I just signed up for a month of Chinesepod. I'm hoping to put more time into improving my abysmal listening comprehension. Naturally, I've already run into problems. Everything I try to download from the Chinesepod site comes up in Quicktime. What I really want is to get lessons on my itouch. I've checked my laptop defaults -- mp3s are set for itunes.

Anyone have experience with this? I'm finding the Chinesepod website a little bewildering so I'm back to the Skritter forum for advice. I assume there are a number of Chinesepod users here.

Thanks for any pointers.

To get the MP3:s to your machine the easy way you can just add your personal podcast URL to Itunes. You find that in your settings. Copy that URL and paste it in Itunes in subscribing podcasts. In Chinesepod you need also to choose what you like to subscribe to like only the MP3 or also reviews PDF etc. All that will be send to you in the intervals you choose. Do not add more than max 200 items at the time though. The list from Cpod only takes the last 200 items and send to Itunes. Now you can listen to the files in your device or what ever you like. If you when you open a file still get it mapped to quicktime you need to change the file association. In windows you can do that from explorer (tools\folder options\file types.

Alternatively, if you prefer downloading the files you want instead of syncing every lesson they've ever made (which I don't do either), you can download all to one folder and then in iTunes choose File > Add to Library and then select the appropriate folder or files. It would be easier if you changed your system settings to recognize MP3s as iTunes files, not Quicktime, which you can do by right clicking and editing their properties (when you change make sure you apply to all files of this type, not just that particular file).

Thanks for the pointers. So far, I'm finding that it's not the most user-friendly set up, but I do like some of the features. My mp3 defaults are set to itunes -- it turns out the problem is a right click/left-click issue. Playing the mp3s opens Quicktime no matter what I do; downloading the mp3s and then opening them in a folder will use itunes.

I'll try the suggestion of a massive download followed by some selective syncing. I'm no more than "elementary" so there are plenty of lessons that are beyond my ability at this stage.

Do you two find Chinesepod worth the investment? I'm trying to improve listening comprehension and hope that Chinesepod will help me get there.

@quimby Now I understand. Use Option-Left Click to force a download. In all fairness that has do you with the preferences of your system and ChinesePod can't really take the blame for that one.

I personally find a daily lesson to be very beneficial relative to the time it requires. It won't get you speaking smoothly but I do strongly believe it can do wonders for your listening comprehension, especially once you hit intermediate or higher levels. For me thoroughly studying a lesson per day is much better than a big surge of lessons in one day which I surely forget a lot of over the next few weeks... I'd suggest taking a longer term approach, pacing yourself at one or two solid lessons a day but every single day for a year (or more).

@icebear. Thanks for the advice. I see on the other (related) thread that you recommend heavy daily exposure to spoken Chinese. Have you done that by listening to the same one or two Chinesepod lessons over and over? I find myself wanting to listen to more Chinese but feeling like I'm wasting time because I often understand so little of it if not part of a lesson.

@quimby I discussed my daily routine in some detail on another forum before, you can see that here:
http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/36093-independent-study-routines/#entry268242

Since then I've slowed down a bit on the textbook series as I was finding it very dry and started following some Chinese series (奋斗 is nice and easily found on YouTube) as well as engaging a italki.com tutor for a few hours a week to practice the new words from ChinesePod.

If you feel the need to listen to more Chinese I'd suggest diving into a TV show; find one you enjoy and try to watch a few episodes per week. I think looking up definitions constantly kills the enjoyment, so will only pause and look up words from the subtitles if I am just absolutely lost or if I hear a word over and over again in one episode that I can't figure out. This keeps the show flowing mostly smoothly (maybe it takes about 20% more time), and gives a lot more exposure. Importantly, having lived outside China for about 3 years I don't think I'd be comfortable with this if I hadn't been so diligent with daily podcasts for so long.