Q: Technical Issues Message When Trying To Submit My Podcast Feed

You are on to something here Roger. I redid my xml file in a new format, I'm using Reinvented softwares Feeder app, and it changed the error to telling me my image needs to be at least 600x600 and my server needs to have HTTP head requests enabled. Once I changed my image to one that is 1024x1024 it changed back to the technical issues error. I know my server isnt allowing HTTP head requests and I'm working on trying to get the admin to enable that. Just some info to help solve the riddle, nothing has worked for me quite yet.

I put in duration in format 00:00:00 and a picture at 1400x1400px png. And suddenly it worked. How strange that Itunes says that they are having technical difficulties when it's a fault in my file. Why not say that there something wrong so I'm not just trying to wait it out!

It would help, wouldn't it, but they don't normally offer any form of diagnosis: they leave it up to you. (Or me.)

I can see why they can't diagnos every wring the users do. But it's better to know that I'm doing wrong then that they say that "THEY have difficulties and I need to try later...

But it works now, big thanks!

Same problem here.  Feed seems to validate, but im unsure if the problem is on apple's end or if there is something i need to fix.  It seems as if a lot of the issues are on the user end of things.

My feed:

http://www.northfiftyfive.com/gn/graphicnovice_feed.xml

Your feed seems to be OK and can be subscribed to manually in iTunes, so it looks as if the Store is having problems with the submission process.

Thanks Roger.

No resolution to the problem yet.  Have played around with the feed, always making sure it validates, but the "techical difficulties" continue.  Have contacted support.  waiting to hear back from senior support now.  I will post here when hear something.

Roger, how are you validating these various feeds? You've given such specific items to consider fixing, and I'd like to put my feed through that scrutiny without burdening you.

The feed is here: http://rhettpalmerlive.com/itunes_rss.xml

I'm experiencing "technical difficulties", too.

TIA,

--Burt

There are two things you can do. One is to subscribe manually to the feed in iTunes (from the 'File' menu) and check that all the episodes show and the top one downloads. The other is to check in http://www.feedvalidator.org - however you should use this with caution. It validates XML, not suitability as a podcast, and it will miss some errors and throw up others which don't matter, so you can easily be confused by it.

As to your feed, it can be subscribed to in iTunes and FeedValidator validates it. A minor point; some of your filenames have spaces in them. Spaces are not allowed in a URL - the feed is handling this correctly by substituting the code %20 for each space, so it's not actually a problem, but it's bad practice and better avoided. The usual method is to substitute underscores for spaces.

The two episodes of January 30th do not have playable media files and so will not show in iTunes.

You do not have an 'itunes:image' which doesn't matter, but if you add one it must be 1400 x 1400px, jpg or png, RGB, and less than 500kB (this is an example of something which FeedValidator will not pick up).

Thanks for the prompt reply, Roger.

I had done the two things you suggested: 1) subscribing manually (testing the listing and downloads), and 2) getting clear validation from feedvalidator.org. As you saw, both succeeded with no apparent errors.

I'll look into correcting the filenames with spaces.

I don't see the two episodes of January 30th...?

I'll take care of the 'itunes:image' in the future.

I'm still puzzled as to why the submission fails with "we are experiencing technical difficulties"...?

The January 30 episodes aren't there now; they were before.

The Store may indeed be having technical problems; however the image might possibly be an issue. They've recently started rejecting feeds which have images smaller than 1400 x 1400; I wonder whether possibly they are now rejecting feeds with no images. I have no evidence they are doing this, but perhaps you should create a simple image in the appropriate format and add it, and see whether that helps (let us know - the only way I can know what is going on in this area is when people report things since it's not possible to test it).

Roger,

I finally got to the bottom of this issue. The image had problems. Not sure exactly, but a professional was able to fix my image. It is frustrating that Apple doesn't just tell you this upon submission. Very confusing when they say "we are having technical difficulties.

I entirely agree, but it's always been like this. I suspect that the problem is that when Apple started the whole podcasting business they expected to handle only a few thousand over a reasonable period - what they've landed with is many thousands and a large number of applications all the time, and the presumably few staff are overwhelmed - hence the delays and the cryptic responses. The lack of reasons for rejection can leave one guessing, particularly as they say 'technical reasons' even when its unacceptable content.

And to confuse matters, there have been periods recently when there seem to have been technical difficulties at their end. In the end, it's a free service, and most free services have limited or more often no support. Perhaps it would be better if people had to pay a small subcription to be in the Store - it might help to fund a better support service, and with luck clear out some of the dreadful drivel going by the name of podcasts. But it wouldn't be a popular move.

Anyway I'm glad you got to the bottom of your own particular issue.