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Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

overcast.fm

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Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#91

Post by rogerbinns »

jonny_eh wrote: post #43
solutionyogi wrote: post #3

I really love the no-nonsense FAQ: https://overcast.fm/skeptics_faq I wish everyone would write such clear and concise FAQ. I especially love the answer to question 'Why is the app free?' I loved the Instapaper app and will definitely buy this app. The current podcasts app on iOS platform are terrible. The only app I am able to tolerate is 'Downcast'.

I think PocketCasts is pretty awesome. So far Overcast isn't doing that much more for me than PocketCasts.

Is the iOS version of PocketCasts as bad as the Android version? The Android version does fundamentally work, but isn't robust. For example it will randomly stop playing mid podcast for no reason, forget that it is playing a sequence of podcasts, play two hours after pressing the play button, forget play position and revert to an earlier one, not sync play status between devices reliably and the list goes on. None of these are a big deal if you have the app in your pocket but are awful if you are driving since they require interaction to fix.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#92

Post by philoushka »

smackfu wrote: post #17
hodgesmr wrote: post #6

At first glance, it doesn't look like it currently supports video podcasts. This is a bummer. Hopefully shows up in future versions or IAP

I'm surprised anyone still distributes their own video podcast, rather than just putting it up in a channel on YouTube. The bandwidth bill seems like it would kill you.

Agreed mostly, but then you're at YouTube's mercy. YouTube pulls TWiT videos all the time due to takedown notices over content that is played in-show as part of the discussion. i.e. let's play this new interesting advert from Company X, or a clip of last week's TV Show Y. Oops, your entire show is now gone.

YouTube has been apparently awful at having humans being contactable to sort this stuff out. Guys From Queens have related the same experiences.

Own your content. Yes, it's expensive, and a cost of doing business, but TWiT's got some revenue.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#93

Post by autodidakto »

mitchty wrote: post #78

Normalization! FINALLY The amount of times I have to touch volume buttons on non normalized podcasts is nuts. As long as this works decently or close to downcast in overall use I'll throw the $5 at this easy.

Hmm. Normalization means you don't have the change the volume between podcasts, but better than that would be dynamic range compression. A podcast with both loud music/effects/screaming and quiet/normal dialogue would be "evened out". You wouldn't have to adjust volume even within a podcast. I don't know of any audio player (desktop or mobile) that has this feature. It would be perfect for podcasts/audiobooks.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#94

Post by jonny_eh »

rogerbinns wrote: post #91
jonny_eh wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think PocketCasts is pretty awesome. So far Overcast isn't doing that much more for me than PocketCasts.

Is the iOS version of PocketCasts as bad as the Android version? The Android version does fundamentally work, but isn't robust. For example it will randomly stop playing mid podcast for no reason, forget that it is playing a sequence of podcasts, play two hours after pressing the play button, forget play position and revert to an earlier one, not sync play status between devices reliably and the list goes on. None of…

AFAIK it's a different codebase, and I've never had any problems.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#95

Post by mitchell209 »

MBCook wrote: post #42
k-mcgrady wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the FAQ it mentions a 'basic web app'. I haven't looked into it but you may be able to play on your desktop through that. https://overcast.fm/skeptics_faq

I saw that, but I'm not sure it will fit my needs. More than anything else, I want to be able to use the "play/pause" key on my keyboard to pause the podcast. I also really like the idea of the voice booster and I'm guessing that the web site won't get that (being 'basic' and all).

Don't expect the web app to become any serious Mac app competitor anytime soon. Based on Instapaper's website, Marco dislikes working on them. It will keep basic functionality but his main focus will be on iOS for the foreseeable future.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#96

Post by philoushka »

ents wrote: post #86
brownie wrote: post #35

Anyone know if it does episode bookmarking/favourites?

You can recommend episodes via the share icon. Recommended podcasts from those you follow on twitter show up in the directory.

Also while playing, scroll down on the podcast artwork to get the show notes. The fav star is there too.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#97

Post by autodidakto »

Managing your podcasts can be a complicated thing.

Shows and episodes can exist in different states and use cases. Do I listen to every episode of this show? Most episodes? Just dip in and out every once in a while? How can a UI accommodate this?

Do I download? Stream? Per episode? Per show? Sometimes one, sometimes the other? What about tools to manage my download queue? Maybe I have lots of bandwidth at the office, but I have 1mpbs at home. I've yet use a podcast app (I think I've used them all) that has a playlist setting to exclude certain shows. I've been unable to to create a playlist that has the "All Shows" feed from popular networks, doesn't make other playlists (based on episode state) unmaintainable.

Settings at the global level. Settings at the playlist level. Settings at the show level. Settings at the current playing episode level...

Downcast, with it's Windows-like feature set and UI, has given me the most power. I have complaints with it (Bloated UI; I want PocketCasts's playback speed slider and "skip first X seconds" feature), but every other app seems to go in the "less is more... until it's not enough and I go back to downcast" direction.

Overcast has some smart features. (What about an "alert me of any appearance of my favorite guest, whatever the show" feature)? I hope it convinces people that there is still room to grow.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#99

Post by incision »

Looks great.

I've actually been looking forward to this after hearing about it on ATP for months now. I was wondering what could be done to differentiate and I'm pleasantly surprised - smart speed and voice boost are killer features if they work as described.

Perhaps in a few years there will be an Android port I can buy and use to listen to Marco talk about how no one buys Android apps.

Re: Overcast – A powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player

#100

Post by incision »

jonny_eh wrote: post #43
solutionyogi wrote: post #3

I really love the no-nonsense FAQ: https://overcast.fm/skeptics_faq I wish everyone would write such clear and concise FAQ. I especially love the answer to question 'Why is the app free?' I loved the Instapaper app and will definitely buy this app. The current podcasts app on iOS platform are terrible. The only app I am able to tolerate is 'Downcast'.

I think PocketCasts is pretty awesome. So far Overcast isn't doing that much more for me than PocketCasts.

On the Android side I used PocketCasts as well. I certainly can't call it awesome - more like limited and unstable, but still better than the alternatives.
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