Podcasting Hacks

Podcasting does for Internet audio listeners what TiVo does for television viewers--it puts you in charge of when you enjoy a program. Podcasting is a web-based broadcast medium that sends audio content (most commonly in the MP3 format) directly to an iPod or other digital audio player. You subscribe to audio feeds, receive new files automatically, and listen to them at your convenience.As you can imagine, podcasting is taking the "blogsphere" by storm. A podcast is a professional-quality Internet radio broadcast, and like blogging and HTML before it, this revolutionary new way of publishing to the Internet has become the new outlet for personal expression.If you've got Internet access and a copy of Podcasting Hacks, you can find out just how easy it is to listen to and create your own Internet audio programs. With Podcasting Hacks, Jack Herrington, a software engineer with 20 years of experience developing applications using a diverse set of languages and tools, delivers the ultimate how-to of podcasting for anyone looking to get the most out of this hot new medium.Since August 2004 (the month that iPodder.com editor Adam Curry considers the start of podcasting), audio blogging has exploded. Podcasts cover every conceivable topic, including sex, relationships, technology, religion, home brewing, recreational drugs, rock 'n roll, food, entertainment, politics, and much more. There were podcastsfrom the Democratic National Convention in Fall 2004, and some programs on Air America and NPR are also podcasts.Podcasting Hacks offers expert tips and tools for blogging out loud--for transmitting (and receiving) audio content worldwide with ease. This groundbreaking volume covers both entry-level and advanced topics perfect for aspiring and experienced podcasters. Herrington shows you how to get started, create quality sound, use the right software, develop a great show, distribute a podcast, and build an audience. More advanced topics include audio editing, podcasting on the go, and even videocasting.

Podcasting is a web-based broadcast medium that sends audio content directly to an iPod or other digital audio player. This book offers tips and tools for blogging out loud - for transmitting (and receiving) audio content worldwide with ease. It covers both entry-level and advanced topics useful for aspiring and experienced podcasters.

Copyright;
Dedication;
Foreword;
Credits;
About the Author;
Contributors;
Acknowledgments;
Preface;
Why Podcasting Hacks?;
How This Book Is Organized;
Conventions;
Using Code Examples;
Safari Enabled;
How to Contact Us;
Got a Hack?;
Chapter 1: Tuning into Podcasts;
1.1 Hacks 1-9;
1.2 Listen to Podcasts on the Web;
1.3 Rebroadcast Your Favorite Feeds;
1.4 Build Your Own Podcatcher;
1.5 Import Podcasts into iTunes;
1.6 Tune into Videoblogs;
1.7 Convert Text-Based Blogs into Podcasts;
1.8 Install Perl Modules;
1.9 Listen to Podcasts on Your PDA;
1.10 Podcatching with Your PlayStation Portable;
Chapter 2: Starting Out;
2.1 Hacks 10-11;
2.2 Make Your First Podcast;
2.3 Professional-Quality Podcasting;
Chapter 3: Quality Sound;
3.1 Hacks 12-19;
3.2 Set Up a Basic Home Studio;
3.3 Pick the Right Microphone;
3.4 Mix Your Podcast in Hardware;
3.5 Reduce Noise;
3.6 Podcast in Surround Sound;
3.7 Control Your Recorder with Your Mobile Phone;
3.8 Construct Your MP3s;
3.9 Train Your Voice;
Chapter 4: Formats;
4.1 Hacks 20-32;
4.2 Adopt a Format for Your Podcast;
4.3 Build a Great News Podcast;
4.4 Build a Great Story Show;
4.5 Build a Great Personal Show;
4.6 Build a Great Political Show;
4.7 Make a Mystery Science Theater Podcast;
4.8 Build a Great Music Podcast;
4.9 Build a Great Review Podcast;
4.10 Build a Great Sports Podcast;
4.11 Build a Great Technology Podcast;
4.12 Build a Beercast;
4.13 Build an MP3zine;
4.14 Produce Great Audio Theatre;
Chapter 5: Interviewing;
5.1 Hacks 33-36;
5.2 Record Great Interviews;
5.3 Record Telephone Interviews HACK;
5.4 Record Interviews on Skypet;
5.5 Edit Your Interviews;
Chapter 6: Blogging;
6.1 Hacks 37-43;
6.2 Podcast Without a Blog;
6.3 Blog Your Podcast;
6.4 Manage Bandwidth;
6.5 Tag Your MP3 Files;
6.6 Feed Your MP3s to Movable Type;
6.7 Podcast by Email;
6.8 Syndicate Your Podcasts to the Radio;
Chapter 7: Publicity;
7.1 Hacks 44-49;
7.2 Get Listed;
7.3 Launch a New Category;
7.4 Market Your Podcast;
7.5 Make Money with Podcasts;
7.6 Connect with the Community;
7.7 Join or Build a Podcast Network;
Chapter 8: Basic Editing;
8.1 Hacks 50-60;
8.2 Choose the Right Audio Tools;
8.3 Juice Your Sound;
8.4 Automate Audio Hijack Pro;
8.5 Timestamp Your Show Notes;
8.6 Build a Simple Sound Cart for Macintosh;
8.7 Build a Simple Sound Cart for Windows;
8.8 Maintain the Gain;
8.9 Build a Sweet Sound;
8.10 Add Special Effects;
8.11 Fix Common Audio Problems;
8.12 Mix Multiple Tracks;
Chapter 9: Advanced Audio;
9.1 Hacks 61-68;
9.2 Set Up a Home Studio;
9.3 Integrate Audio and Email Feedback;
9.4 Add Top, Bottom, and Bumper Music;
9.5 Record and Add Background Ambience;
9.6 Speech Synthesize Your Podcast Introduction;
9.7 Make a Mash-Up;
9.8 Grab Audio Legally;
9.9 Use Copyrighted Music Legally;
Chapter 10: On the Go;
10.1 Hacks 69-72;
10.2 Assemble a Small Recording Rig;
10.3 Podcast from Your Car;
10.4 Podcast at an Event;
10.5 Create a Soundseeing Tour;
Chapter 11: Videoblogging;
11.1 Hacks 73-75;
11.2 Start a Videocast;
11.3 Make a Quick-and-Dirty Prompter;
11.4 Build a Teleprompter;
Glossary;
Colophon;