to do these for years any way?

Lol, yeah.

I think it extends beyond .mp3 too. Can't it be any audio format? AAC for example.

To me, a podcast is basically an audio file (usually like a radio show, or something personal) that is delivered via Rss.

sra

There are a some offering m4a in addition to their MP3 version - An "Enhanced Podcast" that can have chapeters and album art that changes throughout.

But the only one I know of that is only available Enhanced is Itunes new music Tuesday - the reason being that its aimed at people who have Itunes

Podcast recieving software are capable of downloading a lot more stuff these days. you can subscribe to Podcast User Magazine in Itunes. It auto-downloads the pdf and opens it in your default reader.

Lawbag_2

sounds like Emperor's New Clothes to me

superscaper

Lawbag wrote:

sounds like Emperor's New Clothes to me

Not sure what you mean, podcasts may have been around for a while and the word has gained media prominence but that doesn't change the fact that some people find them useful. I can listen to shows I couldn't on the radio and it saves me the hassle of continuously looking for updated content. It's not the renaming of something old unless you can provide another name for what podcasts actually are.

sra

Lawbag wrote:

sounds like Emperor's New Clothes to me

Well I'm well and truly naked :rotfl:

I'm subscribed to 30 of them - and I've heard some say they're subscribed to 60+

in fact I rarely listen to my music collection any more because I'm always listening to new songs by new artists - especially local ones that you'd just never hear.

After I first started listening to podcasts i decided to ditch the software. I would manually download episodes when I wanted. Of course I ended up not bothering and missed a lot of shows that I'm still catching up on.

There's something about just being able to go to your computer and having them ready.