Burn Podcasts to a CD
Podcasts are audio and video files, usually consisting of spoken word but sometimes containing music, that exist as part of a series, such as online radio shows. The word itself combines "pod" (playable on demand) with "broadcast" to suggest recurring digital media content. In addition to listening to podcasts on a computer and transferring them to an MP3 player, you can burn them onto blank CDs to enjoy them on a CD player, transfer them to a different digital device or just store them for later.
Instructions
1. Download podcasts. You can find them in the iTunes Store by opening the iTunes Software, clicking "Store" in the left column and selecting the "Podcasts" tab. You can also download them from podcast sites like Podcast Alley and Podcast.com. Some talk radio stations also archive their shows in podcast form on their websites. For example, you can download NPR broadcasts from the NPR Podcast Directory online.
2. Open a program that allows audio CD burning. While your Windows or Mac operating system is capable of burning data CDs, you will need a third-party program for burning audio CDs, such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, Toast or Winamp. See Resources for a list of links where you can download these programs.
3. Drag your podcast file(s) into the main window of your software, using your mouse. For example, if using Toast, you will see a blank data space awaiting files as soon as you open the software. If using Winamp, the blank space appears when you click the "Media Library" tab in the upper-left region of the screen. If using Windows Media Player, enter your files into the "Burn List" by clicking the "Library" tab and selecting "Burn List" from the drop down menu. In iTunes, you must create a Playlist by clicking the "+" button in the lower left corner of the window. Then drag the podcast file(s) onto the blank space.
4. Insert a CD-R into your computer's CD-ROM drive. If your CD drive looks like a slot, just slide in the disc face up. If your CD-ROM drive has a tray, click the "Eject" button beside the tray, place the CD on the tray and press the button a second time.
5. Look at the total running time for your podcast(s) at the bottom of your screen. Note that many podcasts exceed 80 minutes in length (the maximum run time for an audio CD), and therefore cannot burn onto audio CDs. In cases like this, you can still burn your podcast(s) as a data CD by selecting "Data CD" from your burn options, sometimes appearing on your main window, but sometimes appearing under your "Options" or "Preferences" menu. You can listen to files from data CDs on other computers but not on conventional CD players.
6. Click the "Burn" button on your audio burning software to begin burning your podcast(s). The button may say "Burn Disc," "Burn" or "Copy," or it may simply look like a large red circle in the lower or upper right corner of the window.
Tags: your podcast, audio burning, blank space, Burn List, Burn Podcasts