Help with Podcast

What is Podcasting?

A podcast is a digitally recorded audio or video (A/V) file made available on the Internet that can be downloaded onto computers or portable devices such as iPods or other MP3 players.  Podcasting allows users to subscribe to A/V files using software which automatically checks for and downloads new files.

How do I listen to or watch a Podcast on my computer?

Individual Podcasts can be watched or listened to:

1. Directly on the hosting Web site (i.e. HHS.gov), by clicking on the appropriate “View the Video” or “Listen to the Audio” link.
2. By downloading the Podcasts to your computer with free, commercial Podcasting software. Examples of this software include:
   • iTunes
   • Juice
   • Doppler
   • Odeo
   • jpodder
   • Songbird

How do I subscribe to Podcast feeds in my Podcast software?

1. For the Daily Healthbeat Tip, click on the “HealthBeat Podcast” link found near the top of the Daily Healthbeat Tip  Web page.
2. Copy the new window's URL (the internet address that appears at the top of the page). For the Daily Healthbeat Tip Podcast it should be: http://www.hhs.gov/rss/healthbeat/podcast.xml.
3. Paste the copied URL into your Podcast application. Each application has a specific way of doing this. For instance, in iTunes, go to the “Advanced” menu, select “Subscribe to Podcast” and paste the URL into the dialog box. In Juice, go to the Subscriptions menu, click on the "Add New Feed" button and paste the address into the dialog box.
4. The Podcast software will update your subscriptions on a regular interval. This way when a new Podcast is made available, you can access it directly from your Podcast application without having to come to the site. Most programs will also allow you to manually update a feed to look for new content.

Where can I learn more about RSS?

Podcasting in Plain English is an excellent, short (3:00 min.) video that explains the basics of Podcasting.