Introduction to Podcasting

Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog. This one is not meant to be a "bible" on podcasting. Its just an intro :-) Peace, MadBrad Are you looking to find out all you need to know to create and publish audio and video podcasts? Well you have found the right place. A podcast is, in short, a piece of information stored on a server, that is being fed (made public) through a file (RSS Feed) on the internet that can be accessed using a reader. It can be delivered in any format to any platform. Whether it’s just text or images and video. From mobile phones and Palms to computers. Podcasting, Palmcasting, Learncasting, Vodcasting, Vidcasting, Vlogging are a few of the many ways to refer to sharing your content to the world for mass consumption. In short, the only reason any variation on the word podcast even came into use was because it originally started as just audio. Now, with video content being just as easy to produce and deliver to the World Wide Web, due to increased internet download speeds, it gave some of the original audio podcasters, and the new video podcasters the idea that they should remain separate in name so that there is no confusion. I will refer to audio podcasters as podcaster and video podcasters as vidcasters. Both of which are related to the word broadcasting. And that is what a podcast does. There are just a few easy steps to get your first podcast online. But before it can go online for all to see and comment on, you'll first have to get the equipment you need. If you are making an audio podcast you will need the following: 1. Microphone 2. Recording software 3. Unique content to produce If you are making a video podcast, you will need the following: 1. Video camera 2. Video editing software 3. Video converting software 4. Unique content to produce There are literally hundreds of choices for software out there to use for editing audio, and video. If you are on a budget, and cannot spend money on this, you are not out of the game. Windows, and Mac PC's come with simple software that you can use. And you can use even a simple desktop microphone, and your family video camera to achieve your goal of making a podcast. There is also high end software and equipment. Here are my top 3 picks for free, and fee based software and equipment. They have been chosen for their ease of use. Software: Free audio Software picks for Windows: 1. Audacity 2. WavePad (free download) 3. QuickTime (free download) Free Video Software picks for Windows: 1. Windows Movie maker (pre-installed) 2. VideoSpin 3. QuickTime (free download) Free Audio Software picks for Mac: 1. GarageBand (pre-installed, $79 to upgrade if you don’t have it preinstalled) 2. Audacity 3. WavePad (free download) Free video Software picks for Mac: 1. iMovie (pre-installed) 2. QuickTime (free download) Many of the fee based software makers, have trial versions available from their websites. Download them and test them out, before you buy. $$$Fee base audio Software picks for Windows$$$: 1. Sound Forge Audio Studio From $54.95 (free trial available) 2. Sound Forge 9 Professional From $299.95 (free trial available) 3. Audio Editor Pro 59.95 (free trial available) Fee base Video Software picks for Windows: 1. Corel VideoStudio $99.99 (free trial available) 2. Adobe Premiere Fee base audio Software pick for Mac: 1. Soundtrack Pro 2 Fee base Video Software pick for Mac: 1. Final Cut Hardware: You can use almost any computer microphone. Although a good pop filter like you see in recording studios will help the sound dramatically, the main thing is to ensure there are no outside sounds on your recording. And most home video cameras can be linked to your computer. They vary in price. The Sony HandiCam is a great choice for under $300, and can be easily linked to your computer for video capturing. Next, we'll cover the most important part, producing unique content for your podcast. Whether you are sharing family recipes, your very own sports talk show, a comedy show, or lessons on subjects like how to play the guitar or cleaning stains from your carpeting, your content needs to be unique, and make your audience want to see your next episode. So, first start with a production plan. Write your shows out, and create the show "clock". Luckily, with high-speed internet, your audience can get shows from short format, 3-5 minutes, to long format over an hour. This will set you apart from any other podcast on your subject. Once you have your show written out, and have a show clock, you can now produce it. Whether you are producing audio, or video, you must first make sure your environment is free from outside noises. Vidcasters will need to pick a "set" for each of your show segments, even if it is just one, it needs to be neat and clean, and free of objectionable props and images on the wall, and on your clothing unless that is the point of your podcast. :-) Once your environment is ready, you can produce your unique content. Once you have finished producing it, you need to edit it. If you are recording audio directly into your computer, you are ready to open it with your audio editing software. Vidcasters, if you shoot to tape or memory card, you will have to import/capture your video. This is a simple process using your video editing software. Listen to, and watch what you produced. Edit out the blank sound and video bits. Make sure you only put out there what you want. Then re-produce any elements that you are not proud of, and edit them into to your final product. Now it’s time to create your podcast feed. Here’s what you need. 1. Final Produced episode(s) 2. A webhost for the episode(s) (Unless you use Blogger.com which allows free uploads) 3. A blog that has the episode details, and a link to the hosted episode file 4. An RSS Feed that uses the blog to enable podcasting so that users can

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Introduction to Podcasting is an episode from MadBrad Smith by MadBrad Smith.

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This episode was published on Mar 9, 2009.

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