New software saves radio streams to mp3 files

NEW SOFTWARE, DEVICE CAPTURE SONGS OFF RADIO

(from the Radio Tech Check Newsletter 31.10.06)

A new (and free) software product call “Snaptune One” gives radio listeners the ability to capture individual songs off of their favorite radio station (traditional or Internet), turn them into MP3 files, and create personalized playlists for playback on iPods and other audio playback devices. Technology developer ADS Technologies (Cerritos, CA) has bundled this software with a new USB analog FM tuner, called “Instant FM Music” (see picture) which is now selling for approximately $40.

Snaptune, Inc. (Bellevue, WA), developer of the Snaptune One software, says that Snaptune One doesn’t just record the radio program material, it isolates and identifies complete songs, talk shows and other segments of interest automatically. It works with FM tuners designed for use with PCs (like Instant FM Music), as well as with a simple “line-in” cable connected to an existing radio or FM receiver. Snaptune also works with Internet-based radio stations.

Listeners pick the station they want to record, then after a while Snaptune One displays a list of the songs playing on the radio as it finds and records them to the listener’s hard disk. Listeners can then sort these songs, play them, write them, burn them, or transfer them to an iPod or other media player. According to Snaptune, this software uses “advanced pattern matching techniques” to find songs allowing it to work on almost any radio station anywhere in the world.

Snaptune reports that after using this software for a week, hundreds of songs are typically available, and the list keeps growing from there. With the software’s “Tivo-like” capabilities, listeners can pause or rewind live radio, go back an entire week or longer to listen to any song again, learn more about it, or go online to purchase a download or CD containing the song. The software also features indexing technology that enables listeners to view a playlist with individual songs, interviews, live sessions, news stories or talk segments. Listeners who hear a song while driving and want to know more about it can (once back at their PC) pull up the playlist, click on the time they were driving and quickly find the song.

Snaptune One works with online music stores to provide a direct link to purchase albums related to any song it finds. Album covers and reviews are shown in the Snaptune One user interface (see screen capture) so listeners can browse while listening to complete songs. A single click on any album cover takes a user online to purchase the CD. Snaptune plans to add links for individual song downloads, ring tones and concert tickets in the future.

Measuring only 3.25 inches, the Instant FM Music radio includes a number of features including RDS technology, allowing for display of RDS/RBDS data such as station call letters, radio text and more on their PC monitor. The system requirements and specifications of the Instant FM Music radio are shown in the table. In a recent ADS Tech press release, Mike McCoy, ADS Tech President, says that “Satellite radio equipment costs can range from $49 to hundreds of dollars and then there are monthly fees of $10-$13; but with Instant FM Music, consumers have more features, more benefits and no fees.”