Radio streams

[Balthazar]

I've recently been trying to increase my exposure to Chinese audio by way of listening radio in the background while working. I'm not sure about it's efficiency (it's all background listening), but it definitely can't hurt either. My main problem is finding channels. Or rather direct stream addresses.

 

I know there's a already a few threads on Chinese-Forums with channel recommendations. My main problem is that the wifi signal at work is terrible, too bad to be able to stream any channel I've tried through TuneIn without constant buffering and/or major stuttering. So my android phone won't do. As for my ethernet-connected work computer, my permissions are massively limited and no streaming through web browsers (or installation of new programs) is possible. However, there's a loophole I've been able to find.

 

It turns out the Internet Explorer on my work computer has a Windows Media player plugin, and once I've opened something through that I'm able to use shortcuts to open streams. So if I have a direct stream to a radio channel, I'm able to listen to it all day long without any issues.

 

The only problem is, I haven't had much luck finding direct stream addresses to Chinese speaking radio channels. In fact the only one I've found the direct stream address of is RTI (Radio Taiwan International), which is:  mms://media.ccdntech.com/wmtencoder/rti/cbs2.wmv (thanks Hacking Chinese).

 

I'm making this thread hoping that others have stream addresses to other channels. RTI is great (both the content and the stream quality), but it would be good to have more options, and preferably something from the mainland with more standard pronunciation. Something like Voice of America Chinese would also be cool (I was surprised not to be able to find a direct stream address for that one..)

 

So please, if anyone has come by direct stream addresses, do post them here!

[Guest realmayo]

Big list here but I tried a couple of mms links and couldn't get them to work in windows media player.

https://gist.github.com/a-boy/eddc56e6e6891ace73207614e8885c15

[Geiko]

The other day a friend told me about Radio Garden:

 

The Radio Garden website features an interactive map that allows users to listen to music from any region in the world. By simply using the mouse to move around the globe, users can hear what's playing live on local radio stations anywhere they choose.

 

Quote from here. I haven't tried it, but it might be worth having a look at it! 

[Luxi]

VoA site is here.  It offers TV and radio streams. The top bar on the right has the link to several simultaneous radio streams. It's very easy to find VoA from UK, but it may be blocked where you are. 

 

If you have an Android phone, you could install the Ximalaya app:

http://www.ximalaya.com/download

and download the podcasts to your phone to listen to off-line. Downloads may take time if the wifi is poor, but after downloading you'll be able to listen comfortably without buffering problems. Ximalaya offers a fantastic choice.

 

Another site with a big choice of audio books, ping-shu, and other literature is Ting-China. You may be able to download the mp3 files to your phone and listen later.

 

Last but not least, there is Radio China. I wouldn't know where to start here:

http://gb.cri.cn/chinese_radio/ 

I'm sure their streams are suitable to reach all places, no matter how poor the wifi, and the site shouldn't upset you employers too much. 

 

 

 

 

[Publius]

You guys don't understand the situation. Most streams nowadays are either RTMP (flash player) or m3u8 (Apple format). The OP can only stream MMS steams which few radio stations still use.

EDIT: In fact I just checked a dozen radio stations in Beijing, their streams either do not work or are RTMP steams that the OP's Windows Media Player cannot handle and he is not allowed to install new software on his work computer.

[大块头]

Does it have to be live radio? I have 喜马拉马 and a podcast app (Podcast Addict) on my smartphone, and I've found a lot of content through that. I can listen to stuff streaming, but I usually download a bunch of stuff once a week to save data.

[Angelina]

Yup, Ximalaya. 

[Balthazar]

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

Publius is correct, I'm only able to access MMS-streams at work. Tried some of the ones listed in realmayo's link without success, so for now I guess I'll have to limit my background listening to RTI (which really is pretty good).

 

I'll give Ximalaya a try too. Downloading podcasts at home and listen to them at work is definitely not a bad idea, although what I like about live radio is the simplicity of not having to choose anything (beyond which station to listen to).