Over the past few years, podcasters for both the PC and Mac worlds have had a similar dilemma…how to inject audio into your live podcasts and shows. Many methods have been tried, and likewise, many have failed. To date, the only tried and true method for doing this was to purchase a hardware mixer and then be saddled down with a sometimes huge upfront expense and of course, maintenance, upkeep and eventually, replacement.

Nowadays, using a VOIP or SIP connection for your live podcasts and shows, is becoming the norm. Along with this connection, you have the opportunity to inject audio easily using a product called Vemotion from http://www.voiceemotion.com

Using Skype or XLite (or other SIP/VOIP client) along with Vemotion, enables you to play audio files easily. What this doesn’t enable you to do, is to play your audio, say from Talkshoe, back across another connection, such as uStream. So, when your viewers are listening to your audio on uStream, they will only hear you and no one else or your audio files that you are playing. So, this brings in yet another challenge for the podcaster…how to make THIS happen!

Like I said earlier, the best way was to spend a lot of money and purchase a hardware mixer. This isn’t practical for a lot of hobbyists, so a low cost, software solution had to be found. Introducing The Virtual Audio Cable, a low cost software solution that enables you to simulate a hardware mixer and redirect your audio to other places such as uStream.

The Virtual Audio Cable is for PC only and gives you the capability to redirect your audio using “virtual” devices. Now, just a quick caveat here…this solution is not for the technically challenged. That being said, I am adding a short how-to video on setting this software up and this should allow almost anyone to setup and start using this software in little to no time at all!

As many of you already know, I have had the hardware mixer for quite some time now. This has worked out quite nicely for me, except for when I need to go remote with my laptop and then, well, I can’t be dragging a bunch of extra hardware with me everywhere I go…can I?!? No! So, this is why I began looking into this solution real hard once again. I purchased the Virtual Audio Cable (just runs $29.00 USD) and was able to download it and install it and once the configuration was in place, I was able to start using it! In fact, I “debuted” the use of this solution on my show last night and it worked out great! Here’s a few tips for you to get you going…

To begin with, you can download a free trial version of the Virtual Audio Cable (and I recommend you do this BEFORE buying it) from http://software.muzychenko.net/vac409.zip …You can still use my instructions to use the free trial to make sure this works for you.

Once you have the trial software installed, there are two applications that you will be using, the Audio Repeater and the Virtual Audio Cable app. To begin, start the VAC app. You will need to setup at least one Virtual Cable. Here is a graphic showing you my setup right now:

As you can see in this picture, I have three virtual cables setup. You will have some limitations in the trial version, however, you only need one virtual cable to make this work.

Next, you need to run two applications of the Audio Repeater program. The reason for this is to redirect your audio through the newly created virtual cables. Here is my setup:

As you can see from the picture, I have my microphone on my PC going to Line 2 (a virtual audio cable. Yours may say Line 1) and on the second repeater, Line 2 going to my Speakers on my PC. Now, all audio is being redirected using the Virtual Audio Cable software. Next, click the Start buttons on each repeater program to start the virtual streams. Next, after you fire up uStream (or whatever program you are wanting to send your audio out to) make sure your audio source is your Virtual Audio Cable (for example, mine is Line 2) and then all audio will go to your redirected source. So, when you have people talking in the Talkshoe Chat Room or you are playing audio files using Vemotion, your other source will hear these as well!

I will post a video soon showing this entire process along with links where you can purchase this great product! Take my advice, download the trial version FIRST and then make sure it will work for your application! Watch for the video here soon!

Popularity: 1% [?]

During our premiere episode of Talkshoe Support Live!, we will discuss the various methods for connecting to the Talkshoe Service. Each week, we will discuss another feature or aspect of the Talkshoe Service and will bring the hosts and listeners of Talkshoe a variety of recorded training sessions that will last from 10 to 15 minutes. Immediately following the recorded training sessions, we will open the phone lines up for a Q&A session. All questions, suggestions and comments will be noted by the Talkshoe Support Staff and we will attempt to answer your support issues during each show.

The Talkshoe Support Live! shows will be held at Show ID 875 every Monday Night at 7:00pm EST. Hosted by support reps, Dr. Robert White and Josh Budde. The recorded training sessions will be available at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/875 as well as playable here with each show notes post.

With regards to connecting to the Talkshoe Service, there are several methods available.

Land Line or Cell Phone by dialing into the (724)444-7444 number
Skype Out dialing into the (724)444-7444 number
Using Shoephone, XLite, SJPhone, Gizmo or other SIP client
Or just simply logging into the chatroom and interacting with the service by chat.

Listen to the recorded session in the player below to get the full details of how to use each of these methods.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Last week, we discussed the Basics of Talkshoe and continuing with that line of thinking, this week, we will discuss Broadcasting on a Shoestring.

Everyone has the ability to produce a good sounding, professional style show, and most everyone has the inclination to do so. Sometimes, your financial situation, especially during these hard, economic times, can get in the way of allowing you to do this.

Tonight, we will discuss different hardware, equipment and software that you can use to setup your home studio to produce a more professional style podcast. You may need to spend a few bucks to do this, however, we will attempt to show you the most inexpensive way to get yourself setup.

To begin with, when using Talkshoe, of course, the service itself is free. The service is free, but consider that your Internet connection is not! Look at your current provider or ISP and see what package you are subscribed to. If you are wanting to do just audio broadcasting, then you can easily get by with a lower end package of say 1mb down and 128k up. However, if you are wanting to do audio AND video broadcasting, then you will want a higher end package with at least 1mb to 3mb up and maybe 3mb to 6 mb down. When broadcasting, your upload speed is more critical than your download speed. Check with your ISP or Internet provider to see what packages they offer and you might even be able to upgrade for only a few dollars more a month!

Now, once your Internet connection is worked out, you will want to look at how you are connecting to the Talkshoe Service. Talkshoe allows several methods of connecting including landline or cell phone by way of 724-444-7444 and of course this may be a toll call depending on your phone service, so expect long distance charges when calling this number, especially if you don’t have a good long distance plan on your land line or cell phone. Another way to connect is by the SIP Interface using Gizmo, SJPhone or XLite and of course, don’t forget the Shoephone that is built into the Talkshoe Pro Client. And then of course, there is Skype. With Skype, you can purchase an outgoing plan for around $36.00 US per year and you will have the ability to dial into Talkshoe using the 724-444-7444 number WITHOUT long distance charges! We’ll talk more about these alternate methods of dialing in shortly when we discuss some of the equipment you will need.

Ok, one quick comment about dialing in before we move on, remember, depending on how you are dialing in or connecting to the Talkshoe service, will greatly affect your audio quality and your recording quality. If you dial in using a cell phone, for example, then you quality will be lower as this will be an analog or phone quality audio. When you connect using Skype or SIP, then you will have a higher quality, because your connection is a higher quality connection. Again, we’ll talk more about quality when we discuss the equipment later.

Talking about equipment, a good microphone and headset will go a long way to helping you to have a great quality audio and recording. Most places such as Radio Shack, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and even Wal-Mart carry quality products at low prices to get you started.

Listen to this episode in the player below to hear what some of the listeners had to say about this topic!

[ad#skype]
Or How to take your show on the road!

Tonight, we will discuss how to do a remote podcast. First, you may ask, what exactly is a remote podcast and I beleive that if you think about it for a second, you will understand. However, think of it like a terrestrial radio station doing a remote broadcast from a local business, a remote podcast is very much like that. You are simply producing your live show from a different location.

Right now, look at how you produce your current live show. You are usually sitting at home, at your PC (or Mac…didn’t want to assume everyone has a PC) and you are calling in on the phone, Skype or SIP, and you log into Talkshoe and do your show, right? Now, think about taking your show to a local coffee shop, bookstore or other location that has WiFi access and armed with your trusty notebook and cell phone, you can easily setup, log into the WiFi and place your call to Talkshoe and you are now ready to do a remote podcast.

Of course, like anything else, this may take some planning on your part as you may not have a notebook or a local business with WiFi access and so now what? Let’s look at some other ways you can also do a remote podcast without having to tote around a notebook and other equipment.

Let’s assume for the sake of argument that you are just wanting to interview a local business person and then play that interview on your show. The easiest way to do this, especially if you can’t get them on a phone call on your show, is to take a Digital Voice Recorder or some other type of recording device, and then go to the local business and ask them if it would be ok to record your interview with them. Once you have their permission, press Record and do your interview. Once completed, you can take it back to your computer and then work it into your show,

There are other ways to do remote podcasts and I have a couple of hosts that are doing that right now! Bruce Turner, whom most of you recognize from being on this show and even guest hosting a few weeks ago for me, does a remote podcast, including video, from a local coffee shop in his town called “The Muse”. Bruce couldn’t be with us tonight due to a prior committment, however, he has sent me a pre-recorded segment explaining what he does for The Muse.

Patti Serrano, my segment host here for The Business of Podcasting, has done remote podcasts before and she will now come on and explain a new project that she is currently exploring that will be a new kind of remote podcast.

BTW, we will be bringing Bruce Turner on the show next week for a live segment talking more about this subject.

With Talkshoe’s remote functions over the phone, such as *2*1 to start and stop the recording, you can also use the new feature of starting your call right away over the phone (make sure this is activated in your profile for your show), and you can be at a local business, coffee shop, where ever and start a call and do a remote podcast and of course, you won’t have the chat room in front of you, but you can still easily do a remote podcast in this manner.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Skype targets businesses with new service (news.cnet.com)
• Free International Telephone Calls! (ethelthefrog.com)
• Skype Dials Up Bid for Business (wired.com)
• Skype opens up to corporate SIP communications (Chaim/About Skype) (techmeme.com)

Popularity: 5% [?]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

[ad#skype]

Today, I received an e-mail asking why I chose Talkshoe over BlogTalkRadio for my live podcasting. So, before I responded back to this individual, I decided to check out BlogTalkRadio again so that I could give a decent response to this inquiry.

As most of you already know, I started with Talkshoe more than two years ago. For those not in the know, Talkshoe is a free service that offers live, interactive podcasting, hosting and chat rooms for hosts that want to produce a live podcast with a live audience. BlogTalkRadio does this as well, but more on them later.

When I started podcasting live with Talkshoe, they were a fledgling company and were still having some teething pains with some of the technology. A lot can be overlooked, especially when the service is free of charge! Over time, Talkshoe has grown out of most of their technical issues and have added a lot of great features over the past couple of years.

BlogTalkRadio offers many of the features that Talkshoe offers, however, they have some restrictions that some hosts, myself included, just can’t deal with.

Here is a list of Pros and Cons of both services as I see them. This list is strictly my observations and do not represent the opinions of these individual services.

Talkshoe

1. Free Account Signup for member and host
2. Free hosting and storage of MP3 recordings
3. Unlimited storage for archives of MP3 recordings
4. Up to 5 Hour limit on recording of podcasts
5. No restrictions on time slots to host podcasts
6. Up to 250 people on the chatroom and phone bridge
7. Dedicated phone number and show ID for calling into show
8. No restrictions on advertising placed within your podcasts
9. 15 minute “pre-show” window before starting your podcast
10. Manual or automatic recording option for your podcast
11. Ability to mute chatroom and phone bridge callers
12. Ability to manually start and terminate podcasts
13. Ability to use SIP/VOIP or Phone to call into show
14. No ad revenue sharing for the hosts
15. Ability to schedule future shows for any day or time
16. Easy to use interface on show page
17. Ability to continue streaming before and after recording
18. Recordings available within 30 minutes of termination of show
19. Ability to not use a PC to host a live podcast

BlogTalkRadio

1. Free account signup for member and host
2. Free hosting and storage of MP3 recordings
3. Unlimited storage for archive of MP3 recordings
4. Up to 2 hours of podcast recording
5. No apparent restrictions now on time slots to host podcasts
6. Up to 5 people on the phone bridge at one time
7. Not sure on limit of chat room visitors
8. Dedicated phone number and ID for calling into show
9. Certain restrictions for advertising on your podcasts
10. Voluntary Ad Revenue Sharing program
11. No “pre-show” window for starting your live podcast
12. Automatic start and terminate of your podcast recording
13. Ability to continue streaming after recording is completed
14. Ability to mute chatroom and phone bridge callers
15. No ability to manual start or terminate podcast recordings
16. Ability to use VOIP or phone to call in, no SIP support
17. No ability to go over preset time limit for show recording
18. Ability to schedule future shows up to 30 days in advance
19. Not a user friendly interface for scheduling or show maintenance
20. Unsure as to how long before recordings show up after termination
21. Ability to not use a PC to host a podcast, but not recommended

This list is not complete. Only from the observation point of a show host. As you can see, BlogTalkRadio has more restrictions in place that makes it more difficult for an individual to host a show. BlogTalkRadio has some features that Talkshoe doesn’t, such as the ad revenue sharing program. Talkshoe, at one time, had such a program. However, with no advertising restrictions, Talkshoe allows the host to producing their own advertising dollars.

My response to the individual about why I chose Talkshoe over BlogTalkRadio was honest. In my opinion, Talkshoe still has the better service going between the two. Granted, Talkshoe has it’s share of technical issues still, and the test podcast I ran on BlogTalkRadio today, went smooth and the recording was clear and usable. Again, there will always be differences, but for the money (remember, Talkshoe is still a free service) I will be staying with Talkshoe for the time being and will hope that the technical issues get ironed out soon.

Popularity: 9% [?]