Audio/Podcasting

Lecture/Coffee Talk:

  Lecture(s)/Demo(s):

• Podcasting Overview (18:57) | Homework Review (4:07)
• Via iTunes:
  • Subscribing to podcasts in iTunes and Bloglines (yes, bloglines)
  • Recording audio w/ Audacity
    • tour
    • preferences
    • lame encoder to create mp3 files
    • simple recording
    • adding music
    • fade in/fade out
  • Feedburner
    • Smartcast - changing your feed to a podcast feed
  • Podomatic (log in/no acct needed)
    • post - record on service
    • post - upload
    • subscribe
    • show player
  • Switchpod
    • sign-up
    • upload
    • file player/link ((switchpod player- &MyAuto=No at the end of the MyFile variable))

  Steve Notes:

• mp3+rss = podcast
• Adding an audio player and podcasting are different things
• A blog is not a podcast and a podcast is not a blog...but.a blog has an rss feed, so sound files in a blog can make a nifty podcast
• Only one media file per post...think of each as an episode
• You can do this manually or via a service...but you need a place for the mp3 files...
• Three "easy" steps:
  • Creating (service: podomatic or program:  Audacity)
  • Hosting (library server or service: podomatic, blip.tv or switchpod)
  • Casting (Blogger/Feedburner or blip.tv or switchpod or odeo, etc. etc. or just write your own feed...)
• You'll need one of these: lame_enc.dll (Windows) | libmp3lame.dylib (Mac)

  Definition(s):

• Podcasts Defined: is a digital media file, or a series of such files, that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers (Source: Wikipedia)

  Lingo:

• Audacity Terminology/tips: Sample Rate (44khz) | Bit Rate (128), waveform, id3
• Audio: wav, mp3, m4a

  Popular Programs/Services:

• Subscribing to a podcast:
  • bloglines | google reader | Juice (Open Source/Customizable) | iTunes
• Finding podcasts:
  • iTunes | podcast alley
• Searching podcast content:
  • podzinger (Good Luck)
• Creating Audio
  • audacity (lame encoder for PC) | garage band (mac) | service based
• Services/Hosting/Players
  • Services/Hosting: libsyn (small fee) | podomatic (spam) (Simmons Class) | ourmedia (confusing) | odeo (no uploads) | blip.tv (audio/video/lousy audio player) | switchpod (audio/free-pay)

  Library Example(s):

• Library Podcast Examples: Denver PL Podcasts | Lansing, IL PL (link updated) | PLCMC Library Loft
• Library'esque: Sirsi/Dynix | Palinet
• Other/Techie: twit.tv | NPR podcasts

  Resources/Other:

• Great Podcasting Tutorial: http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/ (Has a good Audacity tutorial)
• Transcript creation: castingwords
• Creative Commons Music/Sounds (to add to podcasts): creativecommons.org/audio
• Interesting service: talkshoe
• Don't forget about recording skype calls

Homework/To Do:

Reading: 

• Farkas. Podcasting, Ch.11
• Anderson, C. Ch. 8-10,14 

Watching/Listening:

• David Free. Sirsi/Dynix Institute: What's New in Podcasting

Projects

• Download and Install Audacity (make sure that you also download/setup the Lame encoder to create mp3 files)
• Activate SmartCast in your Feedburner feed
• Blog Posts
  • Anderson
    • can libraries as a whole effectively utilize the "long tail" of our collections? Is it worth it? What would we have to do?
    • OR, what question didn't I ask that I should? why should I ask it?
  • Tell me a story
    • follow Switchpod directions below
    • in a blog post: write a short description of your story, embed an EPISODE (not a Show/List player) player, and link directly to the mp3 file
  • What are the benefits/detractions of podcasts vs. text based blogging?
• Comment on classmates' (fourth person from you in both directions) audio blog post
• Add your answer to the question I posted at: http://scils598.podomatic.com/
  • Log into class account on podomatic
    • (U: scils598/P: 4huntington)
  • record or upload your answer in a new post
• Switchpod
  • create account (xxscils598...)
  • upload an mp3 file that you create with audacity (tell me a story...)
  • complete blog post steps above
• subscribe to class podomatic feed in itunes and bloglines (you're already subscribed to each other's blogs for the switchpod content)

Suggestions:

(Your area to make any suggestions as to how this is taught/what is taught)

gc: Check out odiogo!  It's a free service that allows you to create text-to-speech podcasts from rss feeds.  I added it to my blog, if you want to see how it works.  Pronunciation/rhythm are not always perfect, but I am amazed anyway.