Using Free Podcasts

Podcasting, unlike other media forms, almost never has

charges for services, and the vast majority of feed

producers distribute free podcasts. This puts at odds

with, say, online radio stations, news sites that offer

media to subscribers, or the online music industry

general. Even though podcasting has very direct

correlations with industries like news and music that

have strong business models, podcasting differs.

Podcasting does not really have a business model, and

hardly anyone is podcasting in order to profit from it.

There are some businesses and news sites that podcast,

but they do it as a way to supplement their companies

and to gain technological geek credibility, not to make

money. This is an odd thing, but explainable in light of

what podcasting is.

The free podcast problem is not difficult, and

podcasting differs in several key ways from other media

areas. First, podcasting involves the physical transfer of

a file from the host to the users computer. An online

radio station does not do this; all that they provide to

their listeners is a streaming sound file that cannot be

saved without difficulty and work. If someone did

manage to do so, the station would have strong grounds

for suing them since they were never given the rights to

keep and store the files. By podcasting the complete file

to the users computer, express permission is granted the

user to copy and use as they wish. Second, the podcasts

are, for the most part, made by individuals who have

low costs involved in creating and distributing the files,

as opposed to a news broadcast or song by a music

company. These individuals have little reason to charge

for their work since there is little cost to them to do so.

Because the files are distributed in a way allows their

copying and does not control the media, and since

podcasting is a very low cost media outlet, feed

producers have little reason or ability to charge for their

How To Use A Podcast Feed?

A podcast feed is a way of sharing files over the

internet. It involves the use of a small, machine

readable file that is regularily updated to reflect changes

in the files available for downloading. The internet

addresses of these files are embedded into the feed file

and can be automatically downloaded when wished. At

this time, podcasting tends to refer to the use of feeds to

share only media files. Podcasting originally occured as

a way to share audio mp3 files, and has only recently

begun incorporating video into podcasts. However, the

technology that allows the files to be shared is not

limited to such media files and there is not reason that

other files may be shared via podcast in the future.

Today, however, a podcast feed tends to refer to the use

of a feed to share media files. Most podcasts are done

with audio files, and the individual files that are created

and shared are called episodes. These audio files may

contain a variety of things; there are music, comedy,

news, technology, even podcasts about wine.

Podcasting, because of the low entry cost, especially for

audio podcasting allows nearly anyone who believes

they have something to say to broadcast it over the

internet. Even more established groups have found that

audio podcasting works well. Some radio stations

podcast portions of their content, sharing it over the

internet to allow listeners who missed a specific show

to catch up on it later. NPR now does this with its news

breaks, and the NPR show "This American Life" offers

a podcast of its shows to subscribers who pay a small

fee.

One of the newer innovations in podcast feeds is the

vlog, or videoblog. These blogs usually contain a feed

that distributes a video, rather than an audio file to feed

subscribers. Although that would not have been feasible

a few years ago, growing numbers of broadband

internet subscribers has meant that most users are able

to download large files, even video files, relatively

quickly. These video podcasts have been readily

accepted by mainstream news organizations. They have

found that podcasting portions of their content is a way

to share their tape and reach a wider audience. The BBC

currently does this with parts of its news content. Pieces

of the news show that is played over the airwaves is

taken and placed online, along with a link to the content

placed inside the RSS feed. Those who subscribe to the

BBC feed can download the news clip and watch in

from the comfort of their home computer.

In the future, podcast feeds may be used for a number of

purposes besides simply sharing media files. Some

analysts predict that the feed system could also be used

to share software updates, or any of a myriad of other

file types. For now, however, podcasting is dominated

by small audio and video files.

Video Podcast Directories

While some video feeds can be found by visiting the

site that hosts them, many more are easier found by

visiting a directory of podcast videos. These podcast

video directories maintain listings of podcasts that have

been submitted to them. They may sort the list

according to region, category, and popularity, helping

visitors find exactly the type of feed they are looking

for. Tech video podcasts can be found, with regular

episodes about technology news. Some video feeds are

experimental podcasts, created by designers interested

in showcasing their work and trying out new forms of

editing and storytelling. There are some feeds that

recreate talk and comedy shows, with interviews every

episode.

A directory of podcast videos can help anyone find new

and interesting podcasts to subscribe to, and it can also

help podcasters advertise their feeds. Rather than

relying on word of mouth advertising and people

stumbling onto the feed, a directory makes it easier for

listeners to find the feed. Directories play the role that

early search engines did, maintaining a list of a

relatively small group of net addresses that otherwise

would not be found.

After looking through a directory of podcast videos and

finding a feed that is appealing, it can be subscribed to

by using a podcast client. A podcast client is a computer

program that checks the RSS file that stores the

information about the feed and downloads the video

files that the video podcast links to. The file can then be

watched by the user on their computer whenever and as

many times as they wish.

Different Kinds Of Music Podcasts

Many music podcasts are available online, distributed

by podcasters who want to share their collection with

the world. Some of these are distributed by independent

musicians, groups or individuals who enjoy creating

and sharing their music but have a small fanbase. For

them, a podcast means closer contact with their

listeners, and the blog that usually accompanies a

podcast often allows for the comments and opinions of

the listeners to be shared with the musicians. The

listeners often appreciate this close contact, and some

become resentful when their favorite groups gain

widespread popularity. Musicians may find that the

music podcast they share is a way to build a following

and gain an audience that is loyal to them. Since many

of the musicians who podcast do so as independent

artists who lack the sound the music industry is looking

for or simply haven't been noticed yet, a music podcast

may build a following that attracts attention to them and

gives them an entry point into the music industry.

For others, a music podcast may be the chance to

become a dj, and the episodes they share will contain

mixes of different songs, highlighting obscure yet

accomplished artists and taking their listeners on a tour

every episode. These amateurs podcast merely because

they enjoy the activity, as most independent podcasters

do. Yet another type of music podcast, however,

involves the online radio station. While some radio

stations have taken the leap to the internet by offering

streaming connections to their current playlist, others

have accepted the podcast as a way of sharing their

music. Such a style is very similar to the amateur dj, but

brings a level of professionalism that is not found with

the amateur podcasters.

A music podcast may also be a way to sample works by

more well known artists before purchasing. Some

musicians and groups will podcast their new music, or

portions of the new pieces, in order to peak interest in

the songs before release. Fans get to listen to the music

and find out what they might like before purchasing the

whole album. A possibility, however, is that music

podcasts become subscription based, and musicians

begin charging for access to the feed. The online sale of

music has proved its popularity, with Apple's iTunes

reaching its one billionth paid download recently. A

music group could conceivably offer a feed to its fans

that they could pay for, and regularily update it with

new songs that would be downloaded directly to the

fan's computers Although this distribution model is not

yet in place, it seems to fit with the over all trend.

Already, some nonmusic groups have agreed to podcast

their files, on the condition that a paid subscription is

Podcast For This American Life Overview

The podcast for This American Life allows listeners to

download the the shows and listen to them at their

discretion. The This American Life team contracts with

a site called audible.com to distribute the shows to

listeners who want to hear them. Despite calling their

offering a podcast, however, it is not, at least in the

normal sense of the word. A podcast refers to an online

setup with an RSS feed that is regularily updated, can

be subscribed to, and provides links to sound or video

files that can be downloaded and watched by the

subscriber. Audible.com and This American Life do not

offer that. Instead, the show's team allows audible.com

to receive money for allowing listeners to download the

sound files to the computer from audible.com's web

site. The only RSS file involved is one specific to the

user which allows that user access to the shows they are

interested in. Even odder than charging for a supposed

podcast, the sound files downloaded are tied to the

specific user who downloads them. Unlike the vast

majority of podcasts, which allow the files to be

distributed and redistributed as the end user wishes,

without placing limitations on such, the This American

Life podcast restricts the file to a single user.

The podcast for This American Life misses the point of

what a podcast is intended to be, the free distribution of

information. The This American Life team is exploiting

the term podcasting, and the credibility and hipness that

is associated with the term in order to boost their own

popularity.

On the other hand, the podcast for This American Life

may be where the rest of the industry is headed.

Although the technology was first adopted by

independent media groups that enjoyed it because of the

low cost of distribution and the close possible ties to

end users, that may change when podcasting becomes a

wider phenomenon. If podcasting is adopted by more

mainstream, corporate entities, the face of podcasting is

likely to change to one where a profit plan is required.

Audible.com's plan of forcing users to subscribe and

pay for the feeds they want may be the way the

corporate world decides to latch on to and use

podcasting. The advantage of podcasting, direct

distribution of the media files to the user's home

computer quickly and easily, is not lost if the system

moves to one revolving around profit.

Regretfully, the podcast for This American Life is

probably an example of what podcasting will be in a

few years. As much as locked media files that restrict

distribution may be repugnant to many of the free

information activists that curently dominate podcasting,

there is little to stop those who want to use the system

to make a profit from doing so.

What Is The Howard Stern Podcast Problem?

Because podcasting is such a new, exciting, cutting

edge phenomena, many people are eager to get

connected, and hence the Howard Stern podcast.

Everyone wants to be part of the next big thing, but not

everyone is suited or ready to do so. The Howard Stern

Podcast was created and shown on iTunes, the Apple

company's music store. However, the podcast was never

updated, and the only clip ever provided didn't even

include Howard Stern. This has brought a lot of flack

down on Howard Stern, as well as Sirius Radio, which

broadcasts Stern. Many of these people would have

preferred to hear Stern when they wanted to, as a

podcast, and were disappointed that the feed was not

being used.

The Howard Stern podcast is probably an example of

some of the problems that can arise with podcasting. Its

new, and very hyped, so everyone wants to be a part of

it. However, the podcast is designed to be free. RSS

feeds are designed to easily distribute files, that can

then be redistributed and shared by the users who

download them. It would be close to impossible for a

podcaster to charge for their content. Either the

podcaster would have a small circle of people who

enjoy the feed, and very few who would want to pay for

it, or be very popular, as Stern is, and have the problem

of paying customers possibly redistributing the content

so others won't need to pay.

The Evolution Of The iPod Podcast

What is now called a podcast traces its orgins to the

first ipod podcasts, the creation of distributed mp3 files

that could be downloaded and played on Apple's music

player, the iPod. When the iPod came out, and users

discovered what a wonderful thing it was for holding

music, some people had the idea of loading things that

weren't necessarily songs. Some of the people that got

their hands on the iPod took the route of reverse

engineering the iPod and loading on different firmware,

or operating system, but others had the idea of sharing

small sound files that could be played on the iPod. The

technology for distributing the files already existed,

with RSS feeds. RSS feeds were a means of generating

machine readable files that could share information

between a server and a user. Many blogs already used

them to keep readers up to date with the latest posts, but

some hopeful podcasters had the idea of enclosing links

to sound files within the RSS feed and downloading the

file to the computer.

With the change in RSS feeds, ipod podcast took off,

and podcasting became a popular way to share files.

Users saw podcasting as a way to become radio hosts,

or dj's, and a variety of podcasts began popping up.

Software was written to automatically check the RSS

feeds, extract the links to the podcast episodes, and

download the files. These programs became known as

podcast clients.

By this time, podcasting had moved beyond the ipod,

and they were not simply making an ipod podcast

anymore. Some people had figured out how to use even

the PlayStation Portable gaming console as a podcast

player. It was more difficult that downloading podcasts

to the ipod, since the PSP used a different format for it's

files, but PSP podcasts began popping up. In addition,

podcasting made inroads to the wider audience of

people without iPods, who simply saw podcasting as an

extremely convenient way to receive news, music, and

entertainment over the internet.

Today, while the iPod podcast type still exists, fewer

people subscribe to podcasts as a way of gaining

portable media files they can listen to anywhere.

Although that is still an attractive part of podcasting, it

seems to be eclipsed by the ease with which podcasting

has become a content delivery system. Now, podcasting

has become tied up with the rising number of audio and

video blogs, where blogging is done not by post, but

through media files uploaded to the blog. These blogs,

and podcasting in general, take advantage of the

shrinking cost of broadband internet connections, and

the rising number of people with high speed access to

offer a picture of the internet rich with multimedia files.

Podcast Directory in Yahoo

Podcast Yahoo, is an example of a very full featured

podcast directory. Yahoo's beta offering presents

podcasts from many professional organizations

including NPR, Slate Magazine, and others. They also

organize their listing by categories, offer a list of the

most popular series and episodes currently available,

and let users search through the entire database.

Yahoo's site is professionally done, and likely has

people permanently assigned to work on it, and so it

differs from many of the other podcasting directories

available. Many directories are little more than listings

of amateur podcasters, but Yahoo's site brings out a

number of feeds done by mainstream organization,

raising the level of quality available.

For anyone who wants to find a podcast, Yahoo is

certainly a good choice. They have a slick, well done

site that is easy to use. Yahoo even includes software at

the site so that podcasts can be listened to from within

the web browser. After logging in, Yahoo allows users

to subscribe to feeds they enjoy, letting them be notified

when new episodes are available. Yahoo even has a

detailed walkthrough to help visitors create and begin

publishing their own podcast.

Podcast Yahoo clearly demonstrates the ability of a

corporate group to create a well made site. While it's

very unlikely that Yahoo or a company like it would

have been able to come up with podcasting, once they

know what to do, they can do it well.

Using The Best 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.

Using 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.

Downloading The Latest Podcasts

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

Overview Of 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.

Where To Find 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

Making 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.

Steps To Creating 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.

Where To Get 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.

Downloading 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

Where To Find 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.

Podcasts For PSP

There are many podcasts on PSP available. Some of

them simply share information on the PlayStation

Portable and distribute it to people interested in portable

gaming. These podcasts serve as news organizations,

sharing audio or visual files talking about the

PlayStation Portable and speculating about updates to

the PSP. The vast majority, however, take advantage of

the ability of the PlayStation Portable's ability to

download and play quality videos on the gaming screen.

Developers of the program PSP Video 9 first created a

program that could change videos from computer types

like .avi and .mpeg to the format used by the Play

Station Portable.

Once that was done, it was quickly possible to create

podcasts for the PSP. Podcasters began creating video

files, changing them to a format readable by the

PlayStation Portable, and distributing them by podast

feed. These podcast feeds are subscribed to by people

interested in the feed, who download the episodes as

they come out. After the video files are transfered to the

PlayStation Portable, they can be viewed whenever the

end user wishes, just like the other movies and

professionally done videos available for the PSP. The

PlayStation Portable has thus been changed from simply

being a portable gaming platform to a piece of full

featured media hardware capable of playing games,

storing information, and playing videos and movies,

moving toward a more complex future.

Listening To Podcast News

With the rise of podcasting, many individuals and

organizations are finding that podcasting is a great way

to distribute information, from music and comedy

shows to talk shows, even podcast news. CNET is one

of the groups that is distributing a news podcast. CNET,

being an online technology site, naturally found a niche

distributing a tech news related podcast. CNET's recent

podcasts covered such topics as viruses that attack cell

phones, problems with Google's software, China's web

restrictions and the "Great Firewall of China", and the

FTC's attack on spyware. These news items were

distributed in a sound file called an mp3 file that is

downloadable to a listener's computer for listening

whenever they wish. While these files were available

straight from CNET's site, the majority of them are

shared through the use of an RSS file. An RSS file is a

small piece of XML coding that is downloadable by

programs designed to read it. These programs are called

podcast clients, and the user can input the address of the

RSS files that hold the information on the feed. The

feed will contain links to the media files of the podcast,

and will download the new updates automatically.

More sites than CNET are finding that podcast news is

an expoitable technology. The British Broadcasting

Corporation podcasts some of it's programs, as well as

the US radio network NPR. The NPR, because its work

is created by a variety of different groups, treats

podcasts differently from show to show. The NPR show

"This American Life" distributes a podcast of the show

through a site called audible.com, which allows feed

listeners to subscribe to the feed for a small fee and

download the show . The NPR Hourly News show, on

the other hand, shares a short 5 minute broadcast that

summarizes the news for free. Since the NPR is taking a

radio show and converting it into a file that is

downloadable by the user, little is lost in the translation.

The sound is designed to convey the entire story, and so

podcast subscribers are able to treate the podcast as

nothing more than TIVO for the radio. ABC's podcast

of the news show Nightline, on the other hand, is

simply the sound track from the television show. This

has been one of the criticisms of the Nightline podcast,

because by merely stripping the sound from what is

designed as a television show, much information is not

given to the users. Listeners have problems telling who

is who because they miss the visual cues that were

supposed to be there, and there is no truly easy way to

convert the shows. For this reason, some news shows

have been moving from audio podcasts to video ones.

They can take the video information directly from the

show that is broadcast, lower the visual resolution to

shrink the file, and distribute it online as a podcast.

Where To Download Free Podcasts

Its easy to find and download a free podcast. The best

way to find free podcasts is probably to check a podcast

directory. A podcast directory is a listing of many,

sometimes thousands of different podcasts. The podcast

directory will usually organize the podcasts by topic and

genre, making it easy to find the type of podcast that is

sought. In addition, podcast directories often allow the

visitors to comment on the podcasts listed, and provide

a list of the favorite podcasts on the site, making it easy

for users to find the best podcasts available. These

podcast directories can be used to browse through,

introducing users to many different podcasts they

otherwise would not have found.

Once a podcast has been found that interests the user, it

is necessary to download the free podcast. The vast

majority of podcasts will be free, but there will be a few

that may cost a small amount of money. The process to

subscribe to and download the podcasts is the same in

either case. First, a podcast client needs to be found and

installed. There are many free podast clients available,

all providing a slightly different user interface and range

of options. They come with many different names, such

as Podscape, or Nimiq, and searching for 'free podcast

client' or something like it will turn up many

possibilities. When the podcast client has been

installed, inputting the feed address will allow the

podcast to be downloaded. The podcast client will

check the address given for a small, machine readable

file called an RSS file. This file will contain

information about the podcasts, perhaps some text

about the individual episodes, as well as the location of

the episode file. Once the podcast client has been

located the file referred to in the RSS feed, it will be

downloaded and stored on the users computer until the

want to view it.

Sometimes, of course, access to a personal computer is

not available, but it is still necessary to check a certain

podcast. Fortunately, many podcast directories offer

built in podcast readers in the site. Not only do they

often show each recent episode that is available, they

may also offer a way to view or listen to those podcast

episodes from within the site. By using the viewer

contained within the site, it is no longer necessary to

even download the podcast episodes. However, the

ability to move and share the episodes after

downloading is one of the wonderful things about

podcasting. The files can be placed on almost and

media player, ranging from iPods to the new Play

Station Portable. This flexibility is one of the reasons

podcasts have succeeded, despite other technologies

like streaming music and video. The desire of

consumers to have control over technology cannot be

Finding Comedy Podcasts

Many podcasts are available to subscribe to and watch

in a variety of genres, and one of these is the comedy

podcast. Every small scale wannabe writer has a chance

to become a comedian through podcasting, since the

low entry cost allows people to start podcasting with

minimum effort and money. To find some of these

comedy podcasters, check a podcast directory. A

podcast directory is a listing of many, sometimes

several thousands, of podcasts submitted and divided

into categories. A podcast directory will probably have

a large number of comedy podcasts available to

subscribe to.

These comedy podcasts are usually created by a small

team of people who do the work in their free time, as a

hobby, not as a source of income. Because it is a hobby,

they're more willing to give the work away for free, for

nothing more than recognition, probably in the hopes

they can parlay that recognition into a more mainstream

job. Some more corporate groups also put together

comedy podcasts, however. The satirical comedy web

site TheOnion.com puts out a regular comedy podcast,

featuring readings from their fake news site.

Placing a comedy podcast on the Internet has several

advantages for the creators. They get to showcase their

work, easily distributing their art to many people. This

following is likely to be be unusually passionate,

following the artist with more enthusiasm than the

artist's average audience. The comedian has a chance to

be more open with the audience, engaging in a sort of

dialogue with them. The comedian broadcasts the files,

which enter the computer of the user, already a more

personal level than simply hearing the jokester on the

radio or on television. Compedy podcast subscribers

will often then write back to the podcaster, or leave

comments on the blog which often accompanies a

podcast site. This can give them a degree of input and

connection with the writers of the comedy podcast that

is far removed from other styles of comedy distribution.

The writers and producers of a comedy podcast thus

benefit from several advantages of the podcast form. It

is cheap and easy to set up, and uses a distribution

mechanism that is also easy to use. The way the podcast

form is designed, as well, creates greater connection

between the producer and the subscribers. The comedy

writer has a greater ability to interact with the

subscribers and to find out what they appreciate or do

not. Because podcasting is so simple to get involved in,

requiring only a small investment to get started, many

amateur comedy writers have begun starting their own

shows and distributing the feed. It is likely, because of

the unique connection podcasting offers between writer

and listener, that we will see at least some of these

amateur comedians make the leap to the professional

Choosing A Podcast Client

A podcast client is the software used to access and

download podcasts. Podcast clients are also known as

media aggregators, programs designed to automatically

access an online file, or feed, and download the audio or

video file associated with it. Hundreds of these

programs exist, with names like IpodderX, Juice,

Nimiq, and PodSpider. These podcast clients are easy to

find, and because there are so many available for free, it

is easy to find one that suits an individuals needs and

style. These programs run on the users computer,

periodically downloading a small RSS file from sites

that it has been told to monitor. The file tells the

program about an audio or video file stored on the

server, and the podcast client then downloads that file

for the user to view or listen to.

The podcast client thus allows the user to view

information on a wide range of topics from their

computer, without even using a web browser. Just like

blogs let people find writers they enjoyed for any niche

topic they were interested in, podcasts let people do

them same for audio and video. Its as if a thousands of

radio and television channels were created to serve

every possible interest, and more were made every day.

Using the podcast client to access and download the

files makes it as easy to keep up with the sites one likes

as it is to publish the feed.

Video Podcast Basics

A growing trend online is podcast video. While

podcasting was originally only for audio files, more

people are beginning to send video, especially with

broadband connections more accessible. To podcast

video, content distributors enclose it in a web

syndication file that users can download and view when

they want. Users subscribe to the different files,

checking them for updates regularly, and download the

new offers when they become available. Each file is

often referred to as an episode, and may be part of a

video blog, or vlog.

Podcast video, and other types of podcasting are thus

part of the blogging revolution. Individuals and groups

around the world, with a small investment in equipment

and time, can become content producers. Because it is

so simple to use and cheap to set up, many people are

getting involved. They can podcast video around the

world, becoming producers and directors for any small

niche they want to exploit.

Many of these podcasters have small audiences that

download their podcast video, but larger groups are

getting involved. News organizations and websites that

serve massive audiences are discovering that podcasting

and podcast video can distribute their content to

millions of people easily. These groups have found that

podcasting video is yet another way to distribute their

news and information. Since podcasting is so easy to

use, it's likely that even more people will start using

How To Use Podcast Directories

A podcast directory is a listing of syndication feeds that

link to a podcast. They are often organized by category

and topic, and allow the user to find a feed that podcasts

about almost anything. Just as search engines help

people find sites with the information they need, a

podcast directory presents a searchable list of podcasts

users can subscribe to. Users may even be able to play

the available feed episodes from within the site.

Unlike most search engines, though, a podcast directory

rarely searches out and finds content on its own,

automatically. All the feeds are either contributed by

users who want people to find their podcast, or added

by the staff. Nearly anyone can set up a podcast, but

gaining visitors can be difficult, and so podcasters can

submit their feeds to the directory to gain readers.

Since its so easy to make a podcast, a podcast directory

often uses ways to separate the very good feeds from

the ones people do not enjoy as much. A directory may

have a ranking system, feature certain special feeds on

the front page, or even allow visitors to comment with

their thoughts on a feed.

Visitors to a podcast directory can thus add their own

podcasts, search for feeds on topics or regions that

interest them, and even comment on those they like or