Robert Stufflebeam
Level 1 (15 points)

Q: How can you view enhanced podcasts using the new iTunes or the iTunes U app?

Prior to iTunes 11, it was possible to view enhanced podcasts (audio podcasts synced with images and created using GarageBand) in the preview area of one's iTunes U library. The new version of iTunes seems to have eliminated the possibility of viewing images change as an enhanced podcast plays. Since all of my iTunes U lectures are enhanced podcasts, it's imperitave that my students be able to view a lecture. How can this be done within iTunes or the iTunes U app? Apple just released a new verion of iTunes that now allows users to view artwork in songs view. Will a similar improvement be made for the iTunes U view?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Cheers,

 

Rob Stufflebeam

Posted on Jun 13, 2013 8:14 AM

by Robert Stufflebeam,Solvedanswer
Robert Stufflebeam Robert Stufflebeam
Level 1 (15 points)
A:

I wish I could edit my saying 'This helped me' and change it to 'This solved my problem' because this works ... at least a version of this works! I don't have a PC, so I could not not do what you suggested. But on a Mac, all you have to to is double-click on the enhanced podcast so it begins to play, then, hold down the command key and click once in the image in the playback area and it will open up in a new window. Thank you so much!

Posted on Jul 17, 2013 8:59 AM

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Robert Stufflebeam

Q: How can you view enhanced podcasts using the new iTunes or the iTunes U app?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by michaelb227,Helpful

    michaelb227 michaelb227 Jun 19, 2013 11:58 AM in response to Robert Stufflebeam
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jun 19, 2013 11:58 AM in response to Robert Stufflebeam

    Yes, support for Enhanced Podcasts is greatly reduced in iTunes 11. There are lots of problems with the synchronized slideshow, Web links, and chapters--as you have noticed.

     

    Until Enhanced Podcast support is restored, and I hope it will be, there is a simple workaround.

     

    First, with your Podcast listing open in iTunes 11, drag-and-drop an episode to the Finder desktop. Then either do one of the following:

     

    * Click once on the episode file in the finder, do a "get info" and change the "open with" program to the QuickTime Player, then double-click the episode file.

     

    * Drag-and-drop the episode file on top of the QuickTime Player icon in the dock.

     

    The QuickTime player will then open, and you will be able to play the episode. The player controls include chapter selection (the grid of four squares on the right) and toggling full screen--this is excellent for high-resolution images.

     

    However, using the QuickTime Player still has limitations. Web links at the window's bottom aren't clickable, and there is no way to resume playing at the exact spot once you quit.

     

    As a workaround with the links, you can prepare the audio file to have links inside the "Lyrics" tab. Do a "get info" on the file in iTunes, click the "Lyrics" tab, then paste in notes or links. Hopefully this info isn't stripped out after publishing an episode, and it can be seen when doing a "get info" on the published episode in iTunes.

     

    If you want to alert people of this workaround, you can always publish a PDF file as an episode with instructions--or even notes and links.

     

     

    I hope this helps.

     

    Thanks!

  • by Robert Stufflebeam,

    Robert Stufflebeam Robert Stufflebeam Jun 19, 2013 12:22 PM in response to michaelb227
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jun 19, 2013 12:22 PM in response to michaelb227

    I appreciate your reply. I figured out the QuickTime work around when I was getting my summer courses up and running. Since the iTunes U app does not support enhanced podcasts (which is very annoying) I always publish a .pdf of the slides so folks using the iTunes U app can follow along with the lecture. Why Apple eliminated enhanced podcast support for iTunes is utterly mystifying. I sure wish I could find out if this feature will be restored!

     

    Cheers,

     

    Rob

  • by Notsoslo,Helpful

    Notsoslo Notsoslo Jul 4, 2013 8:47 AM in response to Robert Stufflebeam
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 4, 2013 8:47 AM in response to Robert Stufflebeam

    I figured it out for windows! if you go to the album artwork on the top (right to the right of the volume control) you Ctrl+left click and it pops up in a new window. Good luck with your classes, any other questions feel free to ask. *This works in Itunes 11.0.4.4*

     

    Message was edited by: Notsoslo

  • by Robert Stufflebeam,Solvedanswer

    Robert Stufflebeam Robert Stufflebeam Jul 17, 2013 8:59 AM in response to Notsoslo
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jul 17, 2013 8:59 AM in response to Notsoslo

    I wish I could edit my saying 'This helped me' and change it to 'This solved my problem' because this works ... at least a version of this works! I don't have a PC, so I could not not do what you suggested. But on a Mac, all you have to to is double-click on the enhanced podcast so it begins to play, then, hold down the command key and click once in the image in the playback area and it will open up in a new window. Thank you so much!

  • by roselindgren,

    roselindgren roselindgren Jul 24, 2013 7:02 PM in response to Robert Stufflebeam
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2013 7:02 PM in response to Robert Stufflebeam

    Thanks for the tip on how to view the artwork in iTunes. Does anyone have a tip how to view the content from an enhanced podcast on an iPhone? I would love to be able to use this great resource on my daily commute but cannot see chapter markers or any other artwork than the original title artwork on my iPhone. So although I can hear the program, it's not much use when all the references are to maps!

     

    Thanks, Rose

  • by michaelb227,

    michaelb227 michaelb227 Jul 25, 2013 7:02 AM in response to roselindgren
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 25, 2013 7:02 AM in response to roselindgren

    Apple's Podcast App doesn't work correctly for Enhanced Podcasts, but I've found Downcast shows the advancing slideshow and links on my iPad. I would imagine it does the same on the iPhone. Please let us know!

  • by Robert Stufflebeam,

    Robert Stufflebeam Robert Stufflebeam Jul 25, 2013 11:35 AM in response to michaelb227
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jul 25, 2013 11:35 AM in response to michaelb227

    I downloaded the Downcast app ($1.99), but I don't see anyway to access iTunes U content so I can test it.

     

    If anyone needs to make tutorials available on how to access iTunes U content, I've created three (one for folks using iTunes, one for folks using an iPad, and one for folks using an iPhone/iPod). You can access those tutorials here: http://www.uno.edu/moodle/iTunesU.aspx.

     

    Cheers,

     

    Rob

  • by michaelb227,

    michaelb227 michaelb227 Jul 25, 2013 12:56 PM in response to Robert Stufflebeam
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 25, 2013 12:56 PM in response to Robert Stufflebeam

    Like non-iTunes Podcasts, iTunes U content needs to be subscribed to manually in Downcast--there is no direct way.

     

    Try and copy the URL from iTunes after subscribing to it, then in Downcast subscribe to that URL. Does that work?