Podcast Help
Hardware and software requirements
Subscribe to the IUAA podcast with iTunes
Subscribe to the IUAA podcast with another RSS program
Listen to individual episodes without subscribing
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a series of audio or video files that is distributed by subscription over the Internet using a technology called RSS. Users subscribe to podcasts using a program called an aggregator or RSS reader. iTunes is a popular aggregator for podcasts.
Once a user has subscribed to a particular podcast, the aggregator automatically downloads new episodes of the podcast as they are released. The user may then play the episodes on his or her computer or portable media player.
The IU Alumni Association podcast features audio programs of interest to Indiana University alumni, students, and friends. Our first project, Mini University Conversations, is a series of interviews with instructors from Mini University, IU's award-winning learning vacation.
To learn more about podcasting, check out Wikipedia or this 2004 article from Wired magazine.
Hardware and software requirements
A personal computer with high-speed Internet access is required to listen to podcasts. Dial-up users should download and listen to individual episodes instead of subscribing to the podcast.
An RSS aggregator program is required for subscribing to podcasts. iTunes is a popular podcast aggregator for Macintosh and Windows computers that is available as a free download. Many modern Web browsers also include RSS aggregators.
If you have an iPod or other portable media player, you may use it to listen to podcast episodes. However, this is optional.
Subscribe to the IUAA podcast with iTunes
- iTunes must be installed on your computer. iTunes is available as a free download for both Macintosh and Windows computers. If you are using an RSS aggregator other than iTunes, see the instructions in the next section.
- Once iTunes is installed, click once on the Subscribe using iTunes link.
- iTunes will open and automatically download the most recent episode of the IUAA podcast.
- To play the podcast: Make sure iTunes is open in Podcasts mode (click on "Podcasts" under the title "Source" on the left-hand side). Click on the small triangle to the left of the title "Indiana University Alumni Association." This will reveal the available episodes. Double-click on an episode title and it will play.
Subscribe to the IUAA podcast with another RSS program
To subscribe using an RSS aggregator other than iTunes, use the following link:
http://www.alumni.indiana.edu/profiles/rss/iuaa_feed.xml
With some programs, clicking on the link will be sufficient. With others, you will need to copy and paste the link into your RSS program. Check the help menu of your specific program for instructions.
Some RSS aggregators will download podcast episodes to your computer but cannot play them. If that is the case, use the aggregator to download the episodes and then play them with an audio program (such as iTunes or Winamp).
Listen to individual episodes without subscribing
Some users may prefer to listen to individual episodes rather than subscribe to the podcast. This is a good option if you have a slow Internet connection.
To listen to a particular episode, go to that episode's Web page and click on either "QuickTime" or "RealMedia." QuickTime (MP3) files will play in a variety of audio programs. RealMedia files require RealPlayer, which is available as a free download from real.com.
To save an MP3 file to your computer, right-click on the "QuickTime" link (Macintosh users: Control + click) and choose "Save link as…" or "Save Target As…".