Podcasts are becoming more and more popular as people discover just how convenient and entertaining it can be to have dozens of programs on topics of interest available at the push of a button. Smart businesses are taking note of these trends and starting to create podcasts for their niche topic to help bring more visitors to their sites and increase overall sales. So what does it take to get started in podcasting? What equipment and basic guidelines do amateur podcasters need to have the best shot at success?
Equipment Needed To Record a Podcast:
While it is true that anyone can record a podcast on almost any digital media device, the quality of the audio being recorded should be a high priority. While some podcasters get by just fine with recording audio directly to their MP3 player or cell phone, listeners generally want cleaner and higher quality audio than these kinds of devices often provide. There are two basic alternatives for recording a podcast, portable recording and fixed recording with a computer.
Portable Podcast Recording Devices:
Manufacturers have made great strides of late in producing handheld recorders that capture audio at very high bitrates. In addition, many of these recorders have built in microphones that are every bit as good as external microphones that we see and use ever day. One of the newest arrivals in the portable recording market is the new Yamaha Pocketrak 2G. This chewing gum sized device can capture up to three hours of high quality audio and is intended primarily for the music production market. Other great recording products that have stood the test of time include the Edirol R-09. Although a bit larger than the Yamaha, the Edirol is a workhorse that many podcasters feel is more comfortable to hold, especially when conducting live interviews.
Portable podcasting recorders do not have to be so expensive however. The Yamaha and Roland products are each several hundred dollars. Many podcasters get by with much simpler and low cost devices. Podcasters that own an iPod can purchase a small microphone and voice recording accessory that turns any iPod into a decent quality recording device. Other MP3 players such as the Sandisk Sanza have built in mono microphones and record with very little background noise.
