I've been looking around for a podcast manager ever since the Google Reader closure announcement, and I've been quite impressed by how feature-rich DoggCatcher is. It can even double/triple as an RSS reader / audiobook player!
But...
Does DoggCatcher really not have a web interface? Is it really the case that I cannot add and manage my podcasts on my laptop's web browser, and have those changes manifest on my Android? This is a complete dealbreaker.
I cannot have a podcast manager that does not also allow me to manage my podcasts on the web.
How is it that the most polished and feature-rich podcast manager does not have such a crucial component? I would willingly pay $20 or possibly more for a podcast manager that worked for me.
If I am wrong on this, please someone feel free to correct me.
Thanks.
DC is designed so you don't need a PC/Mac, Chrome or HTML5 version of the app
See http://www.doggcatcher.com/node/3892 - http://www.doggcatcher.com/node/3470
But you never know, Eric may change his mind.
That's a shame, because the sole method I use for adding new podcasts to listen to is finding the RSS URL from a website that hosts the podcast. And it is much more cumbersome and annoying to do that on a little mobile browser than on a full desktop browser on a PC.
Most feeds are listed in DC's searchable database, press the "Search Feeds" option on the "Add Feed" screen & enter the name of the podcast you're looking for & press the + to add/subscribe the feed from there.
I can appreciate that feature (and it does have a large database which is nice).
However I discover new podcasts by browsing the web. I don't usually just go "hey, I want to subscribe to X podcast; let me type it in my doggcatcher" nor do I care to browse a catalog or selection of podcasts.
I find podcasts most comfortably simply by browsing the web, which I usually do from my PC and not my phone.
As Wayne said, we don't have any immediate plans for managing feeds on the web. However once cloud sync is in place, we'll have the pieces we need to manage feeds on the web, so it will become a possibility after that.
You could use the chrome to phone app to send the podcast url from your pc to your phone. You should then be able to add it to doggcatcher (might need to use the 'share' feature).
Or use a website to generate a qr code for the url and scan that with your phone? http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
It sounds like it could be possible in the future to manage online but for now hopefully these suggestions help.
Thanks for the info,
I would like to manage from the web also. I assumed this was table stakes.
OP thanks for this post. I've just started using Doggcatcher and like it a lot. I'd like to use it for RSS feeds now that Google Reader is gone.
It would definitely be easier to initiate RSS from a pc or mac. Some RSS feeds are search driven (SimplyHired.com, craigslist, ebay...). The length of the string and syntax for these feeds are difficult and would benefit from larger screen and easy copy / paste.
Otherwise, seems like a great product.
I was also surprised that this wasn't built in. Why else would I create a username and log in? Oh, to cast my vote! Please add web-based management!!
I am getting a lot of use out of the android app, but I'd like to add my "me too" for wanting a web interface.
That would be great!
It is surprising that managing content for DC can't be done on the web. As well as the app interface is designed, just a decent interface on my laptop or computer would be easier/better. Also, once in a while I want to listen to my content on my laptop or computer because of the speakers or my phone is not available.
In Firefox, if you go to the "Bookmarks Menu", there's an option to add a new bookmark. If you do that and insert the feed URL which DC gives you, it creates a bookmark to the publisher's list of all existing episodes. I've used that a few times to hunt up old episodes from before I started subscribing to the feed.
[Haven't tried it with other browsers.]
Hope this helps.
I love DC, but I'm waiting for this feature, too!
This was my big disappointment when I had to find a replacement for google reader. I find it hugely frustrating managing my subscriptions with Doggcatcher, not to mention how many times I've had to redo my subscription list because of changing phones. I haven't got the time to change the default location and back it up etc. Normal users just aren't going to do that either.
I really think you'd have a massive success with some way to manage one's subscriptions via a web browser on a PC somehow. I like doggcatcher otherwise, but the moment someone else develops this feature I'll definitely be using it instead.
No offense. I do really like and appreciate the work and the app.
Google is working on a way for Android apps to run on the Chrome OS & I imagine the Chrome browser sometime later
See The Verge Article http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/25/5842454/chromebooks-running-android-ap...
If your running DoggCatcher Podcast Player (Not DC Lite/Premium) you can install the beta version of DC & try the Cloud Sync feature to sync your feeds database and configuration on different Android devices you own or as a backup restore on new device.
See the FAQ article posted in the forum for information on how to join beta group ( http://www.doggcatcher.com/node/4189 ) there is also a FAQ post on Cloud Sync http://www.doggcatcher.com/CloudSync Plus a FAQ post on how can I figure out why Cloud sync is not working? http://www.doggcatcher.com/node/5679