# Wifi internet radio



## Sherman

Does anyone have a wifi internet radio?  Specifically, I'd like to be able to get BBC radio stations on a radio with an alarm function - from my research, wifi internet radios seem to be the best solution (I'm in Dublin btw so can't get BBC radio reliably on a 'normal' clock radio).

I'd appreciate it if anyone who has a wifi internet radio could let me know how they find it, where they bought it and how much they paid - any I've seen on the web start at around €150 (but those sites don't deliver to Ireland).  Thanks in advance.


----------



## ClubMan

You mean that you would be streaming radio broadcasts from your _PC _connected to the internet to the _WiFi _radio? Would you be leaving your _PC _on full time to facilitate this? Could you not just try a "normal" radio with a better aerial setup than the standard built-in one? Or a radio receiver hooked up to a cable _TV _operator's radio feed if applicable?


----------



## Sherman

ClubMan said:


> You mean that you would be streaming radio broadcasts from your _PC _connected to the internet to the _WiFi _radio? Would you be leaving your _PC _on full time to facilitate this?


 
No, most of the wifi internet radios I've seen are able to stream radio stations directly from the wireless router, without the need for a pc to be turned on at the time.  I wouldn't be interested in having to leave the computer on all the time.


----------



## tiger

I'm not sure if you can do this, but would be interested to know the answer.
I've seen people discuss "digital radio" and mean 2 different things, firstly WiFi radio as you describe, secondly DAB.
I have an audio streaming device and can access '000's of radio stations, but they all seem a bit random, nothing mainstream like RTE or BBC.


----------



## ClubMan

tiger said:


> I'm not sure if you can do this, but would be interested to know the answer.
> I've seen people discuss "digital radio" and mean 2 different things, firstly WiFi radio as you describe, secondly DAB.


There's also DRM an satellite radio! Not really au fait with if/how all of these options work here in _Ireland_.


----------



## quinno

tiger said:


> I'm not sure if you can do this, but would be interested to know the answer.
> I've seen people discuss "digital radio" and mean 2 different things, firstly WiFi radio as you describe, secondly DAB.
> I have an audio streaming device and can access '000's of radio stations, but they all seem a bit random, nothing mainstream like RTE or BBC.


 
Wif-fi radio works from your home router - some plug directly in, others connect wirelessly to the device. I'm sure you can programme them to receive your favourites, such as RTE / BBC etc, and other selected stations to avoid being bombarded. I've seen wi-fi radios in DID dor around the €150 mark, so they're becoming affordable


----------



## rob30

I have seen wifi radios on sale in the sony shop in the Pavillions centre in Swords. 
I dearly hope that RTE will enable the transmission of BBC radio 4 and world service on their DAB service, as that would persuade me to switch to digital.


----------



## eileen alana

I bought a wifi internet radio from LIDL about 6 months ago and didn't get it connected up until I installed eircom's wireless broadband a while back. It cost approx 90 euro and the name of it is called 'Tevion'. You don't need the computer turned on to work it just leave the wireless connection switched on. My hubby finds it fantastic as he loves picking up the soccer matches etc, it has thousands of radio stations but you can select and save the ones you are most interested in for easy access. Keep an eye out for them in LIDL, they'll probably have them in soon again.


----------



## bytelive

Keep an eye out in Currys or PC World too, as from time to time, they have special offers on their Logik IR100 wifi radio.  A grand wee unit, which works nicely with reciva.com. I have one a few months, and find it great.  Bought it in Currys NI for £40stg, which was a steal.


----------



## kilkerry

Just got a wifi internet raqdio which has DAB plus Fm,  currently having problems setting it up, will let you know how it goes


----------



## kilkerry

rob30 said:


> I have seen wifi radios on sale in the sony shop in the Pavillions centre in Swords.
> I dearly hope that RTE will enable the transmission of BBC radio 4 and world service on their DAB service, as that would persuade me to switch to digital.


 

I don;t think we will ever get BBc on any DAB radios in ireland, as RTE are only intrested in promoting DAB amongst irish radio stations.  For them to broadcast DAB BBC, they would have to pay a licence fee to the BBC, and I can see them doing that,  the best oprion is through internet radio or your sky disk


----------



## Marica

bytelive said:


> Keep an eye out in Currys or PC World too, as from time to time, they have special offers on their Logik IR100 wifi radio. A grand wee unit, which works nicely with reciva.com. I have one a few months, and find it great. Bought it in Currys NI for £40stg, which was a steal.


 
Currys are now selling these for €70. Set up your profile on Reciva and get easy menu access to your favourite stations, streams (like BBC Listen Again) and podcasts. It also has an alarm - either radio or buzzer.

The sound quality is not much different from FM. You can get all the BBC stations perfectly but if you want to listen live to football and some other sports events on Five Live you'll have to tune in on digital tv because they don't have the rights to broadcast them on the internet. You'll get pretty much everything else no problem though.

Great value for €70 - highly recommend it.


----------



## ClubMan

The _Logik IR100 _looks interesting. I've browsed a few sites about it and am tempted - if it's actually available for €70. Anybody know of any outlets stocking it in _Dublin _city centre? I tried _Dixons _in the _Jervis Centre _but they don't have it.


----------



## bigjoe_dub

give Petes a shout.


----------



## ClubMan

bigjoe_dub said:


> give Petes a shout.


The _Logik IR100 _is not listed on their website. I'm not interested in anything more expensive than c. €70.


----------



## z105

Do a search Sherman, I have contributed to threads on this matter before, search Tangent Quattro


----------



## ClubMan

!? Yikes...!


----------



## aidan119

ClubMan said:


> The _Logik IR100 _is not listed on their website. I'm not interested in anything more expensive than c. €70.


 

I was in Pc world today and it was there for either €70 or €79, just can't remember exactly.
Totally recommend it especially since I realised ( from another thread on this site) that you can setup your fav stations on Reciva.com and then find them under the "My Stuff" menu on the radio. Saves a lot of scrolling.


----------



## z105

http://www.expansys.ie/p.aspx?i=151496


> !? Yikes...!



250 ? I paid just under 300 !!! Gone down in price, you get what you pay for imo, pay peanuts get monkeys etc., have a look at the review here -

www.tangent-audio.com/documents/00043.pdf

I thoroughly recommend it. The Walnut looks classy too.


----------



## ClubMan

aidan119 said:


> I was in Pc world today and it was there for either €70 or €79, just can't remember exactly.


_PC World _where? Is there an outlet other than _Dixons, Jervis Centre _that might have the _Logik IR100_?



Havealaugh said:


> you get what you pay for imo, pay peanuts get monkeys etc.,


The _Logik IR100 _monkey looks OK to me judging by the many reviews and hack sites that I've read.


----------



## z105

> The _Logik IR100 _monkey looks OK to me judging by the many reviews and hack sites that I've read.



Sure go for it then, each to their own. Enjoy !


----------



## ClubMan

I would if I could but at the moment I can't.. .


----------



## aidan119

ClubMan said:


> _PC World _where? Is there an outlet other than _Dixons, Jervis Centre _that might have the _Logik IR100_?
> 
> 
> The _Logik IR100 _monkey looks OK to me judging by the many reviews and hack sites that I've read.


 
Was the Dundalk store but I would guess their pricing is same country wide - they have a store in Swords Airside retail park


----------



## ClubMan

Thanks. I might just have to trek out to_ Blanch_ sometime soon if there's nowhere handier to _An Lár._..


----------



## askew70

I know someone who has a Freecom Internet Radio, bought from Argos, which they have been very happy with (price is around €130 or so, depending on where you source it). It is this one, I believe:  

Amongst other things, the Freecom unit allows you to listen to MP3's from your PC (via the wireless network) in addition to streaming radio stations from the Internet. That is a handy feature which might not be available on some devices. It support MP3 and WAV only (see below if you are interested in BBC stations, as this unit won't support them right now!).

For those that are willing to spend more (significantly more actually, in the region of £200 sterling), then the Roberts WM201 looks good: http://www.robertsradio.co.uk/pages/wm201.html

...on the plus side, the Roberts supports Real Audio (you need this to listen to the BBC stations from outside of the UK!), it supports the "Listen again" feature on the BBC sites so that you can listen to programmes after they have been broadcast, it has a remote control, etc. On the negative side, it has no FM tuner so if you lose your Internet connectivity this device is useless as a radio (presumably it can still stream files from your PC though), and that price tag is very steep.

Further to what I mention above, beware of buying an Internet Radio that does not support Real Audio if you want to listen to BBC radio stations - in the UK BBC stations are streamed in Realaudio and WAV format, but outside of the UK it is Realaudio only. There are quite a few Internet Radios out there that do not support Realaudio, and with one of those the best that you can hope for in order to listen to BBC stations is to find some site that "re-broadcasts" the stations in a support format (such as mp3). Such stations do exist, but I'm not sure if they cover all of the BBC stations and they may not be entirely legal either so could disappear at any time.


----------



## askew70

*For info, here is a snippet of the info from the BBC website re the format of their streams. The full info is available at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/feedback/broadband_faq.shtml




			Why is some content only available in Real format? I want to use Windows Media Player, Quick Time or something else.

When the BBC first wanted to launch audio and video on its website, 'streaming' technology was fairly new and, at the time, RealPlayer was predominantly used. Consequently we entered into an agreement with Real to provide the software (for free) to users of the BBC site.
		
Click to expand...

*


----------



## ClubMan

askew70 said:


> Amongst other things, the Freecom unit allows you to listen to MP3's from your PC (via the wireless network) in addition to streaming radio stations from the Internet. That is a handy feature which might not be available on some devices.


I thought that once a device can deal with internet radio streams then it can also deal with streams from local/_LAN _sources? The supported codec issue that you mention is obviously also pertinent.


----------



## askew70

ClubMan said:


> I thought that once a device can deal with internet radio streams then it can also deal with streams from local/_LAN _sources?



The feed of audio from a website to your internet radio is a constant stream of audio data, encoded in whatever format (MP3, WAV, Realaudio, etc.). This streaming of the audio is provided by software running on the server and your radio is like a passive listening device. 

In the case of audio files stored on your home PC, chances are you don't have equivalent streaming software installed, so your internet radio needs to actively access the encoded audio files directly on the disk - for this the radio needs to have the necessary functionality to access a shared network drive for example. The technology is simple enough, especially given that a lot of internet radios are likely just mini-PC's with a full-blown operating system running on them (which will have this functionality built in), but it seems to be a bit of functionality that is not enabled on all of them.


----------



## ClubMan

I presume that it's easy to source, install and configure local streaming software if necessary?


----------



## askew70

ClubMan said:


> I presume that it's easy to source, install and configure local streaming software if necessary?



I don't know, to be honest, as I've never tried. Although I believe that VLC (http://www.videolan.org/) can act as a streaming server and that is freely available for a number of operating systems (and is quite good as a media player generally). 

There are probably a variety of other freely available pieces of software that will do this too, but one headache may be the fact that you can only listen to what the software is streaming at any one time i.e. from your internet radio you may not be able to pick and choose which media file on your PC you want to listen to, you'll likely have to go to the PC to get it to stream right now  the file you want to listen to. Having said that though, maybe there is some kind of functionality available on some of these streaming server implementations that allows a client such as your internet radio to tell it what file to stream - I am just speculating here though as I haven't looked at the details of any of the (free) streaming servers available.

An internet radio that is able to access the files directly (from a shared network drive) is probably more convenient - at the expense of sharing the drive on your PC on its local network, of course, which might be an issue for some people under certain circumstances.


----------



## ClubMan

Anybody got/tried the_ (Binatone) Tranciva IR804 _3-in-1 _FM, DAB _and _WiFi _internet radio available in the new _Argos _catalog for €90?  but  has a bit more info about it (and a lower GBP£ price).


----------



## efm

I haven't used it or seen any comprehensive reviews of the Binatone but a couple of things that might be worth investigating if possible before buying it or any internet radio:

1. What wifi standard does it operate at; b/g or n? afaik a wifi network's speed will drop to the lowest common denominator so you might be hurting your overall network speed by adding a new device

2. Will the internet radio streaming types supported by the Bintone match your listening requirements? I don't think Real Audio, MP3 and WMA covers all radio stations - I know I have seen other types but I can't search at the moment.  For instance I think RTE use a funny type.

3. Is BBC a core requirement? The BBC have recently changed their internet radio policy and only allow UK residents to access their radio streams. This can be easily circumvented when browsing via a pc but some internet radios / players have a country set up option which may exclude you from accessing some BBC stations.

These are just some of the things I have seen discussed, and experienced in some cases , in relation to internet radio and may not apply to the Binatone or other products but may be worth a further look.

All of the above notwithstanding, I think Internet Radio is the best thing since sliced bread, particularly Iceberg Radio which gives a fantastic choice.


----------



## ClubMan

Thanks for the tips on things to look out for. It's difficult to find detailed information on this device (and the Frontier portal that it uses - i.e. not the  that others use) so I might just get one from _Argos _to find out more.


----------



## ClubMan

ClubMan said:


> Anybody got/tried the_ (Binatone) Tranciva IR804 _3-in-1 _FM, DAB _and _WiFi _internet radio available in the new _Argos _catalog for €90?  but  has a bit more info about it (and a lower GBP£ price).


Bought one today but the fascia/case of the thing is scratched so I'll be bringing it back for replacement.  The manual is pretty sparse and doesn't clarify if it's 802.11b or 802.11g. It also just says that it copes with _MP3, WMA _and _RealAudio_ but doesn't say if this list is exhaustive or what variants (e.g. bitrates etc.) are supported.


----------



## podgerodge

I have the Binatone/Transciva.

No probs at all with it. No problems with wifi speed.  No problems with different bitrates used by different stations.  The difference between this and the Internet radios that use Reciva is that it uses Frontier (http://www.wifiradio-frontier.com) - where u register your access code for free.  This website allows you to enter co-ordinates for stations that aren't on their list - from then on this new station is available on your radio.  works very well.

Sound quality is kitchen radio stuff - which is fine.

And on top of this it has ordinary FM and DAB.  I thought it was a great buy.

If you are quick about it there is a Riva Blik wifi radio on Ibood today - I believe it's a higher quality sound radio with remote control.


----------



## justsally

Podgerodge

Have you ever bought from iBood??. What is their service like?

Thanks


----------



## ClubMan

podgerodge said:


> I have the Binatone/Transciva.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback. I haven't had a chance to replace and try out the _Binatone _yet. I saw the _iBood _offer but I was more interested in a 3-in-1 _FM/DAB/Wifi _internet unit.


----------



## podgerodge

justsally said:


> Podgerodge
> 
> Have you ever bought from iBood??. What is their service like?
> 
> Thanks




loads of times, no problems other than the odd delivery delay (couple of weeks)


----------



## ClubMan

I bought one item from _iBood_. There was some confusion with the order being processed due to a problem with their website. However their telephone support was excellent and got the problem solved. I think that delivery was a little slow too. They are legitimate if that's your worry. _Boards.ie _(in particular the _Bargains Alerts _forum) discusses them and their one day offers quite a bit.


----------



## justsally

podgerodge said:


> loads of times, no problems other than the odd delivery delay (couple of weeks)


 
Did you get a specific and correct delivery date eventually or was it a random delivery?.  I'd hate to have to hang around waiting for the postman



ClubMan said:


> I think that delivery was a little slow too. They are legitimate if that's your worry.


 
You read my mind, that was my concern, especially I had read a few posts regarding late deliveries etc.   Guess it's time to decide on which one to go for.   (and at the same time change from a Tesco Visa Card, which doesn't allow for online transactions reading, which is necessary for peace of mind where there may be delivery problems).

Thanks again for all the help


----------



## ClubMan

Bear in mind that their offers are one day only so if you were looking at the _Riva Blik_ mentioned above then you'll have to wait until they do it again (if ever).


----------



## justsally

I realise that but



ClubMan said:


> a 3-in-1 _FM/DAB/Wifi _internet unit.


 
sounds very attractive.    I'll have to get a member of the family to do some research for me to see which one meets my other half's needs.  I can't ask him, it's his birthday present.

Thanks again.


----------



## ClubMan

Yes - that's the _Binatone Tranciva IR 804 _from _Argos _for €90. I had a play with it this evening and it's very easy to use. A bigger display would be nicer but presumably add to the cost. Technically it's actually a 4-in-1 unit - _Wifi _internet radio streaming/podcasts, _DAB, FM _and it can find shared folders on your network and play audio files from there too. Obviously more expensive units will probably have more bells and whistles but for the price I was very impressed.


----------



## d15ude

Here is a short test of the Binatone Tranciva IR804:


Sounds alright for the money.


----------



## ClubMan

There are a bunch of other reviews online too but not as much detailed technical info available yet as there is on other popular devices (e.g. the _Logik IR100 _in particular which has lots including information about _DIY _mods/hacks etc.).


----------



## ClubMan

Due to scratches on the casing I replaced the original unit with another at _Argos_. Unfortunately the new one is terrible - really bad interference/noise/hum from the speaker and when headphones are used (for stereo). This happens equally on _Wifi_, _DAB _and _FM _so is not necessarily _Wifi _related. Even when updating the firmware or scanning for _DAB _or _FM _stations there are little "blips" and "squelches" from the speaker. I'll try again and hopefully it'll be third time lucky.


----------



## justsally

Thanks for the feedback.


----------



## ClubMan

Well it looks like third time unlucky. To recap:


First one returned due to scratches on the fascia
Second one returned due to constant hum and interference through speaker and headphone output
Third one? Well here you go...
I listened to the _Pats _match on _DAB _tonight, then a bit of _Newstalk _and then tuned into some _BBC Radio 4 _podcast and about 10 minutes into the latter the radio just switched off and doesn't seem to want to switch back on. Even after disconnecting and reconnecting the power it just sits there with time and date all set to zeros and won't switch on! There doesn't seem to be any manual reset (e.g. via paperclip operated switch) so there doesn't seem to be any way out of this situation. 

Looks like I'm off to _Argos _for the fourth time now...


----------



## efm

ClubMan said:


> Looks like I'm off to _Argos _for the fourth time now...


 
Well fair play to you for being so committed but maybe it's time you admitted defeat and asked for your money back?  The additional time and transport costs must be adding up at this stage, not to mention the probable inconvenience.


----------



## ClubMan

Plugged it in today and it started up OK. Will try it again over the weekend. I have 30 days to return it to _Argos._


----------



## podgerodge

ClubMan said:


> Plugged it in today and it started up OK. Will try it again over the weekend. I have 30 days to return it to _Argos._




you sure have been unlucky.  I'm betting someone in the Argos store has been on the receiving end of your wrath on AAM!

My IR804 is still going strong no complaints.


----------



## ClubMan

podgerodge said:


> you sure have been unlucky.  I'm betting someone in the Argos store has been on the receiving end of your wrath on AAM!


No - not so far.


> My IR804 is still going strong no complaints.


Have you played podcasts much? I can't imagine that they are any different to streams but on two occasions I have been playing some (from _BBC _and one from _Newstalk_) and after a while the unit just switched off and seemed to lock up because it would not switch back on. The display was dimmed and showed the date/time which continued to update. But the power button did not work. Disconnecting the power and reconnecting it didn't help. In fact the display then just showed a time and date of 00:00:00 00/00/00. I can't say for sure that the podcasts were the problem - maybe it's just a dud unit that was going to do this anyway after a certain period switched on? I might see if the _Binatone _number in the manual is of any help. I might try one more time with _Argos _but at this stage I could be getting the units that I returned back into my hands!


----------



## podgerodge

afraid i haven't played podcasts - must try and see how it works out...


----------



## ClubMan

Thanks. If you can and let me know how it goes that'd be great.


----------



## podgerodge

ok have listened to BBC Radio 1 podcasts and RTE 2FM podcasts - perfect quality and no shutdowns.

It sounds like the ARGOS store you go to has a bad batch.  Try another store, who knows!


----------



## ClubMan

Thanks for the update. As I said perhaps the podcast thing is a red herring and the shutdown/lockup just happens after a certain period on doing *anything*? I've already alternated between _Jervis _and the _ILAC _when buying/returning the last few! Maybe I'll try _Stephen's Green _next! I'd really like this thing to work! 

By the way - can you tell me what software (firmware) version your's is running? Did you do a software upgrade when you got it first? There's some menu option to check the version.


----------



## podgerodge

I'll check software later today.  I didn't do a software upgrade but I did register with the website and "add" a few stations which they beam down to your station list - maybe a software update comes down with this list?


----------



## ClubMan

You have to explicitly choose the software upgrade. I did and just wonder if that might also be a contributory factor?! As ever it's a process of elimination but it's difficult to pin down. Maybe I'll just eliminate the unit that I have and try one last time with a new one...


----------



## RMCF

I am also interested in dabbling into the world of internet radio, and posted on a few different forums that I would frequent asking for advice.

One thing that I was told that I didn't know (and which may help newbies on here too) is to sample the format using Windows Media Player. There is a radio tuner in there, and you can sample quite a good selection of preset internet radio stations in it.

I have been listening recently and I think that I will definitely take the plunge - it gets a bit tiring just listening to TodayFM, RTE 2 and BBC Radio 2.


----------



## ClubMan

My fourth _Binatone Tranciva IR804 _unit from _Argos _was also faulty so I have given up, taken the cash refund and would certainly not recommend this unit based on my experience to date. To recap:


First unit had scratches on the fascia
Second had continuous interference from speaker and headphone output
Third sporadically switched off/locked up
The fourth unit's display backlight worked for about 5 minutes before failing and would not switch on at all thereafter.


----------



## ClubMan

podgerodge said:


> I'll check software later today.  I didn't do a software upgrade but I did register with the website and "add" a few stations which they beam down to your station list - maybe a software update comes down with this list?


By the way - on all of the four units that I tried when they rebooted out of the box the "Starting up" screen displayed slightly garbled blocks for a progress bar. When the software update was done a "proper" progress bar displayed. Which does your unit display?


----------



## VanZan

Why don't you buy a Logik IR100? They're available from an eBay seller for about €80. I haven't read any reports of problems with them!


----------



## ClubMan

Because I now want an all in one _Wifi_, _LAN _streaming, _FM _and _DAB _unit.


----------



## ingalway

I bought the Logik IR100 last week from PC World for €130.  As there was insufficient reception in store to try it out properly I bought it to trial at home to make sure I was happy with quality/features etc.  It was very easy to set up and I had no problem locating and listening to BBC radio - Radio 4, World Service etc.  The quality of the signal was very good but I was unhappy that there are only 5 preset stations - very limiting when you have thousands of stations to try out, also no remote control.  My biggest issue though is the fact that the same product costs £69.99 in UK PC World which coverts to €88. The €130 they charge here converts to £102.  I understand paying a slight premium on products being shipped here from UK but not 48%.  It went back for a refund.  I will wait until I find a better product at a fair price.


----------



## ClubMan

ingalway said:


> I bought the Logik IR100 last week from PC World for €130.
> 
> ...
> 
> My biggest issue though is the fact that the same product costs £69.99 in UK PC World which coverts to €88. The €130 they charge here converts to £102.  I understand paying a slight premium on products being shipped here from UK but not 48%.  It went back for a refund.  I will wait until I find a better product at a fair price.


The _Logik IR100 _was previously selling in _Ireland _for about €80 if I'm not mistaken. Did you shop around?


----------



## ingalway

ClubMan said:


> The _Logik IR100 _was previously selling in _Ireland _for about €80 if I'm not mistaken. Did you shop around?



I did not see the Logik anywhere else - tried Argos and Maplin.  No other shops in Galway seem to stock any wi-fi radios at all.  As with many things lately I imagine I will buy on line as the prices always seem to be better.  I think retailers need to wake up to the fact that people will shop around more now and that it is not OK to charge heavily inflated prices.  So much for our Government taking action on this as promised in May this year:

_“The Tánaiste will be writing to the heads of the major retail outlets both here and in the UK in coming days to find out from them what plans they may have to deal with any unjustified price differentials that may exist,”_
[broken link removed]


----------



## ClubMan

ingalway said:


> I did not see the Logik anywhere else - tried Argos and Maplin.[broken link removed]


€70 in _Curry's_ according to this post earlier in this thread. €70 or €79 according to this one.


----------



## ingalway

ClubMan said:


> €70 in _Curry's_ according to this post earlier in this thread. €70 or €79 according to this one.



Well it was €129.99 in PC World, tried Currys but was told they do not stock them although they are the same company.  I just re-checked PC World and Currys uk websites, neither have an Irish site, and both offer the Logik for £69.99.  Maybe they had some very special offer on to get it here for €70-€80?  I would be happy enough to pay that for it so if anyone knows where I can get it for that price now I would be very grateful.


----------



## ClubMan

ingalway said:


> Maybe they had some very special offer on to get it here for €70-€80?  I would be happy enough to pay that for it so if anyone knows where I can get it for that price now I would be very grateful.


eBay?


----------



## VanZan

I too read the posts here saying you could get them for €70 and excitedly went to my local PC World......€130!!!

Now I didn't try Currys but aren't they all the same group? DSG or something? They're available on eBay for €80~ as I said but the possibility of getting one locally was very appealing just in case there were any problems.

_ edit:: Just checked up and they are indeed €129.99 in Currys too. Must have been a special offer on way back when those other people got them for €70
_
Looks like it's this guy for now:

[broken link removed]


----------



## ClubMan

Just wondering if anybody has any updates on experience and recommendations in this context at this stage? As you know I gave up on the _Binatone Tranciva IR804 _as I could never get one from _Argos _that was reliable. More recently I was looking at the _Revo Blik Radiostation _(c. €180 from _Peats_) and _Roberts Stream 202_ (aka _WM202_) (c. €200 from _Peats_) - both are _FM/DAB/Wifi _internet radios (the _Blik _is also _DAB+ _and there are (unconfirmed by me) reports that the _Roberts _may be upgradeable to _DAB+_ if/when necessary). I've browsed the specifications, manuals and reviews of these but was just curious if _AAM _readers had any comments or other suggestions?


----------



## TarfHead

I bought a [broken link removed] last month & have been using it since before Christmas. It was, including p&p, approx. €85. It's not hi-fi, or even stereo.

That said, I'm delighted with it. FM radio + internet radio (incl. DAB stations) & can access music on PC folders configured as open for shared access on the home wireless network. In addition, I could connect an MP3 player through a headphone jack and use that as input.

This may be lower-spec. than what you're looking for but, for me, it's a great entry-level product for the world of internet radio. The initial enthusiasm to listen to stations from all around the world has waned and now I mostly listen to Irish stations and BBC. The kids (8yo + 6yo) regularly ask for RTE Junior to be on.


----------



## ClubMan

That _iBood _advert is a bit misleading as a post in the comments says - it looks like the _Blik _but seems to have been the _Blik Radiostation _- two very different products. €85 seems like a very good price for the _Blik Radiostation_. Pity I missed that one! It would suit me fine. I wouldn't mind only I get the daily _iBood _offer email and all...


----------



## TarfHead

ClubMan said:


> .. it looks like the _Blik _but seems to have been the _Blik Radiostation _- two very different products.


 
The principal difference between the two appears, to me, to be DAB/DAB+ on the Blik.

On the assumption that DAB broadcasts are also available as Internet Radio on the Radiostation, and that there is just one speaker (i.e. not getting the full benefit of DAB), is the premium of the Blik, over the Radiostation, worth it ?


----------



## ClubMan

There seem to be three _Blik _models - the [broken link removed] which is _FM/DAB_ but not _WiFi_/internet, the [broken link removed] which is _FM/WiFi _and the [broken link removed] which is _FM/DAB[+]/WiFi_.

I would be inclined to use the line out of such a unit to connect it to a hifi and stereo speakers so the mono issue would be moot. _DAB+ _is probably irrelevant right now as I'm not aware of anything other than _DAB _(trial?) services on offer in Ireland.


----------



## notre1dame

*Re: Binatone Tranciva IR804, Wifi internet radio*

Hi everyone, i have recently purchased a Binatone Tranciva IR804, I have to say i am really happy with it, its true enough that while on the WiFi setting, there is a fairly low interference from the WiFi signal coming through (faint ticking/hummimg), playing on the speaker its barely audible (sound needs to be turned right down) same goes for plugging in my speaker system into the headphone jack (sounds great, however when using headphones the interference 'although low' does get annoying, Unfortunately im not in a position to exchange the model since i live abroad, i am just wondering if there could be a way to insulate the speaker/headphone jack from the WiFi interference. I guess this means opening the unit up!

I have done the firmware update, and it says firmware is upto date

On all other settings the quality is excellent

what do people think?


----------



## ClubMan

*Re: Binatone Tranciva IR804, Wifi internet radio*



notre1dame said:


> what do people think?


You probably know what I think if you read the rest of the thread! 4 units from _Argos _and none worked properly. They don't seem to be selling them at the moment - or maybe running down stock before the new catalogue comes out.


----------



## Staple

Clubman, have you taken the plunge yet - I'm tempted by the Blik Radio Station ?


----------



## annamac1

Will any of these internet radio work with linux (Ubuntu)?
Any updates on radios please.
Thanks, Anna


----------



## askew70

I bought the Roberts WM201 (http://www.robertsradio.co.uk/Products/Internet_radios/STREAM_201/index.htm) a few months back and have been very happy with it. Sound quality in particular is excellent, it supports Realaudio (needed for most BBC radio stations), it hooks into the BBC Listen Again service, and it has a remote control. It currently retails online for about UK£180, but I've seen it here (in Virgin I think) for €300 - I chose the former source!

The Roberts WM202 looks good too, and is more of a portable radio, but I've read one review that said the sound quality was not as good as expected (for one thing it has only one speaker versus two on the WM201).


----------



## ClubMan

Techless said:


> Clubman, have you taken the plunge yet - I'm tempted by the Blik Radio Station ?


I see that _Argos _still have the _Tranciva IR804_ in their new catalog but now it's 40% dearer than in the old catalog (€126 instead of €90)!  Anyway - as you know I gave up on that one after getting four units, none of which was acceptable. Instead I picked up a refurbished _Revo Blik Radiostation _on the Revo outlet eBay store for the equivalent of €122.



annamac1 said:


> Will any of these internet radio work with linux (Ubuntu)?


What do you mean by_ "work with Linux"_? Do you mean access a _Linux _share or something? This should work with _Samba _shares.


----------



## m0rphs

Hello i have a Binatone IR804, never had a single problem since day 1! (last xmas).
http://www.wifiradio-frontier.com 
I was wondering how i could find out my "ACCESS CODE"? for http://www.wifiradio-frontier.com

My wife threw out the box which had the instructions in so i cant check there!

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Daz


----------



## lukejr

We got a Bush Internet Radio about two years ago, it has since broken, it only cost €90.

I'm looking for similar replacement, is it just me or have all the prices jumped to about €150 and above. Isn't technology suppose to get cheaper each year?

Anyone recommend where I can pick up a good one for under €150?

Alternative is to buy an old iPod touch on eBay (€100) and put Internet Radio App (€1.99).


----------



## capall

I can listen to any radio station from iPhone . Sound quality on speaker is good or can just put it onto a player device. Tons of Internet radio aps and a lot of stations have their own aps. Very easy to access and listen to podcasts . Also can listen over 3 g when there is a wifi problem or when driving
I am sure it is the same with other phones also 
Am I missing something why would you need to buy an Internet radio ?


----------



## TarfHead

capall said:


> Am I missing something why would you need to buy an Internet radio ?


 
Cost.
Speaker quality.
It's a dedicated radio, instead of something that can do something similar.
You don't have to recharge it.
Other people listening the the radio aren't inconvenienced when you need the iPhone for something else, like answering a phone call
If you're an apple hater


----------



## RMCF

I had a cheapo Bush brand internet radio a few months back and it was very good. It was handy for flicking all around the globe to listen to channels from all over, but funnily enough I ended up storing the likes of TodayFM on the favourites!! Whats the point, eh?

The only gripe I have with these radios is the fact that you can receive 6000+ radio stations, and have between 5 and 10 presets. 

Not sure how they would affect your monthy download allowance on your internet package. Can anyone calculate how much, for example, a 64kbps station would use in a month if listened to for 2hrs per day?


----------



## Gulliver

I have a Roberts WM202 Wifi/DAB/FM - costs €199 in some shops in Ireland, or about €160 inc delivery from UK.  Excellent interface, superb sound - has a very solid well-built feel to it, while not being heavy - but it gets significantly heavier when batteries are inserted. .  I'm told that batteries (6 x D-type) don't last long, but I have no experience of this, since I use it exclusively on mains


----------



## sfag

all wifi radios are pretty much knocked into 2nd place by the wifi radio facilities on the iphone 4 and ipod touch 4th gen. 
All on demand podcasts can be downloaded and taken with you in you in your pocket.
All stations available.
Very easy to use.


----------



## freeliving

After a bit of research, I decided I actually couldnt afford the better brand of internet radios on the market (Roberts, Evoke etc), so I went for an "Xtreme Audio" from Power city. Fifty euro. Wow, its brilliant, easy enough to set up, did it without instructions, as there were none provided... Power city staff have arranged for a set of instructions to be sent from another branch, to be picked up in a few days. 
Okay, so I really wanted one that was battery powered, but for the moment this will certainly do.
I can get the "on demand" services from the BBC, as well as the full BBC radio range. 
Well impressed.


----------



## prettygurrly

hi all. I'm posting for the first time. Does anyone who has a Tranciva Wifi radio know how to update the podcasts? Currently when I log onto podcasts for TodayFm for example it has podcasts from when I first bought the radio and I don't know how to update to get current ones. 

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Gulliver

Has anyone connected a Roberts WiFi radio (Stream 205 or any Stream 20?) to an Eircom router?  I have connected to a Netgear/Vodafone, and it's very simple, but the Eircom connection is "unable to connect", and various messages about DHCP.  Have tried numerous settings, bith wired and wireless.  Help!!!!


----------



## serotoninsid

Hi there.  The gateway ip address on routers may differ.  Therefore, you may need to change this on the wifi radio.  Sorry - i'm not familiar with that device - so I don't know exactly in what way you can access settings in that regard.


----------



## Gulliver

serotoninsid
The normal way if connecting is that the radio recognises your network name (SSID), and you enter your WEP or WPA, and it connects.

Following are configurable on the radio
DHCP enable/Disable
IP settings
Gateway Address
DNS
Encryption Type .... WEP or Disable
Encryption Type .... TKIP or AES

Does this help??


----------

