Palegroove Studios - Podcast Production

My Podcasts from Gnomedex 2007

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 08:47:33 -0600

This year at Gnomedex I participated with a few other folks off the trodden path in a quiet, out of the way room. Some of those in attendance were Mark Chernesky, Chris Brogan, Greg Cangialosi, some more friends and a couple ridiculously large cruise ships outside the window.

The payoff for hanging out in this side room were the great conversations that we had about new media, emerging media, blog networks, new search spidering and mainstream media acceptance of emerging media techniques (they're more nimble than you think).

Fortunately, I had brought my mobile studio gear and recorded 14 podcasts from the time in that room. Enjoy!

CTC Podcasts from Gnomedex 2007:

Adam Metz - LaunchSquad.com
Hans Chung - PostReach.com
Steve Fisher - StartupSpark.com pt. 1
Steve Fisher - StartupSpark.com pt. 2
Greg Cangialosi - BlueSkyFactory.com
Doug Kaye - Gigavox.com
Chris Brogan - ChrisBrogan.com
Mark Chernesky - CNN.com
Jeremy Wright - b5media.com
Aaron Brazell - b5media.com
Stan James - Lijit.com
Josh Hallett - hyku.com
Chris Heuer - ChrisHeuer.com

Greg shot some great video of about 4 of the podcasts. You can watch my not so secret show intro laugh that I usually cut from every show.

Here's a sample (if you can't see the video click here):

Palegroove needs a makeover

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:11:18 -0500

In the spirit of our times, all designs must be redesigned. This site design is one in need of some love.

In the near future a cleaner, friendlier Palegroove will be here. But until then enjoy the brown.

New video and audio formats coming for Flash Player

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:46:14 -0500

There's been quite a bit of talk already about the beta release of the new Flash player yesterday from Adobe. There should be.

Support for the, oh so nerdily named H.264 video format (MP4 for those needing to explain it to a client), is a huge step forward for online video viewing. Why? The ubiquity of the Flash Player, ninety-eight percent of internet users have the player installed on their computers already. For producers this new feature will save hours upon hours of wasted time encoding, or in You Tube's case, transcoding video to a different format than its source.

So far Adobe has released the technical spec. Don't expect anything in full release or with support until the fall.

This could be the next evolution of podcasting on scale with the iTunes podcast directory. Now all we need is Microsoft to join the party.

Successful Web Design for Podcasting

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:42:46 -0500

You can listen to web design and RSS nerd out from my presentation at Podcast Academy 4 last September on "Successful Web Design for Podcasting". It is in the Podcast Academy channel from GigaVox Media.

Thanks to GigaVox team for putting on this series and letting me be a part of it.

Evan gets down with that legal mess

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:54:26 -0600

Friend and intellectual property attorney, Evan Brown, was interviewed today by Business POV about blogging and the Perez Hilton case, runtime is apprx. 5 minutes. And as usual he does a great job of distilling the facts of the case with other real world examples that a someone outside of the legal profession can understand.

So if you have ever asked about using someone else's work; photo, music, etc., this 5 minutes might help you answer that question.

You can catch Evan's podcast or read his blog at Internetcases.com.

Dynamic M3U playlist with PHP and MySQL

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:41:59 -0600

Podcasters listen up. I wanted to create a playlist (M3U file) in a couple varieties, one: recent podcasts (the last 30) and two: all podcasts. You would think this would be a simple thing to do with PHP and MySQL . . . nope. WordPress users might find this handy.

I did succeed (recent playlist).

Here's how I got it done:

1) Add a mod_rewrite line to your .htaccess file that ends with '.m3u' like so:

RewriteRule ^playlist/all/playlist.m3u$ http://www.yourdomain.com/yourscript.php?type=$1

2) Create the PHP script to generate the M3U data structure:

a. connect to your MySQL database
b. query your live podcasts (the ones in your cms like WordPress not labled draft. You'll most likely need to know the data type it submits to this field in the database like '0' or '1')
c. pull up the post id, post title and podcast file

3) Lie to the browser by writing a header for an M3U file:

header("content-type: audio/x-mpegurl");

4) Write this line without 'echo' or 'print':

#EXTM3U

5) Create a loop to write your podcast id, podcast title and podcast URL

6) The M3U output, which you shouldn't see in the browser if you do this right (I know I saw it for about an hour) looks like:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:597,Betsy and her husband Kris Jan 01, 2007
http://www.croncast.com/show/597/cks-2007-01-01.mp3
#EXTINF:596,Betsy and her husband Kris Dec 29, 2006
http://www.croncast.com/show/596/cks-2006-12-29.mp3

I am not a super coder but this should be enough to get you going. And just in case that it isn't look below for the exact (well, nearly exact script that I am using).

I'm speaking - Podcasting: An Insider's View

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:49:00 -0500

Register (It's free).

I'm speaking tomorrow for a webinar series put on by ReadyTalk here's the lowdown:

"Kris Smith will bring his insider's view of podcasting from the beginning of this exciting medium straight through to today and into the future. We'll discuss podcasting's history, tools, music, theme, content creation, copyright and other tips that can help you hit the ground running as a producer."

Routing synapses: Portable Media Expo thoughts

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 13:14:00 -0500

It has taken me nearly a week to find some time to sit down and write about this year's Portable Media Expo. My brain takes so long to process situations that when you stack about 200 new situations right on top of one another my synapses begin to flutter a bit like a dancer dropping it likes it's hot. If you missed that analogy just turn on MTV and watch any rap video to see things dropping and gyrating.

So as this stuff has shaken out in my thought process I keep seeing the faces of those I shared some words and grub with . . . Nicole Simon, Garrick Van Buren, Greg Cangialosi, Mark Chernesky, Rick Klau, Eric Olson, Paul Figgiani (Paul got a hug), Tim Bourquin, Scott Fletcher, David Lawrence, Frank Barnako, Holland Cooke, Giovanni Gullacci, John and Erin Paxton and Craig Patchett (he told us not to drive Slowsky).

On the social side there was Evo and Sheila, Dave Slusher for 3 mintues on the way to his seesion (I think the best session of the Expo) . . . damn, that is the end. I should have hung out more!

New train of thought, thinking of my sessions I wanted to thank everyone who attended especially the 40 or so people who showed up for the one on Saturday at the Portable Media Expo. There I met some great people with podcast consulting and production motivations like myself. It was fun to share how you too can loose a client like MTV Networks and how you can gain a client like Alltel and produce for NFL players.

The take aways from the Expo are varied for me. It was a great time to meet and hangout with other podcasters and listeners (Tom Davies you rock). The meet-upability of the Expo is hands down the biggest reason for attending if you have been podcasting for some time. If you are new to the community then I would guess that the Expo was probably extremely overwhelming as the sessions popped off and the social component took hold.

I can't say that I was really disappointed by things but did have some low moments:

1) Pink spandex at the Marriott and the wood inside
2) Being told repeatedly that no one in podcasting is making any money (Ahem, because you're not doesn't mean that others aren't)
3) Rehashing the same discussions that have been going on since the beginning

Now that I have my memories in some semblance of real activity and spared you the personal details of many of those interactions I want to say thank you to Tim, Emile and the PME staff for producing this event and allowing podcasters to be themselves . . . pink spandex shorts and all.

The formal evaluations from my session are in

Palegroove demo from Jaguar XK event

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:24:40 -0500

This podcast was an experiment to record in many different environments and compile them into a podcast that could represent the day and drive of Jaguar enthusiast. Those environments included 2 cars, in a public park and a grocery store.

Below are pictures from the event. All of these pictures have been added to the podcast ID3 tag and can be viewed with iTunes.

Speaking: PME and Podcast Academy next week

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:00:06 -0500

No time like the present to let the world know that next week I'll be in Ontario, CA speaking at the Podcast Academy 4 and Podcast and Portable Media Expo.

On September 28th I will deliver the 'Integration' session at the Podcast Academy on "Successful Web Design for Podcasting". I will be comparing successful podcasting sites, techniques for user interface design and code engines that can make implementing a podacast site quick and simple.

On September 30th I'll be leading a session titled "Leveraging Your Knowledge as a Successful Podcasting Consultant". Isn't that a mouthfull? During this session I will share my experiences as a podcast consultant both good and could have been better, communicating ideas effectively to the client, what to put in a proposal, and tips on streamlining your audio production.

We'll also talk pricing.

Green is DEAD to me

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 15:45:10 -0500

I can't take it.

Web 2.0 green has seen its day and burned out the last cone in my eye. Enough is enough. As a designer I am rebelling by telling the color green to Rest In Peace.

The green and blue Web 2.0 combo influence can be felt in every corner of the internet. And when the sites and logos come together it is like staring at the surface of the sun.

Yes, I am guilty as a producer of some of those sun spots too but the day has come to put the green combo palette to rest. Let blue and red and yellow and orange and purple and brown and black reign.

Alltel Racing Podcast Gets It Right

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 10:51:41 -0500

Steve Kaminski from the Grand Rapids Press has a review of the Alltel Racing Podast that shouldn't be missed by anyone interested in business podcasting, "Alltel's NASCAR podcast proves insightful". Kaminski comes to the podcast as a skeptic and leaves a believer in the power of podcasting.

" 'Yippee' is what I thought when I opened up my e-mail and read that Alltel has introduced the Alltel Racing Podcast this season.

Can you say "infomercial?"

On second thought, don't say it.

You would be wrong.

This is not scripted and rehearsed. With Borland, you get shoot-from-the-hip, no holds barred, opinionated talk.

I talked to Alltel executives last week, and they said they wanted to give fans a behind-the-scene look at their race team. That they deliver."

What Alltel has done is simply to follow rule one in podcasting to have successful show. What is that rule? Honesty. Just be honest. Be human.

Take a listen at www.alltelracingpodcast.com.

Croncast Celebrates 100th Podcast!

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 08:35:37 -0500

Palegroove Studios' first podcast, Croncast, will celebrate it's 100th episode on Friday April 8th, 2005 by releasing a regualr show and a "Best of the First 100" show.

Croncast has reached this milestone over the last 5 months by producing at least 3 podcasts a week.

Croncast began as a daily show with Kristopher Smith producing and hosting 3 solo shows a week with the other two days filled with various guests. The solo shows focused on the podcasting community, commentary and music. The shows with guests inlcuded one special guest who is now the co-host of Croncast, Kris' wife, Betsy.

Betsy became an early listener favorite because of her humor and chemistry that she and Kris have.

Congratulations Croncast! Keep up the good work.

Croncast in the news

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:35:37 -0600

Palegroove Studios production, Croncast was highlighted in an online and print article focused on the podcasting wave by the Pulse Niagra title Pod Nation.

Excerpt:

" For a time in technology where possibilities are endless, there is an ever widening gap between the makers of entertainment and the consumers. It is out of this gap that podcasting arises.

Alienated by popular media-by images and voices that do not reflect the reality of the average person, the message that nobody is thin enough, wealthy enough or interesting enough-podcasters have reclaimed entertainment for the common people."

Palegroove Studios on Podcast Brothers

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 08:35:37 -0600

Palegroove Studios founder Kristopher Smith was highlighted on the February 24, 2005 edition of The Podcast Brothers, the official podcast of the Podcast and Portable Media Expo.

Kris was interviewed by Tim Bourquin about his new start-up, Palegroove Studios. The focus of the interview is how Kris plans to grow a business based on podcasting and new media technologies.