Downloading Podcasts

[hotwire132002]

This question seems remarkably simple, but I searched around a bit and couldn't find an answer.

When you "sync" a podcast to the Apple TV, will it automatically download new episodes of that podcast, or do you have to download them via iTunes, then sync them over?

Thanks very much for any insight!

 

[wmealer]

I actually just started getting into podcasts, and video podcasts myself. Taking advantage of them on my tv, and iPhone. I feel geekier than ever, but that's neither here nor there...

Yes, with podcasts, iTunes is still the "gatekeeper," and tv doesn't do any of the downloading in that regard. In iTunes, you'll need to manually click the "Sync" button to update what gets copied to or removed from your tv's hard drive.

On the other hand, podcasts are typically so small (in file size as well as bitrate), they can easily be streamed without having to even think about syncing (via 802.11n, at least). Just switch tv's source to your iTunes library, and have access to every single podcast you own. This works easiest for me, since new podcasts to which you subscribe automatically download in iTunes.