Internet Radio In Your Car

[ajitsank]

I have always been trying to find out a permanent solution to listening to Radio in Car. Never been happy with the Local FM stations (SICK RJ's with their Slapstick Thamasha's, some time I feel they talk much more than playing music )and the key to all this was while traveling long distance outside home city this used to be a concern.

Some years back I tried out with worldspace, going to extent of getting a world space car antenna imported from Switzerland, that experience lasted for a month and the world space story was history.

Recently I hit upon an idea and has found a permanent solution;

The hardware;

1. Android or Iphone (I tried an un-used Iphone to do a trial run) Currently I use a a New Sony Ericsson Walkman Live permanently in my car.
2. Audio connection for Phone to Car Audio System:
Option-1 : Aux 3.5 mm Cable (I use this currently and it is very convenient)
Option - 2 : For Iphone I used a FM transmitter (Brand New Allkit FM Transmitter for Apple iPhone 4G / Apple iPod Touch 4G | eBay)
Here I must admit this gadget stopped working the second month)
Option-3: Home Car Wireless Stereo FM Transmitter P3 /ipods/mp4 Ipad 1 and ipad 2 | eBay

The Software:
1. TuneIn - TuneIn: Listen to Online Radio, Music and Talk Stations : This app works on both Android and Iphone. You could have the best FM stations from across the world set as a presets. Also has a Car Mode screen, a full screen display of all important buttons for easy access. This is to enable access screens while you drive.(now this is not advised)
2. Some of the FM stations I access are
a. Suno 1024 (dubai) - Hindi Channel
b Hit 96.7, Radio Me - FM Malayalam Station - Being a Malayali staying in Hyderabad this is something we used to miss badly. Not any more
c. warm 98 FM - FM station based in Cincinnati, OH. I am addict to this channel Plays all the best from the 80's, 90's and the latest.

and Many more other FM Stations.


The Communication:
1. At home I connect to the Wifi (this is if i want to listen to radio at home)
2. In car this is the most important point: I use an Aircel 3G Connection: I pay Rs. 128 Per Month Unlimited Usage (This is for 3G). If I choose 2G i pay Rs. 221 for 3 Months Unlimited. Both connective is good within City limits. The bad of Aircel is that the moment you live city limits the coverage is limited. The good part is if you leave the home state it comes under roaming and then you are back to having seamless connectivity. Barring the roaming charges (Aircel data roaming is much cheaper as compared to others)

The Aircel SIM is used only for the internet radio and thus this phone is permanently connected in the car. I have a car charger which ensures the phone is charged always.

The good: Access to 24 hour music from stations across the world. Listen some of the world's best FM stations.

The bad: Like your phone there are some places the line drops, but it does come back automatically as the App refreshes itself within few seconds or max a Minute. Rarely does this happen, but it does happen.

On My recent trip from Hyderabad to Darjeeling this is one that kept us listening to wonder full music all through out our journey.

[iSpoke]

It depends how big Music lover are you, but rather than going to this extent whats wrong in having couple of decent sized (may be 16-32Gb) memory sticks having your favorite songs on each depending on mood. With the shuffle on, you would hardly get to listen to any repeated song.

It may not beat your current settings, but seems way economical than having a separate iPhone, dedicated SIM card, network usage charges and charging.

[mayankjha1806]

Decent solution if the network provider has cheap plans for 3g. For others its a good solution to watch out for in future, but not practical at the moment as the 3g data charges are still high. Most of pay few 100 Rs for limited plans that only allow 300MB data upload/download limit.

BTW my 32GB card has enough music at 320KMPS bit rate to keep us busy for a 20 hour journey.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by ajitsank

I have always been trying to find out a permanent solution to listening to Radio in Car. Never been happy with the Local FM stations (SICK RJ's with their Slapstick Thamasha's, some time I feel they talk much more than playing music )and the key to all this was while traveling long distance outside home city this used to be a concern.

Originally Posted by iSpoke

It depends how big Music lover are you, but rather than going to this extent whats wrong in having couple of decent sized (may be 16-32Gb) memory sticks having your favorite songs on each depending on mood. With the shuffle on, you would hardly get to listen to any repeated song.

It may not beat your current settings, but seems way economical than having a separate iPhone, dedicated SIM card, network usage charges and charging.

I agree, why would anyone want to listen to radio when you can carry your own collection of CDs, Flash memory etc.
And all can be at the sound quality that you prefer!

Ajit, to get a similar sound quality you would require guaranteed 3G connection with guaranteed unlimited usage (no FUP, no starred unlimited usage etc) - for at least 160-192 kbps streaming without frequent buffering.

Sorry to say, 3G connections in India are pathetic and whimsical.

[ecclipse78]

I barely have a few CD's in the car. Internet radio is the way to go and it also seamlessly integrates with your head unit if you have an iPhone connector or dock.

I use Airtel 3G and have rarely faced any disruptions. Access to over 8000 radio stations from all over and live streaming is fantastic.

[traveloholic]

Originally Posted by ajitsank

Recently I hit upon an idea and has found a permanent solution;

Been doing it for long using an Aux Cable or an Male-to-Male Audio Cable. We really need not have a separate setup for this, the existing phone can also be used and works like charm. There are a zillion Internet Radio apps out there, while dole out great music 24*7. Ajit, do you keep the phone always plugged in or take it with you, when you are not in the car?

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

BTW my 32GB card has enough music at 320KMPS bit rate to keep us busy for a 20 hour journey.

Mayank, are you sure about 320KMPS (320 Kms per second)? At this rate, after your 20 hour journey you would be 23040000 Kms away from where you started

I guess, should be read as 320kbps.

[ajitsank]

Originally Posted by traveloholic

Been doing it for long using an Aux Cable or an Male-to-Male Audio Cable. We really need not have a separate setup for this, the existing phone can also be used and works like charm. There are a zillion Internet Radio apps out there, while dole out great music 24*7. Ajit, do you keep the phone always plugged in or take it with you, when you are not in the car?


Mayank, are you sure about 320KMPS (320 Kms per second)? At this rate, after your 20 hour journey you would be 23040000 Kms away from where you started

I guess, should be read as 320kbps.

Yes it is always plugged in. The phone is safely hidden from view. Unplugged from car only if I want to listen to stations at home. I haven't checked any other app as this is the one that I hit first and rest of other ideas rolled in (in-car internet radio). I bought a new Sony Erricson Walkman Live since it gives much better quality audio as compared to other similar phones and also the phone is designed as a walkman, thus a better quality of audio.

[ajitsank]

Originally Posted by ecclipse78

I barely have a few CD's in the car. Internet radio is the way to go and it also seamlessly integrates with your head unit if you have an iPhone connector or dock.

I use Airtel 3G and have rarely faced any disruptions. Access to over 8000 radio stations from all over and live streaming is fantastic.

The choice of Aircel 3G was purely because of the cost. The trial was on my IDEA 3G and never once in 2 weeks of usage did I have a disruption both within city and outside.

[randomguy]

How do you like the quality of TuneIn? I used it for a little while, but the bitrate was on the lower side, which I didn't like.

[ajitsank]

Originally Posted by randomguy

How do you like the quality of TuneIn? I used it for a little while, but the bitrate was on the lower side, which I didn't like.

I might not be good on the technical side. In lame man terms it is really good to listen. On my Iphone & Sony Erricosn Walkman Live and when connected to Car Audio it gives almost an Ipod quality sound.

In another word, i feel it is better than the normal on air FM Stations. Again it is very personal view only.

[acurafan]

Ah, finally a fellow internet radio listener :-) I was really sick of the local radio stations. I used thumb drive to play music but if you don't download illegally then there is a limit on what you can listen to.
I prefer listening to talk shows and news hour type programs which are hardly broadcast on Indian FM channels. Thus my radio is mostly tuned to NPR and BBC.

[mukundmenon]

As an added value - your always plugged in iPhone can serve as an vehicle tracker. In case your car is stolen, you just have to report to the nearest police station and trace your iphone, and voila you get to your car!!! just keep your iphone neatly hidden away...

Try shoutcast app.. it also has a nice collection of music stations for all genres.

[PearlJam]

Just a little information: You can set your streaming bitrate to 32kbps (in TuneIn or whatever app you use), and it will play even on 2g network. There is a marginal loss of quality, but you get what you want. 64kbps is quite decent too.

[magikrider]

even though i have thousands of songs an hundreds of cd's i too sometime prefer radio in the car. as sometimes you don't want the hassle of selecting the right music and just want to listen to something random or wanna try new music. but i agree, FM stations in india are pretty bad. most of the time they are either talking or broadcasting commercials. music is very less. so internet radio is a good option. its high time we get one in our cars like they have in abroad. hope such service starts in india soon.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by iSpoke

whats wrong in having couple of decent sized (may be 16-32Gb) memory sticks having your favorite songs on each depending on mood. With the shuffle on, you would hardly get to listen to any repeated song.

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

BTW my 32GB card has enough music at 320KMPS bit rate to keep us busy for a 20 hour journey.

I have always had much more excitement in listening to those same songs through radio.

Originally Posted by alpha1

I agree, why would anyone want to listen to radio when you can carry your own collection of CDs, Flash memory etc.
And all can be at the sound quality that you prefer!

Why do all that yourself when someone can play the kind of songs that you want to listen to in that moment ? You might like a new song which you have not heard before. There are innumerable number of stations playing out various genres of music, talk shows, news, sports etc., it is a BIG world out there and internet radio has been my favourite for a long time, at home or in the car. 2g also provides some decent options but is very irritating sometimes. Sound quality depends on station to station. I just bookmark the stations that reel out my kind of music in decent enough sound quality and keep adding to my favourites when I am listening at home.

Radio is different from listening to our own collection of music.


I have a spare phone which I carry around and connect to the aux in my HU or to the amp in the house.