Antennapod: Episode image is replaced with podcast image after download

[HolgerJeromin]

App version: 1.7.1 (from Google play)

Android version: 7.1

Device model:
Fairphone 2

Steps to reproduce:

1. Have an podcast with episode images
   For example https://www1.wdr.de/radio/podcasts/wdr5/zeitzeichen244.podcast

2. Add an episode to the playlist. Now the episodes in detail view and playlist shows the own episode image
   

3. After the episode file is downloaded all images (episode detail, playlist) are replaced by the generic podcast logo.
   
   

Somewhat opposite report:
Ref #2350

[ByteHamster]

The problem here is that we are using the embedded cover of the mp3 file as soon as it is downloaded. If it is not downloaded, we use the cover that is specified in the rss feed. This podcast you are mentioning embeds the generic cover in every episode instead of the actual episode cover.

[HolgerJeromin]

I used the contact form on wdr.de and tried to explain the problem.
Perhabs this will be more successful if others do the same

cc @vonglahn

[ByteHamster]

@mfietz What do you think about always displaying the image from the feed (if it exists)? I can barely think of a use-case where the embedded picture is episode-specific but the feed specifies the same image for every episode. The thing wdr does is at least understandable (because users who download mp3s can recognize the podcast more easily that way).

[HolgerJeromin]

Answer from WDR:

vielen Dank für Ihr Feedback und Ihre Anregung.

Aktuell werden beim Download der mp3-Audios tatsächlich nur die Sendereihenbilder mitgeliefert.

Wir prüfen derzeit bereits, wie wir im Workflow möglichst ohne großen Aufwand auch die Einzelbilder für den Download mitgeben können. Insofern hoffe ich, dass Ihr Wunsch bald schon Realität ist. Versprechen kann ich es aktuell nicht. Aber ich bin zuversichtlich. Und bist dahin wünsche ich Ihnen weiterhin ganz viel Freude beim Hören. Falls Sie noch Fragen haben, schreiben Sie uns am besten an [email protected].

[HolgerJeromin]

Btw:
https://compendion.net/minutenweisematrix/feed/m4a/ has the same problem. So a generic solution would be nice.

[orionlee]

I'm not sure if there is a generic solution for everybody, at least not without user settings.

Based on the conversation, the podcast creators explicitly choose to embed the podcast feed cover for some reasons: they deliberately want it to be seen, possibly because the podcast cover is easier to be recognized.

I count myself as one of the users who prefer to see the podcast cover, as it let me easily recognize to which feed an episode belongs (in the queue, etc.)

So, if AntennaPod is changed so that it prefers the cover from podcast feed episode, rather than the embedded one, it will satisfy @HolgerJeromin 's case here. But it can also break other cases:

• users who prefer to see the generic podcast cover.
• for users who prefer to see episode-specific cover: hypothetically some other podcasts could be set such that the embedded one is actually the episode-specific cover (i.e, the exact opposite of WDR).

The closest solution that can satisfy different users and podcasts is to have an additional user setting, which has a negative side effect of making the settings more daunting.

[ByteHamster]

If a publisher explicitly specifies an episode image in the feed, we should probably take that instead of the embedded picture. That would fix the issue in this case and is also quite reasonable, I think..

Current priorities:

• Embedded
• Feed specified episode image
• Feed specified feed image

Proposed change:

• Feed specified episode image
• Embedded
• Feed specified feed image

What do you all think?

[orionlee]

It might work, but it really depends on how podcast publishers (and/or the tools they use) choose to distribute podcast episode covers. I don't know if there is a (de-facto) practice one way or another.

If we think beta users are representative enough, we could possibly change the order in a beta release and see if the change would be well received.