Can't sync podcasts ios7.0.3 - terrible

Question

whoit Author

Level 1

15 points

Can't sync podcasts ios7.0.3 - terrible

Just got my 5S with iOS 7.0.3 and I can't sync a single podcast.

I'm using Windows 7 Pro, iTunes 11.1.1.11, Podcast App 2.0

I have a large quantity of downloaded podcasts that I've been syncing for years

with iPods, iPhones, and iPads - everything has worked perfectly until now.

I do not sync/download podcasts from within an app - I have a separate

program on my PC to download and manage them.

I do not subscribe to Podcasts via my Apple products or iTunes because my wife and I share

our libraries.

(Meaning using an alternative app like Downcast will not work as it cannot sync existing podcasts via iTunes)

No matter what I do, as long as Podcasts are of Kind "Podcast", they won't sync.

I've tried:

1) Uninstalling/reinstalling the Podcast App multiple times

2) Syncing podcasts 'Automatically' with every option - 'all', 'all unplayed', 'recent unplayed', etc, etc

3) 'Include Episodes from Playlists'

4) and more.

After syncing, I've noticed in iTunes, under my Device, I can see all the podcasts in either the 'Podcast' link or the various Playlists (depending on what I've tried)

However, the Podcast App on the iPhone simply will not show them - as groups, or playlists, or anything.

The most I've ever gotten is a single Podcast mislabeled and with the wrong Artwork.

If I change all my Podcasts to Kind "Music" (or 'Audiobook') then I can get them into the Music player, but then I lose all my storage organization in iTunes - the 'Podcast' Library item becomes useless.

I've been an Apple user since the Apple II so I'm no nubie.

This is the worst junk Apple has ever turned out - whoever worked on it should be fired immediately - and I mean coders, managers, directors - all of them.

All I want to do is sync Podcasts from my PC library to my BRAND NEW EXPENSIVE iPhone the same way I can with music.

Does anyone have any ideas what else to do?

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.0.3

Posted on Oct 24, 2013 10:46 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 24, 2013 11:13 AM in response to whoit

I too have problems. It was fine until updating to Podcasts 2.0 with iTunes 11.1.2 (Tuesday). My iPad 3 and iPhone 4s are in sync with themselves and I expect them to be. iTunes on my mid-2010 iMac doesn't recognise anything as "Played" but downloads new episodes and my Apple TV has a different batch of Podcasts somewhere between my iOS devices and my Mac.

Bug report to be filed. They've yet to do a clean update to the Podcasts app!

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Answer 2

villetos

Level 1

0 points

Oct 25, 2013 5:31 AM in response to philfromcroydon

I have similar findings. I noticed Podcasts 2.0 app doesn't keep iTunes updated. But if I play or delete podcasts in iTunes, the changes are transfered correctly to Podcasts 2.0.

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Answer 3

Oct 25, 2013 6:08 AM in response to whoit

I have also found that any podcasts which I've add to iTunes manually, (ie. nonsubscribed through iTunes. I download a local morning radio show's mp3, that I like to listen to on my iPhone through the Podcast app), doesn't transfer in the Sync process now, since the latest iTunes and Podcast updates.

In the Podcast 1.0 app and in the last itteration of iTunes, I was able to manually add mp3 podcasts to iTunes, change the type to Podcast, and then have them transfered to my iPhone during a normal sync updates.

Now, nothing. The only thing that stays sync are podcasts that I've subscribed to through iTunes. All my "private" podcasts do not transfer.

This is quite frustrating since the whole process worked before Podcast 2.0 came out.

Whom ever released this app did an improper QC check on, since it seems that a lot of podcast users are having this same issue.

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Answer 4

whoit Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 25, 2013 6:35 AM in response to whoit

UPDATE:

I have *kind of* solved the problem.

Basically the problem is a lack of proper ID3 Tags in the old podcast files.

I've read a lot other threads and articles and this is what you can do.

1) Download and install Mp3tag - it's a free Tag editing utility

2) Using Mp3tag, open the podcast file or directory with the old podcasts

3) Select 1 or more podcasts in the list and then 'Extended Tags' (right click or View -> Extended Tags)

4) Add the following tags and values if they don't exist:

a) tag=COMMENT ITUNPGAP value=0

b) tag=PODCAST value=1

c) tag=PODCASTURL value=<use the actual URL i.e. http://sawbones.libsyn.com/rss>

d) tag=PODCASTID value=<any value as long as it's the same for all related podcasts i.e. 'Sawbones'>

5) Save the changes

6) After saving all the new tags, re-add the podcasts to iTunes and everything should work properly.

The only problem is that you have to do this for every podcast downloaded from any source that is not iTunes.

More about PODCASTURL - I've found that you need the actual URL, not just any text. I found the URL by Subscribing to the podcast in iTunes, downloading one podcast, then examining it in Mp3tag and copying the URL. If you do it this way, your old podcasts will group properly with any new ones downloaded from iTunes.

If someone has more details for this process please add it to this thread!

For example, the tags PODCASTID and COMMENT ITUNPGAP may be unnecessary - I haven't taken the time to find out.

(Please don't ask me to teach you how to use Mp3tag - it's easy - read the manual)

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Answer 5

Oct 27, 2013 10:56 PM in response to whoit

I am having the exact same issue here. Has anyone talked to apple about this?

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Answer 6

jerrih

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2013 3:47 PM in response to whoit

I'm having the same problem with auidobooks. I've been a heavy user of audiobooks, and as of 7.0.3 I can't add any new books 😢

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Answer 7

7smcb

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2013 8:26 PM in response to jerrih

Same problem. Driving me made. Sound files that I've saved as file type "podcasts" aren't moving to ipad/iphone. Very irritating. Sort it out, Apple.

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Answer 8

godbout

Level 1

8 points

Oct 28, 2013 11:40 PM in response to 7smcb

Same for me. Podcasts, audiobooks, movies, music, tv shows, nothing except books sync to my iPhone. Works towards my iPad though.

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Answer 9

godbout

Level 1

8 points

Oct 29, 2013 12:04 AM in response to godbout

Ok, today I sign out from the store within iTunes, sign again, re-authorize the computer (tells me it's already authorized), I sync, every goes smooth. Maybe give it a try.

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Answer 10

Tlc83

Level 1

0 points

Oct 29, 2013 3:14 AM in response to whoit

I've got the podcast app on my iphone and ipad yet if I download a podcast on my phone it won't appear on the ipad! Why not? I don't want to have to plug them into the laptop to sync using iTunes all the time! Thought if you downloaded it on one it should download to both! I have the sync button switched on in the settings ahhhh it's frustrating anyway around this?

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Answer 11

Oct 30, 2013 3:34 AM in response to whoit

Have the same problem but on an iPhone5 after upgring to ios 7.0.3. The podcast app appears on the screen, but when I tap it it flashes open and then shuts again - with no content - although the syn appears to progress normally. How long is it going to take Apple to get it sorted?

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Answer 12

Oct 30, 2013 7:28 AM in response to whoit

I am having the same problem. I am not wanting to go through and extend the tag on everything! It's like podcasts are the last thing they worry about. Haven't even tried my audiobooks yet!

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Answer 13

whoit Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 30, 2013 7:41 AM in response to mom2busyboys

After editing the tags and using iTunes and Podcasts for about a week now, I'm convinced this is the only way to resolve this until Apple gets off their butt and fixes it (We miss you Steve!).

You should reconsider editing the tags to resolve the problem.

This is what I did:

I subscribed to the same podcasts via iTunes and downloaded every episode available for each one.

Then, I simply mass edited the existing podcasts (previously downloaded from outside iTunes).

Of the 1500+ podcasts I have gathered over time, I only had to edit about 700 (mostly This American Life).

Mass editing in Mp3tag is easy.

All told it took me about 4 hours to fix everything (not including subscription/download time).

Now, iTunes/Podcasts is always up-to-date, ALL my podcasts sync properly, and my iPhone always adds new episodes and removes played ones automatically.

Other than the already stated issues, it works rather well.

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Answer 14

7smcb

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2013 5:46 PM in response to whoit

Whoit, that sounds like it will only work for sound files which *are* linked podcasts - ie they do have URLs. Any idea of what to do for the sound files that I've saved as podcasts all these years which Itunes still enables me to convert into podcasts, which are still stored in my itunes podcast window but will not sync to ios7 Podcasts 2.0?

Would a dummy URL work?

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Answer 15

whoit Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 31, 2013 6:52 PM in response to 7smcb

7smcb - I'm not really sure - other sites have stated that you can put anything into the PODCASTURL tag as long as it's the same for all related podcasts, but I never got it to work.

Of course, I tried things like "TheBugle" or other basic text.

Perhaps it might work if you used a phony URL, i.e. "http://podcast1.com/podcast.xml" or "http://thebugle.com/rss" or "http://abcdefg.com/rss" or "http://thisisaurl.com" or anything that looks like a real URL?

If you try it and it works, please respond in this thread so others can use it.

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