Add 100,000-plus Internet Radio Stations to Windows Media Center

WaPo ^ | 3-29-10 | Rick Broida

[smokingfrog]

It's a little-known fact that Windows Media Center can tune in local FM radio stations--provided, that is, you have an FM tuner connected to your PC (some internal TV tuner cards include one) and a good antenna.

Hey, this is the Internet age, right? Why mess around with 80-year-old technology that pulls in maybe two dozen stations (if you're lucky) when you can stream over 100,000 radio stations from across the planet?

RadioTime is a free radio-streaming service that lets any computer user do exactly that. But if you're a Windows Media Center user, you can grab the RadioTime WMC plug-in and "surf" the airwaves right from your couch.

After installing the plug-in (I recommend using the Get the installer link on the product page), just fire up Windows Media Center and head to the Extras section. Click the RadioTime icon, then choose your desired category: Local Radio (on my system it automatically detected my location), Talk Radio, Music Radio, World Radio, or Sports Radio. ad_icon

There's also a My Presets option, which is kind of like a Favorites area, but you have to sign up for a free RadioTime account in order to use it. Speaking of which, the plug-in is also free.

[smokingfrog]

RadioTime is a free radio-streaming service

RadioTime WMC plug-in

My Channel Logos plug-in

[MissDairyGoodnessVT]

i’ve been using RadioTime ever since it came out and it’s really great.

[tutstar]

bump

[padre35]

Sweet.

[Rome2000]

Awesome

Thanks for the link

[AlexW]

I have also been using Radiotime.com for quite some time now.
It is fantastic for streaming from all over the world.
The presets page is also great for programing your favorites.

The talkers are all in a group, and I get all but Rush, which I get from Rush 24/7

If I am not listening to a talker, I stream music, 24 hours a day, from many sources.

[Kid Shelleen]

book marked

[LouAvul]

tagged for reference

[RckyRaCoCo]

Been using RadioTime for a while, it's great for hunting down stations/programs which I can later plug into my wifi radio.

Use RadioReference for finding streaming live scanner feeds and LiveATC for live ATC streams...both of which can be plugged into your WIFI radio BTW.

[freedom_forge]

It's a little-known fact that Windows Media Center can tune in local FM radio stations--provided, that is, you have an FM tuner connected to your PC (some internal TV tuner cards include one) and a good antenna.

What's that got to do with anything? Wow. I can tune in local FM stations anyway, provided I have a radio. I know, let's spend $250 to $1000 on a computer so I can listen to FM.

It took me three reads to figure out that paragraph was entirely unnecessary to the article. Maybe I'm just dumb.

[giotto]

I have a C Crane wi-fi radio I really love. It’s a stand alone black box that lets me tune into thousands of internet stations without worrying about plug-ins. Now what I want to see is a wi-fi video box that would plug into my TV, so that I can completely bypass cable and satellite TV.

[RckyRaCoCo]

Been looking at the compatibilities of WD TV Live...would love to dump cable TV...too much garbage, not worth the $$$

[buschbaby]

book marked

[RckyRaCoCo]

...also the Dell Zino HD

In the end I'm sure the cable/satellite company's and their cohorts will have something to say about FREE streaming content/availability.

[giotto]

My son informs me that what I want is HTPC (Home Theatre PC), but so far all I can find are cases that let you build your own.

Would WD TV let me access streaming media from the internet?

[RckyRaCoCo]

There are a few reviews available if you do a YouTube/Google search for WD TV Live HD...from what I've seen YouTube content is easily accessible, others (Hulu, etc.) may require third party software.

Another interesting one I was just reading about...PopBox

[smokingfrog]

I’ve noticed that some blue ray players have wifi built in, so you can listen to Pandora or watch Netflix and YouTube. Haven’t actually seen it in action though. There was a thread a couple of weeks back with people raving about Roku.

[nutmeg]

ping

[good old days]

Thank you!

[raccoonradio]

Looks like my Windows 7 comp doesn’t have a radio or TV tuner (yet). I have heard of tuners like the Radio Shark, etc.

To be honest I have a Technics receiver with an adapter going into the input jack of my comp. to get some radio reception. I also use something called Screamer Radio (free download) which offers some over the air stations and specialized
music webstreams, free.

by the way on that Windows Media Center, if you’re an XM (or
Sirius) subscriber and pay a couple bucks extra per month
for Web access to XM (I do), you can use Windows Media Center to hear XM via your email address and password. It will be the same as what your reg. subscription is (for me,
I dropped the extreme language channels to help pay for
the Web access...) Anyway that comes in on Windows Media Center