Hello,

How well Drupal supports podcast? I would like to have something similar to http://www.javapolis.com.

Thanks
CMSHunt

Comments

steveparks’s picture

Hi CMSHunt

Drupal is actually fantastic for prodcasts. I've just been deliving into this myself, for my podcast at http://www.flyingstartups.com/podcasts/flyingstartups (take a look if you want to see drupal podcasting in action).

Here's how I'm doing it:

audio.module - this is great at uploading the mp3 file in an easy way, pulling out the file information from the ID3 tags, and creating a well presented audio 'node' or page.

playlist.module - this provides a framework for audio_playlist.module below

audio_playlist.module - this takes a number of audio nodes and organises them into a podcast feed (that's fully iTunes friendly), and a well presented page of audio files.

All these modules are really well written and very easy to use.

As the foundation underneath all that, drupal itself is very flexible, easy to use and easy to adapt. The excellent community features mean you can build up a wider site around your podcast very easily - with forums and comments etc.

I looked at quite a few podcasting options, but found drupal to definitely be the best all rounder.

cheers
steve

===
Steve Parks
Convivio - a digital services agency

http://weareconvivio.com

cmshunt’s picture

Steve,

Great and thanks for your info. I will check your work and comment on it.

Thanks much,
CMSHunt

Capnj’s picture

Steve - thanks for the tip. I've d/l and enabled all of the modules you referenced. I've been able to create a playlist with a couple of files that work. See http://trinityepiscopal.us/forum/node/427. However, as you'll note, there is merely a link to play the file rather than the flash player icon that appears on your site at http://www.flyingstartups.com/podcasts/flyingstartups. Since I see the icon and can play the file I know it's not a browser issue on my end.

Any ideas why I'm not seeing that?
Also, when you click one of my links it's Quicktime that's playing the file.

- gil -

steveparks’s picture

Hi Capnj

Flash apparantly can only play MP3 files that are encoded at a certain bit rate.
If you have a look in audio.theme file in the audio module you'll find the details, but I know that 44.1 and 22.something are ok.

If it's different to these three then the flash mp3 player won't display, because it would be unable to play the file. In that case the module falls back to just showing a text link

cheers
steve

===
Steve Parks
Convivio - a digital services agency

http://weareconvivio.com

Capnj’s picture

Steve - thanks for the ideas but it may be deeper than that. I uploaded a file recorded at 44 and 128 bit rate, and it still gives only the link. Hate to keep bothering you, but do you have other thoughts of where to look?

- gil -

Capnj’s picture

It turns out that the file, while created as an mp3 with 16k bit rate and 11k sample rate (which now works on my site), is not being created correctly in some fashion by Total Recorder ( http://www.highcriteria.com ). When I use Audacity, the file plays.

- gil -

ggevalt’s picture

Steve,

Followed your suggestions on setting up podcast but am having difficulty...Loaded up all the modules and getid3. Finally got file to upload....But doesn't function properly. I'd give you a link, but I have the page hidden in admin function....If you wish, I can e-mail it to you....

Here's what happens.... Upload is visible in my audio playlists node.... no pic, just title and a control bar beneath it; below that is a series of links, podcsts, m3u, etc...

This is what happens when I click: m3u or pls: “warning: getimagesize(http://www.youngwritersproject.org/drupal/files/images/logger-web copy.jpg) [function.getimagesize]: failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.1 400 Bad Request in /home/youngwri/public_html/drupal/modules/playlist/audio_playlist/audio_playlist.module on line 648.”

This is what I get when I click podcast or xspf: “XML Parsing Error: not well-formed
Location: http://www.youngwritersproject.org/drupal/node/139/podcast
Line Number 5, Column 28:The Logger: Liddle & Craig”

If I click the play key, the sound works; photo does not appear.

If I click the popup player, it gives me a new page with small box in upper left hand corner that has picture and it plays….

Clearly I have some multiple issues (including that flash player never operates)

Thoughts? Suggestions?

THANKS

geoff gevalt
http://www.youngwritersproject.org

Jim Ruby’s picture

Hello,
I am testing drupal as I want to use it because it has a nice clean interface and I think the navigation is easy. However I'm stumbling and could use some help. if you would look at http://accessibleworld.org and click on the tek talk archives then the link that says podcasts. this is what I want to do. have my own podcast on my site. I looked at the site posted above hre and think it would work. NoteI have about 3 to 5 different podcasts happening and I would be the only user on the system at this point, we may have users register at a latertime to add more intigration, but right nowthe main thing is podcasts.

Would there be anyone willing to donate a little time to help me setup drupal parms and get the podcast stuff going. I can take care of the instalation and think can handle instalation of the modules, but is just messing with the parms and getting it all setup via the back end.

I know there is a lot of handbooks, but it seems I'm drownding in it.

accessibleworld is providing events weekly dealing with technology for the blind. I am blind myself and the web master and I would like something a bit cleaner then what is there.

Thanks for your time. I am not sure if we can send pms here, so I'll just watch this thred.

Jim Ruby’s picture

sorry to reply to myself, but I am wondering if some one could take a look at http://accessibleworld.org and see how it looks and maybe see if I am going about things in a correct way. I have the Taxonomy module module active with three catagories and each file I submit creates its node then I use the view module to put it all together.
So Taxonomy module is keeping the catagories together so some one can subscribe to rss and get only that content for that catagory.
The views mod I put on the front page will placewhat I publish and send to the front page.
I'm kind of stuck between Nodes, story and page.

babbage’s picture

Hi Jim,
It doesn't appear that anyone else has responded to your query so I thought I would, although it's been a long time and you might not be following this thread any more.

The main site looks good. The design is clean and pleasing; the colour scheme is simple and does not detract from the content. The headings are well organised and logical. The audio player has an impressive animated interface that I haven't seen before, which was simple but looked cool! Obviously the Conference Rooms section of the site is using a different technology—I didn't go beyond the initial login page but noticed that the main site design didn't continue there... just basic text on a white background.

I noticed two content issues about the main site. The first is fairly minor—the content doesn't have dates attached to indicate when it was uploaded or recorded, even when clicking through to the "Read more" section. I was surprised by that. The other observation is a technology issue—there doesn't seem to be an RSS feed or similar for the site. Having one would enable users with a podcatcher of some kind (iTunes, other software packages) to subscribe to new audio content and get it automatically to devices like iPods or similar. That might be a useful addition, though there might be specific reasons why you don't have that I guess. EDIT: Have just now seen that your comment talks about specific categories have RSS feeds. When I click through to those categories I do indeed see an RSS feed; just not an overall RSS feed on the main site page.

A nice site which has been well designed. Good work. :)

ephealy’s picture

What kinds of diagnostic information can you get from podcasts served using Drupal? Can I:
- track downloads per episode?
- track bandwidth?
- list unique IPs?

maodd’s picture

How did you make the podcast feed? Mine just like a basic rss one, no itunes info in it?

And how can I set audio_playlist in Drupal 5? Thanks.

maodd’s picture

I fixed the first one. The download file should be enabled to anonymous.

But still don't know why my audio items don't have a 'add to playlist' link. even I did create a 'playlist' node type.

freshubuntu’s picture

Hello all,

I am trying to migrate my site to drupal from wordpress and I am running into an issue. On my wp site I have the audio module that displays an audio player within the post. I am using a shared hosting plan, but, my mp3's are located on an another different server specifically for holding such media. My issue is I would like to do the same thins to my podcast posts as well and all i have found are ways to do it only if the mp3 is uploaded to the same servers. Has anyone done this type of thing?