[access-uk] Re: Podcasts, what It Is
- From: "roger south" <roger.south@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 22:30:03 +0100
Hi Barry et al
Some while ago I received a post about podcasting and how it works from a
lady named Debbie Kraft. I thought is made great sense and it supplements
your original post well Barry. I paste it below for anyone who's interested
and I hope for those people it is of some use.
Roger
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
++++
Hello listers,
I should warn you up front this is going to be a long post, but I can't
keep quiet about this any longer! Also please excuse the cross-posting this
once. I realize that extended discussion of this subject may be off-topic
for the list, so feel free to contact me off-list if I can provide any
additional information on this. Thanks, and here goes:
Back in February, I read an article in the New York Times about a new
way to use audio and RSS technology which is called podcasting. Basically,
its a way of getting mp3 files which other users create and upload to a
server automatically downloaded to your machine/mp3 player as soon as they
become available. Now don't let the "pod" in the name "podcast" put you
off--you don't need an Ipod to take advantage of these files--your computer
or any portable mp3 player (like the Bookport) will work just fine, thank
you! Not all podcasts are in mp3 format, but the vast majority of them are.
The only additional piece you need is a piece of software called an
aggrigator (or frequently referred to as a podcatcher)! I knew immediately
that this was the answer to my mp3 file prayers, and have been exploring the
wide world of podcasts ever since. And a goldmine it is! There are
podcasts available on every conceivable subject from news, technology,
sports, music, comedy etc. You can find serialized books and dramas,
programs for any musical taste, programs that make you laugh out loud,
religious programs, and on and on it goes. To help you get started in
exploring this rich and varied world, I've put together a little 5-step
getting started guide. I hope some of you will find as much enjoyment from
this as I have had.
Step 1: Get an aggrigator
So how do you find the right software? Podcastalley provides an excellent
software page which is a good central point for finding the software you
need. Go to
http://www.podcastalley.com/phpBB2/links.php
Finding the best software to use with your screen reader will take a little
experimentation. The program I use and recommend is Ipodder 2.0 available
at
http://ipodder.sourceforge.net
Here is a direct download link:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ipodder/iPodder2.0.exe?download
Another program that works well with speech is Primetime Podcast Receiver
http://www.primetimepodcast.com/blog/default.aspx
Once you've downloaded and installed your aggrigator, take some time to
familiarize yourself with the default options. You'll probably want to
change the download directory to something that works for you, or at least
find out what the default location is. You may also want to check a box to
have scans done automatically when the program starts. Also take a look at
the scheduling options, which are generally in a separate dialog box. I
have mine set up to check for new files every four hours. Most programs
will either allow you to set specific times or frequencies in hours.
Step 2: Find and subscribe to podcasts
The easiest way to subscribe to podcasts is to use the directories built in
to most podcatchers. In Ipodder, simply hit control-tab once from the
starting screen and you will land in a directory tree structure with several
directories to choose from. Most of these programs use a tabbed interface
so you use control-tab to change views. Use the tree structure to locate
categories and podcasts you are interested in. In Ipodder, simply press
enter on any show you want to add. Hit shift-control-tab to cycle back to
the subscriptions view which shows the list of shows you are subscribed to.
Be aware that most programs including Ipodder start you off with a few
default podcasts. If you aren't interested in these defaults, they can be
easily removed. In Ipodder, right click on the unwanted entry and choose
"remove" from the menu. In Primetime, just hit the delete key. You can
manually enter feeds by copying a feed's URL and then pasting it in to the
program's new feeds dialog box. In Ipodder, use control-n to bring up that
box.
Step 3: Scan for new shows
Once you've subscribed to some shows, start the scanning/downloading
process. In Ipodder, you can do this by pressing f5. It is also possible
to scan an individual show from the tools menu. Most programs will download
just the newest show for each podcast. If you highlight a program in
Ipodder, then press tab, you will be in a list of the podcasts on the
server. If you want to download previous programs, use your review cursor
to locate the graphic symbol to the left of the episode you want, then
left-click it. The status of the entry will change from "skipped" to "to
download". I cannot find a keyboard equivalent for this. The bottom of the
display should display information about the downloads in most programs.
Step 4: Transfer your files
Locate your download directory. The files for each podcast you have
subscribed to will be housed in its own folder. What I do is to move the
files I want to put on my Bookport in to one combined folder (E.G. "current
podcasts") and then do a send-to-Bookport on that folder. This technique
has several advantages: 1. I can easily check the folder properties to make
sure that the size of the files I want to transfer will fit on the card I
have in my machine; 2. The files will transfer in alphabetical order; 3. It
cuts down on the amount of folder navigating I need to do. The downside is
that where folder names are very descriptive, the actual file names are far
less so.
Step 5. Sit back, relax and enjoy!
'nuff said! Below are just a few of my favorite podcasts to help get you
started. I've given website URLs instead of actual feed addresses so you
can visit the websites, from where you can manually download files to see if
you do indeed want to subscribe. If you do, find the link to the feed, do a
copy shortcut, and paste in to the new feed dialog box of your aggrigator.
Ok here goes:
Adam Curry's Daily Source Code
http:
www.dailysourcecode.com
Good place to get clued in to what's happening in the podcasting world.
Very enjoyable, and my favorite until I ran across
The Richard Vobes Radio Show at
http://www.vobes.com
Man his voice is amazing--and he's hilarious!
Another good daily show is Chuck Chat at
http://www.chuckchat.com
Technology oriented but he covers a wide variety of other topics as well in
a warm and friendly manner.
DailySonic at
www.dailysonic.com
is an extremely well-done magazine-style program that comes out every
weekday.
I could go on for a while, but I'll leave the rest of the treasures for you
to discover yourself. Below are some podcasting directories to explore, all
of which are easily navigable with speech:
http://www.podcastalley.com
http://podcastbunker.com
http://ipodder.org
Enjoy!
Debbie Crafts
Framingham, MA
debbiecrafts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
a follow-up message:
Go to the tools menu (alt-t). The scheduler is in that menu. Also there
are the options to check all or check selected feeds. You can also check
and download all subscribed feeds by pressing f5.
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