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How To Guides

Listen to Podcasts

by Scott Matthewman
16 June 2005

1) What is 'Podcasting'?

Podcasting is a relatively new form of listening to radio via the internet. Many radio stations have offered live 'streams' from their website for some time, and the BBC offers a 'Listen Again' service that allows you to catch up with most of its programmes from the last seven days. The disadvantage with these is that you require an internet connection to be active while you are listening. In contrast, a podcast is downloaded to your computer, and can be replayed at your leisure. That means it can also be transferred to a portable music player, such as an iPod or similar - or even a mobile phone that supports MP3 playback.

2) What software will I need to listen to podcasts?

At the most basic level, all you will need is a music player that can play MP3 files. If you have a modern computer, chances are it already came with the ability. Both Microsoft and Apple, the two leading computer software companies, have free software that can not only play back files, but help keep your growing library organised:

• Windows Media Player 10:
  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/ (Windows only)
• Apple iTunes:
  http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/ (Mac OS X and Windows)

Armed with just a media player, you can download individual files and play them, usually just by clicking on a single link in your web browser.

So far, so good - but where podcasting really comes into its own is when you can set up your computer to monitor your favourite broadcasters, find out when new shows are available, and automatically download them for you.

At the moment, this requires an additional software application, although Apple have promised that a future version of iTunes will be able to handle podcasting. One of the best is iPodder, available for free from http://ipodder.sourceforge.net/ with versions available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

• Other podcast applications are listed at
  http://www.podcastingnews.com/topics/Podcast_Software.html

3) Getting automatic downloads

To set up your computer to automatically download editions of your favourite podcast, you need to subscribe to it. iPodder will manage your subscriptions for you, and regularly check to see if new editions are available.

Because podcasting is a relatively new phenomenon, the process of subscribing is probably a little more complicated than it ought to be right now. iPodder's 'podcast directory' page contains a list of (mainly American) podcasts for you to subscribe to. If you want to subscribe to a podcast that's not in this list, though, you will have to find its feed URL.

You can usually find the feed URL by visiting the web page related to the broadcast. How it's displayed will vary depending on which site you're visiting, but many are using a small orange button with the acronyms 'XML' or 'RSS' to highlight the feed.

To subscribe to the feed:

1. Copy the feed location by right-clicking on the button and selecting 'Copy Link location' or its equivalent. BBC podcasts also include the link location in a text box to easily copy from.
2. In iPodder, click on the 'Add Feed' button (a plus sign in a large green circle).
3. Paste the feed location into the URL field, and click OK. (You can also enter a title, but if you don't, iPodder will use the title contained with the podcast feed).

Once added, iPodder will keep an eye on the feed and, as long as it's running in the background, will download new editions as they become available.

4) Connections

Features: Rise of the Pod squad

Legal Eagle: Podcasts and radio licences

BBC Radio Podcast information page

Virgin Radio Podcast information page

iPodder

Podcast dot net - a directory of podcasts

Podcast Alley - useful resource for podcasting

Still haven't got an mp3 player yet? Find one that's suitable for you at Amazon or from the Apple Store.