Podcasting Guide
for MP3-compatible software and devices.
Podcasting Basics
What's a Podcast?
Simply put, a Podcast is an audio file, (usually an MP3
file,) along with a way to subscribe to the abop sessions and have
it automatically delivered to your iPod when you plug in to iTunes, so
you can listen to it whenever you want.
What do I need to hear podcasts?
Most likely, you probably are already able to listen
to any audio/music from your computer desktop, provided your computer has
a sound card and can play MP3 audio files. The first thing you will
need to hear a podcast is podcast subscription software. Your options include
the latest version of Apple's iTunes (which
has the software built in), or other services such as Odeo
or iPodder,
to manage your podcast subscriptions. You can then to transfer them from
your computer to a portable media device of choice, Ipod, etc.
How do I get started?
All you need to get started is a Podcasting application.
Once you download and install it, simply click on the RSS (really simple
syndication) icon for the feed you want, then copy the URL from the address
bar of your browser and paste it into your Podcasting application. The
software will automatically check for updates and download the files to
your computer so you can load them onto your MP3 player.
Here are several free or commercial Podcasting applications
available for download:
How do I subscribe to a podcast?
Subscribe to the abopodcast, in most cases, here's how it works:
1. Download the program you prefer, (iTunes, iPodderX, Doppler, etc.).
2. Install the programme on your system.
3. Add the aboptv XML feed
Click on the XML button and You'll see a web page displaying XML code.
Copy the URL that appears in the
Address Bar of your browser.
Paste that URL into the 'Add New Channel' section
of the reader.
For the iTunes feed
To do this in iTunes
under the "Advanced" menu
select "Subscribe to podcast"
and paste http://www.aboptv.com/aboptvfeed.xml into the box.
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You should now receive abop tv automatically, the RSS feed will start to display
and regularly update titles for you. ...Ahhh...technology!
Should I ever Unsubscribe from a podcast?
Clearing podcast feeds that you no longer listen to helps
us contain bandwidth. If you wish to unsubscribe to a podcast, please be
sure to delete the entire feed entry (not just the individual audio editions)
in your subscription management software.
I subscribed to a podcast, but I don't hear anything?
First, be sure that you have audio player software; then,
verify that the correct audio file was downloaded to your computer. You
may need to modify the update settings in your podcasting software
for this process to occur automatically. Next, check the update times in
the description and make sure that a newest edition has been posted.
I select an audio link and nothing happens, or I hear a "click"
If you recently cleared your cookies or have not selected
a "preferred player," a pop-up window will open to ask for your player
preference. If you hear a "click" or "pop" when you select audio, please
set your pop-up blocker to allow aboptv.com to launch windows.
A player window opens, but the audio doesn't start.
You may need to change your firewall settings to permit
streaming media (please consult your network administrator or service provider)
or adjust your player's transport settings to listen to aboptv audio. Every
site encodes and serves their audio a little differently, so even if your
player works on other sites, you may experience errors on aboptv, and vice
versa.
Quicktime opens instead of RealPlayer
Sometimes, Quicktime or iTunes will try to open and play
".smil" files which can only be used by RealPlayer. To fix this problem,
re-install RealPlayer or reset system and browser preferences to designate
Real as the "owner" of these files:
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Windows
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Open the Quicktime player. Select the "Edit" --> Preferences
--> QuickTime Preferences --> Browser Plug-in --> Mime Settings --> expand
"video." Deselect any "SMIL" files. Modify your RealPlayer preferences
by selecting the Start Menu --> Programs --> Accessories --> Windows Explorer
--> Tool Menu --> Folder Options --> File Types. Under "Extensions," scroll
until you find SMI and SMIL, and assign both to RealPlayer. You may also
need to modify the "File Helpers" setting in your Web browser to open "SMIL"
files with RealPlayer. |
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Macintosh OS X
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In the Finder, locate the folder where your Web browser
downloads its files. This defaults to the desktop folder. In the list of
files, find one that ends with ".smil," for example: "npr1337.smil." Right-click
(or control-click) on the ".smil" file in the Finder, and select "Get Info."
In the window that pops up, click the triangle to the left of the "Open
With:" text, so that it points downward. (If it is already pointing downward,
there is no need to click it.) Click on the drop-down box that says "Adobe
GoLive CS (default)" or "QuickTime Player", and select "RealPlayer." Click
"Change All." Restart your Mac. |
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Macintosh OS 8/9
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Open the QuickTime player. Select the "Edit" --> Preferences
--> QuickTime Preferences --> Browser Plug-in --> Mime Settings --> expand
"video." Highlight "SMIL" files and set to "do not use QuickTime." You
may also need to modify the "File Helpers" setting in your Web browser
to open "SMIL" files with RealPlayer. |
My browser tries to download a ".smil" or ".php" file.
These files are used to deliver audio to your computer,
but do not contain the sound itself. In the case of ".smil" files, please
make sure that you have RealPlayer installed, or select WindowsMedia as
your "preferred player" instead (see above). In the case of ".php" files,
please "left-click" or open audio links and do not try to save them to
your computer.
I click an audio link, and get only a blank page
Early versions of Internet Explorer 5.0 for the Macintosh
have a bug which prevents them from opening certain kinds of audio links.
You can fix this problem by upgrading
to Internet Explorer 5.1 or higher.
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Getting Podcasts on your iPod
Here are the Mac and PC ways to download the Podcast MP3's:
| Mac iPodderX |
is basically a newsreader that reads RSS 2.0 feeds with
enclosures. It takes those enclosures and automatically downloads them
in the background. If the file is an audio file, it then moves it to iTunes
for download to your iPod, so with iPodderX you constantly have fresh content
to listen to. iPodderX downloads any type of file, (even Torrents) so you
can download fresh audio shows, video programs, or any other subscription
you get through automatic feed.. |
| PC iPodder.NET |
is a media aggregator that automatically downloads content
to your machine. All you have to do is subscribe to RSS feeds, and your
machine handles the rest for you. It integrates automatically with iTunes,
creating playlists and synching with your attached iPod. |
The Feeds
Once you’ve installed a Podcast retriever, add some feeds
to which ever application you’re going to use.
What if I dont want an automatic feed?
If you don’t want to use a tool to automatically download
the MP3 podcast you can "right click / option click this link" and
grab the MP3 directly. The good part about this method is that you don’t
need an iPod, just anything that plays MP3s.
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RSS Feeds
Abop tv music to Your Desktop
Aboptv.com 's music is available through RSS feeds, which uses a
technology called XML to deliver jams to your desktop or Web browser.
If you click an RSS link but do not have a compatible reader installed,
you will see XML code in your browser. To hear the music, paste the feed
address into an RSS music reader, or use a browser which supports RSS feeds. Viewing of these feeds is subject to aboptv.com
's terms of use.
What is an RSS feed?
RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, is an
easy way to get updated automatically with current broadcast information. An
RSS feed contains titles, summaries and/or links to related materials or
websites.
What are RSS Readers?
RSS readers are small software programs that aggregate
RSS feeds and display the information. They allow you to scan titles from
a central location.
Where Can I Get an RSS Reader?
A wide range of free RSS readers can be easily
downloaded from the Web. Some readers are Web-based while others require
you to download a small software program onto your desktop.
How Do I Use These Feeds?
The first step, as described above, is to choose an RSS
reader. Each reader has a slightly different way of adding a new feed (also
called a "channel").
In most cases, here's how it works:
1. Click on the small XML button near the title you want.
You'll see a page displaying XML code.
2. From your browser, copy the URL that appears in your
Address Bar.
3. Paste that URL into the 'Add New Channel' section
of the reader. You should be all set! The RSS feed will start to display
and regularly update the titles for you.
How often are the aboptv RSS feeds updated?
The aboptv.com's RSS feeds are updated every time a new
title is added to our Web site. |
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