Re: [Swprograms] The other shoe... (internet radio receivers)

["Richard Cuff" <rdcuff@xxxxxxxxx>]

Lee, you're right, that's a weakness.  I have listed some workarounds
below for those who are leery of third parties.

In order to simplify the user interface, all "Internet radios" rely on
either a third-party or software residing on a networked personal
computer in order to navigate the vagaries of URLs.

One alternative is to look for radios with extensive on-board
memories; the CC Wifi radio has 99 of them.

This way, you can use the third party to seek out stations you like,
then add them to your personalized list maintained on the third party
website, and then add them to the radio's own presets.

You can navigate to those presets without connecting to the third
party's database.

Another alternative is to consider Logitech's "Squeezebox".  Logitech
sponsors open-source software called "SqueezeCenter" which you install
on another computer that resides in the same network as the Internet
radio.  You can create customized lists of web radio stations that
reside in a directory within that software, then access that software
via the Squeezebox.

Since it's open-source software, it stands to reason that the software
would survive any demise to Logitech.  Caution -- the Squeezebox
doesn't have onboard speakers.

See http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_features.html and
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/wireless_music_systems/devices/881&cl=roeu,en

A third alternative is to consider one of the new breed of
ultra-mobile PCs such as the Asus Eeee, and treat that like an
Internet radio.  You can navigate it using a web browser.  The only
significant downside of the Eeee is paltry onboard speakers, but
that's easily correctable.

The media world of the 21st century has met the outsourcing world of
the 21st century, and few international broadcasters own both the
content production ("the brand") and the transmitting facilities.
Frankly, that "third party" has always existed...the station's
budget...

Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA  USA

On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 1:59 AM, Lee Reynolds <kd1sq@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Now, I'm a fan of internet radio, I like it a lot. There's one weakness only
> that bothers me about it - the need for a third party internet-based source
> for quick and easy access to station listings.
>
> That kind of thing exposes you to the possibility of subscription fees,
> information source outages or, worse yet, the source goes away permanently.
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