iTunes 7 and "unofficial" podcasts

[laarree]

I have a minor quibble with iTunes 7.

Occasionally I download "podcast" mp3s that are "unofficial", e.g. not
available thru the iTunes store podcast directory and obtained directly
from its creator's website. The "podcasts" in question are inevitably
interview/lecture/talk show format and not music.

If I add such a file to my iTunes library, it goes directly into the "Music"
category of the library. I tag them with the Genre "Podcast", but they
remain as part of the Music sub-library (or whatever they're called),
which is not very smart.

Is there a way to tweak iTunes to be more flexible and have these files
be recognized as podcasts so that they appear in the Podcast "sub-library",
or to create a custom "sublibrary" to handle these files? A plugin perhaps?

[Chupa Chupa]

Just make a smart folder tagged for podcasts.

[mattkime]

whatcha listening to?

[ztirffritz]

You're a podcast junkie, aren't you Matt?

[Seacrest]

'podcasts' are not a particular file, or type of file, or 'genre'.
Podcasts in iTunes are recognized as such by the fact that the user has downloaded an audio or video file via an RSS feed, which is a specialized XML document that tells iTunes certain information about the podcast.

If there is an actual RSS feed for the files you are downloading, you should be able to add it to iTunes under Advanced->Subscribe to Podcast. Otherwise, it is just an audio (or video) file.

[laarree]

[quote Seacrest]'podcasts' are not a particular file, or type of file, or 'genre'.
Podcasts in iTunes are recognized as such by the fact that the user has downloaded an audio or video file via an RSS feed, which is a specialized XML document that tells iTunes certain information about the podcast.

If there is an actual RSS feed for the files you are downloading, you should be able to add it to iTunes under Advanced->Subscribe to Podcast. Otherwise, it is just an audio (or video) file.
Therein lies the problem--said audio files are classified as Music by iTunes.
I have a smart playlist for these non-music podcasts, but it's just not as being
able to properly categorize them in iTunes' prefab structure.

BTW, Seacrest, one of the files I'm talking about is that Richard Dawkins link
you left in that "Friendly" forum. Don't see a subscription link for it.

[quote Chupa Chupa]Just make a smart folder tagged for podcasts.
How would you use that? I already have the files in iTunes.

[quote mattkime]whatcha listening to?

[Seacrest]

Science Friday Podcast link:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSto...d=73329284

[laarree]

Seacrest, you da man! I thought I had done a thorough search in iTunes,
but I guess I was a Sunday night sleepyhead after all.