Podcasting & Vodcasting
101
Vince Ascoli
Product Development Specialist
American Society of Radiologic Technologists

Objectives
Discuss podcasting & vodcasting projects:
Conception.
Production
Encoding
Distribution

Objectives
View examples of podcasts & vodcasts.
Discuss how people are using them.
Discuss how they can be made to work for
you and your clients.

Personal Background
Attended Berklee College of Music,
Boston, MA - majored in Music
Synthesis.
1990- First introduced to non-
linear digital audio editing
(Fairlight CMI - hi-end ‘digital
sampling keyboard’)
1991 - Atlantic Records
New England Digital “Synclavier”

Personal Background
Pro Audio Retail - 5 years - NY/NJ/PA
consulted with music and media
professionals on newly-emerging digital
audio workstations and recording solutions.
Hired by client, LAWCAST®

LAWCAST®
Audio publishing company specializing in news
for the legal community.
Published 5 different editions, 60-90
minutes in length, 2x a month.
Entirely digital ‘desktop’ production -
Digidesign hardware & software.
“Narrowcasting.”

GlobeCast N.A./
Music Choice
Analog & digital satellite communications.
Projects included 18-month re-mastering
of entire Music Choice opera library for
broadcast.

In ABQ
University of New Mexico - Floor Manager,
Lodestar Astronomy Center.
Re-purposed NASA pod/vodcast content
for ‘edu-tainment’ of students and visitors.

In ABQ
Apple, Inc. - “Creative”/Trainer
Podcast/Vodcast Production ‘Specialist’
Focus on ‘consumer’ apps:
GarageBand - audio/podcast
iMovie - video/vodcast

In ABQ
ASRT - American Society of Radiologic
Technologists - represents x-ray technicians,
mammographers, radiation therapists, etc..
Produces podcasts/vodcasts for sale - these
products are certified for
(mandatory)continuing education credits for
radiographers.
Produced using both Mac & PC - apps include

Podcasts
Podcast:
An audio broadcast available
as an MP3 file that you can
play on a portable music
player, such as an iPod, or
on a computer.
“Personal
On Demand
broadCAST.”

Podcasts
Conception:
How would you describe your project?
What are your goals and objectives?
Who will benefit from your project?
What methods or tools will you use?
Special systems, software, equipment.

Podcasts
Production:
Freeform/unscripted, or scripted?
Podcast ‘kit’ >>>>>>>

Podcasts
Best practices:
A script really will make your life easier.
Speak at a reasonable tempo with the
listener in mind.
Try to recording all content in one sitting.
Listen back to your recordings, after you
are done, for ‘quality assurance.’

Podcasts
A closer look at podcast production using
Apple GarageBand...
Workflow similar to MicroSoft Photo Story

Podcasts
Encoding
MP3 - audio only
MP4 - audio + still images

Podcasts
Distribution
Simple download.
Streamed webcast.
“Podcatchers” - iTunes, Zune, Juice,
Winamp.

Podcasts
Distribution
RSS - “Really Simple Syndication” also -
“Rich Site Summary”.
User subscribes to feed.
RSS reader checks user’s subscribed feeds
regularly for updates, downloads updates
and provides user interface.

Podcasts
Distribution
RSS - “Really Simple Syndication” also -
“Rich Site Summary”.
User subscribes to feed.
RSS reader checks user’s subscribed feeds
regularly for updates, downloads updates
and provides user interface.

Vodcasts

Vodcasts
Video podcast
Not to be confused with
“VODCast” - trademark
referring to “video on
demand”.

Vodcasts
“Things I Learned This Week”
Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff

Vodcasts
“Things I Learned This Week”
Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff

Vodcasts
Conception:
How would you describe your project?
What are your goals and objectives?
Who will benefit from your project?
What methods or tools will you use?
Special systems, software, equipment.

Vodcasts
Production:
A camera - webcam, digital video, tape or
hard drive...watch for compatibility issues!
Lighting
Sound - camera mic? lapel mic?
Software - Final Cut Pro, Camtasia, iMovie,
Vegas.

Vodcasts
A closer look at video production using Apple
iMovie 06
Workflow similar to Techsmith Camtasia.

Vodcasts
Encoding
Codec: is a device or computer program
capable of encoding and/or decoding a digital
data stream or signal.
H264
MP4
Flash

Vodcasts
Encoding Software:
Sorenson Squeeze
Quicktime Pro
Apple Compressor
Windows Media Encoder

Vodcasts
Distribution
Simple download.
Streamed webcast.
“Podcatchers” - iTunes, Zune, Juice,
Winamp.

Vodcasts
Distribution
RSS - “Really Simple Syndication” also -
“Rich Site Summary”.
User subscribes to feed.
RSS reader checks user’s subscribed feeds
regularly for updates, downloads updates
and provides user interface.