Creating Video Podcasts on Windows

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

Record your video podcast using your favorite camera and video capture software. A DV camera and MovieWorks Deluxe are good choices. For best quality, keep your video recording in DV format or uncompressed video in a .mov file.

 

Step 2

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 3

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

 
Open File

Step 4

Now open your recording in QuickTime Pro. To do this, choose "Open File..." from the File menu.

Select your recording, then click the Open button.

 
Export

Step 5

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

 
Movie to iPod

Step 6

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.

Exporting Movie

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 7

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.

 
* By following the steps in this tutorial, QuickTime 7 Pro will automatically create an .m4v file containing H.264 video and AAC audio. iPod can play the following video formats:
  • H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Low-Complexity Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
  • H.264 video, up to 768 kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
  • MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats