Internet Radio Alternative

[Melbosa]

Usually I like to listen to music at work.  Because I don't have a radio, I can't listen to the local stations like I would prefer.  And because I like to keep my workstation at work simple, I was fiddling with the WMP Radio section.



Why all this background?  Well I found something interesting.  Seems you can have MSN Radio emulate the music of your local radio stations (as long as the city/radio affiliates profile their music lists to some type of interent resource - not really sure how this works).  What I found is that if you click on Radio in your WMP 10, you get a list of sectioned music.  It will default to Featured Stations (some are grey because they want you to pay for the better quality), but if you go down to MSN Local Sounds you will find a drop down list.  Change it to Alberta, and then the one to its right will update.  When you check the list there, all that you can pick is Edmonton (YES! No Calgary - IN YOU FACE COW TOWN!).  Then all you need to do is pick the station you want MSN Radio to sequence your songs too.  Works really well.  And I find the MSN Radio feeds are stable, don't cut out like when you try to listen to the live feeds from the Radio stations themselves.



Downfalls?  Well its only generating a playlist similar to what your choosen radio station plays.  So you don't get the local news, traffic, celeb voices, etc.  But hey works better than either The Bear, The Bounce, and Joe FM's live feeds so far.

[Melbosa]

All the information I can find on how this service works:

How do local stations work?     

   



Local stations play music heard on your favorite FM stations, but with fewer ads, no DJ chatter and less repetition. Just click on Local Stations and choose your city and state.



We use data from a company called BDS to program our Local Stations with similar music, although MSN Radio's local stations aren't actually affiliated with the broadcasters or their official websites.

Source: http://radio.msn.com/netcal/default.aspx?netcal=4608

[Mr. Analog]

Our office favourite online radio station is Red Dragon FM (out of Wales)



http://www.reddragonfm.co.uk/

[Thorin]

Yes.  Yes it is!

[Shayne]

*edit*

[Darren Dirt]

Local stations play music heard on your favorite FM stations, but with fewer ads, no DJ chatter and less repetition. Just click on Local Stations and choose your city and state.

But then how will I know what useless crap (musical and otherwise) that I Must Buy Right Now Without Delay Hurry Up And Consume Before It's Too Late And You're A Loser For Missing Out On A Trend!?

[Mr. Analog]

Local stations play music heard on your favorite FM stations, but with fewer ads, no DJ chatter and less repetition. Just click on Local Stations and choose your city and state.

But then how will I know what useless crap (musical and otherwise) that I Must Buy Right Now Without Delay Hurry Up And Consume Before It's Too Late And You're A Loser For Missing Out On A Trend!?

Some of us are capable of, yes, resisting those "wily" radio ads. Much as I want auto parts, auto parts, auto parts. Or care that some fast food joint sells "real" Mexican food (why do I want to eat like a "real" Mexican when I can have a steak anyway?). Or that a diamond place is more differenter than the others... auto parts.

[Darren Dirt]

Some of us are capable of, yes, resisting those "wily" radio ads. Much as I want auto parts, auto parts, auto parts. Or care that some fast food joint sells "real" Mexican food (why do I want to eat like a "real" Mexican when I can have a steak anyway?). Or that a diamond place is more differenter than the others... auto parts.

I've got one word for you.



Two actually.



MATTRESS! MATTRESS!  ](*,)  #-o  :evil:





edit: FIXED stupid tag problem - (to reduce likelihood of mocking by Mr. A )

[Fedora Gal]

I actually prefer listening to the radio feed from the radio station, not that I like the commercials, I'm more partial to the commentary from the DJ's. That and I'm trying to win the $1000! hah



But yeah I stumbled across this before, and it is a neat idea, but I find the feeds are sometimes garbled and not so clear....Winnipeg ones anyway. I'll stick with my 104.1 live from the station!



hehehehe

[Mr. Analog]

Hey I could be winning ?1000 if I can find the Red Dragon Fugitive, all I need is a high res satellite map of Wales and a bit of luck!