For many years now, radio programmes have been successfully transmitted over the world wide web. In this article we will take a look at the story of internet radio so far.
Internet radio can be more accurately referred to as ‘webcasting.’ This is due to the fact that it is not transmitted via traditional wireless means. Instead, it is ‘streamed’ through an on-demand service via a computer.
In layman’s terms, this involves splitting the audio files into ‘bits’ and transporting these from a computer to an internet radio unit over a wireless network. Once the bits have arrived at the radio, they are re-assembled and played back to the user. Often, this results in a delay which is known as ‘lag time’
Internet radio was first conceived in 1993 by Carl Mamalud who launched Internet Talk Radio, a weekly talk show comprising interviews with computer experts. A year later, the Rolling stones became the first band to be broadcast over the internet in a ‘cyberspace multicast concert.”
1994 was a groundbreaking year, as it also marked the launch of the first commercial station to embrace the new platform. WXYC of North Carolina, USA began broadcasting their FM programming over the net on the 7th November that year.
In 1995, the first internet-exclusive radio station ‘NetRadio’ was founded. This initially proved to be successful, growing to provide over 100 channels of music and spoken channels, but went under during the dot com boom in 2001.
Today, many FM radio stations now broadcast over the internet. In addition to these, the new medium has opened up the airwaves to thousands of independent, internet only stations.
Internet radio is popular with expatriates, who may not be in range of their favourite stations. It is also a good medium for alternative and niche programming, which may not always find its way onto commercial FM stations.
Electronics e-tailer Big Box shop have 2 of the best internet radios around, both of which allow users to listen to thousands of radio stations directly from their computer. These are:
BT internet radio
BT’s internet radio complements their range of broadband and on-demand services around the home. This top-spec unit comes with the superb sound quality and all the features you would expect from such a well-renowned brand. The BT internet radio is available at Big Box Shop with 29% off RRP at just £105.74.
Sagem MyDu@l 700 internet radio
The MyDu@l 700 from French manufacturer Sagem incorporates a range of features, including an FM tuner and a digital alarm clock. It supports playback in a number of formats, including MP3, WAV and WMA and is available for just £71.68 (Inc VAT) About
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Big Box Shop, one of the U.K’s largest online retailers of digital phones are delighted to announce the launch of the brand new BT stratus 1500 range.
Appearing in 1,2 or 3 handset packages, this stylish, feature-packed phone is the latest addition to Big Box’s product offering, which includes DECT phones from all of the leading manufacturers, including Panasonic, Siemens and Binatone.
The BT Stratus 1500 is compatible with an analogue telephone line or analogue extension on a telephone system. These connections are common in both the home and the office, meaning that the Stratus can be used in both a domestic and a business setting.
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