|
Recording An Internet Audio Stream Or Actual Radio Broadcast.
I have another technology question for you and hope you don't mind answering it for me. You're incredibly knowledgeable and easy for me to understand hence why I come to you again.
I'm going to be interviewed on a radio show this week that is is on a small community station with a low range frequency. This means you can listen to it at home or in the car but only within the town limits it was recorded in as the antenna only reaches a small town.
The station has an Internet presence and stream though. My mother is a 24/7 nurse and unable to listen in on WI-FI as her workplace and client is private and at 92 is not equipped with Internet or Wi-FI nor is the senior citizen's building he lives in. She has been their 6 weeks as he's had a major operation and cannot get the frequency.
While I don't want to do anything illegal here or violate copyright I was wondering if there were some way I could capture the Internet stream on a cassette or CD-RW from that for her this weekend? Is there free and reliable software and in do you have easy instructions for how to do so?
Alternatively, I can get the frequency on my IPOD dock from Sony but for some reason my tape/deck stereo can't bring it in while the dock/clock radio can. Are their cords or a device that I could use? If not I will wait and see if I can get a CD from them sometime soon for her to enjoy.
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Technology category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Computers?
Hi there,
Thanks for the kind words, and no I don't mind the question.
Man did you ask the right person! ;-) I have been on radio interviews quite a number of times, and, if you will allow me, I would like to simplify this whole process for you:
Recording a streaming broadcast from home/office while you are being interviewed live is... frankly, CURSED!
You simply would not believe the number of tools, times and ways I had tried this when I was a little younger, and had yet to figure out the real answers for this. Time after time, application after another fails in one way or another.
So, one time I brought my digital recorder with me and asked if they would mind me getting the whole thing from the studio side. They didn't mind at all, and this was a big corporate monster station with a legal team of their own, so I cannot believe that a small town station would object.
The other thing I figured out pretty early on in my experimenting with the recording disasters: Don't invite headaches where there aren't any!
Simply tell them what you told me: "My mom would like to hear this, but she is working and not able to listen. Would you mind making me a copy on cd-r? I would be happy to pay for it."
I have never had anyone accept money in a situation like that.
I had a look around to see what is going on with the state of internet stream recorders these days, and I see nothing much has changed:
There are free programs, that are pretty easy to use, but they are bundled with horrific spyware.
There are free programs that will do the job just fine, if you have the time to learn them. (Which, at this point, with a couple days remaining, you probably don't.)
There are paid programs that work just fine, but are spendy for something you may only use once.
Mostly, there are a LOT of "free" programs listed that either don't work at all, or barely function, but either way their main reason for being is to install spyware/adware on your system.
As for your home stereo not picking this up, you may not have an adequate antenna connected to it. A simple fm dipole antenna would probably get the job done, and they can be had for very little money, or, if you are handy and have the wire laying around, can be made in a few minutes.
Also, just to cover the bases: If your ipod dock has an audio out jack, you may be able to cable your dock, to your cassette deck's line in jacks with one of these:
... which I would be surprised if you don't have laying around from something else already. If not, these too can be had cheap and should be in every cable arsenal. :-)
Having pointed you towards those items, I still suggest that you ask for a recording from them directly and/or bring your own digital recorder when you come to the studio.
If you feel like sharing, send me a copy on skype. I like to hear what the site's long time users are up to. :-)
Best of luck on your radio interview!
DN.
P.S. The nerves are normal, even if this isn't your first time. Helpful hint: Look directly into the eyes of whomever you are talking to, and focus there, completely wiping the mics and all from your mind. It helps.
P.P.S. Sorry if there is anything odd written here, you caught me just heading out the door and I didn't have time to proof-read this.
]
More Questions: |