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How can I listen to UK radio


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OK - here goes - I'm about to admit my total ignorance.

Used to be able to listen to radio on the tv/satellite set-up.

Now, for reasons I have no wish to go into, the tv is on, continuously, all day, and tuned to british tv channels - all day, honestly.   a  I am sick, sick to death of it - but can do nothing about it.

Desperately need help before I go totally stark raving mad.

I'm missing my radio - but haven't got a clue how I can sort this one out.

We have 1 telephone line;  1 Orange live box (NOT wi-fi); 1 telephone socket in spare bedroom/study with my computer;  1 telephone socket in kitchen.   It is in the kitchen I need to have a radio.

Can anyone, in very, very simple, lay-man's terms - tell me how I can possibly have my own radio, in my kitchen, so that I can listen to my programmes?

The phone socket in the spare bedroom has a filter socket with the phone cable being plugged into the back of the Orange live box, with all the other bits of gear connected properly.

Can I use the phone socket in the kitchen, with a filter - to plug in an internet radio - is that possible ?

Please, clever bods - help me out - and keep it as simple as possible.   This is getting really serious now - if I hear any more b---y Morse repeats, Heartbeats, FlogIts, Judge Judy, Judge Rinder, snooker, cricket.... I'm leaving - can't take much more.   So help me save my sanity - please.

Chessie
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It is probably no help, but I have an Orange livebox in the country and my solution IS the wi-fi, with a laptop(but it could be a  tablet or anything like  that) in another room for radio of all sorts.

So why is it NOT wi-fi  in your case?  Sorry if this is irritating but as it works for me I mention it.

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If that won't work (and it sounds like a simple solution if it does) replace the LNB on your dish with one with (an) extra outlet(s). So if it is a single LNB, replace with a double. If it is already a double, replace with a quadruple (they don't do three outlest as far as I know).

Connect up the existing box as now and use one of the extra outlets with a new cable running down directly to the kitchen. Connect this to a new Freesat (not Freeview) box and Robert is your father's brother.
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Chessie .......

I have just discussed this my son, who knows what he's talking about over audio / tv.

1. Andyh4 is spot on.

2. Find yourself a good local audio/tv professional to sort you out. Face up to the fact that, with your current setup, your household cannot operate with both the TV & the radio simultaneously. It may not be particularly cheap!

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Hi

How many computers to you have and can any connect via wi fi I have not been able to use sat radio/tv for years and get by on the internet

This for radio is my favorite http://www.internetradiouk.com/#bbc-radio-4

I plug the computers head phones into my audio gear as I just do with UK TV for perfect pitch/volume
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French forum god to the rescue.

The answer really depends on the speed of your internet connection. Can you listen to the radio on your computer without it breaking up ?....i.e is quick enough ?

If so....

1) Get a WIFI box from orange. To be fair you should already have one so I guess your box is really old. They should replace it for free.

2) Buy an internet radio receiver that will have apps on it allowing you to receive any station of your choice. You place receiver in kitchen and it communicates with your router over wifi.

3) Alternatively, buy a long ethernet cable and plug it into your router and trail it to the kitchen and plug it into your internet radio receiver...i.e.it does not rely on wifi but a hard connection.

4) If you don't want to trial a cable across your house and trip over it, then buy a 'bluetooth speaker' as well and put the speaker in the kitchen and the internet receiver near the router in the study.

To be fair if you have a wifi router you could listen to radio on your mobile phone....if it is a smart phone.

If you internet connection is not good enough, then it is going to be more tricky and expensive.

Edit...does your computer have bluetooth ????

You can buy a dongle for you computer that will make it bluetooth.

Therefore, you can just buy a bluetooth speaker to communicate with your computer and put it in your kitchen.

Et voila
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If the computer is not far from the kitchen then a bluetooth transmitter plugged in (6.50€ from Amazon) and a pair of bluetooth headphones ( about 15€) will allow you to listen to any radio (including BBC on Iplayer) within line of site.

If you have an old laptop then the Dlink CPL's plugged in will turn any electric plug (not on 3 phase) into an internet connection for your laptop. This will allow you to listen to the radio on headphones anywhere in the house, if you wish to avoid wifi.

Sorry duplicated some of the advice above, typed at the same time as post.
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Just to follow on from above, you don't need iplayer (which I guess needs a VPN) to receive UK radio over the internet.

I have the 'my tuner radio' app on my mac. I just open it and select a station. They all there. Even local ones. I guess a similar app exists for windows or chrome or whatever.

You can choose any country in the world and and tune into any station..

That is why an internet radio receiver might be a better investment.
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My solution, which has been running for about 15+ years, was to get an old satellite box and connect it to a spare LNB outlet (as above). I have a connector/adapter plugged into the SCART socket of the sat box which gives me a 3.5mm audio plug out.

That output goes to a little FM transmitter. There are many available on Amazon, eBay, etc - mine has a special mains power adapter but now you can get them USB-powered so an ordinary USB charger can be used.

The sat box is tuned to my preferred BBC radio channel and the transmitter gives an FM signal which I can pick up on various old FM radios around the house. As I live in a rural area, the signal isn't strong enough to bemuse the neighbours.

The problem with internet radio is my broadband is slow and I get short hiccups in speed even more which would degrade the broadcast.

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I like that a lot!

 

I was going to say earlier that listening to the radio is a lot more complicated than it once was!

 

My internet radio often bugs out, a lot of the times it is the stations (websites) themselves, one favorite the volume drops to inaudible most afternoons, another Gold Radio Funk switches to Dutch presenters in the evenings now [:-))] same music though and they speak Dutchglish anyway! Then it gets complicated when all the tenants use the internet, I really like the idea of tuning in to the Skybox with an FM radio which most people will have thrown away.

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Thank you everyone for trying to save my sanity.    (I was on the point of packing my case yesterday - not joking, honestly).

Very helpful, interesting - and rather head scratching (for me as a useless techno person !) - responses, which I will need to read through, and take time to understand.

What's a 'dongle' ? !!  You see, I just have difficulty understanding.

Why doesn't an internet radio act the same way as a wifi box - ie take the internet, through an internet/phone line and then tune into radio stations ?   Why not a 'plug and play' radio ?   Why isn't modern techno simple ?

Sidebar - I used to laugh at my mother at times in the last 20 years for not being 'up to speed' on latest gizmos;  now I know how she felt about modern techno.   Serves me right, doesn't it.

As always, though, on this site - I am extremely appreciative of all the help and advice.   I'm left amazed by how much expert knowledge people have - makes me feel even more stupid at times - but always grateful for help.

Thank you - Chessie
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Chessie, no need to feel stupid- I read all the messages as they came in and kept hoping you would be able to understand them, as I definitely can't!

We have an internet radio and all I know about it is that it needs the internet and works through the modem box. I love having it and our next door neighbours were so impressed with it that they bought one too.

Good luck with getting your radio programmes.
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Now that the clever techies have explained how to get the UK radio signal, I am keen to know the prospects for getting it with subtitles in the foreseeable future. For severely hard-of-hearing people like me, radio is a no-no, whatever the language. I recall that there were experiments with radio "captioning" in America some time ago but I am not aware of any progress in Europe.
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  • 2 weeks later...
Can I start by saying a huge huge 'thank you' to everyone who tooke the time to respond to my cry of despair - very grateful, really am.    

(Suitcase has been opened and partly filled for last few weeks !!!)

Please - can I pick everyone's knowledge base again.

The cable idea was suggested to OH; problem is we have a 2 LNB - and the idea of having to replace with 4 LNB and then to run another cable right round the outside of the house was met with a -------- so that's a no-no; can't be done.

Reading through all the helpful advice I've come to the conclusion that for a 'stupid' like me the easiest would probably be the internet radio (love the description of it being like a computer without the arms and legs - made me smile that one !)

So firstly need to go and swop my white Orange live box for wi-fi one - yes ?

Then need to find an internet radio - are there plenty around - LeClerc, Darty ?

Before making final decision - just a few other questions - sorry -

Now techie answers please -

originally thought Bluetooth dongle and loudspeaker might work - but if I'm in the woman's shed, or away from the house might be too far away from Bluetooth dongle.

I'd also need to have PC switched on, and tuned into one radio station - yes ?  

And to change stations I'd need to return to PC to enable me to do this - yes ?

But an internet radio means I could switch from station to station - because I'd have the radio right next to me;  am I correct in that ?

Now - to use either Bluetooth or the radio (radio is preference) -

does the PC need to be on to use internet radio?   Or does it automatically 'pick up' signals from the wifi box ?

If the PC has to be on - using either Bluetooth or internet radio - then using Bluetooth plus loudspeaker would be cheaper option, wouldn't it ?

As for the PC itself;  at the moment it's set for ADSL dial-up;

- now if I change to wifi do I have to change anything on PC so that it looks for LAN instead ?  

Or am I just confusing myself - not very difficult !!

Thanks everyone - sorry to be a nuisance.

Chessie

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Hi

Keeping it really simple if your computer can connect to the internet plug the headphone socket of your puter into an amplifier or just use the computers speakers To change stations normally you have to return to the puter

WIFI ,BLUE Tooth have nothing to do with reception any old bit of wire can connect another speaker
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@ chessie

The LNB option was never going to work to fair so I would drop that one.

BEFORE, buying an internet radio...YOU MUST check if your internet connection is strong enough to receive radio.

So swap your Orange router for a wifi router (which you should have already) then bring BBC 4 radio (or whatever) on your computer and listen to it. Does it work ? Does it break ? If it works fine then your internet radio will work. Look up on Amazon for internet radio....both in France and the UK to see the types of models available.

OPTION 2

NOW, do you have a mobile phone. Is is a smart phone ? I have downloaded on my phone the 'My tuner pro' app. It cost 3 euros ish. I have all channels from around the world.

I bought a little a JBL bluetooth speaker (about the size of a cigarette box) the other day. The speaker works with bluetooth to my phone. So when I am in the kitchen, or bathroom, or wherever I can play any radio and it plays on the speaker without any wires. The sound is brillant.

I AM GUESSING, you don't have a smart phone. The question is, 'is better to get a smart phone rather than internet radio' ? My answer to that would be yes. Not only can you listen to radio, but watch tv as well through fimon......and all the functions of course of a phone. I have a Moto G 4....which is probably the best budget phone you can buy. Not that more expensive than an internet radio.

REMEMBER, the phone works on wifi with your router so you are not using it on your mobile plan. It free basically.

But, this all depends on WIFI...and how strong your signal is. If it is not strong, it won't work for a phone or an internet radio player.
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Thank you for all that really good advice - and in terms I can understand - lovely.

Radio 4 is fine on this PC - as are live web feeds - don't bother with anything else.   So it would appear the internet signal is fine.

The Option 2 is very interesting as well;  but I don't have a smart phone - only have a simple phone, pay as you go, for emergencies only;  don't need mobile phone as such - not many people phone us on the landline anyway  - sad !!

I'm presuming that to go your super way of radio plus TV (now there's a thought) - I'd need to buy a smart phone, and take out a yearly contract.   As I don't have that much use for a mobile it could be that the mobile would work out quite an expensive option.   Must admit when you talk about Bluetooth I just wondered if, having swapped for a wifi box, then a plug-in Blootooth dongle - and a loudspeaker might be an easy option, but that would mean every time I wanted to change radio stations I'd have to return to the PC to do this. 

But I'm sure others will be interested in the information you've given - isn't modern techno wonderful - when you can understand it all !!

Would seem that getting a wifi box, then internet radio will be the simplest option for me.

Thank you for all your help and advice - really kind of you.

Chessie

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If you have a good internet connection, then you have a number of options.

1) Internet radio receiver (cheapest option)...but invest in a good one.

2) Mobile phone (Phone cost + 'Free' forfeit 2 euros per month)....now you have a proper phone. Do you need it ???

3) OR...a Chromebook.

https://www.amazon.fr/Toshiba-CB30-B-104-Chromebook-Celeron-Chrome/dp/B00SIZCVQK/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1489408667&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=chromebook%2Btoshiba%2BC830%2BB&th=1

My daughter has one of these and it is great.

Similar operating system as a phone, but it is a laptop as well. Just download the 'my tuner pro app' and you have radio. Plonk it (it is quite small) in any room and you have not only radio, but browsing, you tube, email....and everything else. The speakers are very good so you don't need to buy 'external' speakers'.

A chromebook is a 'google' device running on android. None of that microsoft rubbish.

So your choice is, a dedicated internet radio receiver or a mobile phone or Chromebook. Do you want just radio ?????...or do you want more functionality ? You can watch UK telly on a chromebook with Filmon.

NB. Bluetooth has nothing to do with WIFI. Bluetooth is just the way the device communicates with an external speaker.

In terms of connection speed, can you watch you tube videos on your computer ? If you can then you should be fine.

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