Downcast

I bought Downcast to download and KEEP copies of podcasts on my mac. I want to love it. I like its relative simplicity. I like that it is a proper mac application, and can actually download podcast episodes. The problem is that while I got it to replace the macOS Podcasts app, since *that* became unworkably slow/prone to freezing for hours on end, Downcast is now showing the same sort of terrible performance. I have about 200Gb of podcast episodes (mostly short story podcasts and long-form fiction (audiobook) podcasts). Since those aren't always kept online forever, I like to keep the copies I download. Downcast is currently using _40Gb_ of RAM and over 400% CPU (the equivalent of pegging >4 CPU cores at 100%), and I'm not even having it *do* anything. To refresh 34 podcast feeds, it often takes an hour or more. I tried moving the library and asking it to "Consolidate Media Library", and it moved about 5/6ths of my library, leaving 35Gb of files in the old location. It's constantly complaining about needing to "Resolve Inaccessible Resource Issues" (trying to do so takes a few hours). I'm pondering whether I can somehow migrate *out* of Downcast and to something that is less catastrophically broken for large libraries. Maybe the macOS Podcasts app, since it seems to no longer be terminally broken. I'm basically out of luck when it comes to maintaining an organized archive, though. Downcast is a perfectly decent app if all you want to do is listen to podcasts as disposable media, but then ... PocketCasts (what I use to listen to episodes on my phone) is much nicer for that. Incredibly disappointing.

Stephen JacobFri, Jan 27, 2023

United States

Believe the reviews. I've been using the iOS app for years and wanted to give the dev some more money so I bought the Mac app. Unfortunately as so many before have pointed out, iCloud syncing is just broken. I enabled it, ensured iCloud access was granted in settings and nothing... The after several restarts, reinstalls, waiting, nothing.... My MBA refuses to sync with the Donwcast data file I can plainly see in my iCloud folder. I've asked Apple for a refund and will instead leave the dev a tip throught the iOS app if approved. This broken mess should be removed from thee MAS

jmd1033Mon, Nov 21, 2022

United States

ARRRRRGH! The iOS version is (mostly) very usable, but the Mac OS version just crashes, crashes, crashes, and crashes. It can barely stay running for even 5 seconds most of the time now. iCloud sync is not doing anything at all (it just says the last known update was in 2017, but I have my iOS devices syncing all the time, with plenty of updates in Nov 2022). When I try to do anything in the preferences it crashes. Useless.

atomicitySat, Nov 19, 2022

United States

Downcast is superb for handling dozens of podcast subscriptions and custom selection episodes on my Macbook Air 2019, Monterey. Most negative reviews are about difficulties with syncing to Downcast iOS. But you don't need to use the same app and iCloud to get podcasts to your iOS device. OK, a bit more hassle to copy via Finder, or even by AirDrop. Then, in iOS, you choose whatever player matches your preferences. For me, iCatcher works fine. Importing from Downcast means I can set up custom "podcasts" by theme rather than each podcast locked in to a single source. Such a "podcast" can then serve as a playlist. Of course, iCatcher has playlists as well. Many other great features in iCatcher, worth a bit of time to learn.

LibredorTue, Nov 1, 2022

United States

iCloud Syncing has been broken for MONTHS with no fixes or work arounds. I'm really sad I spent money on this...

karlplayswellMon, Sep 26, 2022

United States

I've been using Downcast on iOS for a while and enjoying it, so I thought I would grab the macOS version for some sync stuff, though with AirPlay it's not really necessary. The sync has... really screwed with all my podcasts and playlists in a way that I'm still untangling, which, while annoying, I can live with. What I really want, though, are a couple more smart playlist filters. I really just want to be able to make a playlist that's every episode from a subset of feeds in the last six months, sorted old to new. I can't seem to find any podcast apps that let me do time-based filtering.

HdjskajsjzSun, Jul 24, 2022

United States

I just can't with this thing anymore. Been waiting a decade for you to offer a sync option other than Apple's atrocious iCloud Drive, and I give up waiting. If I'm going to rebuild my library yet again, I'll do it somewhere else. Bye.

BillyOKFri, Jul 22, 2022

United States