The Rode Podcaster is a very popular microphone among both podcasters and YouTube video producers. It has a deep rich sound that makes nearly anyone sound better and more professional. This USB mic plugs directly into a USB port on Windows or Macintosh computers so no mixing board is necessary.
The Rode Podcaster also has an innovative work around for one of the downsides of a USB mic. Due to the design of a USB mic, you cannot monitor yourself i.e. listen to yourself using headphones, as you can with traditional mic and mixing board combinations. This is due to the fact that there is a delay caused by the computer processing the signal directly. The Rode Podcaster, though, includes an earphone jack directly on the microphone itself. From this you can monitor yourself as you speak without any delay being inserted. A nice touch.
Much like my experience with my Apple iPhones, I find that the iPads work simply, work well, and are robust computing devices that allow you to accomplish a lot with a device much smaller than a PC or laptop.I think the iPad is an excellent choice for those people who neither want, nor need, a complete PC. In some cases, a Windows or Macintosh PC is more complexity than the user needs, especially if they are doing the typical tasks of email, reading and web browsing.
Like the iPhone I mentioned earlier, the iPad is an even more capable studio in your hands. With Garageband you can record and edit audio wherever you need to be. The newest iPad allows you to not only take HD 1080p movies, but then use iMovie to edit those movies and then send them online to YouTube. A tablet like the iPad can be a great additional to any New Media producer’s toolkit.
I am a very happy use of Apple’s iPhone products. I have a 3G, an iPhone 4, an iPhone 4s and soon, an iPhone 5. All of the past phones have been passed down to other family members over the years and, at risk of jinxing myself, I haven’t broken a screen yet.
I am a Mac users for many years now, and I find that iPhone carries the same benefit at as my Mac. As I describe it to my friends and my clients, “The Mac/iPhone works the way that I do.” I understand it. It integrates well into my work flow and daily life and, for me, it works well overall as a piece of ubiquitous technology. it allows me to be productive no matter where I am, which is very important when you are a freelance consultant like myself. I can grab a few minutes with email while I wait outside a client’s house, or sit in a coffee shop and catch up on the latest news and events over my Cafe Americano.
The iPhone 5 can be a New Media production studio in your pocket. You can record audio, shoot and edit video, upload to YouTube and blog the results.
To sum up, it works for me. It might work for you. Check it out!
For a long time now, Zoom has produced a wide product line of recorders which are nearly perfect for podcasters and other New media producers. Whether you go with the entry-level Zoom H1 or up the product line to the Zoom H4, you will find high quality recording capabilities with a wide variety of options in mounting, microphones and file formats. All record to some form of SD card for expandable and replaceable storage so recording everything from an hour long interview to short scenes for your next film are quick and easy.
Want to learn how to maximize social media? When to do it, what words to use, who to tweet at? Look no further than Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design and Engineering of Contagious Ideas. Social media master Dan Zarrella has amassed years of experience helping people negotiate the often mystical place of social media marketing. Now, he has condensed those well-tried ideas into this concise and conversational book. Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness demystifies and deconstructs how social media works, who it benefits and why we all depend upon it to help our good ideas spread.
I have wanted one of these as long as I have been podcasting, but I have never made the purchase, It would make my recording life a lit easier, as it would clear desk space from the current desktop microphone stand I use now, It would also work better with the Google Hangouts and other video shows I am doing, as it is easier to get it out of my face while still being close enough to record well. Oh well, maybe this year!
When you need to capture HD footage of wild mountain bike ride, that bitchin’ wave or the cool rappel down the mountain side, GoPro has become the “goto” brand for video recording. Shoot in hostile environments and even underwater with their variety of attachments and cases. Search Youtube and you will find no end of video shot with the GoPro over the last 2 years.
If you are crazy active, and want to catch some of your wilder moments on-camera, the GoPro is probably where you need to be looking.
Another great USB microphone from Blue. Like the Blue Snowball microphone mentioned earlier in the Gift Guide, this mic connects directly to the USB port on your computer — either Windows or Mac. The Yeti gives a full, rich sound and is compatible with all the typical New Media uses such as video conferencing, podcasting and recording voice or music. The Yeti is very popular with podcasters and live streamers and can often be seen in these productions. I think its classic styling, unlike the futuristic look of the Snowball make it more popular for video production. Its design harkens back to an earlier day of broadcasting.
Can you make a camera pan using a cheap mechanical kitchen timer? Instrucable member, mikeasaurus, did. A cool, relatively low-tech way of allowing you to create smooth pans which you can turn into time-lapse photos. His example here was created by shooting video and speeding it up in the editing process. If you had intervalometer to trigger the camera shutter, you could create more traditional time-lapse videos.
Using a regular point-and-shoot digital camera I set the camera to video and wound up my timer. Here’s some footage I compiled with my camera pan, these videos were taken over about 10 minutes and sped up to show the slow pan effect:
It has often been said that the best camera is the one you always have with you. For many people, this means an Apple iPhone. This clever little adapter for the iPhone can help you make you photos even better. Your iPhone 4/4s slips into the clip by friction and then attaches to any standard tripod — large or small. I keep my clip, and a mini tripod, in my bag at all times. I use this to capture quick chats around the table or environmental video when I am out. As an added bonus, the clip acts as an iPhone stand for when I want to watch video over lunch. It stands up the iPhone at the perfect angle for viewing.
Make sure you that you are ready to capture video and photos whenever you need, whether for your own personal uses or for inclusion in your next New Media project.
I have always been an active user of online video conferencing systems including Skype and others. Lately, though, my use has picked up as I spend a lot of time in Google Hangouts and even participate in a weekly food show entitled Kitchen Party, over at Bakespace.com.
Producing a show for the public means you want the best picture quality possible. In the past, video conferencing tools have always looked a little fuzzy, a little dark and a little pixelated. This isn’t true anymore, though. With the latest systems, like Google Hangouts and the most current versions of Skype, you can share near HD quality video. Of course, in order to do this, you need the right camera.
I picked up the Logitech C920 after I saw how it looked with a few of my Hangout friends. It provides crisp video in 16:9 format and works with almost any video service. I use mine on the Mac, so there are really no extra software controls available, but Windows users can use the included software to adjust white balance and a few other settings.
In my case, I also use the webcam for one additional us — Timelapse movies. The high quality of the camera, along with some software on my Mac, turn it into an excellent time-lapse camera — allowing me to grab full screen HD quality movies using Evocam software. I have recorded time-lapse movies of myself working in the garden for my podcast, A Gardener’s Notebook, and it does a great job.
This is one of the first microphones I recommend to anyone looking to begin audio podcasting or looking for a step up in the audio for their video podcasts. As a USB microphone, it doesn’t require a mixing board or cables to use. You simply connect it to any USB port on your computer and start recording. It has a great warm sound that makes almost anyone sound better in their recordings. In fact, if you regularly think you don’t like the sound of your own, recorded, voice, a microphone like the Blue Snowball might just change your mind.
Are you frustrated by the default random YouTube thumbnail option for your videos?
Do you wish you could create something custom to improve your views?
Since December 2011, YouTube has been making some radical changes to their site.
Everything from the home page layout, website colors and even the look and feel of the video players have changed dramatically.
But none of these aesthetic changes have had any real impact on the way we need to be marketing videos on YouTube.
However, this latest change may just be the biggest game-changer that savvy video marketers can take advantage of! Introducing the Custom YouTube Video Thumbnail.
I have been spending a lot of time working on my YouTube channel lately, mainly due to my observation of how various gaming channels have created some amazing programming there. With gaming the #2 category on YouTube, many of the channels I am subscribed to are supporting their creators as a full time job. It isn’t easy, of course. Extremely popular channels have to constantly be populated with new, entertaining content, and their creators will be the first to tell you how challenging it can be. I have been watching these producers very carefully and noting the methods they use improve my own YouTube channel.
Still, as a long time podcaster, more and more I am seeing the need for every podcaster — whether predominantly audio or video — to create and maintain their own YouTube channel.
For me, podcasting and YouTube are complimentary and can work quite well together. Combine this with live streaming options that tie into YouTube (TwitchTV and Google Hangouts are 2 examples) and you could have a potent source of new audience members and even income to help you grow your show.
Every podcaster needs a YouTube Channel
Ease of monetization
Monetizing podcasts can be difficult. There is no podcast equivalent of Google Adsense, so producers are forced to become their own advertising salesforce. Finding advertisers and/or show sponsors can be extremely time consuming and frustrating. It is also a never-ending burden as you are constantly having to find new advertisers and sponsors for your show. Also, since podcasts are downloaded directly to the computer of your audience, there is no easy way to include dynamic advertising or create web links to products and sponsor web sites.
YouTube, on the other hand, can provide a solution to nearly all these issues.
Using the Google Adsense model, Google sales reps find the advertisers, assist in creating the advertising and manage the system that dynamically inserts that advertising into your YouTube videos based not only on the content of your shows, but also on the interests of the viewer.
As has been seen with Adsense revenue on web sites, Adsense earnings are nearly directly proportional to the number of readers/viewers that your content. In most cases, creating content that attracts viewers drives higher earnings and further growth while allowing you to focus on the content of the shows, not ad sales.
Further, the built-in rating engine and other metrics used by Google to suggest videos to users, can create its own feedback loop of support and audience generation. Together this creates a monetization model that can hold large potential benefits. with little work on the part of the podcaster.
Introduce your show to an entirely different audience
People often forget that YouTube is, at its heart, a social network much like all the others. While some of your current listeners and/or viewers night also follow you on YouTube, you will be introducing yourself to a large, new audience that has never heard of you — or your show — before. This is true of ay social network. Yes, there will always be some overlap, but there will also be a significant amount of new potential audience members in the mix. Go where you audience (or potential audience) congregates. In today’s world, YouTube is one of the most important places to be seen.
Current video podcasts easily re-purposed on a YouTube channel
If you are already producing some video content, a YouTube Channel is a great way to gain more exposure and audience with very little extra work.
Work as a companion to audio podcasts
Printed text can be an intimate connection between the writer and the reader — witness how many people cry at the end of a Harry Potter book. That said, as most podcasters have found, audio can be even more intimate. I often describe audio podcasting as “whispering in the ears” of my audience. This creates a deeper connection with your audience has they hear your voice, its inflections and tone. Still, video is more intimate still. The ability to see your face, your expressions, your movements bring an entirely different level of intimacy to the equation. If you are doing only an audio podcast, I would highly recommend creating some small video companion pieces which you can share via your regular podcast feed and also as part of your YouTube channel. In some cases, you might be about to repurpose your existing audio shows by “enhancing” them with graphics, photos and other supporting material. You can even use technology like QR codes and audio cues (See “Using Chirp to…) to add interactive features to your audio shows.
In a reverse example, I am seeing video podcasters and YouTube producers also creating audio only, long form, content as a companion to their shorter video presentations. In one case, Eric Rochow from Gardenfork.tv was producing short videos on food, farming, beekeeping and more for his video podcast. Like many producers, though, he saw the need for content his viewers could consume while doing other tasks like working in the garden or driving a vehicle. (one great advantage of audio podcasts). He also wanted to explore topics more thoroughly and more easily invite guests in for discussions. To fill that need, Eric created Gardenfork Radio, a fairly traditional talk radio show with segments on all his typical topics, a co-host with which to discuss these topics, interview guests and more. I see Eric’s combination of the video and audio as an excellent example of how podcasters can make use of both audio and video to reach a larger audience will also providing more in-depth information in a longer form show.
Consuming YouTube (and other) video via mobile now infinitely easier than before
In the past, when bandwidth was expensive and mobile bandwidth was slow to non-existent, it was difficult to consume video. Podcasting, due to its download model, allowed users to easily download content while and home and sync it to their mobile device for watching and listening wherever they might be. Due to the increasing speed of mobile bandwidth and the stability of various streaming alternatives for both audio and video, podcasting has lost a bit of its advantage. Yes, there are still times when podcasting can shine — such as when you are away from reliable cell phone coverage or on a limited bandwidth data plan, but the podcasting download model holds less advantage than ever before. In this case, I think that streaming technology has “won” over podcasting in some ways. Yes, I still use both methods for accessing my favorite content, but as apps like Stitcher and Apple’s own Podcasting app have show — listeners want to be able to stream your content as well as subscribe in the usual podcast fashion.
What are your thoughts about YouTube channels and how podcaster might make use of them?
Use the comments here to let me know and continue the conversation.
While #KitchenParty is mainly about food and foodie things, in this week’s episode we also talk a lot about what makes a successful food blog and, more generically, any successful blog. — Douglas
Watch the recorded video below!
How to publish a successful food blog
Nichelle Stephens from Cupcakes Take the Cake! We’re talking Cupcake Recipes & how to #publish a successful food blog.
And don’t forget… every show we publish a community cookbook based on the topic. This week we’re sharing #cupcake #recipes . To our your favorite recipe to our #community #cookbook upload your favorite recipe here: http://bit.ly/cupcakecookbook
Your Hosts Every Week: Babette Pepaj from BakeSpace.com , +eff Houck from the Tampa Tribune, Rene Lynch (LA Times) & Douglas Welch (pro blogger – a Gardner’s Notebook)
So, it looks like Logitech has been watching a lot of uStream and a lot of Google Hangouts lately. Their new webcam, the Logitech Broadcaster ($199 US) , is a WiFi connected webcam that allows for secondary angles during your web stream. It can also record that second angle to be used for a later edit in iMovie. The Logitech Broadcaster can be controlled from an iPad, iPhone or your Mac and you can use a combination of all the available cameras in your stream or recording.
Here is a video from Logitech showing off some of the features.
The case of the Logitech Broadcaster does double-duty as a magnetic base for the camera, allow you to position it where you need. It doesn’t look like it has a traditional tripod mount, but that is a little hard to see from the video and pictures provided.
If you are looking to take your web streams and video productions to another level, the Logitech Broadcaster could be an interesting piece of kit to add to your gig bag.
Who doesn’t like some “cool” in their lives? Cool Hunting provides a regular dose of cool through its video series highlighting cool stuff in design, art, engineering and more. Cool Hunting is available both as a YouTube channel and a podcast via their web site. The videos are high-quality and shot with an eye towards the artistic while giving you insight into the people involved in the projects.
I highly recommend Cool Hunting as a refreshing bit of entertainment for your mind. Hopefully it can spur you to some “cool” projects of your own.
I came across this new iPhone app, Chirp, last night in my usual Internet reading and it got me to thinking immediately — couldn’t this app be used to create enhanced podcasts that automatically directed listeners to web sites, photos, notes and more at specific points in the show. This is my short demo on how it might be done.
This certainly wasn’t something that the creators Chirp.io were thinking about when creating the app, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t use it to our (i.e. podcasters) advantage.
I came across this post on Boing Boing about this new iPhone app, Chirp.io. This app allows you to select a photos, note or link and send an audio “chirp” that other iPhones can receive, and then decode the link.
“We’re a spinout from University College London Computer Science and we’ve developed a new data transfer application for smartphones (and more) called Chirp.
This is our thing – a technology inspired by birdsong and the principles of biomimicry.
We think it’s pretty exciting since the app has great potential, although it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our plans include teaching the machines to sing.”
While it may seem odd to speak of analog and acoustic in these days of digital and electronic, I immediately saw one way to put Chirp to use — as a data, and/or advertising trigger for audio or video podcasts. I am going to do some quick tests to see if you can embed the Chirp codes into a podcast file, both audio and video, and see if they can be received and retrieved by the app on my iPhone.
Enhanced podcasts have never really caught on as they require either iTunes or an iPod to view the enhanced content and require a bit more production to create. With Chirp. you could include data triggers directly as part of the MP3 file. I’ll report back after a few tests.
As promised when Apple announced they would no longer include their YouTube app with all iOS devices, Google today released its new YouTube app. As I expected, it provides a much better YouTube experience than Apple’s (older) YouTube app. In fact, I stopped using that app months ago and switched over to using the mobile web version of YouTube as it allowed me access more features and provided a better overall experience.
After using the app for an hour or so today, I can say I like it! It is clean, functional, streams video well over 3G or Wifi and generally does what I want it to do. My list of subscribed videos is neatly present in a format very similar to that used on the Google+ App with large thumbnails and a bit of descriptive text.
