Podcasting software that doesn't suck?

[ddrueding]

I'm now commuting between 2 NPR affiliates that use different programming schedules. Most of the shows I'm interested in are available as a podcast. I want my system to automatically get these as MP3 so I can burn them to disk or whatever. Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[Santilli]

Ahh, grasshopper. You have not learned about Apple. ALL THEIR SOFTWARE SUCKS.

ANYTHING RELATED TO AN IPOD IS SIMILAR TO WORSE THEN SPYWARE....

YOU ARE WARNED...

;-)

GREG

 

[ddrueding]

That would be why I asked. I most certainly don't want iTunes anywhere near my precious machine. But 3rd party tools are available. Right now I'm trying out one called iPodder that seems to do most of what I need.

 

[Mercutio]

NPR shows I'd probably grab as podcasts:

This American Life (I have complete set of them as MP3 files already)
On the Media
Marketplace
Car Talk
Wait Wait Don't Tell Me

I like roughly every third Fresh Air - There's way too many interviews with 60s-era rock stars, people who are largely wasting oxygen to begin with.

Talk of the Nation can be hit or miss, but hits WAY more often than not. My local station does "To the Point" instead of "Talk of the Nation", probably because it's cheaper to carry. I love the Science Friday shows best.

My local NPR station (wbez.org) used to run a show called Odyssey that I enjoyed a great deal. It was in the same general format as TotN and To the Point, but with a slightly more intellectual edge. I was really sad when the station management killed the show last year.

 

[ddrueding]

Marketplace, Car Talk, and Fresh Air are not available via podcast. I just got Wait Wait and Motley Fool. OTM is good; I'll have to look into it. TAL is a mixed bag for me; sometimes I can handle the reality, sometime I have enough already. Car Talk uses Audible, and charges. Fresh Air has nothing available at all.