Video podcast
Encyclopedia
Video podcast is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand
video clip
content via Atom
or RSS enclosures. The term is used to distinguish between podcasts which most commonly contain audio files and those referring to the distribution of video where the RSS feed
is used as a non-linear TV channel to which consumers can subscribe using a PC, TV, set-top box
, media center or mobile multimedia device. Web television
series are often distributed as video podcasts.
However, the term podcast
has from its inception described the distribution of digital media files, including video and audio via RSS enclosures and hence the terms video podcast, vodcast, and less commonly vidcast, are redundant.
, a video podcast can be distributed as a file
or as a stream
. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Downloading complete video podcasts in advance gives the user the ability to play the video podcasts offline on, for example, a portable media player
. A downloaded version can be watched many times with only one download, reducing bandwidth costs in this case. Streaming allows seeking (skipping portions of the file) without downloading the full video podcast, better statistics and lower bandwidth costs for the servers; however, users may have to face pauses in playback caused by slow transfer speeds.
A podcast
client may work with a separate, or integrated player. One such example of the latter is iTunes
, which is an unusual case of a web feed
aggregator being added to a media player rather than vice versa.
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
video clip
Video clip
Video clips are short clips of video, usually part of a longer recording. The term is also more loosely used to mean any short video less than the length of a traditional television program.- On the Internet :...
content via Atom
Atom (standard)
The name Atom applies to a pair of related standards. The Atom Syndication Format is an XML language used for web feeds, while the Atom Publishing Protocol is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources.Web feeds allow software programs to check for updates published on a...
or RSS enclosures. The term is used to distinguish between podcasts which most commonly contain audio files and those referring to the distribution of video where the RSS feed
RSS (file format)
RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format...
is used as a non-linear TV channel to which consumers can subscribe using a PC, TV, set-top box
Set-top box
A set-top box or set-top unit is an information appliance device that generally contains a tuner and connects to a television set and an external source of signal, turning the signal into content which is then displayed on the television screen or other display device.-History:Before the...
, media center or mobile multimedia device. Web television
Web television
Web television, also commonly referred to as web TV, not to be confused with WebTV, Internet television or catch up TV, is an emerging genre of digital entertainment that is distinct from traditional broadcast television...
series are often distributed as video podcasts.
However, the term podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
has from its inception described the distribution of digital media files, including video and audio via RSS enclosures and hence the terms video podcast, vodcast, and less commonly vidcast, are redundant.
Technology and history
From a web serverWeb server
Web server can refer to either the hardware or the software that helps to deliver content that can be accessed through the Internet....
, a video podcast can be distributed as a file
Computer file
A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...
or as a stream
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Downloading complete video podcasts in advance gives the user the ability to play the video podcasts offline on, for example, a portable media player
Portable media player
A portable media player or digital audio player, is a consumer electronics device that is capable of storing and playing digital media such as audio, images, video, documents, etc. the data is typically stored on a hard drive, microdrive, or flash memory. In contrast, analog portable audio...
. A downloaded version can be watched many times with only one download, reducing bandwidth costs in this case. Streaming allows seeking (skipping portions of the file) without downloading the full video podcast, better statistics and lower bandwidth costs for the servers; however, users may have to face pauses in playback caused by slow transfer speeds.
A podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
client may work with a separate, or integrated player. One such example of the latter is iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, which is an unusual case of a web feed
Web feed
A web feed is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is performed by an aggregator...
aggregator being added to a media player rather than vice versa.
Timeline
- On 1 January 2004 Steve GarfieldSteve GarfieldSteve Garfield is a videographer and video blogger based in Boston, Massachusetts. One of the Internet's first video bloggers, Garfield began experimenting with the technique in 2002 and launched his own video blog on January 1, 2004....
launches his video blog and declares that 2004 would be the year of the video blog.
- On 1 November 2004 Steve Garfield launches Steve Garfield's VideoPodcast to test distribution of RSS video enclosures with a video blog.
- On October 1, 2005 Terra: The Nature of Our WorldTerra: The Nature of Our WorldTerra: The Nature of Our World, launched in October 2005 and was one of the first video podcasts. TERRA is a highly successful weekly video show about science and natural history,It is produced in conjunction with the , , and ....
launched making it the first Natural History video podcast. It is produced in conjunction with the MSU MFA Program in Science & Natural History FilmmakingMSU MFA Program in Science & Natural History FilmmakingMontana State University’s Master of Fine Arts , founded in 2000, continues to be the only MFA program of its kind in the world. Its mission is to take students with backgrounds in science, engineering, and technology and prepare them as filmmakers with the creative and critical skills necessary...
at the Montana State University – Bozeman, Filmmakers for Conservation, and PBS.
- On October 14, 2005 Steve JobsSteve JobsSteven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
introduced the new "iPod with video" at the Keynote speech of MacworldMacworldMacworld is a web site and monthly computer magazine dedicated to Apple Macintosh products. It is published by Mac Publishing, which is headquartered in San Francisco, California...
2005. The Video podcasts Tiki Bar TVTiki Bar TVTiki Bar TV is a web series distributed in the pioneering field of video podcasting or "vodcast." Produced in an apartment Tiki bar on a low budget, the humorous and heavily ad-libbed show is a creative outlet for its creators Jeff Macpherson and Kevin Gamble...
and RocketboomRocketboomRocketboom is a daily vlog produced by Andrew Baron that was most recently hosted by Meme Molly until August 25, 2011. Joanne Colan hosted from July 12, 2006 until April 17, 2009. In the intervening time between Colan and Molly, Caitlin Hill hosted a few episodes in April 2009...
are mentioned, and Jobs shows a brief clip of Tiki Bar TVTiki Bar TVTiki Bar TV is a web series distributed in the pioneering field of video podcasting or "vodcast." Produced in an apartment Tiki bar on a low budget, the humorous and heavily ad-libbed show is a creative outlet for its creators Jeff Macpherson and Kevin Gamble...
to the audience. The image of Kevin GambleKevin Gamble (netcaster)Kevin Gamble is a filmmaker, animation producer, and co-creator/co-star of the internet podcast Tiki Bar TV, in which he plays the role of Johnny Johnny the bartender....
, one of the co-creators of Tiki Bar TV, is featured on Apple's homepage for a month next to U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
.
- On June 8, 2006, the GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
chancellor, Angela MerkelAngela MerkelAngela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
, launched her video podcast via the Chancellor's website, making her the first head of governmentHead of governmentHead of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
to issue a regular video podcast.
- On December 16, 2006, Time magazine named its Person of the YearPerson of the YearPerson of the Year is an annual issue of the United States newsmagazine Time that features and profiles a person, couple, group, idea, place, or machine that "for better or for worse, ...has done the most to influence the events of the year."- History :The tradition of selecting a Man of the Year...
as "You", referring to independent content creators on the web and video podcasters in particular. Crash Test KitchenCrash Test KitchenCrash Test Kitchen is the original video cooking podcast and video blog as featured in Time Magazine. It features creators Waz and Lenny - Australian amateur chefs or 'foodies' living in London, England...
, a video podcast begun in April 2005 by home cooks Waz and Lenny, was featured in the magazine as an example of this phenomenon. The magazine itself was a distinctive issue that featured a flexible mirror on the cover.
- On April 13, 2007, the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
panel gamePanel gameA panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait.....
Have I Got News for YouHave I Got News for YouHave I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
started to broadcast a vodcast called Have I Got News for You: The Inevitable Internet Spin-off. The first HIGNFY vodcast was presented by Jeremy ClarksonJeremy ClarksonJeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
.
- May 10, 2007, Feed Me BubbeFeed Me BubbeFeed Me Bubbe is a Jewish cooking show that is produced on a shoestring budget. "Bubbe" is the Yiddish word for "Grandmother." Bubbe's grandson Avrom introduces each show declaring that "Bubbe" is one of the three words he needs to know when he is hungry and looking for Kosher food.-History:The...
featured in The Wall Street Journal by Jessica E. Vascellaro who wrote an article, discussing "Feed Me Bubbe" that was distributed by The AP Datastream ("Using Youtube for posterity," May 10, 2007)
- Another British panel game, QIQIQI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
, also announced that it would create a vodcast, starting in Series E. However, this was changed into a set of "Quickies", not downloadable and only viewable from the BBC website.
- On November 25, 2007, Neil Fairbrother was featured in the Sunday Observer's Courvoisier Future 500 for creating pod3.tv, a web TV channel that creates and distributes TV shows as video podcasts.
External links
- podfreaks.com (directory of video podcast directories, supports mobile devices via HTML5)
- videopodcasts.tv (directory of video podcast directories)