Hi,

Is it possible to access streaming audio in Linux (redhat 9)? I have been trying to use internet radio but haven't had success. Any info will be appreciated.

Thanks

i suggest streamtuner

Thanks for the info. I went to the site but I don't know where to look. I went here but didn't know what to do. Sorry if I sound dumb.

Well, I often listen to virgin because the FM signal isn't available outside London.

So, I go to the virgin site (link above), I click on the listen now link which swings me to the streaming/download page, they do various streams like windows media, realplayer and ogg and it depends which stream you select, on which media player you use.

You might change your profile so people know what distro you use (different distro's - different default media players etc etc) - anyway, my mandrake install, has xmms as a music media type player, and if I check the menu entry for video I have real player as well,and actually playing the streams is pretty similar.

So, XMMS, open that, then click the "PL" radio button and the playlist window should open, then hit the "load list" button, which opens another dialogue window, now presuming that you selected an ogg stream (I have a broadband service so I would use the 96vr.ogg stream) click on the file that you would have downloaded when you selected the stream (the file from virgin is called live.pls) from whatever site you want to listen to and click OK,
You should then have the option for the stream in the playlist window, which I would then double clik on and xmms buffers the stream and starts playing.

I don't know much about this streaming stuff, as I only managed to get xmms working by chance. Before that, I used realplayer because I was more familiar with it, the mehtod is pretty similar, i.e. download the file from the site you want to listen to but then using the dropdown I think it's "open file" that you need to select from, then it should buffer the stream and start it playing (though there's a registration thing to fill out with realplayer the first time you use it just uncheck the send me loads of shit option).

Hope this points you in the right direction

regards

John

Thanks for the info, John. Unfortunately, I am unable to get even the stream from Virgin. I did exactly what you suggested. I get an "unable to connect to server" error. I have a broadband connection as well and I am able to listen to streams in Windows.

Still not able to see how to install streamtuner.


P.S.- I am trying to use XMMS as well.

xmms should be able to handle streams on its own. streamtuner is just an app that gives you access to a lot of shoutcast streams in one place -- the actual stream is handled through your audio app. try one of the streams at http://somafm.com/ -- those are mp3 streams and they should open in xmms if your browser is configured properly (sometimes groove salad is a little buggy -- try one of the other ones). if they don't work, either configure your browser with the right mime types, or install plugger to handle them. http://fredrik.hubbe.net/plugger.html

if you are using Red hat, the problem might be related to their non-inclusion of certain audio codecs. can you listen to other audio in xmms besides streaming -- mp3s on your hard drive, for example? if not, the solution is very simple: do a google.com/linux search for the rpm, then install it as root with:
rpm -ivh <filename.rpm>

gl, keep us posted.

I was thinking on similar lines synaptical, that's partly why I suggested trying virgin's ogg stream - even an idiot like me managed to listen to that without any problems.

I was trying to think what else Van Gogh might not have installed - but being a mandrake user, I drew a blank.

Does the redhat rpm for mp3's affect ogg streams/feeds as well ??

regards

John

p.s. and please don't think I'm being critical of you Van Gogh, I wouldn't dare. I just happen to be a n00b who's been meddling with linux for 2 years and what I really know about it could be written on the back of a very small postage stamp.

Thanks synaptical and bigjohn,

I tried uninstalling xmms and reinstalling it, running it from root. I also installed the mp3 plugin for xmms. I am not sure what other plugins i might need. Btw, I can't even play mp3s stored on my harddrive . I think I have installed the mp3 plugin, though. When I try to play mp3s from my hd, I get some binary characters in the player window. On the other hand, clicking some mp3 links on the web allows me to listen to them through the internet browser (Mozilla) itself! I don't know how.


bigjohn, no worries. I am a beginner and I know very little about Linux so any help is appreciated.

if you can hear sound in other apps, the problem must be with xmms. go into the options/preferences, and see what the output plugin is. try setting it to different plugins and see if that helps. OSS probably would be a good choice. i'm trying to think of what seeing the binary numbers might mean, but i'm not coming up with anything. but who knows, it might have something to do with the plugin.

p.s. don't run it as root.

pps. the browser itself can't play sounds, it needs a helper app. if you could find out what that is, it might help sorting out the xmms problem.

>edit: another idea is to open xmms in a console, and see what error messages it gives you when you try to play something.