Podcast software

March 2, 2005 10:15 AM

Looking for software recommendations for retrieving podcasts (Mac OS X 10.3.8).

I'm interested to hear about user experiences with some of the major (and not so major) titles.

posted by anathema to computers & internet (6 comments total)

The NetNewsWire 2.0 beta has some neat podcast retrieval features, as well as being a great all-around newsreader.

The current version can download podcasts automatically, and then can add them to your iTunes library in a playlist named after the feed or named anything you'd like. It'll also set the genre for you and delete the originally downloaded copy, if you'd like.
posted by esd at 10:26 AM on March 2, 2005

And by "the current version," I meant, "the current beta release." Sorry for any confusion.
posted by esd at 10:27 AM on March 2, 2005

Agreed on the NetNewsWire beta. Very nicely implemented. I've found myself using it almost exclusively, even though it's missing key features of my previous favorite, iPodderX.

What I miss from iPodderX is the automatic downloading of subscriptions of podcasts (NNW automatically checks, but you have to manually invoke the download) and the recently-added feature in iPodderX which automatically converts mp3s into bookmarkable AAC files.

In fact, I keep meaning to move some of my subscriptions to longer shows (Daily Source Code, Evil Genius Chronicles) back to iPodderX for that feature.

Early on, I tried iPodder (lemon), but gave up on it. From what I hear, it's gotten a lot better in recent versions.

One feature sorely missing is a preference to have the file deleted once it's marked as listened in iTunes. I suppose that would be a bit more tricky to implement, but some kind of housekeeping - either automatic or manual - is necessary if you have more than one or two subscriptions. The files do tend to add up in size.
posted by baltimore at 11:20 AM on March 2, 2005

baltimore, I'm not sure what you mean by "the automatic downloading of subscriptions of podcasts."

NetNewsWire 2.0b25 has a preference (under Downloading : Enclosures) to "Download audio enclosures (podcasts) automatically;" is that what you're suggesting, or do you mean something different?
posted by esd at 1:26 PM on March 2, 2005

esd, you're right, there is a preference to download enclosures automatically. I should actually spend some time with NNW, huh?

:-)

That said, I would prefer to be able to set this pref. on a feed-by-feed basis. I subscribe to the "Mother of all Podcasts" feed, but would fill up my hard drive quickly if every one of those came down. At the same time, I want every single Coverville when it's available.

I'm not complaining, just feature-wishing. The fact that there are clients this mature so quickly is a miracle in itself.
posted by baltimore at 3:19 PM on March 2, 2005

iPodderX Lite (the free one, v2.2.7) has been fine for me so far.
posted by omnidrew at 4:52 PM on March 2, 2005