# tCast Help

tCast is a native Windows podcast player designed for keyboard and screen reader use.

## Lists

- `Tab` and `Shift`+`Tab` move between podcast library, episode list, and any visible chapters or queue lists. They do not enter the menu bar.
- Use arrow keys inside the podcast, episode, chapter, and queue lists.
- Press `Enter` on a podcast to move to that show's episodes. The episode list refreshes when the selected podcast changes.
- Press `Space` on a show or episode to play or pause.
- Press `Shift`+`F10` or the Application key for item actions. Queue actions include play, move up, move down, remove, and clear queue.

## Playback Keys

- `F2`: Play or pause.
- `F3`: Stop.
- `F4`: Rewind.
- `F5`: Fast-forward.
- `F6`: Previous chapter.
- `F7`: Next chapter.
- `F8`: Previous episode.
- `F9`: Next episode.
- `F10`: Slower playback.
- `F11`: Reset to 1x playback speed.
- `F12`: Faster playback.

## Other Shortcuts

- `F1`: Open this help.
- `Ctrl`+`Left`: Rewind.
- `Ctrl`+`Right`: Fast-forward.
- `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Left`: Previous chapter.
- `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Right`: Next chapter.
- `Ctrl`+`Up`: Volume up.
- `Ctrl`+`Down`: Volume down.
- `Ctrl`+`T`: Search indexed transcripts.
- `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C`: Show or hide the chapters list.
- `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Q`: Show or hide the queue list.
- `Alt`: Open the menu bar.
- `Alt`+`F4`: Minimize tCast to the system tray.
- Settings include local download retention and whether chapters or queue are shown by default. Both are hidden by default.
- Settings uses named rewind and fast-forward jump choices from 5 seconds through 15 minutes.
- Playback, Loop Current Episode repeats the current episode until the option is turned off.
- View, Episode Sort chooses feed order, newest first, or oldest first.
- Settings includes an option to enable or disable notifications when a new tCast update is available.
- Settings can automatically install updates when a new version is available.
- Settings lets you choose which screen reader announcements are spoken, including playback, navigation, update, and time announcements.
- Settings lets you choose natural, short, clock, or seconds-only time announcements.
- Help, Check for Updates downloads a new installer when available and shows release notes before updating.

## YouTube Transcript Search

- When adding or editing a podcast, you can save a matching YouTube playlist, channel, video, or page.
- tCast can auto-detect YouTube links already present in a show website, feed URL, or show description, then try to match public captions to audio episodes.
- Use Search, Sync Linked Video Transcripts to detect linked video sources and fetch public captions where possible.
- Use Search, Index YouTube Transcripts when a show already has a saved YouTube source.
- Use Search, Search Transcripts or `Ctrl`+`T` to search a word or phrase. Press `Enter` on a result to load the matching episode and start at that transcript time.

## Recommendations

- Use Share, Recommend Episode or Share, Recommend Current Show to send a recommendation through the selected HubNode site.
- Use `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`R` to recommend the current show, including feed, show link, author, artwork, operating system, and optional Mastodon mention metadata.
- Use Share, Recommended Shows or `Ctrl`+`R` to open the built-in recommended-show list. You can add, remove, open, or subscribe to entries from that window.
- Use Other Shows and Channels by Creator from a show context menu to search podcast directories and your library for more shows from the same creator.
- The starter list includes StroongeCast, Double Tap, The Tapped In Podcast, Nicole Loving Earth, AppleVis Podcast, and Higher Signals.
- Settings includes your display name, a sharing site choice, and optional Mastodon sharing through the tCast account or your own Mastodon account.
- Recommendations are also copied to the clipboard as a fallback.
- Incoming recommendations open in a separate dismissible window with Play, Go to Show, and Subscribe actions, so they do not interrupt the main tCast window.

## Podcast Search Sources

- Search Podcasts includes Library, Apple Podcasts, gPodder, fyyd, Feedsearch, and Spotify.
- Spotify catalog search needs Spotify API credentials, so tCast does not embed private Spotify keys. Use Spotify results as a web search reminder, or add an RSS feed, Apple Podcasts link, or show site URL.
- fyyd and Feedsearch are public no-key sources.

## Downloads and Updates

- The primary tCast downloads and update manifest are published at files.tappedin.fm/Public/tcast/.
- The tCast hub at tappedin.fm provides release, recommendation, sponsor, Mastodon, feedback, anonymous version reporting, and PowerPress episode endpoints for the client.
- The PowerPress endpoint returns all published podcast releases by default, so older Tapped In episodes remain available to the client.
- Feedback can be sent for an individual show or episode release, including optional voice recordings when the site owner enables them.
- Use Help, Check for Updates to read what changed, then update now or later.
- Update release notes are shown in a read-only text box so keyboard and screen reader users can review them before installing.
- If an update starts while a streamed show is playing, tCast tells you playback will resume after installation and relaunches on the selected episode.
- Automatic updates can be enabled in Settings. tCast downloads the current installer, exits, runs setup silently, and opens the new version.
- This help opens inside tCast.