Customer Reviews

Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book walks you step-by-step through the process of creating your own podcasts. Todd Cochrane starts out by explaining a little about what podcasts are and how to find and listen to podcasts, then quickly delves into how to create, upload and promote your own shows.

Cochrane has created a realistic guide to podcasting on any budget. Along with recommending equipment for setting up a "semiprofessional" podcast studio, he tells how to get started with what you already own. And, he suggests many free sources for software, hosting and content.

If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to podcasting from someone who has "been there, done that," then you should buy "Podcasting: The Do-it-Yourself Guide."

Cathy Stucker, IdeaLady
Marketing and Publishing Consultant

Podcasting is a technology that more of us should be using, but sadly we're not. It's a little like dial-up in 1996: remember Trumpet Winsock? Todd's book goes a long way toward showing you you can quickly participate in podcasting.

For the busy exec or marketing manager this do-it-yourself guide has two benefits. First, (you) don't have time anyway, and this book is a quick read. That's good for you. Second, it shows you step-by-step how to create a low-cost, effective podcast. That's good for your business.

If you're a programmer looking for inner secrets, this book is NOT for you. If however you're part of the other 95% of the business world and would like to find out just how easy it is to get into this new media format, buy it. You won't be dissapointed.

I've been podcasting for a while, so some of the intro chapters were a little basic for me. (Of course, they were absolutely perfect for newbies. Can't say enough about how much I wish this book existed late last year when I started my communityguy.com podcast!)

But where the book really shines for me in about halfway through when it starts to get into some of the discussion about issues that every podcaster hears about, but never really gets a good answer to. Stuff like "Do I need a mixer? What is a mixer even for, anyway??"

Great job to the author on this spectacular book.

The best thing about it is that in two nights of casual reading I was able to breeze through it - the true mark of a great technology book!

If you're interested in podcasting, this book will get you started. I became interested in podcasting when I bought my first mp3 player not long ago. Being somewhat of a news junkie, podcasts make it easier for me to get my news when and where I want it. Also, I've always wanted my own radio show, but streaming requires too many resources. I saw this book at a local book store and picked it up for decidedly more than the advertised price here. The extra money is well spent. I've secured hosting and will soon be recording my first of many podcasts.

Others have noted how easy this book is to read, and I can vouch for that! It is meant to be a beginner's guide and not the end all be all of podcasting. The pictures and step by step instructions on programs is very helpful, as are the references to copyright law and other resources. On the same note, others have noted a PC-centric point of view to this book (read less info on the Mac side). I found this to be somewhat true, but at the same time, Todd runs a mostly PC shop. I would not want a car mechanic writing a book about brain surgery.

Over all, "Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide" by Todd Cochrane is well balanced with a lot of good information. 5 stars!!

When media historians write about the summer of 2005, they will note that it was the year that the public truly regained control of broadcasting. The podcast revolution has made it possible for anyone with something to say to again have a platform to say it. And Todd Cochrane's excellent new book, Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide (Wiley), makes the process accessable to everybody.

Cochrane is uniquely qualified to teach. His weekly Geek News Central podcast sets a high standard in both content and technical quality.

But Todd's greatest gift is his ability to translate geek-speak into a language that the rest of us can understand. With a disarmingly readable style, he mythodically takes us through the sometimes daunting steps involved in creating a listenable podcast, from selecting the right equipment to finding a place to host the show.

From the art of finding and downloading programs to the vagueries of Dave Winers cryptic RSS (Really Simple Syndication) protocol, Cochrane paints a compelling picture of the Internet's new-new thing in a way that entices even the most casual reader to make her own personal audio statement.

When the Federal Radio Commission wrote the first rudimentary rules for the new broadcast medium back in 1924, the objective was to provide a diversity of voices that would serve "the public interest, convenience and necessity." it's taken nearly 80 years, but at last, Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide makes that dream real.

If your intention is to podcast to a public site, this is a good book, with clear instruction. If you want to set up podcasts from your own website,there is nothing in this book to help you, and you would be wasting your money, as I did. The book does not live up to its title.

The author assumes that you are a public blogger wanting to post podcasts on a public site. There is nothing anywhere in the release about the book that this book is no help, if you want to post on your own website. Next time, I guess I go to a bookstore and look at the book. Anyone want a very slightly worn, but unused, copy of this book?

- Todd was one of the very first podcasters (he celebrated his one
year anniversary last week)
- Podcasting so new - must have been hard to crank out a whole book
on top of podcasting on top of a wife and two small children AND
working!
- recommend the book highly
- very easy to read and follow, not too terribly techie
- well organized and methodical
- directions are clear and allow easy experimentation
- too tempting to get started before finishing, e.g. told about how to pick a good ISP long after I'd picked one - luckily vizaweb met his requirements
- understands everyone has a budget - gives solutions for low/medium/high spend
- I like how throughout the book he is operating system agnostic
- Overall It's a great book, very readable, well written, and above all completely practical

I have been podcasting for about seven months now at my Hawaii based podcast, 808Talk.com. Todd's book was the ticket to my start and success because it walks you through the different methods to start your own podcast and explains the lingo involved in the podcasting world. I highly suggest this for the beginner podcaster and those who have already started podcasting, just because Todd shares some great insight into the podcasting sector. Great book!

This book is a quick and easy read detailing the fundamentals of getting a new podcast up and running from concept to development.

A guide for those wanted to develop a podcast of their own, this book provides details along ever step of the way. Each step is covered concisely, so if you want in-depth coverage of one aspect of podcasting, say, marketing for example, you may want to supplement with other books.

However, if you are looking for an easy book to take you through launching a podcast, this is the one for you.

The book "Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide by Todd Cochrane"
is a great book. I wanted to learn how to make MP3's so that I could make some for authors to use to promote their books. This book helped me to accomplish this and sure took the frustration out of my learning experience. I now have my MP3's made and have downloaded them on my computer and am now learning how to use my WS_FTP program so that I can put them on a web-page so people can click on them to listen to.

I am very appreciative and thankful for this great helpful book and I am glad there was a Todd Cochrane out there to write this book as it has been a great help to me. I also want to mention that there is some great links in this book and I have not clicked on any that no longer exists.

Thank you Todd Cochrane I place a high value on this book and will highly recommend it.