Wireless Internet Radio
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I got my first wireless Internet radio at a thrift shop for 20 bucks.
I was amazed at how well it worked, and the enormous, world-wide variety of radio stations it made available. I became hooked on music from countries I never heard of. It stopped working after a couple of years (no telling how old it really was). That very day I was on-line ordering another one. After much searching, I got THIS_ONE: I got it because it has generic internal rechargeable batteries (Ni-MH D-cells). So, while you're listening to it while it's plugged in, it is charging the batteries. The battery life is not as stellar as 4 D-cells might suggest, but quite enough for toting around the house & yard. Sound is OK from the speaker, but plug a stereo line into it's 1/8" jack, and the real sound quality is apparent. It will play:
It has a good searching feature. If there is a station that it can't find in it's very large data base, you can go on-line and create an account specific to your particular radio. There you have the ability to create custom station menus. Before I got my first Internet radio, I already knew that you can do the same thing with a computer... but I never did. Since I have had mine, I am frequently telling people about this wonderful radio. People tell me, "You can do the same thing with a computer"... but they never do. Right now, I'm listening to the new BBC music radio service (BBC RADIO 6). Great stuff. Last night I was listening to Finnish Nostalgia Radio... cozy. This morning I was listening to Turkish music. Or news (in English) from Poland, or France, or Cuba, or Russia, etc. Astounding. -AC |
For how much it costs, you might as well just get an old Android smartphone (or even a cheap brand new one) and install it in a box with a better speaker and some batteries.
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Or an old laptop running *nix. Serial/USB IR receivers are great. IIRC, you can configure any remote to work with lircd.
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Yeah, it's exactly like I said, everyone says, "You can do the same thing with a computer"... but they don't.
-AC |
The only radio I ever listen to is BBC Radio 4, via the internet on a PC.
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Its nice to not have to turn on the laptop or computer every single time you want to listen to internet radio or streaming music.
My smart phone is a internet radio I use my iPhone with a internet Radio App and a pair of edifier Powered speakers. My Bluetooth keyboard controls it from anywhere in the house. It can be nice to have the computer off once in a while and when guests are over. |
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And although it may not be of any interest to you, I have enjoyed Finnish nostalgia radio, too. I also like Portuguese Fado music, and I have found a station that plays Fado 24/7. Also there's a curious and little niche genre call 'bard music' that was pre-Glasnost, Russian underground music. It's now considered nostalgia, but it is an interesting music that served an interesting purpose. But I think my number 2 favorite station is WRN (World Radio Network). My preference is for that service is the stream that is tailored for European listeners, because I already get all the USA point of view I need. They have a 60 minute segment from some country, and then, on the hour they will change to another country. I have learned some of the most unexpected things, listening to that station! Like how Obama went on a European trip (for pleasure??). What I found out from Polish radio was that he was actually acting as a salesman for "fracking' companies, so that European ground water could become as contaminated as in the USA. I also found a very interesting music stream coming out of Paris that serves an expat Arabic audience that now live in France. It's Arabic music, to be sure, but it is tempered by a Western sensibility. -AC |
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Also, I think it's similar to the idea that, yes you can eat all your meals with a Swiss Army Knife, but sometimes it's nice to just sit down to supper and eat with a fork. -AC |
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Controlling Linux with a Remote Control — Mark Lodato's blog I also used an X10 device and whatever X10 program was around at the time, I think bottlerocket, to turn on the speakers when she turned on the laptop, so they wouldn't suck down ~20W even when she wasn't listening to the radio. |
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Not everybody has those skills. By the way, HERE_IS_THE_RADIO that I started with: Mine looked just the same, but was an earlier version. I actually liked the sound better, but the one I now have has more features. -AC |
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