Internet RadioBOX suggestions

[eingrad]

Hi,

I'm the developer of Internet RadioBOX and just wanted to hear what people think about our app and probably got some suggestions.

Can be found at AppStore:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=293623806&mt=8

First, what do you think about the price? is $4,99 OK for an very robust player?
We tested our App for over one month before we released.
What would you pay for such an Radio App?
We know there are also free Apps. But many of them are just not stable, draining battery, not user friendly or having other bad symptoms.

What else do you expect from a good radio app?

If you don't want to post here, just visit our page and mail us.

Thanks

 

[RED™]

Hey eingrad,

I have downloaded I-RadioBox and I like it very much!

But I'd really love the option to add wma-streams, cause many of the German Radios offer only wma-streams.

So, this would be my suggestion.... 2,99 Euro did not make me poor and after d-loading your app, I deleted all of my other apps which did not allow adding custom streams.

... yeah okay theres FStream for free, but it did not work properly.

 

[odelay]

Eccellente

Great work on a superb app. Finally I can stream XFM London to a native app! Looks great, performs great, stable, very polished. Nice one!

 

[LePigeonBleu]

Hey!

Looks like a great app! The price seems a bit steep, but I haven't tried it mostly because I'm nervous about trying a 5 dollar program.

m

 

[ieko]

I'd like to see AAC+ stream support. I use FStream currently but it can be a pain to use sometimes, so I would pay for the ease of use.

 

[iSaga]

What is different between this app and one of the free apps like AOL Radio & Flycast?

 

[eingrad]

iSaga: Well, on our App you don't depend on any web-registration or whatsoever. Your favorites are right on your iPhone and nowhere else!
We don't manipulate Icecast & Shoutcast directories, except removing AAC+.
No sluggish interface.

ieko: Yes, we'd love to add AAC+, as soon Apple is going to fix it.
FStream is encoding AAC via software which is very cpu/battery consuming.

LePigeonBleu: how much would you spend on a good radio app?

RED™: Thanks.
Yes, we know wma is needed badly. We hope to manage to add wma support soon.

odelay: Thanks

 

[LePigeonBleu]

LePigeonBleu: how much would you spend on a good radio app?

Well, first, I'd like to try it out.

If it were really good, it would be worth maybe a few dollars.

You should try giving out the first 1000 free. That's how word spreads.

m

 

[lunarmac]

Sync volume with rocker buttons

One suggestion would be to have the volume sync with the rocker buttons on the side. That's the main reason why I chose the Tuner app over all the other ones. Like the iPhone, many smartphone may have more features but usability makes a big difference.

 

[eingrad]

lunarmac: If you mean the hardware volume-buttons to the left, Internet RadioBOX supported it since it's first release. Changing the volume via buttons changes the slider inside the App.
We just don't mention it inside the description. We'll think about adding it.

 

[Eric Isaacson]

Just downloaded and gave it a try. I think it is a great App, and I'm sure I'll continue to enjoy it.

One question though, do you know why it keeps "timing out" on me. It plays for about 5 minutes and then it stops, when I check it says "timed out"?

Any suggestions

Eric

 

[lunarmac]

My bad.
You're right. I just downloaded.
Works great.

Can you add a clear all for recently played and also for current traffic session? If it's there I can't find it.

Also, can we start up with the favorites screen instead of the full menu? It would make it faster to start playing.

Oh and of course is it possible to add wma support?

I don't know if you can add this feature but is there a way to add a web browser so you can just click on the stream link from a web page and get it added to the app.

Thanks and I'm gonna write a positive review in the app store.

lunarmac: If you mean the hardware volume-buttons to the left, Internet RadioBOX supported it since it's first release. Changing the volume via buttons changes the slider inside the App.
We just don't mention it inside the description. We'll think about adding it.

 

[LePigeonBleu]

Download this application!

Wonderful radio application, well worth the money. You can listen to anything you want at ease!

To the developer, I'd say 2.99 would ring a good sum, and not be charging too much. Just my two cents.

Again, DOWNLOAD Internet RadioBOX!

m

 

[MadDog31]

Just got it this afternoon. Man this is a sweet app and I definitely would have paid $5 for it. I'll be leaving a sparkling review here once I get a chance.

Thanks for the great offer, I'll recommend it to my friends.

 

[needthephone]

I downloaded this and its very good.

I have a couple of thoughts.(apologies for a rant!)

All these radio search apps (apple included in itunes when you click radio)
have these awful search categories like Ambient, Americana (just what is this suppose to mean), Jazz, Public, Emo, Alternative (I mean what a vague title now) Punk, SKA, Industrial, Hardcore, Electronica, Urban, Top 40, Pop (I mean pop is so huge a category) etc etc etc.

I honestly don't think people search radio like this-they aren't just listening to EMO (an awful description anyway), Pop or Jazz.

If all people wanted to listen to was Alternative they would do an itunes playlist (which they do of course) No people want to listen to radio to hear their favourite presenters as well as the music. I want to hear Steve Wright on BBC radio 2 or Chris Moyles on Radio 1. I like the presenters as well as the music they play.

Everyone I knows searches radio by COUNTRY- i.e. they are from say the UK, Australia, the US, France and want to listen to their own nations radio stations. They want to hear the traffic info, the news (even if they are in another country-they want to feel like they are home)-there aren't this sad group of people listening to EMO-if they just do this I would bet they won't listen to radio anyway.

I would like to see a country list, I would select the UK and then hopefully see BBC radio's 1-6 say, Virgin, the local radio stations, etc etc etc. Also how about being able to search for individual shows (eg like Steve Wright or Chris Moyles)

Similarly for Australia I want to search for JJJ or Nova 969 (both these stations play Top 40, Pop, alternative etc by the way which makes a nonsense of the categories).

Also why is BBC Radio 1 the only BBC radio station I can find apart from World Service?

Also any chance of having BBC listen again as well?

A great app though but I think non radio listeners have perpetuated these awful and meaningless radio search categories. It probably originated from marketing men selling advertising for example in the US to Christian, alternative, country rock in the 30-35 male white demographic. No sorry this isn't how people really are even if advertisers would like us to behave like this.

 

[RiGo]

so they're offering 300 free downloads

 

[LiveForever]

I installed it too.

Yes its OK but I agree with poster above- with all these internet radio things you can never find what you want.

Needthephone-I think you will find BBC Radio 1 ISN'T included they just have some stream to an out of date top 40 of 1990??

I won't use it until I can add my own radio stations and search for just UK (or any other country)radio stations.

Please could the developer advise how (if possible) can add radio stations or is it just restricted to the icecast or SHOUTcast directories?

I would like to add BBC stations eg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/


This seems to be US based and aimed for their market.

PS BBC radio stations have the biggest market share in the world .

 

[orrelse44]

Is there any way you can add a "sports radio" choice?

 

[return7]

I downloaded this and its very good.

I have a couple of thoughts.(apologies for a rant!)

All these radio search apps (apple included in itunes when you click radio)
have these awful search categories like Ambient, Americana (just what is this suppose to mean), Jazz, Public, Emo, Alternative (I mean what a vague title now) Punk, SKA, Industrial, Hardcore, Electronica, Urban, Top 40, Pop (I mean pop is so huge a category) etc etc etc.

I honestly don't think people search radio like this-they aren't just listening to EMO (an awful description anyway), Pop or Jazz.

If all people wanted to listen to was Alternative they would do an itunes playlist (which they do of course) No people want to listen to radio to hear their favourite presenters as well as the music. I want to hear Steve Wright on BBC radio 2 or Chris Moyles on Radio 1. I like the presenters as well as the music they play.

Everyone I knows searches radio by COUNTRY- i.e. they are from say the UK, Australia, the US, France and want to listen to their own nations radio stations. They want to hear the traffic info, the news (even if they are in another country-they want to feel like they are home)-there aren't this sad group of people listening to EMO-if they just do this I would bet they won't listen to radio anyway.

I would like to see a country list, I would select the UK and then hopefully see BBC radio's 1-6 say, Virgin, the local radio stations, etc etc etc. Also how about being able to search for individual shows (eg like Steve Wright or Chris Moyles)

Similarly for Australia I want to search for JJJ or Nova 969 (both these stations play Top 40, Pop, alternative etc by the way which makes a nonsense of the categories).

Also why is BBC Radio 1 the only BBC radio station I can find apart from World Service?

Also any chance of having BBC listen again as well?

A great app though but I think non radio listeners have perpetuated these awful and meaningless radio search categories. It probably originated from marketing men selling advertising for example in the US to Christian, alternative, country rock in the 30-35 male white demographic. No sorry this isn't how people really are even if advertisers would like us to behave like this.

I think the genres are from shoutcast's directory, not specified by the application.

 

[eingrad]

return7: yes, it's all shoutcast & icecast.

We have plans to add a country-based directory as a 3rd directory(additionally to shoutcast/icecast).
But we have to add WMA(mms,asf,asx) support first.
If anyone feels like having experience in WMA decoding on iPhone, contact us.

The other thing is, not everyone is able to find the Add button inside favorites.
Hit Edit -> Add appears.. seems to confuse many people.
Either many just don't hit Edit or don't see the new button appearing.

 

[LiveForever]

Thanks; I found the + and I can see how to add streams now.

How do I add BBC Radio streams though - I have tried a few but none seem to work. Could you advise how (if it is possible) to add BBC radio streams please?

I have tried

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r1.asx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/wm_asx/aod/radio1_hi.asx

But it comes up with "Stream Format Unknown"

 

[RED™]

Thanks; I found the + and I can see how to add streams now.

How do I add BBC Radio streams though - I have tried a few but none seem to work. Could you advise how (if it is possible) to add BBC radio streams please?

I have tried

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r1.asx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/wm_asx/aod/radio1_hi.asx

But it comes up with "Stream Format Unknown"

As eingrad just posted above you, the asx format still needs to be included - we need to be a bit patient

 

[ieko]

ieko: Yes, we'd love to add AAC+, as soon Apple is going to fix it.
FStream is encoding AAC via software which is very cpu/battery consuming.

Has Apple ever supported AAC+? Not even iTunes offers AAC+ stream support, and anyway I don't mind the lower battery life too much because of the audio quality at the lower bitrate. The lower bitrate AAC+ stream is much more stable when traveling, I can't stream a 192kbps MP3 stream to my iPhone (I've found anything over 112kbps is pushing it while on the move), it just isn't stable. But I can certainly do 80kbps AAC+ and have it sound just as good. My battery will usually last about ~3hrs when using 3G to stream music to my phone, this is usually fine for going from point A to B. I just plug my phone in once I get to my destination. Perhaps you can put an option to enable AAC+ support so that people who understand the battery usage can use it?

I really like your application, I would gladly pay $6 for this because it's so well thought out.

One feature I think would be really nice is the ability to recognize if the iPhone switches from 3G to EDGE or EDGE to 3G, and then switch to a stream (same station) with a lower or higher bitrate based on that.

Also if the iPhone loses service I'd like to know that the application is still working and will try to pick up the stream again once service is restored. It's a real pain having to try and look at the iPhone to figure out what happened to the music if you're driving or in the middle of something. Perhaps it can have some sort of sound to notify the user?

 

[eingrad]

Just wanted to let you know AAC+ is coming with update v1.2.0 as soon Apple approves it.

We recommend to update to Firmware 2.2
Internet RadioBOX 1.1.1 works well with 2.2. Couldn't find any issues.

 

[RED™]

Just wanted to let you know AAC+ is coming with update v1.2.0 as soon Apple approves it.

We recommend to update to Firmware 2.2
Internet RadioBOX 1.1.1 works well with 2.2. Couldn't find any issues.

Thank you

Sorry for that stupid question but, which formats are supported with AAC+?