Periscope and Podcasting
Periscope is a live streaming service from Twitter. It's pretty cool. My step-son is at Perdue and last week we got to see his first performance with the band via periscope. I had 36 people watching my cat in a baby's sleeping shirt. During the week I would open it up and just talk about whatever hit me. It's an interesting way to connect with your audience. In general, the video is recorded and can be viewed for 24 hours. You can download the file and upload it to YouTube or whatever service you would like to use.
I used an iRig device originally meant for guitar players to plug their guitar into their iOs device but it works for me. You will need a 1/4" to 1/4" patch cable to go from the mixer to the iRig, and then the iRig into the phone.
There is an iRig2, but it is overkill. Also when it comes to patch cables, as you will be doing this near your mixer, this is probably a case where a shorter cable is better.
Like most podcast equipment questions, there are about a billion different tools you can use to do this. The bottom line is, have something to say. If you don't bring value, you won't have people coming back to hear what you have to say. It's one thing to just hop on and test it out, be sure to mention that. For me, I like firing it up and having one topic, saying it, and get out. In the immortal word of James Brown, "hit it and quit it."
Blab.im is completely addicting. It also is a streaming service like Periscope except you can (if you choose) to let up to four people join you. There is a chat room where people can chime in and ask questions. They can also request to be part of the stream. I tried this last Saturday on Ask the Podcast Coach. Typically this is a call in show where my co-host and I talk and occasionally take a phone call. It's awesome as you are never sure what you are going to get . I think in the year that I've done that show we've had one caller, and one waiting twice. Last Saturday I had four people in the cue wanting to come on.
You still have control over who is and is not on the stream. You can mute people, or band them from the blab. You can start a blab on your computer (so it's easy to connect your mixer or microphone)or on your mobile device. It's best to use Chrome when you are on the computer. You can choose to record it (or not). If you record it, when your blab is over, you get a link to the audio file (mp3 file - 320 kbps stereo) or the video. When I compared the audio from Blab the to the WAV file I recorded on my portable recorder, the WAV file didn't win by much.
It's also not fair to judge at this time because Blab.im is free. They have tons of video and audio on their servers, and trust me, they will eventually have to charge to keep this engine rolling.
Blog Talk Radio has really step up their game. Their audio is now 128 KBPS stereo. You (and your gusts) can connect directly to their system. It creates AWESOME sounding audio. You can have your audience call in via the phone. They have a chat system, and you can direct people to your show on Blog Talk Radio, you can also implement their system on your site. It is super easy for people to connect with you. With that said, the buzz on Blab.im completely smokes Blog Talk Radio. The interaction, the exposure of people tweeting, for me - in my experience - with my audience, it was like the difference between college football and the pros. Both are great, but blab.im was just a much faster pace.
Blog Talk Radio has the ability to have a call screener, and that you do not have at blab.im so be ready to eject the first person who comes in screams Bobba Booee!
For me, I do love being able to see the person's name, and have links to their profile on Twitter (so I may end up following you).
They plan on adding the feature to allow you to embed the blab on your site.
Currently blab is lacking in the stats category. You can see how many people attended your blab, but you can go back later and see how many people watched the relay.
Blog talk radio will win if your audience is not technical. If they are looking for businesses in the yellow pages. If you have a computer with a microphone, a smartphone, it's just too easy to join a blab. As the platform gets more popular it will be harder to find a blab, but for those people relying on the phone Blog Talk Radio is still the answer.
I spent some time investigating Soundcloud a few weeks ago. I would strongly urge you NOT to put any eggs in the basket. Their "Super cool player" no longer works on Facebook. They lost 29 million dollars last year, DJ's are puling their music, Sony music is pulling their music, and now they are being sued. In my opinion, it's dead site walking.
Bobby from Live Nude Puppets loves Dom DeLuise, and because of his podcast he has an agent that is looking to help launch a live nude puppets animated show. This lead to Bobby being in the same room as Burt Reynolds. Bobby is a HUGE Dom fan, and went and spoke to Burt about it, and both got choked up thinking about Mr. DeLuise. Thanks for sharing Bobby, and congrats on topping the charts on the Clammrcast Top 20 Coundtown.
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Saturday my wife called to let me know our German Sheppard Koda needed to be put to sleep. His health had been going downhill quickly, and now he could barely walk. He was 110 lbs. He was my gentle giant. It was a very sad day. I was thinking this morning as I walked into the kitchen where Koda used to sleep. The kitchen looks so much bigger with him gone. Dogs are a lot like podcasts.
You can read up on breeds, but until you bring the puppy home you never know what you actually have. My...
