For Buddhists, Barbershop, and Celtic Rock - Internet Streaming MediaMar 21 '01 (Updated May 15 '01) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line If local radio broadcasts do not meet your needs, check out streaming Internet media. A dedicated connection, such as cable modem, is recommended over dial-up.
Broadcasting for the rest of us Ever felt like you are held captive to the radio stations in your local area? Once in a while would you like to hear programming you know you would never find on your local dial? Then Internet streaming media may be just the thing. This Epinion will cover some of the variety of programming available over the Internet, the software and connections that makes it available, and how to tune in. Doesn't Internet radio just play fringe music? Not at all! A number of mainstream radio stations are now simultaneously broadcasting over the Internet in most of the popular styles. Modern rock, classic rock, pop, jazz, rap, rhythm and blues, classical, religious, and country is all there and very well represented. We're seeing more specialization, too, including rock from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and some combinations thereof. You can now find stations that specialize in bluegrass, where that music might only be found as the infrequent title in country or American folk music. Even if you prefer the most popular formats, if you don't like what your local radio station is playing, you can choose another throughout the USA or the world. But what if I like the fringe?! Then is Internet radio ever for you! I have found that on any given day I can find between 1,100 and 1,600 live stations, of which a good half are not mainstream. As this title suggests, you can get some pretty specialized content. For example, in addition to regular and alternative forms of industrial, punk, retro, trance, and metal, you can also find some of my favorites: * Tibetan Buddhist teachings - Through the LamRim.com broadcasts. They broadcast classes instructing traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings. * Modern A Cappella - More than just traditional barbershop style, they include pop and rock titles arranged to instrument-less close harmony. * Celtic Rock - Modern pop/rock music in a traditional Celtic style. * Native American - Through the NativeAmerican.com broadcasts. They play traditional and modern styles of Native American folk music. What it takes to get connected. For starters, it does require a computer with an Internet connection. This isn't the kind of MP3 music that can be played from a portable player. The Internet connection can be a dial-up or faster, such as ISDN, cable modem, DSL, or through a business Local Area Network. Dial-up speeds will limit which programming you can listen to, since some programming is formatted for the faster speeds, so your dial-up connection will not be able to keep up. Remember, the programming is being played to your computer in real time, so the more fidelity is encoded into the music, the better connection you need. But many programs, especially in the talk format, will stream at slower speeds in order to increase their potential audience. You also need software that can receive the stream, and it is here you have to pay special attention to the format. As the category of this article indicates, the focus is on MP3 streaming software, and for this you need an MP3 player that supports a streaming mode or net mode (same thing). The two most popularly supported broadcast formats are Shoutcast and Icecast. Your software will know the difference, but the format may dictate on which directory or web site you can find your programming. The more popular programs for streaming MP3 are WinAmp for Windows, and for Mac you have MacAmp, SoundJam, and Audion. These can be found at www.download.com You should be aware of some other formats and what it requires to play them, because some radio station's web sites will support live listening under these alternative formats. * RealAudio - A free player for Mac and Windows can be found at www.real.com * Windows Media Player - A free player for Mac and Windows can be found at www.microsoft.com Last, but not least, you need a source of programming. The software itself will have access to at least one stream guide or directory that lists available programs. Your player will allow you to either click on the program directly, or enter the URL of the streaming server if you have it copied down. I frequently find the URL using Audion, because it has a better stream guide, and then paste it into SoundJam Free, which has more playback features. You can also find programming on dedicated Web site directories. Once you have found a station you like you can store its address into a play list, the same kind you use to play MP3 files or CD tracks. And you thought you spent a lot of time on the Net now? Once you find a station or three that really grab you, the temptation is to stay connected for hours. Of course there is always 'rationing', and especially if your format is talk, you may be able to limit yourself to your favorite hourly program. To further the addiction, I suggest setting up a master play list. You can save all your favorite stations, and organize them into folders, such as Alternative News, Talk Radio, Folk Music, Contemporary Music, etc. You can then surf back and forth among stations until you find the program that fits your mood. If you're like me, you just resign yourself to turning your $1,000 computer into a $10 transistor radio. *** Notes: Thanks to KFI AM 640 for the radio metaphor. ;^) For an interesting 'fringe' station, try: http://207.126.64.52:8000/  |
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