INTERACT FORUM

I have just started playing with podcasts. I think the idea is very interesting !

Integrating it within MC would be great, but I can't imagine it would be very much involved, unless we are looking for MC to actually list, download, etc. podcasts. I can easily use another application to obtain the podcasts and place them in a folder that is part of my media library. I is then just a matter of having MC update the library content with the new podcasts.

That sounds rather easy, right ? I will be trying that over the weekend.

So, the question is - do we want MC to include a podcast client ?

Podcasters,

I took a look at this and would like to clarify what y'all are after in terms of integration with MC. Are you looking for MC to auto import from the podcast download directory? Something more?

Steve

Here's a "Rich Media Feeds" provider that tracks RSS feeds with enclosures:  http://feedster.tv/

I'm starting to think this is going to be a very useful concept.  Here's Nick Bradbury's "Aha Moment":

Last night I wanted to test FeedDemon's podcasting code, and while it's still very rough around the edges, it worked. I told FeedDemon to automatically download enclosures from ITConversations, and configured it to perform the download at 3AM and then sync with my iPod mini. When I woke up this morning, my iPod mini showed a new "FeedDemon Podcasts" playlist, so I disconnected it at brought it with me when I drove my 5yr-old son to school.

I was going to listen to it as we drove, but my son and I got involved in a great round of fart jokes, and let's face it, those are special times. But on the way back, I donned the headphones and listened to the downloaded MP3s. For me, that was an "Aha!" moment. I didn't care what was on the radio - I had already chosen what to hear, and it wasn't something from Clear Channel.

Cool, huh?

We run Syndic8.com so if you need any RSS help let me know.  There's more to RSS than only text items or podcasting.  There are also possibilities with syndicating playlists and more.  

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I would be very interested in this.

I think a Right Click context item (in Firefox of course) that allows you to "add a Podcast To Media Center" and then Media Center subscribes.  Basically you would have to have an internal RSS reader that saves the files into a particular directory, creates a playlist in MC.

Here are a list of feeds...

http://www.ipodder.org/

EDIT:  also, the new version of ipodder software comes with a directory of content feeds.  THis is really taking off!

Was any progress made on podcasting compatability? Apparently, it's the future.

Just thought I'd add another two cents to the topic...

I've been using FeedDemon's "FeedStation" which allows you to automatically (immediately or at a prescribed time like midnight) get the podcast to a local folder and then synchronize to your removable device.  It even appends a playlist in WMP with the latest additions, but unfortunately it doesn't synch the playlist to the device.  Expect for a lack of automatic tagging, I'd say the functionality is just about everything I need or want.

But I still use MC to synch to the device because I can change the tags (especially genre and album) before synching - and that's essential to finding the media on the device.

I hope JRiver decides to add RSS (with enclosures) functionality to MC someday soon - preferably before March 2005 when I'll start spending six months in an Iraqi sandbox!  Something tells me I'll need much more content on my player in order to pass the time.