Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp

Subject: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 05:28 PM

Here is the URL for BBC Radio 2

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_two.m3u8

I find VLC easiest for this, copy the above URL, then in VLC click media/Open location from clipboard and it will play in hiss free digital 320kbps stereo, which is as good as it gets so far.

For other stations substitute one/three/fourfm/bbc_6music for two, and for local BBC stations substitute say "devon" for BBC Radio Devon!

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 05:49 PM

Oh dear.

Hardly breaking news, is it? See last February for example.

Or buy a digital radio, or a television...

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Jan 16 - 06:20 PM

Well it is because no other sources are available at 320kbps apart from R3 from the iplayer, both live and replay.

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 02:46 AM

And BBC local radio is only available streaming in mono and I think at 32 or 64 kbps. It means that someone in the south of England can listen to a concert broadcast by BBC Radio Scotland from Celtic Connections in stereo HD sound which is far superior to FM - no 15k filter, no hiss, no interference!!!

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 03:46 AM

Thanks. Especially since I'm having trouble with the BBC Android Radio iPlayer app. Easier too: I've bookmaked the links, eg
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourfm.m3u8
and the browser (Firefox) calls the player.

Any geographical limits? Does it work in the US?

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 05:21 AM

5k media player is getting good reviews. I use it on new Win 10 installs rather than VLC. If you are installing VLC make sure you get it directly not from a download centre - some install searchbar hijackers at the same time but direct from VLC seems safe so far.

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 05:22 AM

http://www.5kplayer.com/

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Thompson
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 05:44 AM

I like TuneIn Radio, or I did, because you could set a sleep timer or an alarm on it so it would turn off or on at a particular time or after a particular interval. But a lot of the stations are now giving a message saying "We're sorry. An error occurred with this stream. Please try again later."

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Thompson
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 05:44 AM

I like TuneIn Radio, or I did, because you could set a sleep timer or an alarm on it so it would turn off or on at a particular time or after a particular interval. But a lot of the stations are now giving a message saying "We're sorry. An error occurred with this stream. Please try again later."

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: GMGough
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 09:03 AM

Thank you Bonzo3legs and Richard Bridge - I really appreciate this kind of information.

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 09:47 AM

Audiophiles will argue that 320kkp mp3s are NOT at all HD
as it is still a lossy format.
Though, granted a higher quality lesser lossy compression that in practical terms few people may notice any difference
from true CD quality of 16/44 [16 bit 44.1 kHz]

But bear in mind even CD quality is not satisfactory for the 'golden' ears of audiophiles listening to music at 24/96 and 24/192.

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Jan 16 - 01:55 PM

The streaming is in MPEG AAC at 48000 Hz. Different file formats have different merit and demerit, different users have different preference and needs, neither AAC nor MP3 can rank the first. The best format is the one that is compatible with your device and meets your needs!

However Adobe Audition CC will process both in equal measure.

Audiofiles will argue, and mainly talk bollocks because once over the age of 50, they probably can't hear much above 10Khz anyway!!!

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 05 Jan 16 - 03:12 AM

Data for BBC Radio 6 stream

BBC Radio 6 stream

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 03:13 AM

I streamed BBC Radio 6 to my iphone over night and sent it to my Tascam digital recorder. Oddly, announcements were on one channel only even though the music was in stereo. I wonder why that should be, unless there is a weird digital to analogue converter in the iphone???

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 06:25 AM

The DAC in the iPhone 6 series has been updated from the 5 and those who claim to be able to tell a difference reckon it's better although the specs question whether their assumption of better is telling their brain it actually is.

I have some earphones that are both wire and Bluetooth. So the main difference would be the DAC in the phone or the DAC in the earphones. Buggered if I can make out any, other than slight background hiss on Bluetooth when listening to a single cello on a particular album.

Most ENT surgeons will tell you (and you dan search for an excellent BMJ published paper about this,) that the threshold of telling the difference has a finite physical limit (evolution of ears) and an infinitely variable brain interpretation that can fill in the gaps, or mind over matter as they are really saying.

Anything recorded in a studio over the last twenty years at least means there is an index bitrate and sample frequency that can never be overcome, not even with a vinyl record.

Subject: RE: Tech: BBC now streaming all stations at 320kbp
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 06 Jan 16 - 05:20 PM

Right, well I have an iphone 4S so perhaps that is the problem. Perhaps I'll just stream and record on my PC. Show of Hands on the Folk Show this evening sounded fine.