Podcast help

Podcasting is a method of publishing audio broadcasts via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new audio files (usually MP3s).

Podcasting is distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which uses a feed (RSS) to deliver an enclosed file. Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software, which periodically checks for and downloads new content automatically. Any digital audio player or computer with audio-playing software can play podcasts.

Here are the steps to set up your personal computer to receive podcasts.

1. Download "podcatching" software. This software will search the web to find the latest version of the podcast you want, for example, the next installment of This Week at Association forum.

   Some popular "podcatching" software applications:

   iTunes - With iTunes you can browse, find, sample and subscribe to thousands of free podcasts — radio shows delivered over the Internet to your computer.
   http://www.apple.com/itunes/

   Juice - Juice is a Podcasting application that allows users to capture and listen to Internet audio programs anytime, anywhere.
   http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php

   Doppler - Doppler is a podcast aggregator. It's a tool to subscribe to RSS feeds which supply downloadable files. Doppler will go out and fetch the files enclosed in the RSS feed and will automatically add them to your preferred media player.
   http://www.dopplerradio.net/

   More podcatching software can be found at:
   http://www.podcastingnews.com/topics/Podcast_Software.html

2. Add the address of the "feed" to your software. To "subscribe" to a podcast you copy the url of the podcast "feed" by right clicking (ctrl-click on a mac) the xml podcast feed link and add it to your podcast application.

3. Download the podcast. When a new podcast for your subscriptions becomes available, your software will automatically download it. On completion you can listen to the mp3 on your pc or transfer it to your portable player to listen to later. The software will automatically download any subsequent shows as soon as they are available.

4. More information on podcasting. To read Jeff De Cagna's article as published in the July 2005 issue of FORUM magazine in PDF format, click here.