Podcast - FAQ

 

What is a podcast?

A podcast is an archive of an audio show that is syndicated on the internet. A podcast could be a radio show, a news broadcast, a band showcasing their latest music, or in the case of Word of Life Christian Center, a weekly audio broadcast of our weekend services. Using software like iTunes you can have these services automatically downloaded to your computer whenever they become available, without any additional problems for you.

 

Why is it called a podcast?

The name comes from the Apple iPod. This has managed to cause confusion because an iPod is not needed to listen to podcasts. You can play them on your PC or on any other MP3 device. Regardless, the name has stuck.

 

So I don't need an iPod to receive podcasts?

You do not need an iPod to listen to podcasts.  Podcasts are merely text files that include certain directions for your computer to take a certain action, such as to download an audio file. All that is required from you is a broadband internet connection and podcast client software.

 

What podcast software do you recommend?

Use of the Word of Life Christian Center podcast requires the use of a desktop program (or podcast client) which will download the files for you automatically. There are a number of podcast clients available on the internet; Word of Life Christian Center commends the use of the free iTunes Player from Apple. To download iTunes go to: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

 

I've got my podcast program.  Now what?

Once you have downloaded and installed iTunes, or you already have it installed, you may use this program to access the podcast. When you open this link, click on the “iTunes Store” link and search “Tim Bagwell.” Click the SUBSCRIBE button to subscribe yourself to this free service.

 

What does it cost for me to subscribe to the Word of Life’s podcast?

The podcast distributed by Word of Life Christian Center is absolutely free to you.   Just download it, listen to it, burn it and take it with you.

 

I'm a geek. What are the technical details of a podcast?

Podcasts piggy-back off RSS Feeds. A site's RSS Feed is way of syndicating the content of the site. When we add a new service to our internet site, the RSS feed is updated to note the entry. RSS 2.0 features a concept called enclosures - basically like email attachments. A podcast is stored as an enclosure, which happens to be an audio file, usually in the MP3 format. The client software, such as Apple iTunes, periodically checks the RSS feed. If there are any new entries, the client software automatically downloads them and makes them ready to listen to by your desktop audio software or MP3 player. Word of Life Church uses this technology to syndicate its weekend services to your computer desktop. Simple as that.

FURTHER INFORMATION