Internet radio

knightstyle

Hi, I am thinking of getting a wi-fi internet radio, can I use it as a speaker when watching BBC iPlayer on my laptop?
Which one would you recommend?

John_Gray

a) not as far as I am aware

b) I am thinking of buying a TV - which one do you recommend?
How long is a piece of string? You need to say a bit more about what you want: cost range, size, portability, does it need an ethernet interface as well as wifi, stereo speakers or mono, mains- or battery-powered only or both, and so on. And does it have to be pink?!

totalsolutions

Logitech Squeezebox sounds good. Wi-fi. Cat5, audio in.

knightstyle

Thanks for replies. Just want to use the radio as an alternative to a Sky Gnome when abroad, my wi-fi reaches the far end of the garden. So portable/rechargable would be good.
Plus if it has audio in can I just plug it into the headphone socket on my laptop?

buglawton

Get an iPod Touch with a nice stylish dock that has decent built in speakers.

The iPod Touch outperforms practically any Internet radio. Internet radios go out of date the moment you favourite station changes to a newer codec (techy word for how the digital bits get converted into sound). A lot of stations now offer AAC+ that gives best sound quality that cannot be heard on any Internet radio but can be on the Touch. Conventional Internet radios then need a 'firmware' update if the manfr is so considerate as to issue one.

An iPod Touch however, just needs a quick download of the latest radio software.

Put the dock in the place you would like to hear the radio every day eg kitchen or living room. You can take the Touch with you and use it with earphones anywhere around the house. You can also get cheap small docks that feed the sound to your main HiFi.

I expect there to soon be cheap Android based WiFi Internet radios with maybe a nice touch screen and easily updated software, but none on the market just yet.

The only case where I'd recommend a 'conventional' internet radio is for a totally non-techy relative who just wants to push one of 5 preset buttons to get a favourite station.

Marty999

Knightstyle - for a really cheap option, take a look at this Pinnacle Soundbridge. I have a lower specified model and it's excellent.

buglawton

An interesting idea the Soundbridge - but needs your Computer to be switched on and can apparently can just play the files on your computer?

tonynw

Hi

I sell the revo blik they do all you want and are fantastic for wifi radio @ £59.99 they are good value for money.

tonynw

Marty999

buglawton wrote: »

An interesting idea the Soundbridge - but needs your Computer to be switched on and can apparently can just play the files on your computer?

You need your PC running to play music stored on it, but if you just want internet radio you just need your wireless router switched on. Or you can play music via an SD card inserted into the unit.

alanwjones

I've had this one http://www.orangeaccessories.co.uk/liveradio.html?added=5585320 for the past month and love it.

knightstyle

alanwjones, Thanks for that, but where did you buy it? The Orange site says "coming soon" and I want it now!!!!!