How to Subscribe to an iPod-iTunes RSS Feed

How To Subscribe To An iPod iTunes-RSS Feed

Maybe you have seen a little orange logo for RSS, Atom, or XML feeds for newsreaders. Don't know what a newsread is? That's another story! There are different versions of the logo out there, but in general it looks like this or this or this Did you know they may identify PODCast feeds that you can use with iTunes and your iPod? There's another one especially for PODCasts like this  It is "fer sure fer sure" an RSS PODCast feed, but the others may also be feeds for audio or video into an iPod? If you "subscribe" to one of these feeds using iTunes, your iPod can be automatically updated through iTunes whenever a new "episode" or "program" is available. An "episode" or "program" is a new video or audio file that becomes available at whatever period the publisher of the feed decides. So how to you do it you ask?

Well I'm glad you asked! Start iTunes as you usually do. From the menu, click Advanced which will open a drop-down menu showing more options. From this drop-down menu, selected Subscribe to PODCast. A window will open where you can enter a PODCast URL (this is like the path you enter in your browser). If you don't have one picked out already, you can use this one: http://mystsoftyme.com/mot/podcastMOT.xml  from one of my favorite bands! -- okay, okay, I'm in it! Just copy it and paste into the windows. Then click the OK button. Before we continue, note that iTunes has a column labeled Source and one of the items under that column is labeled PODCasts. Your view has been changed to this PODcast window showing the new PODCast subscription you just entered. And this view is where you can return at any time after you start iTunes to view your subscribed PODCasts, listen to them, or delete them. After your subscription is retrieved it is listed on the PODCast view. In Windows iTunes you can right-click this to display properties and options such as CLEAR which is iTunes for delete. This view also contains icons on the line with the RSS subscription that you can click for information about the PODCast. The first icon is a right-pointing-triangle that when clicked opens up the entire set of programs in the subscription. The example I gave you has a few. Give it a try. The next icon is a right-pointing-arrow inside a circle that will take you to the subscription website. The little "i" inside a circle when clicked will show you iformation about the subscription or program.

My version of iTunes retrieves the first program that I can play by double-clicking. If I want to play other programs I click the GET button to download the program and then double-click to play.

You can control how often iTunes checks for updates to the feed, what to do when new programs or episodes are available, or which programs or episodes to copy to your iPod by clicking on the SETTINGS button below the PODCast view window. This brings up a windows with a PODCasts tab. Make your desired selections and oh, one more thing ... ENJOY!!!

by Mike Furlong
8/27/2006

When I'm not playing with gadgets I'm working to get enough money for more.
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