I was recently asked how
do you Podcast or Toastcast. I thought that this information would be good here since
Macs are great platforms for creating Podcasting content. So here is how to create
a Podcast:
If you have listened to my Toastcast (aka Podcast) and thought, wow, I'd like to
do that too, it really isn't that difficult. But you may ask yourself, where do I
begin and how do I get started?
There are a few things that you need to think about when doing a Toastcast, they
are:
By breaking it down into these various areas, you will quickly understand how to
create a Toastcast.
First thing is your Hosting service. Depending on the size of your files, you will
need ample space on your webserver. But hard drive space isn't the only thing that
you'll need to be successful, you also need ample bandwidth. Many ISPs/hosting companies
put limits on this. Well, if your Toastcasts are about 30 minutes, then your files
could be about 40 Megs a piece (figure about 1 meg a minutes on average) If your
hosting restricts you to 1 Gig of transfer, well, you may only get 100 downloads
a month. On a popular podcast, that would be unacceptable.
So look for high bandwidth and larger server storage.
Next recording and editing. Well, much of this has to do with the type of computer
that you have. I do my work on a Mac. The Mac has many different tools that make
the job of a Podcast pretty easy. First, my Mac has a built in microphone, although
I do have a USB mic and my iSight also has a microphone built in. So ensure you have
an input device. But how to record your meetings. You can use a tape recorder or
in my case, I use my iPod to record the meetings as wave files and convert them later
on my Mac.
On the Mac there are many great editing programs, but the three major programs that
I use are:
iTunes - primarily for converting files to MP3 and adding tags and graphics
to my final product.
Quicktime Pro - for $29.99 you can't go wrong. You can record both audio and
video with little effort. However those files still need to be converted to MP3 by
iTunes at a later time if you desire. The best quality that I have experienced has
been using Quicktime for recording my shows.
GarageBand - used to create all the original music for the show. Garageband
can also be used to record voices as well as mix music over voices. So this is really
a handy tool, and a must have for Toastcasting with music.
Okay, I've got hosting, I've got my recording converted to MP3, now what?
Well the first thing you need to do is head on over to Feedburner.com.
Here you can create a "feed" that iTunes will use to know what and where
your podcast files are.
Generally, you should point your feed to a webpage that has an XML feed. This feed
should be updated daily, and contain information on your newest show. Feedburner
will take that data and distribute it throughout your podcasting community, letting
listeners know you have new content. An XML enabled page can be made easily using
free services such as blogspot.com, and the files can be hosted in a separate
place.
Once you have your feedburner feed, then log into iTunes and post the fact that you
have a new Podcast you want to list. That's it, in a nutshell.
Visit my podcast at: http://www.titusvilletoastmasters.org
Judd Spitzer
LMSS Doc Eng - By Day
MacGuild Contributor - By Night