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Video podcast (sometimes shortened to vidcast or vodcast) is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures. The term is an evolution specialized for video, coming from the generally audio-based podcast and referring to the distribution of video where the RSS feed is used as a non-linear TV channel to which consumers can subscribe using a PC, TV, set-top box, media center or mobile multimedia device).
From a web server, a video podcast can be distributed as a file or as a stream. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Downloading complete video podcasts in advance gives the user the ability to play the video podcasts offline on, for example, a portable media player. Streaming allows seeking (skipping portions of the file) without downloading the full video podcast, better statistics and lower bandwidth costs for the servers; however, users may have to face pauses in playback caused by slow transfer speeds.
A podcasting client may work with a separate, or integrated player. One such example of the latter is iTunes, which is an unusual case of a web feed aggregator being added to a media player rather than vice versa.
Vodcasting (Video Podcasting) took off in the Netherlands, for several reasons. First, over 60% of the Dutch have broadband Internet of 1 Mbit/s and faster so there's a large potential audience for on-demand video services. Second, vodcasting was pioneered and promoted by Dutch streaming specialist at vodcast.nl. Video blogging was promoted by xolo.tv from Amsterdam.
Following suit in August 2005 with the launch of a Philippine-based infotainment program called HIT.
Channeling of on-demand content has major benefits for both publishers and subscribers. Publishers can still bundle content for their audience. Subscribers can consume content on-demand and don't need keyboard or mouse interfaces to choose channels and items, much similar to zapping through regular TV stations, and new episodes show up automatically, so the technology is ideal for on-the-go (portable media players and mobile phones) and living room mass media consumption (TV), as demonstrated by the pioneers at vodcast.nl. Apple's Front Row media center application is the first to support this technology.
Prosumers are using this technology as well, but for completely different purposes: mainly targeting desktop and offline (iPod) use, and call their efforts video blogs, vlogs, vlogging and vcasts, which are easily mistaken for but are not the same as Video podcasts.
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Timeline
On 14 November 2004 Steve Garfield creates a video blog calling it a Video Podcast: http://stevegarfield.blogs.com/videopodcast/2004/11/videopodcast_20.html
On 13 March 2005 the first episode of Tiki Bar TV was released as a video blog. This low budget, but well-produced series has quickly become one of the most popular video podcasts as they later introduced RSS functions.
On 3 July 2005 Dutch streaming pioneer Stef van der Ziel from Jet Stream introduces the term 'VODcast' for channeling video-on-demand titles through RSS, XML, WML and HTML feeds and demos video streaming in rss feeds at www.vodcast.nl. He combined audio streaming and rss in 2004.
On 11 July 2005 Dutch National Broadcaster VPRO and Stef van der Ziel take vodcasting mainstream by introducing the first popmusic 3VOOR12 vodcast feed, stating that vodcasting has the potential of becoming future TV channels for on-demand video content.
In July 2005, Vodcasts.TV, the first vodcast directory launches.
In July 2005, The University of Chicago begins to Video podcast poetry lectures http://poempresent.uchicago.edu/poempresent.rss and interviews with researchers http://research.uchicago.edu/highlights/research.rss .
In August 2005, Stef van der Ziel from VODcast.nl pitches the iTuner (8MB) concept (PDF password is "dingdong") to several hardware and software developers, including Apple Computer. "iTuner" describes a half height Mac Mini device with RSS subscription / EPG functionality, video streaming decoding features, video output connectors, a basic TV-friendly graphical user interface and an iPod-like remote control, to bring vodcasting to the living room.
In August 2005 , Brookside Baptist Church produces the first religious Video podcasts*.
On 20 August 2005, three siblings from the Philippines produce HIT the first Video podcast in Asia.
In September 2005, international luxury lifestyle publication, CITY Magazine, becomes the first magazine to publish their CITY TV content on the iTunes Music Store as a video podcast*.
On September 5 2005, Kray Mitchell released his short film CrookZ * using the iTunes Podcast Directory, the first short film to be widely released on the directory. CrookZ remained in the Top 50 Podcasts for over two weeks, and in the Top 100 for over a month after its initial release (In multiple Countries, including Canada, where it was released).
Other groups, such as Youth Radio *, an independent youth media organization, use its video podcasts to bring youth perspectives to a wider audience, with many pieces exploring youth culture and life. Youth Radio is the first youth media organization to video podcast.
On October 12, 2005, Apple introduces the new iPod and Front Row Media Center with full support for video podcasting. iPod now supports downloadable video podcasts through iTunes RSS subscription and syncing features. Front Row now lets users subscribe through iTunes and consume video podcasts in a TV-centered environment.
In October 2005, right after Apple's introduction of the new iMac, Vodcast.nl demos high quality IPTV streams and video podcast streams in Front Row, showing that the technology is ready for living room use as well as desktop use and on-the-go use.
In November 2005, the German public TV channel ARD started publishing its "Tagesschau" (8 pm news show) as a video podcast (http://www.tagesschau.de/podcast)
In November 2005, The National Basketball Association starts vodcasting. Each night the NBA sends the latest video highlights directly to the NBA TV Broadband RSS feed. http://broadband.nba.com/cc/podcast.php?type=vodcast
In November 2005, The Public Broadcasting Service science series Nova starts publishing vodcasts from the world of science, including excerpts from their television programs. http://broadband.wgbh.org/nova/rss/nova-vodcast.xml
In November 2005, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant starts vodcasting.
In November 2005, 3 out of the top 5 podcasts in the Dutch iTunes Music Store are video podcasts.
In January 2006, BMW launches their official BMW Vodcast* with news and highlights.
In January 2006, UNICEF launches their UNICEF Television Vodcast which is a global news service focusing on the health, education, equality and protection of children.
In January 2006, Macbreak launches their first video cast, marking the first High Definition videocast.
In February 2006, three Swedish media companies start VODcasting, among them public broadcasting company Sveriges Television.
In February 2006, the nation's oldest and largest industrial trade association, the National Association of Manufacturers, begins a video podcast of its popular "Cool Stuff Being Made" series *.
In February 2006, CHUM Limited became the first Canadian broadcaster to video podcast a show. Full episodes of the Citytv/MuchMusic"VJ Search" show were published on the night of the weekly TV broadcast.
In June 2006, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany held her first video podcast-speech and announced to continue this on a weekly base to explain her politics. Merkel is the first head of government to use this technology.
In July 2006, the BBC started trials of video podcasts of its Ten O'Clock News and Newsnight television programmes, and a new service called STORYFix *
In September 2006, Apple pre-announced the iTV (codename), a wireless video-streaming Set Top Box, with RSS support, the Apple Remote and the Front Row Interface, similar to the in august 2005 pitched iTuner concept, design and features.
On 18 September, BBC News added a new 'on the day' podcast to the three launched in July (see above). The Breakfast Takeaway offers a complete morning summary of the day's news, intended to catch commuters and business people who are about to leave their homes. *
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See also
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