Mendi Benigni

 

Create a Podcast on Windows

Page history last edited by benignim@... 1 yr ago

The goal of this tutorial is to provide step-by-step instructions on how to make and post podcasts on a computer running Windows XP using entirely free software. The tutorial is broken out as follows:

 

Steps to Creating a Podcast

  • Step 2: Uploading your Podcast to Stream
  • Step 3: Creating and Posting the RSS feed using Poderator.com

     

What you will need

You’ll need

  • a computer
  • Internet connection
  • microphone (audio only) or video camera (video only)
  • some software to capture and edit your audio/video (Audacity, MovieMaker, iMovie, GarageBand)
  • a way to compress the file
  • server space to host the file (Stream)

     

Download the Free Software

 

Creating your Podcast

 

Audio Podcast

Record your audio podcast using Audacity and save it as an .mp3 (see Using Audacity) Note: MP3 is the most universal format for audio podcasts.  For more specific information on how to use Audacity see Creating the audio file using Audacity.   The MP3 file will be the file you upload to Stream > Podcasts in the next step.

 

Video Podcast

Create your video podcast using a digital video camera and edit it with MovieMaker.  Tutorials for MovieMaker can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/getstarted/default.mspx.

 

MovieMaker can only export video as a .wmv (Windows Media file) which is fine for a podcast that will be viewed on a computer.  However, if you want it to make your podcast viewable on an iPod you will need to run it through the iPod Video Converter first.

 

Converting a .wmv to .mp4

  • Double-click on Jodix free iPod Video Converter icon to launch the program.
  • Click on the Add Files button to add files to be converted.
  • Locate the .wmv file that you made using Movie Maker then click Open.
  • From the Settings window that open choose Next
  • From the second Settings window:
    • next to Video Size choose 320x240 (Recommended)
    • Next to Video Quality move the slide bar to choose the correct video quality you want.

      Note: as you move the slider you will see the filesize change in the Output File Information box

    • Next to Audio Quality move the slide bar to choose the correct audio quality you want.

      Note: as you move the slider you will see the filesize change in the Output File Information box

    • Click Next
  • From the Settings > Tag Editor window:
    • Title: type in a title
    • Author: type in an author (optional)
    • Genre: choose a genre from the dropdown menu (optional)
    • Copyright: type in your copyright information (optional)
    • Click OK
  • You will now see your movie title in the Task List with a checkmark next to it.
  • Repeat these steps to add as many movies as you wish.
  • When finished, click Convert! to begin the conversion to .mp4 .
  • A conversion process will appear showing you the status of your conversions.
  • This is the file you will upload to Stream > Podcast in the next step.

 

Uploading your Podcast to Stream > Podcast

 

Since podcast occurs over the internet your podcast needs to reside on a web-accessible server. At CofC that server is Stream. You will need to transfer your video to that server prior to building your RSS feed.

  1. From the Start menu, choose My Network Places
  2. From the next window, click Add a Network Place from the left side of the window. The Add Network Place Wizard appears.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Select Choose Another Network Location.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Type

    \\stream\Podcasts

  7. Click Next.
  8. The Add Network Place Wizard gives you the opportunity to name your user folder something meaningful or you can leave the default name.
  9. Click Next.
  10. The confirmation screen comes up to let you know all has worked as expected and tells you a shortcut for this place will be added to My Network Places.
  11. There is a checkbox beneath that asking if you want to open this network place when you finish. Make sure this box is checked.
  12. Click Finish.
  13. Locate your folder on Stream > Podcasts and place your podcasts in that folder. 

    NOTE: if you don't already have a personal folder on Stream will need to request that a folder be added by contacting the webmaster at webmater@cofc.edu.

  14. The path/url for your video will now be http://stream.cofc.edu:8083/foldername/podcastfilename.mp4 (ex. http://stream.cofc.edu:8083/benignim/WinPodcast_0001.mp4)

     

Creating an RSS Feed for Your Podcast Using Poderator

 

  1. Using a browser go to http://www.poderator.com
  2. Under Login to get started, type in your username and password (Note: if you don't have an account you can create a free login by clicking on register).
  3. The Your Podcast Details screen will display. This window is divided into two sections: Required Fields and Optional iTunes Tags.
    1. Next to Podcast Title type the title of the entire podcast, not just one episode (ex. FTI Training Videos)
    2. Next to Your Website URL type the url of your personal Spinner website (ex. http://www.cofc.edu/~benignim)
    3. Next to Podcast Description type a brief description of your entire podcast, not just one episode (ex. A collection of audio recordings of lectures in the Summer 2007 FTI) - This description will display when the file is viewed as a webpage.
    4. Next to Optional Image URL type the url of an image from a webservice such as Flickr.
      1. Height type the height of the image in pixels
      2. Width type the width of the image in pixels
    1. Next to Podcast Author type your name.
    2. Next to Podcast Image URL type the url of an image from a webservice such as Flickr.
    3. Next to Podcast Summary type a brief summary of the entire podcast (can be the same as "Podcast Description" above).
    4. Next to Podcast Subtitle type in a subtitle.
    5. Next to Podcast Search Keywords type in keywords that one may use to locate your podcast on the web.
    6. Next to iTunes Category choose from the list that most closely matches your podcast.
    7. Next to Is your podcast explicit? choose Yes or No.
    • Required Fields
    • Optional iTunes Specific Tags: Note: These items will only appear next to the podcast if it is subscribed to via iTunes.
    • Click on Save details and continue
  4. Now scroll to the top of the window and click on Add a new episode. The New Episode window displays.
    1. Next to Episode Title type the title of this episode only.
    2. Next to Episode Description type a description of this episode only.
    3. Next to Episode File URL type the url of the episode file that you posted to Stream (ex. http://stream.cofc.edu:8083/YourFolder/podcastepisodename.mp3)
    4. Next to File Type type choose the type that most closely matches the file you posted.
    5. Next to Episode File Size type the size (in bytes) of the file posted to Stream.
    1. Next to Episode Summary type a brief summary of this episode (can be the same as "Episode Description" above).
    2. Next to Episode Subtitle type a subtitle for the episode.
    3. Next to Episode Search Keywords type in keywords that one may use to locate your podcast on the web.
    4. Next to Episode Duration type the duration of the clip (you can leave this blank if you don't know it)
    5. Next to Is this episode explicit? choose Yes or No.
    • Required Fields:
    • Optional iTunes Specific Tags: Note: These items will only appear next to the podcast if it is subscribed to via iTunes.
    • Click on Save this episode
  5. Now click on Publish your XML feed . The XML feed window displays.
    • Click on Download your XML feed. This will download a file, called Poderator.xml, to your computer desktop.
    • Now copy this file, Poderator.xml, to your folder on Stream > Podcasts.
    • You have now successfully published your RSS feed.

 

Note: you can subscribe to your own podcast by pasting the RSS address/URL into your iTunes.  The RSS url will be http://stream.cofc.edu/yourfoldername/Poderator.xml

 

Copyright © Teaching, Learning & Technology: • College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29401 - 843.953.5569 myb

 

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