Podcasting/RSS feed

What is a podcast?

Individual downloadable audio files are not podcasts. A podcast is a syndicated feed of audio/video files that a user can subscribe to and receive automatic updates. By copying files to the user's portable media player or personal computer, a feed enables people to use the files at their convenience. The push-pull delivery technology behind podcasting is known as RSS (Really Simple Syndication).

For more information on how to produce a podcast, please see the Stanford University Tech Briefing page.

The School of Medicine supports podcasting through the Stanford on Itunes U project. Stanford on iTunes U provides access to a wide range of Stanford-related audio and video content via the iTunes Store, Apple’s popular online music, video, and podcast service.

Users can find your video and audio within Stanford on Itunes U by following links from your Web site, or they can search for your content directly in the Itunes U Web site. Users in turn have the option to download individual files, or they can subscribe to a podcast/RSS feed to receive automatic updates when new audio or video is added.

The Stanford on Itunes U project includes the following sections:

Public Stanford on Itunes U

Access-restricted Stanford on Itunes U

Public Stanford on Itunes U

This Public Stanford on Itunes U is an easily accessible way to share audio and video content of major events and lectures via a central repository available to anyone, anywhere.

Accessing content: All content can be accessed by the public for free. For an example podcast, please see the school's MedCast Album, which features some of the leading-edge lectures at the School of Medicine. For information on how to search and download content from the Public Stanford on Itunes, see the QuickStart guide.

Uploading content: All uploading of content to the public site is centrally controlled at the university level to ensure proper branding and to ensure all necessary consent is secured before a file is posted. This processing may take up to ten businesss days after you submit your content.

For more information on how to post a video or audio file, or to create a podcast out of an ongoing series of files, see How Do I Contribute To the Public Stanford on Itunes.

Access-restricted Stanford on Itunes U

The Access-restricted Stanford on Itunes U is limited to users with SUNet IDs. It includes a section for general use by the Stanford community known as Stanford Community iTunes U.

This section provides a Stanford-wide space for organizations to share their audio and video materials. The site requires a SUNet ID for login, but otherwise is open to the whole Stanford community. Please contact Jeremy Sabol if you are interested being set up with a private album for your content in this section.

Once set up, you will be able to upload your content independently. Audio files should be in the MP3 and AAC format; video files in MPEG4 (mp4) and Quicktime (mov). PDF files may also be uploaded.