Apple has supported video formats for podcasts since 2005. However, until now, the Apple Podcasts app has distributed video podcasts using RSS. If you wanted to have both audio-only and video versions of a podcast, that has required two separate show entries in Apple Podcasts.
The enhanced video podcast experience in Apple Podcasts uses the Apple-developed HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol. That provides adaptive streaming features, to automatically adjust bandwidth usage depending on network connectivity. And, for the first time, the addition of HLS support will let creators dynamically insert video ads — including host-read spots — into their podcasts.
@MerryOscar is this compatible with what you are using at Fountain?
@Car it's not fully compatible if Fountain's video hosting as Apple are not currently pulling the video from the RSS Alternate Enclosure - but they are using HLS video so both us and the Podcasting 2.0 community are hopeful they will support this method of video ingestion soon - https://podnews.net/article/video-apple-podcasts-details
In the meantime we are going to reach out to try and become a partner so we can automate the video part via their API.
Awesome thanks for the update. ✌️
@Car Fountain now supports video podcasts distribution to Apple Podcasts - https://fountain.fm/blog/publish-video-to-apple-podcasts-with-fountain
Since you're already uploading video episodes - you just need to follow the setup instructions and video will automatically publish to Apple Podcasts.
Let me know once you've completed the setup and I can also backfill all previous episodes!
@MerryOscar I was able to get the key and added to Early Days and SNL let me know if I am missing anything else.
@Car we've backfilled the video episodes for SNL - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stacker-news-live/id1607607566
For Early Days - the last episode was from before we started encoding 1080p - it will take us a bit longer to re-encode but should be able to get these up next week.
From now on if you publish video episodes for either they will auto-publish to Apple Podcasts.
awesome thanks Oscar!
ok will look into it this week likely friday then will ping ya thanks @MerryOscar