Cheap Internet Radio

[[JiF][AARP]Grimp]

Got one of these today:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... veda307-20

They have them at Ocean State Job Lots in MA for $40.
I had looked at one about 2 or 3 years ago and figured they just were not worth $150 to $200

Its pretty cool I have been listening to all sorts of Internet radio stations on it.
Also comes with a media server for your PC so you can use it to play files wirelessly from your PC.

[[JiF]Mike]

Might wanna wait http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/30 ... _analysis/

[[JiF]Rhykin]

Got one of these today:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... veda307-20

They have them at Ocean State Job Lots in MA for $40.
I had looked at one about 2 or 3 years ago and figured they just were not worth $150 to $200

Its pretty cool I have been listening to all sorts of Internet radio stations on it.
Also comes with a media server for your PC so you can use it to play files wirelessly from your PC.

Do you need to have a subscription. If not, it looks pretty interesting..

[[JiF][AARP]Grimp]

No there is no subscription fee that I have see yet.

Someone at work got one and said the radio station update of channels only works for free for a few months then you can pay $30 for a lifetime subscription to get channel updates or the number of channels drops down to only a few. This can apparently can be avoided by not automatically updating the channel listings. I don't know if this is a fact for sure though.
Also the station listing is in xml so I guess it could probably be done manually spoofing the tftp server it looks for.
It also looks like you can add some stations yourself via the built in web page. I have not tried any of that yet.

On the other hand if you don't care about the Internet radio part and are just looking to play music remotely from a PC or other compatible media server its all free. I decided I did not want to install any of the software that comes with it. I think it comes with music match server which from past experience I have not liked as it generally installed too much crap on my PC. It turns out that it works just fine with Microsoft Media Player so I have not had to install any software on my PC. Once you set up Media Player for sharing the device shows up in Media Players devices and you can just allow it to use your shared music files and it plays all the mp3s on from your PC. Pretty cool. I think it works with iTunes on your PC too. There are also other free media servers it will work with as well as at least one pay for music thingy.

In general the speakers a kinda weak and volume a little low, but you can jump it to a real stereo system if you like. The sound is acceptable for me though. It works either via wireless or wired connection. I can just bring it into another room turn it on and listen the radio or play files of my PC.

I dunno all about that royalty stuff (I will need a lawyer to explain that to me). Don't radio stations pay royalties now?
If they don't and its only gonna affect Internet radio I assume some small stations will go away. Others will get funding from ads, charge or donations. Others will just keep going and move to some place the feds can't get em

Bottom line is I am pretty happy with it so far as a fun toy for not too much money.

How it shows up in Windows Media Player:

[[JiF]bigjohnson]

remember these Grimp?

[[JiF][AARP]Grimp]

Not that particular one, but I remember building a crystal radio a few decades ago

[[JiF][AARP]Tissueman]

The Music Royalties Board just ruled that internet radio providers have to pay licensing fees almost triple that of broadcast radio. If it holds, look for internet radio to sharply decrease or disappear.

EDIT: http://www3.capwiz.com/saveinternetradi ... id=9631541

[[JiF][AARP]Grimp]

So I guess they are going to block all Internet radio traffic
Ya, that worked out okay for blocking illegal music, software downloads from Russia, offshore Internet gambling and porn

[[JiF][AARP]Tissueman]

So I guess they are going to block all Internet radio traffic
Ya, that worked out okay for blocking illegal music, software downloads from Russia, offshore Internet gambling and porn

No, they are just going to make it too expensive for legitimate providers like Pandora.com and many PBS stations to stay in the business. You think it's funny now, but wait until Big Brother takes away your donuts too.

[[JiF]Stepovich]

I will miss Pandora very much.

It's really very stupid from a business perspective- I know
for my part, I've found tons of new music that I have
gone out and purchased and all because of
services like Pandora...

Idiots.

[[JiF]Security]

This is getting to be too political/serious/controversial. I will have to lock out this thread.

[[JiF]Security]

Topic has been unlocked now that everyone has had a chance to calm down.
Be advised any future threats against donuts will be dealt with quickly and harshly

[[JiF][AARP]Tissueman]

I've been a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad boy. I won't make anymore anti-donut comments in this thread.

[[JiF]rIot]

Just curious (since we're on the donut topic) whats everyones favorite donut??? Mine is the traditional Dunkin Donuts chocolate covered donut...yummm

[[JiF]Stepovich]

This has got to be a Grimp conspiracy...
Why does it seem that EVERY thread here inevitably turns to donuts?

Just wondering...
Pardon me, I have to go find a Barvarian Cream...