Find new video podcasts with these directories
If you're looking to find new video podcasts to watch, checking out some of these online directories might be a good place to start.
TiVo announced Wednesday that subscribers will now be able to manually input a video podcast's RSS feed into their TiVo software to watch those shows through their DVRs. That means it's time to find out what your favorite shows' RSS feeds are. It also means you might want to expand what you watch, since another set-top box is bringing Web videos to your television.
But finding those shows isn't always easy. Realizing that, I thought I'd highlight online video podcast directories that will help you find shows you're really interested in. From professional content to amateur shows for niche audiences, these sites will help you find whatever you're looking for.
Before we get into it, I should note that iTunes is another fine way to find video podcasts. Simply click the "Video Podcasts" option in the software and you'll be able to search through shows.
Find some shows
Miro Guide: Miro Guide is a repository for video podcasts. The site is well-designed. It also has a nice listing of both popular shows and niche listings.
When you get to Miro Guide, you can immediately start searching for video podcasts. A show's listing page allows you to subscribe to the RSS feed, add its feed to Miro, so you can watch it on the site, or download it to your computer. If you're only looking for the feed, it provides that too. I was really impressed with Miro Guide. With so many listings, it's worth trying out.
Odeo: Odeo is one of the best podcast directories in this roundup. It allows you to search for both audio and video shows.
I was really impressed with Odeo. The site has one of the biggest listings of shows in this roundup. On topics ranging from technology to politics, you'll find a variety of video podcasts worth watching. When you pick a show you want to try out, you can opt to subscribe on Odeo's site, copy and paste the RSS feed to a service, like the TiVo, or watch it right on the site. You can even subscribe to the show in iTunes. You'll like Odeo. It's an extremely useful directory.
Podanza: Podanza is a great podcast directory. The site allows you to search through listings based on genre. You can also search the listings if you want to find a particular show.
Since Podanza features both audio and video podcasts, you will need to sift through audio shows you're not looking for. But that's just a small annoyance after you realize that the site features one of the best designs in this roundup. Finding the show you want takes just a few seconds. When you do so, the site gives you the option of visiting the show's page, accessing its RSS feed, or watching it right on Podanza's pages. If you like what you're watching, you can also post a Podanza badge to your blog to help promote the show. I really liked Podanza. With so many great features, it's worth checking out.
PodcastAlley: PodcastAlley lists thousands of shows for you to check out on a variety of topics. It's not as well-designed as Odeo, but it does make it easy to get around the site to find a show that interests you.
PodcastAlley lists both video and audio podcasts. Depending on what you're looking for, you should be happy with what the site provides. Even its smallest category, Government, lists 16 shows. Its biggest category, General, has almost 30,000 shows to choose from. When you find a show you like, you can opt to subscribe to it or see its feed.
Podcast Pickle: Podcast Pickle offers several great shows that you might want to check out.
Podcast Pickle displays its shows by genre. You can find them in a variety of topics, including cinema, technology, and more. If you're looking to get into something new, the site's "Random Podcast" tool is a great feature. Simply click on it and it randomly picks a podcast for you to check out. Like most of the other sites in this roundup, you can also view the most-popular podcasts and those that have been added most recently. But beware that if you're looking for video, Podcast Pickle also features audio shows, so you will need to sift through those to find what you're looking for.
VideoPodcasts.tv: Although its design is suspect, VideoPodcasts.tv will help you find a variety of niche video podcasts. The site lists shows in categories ranging from technology to education. The sheer variety of shows it offers should make you happy.
When you find a show you want to watch, you can either go directly to the show's page or watch it right on the site. It even gives you the opportunity to send the show to your mobile phone. If you're only looking for the feed so you can add it to your TiVo, VideoPodcasts.tv lists that too. Although I was happy with the site's variety, VideoPodcasts.tv is ugly. Worse, it's tough to search through. Those issues ruined the experience for me.
My top three
1. Odeo: With so many listings, Odeo is simply the best directory in this roundup.
2. Podanza: Podanza has a great design and some nice features.
3. Miro Guide: With a variety of convenient features, Miro Guide isn't too bad either.