starting a podcast

well i'm finally starting a podcast. with my gf.

they say the cost of entry into the podcast space is low. maybe even $0. but the setting up and sorting out of what is needed to get started costs a lot. researching the pros and cons of a platform to do so is time consuming and leads to opening your wallet.

did you make the right choice based on the availability of services?

most blogging services have a free version but the options available leave you wanting more. bandwidth, storage, tracking your audience... these things cost money and will be valuable as your audience grows.

hardare?

the mic on a laptop works but can be problematic. you'll have to clean up the recording in post using software. or you can buy a mic for $50. even still you have to be in a quiet place and speak into it properly. or you can buy a good highly directional mic for $300+. the sound recorded from a good mic doesn't require as much cleaning up as the free one on your laptop or the $50 one most of us can afford.

and software?

sometimes the answers to this seems obvious but they're not. do you use skype, pamela ($30 or so) and audacity or do you use sound recorder and sit in the same room with a co-host or a guest?

somehow (and quite easily i might add) the cost of entry starts to rise. especially if you want to produce a high quality product with the possibility of having thousands of downloads per episode. the last thing you want to do is disappoint your audience.