Podcasting: Server Requirements

Requirements of a Server for Podcasting

[pathak]

I have a Apache server. I want to host podcasting. Will this server support Podcasting? Do I have to add something for streaming?

Pathak

[pathak]

Please also give required software details.

Pathak

[trillianjedi]

Apache will work just fine.

You can also just embed the Flash audio player direct into your web page and have it stream direct from the page.

Related:-

[webmasterworld.com...]

TJ

[Iguana]

The audio for Podcasts are just .mp3 files - they can be hosted on any webserver.

The Podcast data is held in an rss file (a special xml format) - so you just need to add this line

AddType application/xml .rss

to your server's .htaccess file. Then load the rss files onto your server.

Then just write the pages that display info about the podcasts and point to the .rss files. You will also need a Flash MP3 player - there are a lot of these available - I use the XSPF player. You just load the player .swf file onto your server and embed a reference to it in the pages you create. The player will probably require a playlist file (pointing to the location of the .mp3 file)

[pathak]

Thanks a lot for your suggestion.

Actually I am bit confused. I uploaded the .m4v file to the server and created a RSS file according to the instructions given on Apple website (http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/techspecs.html).

But when I tried to test it on iTunes. Advance > Subscribe to Podcast>

I get the error message

“http://url.com/file.xml” does not seems to be a valid Podcast url. Please check whether you have entered a correct url and try again.”

I had checked the format of the RSS file again with the specification of Apple and it is same.

I had not installed any RSS software to my server or made change to .htaccess.

WHAT COULD BE THE REASON FOR ERROR?

[willybfriendly]

I went through this a few months ago (looking for info about podcasts, etc. that is)

There is a problem with terminology. Searching for words like podcasts, webcasting and such returns a lot of hyped up garbage.

Try multi casting.

This will get you started - [linktionary.com...] - assuming the mods let it stay. It is informational.

Then try [linktionary.com...]

That should get you started in your search for more information.

WBF

[pathak]

Thanks WBF, for this technical article.

Have you sorted your problem? Any information on implementation part.

Pathak

[willybfriendly]

Have you sorted your problem? Any information on implementation part.

It was one of those problems that sorted itself. The client backed out of the idea when they realized the costs of the project they had in mind.

There are a lot of businesses out there that you can contract this out to, and the prices are not that high for a limited audience. That would have been the route I would have taken.

It is the on-site stuff that runs up the costs. Camera people and AV engineers, plus lease of equipment (all in duplicate or triplicate for redundancy) start to add up quickly. Using amatuers to run the AV equipment makes for an amatuer production. Using pros makes for an expensive production.

WBF

[pathak]

You are very correct Willybfriendly. I had also observed this thing. Making Podcast is a easy job. But making a good movie is a expensive job.

As it is everywhere that you can open your own channel and so on. It is not like that. If you are investing so big money on production then selecting medium is small thing.

It is certainly a good technology for a Business who is already in audio or video field and want to expand its reach.