Podcast questions

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I would like to produce a podcast for publishing on you tube and maybe elsewhere. The equipment I currently have is an ipod touch 5th gen, and I also have zoom H2 which can record in stereo if necessary, plus a tripod to hold the ipod.

My question is, is this enough to produce a set of ongoing podcasts that are of a quality that will not be annoying to watch. Also will I be able to edit the sound from the zoom H2 with the images in iMovie, or will I need something like FCP to do this.

Finally, I ask if it would be better to get a dedicated video recorder because of the strange angle that an ipod gets. I am not going for a studio quality or look, but I also don't want it to look crappy.

If it would be better to get a dedicated camera, what would I be looking for exactly.

Thanks.
 

chscag

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I moved your posts here to this forum "Music, Audio, and Podcasting". Maybe you'll get more responses here where the post should have originally been put.

We don't normally get much traffic regarding podcasting, so be patient. Subscribe to the thread so that you'll be notified by email when someone responds.
 
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OK thanks, I originally tried to post in the M A P forum, I'm not sure how it didn't end up there. I didn't mean to sound churlish.
 
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There are lots of podcasting set up sites that can give you advice on gear and how to set it up. The podcast answerman is a good place to start, or do a search for podcast equipment on you tube. Your zoom should get you going on audio although you might consider adding a lavaliere mic which would help reduce ambient room noise and get the mic closer to your mouth. It would also leave you hands free. The iPod you'll struggle with for video quality, I believe, but best bet is to try it and see. Lots of decent slr cameras out there would give you good video, but lighting is as important as the camera. Do some research then trial what you have. You'll soon find where it lets you down and where you need to upgrade.
 
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I posted a response to this a few weeks ago but it was lost in the database crash.

My wife and I produced a podcast for many years, and we used a Zoom H4 with two "real" microphones, only using the Zoom's built-in mics when we went on-location. We used Amadeus II to edit the audio before publishing.

One very important thing, as inveresk mentioned, is audio and video quality: make sure your podcast is not exhausting to watch or listen to. Also, make sure you prepare and edit your content. Your viewers/listeners are giving you their most precious thing: time. Make sure you use that wisely, because an hour of "ummm, oh wait, I had that here somewhere..." is just going to aggravate your audience and they'll never download again.

I would also suggest you ask yourself if a video podcast is really going to accomplish what you want. The extra time and effort you'll have to put into creating a good quality video podcast is going to be at least double what you would have to put into a good quality audio podcast. Does your subject matter merit a video podcast? And setting a camera on a tripod will give you a steady picture, but if there's going to be little action on screen, the static video will become tiring for the viewer.

If you're planning on using YouTube as your distribution method, be aware that you are eliminating a huge population who get their podcasts through iTunes.

Ours was a restaurant review podcast, and at its peak we had over 300k downloads per episode. Most of our audience would listen while in the car or while commuting, so they didn't have to look at a screen. And the fact that we didn't have to mess with video made it that much easier.

Finally, I will reiterate the most important thing about creating a podcast: prepare and edit. In the heady days of podcasting (2005-ish) people would turn the mics on and talk for 2 hours and then upload it without any thought to what they were giving their audience: they all thought they were natural-born Lettermans or Howard Sterns and in most cases they were wrong.

If a podcast is well-produced and interesting, you should have no problem gaining an audience.

Good luck!
 
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OK thanks for that. I was thinking of using YouTube more as a publicising tool, to direct viewers to my website which will cover the same topics but in greater depth. The subject matter is a complete collection of entirely new knowledge and therefore it's all about the content.

I did not consider publishing anything as an actual iTunes downloadable podcast. How does that work. Does it have to be in a particular format and then be submitted to Apple for approval. The subject matter will be adult oriented.

Because the work is complex and challenging, I was hoping to use video on YouTube in order that the viewer can put a face to the voices and I wanted to use the YT fora in order to talk in a more colloquial way and outline the many topics and directions that I intend to head, which will all be taken up in a more academic fashion on the website.
 
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What you described is not a podcast: it's a series of YouTube videos.

My advice for content is still the same, which is be sure you are prepared and that you edit your presentation.

If you wanted to do a podcast, the way to get it into iTunes is described at this link.

Good luck!
 

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