How to Make a Podcast
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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
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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How to Create a Podcast
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Using a Podcast Directory
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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.
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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.
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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
dislike.
Using a Directory of Podcast Videos
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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.
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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.
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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.
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What is Podcast Video?
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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.
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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.
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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
podcast video.
Finding Free Podcast Videos
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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.
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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.
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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.
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