If it's not for an iPod, is it still a Podcast?

"Podcasting (and encoding) tips from Apple"
This article says that Apple is pushing videos podcasters to up their video resolution to 640x480. Previously Apple recommended 320x240, which is the resolution of the video iPod's screen. Apple is clearly trying to generate content (free at that for both Apple and users) for the Apple TV. The problem is that at 4 times the resolution, it costs producers more to host these videos; the videos are slower to download; and they take up more space on the users' hard drives and/or iPods.

I was thinking that maybe we should offer a "high quality" video podcast alongside our current offerings with the 320x240 resolution. But Apple discourages this. They argue that this will lower your ratings because the same show will have 2 feeds that are measured independently. I think they want to simplify the experience for users who may be confused about which podcast to subscribe to. With a choice between one simple option and multiple options to cover every user, Apple always seems to go with simple. For people like me with a full hard-drive who don't want big video podcasts clogging up their system, then I would be out-of-luck.

I'm all for better quality but I'm not sure about dropping 320x240 videos for 640x480. As I have written before (here, here, and here), I think the Apple TV could be a great, new platform for Link TV to deliver content. And the 320x240 video doesn't look good on a TV, especially a high-def one. On the other hand, I think just having one high-res podcast could alienate some users. I disagree with Apple on commiting to only a higher-resolution video podcast. Maybe once it is clearer that the Apple TV is going to be a significant product that rivals the iPod for video distribution, this would make more sense. But I think right now, Apple is just really trying to help Apple TV by pushing for more good-looking content for it.

Here's some good technical info from Apple on video encoding for podcasts with more of Apple's thinking about Apple TV vs. iPod encoding [via AppleTV Hacker]:
Podcaster Tech Specs