Podcasting

Podcast Software

There are many podcast software programs available to use. Many of them are even free. Because of the decentralized, geek adopted nature of podcasting, a wide variety of programs are available, from large programs with a big footprint that do many different jobs to tiny little software packages that do the bare minimum. A package is available for podcast subscribers of almost any type, and more are being created everyday.

While some podcast software is designed for home user computers, much of it is designed to be used online. There are many packages created so that feed subscribers can view the podcasts they enjoy from within a web browser. These software packages contain both the feed reader like the home user software does, but usually also incorporate a way to view or listen to the podcasts online from inside the browser. Much of this software is used at the podcast directories that maintain listings of podcast feeds.

Another type of online podcast software is the category of feed creators. PHP scripting is usually used to create the RSS file that tells the feed readers where to download the podcasts from. The scripting can either create a hard copy of the RSS file and write it to the server disk when the feed is updated, or it can make it virtually. When the RSS file is generated virtually, it doesn’t actually exist on the host’s server. Instead, the address of the PHP script is distributed as the address of the feed. When the script is accessed, it generates the file by looking at the recent posts at the site and sends the results to the feed subscriber.

Podcast RSS Feeds

A Podcast RSS feed is what allows the entire system to function. To begin at the beginning, a podcast is a regular distribution of audio or visual files, called episodes, to a users podcast client. The people who use a podcast are called subscribers, and the podcast client is what allows them to subscribe to a feed. The podcast client is a program that connects to the internet, looking for a specific file the user has subscribed to, or told it to look for. That file is an RSS feed, a machine readable piece of coding that sends information back to the podcast client. RSS feeds can be used to distribute many kinds of information, and were originally used for blogging and distributing blog posts to subscribers. As time went on, however, a few people had the idea of enclosing information about media files within the RSS feed so that software could be written to find that information and download the files described.

The Podcast RSS feeds became a hit, and podcast clients were quickly written to allow people to use the new encoding. Podcasting became a means of quickly and cheaply sharing episodes with subscribers. Rather than requiring subscribers to visit the site that hosted the files everytime they wanted to know if a new episode was released, users could rely on the podcast client to do the work for them, keeping track of numerous podcast rss feeds that interested them and downloading the files to be viewed when they wished.

Podcast RSS feeds are now used to distribute a number of different types of podcasts. Some producers use it as way to share a comedy or news program that they produce, others podcast in order to share music files they create, and some podcast to share video files they have created and to showcase their work. Podcasting allows the producers to become radio or television stars without the large investment in time and money that wuld be required to do that. Because podcasting has such a low entry cost, requiring little more than a server and a domain to host the site and a way to record the media, thousands of people who otherwise would not have a chance to work in a media environment have a chance to do so through their podcast rss feeds.

In this way, podcast RSS feeds allow media publishing over the internet at a fraction of the cost of other forms of media distribution, permitting people with much smaller budgets to compete in some way. However, podcast rss feeds are also attracting more established companies and groups as well, bringing people from NPR radio stations and news organizations like CNN who use podcasting as yet another means to distribute their product to end users.

Podcast Downloads

Podcast downloads are a wonderful new online way to share files. A podcast is a way to send files from a distributor’s online site directly to the subscribers computer, where they can view them whenever they wish. A podcast works by having a small file called an RSS file placed somewhere on the podcaster’s web page. This RSS file is updated regularily, usually automatically with text and links to new media files available for downloading. The RSS file is then accessed by the podcast client of the subscriber’s computer. A podcast client is a small program that goes online to look for the RSS files that the feed subscribers wish to view. There are many podcast clients available for every conceivable need, and most are free to download and use.

The podcast download will be done when the podcast client downloads and views the file from the feed’s website. After finding the links to the media files embedded in the RSS file, it will download those files and store them on the computer, allowing the user to view them whenever and as many times as they wish. The podcast files may be of many things. There are comedy shows done by people who enjoy creating and writing a regular show, but aren’t able to do it as a business. Some podcasts are music mixes, an mp3 file that subscribers can play. Even some radio shows are getting into podcasting, allowing subscribers to download portions of their shows from the internet in podcast form and play them on their home computer.

Podcast downloads could conceiveably be applied to any type of file. The RSS files that allow the mainly audio and video files now used in podcasting to be downloaded can be customized to enclose almost any type of file. This has led some analysts to believe that podcasting could eventually be used to distribute software updates, demonstration programs, and many other types of files, moving beyond the simple use of podcasting to share media files. All that would be neccessary would be for the users to subscribe to the feed with their podcast client. They could then stay regularily updated for nearly anything.

Podcast downloads offer many different possibilities for distribution of files across the internet. Because it is a different mode of using the internet, allowing the data to come to the user rather than the user having to visit each site they enjoy, podcasting has the possibility of changing the way the internet works. Content can be given directly to the individual, easily and ever more quickly as broadband use spreads. This means that what the internet is will change drastically. The web changes from something connected to in order to be used to something that is integrated and connected with our personal life.

Podcast Alley

Podcast Alley is a site that catalogs podcast feeds and provides links to them. Thousands of feeds are available, from comedy shows to weekly suspense stories. There is even a podcast featuring a couple that talks about different wines every episode. Podcast Alley features the best podcasts on the front page regularly, along with a short article about the authors and their work and an interview with the creators.. In addition, the site keeps a list of the most popular feeds in a sideline, allowing visitors to quickly see what the community appreciates.

A visitor to Podcast Alley can search by genre, learn how to make their own podcast, discuss things with the community in the forum, and find software related to podcasting. The sire provides a wide range of resources, as well as a large quantity (many thousands) of podcasts that listeners can browse and subscribe to.

Podcast Alley is an example of a podcast directory that is well run and offers a large selection. The site also has a strong community that can help visitors find podcasts on topics that interest them or give them the information they need to set up their own podcast, and of course, add it to the directory. Anyone that is interested in finding great podcasts should take a look at Podcast Alley and the selction they have.

Music Podcast RSS Feeds

There are many online music podcast rss feeds to choose from online. For many of the feed producers, a podcast feed is a way to distribute non mainstream music that otherwise would not be able to reach an audience. These musicians are able to build a following and share their work from outside of a music culture that tends to keep out more niche groups. Because the music industry is oriented towards mass distribution and marketing, musicians and groups that aren’t believed to command such widespread fandom are kept out of the market.

Distributing some of their music by podcast rss feeds, however, lets them grow a small fanbase and attract listeners who enjoy their work. These musicians may support themselves by also selling portions of their work, or may decide to provide all of their work for free, as some do.

These musicians may, after growing a fanbase who enjoys their music podcast rss feed, parlay that popularity into music contracts within the industry. By proving that they can support a passionate audience even with their own meager efforts, a company can sometimes be convinced of the music’s viability on a larger stage. By proving that the musicians can support a dedicated audience and can keep producing quality work, the group or individual has a better chance of successfully getting a contract while maintaining their independent style.

How to Make a Podcast

A podcast is an easy way of distributing media files over the internet, and this article will tell how to make a podcast. The first thing necessary is a domain, and a host on which to store the media files for the podcast. Getting a domain is simple and easy, there are many domain registrars that can register a domain for someone for a small fee. Some of these domain registrars are GoDaddy.com, Dotster, or Network Solutions are some that provide domains. The domain registrar will, for a small fee, enter the chosen domain, provided it is not being used, into the computers that form the backbone of the internet. These computers will be told where the domain is located on the internet; what host it is that holds the domain’s information. In order to give them that information, the name servers that are held by the host need to be associated with the domain. Once the domain is in place, a good host should be found. The host that is chosen should offer a large amount of both disk space and a much larger amount bandwidth. Disk space is neccessary because the site which holds the podcast will be storing large media files; audio or video files that take up a lot of space and are difficult to compress. The large bandwidth is necessary because transferring these large files many times to many different people will use up the quota quickly. A good amount of diskspace would be several GigaBytes, bandwidth should be in the tens or hundreds of Gigabytes. Once the host is set up, it should offer you a couple of addresses called nameservers. Inputting these server addresses into the site where the domain was registered will complete the domain setup and allow the site to be found on the internet.

The next step for people who want to know how to make a podcast is installing the software necessary to maintain the podcast. A small piece of coding called dircaster.php can be used to set up a basic level of podcast. Dircaster.php can be found easily by searching for it in any search engine. Once it is located, it should be edited to reflect the particulars of the domain and uploaded to the site. Dircaster.php will generate an RSS file, or feed, that tells the subscriber about the new files available for downloading. To begin podcasting, create the audio files that should be podcast, fill in the information about the file such as date, author, etc, and upload them to the same directory that contains dircaster.php. You now have a podcast, and all that is needed is to publicise the address of the file dircaster.php. To update the podcast with new information, just upload the new files. Other things to make the podcast better might be a site that contains information about the podcast, but it isn’t necessary.

How to Create a Podcast

Podcasting is easy to get involved in for anyone who wants to create a podcast. The first thing necessary is access to a web server. The user needs to be able to upload files to the server itself, so podcasting can’t be done from a simple blogging or journal site. It’s probably best to register a domain and find a host for the site. Once the site has been set up and the user has access to the host server, a small program called dircaster.php should be customized for your site, and can be used to automatically generate the RSS feed that the subscribers will download. The mp3 files should be uploaded to the proper directory after all the information about the file has been attached. After they are in the directory, the address of dircaster.php, as long as it is in the same directory as the mp3 files, will generate an RSS file that will tell your subscribers where to download the latest podcasts from. To update and and a new episode, create and upload the new mp3 file to the same directory. When dircaster.php is accessed, it will recognize the new file and relay the information on to your visitors.

With these steps, it is easy for anyone to create a podcast with a small expenditure of time and effort. The site is easy to set up; domains and hosting are now cheap enough almost anyone to have a small site, and the programs necessary are all easy to find and use.

Finding Podcast Hosting

For anyone who wants to begin creating a podcast, podcast hosting is the most important part. Before anyone can begin distributing a podcast, they need a place to store the files and keep the feed file that will tell their subscribers about the new episodes available. The first thing required is a domain name where the site will be located. Many domain registrars are available who will help one register a domain name for a small fee. Once the domain is registered, hosting is required, and again there are many different companies willing to do the hosting for a small fee. One of those is bluehost.com, but many others are available. When looking for a host, the most important thing is to make sure that a lot bandwidth and storage space is available and cheap. Since podcasting deals with large media files, a lot of disk space will be taken up storing the files and bandwidth will be eaten quickly when they are downloaded by the subscribers.

After podcast hosting has been acquired, it needs to be used and the site needs to be set up. The DNS addresses of the site need to be set to the addresses that the host provides you so that the servers that underlie the internet will know where your site is. DNS addresses can be set by going to the domain registrar that was used to acquire the domain and inputting the addresses provided by the host. After that is done, it will take a few days before the master list the domain registar updates will be shared throughout the internet and all name servers know where to find your specific domain. You can then go about setting up your own podcast.

Using the podcast hosting you now have, you will need to look at the disk space allocated to the site using something called and FTP browser. The host may provide one as part of their hosting plan, but if not there are many available free to choose from. Using the FTP browser, log on to the host and upload a file called dircaster.php after editing it to fit the specifics of the site. Dircaster.php is an easy to find piece of coding that generates a feed file by looking at the contents of its directory or folder. The individual episodes to be podcasted can then be uploaded to the same folder as dircaster.php for cataloging. Make sure that all the meta data, or information about the mp3 file is correct before doing so.

The podcast hosting you now have will allow you to distribute a podcast. It would be best to upload more to the site, such as an index page that tells visitors about the podcast and provides the address of the file dircaster.php on your site. When they subscribe to that file, the podcast client thy use will access it and recieve information about the latest podcasts available.

Finding Hip Hop Mix Podcasts

Many music podcasts are available online for downloading; if one wanted to find, for instance, a hip hop mix podcast, there are a few sites available to help. The first possibility would be to go directly to a site which creates one and subscribe to it using a podcast client which automatically checks the feed for new episodes and downloads them for the user. If, however, one did not know of any hip hop mix podcast sites, or simply wanted to find new podcast sites, the best possibility would be to check a podcast directory, a list of podcasts that can be browsed.

Hip hop mix podcasts could easily be found at one of these podcast directories. A podcast directory stores lists of podcasts which have been submitted to the site, and categorizes them by genre, type of podcast, region, and other meta data. To find a hip hop mix podcast, visiting a podcast directory and checking under music podcasts, and then under hip hop music would find many podcasts which play that type of music.

The hip hop mix podcast could then be subscribed to by inputting the feed address listed into one of the many podcast clients. The music will come in episodes, the name for each downloadable portion of a podcast. Some of these podcasts may feature independent artists, musicians trying to break into the music industry who have chosen podcasting as a way of sharing their music and gaining a following. Others may be remixes of popular songs that have been changed in some way to give a different feel to the music. Often, the artists may already be established, though, and they still see podcasting as a way to introduce themselves to a larger audience. They may grant rights to pay certain hip hip songs to a podcaster, letting them play the music as part of their mix distribution while requesting a link to a site where more information can be learned about the artists and music can be purchased. Artists that have done this include alias, edan, outerspace, RA the rugged man, roots manuva, and outer space.

A large number of podcasts featuring hip hop mix podcasts are actually radio stations, however. These broadcasters have found that podcasting their shows and selections is an easy way to reach more listeners and gain a greater audience. These podcasters can reach more people easier and cheaper than they can by playing hip hop mix music over the airwaves in their local areas. Playing hip hop music over the internet is probably the way many future artists will do their work, and there are many ways available even now that they can do so and make a profit. For instance, some podcasts are designed to work on a payment basis. A hip hop artist who wished to share his music could charge for addition to the feed list, then issue a unique feed address to the user, allowing them to hear new pieces of hip hop music released. The hip hop music file could even be designed so it could not be copied and used by another user at a different computer, to ensure that the artist could maintain control over his work.

Finding Free Podcast Videos

Anyone can easily find free podcast videos online. There are numerous podcast directories online that can help you find feeds to subscribe to, or you may find a feed thats available from a site you enjoy. After looking through the directories and finding a feed you want to download, subscribe to it using one of the many free podcast clients available. The podcast client will automaticall download a small file called an RSS file, which stands for Really Simple Syndication. The RSS file tells your podcast client when there is a new file, in this case a video, to download. Depending on your client, the program will notify you or maybe even download it automatically. Once the file is on your computer, you’ll be free to listen to it any time it is convenient.

Soon you’ll be on your way to downloading some of the free podcast videos available online. Feeds are available that publish on almost every topic, from independent news shows to experimental videos, to scientific information. Some colleges and universities even podcast their most popular lectures so that students will have a chance to watch and review from the comfort of their computer chair.

The best part is that these free podcast videos, are of course, free. All of these feeds are easy to find, and the publishers, for the most part, do it simply because they enjoy it, and are glad to give it away.