A Podcasting Primer
The new and easy way to share information
Are you interested in what this whole "Podcast" thing is all about? Do you think you might be interested in getting in on this new phenomenon in media distribution, but you're not even sure what it is? We'll try to clear it up for you right here.
- Pod: Taken from the iPod. This can be any MP3 or media player capable of playing back MP3 or MP4 files
- Cast: Taken from Broadcast, which is a method of media distribution
First, let's get one thing straight. Despite the word "Pod" in Podcasting, you don't need an iPod to enjoy a Podcast. All you really need is a media player that can playback MP3s. If you're reading this presumably you have a computer and every computer has one. A mobile MP3 player means you can listen to your Podcasts on the go, which is where an iPod or another brand of MP3 player comes in. A "Podcast" is simply a radio show (usually audio only) in MP3 format that you can listen to just like any MP3 music.
Video Podcasts
Video Podcasts are the same as a Podcast in every way, except that, instead of an MP3, it's an Mpeg4 file (Mpeg4 is a video file). The popularity of the new iPod Video and other mobile Media Players, such as Archos or Mpeg4 playing cell phones, mean Video Podcasting is becoming more common. Often a Video Podcast (Mpeg4 file) will have a corresponding MP3 (audio only) file to give users a choice. So, essentially, a Podcast is just a media file meant to entertain and inform.
I know what a media file is. What's so special about a "Podcast"?
What really makes a Podcast unique is its distribution. It's not just another name for a media file. The act of Podcasting is downloading media distributed on a regular basis, such as a weekly radio show. The distribution of Podcasts is done through RSS or Atom syndication, which are simply methods of pushing files to subscribers on the internet. As someone who only wants to enjoy a good Podcast, these distribution methods give you an option for easily obtaining the Podcast. The most obvious option you have for downloading a Podcast is to simply go to a website where one is available and download it. Technically, this is Podcasting. However, you can't really call yourself a true Podcaster until you've "subscribed to a feed."
A Podcast feed is a source of Podcasts that are being distributed via one of the aforementioned 'push' methods: RSS or Atom. It's what's known as the publish / subscribe method of file sharing. This method of distributing data is well established for distributing news articles that can be read online. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a well-established tool used by bloggers and other news websites. It's like having your computer subscribe to the morning paper. Whenever a blog or news source you've subscribed to gets an update, you'll automatically have the newest copy waiting for you on your newsfeed page. Podcasts work the same way except that you will automatically download files when available.
Next, let's explore in detail exactly how to conduct either method of obtaining a Podcast. First we'll look at the easiest way, which is downloading from a website. After that we'll look at subscribing to feed.