Podcasting For Windows Users

A lot of the podcasting articles on the Internet assume that the reader uses a Mac, but more and more personal computer users are recording their own podcasts using Windows software. With the proper equipment and a couple of free software downloads podcasting on Windows is relatively easy.

Windows Podcasting Equipment

Along with a Windows based personal computer with a minimum of 512 MG of RAM and a high speed Internet connection you will also need a microphone. Headphones or a headset, along with a pop filter are also useful when recording a podcast using a Windows based personal computer. But, for most of us, gearing up to produce our own podcast will cost little or nothing at all.

Owning a portable MP3 player, completely optional for a Windows podcast, will allow you to take your podcast recording with you on the road. Just remember that podcasts can take up a substantial amount of storage space, depending on the length of the recording, so keep this in mind when making a purchase of this type.

Windows Podcasting Software

Microsoft Windows XP is ideal for making quality podcasts at home. Earlier versions of Windows may also work for this purpose and so will the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating system called Vista. Another mandatory piece of software to enable podcasting in Windows is audio recording software. There are many open source audio software packages available for free download such as the Audacity audio editor. You will probably also need additional software, such as an encoder library file available from the same company, to convert your recordings to an MP3 format.

You will also need a Windows compatible audio player such as WinAmp or Windows Media Player. And you may want to obtain some songs or jingles to add to your Windows podcast recording.

Ready, Set, Record

Now that you have gathered all the necessary equipment and software required to make your first podcast you need to know how to accomplish this task. Learning to use the audio recording software might take some effort, but is essential. Learn as much as you can on the website from which you downloaded the audio recording software. If you need further information do a web search to find out how others have made successful recordings.

Whether used for educational purposes, as a marketing tool or just for fun recording your own Windows podcast will enable you to get your point across in your very own words. With practice you too can become an expert in this emerging technology and maybe even start your very own radio show!