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ian_heys

Listed below are comments made by ian_heys between Wednesday, 3rd December 2008 and Saturday, 20th June 2009.

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Another exciting new sound for BBC Radio 08:10am on 20 Jun 2009 @Jon iPlayer-Host

Jon thanks for the comment. I have used the WMA streams for my Squeezebox for some years and was well aware of them.

I was hoping that the BBC would provide base aac streams (not wrapped in Flash) of the main network stations (as James promised) so that these could be heard on Squeezeboxes and the like.

Further I was hoping that these base stream URLs would be included on the WMA/Real address page.

After all some of these devices are in a chain of hifi equipment that is capable of reproducing quality audio in the home and the WMA streams whilst having served their purpose are not the highest availabe quality.

Can someone at your end please confirm that you still intend to do this?
Another exciting new sound for BBC Radio 11:44am on 19 Jun 2009 Well done James and all at the BBC - excellent quality here in the UK and no doubt pretty good around the globe too.

Like you say it took a while.

For us internet radio device users can we please have the "vanilla" (as you once called - and promised them) URL streams as soon as possible so that we can listen to these streams on our Squeezeboxes and similar devices.
Better audio for BBC Radio online 09:07am on 16 May 2009 I notice that BBC Radio 3 is now 192kbpS in AAC on iPlayer and all other main stations are now 128kbpS.

World Service starts eventually in my iPlayer but without a "properties" bar to verify the streaming rate.

A WS flash player starts if you launch from the stations home page at 64kbpS -no need to sign up to be a labs tester.

Haven't yet found any local radio in flash player but haven't checked many.

Is anybody still reading this?

Is this information being posted elsewhere?

Vanilla Streams?

How about an update?
Better audio for BBC Radio online 06:50am on 11 May 2009 Sorry

I meant to say AAC family streams in previous post - I know that not all of them are AAC+.
Better audio for BBC Radio online 06:41am on 11 May 2009 I've been using the AAC+ streams, largely without problems, for the last three months.

For me they are pretty good.

The problem of Optimod type compression of the audio before encoding, although it exists, is not of such significance on the channels to which I listen. The principle in general seems to be patronising as it assumes that the listener is incapable of making any necessary adjustment. Not everyone listens in their car or on an IPod.

One minor issue I do have have is that the AAC+ Flash streams always start in the main web page, but when I try to use the pop-out player it mostly refuses to start and calls for me to install Real Player. I'm using Ubuntu 9.04 and Firefox 3.0.10.

Finally, as this post is now three months old - is there any news on the "vanilla" AAC+ streams as I would dearly love to use my Squeezebox to play them on my hifi. Perhaps these "vanilla" streams could be free of Optimod type compression as they are destined for higher quality listening equipment - at least to some part.
Better audio for BBC Radio online 12:39pm on 13 Feb 2009 Further to my previous comment on Desert Island Discs.

I honestly believe that the source for this programme was of an inferior quality and I find programmes on Radios 2, 3 and 4 generally better than that.

However I do still notice that speech seems to have some very light sibilance associated with it whereas recorded music seems to be quite good.

Is there some difference in the way speech reaches the encoders?
Better audio for BBC Radio online 09:34am on 13 Feb 2009 Just a quick report

Listening to Desert Island Discs - David Suchet at the moment.

Supposedly 128kbps AAC+ - very heavy compression artefacts on his voice.

Using good Sennheiser headphones and Creative Audigy soundcard

Quite disappointing?

Maybe it was recorded in some other format?
BBC Radio in iPlayer - sounds even better, with more to come 11:36am on 30 Dec 2008 I've been thinking about the day (coiming soon we hope) when AAC+ streams become available in the iPlayer and the vanilla URL's are published.

I currently listen to these streams either on my PC or through my hifi/squeezebox using the PC as a transcoder to WAV format to get the best possible output.

I cannot seem to find any streaming radio or hifi device that will decode AAC+ natively - although some can decode the AAC part without the (+) enchancements.

Is anyone aware of any streaming radio or hifi component with full native AAC+ decoding? (So that the PC does not need to be on).

One or two postings on the Squeezebox forums, on the subject, have been met with little more than apathy.
BBC Radio in iPlayer - sounds even better, with more to come 12:16pm on 20 Dec 2008 The URL you are using is the first item in the Radio 3 asx format playlist:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r3.asx

You can enter this in either your SqueezeCenter Favourites or your SqueezeNetwork Favourites.

If you put it in your SqueezeNetwork favourites you don't even need your SqueezeCenter server on as the Squeezebox can natively decode these playlists.

If the BBC change the bit rate within the playlist items these will also change dynamically and you won't have to update.

Most other BBC Radio playlists in this format usually lead to the appropriate BBC Radio channel in 96kBit/s (Radio 1, 1Xtra, 2, 4, 6, 7 and Asian Network)

Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra are at 64kBps.

The playlists can be found by tuning into the channel on your PC (if your running Windows) and right click on the Now Playing bar on Windows Media Player bar where you will see the playlist for that channel in the properties box.

Finally if you are in UK you should use the iPlayer plugin - not Alien BBC as this is intended for non-UK users.

If you need any further help IM me on the SlimDevices forum where I have the same user name.
The latest on Coyopa, the Mayan God of thunderous noises 08:21am on 03 Dec 2008 @James Cridland

Thanks for the comprehensive update James - much appreciated.

I'm glad to know we will have vanilla AAC family live streams in due course.

If the details are made public elsewhere can you at least comment on here so that we have a chance of finding them?

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