iPod Podcasts and iTunes 9 (Mac OS X Tiger)

[el-John-o]

Hey folks!

Kind of a shot in the dark here. I've got an iMac G4 running Tiger; iTunes 9 is the latest version it supports. Everything works fine to sync to older FireWire iPods but the 'podcasts' tab doesn't work. I can't subscribe to or download podcasts.

I'm aware I could sync my iPods with newer devices but just as a 'project' I'm wanting to get the iMac G4 working as the primary sync station for my older iPods. Has anyone figured out how to make 'podcasts' work or is that just dead in the water with iTunes 9? Does anyone know the oldest version of iTunes that DOES work? (I really don't want to install Leopard, but I MIGHT if it's necessary.)

EDIT: I installed iTunes 10.7 on a modern Mac using Retroactive, and it doesn't appear to work with Podcasts either. So it seems that podcasts won't work with ANY PowerPC Macs. Does that seem accurate?

 

[Slix]

I just downloaded a Podcast from the iTunes Store on Leopard running iTunes 10.6.3 on my G4. They play just fine in the Podcasts section of the iTunes library. Do you already have Podcasts downloaded into iTunes or are you trying to sync them without having them downloaded first? Can you share some screenshots of what you are experiencing?

 

[el-John-o]

I just downloaded a Podcast from the iTunes Store on Leopard running iTunes 10.6.3 on my G4. They play just fine in the Podcasts section of the iTunes library. Do you already have Podcasts downloaded into iTunes or are you trying to sync them without having them downloaded first? Can you share some screenshots of what you are experiencing?

EDIT: Nevermind. I tried this morning, and then replied to you. Then I tried again; and it worked. Perhaps it was just a fluke.

Interesting.

Nothing happens. Like, at all. I actually went ahead and updated to leopard and iTunes 10.6.3 and am getting the same behavior. If I click 'subscribe' or attempt to download a podcast nothing at all happens. No error messages and it doesn't download.

I can download episodes on another device and transfer them over and I think then they'd sync with the iPod (I haven't tried but I don't see why not; they play in iTunes). But I can't get them to download from the store.

 

[el-John-o]

Okay @Slix I lied.

Are you able to have Podcasts auto-download when you're subscribed?

I spoke to soon. Yes, now I can download individual episodes. And Subscribing adds them to my 'podcasts' tab. But the episodes don't seem to auto-download and it doesn't seem to be aware of podcasts I've already subscribed to on other devices.

How is it working for you?

 

[Slix]

Okay @Slix I lied.

Are you able to have Podcasts auto-download when you're subscribed?

I spoke to soon. Yes, now I can download individual episodes. And Subscribing adds them to my 'podcasts' tab. But the episodes don't seem to auto-download and it doesn't seem to be aware of podcasts I've already subscribed to on other devices.

How is it working for you?

I hit Subscribe in the Podcasts menu and it loaded all the previous episodes, but the most recent one attempted to download automatically and gave this error. Looks like you have to do it manually maybe?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I just realized that I have largely given up on podcasts because of the drama keeping them updated, and having some podcasts that just would disappear.

I was really in to a podcast a few years ago, and whoever ran it decided to pull the plug, and somehow all of the episodes I had disappeared. I tried to download the episodes again from another system, and they disappeared. I didn't know if it was the creator, or if something else was going on, and some podcasts would update regularly, and then stop for a while, and one was really engaging, and talked about further episodes, and I realized it was discontinued years before I started listening to it.

Its just too much drama. I wish they were 'better'. Some were, but the bad ones seemed to just color the rest.

Some that pulled it off so well, just disappeared. Sad...

 

[el-John-o]

I just realized that I have largely given up on podcasts because of the drama keeping them updated, and having some podcasts that just would disappear.

I was really in to a podcast a few years ago, and whoever ran it decided to pull the plug, and somehow all of the episodes I had disappeared. I tried to download the episodes again from another system, and they disappeared. I didn't know if it was the creator, or if something else was going on, and some podcasts would update regularly, and then stop for a while, and one was really engaging, and talked about further episodes, and I realized it was discontinued years before I started listening to it.

Its just too much drama. I wish they were 'better'. Some were, but the bad ones seemed to just color the rest.

Some that pulled it off so well, just disappeared. Sad...

Yeah. I had visions of sticking the iPod on the dock and whenever I'm going for a long drive or motorcycle ride, grabbing it off the dock and being able to listen without worrying about cell service. That's definitely how it worked years ago but it seems that has largely been nerfed. Which is a shame!

 

[el-John-o]

View attachment 1742508 View attachment 1742507

I hit Subscribe in the Podcasts menu and it loaded all the previous episodes, but the most recent one attempted to download automatically and gave this error. Looks like you have to do it manually maybe?

Yeah; I think that's what it comes down to. Have to download episodes manually.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Yeah; I think that's what it comes down to. Have to download episodes manually.

But it was supposed to be 'automagic'!?! Sad...

It got to the point where I would have a 'spare weekend', and would ganng update some of the favorite podcasts, and listen to them as I was doing catch-up from the previous week, and then the carnage started happening. Podcasts that I enjoyed, not being updated, or having 'plans for the future' posts and nothing after. I haven't looked at the PodCast app in the past year. So many podcasts I really enjoyed, and had some episodes I re-listened to also were 'disappeared', all of the episodes just disappearing. I was able to save some podcasts, but I'm sure if I try to listen to them again, while connected to the internets, they will be disappeared too. The podcast system just hasn't lived up to the hype as it started, at least to me. I haven't stalked the PodCast app in some time, but can't imagine it's gotten much better. By the sounds of it, it potentially has only gotten worse.

Oh, and some podcasts I subscribed to took so much effort to get the updates. Stalled downloads, 'smeared' sound, 'no updates', only to get updates on a different system. Splitting the apps apart was a short term disaster, and probably a long term one as well. I lost faith in the system, so sorry if I sound overly negative. I might look at it again, now I'm curious how many I subscribed to are still viable, but I don't hold much hope for it. *shrug*