The next generation of podcasting has arrived. Now you can create video podcasts and have them posted in the iTunes Podcast Directory for millions to view and download to their iPods. QuickTime 7 Pro makes it easy to put your thoughts and your face in the spotlight.

Step 1

Make sure you have updated your QuickTime software to version 7.0.3 or later. If you don't have QuickTime 7.0.3 installed, get it now.

Step 2

In order to record your video podcast, you need to connect a FireWire camera to your Mac. The iSight and most DV cameras will work. Once your camera is connected, make sure iChat AV and AOL Instant Messenger are not running..

Step 3

Open QuickTime 7 Pro. If you don't have it, get QuickTime 7 Pro today.

Step 4

Check your recording preferences. Choose "Preferences" from the QuickTime Player menu, then click on the Recording icon at the top of the window. First, select the video device and microphone you will use to record your video podcast. Next, for the best video quality of your final video podcast, set the Quality to "Device Native." Last, choose the location where you would like your podcast to be saved. Once you've made your selections, you may close the Preferences window.

Step 5

Choose "New Movie Recording" from the File menu.

Step 6

Click the red Capture button and begin recording with your camera. Click the black Stop button when you're done recording.

Step 7

To convert your podcast recording to a format that iPod understands,* choose "Export..." from the File menu.

Step 8

Choose "Movie to iPod (320x240)" from the export drop down list and click the Save button.

The Export progress bar shows you how much of the export process is completed. The longer your podcast recording, the longer the export will take.

Once the export is complete, QuickTime Pro will place on your Desktop a new version of your podcast recording that will play on the iPod. Double-click the new file and play it to make sure it looks as you expect. You now have a file that is ready to be published.

Step 9

You can publish the exported file to the Internet as an enclosure on a blogging service, such as Blogger, and wrapped in a podcast-friendly RSS feed. (Please note: the file must be hosted on a web server such as .Mac.) RSS feed providers, such as FeedBurner, make it easy to create an RSS file from your blog.

Then to reach a potential audience of millions, publish your podcast to iTunes Podcast Directory (subject to it being free of copyrighted or overtly explicit material). For inclusion in the iTunes Music Store, you'll need to provide the link to the podcast RSS feed and all episodes within a podcast must be available as .m4v, .mp4 or .mov video file enclosures.