[Swprograms] OT: Review, Webradio Recorder by Magix

[Joe Buch <joseph.buch@xxxxxxx>]

>From the Washington Post:

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/linkset/2005/09/16/LI2005091600852.html?referrer=email>

Listening to streaming radio feeds over the Internet is a great way to catch up on talk shows or music programs from stations around the globe -- especially if you can hear programs that air when you're working hard at the office or sound asleep at home.

Magix's Webradio Recorder makes it possible to record tunes or other programming from online radio stations -- either live or on a schedule -- and transfer those recordings to a portable audio player or blank CD.

The software, which works with a variety of music streams and can even capture multiple streams simultaneously, comes with basic editing functionality -- nothing near what specialty editing software titles offer, but good enough to handle basic trims.

Users can capture long, multi-hour MP3 recordings or have the software automatically save each song as a separate file -- on stations that broadcast track information. But if the tracks are separated, listeners run the risk that the song and track information ill be out of synchronization -- which means that the first few seconds of your recording will be missing, most likely stuck on the tail end of the previous track.

To help users fix this, Webradio Recorder includes a tool to manually adjust the beginnings and ends of songs before saving them as separate files.

In addition, users can set a recording filter to keep music by artists they want or eliminate artists they'd rather not hear. A time shift mode will record in the background so you can "rewind" the radio station, much like what TiVo does for television.

The software includes direct links to more than 2,000 Internet radio stations. Advanced users who know how to find the Web addresses for the stream feeds can also add new stations to the already large list.

Look out for the bizarre station groupings, though. U.S.-based folk stations are classified under the Country category, even though there is a Folk category -- where you'll find World Folk music only.

Overall, Webradio Recorder is a good way to record your favorite programming -- maybe a late-night dedication music show or an early-morning sports chat show -- and listen on the way to the office, either by sliding a homemade CD into the car stereo or playing through the headset of your portable music player.

-- Daniel Greenberg

Windows 98 or newer, $29.95


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Joe Buch
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