Using of Smart Playlists for Podcasting

BlogicBlogger wrote an article about how to keep track of new Podcasts and how easily (as in "1-click-spirit") getting rid of shows you are not longer interested in.

His solution is a Windows Script that uses the rating system, but, to be honest, I don't like that: iTunes has something very powerful, called Smart Playlists, and I want to make use of that.

So here is my configuration without any need for scripting:

iPodderX creates normal playlists for every feed you subscribe to (Adam Curry: Daily Source Code, Evil Genius Chronicles, IT Conversations and so on), so first I create a smart playlist

Ω Podcasts:

Match any of these:

• Playlist is <name of playlist>
• Playlist is <name of playlist>
• ...

Live Updating

This Playlists holds all my Podcasts. The Ω says it's a technical playlist and should not be syncronized to the iPod.

Now let's do a playlist for all the new stuff that comes in:

new Podcasts

Match all of these:

• Playlist is Ω Podcasts
• Playcount is 0

Live Updating

Very easy. Never played: Put it in the playlist.
I have also checked:

Limit to 300MB selected by most recently added

My iPod is way too small for everything, so I have to set limits for everything. Most recently added gives me the newest Podcasts I've not heard yet, so a 20 days old DSC for which I haven't had the time yet doesn't interfere with my daily addiction for the new stuff. Next we need a Playlist for the stuff that should be kept on the iPod:

good Podcasts

Match all of these:

• Playlist is Ω Podcasts
• My rating is **

Live Updating

I used two stars since I keep the one star for stuff that's broken. I don't give more than two stars because there are random playlists for three to five stars and, although I like Adam Curry's voice, I just don't want to hear it when I lie in bed with my girlfriend and listen to some romantic songs... ;-)

So, back to business: The last two playlists are syncronized with the iPod, and every morning, I just have to choose new Podcasts and start with the first track. That's it.

If you want to keep the new and the good stuff in one playlist, you have to create another one (this is the last one, I promise):

Podcasts

Match any of these:

• Playlist is new Podcasts
• Playlist is good Podcasts

Live Updating

And that's it.