What is a Podcast?
Podcasts are a syndication format for automatically distributing audio content across the web. Podcasts are based on the same RSS technology that allows for automated retrieval and aggregation of Blog text information on services such as Bloglines – the only difference being that instead of aggregating text content, podcast aggregators collect audio files.
How to Hear Podcast
Podcasts are an excellent way to keep up with your online audio content since you only need to sign up for a feed once in order to automatically receive new content as it is released to the web. All you need to begin receiving a podcast is a free piece of software called a podcast aggregator.
Podcast aggregators are small software programs that automatically check for new content from your favorite online radio shows. When the aggregator sees a new show available it automatically downloads the show to your computer or portable media device so you can listen to it at your convenience. With a free aggregator program such as iPodder or iPodderX installed you to simply enter the URL of the Podcast RSS feed that you’d like to subscribe to into the aggregator (the Morning Commute podcast is http://ncfolk.net/morningcommute) and set how often you’d like to check for new content.
How I Record the Show
The Morning Commute is recorded live during my morning commute using a Sharp MD-MT90 Portable Minidisc Recorder and a Sony ECM-MS907 Stereo Microphone clipped above the sun visor (upsidedown to keep left/right stereo directions correct).
After the show is recorded, I do post-production work using Adobe Audition for audio editing and compression/normalization. Once editing is complete I convert the final WAV into MP3 using 64Kbps/20100 encoding.
How we Podcast the Files
I use WordPress to generate my RSS feed and show notes blog. This dynamically generated RSS feed is used by subscribed Podcast aggregators see the new item listing and automatically download the new audio file.