Podcast/Internet Radio Show

[Thom]

Ok guys & gals... Here's the deal. We are going to do a podcast. Yes we are. (FYI, a podcast is like a syndicated, downloadable radio show.) However, there are a few questions to tackle.

What equipment is needed?
If you wish to participate, you'll need:

• Skype. We'll use this for net-based conference calls. (Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP.) Google's rumored to be unveiling voice chat in the next few days... If so, we might consider that as an alternative.
  
• A good headset. Preferably USB, but anything with an earphone and a mic that sounds good will work. A headset is essential to avoid echo.
  
• Audacity. Or any sound recorder more advanced than Sound Recorder. But Audacity is cross-platform and free, so I can easily provide tech support.
  
• 500 MB hard disk space. Actually, less than that. But we'll each be using Audacity to locally record our mic input (in case we have problems with Skype's call quality) so 20-30 minutes of talking could add up to a few hundred megs of space.

So how much will it cost one of us to get started? Most of it's free: Skype and Audacity cost nothing to use. Anyone with a computer less than a few years old should have 500 MB free space, and if you don't, take one for the team--delete some of your porn/MP3 collection.

The only thing that will cost money is a headset, and that doesn't have to cost you more than $35, unless you want it to. (Just to put it out there, I just bought a headset for $60, so I've taken the plunge.)

Who will take part in the podcasts?

• A Skype conference will hold four people plus a "silent" client used to record the Skype audio.
  
• I'd love to participate in a podcast, and I'm willing to be the week-to-week anchor of the "show".
  
• Phil, my brother (and former staffer "The Doorman") can be in on it. He's got a good voice for radio, and this way we wouldn't have to worry about his spelling mistakes. (In joke to anyone who's edited one of his three-or-so reviews.)
  
• Mac made a good point tonight. It will take some time & mental effort to do a podcast. He didn't say it, but he and Monkey both already spend a lot of time and effort on maintaining the site, so it might be a bit much to rely on the two of them for podcasting as well. With that in mind...
  
• Who else would like to participate? Tom, you brought up the idea of a net radio show earlier today... would you like to be a part? Anybody else? It wouldn't have to be a week-to-week commitment, we can have dibs or a rotation or something.

What will we call this thing?
SMART-POPCORN.com Podcast? Smart-Popcast? iPopcorn: Like iCandy for your ears? iPopper? iCorner? (Actually I think all the relevant iNames are taken.) iKettle? Corn on the Pod?

Or I was thinking, perhaps, Kettle Corner... Sort of an ambiguous play on words. How about iDunno.

...

Anyhow, for those of you who still want to know what all this fuss is about, Phil and I recorded a sample podcast this weekend. You can check it out here:
http://www.myspace.com/smartpopcasts

[Bachalon]

I like both ideas, though I don't know if my podcast would attract many listeners as my music can be difficult for a lot of people.

Anything I could do to help?
_________________
"Life is your chance, Arthur! Grab it! Squeeze the milk of life into your dirty glass and drink it warm!"

[Reel Monkey]

[Thom]

If we're to do a podcast, we may make a few small jingles to fill out the intro and the fade-out, just so that it sounds a little better than talking heads. But we won't really need any music, no.

[Reel Monkey]

[Thom]

I was thinking about it... "Dun du-dun duh DUNH dunh.. Dun dun DUNH dun dun DUN..."

SMAAAAART KIND OF POP-COOOOOORN!!!!

[Reel Monkey]

Mac has an awesome Jaws track... we should so try to send it to you someday. its sooooo awesome. you'd love it.

rm
_________________
Playing the world's smallest violin while nothing burns.

[Thom]

Ok, I've fiddled with Skype a bit and have been starting to think (overthink) how to record a good quality show. TWit (this WEEK in TECH) is definitely the best podcast I've listened to, and their audio quality is good... But upon looking at their setup, it's clear they've invested hundreds if not thousands of dollars on equipment. No gracias.

But I think I've come up with a much cheaper & relatively simpler solution that would cost us no more than $50-60 apiece. Skype allows for five-way conference calls, which is more than enough for our needs, and we can take advantage of that. Here's the proposed setup:

[Thom]

Just collecting some info:

$48.99 - Plantronics DSP400
$61.99 - Plantronics DSP500

Both good models, and great prices... $30 under suggested retail. (Includes shipping.) Newegg is a very reliable site, too.

[Thom]

This one might be good for Mac & Monkey, or anyone else who may "pair up" in the conferences:

$35 - Audio 45
The fact that it's got a mini-jack-to-USB converter should allow the use of audio splitters, in turn allowing for an additional headset (like the Audio 40) to be connected. This might sacrifice some audio quality, but it'll free up bandwidth and one of the Skype call slots, and would be considerably cheaper than buying two headsets.

BTW, I bought a DSP500 for myself today... I should get it next week, and will report back on the audio quality. (I'm sure it's fine... I use a Plantronics wireless headset at work and it sounds pretty good, though a bit hissy.)

- - - - -

In other news, Phil and I messed around with Skype today, recording a conference call in the setup listed above, and the quality was very good... We might not even have to rely on local recordings. We might fiddle around some more and upload a mock podcast so everyone can see what it would be like.

[Thom]

Set up a MySpace Music account, and uploaded our "Skype iLot" pilot episode. Peep it:

http://www.myspace.com/smartpopcasts

[Thom]

Well, I got my headset today... Man are they good. They're so crisp & clear, that they render most of the music & sounds on my computer unlistenable.

[Reel Monkey]

I liked the little note I made on there... I-Pop

I thought it was cute and catchy.

oooo or like Pop-Cast or Smart-Pod. omg there is an endless list of catchy neat titles!!!

RM
_________________
Playing the world's smallest violin while nothing burns.

[Thom]

I'm gonna bump this now that it's in the General Discussion forum. Come on, y'all... A little less conversation, a little more action. Actually, more conversation would be fine.

[Bachalon]

Ok, can I use headphones and the microphone separately?

If not, I can pick up a headset easily enough.
_________________
"Life is your chance, Arthur! Grab it! Squeeze the milk of life into your dirty glass and drink it warm!"

[Thom]

That setup might work. In fact, that's how we recorded the test podcast (not that it sounded great). The main problem with that is you can get a lot of boom noise and stuff, but if you do alright without it, that's fine.

[Reel Monkey]

see this is why we need more girls. who am I supposed to do a girlie podcast with. I mean, we have to have something out there for the chickies.

I'm telling you, we're going to get sued someday for lack of women. Discrimination or something.

I know you were talking about length and all that, but even listening to your test cast, a lot of that could have been shorter and you technically don't need to tackle... did you do three movies? I know Virgin and Red-Eye? God its too early in the morning for this.. Anyways.

But if we actually are serious about this we absolutely need the dedication. It just sucks for me, because all of you are always doing stuff late at night and, well... I work at the crack of down every day. So while part of me would love to participate, I feel my schedule would hinder my ability to take part in this with you. PLUS we're going to have time zone problems.

What I think would be really fun, though, is find certain groups of people from the staff who would be fun to put together. Like Evan and Al = TeenCorn or something or all our TX people and call is Tex-Pop. I don't know. But ya' know what I mean? But like with the columns, we should get some standard shows started that would focus on certain things that our listeners would want to hear about or would intrigue them and then dive in.

I actually am a bit too nervous, despite my excitement, to participate, because in conversation (especially with Mac), I am easily dominated because of my meek personality (YEAH YOU HEARD ME YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT!), so I actually don't think I'd work well in a group show, purely for the reason that I don't have a strong enough presence and sometimes the only way to be strong is to be a bitch. Its that whole competeing for conversational time (especially against Mac).

Anyways. I really gotta leave and get off to work. LATES!!

RM
_________________
Playing the world's smallest violin while nothing burns.

[Reel Monkey]

[Thom]

[Thom]

By the way...