Have you an iPhone? Want music? Read...

[VAXman(Admin)]

[FACTUAL; NON-SUBJECTIVE; REPORT-ONLY; COMMENT-FREE]

Turmoil Plume's comment under the iTunes 9 supports HE-AAC news item prompted some iPhone application research. Check out this link if streaming Aural Moon or your own library to your iPhone is a must.

[JamForte(Admin)]

now.. if only Apple would ease up and allow more providers..
... I've been with mine since '95 ..
... and reluctant to change just for a 'gucci' phone ...
... mind you AM in the car ..
.. might just tip the balance ..

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by JamForte

now.. if only Apple would ease up and allow more providers..
... I've been with mine since '95 ..
... and reluctant to change just for a 'gucci' phone ...
... mind you AM in the car ..
.. might just tip the balance ..

I have posted several times about the ability to listen to AM in the car. Maybe this one will stick. I'll explain how I accomplish the task, but I'm sure it can be done many other ways.

First, you should have a wireless plan with unlimited data. Common in USA, but perhaps not everyplace else.

Next, being a patron is handy as the 128K stream is essential to listen to AM on an above average car stereo system.

Your car should have provision to accept a 3.5mm AUX input. You can connect your mobile phone via FM or cassette too, but I had spotty performance with these in the past. AUX input much more common in newer cars since 2006.

The rest of this is specific to my rig. I've been using this for over a year.
Carrier = AT&T (3G service is almost 100% coverage in my local area). $30/mo data plan is mandatory.
Device = iPhone 3G. In the USA, we can get an 8GB 3GS version for $99
Application = Wunderradio costs $7 (allows entering custom stream info), or if you don't want to spend the money, FStream is a free app that will work as well.
Connection = el cheapo 3.5mm male patch cable. $5 at Radio Shack or your favorite electronics store.
Power source = Belkin micro $20 (this is very important because streaming internet radio draws more current than conventional car chargers. You need something that can supply 1A or greater.) If you don't do this, you'll eventually run the battery down in the phone.
Placement = Apple dock $29 for my iPhone to make it easy to sit the phone and control it. The dock sits in the center console behind the stick shift. (yes, some americanos like to shift for themselves. )

Et voila', you can now enjoy AuralMoon almost everywhere.

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by gr8sho92

I have posted several times about the ability to listen to AM in the car. Maybe this one will stick. I'll explain how I accomplish the task, but I'm sure it can be done many other ways.

First, you should have a wireless plan with unlimited data. Common in USA, but perhaps not everyplace else.

Next, being a patron is handy as the 128K stream is essential to listen to AM on an above average car stereo system.

Your car should have provision to accept a 3.5mm AUX input. You can connect your mobile phone via FM or cassette too, but I had spotty performance with these in the past. AUX input much more common in newer cars since 2006.

The rest of this is specific to my rig. I've been using this for over a year.
Carrier = AT&T (3G service is almost 100% coverage in my local area). $30/mo data plan is mandatory.
Device = iPhone 3G. In the USA, we can get an 8GB 3GS version for $99
Application = Wunderradio costs $7 (allows entering custom stream info), or if you don't want to spend the money, FStream is a free app that will work as well.
Connection = el cheapo 3.5mm male patch cable. $5 at Radio Shack or your favorite electronics store.
Power source = Belkin micro $20 (this is very important because streaming internet radio draws more current than conventional car chargers. You need something that can supply 1A or greater.) If you don't do this, you'll eventually run the battery down in the phone.
Placement = Apple dock $29 for my iPhone to make it easy to sit the phone and control it. The dock sits in the center console behind the stick shift. (yes, some americanos like to shift for themselves. )

Et voila', you can now enjoy AuralMoon almost everywhere.

Can you please check and verify whether or not iPhone 3G can now decode the 24k and 96h AACplus (HE-AAC) streams since the latest iTunes can now do this.

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by VAXman

Can you please check and verify whether or not iPhone 3G can now decode the 24k and 96h AACplus (HE-AAC) streams since the latest iTunes can now do this.

The short answer is yes.

The longer answer is that this isn't so much of an iPhone thing other than the speed of the connection, but moreover of the application being used. While the iPhone has an iTunes app, oddly enough this isn't used to stream internet radio. So once you buy the phone itself and establish service, you don't automatically have the capability of listening to Auralmoon, but rather you have to be prescriptive and go down a path similar to what I posted earlier.

Here's how I tested your question. Wunderradio has an embedded web browser. I bring up the AM website, and then click on the 96K AAC+ patron link, which launches quicktime player in the background and then returns back to the app. Works fine.

The point of the app is that iTunes has a vast assortment of them, but whether or not they support a given stream type varies. It so happens that AAC+ seems to be somewhat prevalent for the app set offered in the iTunes store. When I had my Palm Treo 650, I seem to recall that PocketTunes also supported AAC+, which coincidentally has been ported to the iPhone recently.

If you think AAC+ is exotic, try finding an app that support Real Player streams! I have only found one to date (Wunderradio). I use this to listen to RAI and BBC.

Unfortunately the applications as categorized by Apple leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to this specific type of app because it is commingled with every type of music app imaginable, and so tough to see all of the ones that do this specific job.

As I was surfing the store last night, I did come across one less popular app that advertised AuralMoon because the radio station listing picked stations starting with "A" and AM was there on the screen.

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by JamForte

now.. if only Apple would ease up and allow more providers..
... I've been with mine since '95 ..
... and reluctant to change just for a 'gucci' phone ...
... mind you AM in the car ..
.. might just tip the balance ..

Your question got me thinking more about this general topic of listening to internet radio in the car. I can envision in the very near future that my car will shed it's traditional AM/FM Tuner and any hardware associated with playback of optical disks, let alone any esoteric solutions that include harddisks.

Things that need to be overcome are:

• inclusion of more local radio stations transmitting their programming over the internet.
• a fast enough bluetooth protocol to communicate with the inboard car stereo system. BT 2.1 spec may be good enough for this.
• pervasive 3G service.
• a better and safer user interface that allows the driver to change channels. This is a bit awkward with my present setup, but doesn't really pose a problem most of the time since I have the preset on AM.

[gr8sho92]

Since November of 2009, I've downloaded over 20GB of data on my 3GS, a lot of being Auralmoon's 128k stream. Lately I've been using Normsoft's Pocket Tunes. Their most recent software release (less than an hour ago from this posting time) provides support for iOS4 and "multitasking", so I'll put the two of these reviews together. The net-net is this is a GR8 upgrade. The phone now can happily stream the radio station and allows use for other work to be done at the same time. It also appears that Safari allows for better zooming in on the now playing area of the webpage which means even us old geezers can read the artist/song info at a distance while driving. I'm including a sample so you can see how it looks.

I will still say that Slacker's and Pandora's display is still the benchmark for how these internet radio stations should present visual display. Nevertheless I am a very happy camper.

[OverHillandDale(Admin)]

I just wanted to 2nd GR8's endorsement of Pocket Tunes app for the iPhone & iPad. It's the bees knees. Runs in the background and pretty much acts like iTunes when doing other tasks or taking phone calls. Love it.

I'm using the 96k AAC stream, but could as easily use the 128 or 56k.

I have also used 'StreamItAll' but it doesn't have the multi-tasking feature for streaming.

Enjoy you phone streaming.

Dale

[gr8sho92]

Wunderradio 1.92 was also just released and works equally well.

[progdirjim(Admin)]

hopefully you're happy listening to Aural Moon on the iphone since it's shite for making and receiving calls

[OverHillandDale(Admin)]

Originally Posted by progdirjim

hopefully you're happy listening to Aural Moon on the iphone since it's shite for making and receiving calls

I have NO problems making calls. Whatch talkin' bout Willis?

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by progdirjim

hopefully you're happy listening to Aural Moon on the iphone since it's shite for making and receiving calls

Great! I hate phone calls. I'll have to get me one.

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by OverHillandDale

I have NO problems making calls. Whatch talkin' bout Willis?

What a gulla-bull. What a nincowpoop. You took that from a Qualcomm guy?

[progdirjim(Admin)]

to clarify, the iPhone only works on the worst network in the US. Have fun with your silly apps

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by progdirjim

to clarify, the iPhone only works on the worst network in the US. Have fun with your silly apps

No argument from me.

I'd buy one for M if it weren't tied to AT&T.

The really sad thing is that AT&T Bell Labs did much of the ground breaking for the cellular services we use today. One of my grad profs (Dr. Leonard Cimini http://www.ece.udel.edu/~cimini/documents/cv.pdf ) worked for Bell Labs on some of the comms theory. However, AT&T's service in and around proNJ is some of the worst.

[gr8sho92]

Originally Posted by progdirjim

to clarify, the iPhone only works on the worst network in the US. Have fun with your silly apps

Oh I do, I do. I have downloaded over 20GB of data on that crappy network in about 6 months. For me it works well enough and no it is not perfect. I suppose we will see next year if Verizon can do better.

Originally Posted by VAXman

However, AT&T's service in and around proNJ is some of the worst.

This is a fact I've heard from a friend of mine that has to drive through your neck of the woods and can't hold a call on the TPKE. I find it incredibly ironic that AT&T can't make their wireless network function in NJ itself.

However due the Cingular legacy and probably more due to the geography where I live, my service is decent.

[gr8sho92]

These had me ROTFLMAO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOtC9QfXac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD...eature=related

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by gr8sho92

These had me ROTFLMAO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOtC9QfXac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD...eature=related

Holy shit! That 2nd one was a hoot!

[progdirjim(Admin)]

OK, so that was way funnier than me but that was my point