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LTB4Wisdom
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Posts: 5

Hello LTB-Team thanks for the great plattform and content :-)

While I am very happy with genuine LTBs download button, its a bit annoying that a) for every new podcast on the network it needs two or three episodes with reminder posts until there is a download button right from the start b) there are no good filenames (at least when downloading from android) for most podcasts.

What do I get and what are my concrete wishes for b)? Some examples:

And what bothers me most (without really understanding the reason, maybe connected with spaces or so):

Maybe you could provide a suggested standard for the soundcloud settings to all new publishers? Would be great.

I wish you all a very happy productive 2015. Keep up the good work :-)

Posted on December 26, 2014 at 12:20 AM
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  • Cryptonaut
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    Posts: 1944
    Location: Canada

    Thanks for the suggestions! We have a bunch of different podcasters,so it is really up to each of them individually to make sure they have the download buttons enabled, clean file names etc. :p I will bring this up with them (assuming they dont already see this thread)

    Posted on December 26, 2014 at 8:49 AM
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  • Rob
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    Posts: 604
    Location: California

    @ltb4wisdom

    I noticed you have my Johoe episode as an example. I just downloaded that episode using the link, and got the full file name with the MP3 extension ("The Bitcoin Game #7 - Bitcoin Hero Jochen AKA Johoe.mp3"). I guess the spaces are messing things up on your Android? I make a big effort to name my MP3s consistently, and with a good description, but I can start adding dashes or underscores, if you believe that's universally helpful. Can you explain what you mean by "same file name on desktop and android"? What would make the file names different? I don't use Windows or Android, but testing on the platforms I use results in no issues at all with file names. Funny thing is, I started with no spaces in my file names, but when I used iTunes to embed metadata into my podcast episodes, iTunes changed the MP3 name to the title of track (with spaces). I realized that seemed like it was pretty standard MP3 naming convention for all my MP3s, so I figured it was universally okay. So just now I did some searching, and my take is there are just different standards on different platforms, and there is not necessarily a clear best way to do it.

    Note that the default Soundcloud setting is with downloads disabled, so podcasters have to remember to go in and change that for every new episode.

    I'm not sure if other podcasters bother with embedding metadata into the MP3s as I do (or if it even matters). But for every episode, there's info to enter on the LTB episode page, data for the Soundcloud track, and data for the MP3 that I enter. Each has lot of options and various fields, and I find there's lots of room for error (or imperfection). LTB provides basically zero guidance in any aspect of podcasting on the network (though you can ask Cryptonaut for technical help). It's a lot to figure out! Guidance well beyond Soundcloud details would be helpful for new podcasters. Not sure if you heard my podcast episode with Adam, but we discussed this a bit.

    I think some of the details you discuss are probably good file naming basics for decent organization -- helpful in any situation -- but particularly so when disseminating files to others. On the other hand, I've never experienced any issues you mention with LTB or other podcast. I think that's because I use a podcast app that finds files from the feeds and organizes them perfectly (I don't even see what the actual MP3 file name are). While I think your advice may be good so everyone's files work well in every situation, have you considered using a podcast app to manage your podcasts? I think you'll find all the issues you're having will vanish. Also, based on the Soundcloud stats I see (though they are somewhat vague), the vast majority (like 99%) of people do not download from Soundcloud, they either use another app, or they stream from Soundcloud. So of the 1% of people who do download from Soundcloud, I wonder how many do it from an OS that has an issue with spaces in a title?

    Can anyone else say what issues they have, and if you have the issues LTB4Wisdom has? I appreciate all technical feedback, but I'd also like more clarity if this is a fairly isolated case (for a handful of people who download to Android via Soundcoud link) rather than an issue that many people deal with.

    Posted on December 26, 2014 at 9:32 AM
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  • LTB4Wisdom
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    Posts: 5

    Thanks for caring cryptonaut and Rob!

    I make a big effort to name my MP3s consistently

    I see and appreciate that. Would be great if we also could make that work on android.

    I just retried to be sure: Your episode 7 downloads fine on linux desktop firefox. Downloaded with android the file plays fine, but is named ".mpga" (great interview bye the way!)

    I don't know the reason, spaces is just a suspicion. If you provide me test links, I am happy to test whatever you change.

    Guidance well beyond Soundcloud details would be helpful for new podcasters

    Even not being a podcaster, "only" a listener, thats what I wanted to stimulate. You can see the learning process with each new podcast, and I think a "best practices" file (where 1-2 pages migth suffice) might really help newcommers and lift the technical quality for the listener. Maybe you have enough experience now and write something to help the LTB-team?

    Not sure if you heard my podcast episode with Adam, but we discussed this a bit.

    I did. I heard and enjoyed all of them :-)

    have you considered using a podcast app to manage your podcasts

    I did search a good app two or three years ago but didn't find one that fits my needs. You are right, I should check again. Can you recommend a good one for android?

    Greetings

    Posted on December 27, 2014 at 7:25 AM
    Last Edited: December 27, 2014 at 7:30 AM
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  • Rob
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    Posts: 604
    Location: California

    @LTB4Wisdom

    I appreciate your feedback, and you might laugh if you knew how often I am in your shoes, trying to improve various LTB processes, w/ Adam, Cryptonaut, and the other podcasters. I assume everyone is trying to work big-to-small (and/or easy-to-hard) when it comes to improvements or noting issues… That may be why no one has set up ANY type of guidance for new podcasters (other than Adam's thread on his podcasting process http://letstalkbitcoin.com/forum/post/adams-process?page=1 ) -- hard to know if/when a new podcaster will join the ranks, so seems there are always more immediate needs. But just as I had no clue what I was doing in many regards, it is a shame for every new podcaster to basically have to repeat the process of figuring all the details out for themselves.

    There's much I'd like to contribute in these regards (as time permits), based on my own limited experience -- but I've never even thought about file naming best practices. I'm still hoping others will weigh in, just to see how isolated your issues are. But I will try avoiding spaces in the file name for the next episode, and see how that goes for you. I can't think of any other change that might help with your issue, and frankly, it seems weird that there's an issue at all with the extension not remaining intact.

    Since I'm not on Android, I don't know what podcast app to suggest. I'd just look at what gets good reviews and fits your budget. Or maybe another listener has a suggestion?

    Posted on December 28, 2014 at 9:39 AM
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  • LTB4Wisdom
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    Posts: 5

    @Rob

    Hi Rob, thanks so much for this great episode. Your are really quick to get the interesting people explain technical stuff. I love it. And: your episode 8 is downloading fine on android now with a good filename :-)) So this seems to confirm the spaces had been the problem.

    Very much looking forward to your next episodes. (And Damian Merlak would sure be interesting; I wouldn't so pessimistic about him only talking PR.)

    Posted on January 19, 2015 at 4:41 PM
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