Since the last update, iTunes (by default) plays every episode in a podcast feed sequentially, whether unplayed or not, instead of only playing the one I selected. Is there a way to change the podcast playback behaviour to only play one file?
iTunes-OTHER, Windows 7
I had a temporary solution in that I could open up Windows Explorer, play the episode using another media player, then mark the episode was Played when I was done. But this is a tiring and roundabout way of dealing with this.
Instead, I removed all of my podcasts from iTunes, put them all through Winamp, and now I can listen to podcasts without this blasted continuous play business.
Alternatively, you can clear the upcoming list of Podcasts, by clicking on the Now Playlist list and selecting Clear:
Unfortunately, the Now Playlist doesn't populate itselft with upcoming podcasts. At least, it hasn't been doing so for me.
I've made use of this playlist extensively for music and found it most useful. I quite enjoy it. But when I play podcasts, it tells me that "Music Playback is paused," gives me the option to resume, and shows a list of music on hold. No podcast episodes. Is there a way to make it so?
I was going to suggest you try this:
However it seems if you use the list view it plays one episide and then stops, so that might be even easier. 😀
tt2
Well now I'm doubly 😕.
Steve, did you try playing a Podcast episode in List view? I ask, because after Creydon's last post I read, re-read and read it again to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Consequently I tried playing some Podcasts.
The results are odd, even after re-booting my computer.
In List view:
As I'm sure you are aware, by default iTunes sets all Podcasts to Skip when shuffling, so in Shuffle mode, once a Podcast finishes, since all the others are set to skip, iTunes should stop. But if Shuffle is turned on then off again, iTunes mistakenly plays Podcasts at random, even though Shuffle has been turned off! Surely, this is a bug?
At least though, it is possible to make iTunes play one Podcast episode, then stop, (as I expected, so not a bug at this point!). Simply turn on Shuffle (and leave it on).
Phil
Message was edited by: the fiend
Creydon wrote:
But when I play podcasts, it tells me that "Music Playback is paused," gives me the option to resume, and shows a list of music on hold. No podcast episodes. Is there a way to make it so?
Uuummm!
I thought you wanted to play just one episode, but now you are asking for a "list of episodes". If it's to create a Playlist, well, given the apparent bug in iTunes concerning this feature, it seems you can't. It's not even possible to drag Podcasts to the Up Next list.
All that notwithstanding, to play just one Podcast episode, turn on the Shuffle feature. Once that is done, I cannot make iTunes "go wrong". Not yet, anyway!
My turn to be confused. I had a test library open at the time so I just imported a couple of podcast episodes to confirm that limiting the displayed tracks via search caused playback to stop at the end of the playing episode. For whatever reason (probably limited episodes and the display order) it still stopped at the end of the first episode even when both were visible so I assumed it was a feature of the List view as opposed to Unplayed, My Podcasts or My Stations.
Restricting the displayed episodes with the search box ensures that only one episode plays.
tt2
turingtest2's method of typing something random in the search box worked to allow on episode to play at a time. Also, the fiend's method of setting the podcast playback to shuffle ceased playback after one episode. Somewhat counter-intuitive, and I hope Apple figures out a way to have 'single episode playback' a function of iTunes, rather than an exploitable bug.
thefiend: You suggested that I could use the "Now Playing" playlist to control the playback of podcast episodes. I have used this playlist before to control music, especially when I only wanted one song to play. I was hoping you had insight into how to make the playlist work for podcasts, as it would offer me control over podcast playback. That is why I was interested in learning how it was done.
Creydon wrote:
thefiend: You suggested that I could use the "Now Playing" playlist to control the playback of podcast episodes. I have used this playlist before to control music, especially when I only wanted one song to play. I was hoping you had insight into how to make the playlist work for podcasts, as it would offer me control over podcast playback. That is why I was interested in learning how it was done.
Unfortunately, that's before I realised that iTunes has a bug! And I believe this is a bug (coupled with some oversight), not a feature.
I have exploited the Skip when shuffling feature on the iPod Classic for playing Podcasts for a long time now, because the Classic displays some very odd behaviour with Podcasts. (It plays them in reverse-date order - why? So the only way to play them sensibly is to play one at a time and turning on Shuffle has been the easiest way to achieve that.)
I could go on, but "Podcasts" appears to be lost in the wilderness at the moment as far as Apple are concerned and it's a whole other story.
So to play just one Podcast episode, either use tt2's "type rubbish into the search box", or remember to set Shuffle on when playing Podcasts but back off again if you don't want your music library to play random songs. I think tt2's method is easier!
The trick that has been working for me is to create playlist.
1. Go to the MUSIC section via the left dropdown
2. Click the PLAYLISTS tab at the top
3. Click on the "+" at the lower left and create a new playlist.
3. While in yoru new play list, click ADD TO + at the upper left.
4. It will automatically take you back to music.
5. Got to PODCASTS via the left dropdown
6. Drag and drop the episodes you want (Note that they must be downloaded to add to a playlist)
It's quite tedious, but it works well.
Can I set iTunes to only play one podcast episode at a time?
