I’ve just extended my wifi to another part of the house where I plan to have an internet radio. Does anyone have experience of this kind of radio? I would like to know the best internet radio model/make for getting Radio 4 in France. I’ve got a couple of (useless) DAB radios as we can’t pick up this service, more’s the pity.
Any will do. I have a portable Roberts Internet radio that I use every day. It is easy to use and convenient but my iPod on a base station and the TuneIn Radio app did the same job just as well.
I use my smartphone apps ( Tunein & BBC iPlayer Radio) linked to a Bluetooth speaker / sound bar. I do the same in the car as it has a Bluetooth enabled sound system.
I have radio 4 on, almost permanently. I have a clear signal and no problems, whatsoever. Forthermore Radio 3 and the other channels are available. I just use my computer; see here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 amd then click on “Listen Live” Enjoy!
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I have a Roberts and a pure both good and listen on my TV 0104 and computer and phone- cant be without it and 4 extra, which seems to have eluded many purists. Ii has all the best of radio 4 going back years but with no money box etc.
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Thank you everyone for such helpful advice. I do get R4 and Rextra on my large Mac computer but I don’t have room in the kitchen for it where I’d like reception. If I did I’d be bound to slop some sauce into it or cover the screen in grease!
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We use our old Samsung tablet linked to a small set of speakers. www.inernetradiouk.com
There are 100 stations including all the bbc ones.
Hello. I use an old car radio on A.M. with a caravan battery and a small solarpanel at my workshop, where there is no 240volt. Radio 4 on am. is not hard to pick up but a bit annoying when the cricket is on instead of usual programmes.
At home, I listen to radio 4/extra/bbc iplayer etc… anywhere in the house using wifi with either my laptop, a pc or a cheap smartphone and a very small bluetooth speaker that hangs up anywhere. It has an amazingly crisp sound and fits into a pocket. It was €49 from darty. I’ve seen cheaper ones for sale in the supermarket (U) for less than €15. The speaker works within around 10metres of the device. Upstairs it needs the phone. It was my best gadget last year. I even cycle listening to the radio now.
Happy new year…let us all know what solution you find xx
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Good idea - the smartphone. I’ve got an old one knocking about somewhere, I’ll give it a whirl. Thanks Jo. It’ll be strange listening to John Humphries banging on at breakfast time (assuming he still does!)
Didn’t Simon suggest exactly the same thing four days ago?
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Either a Sonos system, where you can get either synchronous or different music all over your house or simply the ‘Tunein’ App on your pgone and a Bluetooth speaker
Aside from using a Smartphone or Tablet and a suitable App such as tunein radio (which is a great solution) there is also the option to use a WiFI enabled Radio. We have one from Revo in the UK. It’s very reliable and easy to use:
Not all of their Radio’s are WiFi enable and so read their specs carefully.
Their PiXiS RX is Wifi enabled (plus DAB+, FM, etc for local French stations) and is their cheapest model:
http://revo.co.uk/shop/pixis-rs/
I use an earlier model from Revo that is no longer sold, and so I can’t advise on the quality of their current models. But I can say we are very please with our existing Revo, which we’ve had for 4 years+
My wife we even uses these radio in our garden as we have a decent Wifi network at home. Radio 2 in the garden while doing some gardening in the SoF :slight_smile : =)
Good luck with whatever you decide to use.
Tony
I’m glad I use the phone because it means I always know where the phone is as well - plus if you’re using the internet why have two devices when one will do for everything. I listen to bbc iplayer a lot too there’s so many good older programmes for free. Plus youtube - thousands of audioplays and books.
If you use it with a mini speaker, the speaker is also multi-tasking - I use it for myTV with my laptop too and at work when I run my mobile kitchen. It’s so small it only needs charging after 8 hours.
Its bought music back into an overly- busy life for me.
I have an internet radio on each floor. I can select French, UK, Spanish or Australian radio stations from hundreds worldwide. Ours are brandless, bought from eBay years ago: plastic box housing speaker, led screen and control knob. Cheap, have worked 8 yrs or more. Like you, I hate having laptops, tablets and smartphones in the kitchen, but this plastic box suffers no harm and takes up 6in by 4in of shelf space. Sadly now most models seem to cost a lot because they perform more functions (and are marketed by Pure, Roberts and other pricey brands). Keep looking for a simple box like mine, I’m sure they are out there somewhere, although none jumped out at me when I searched ebay UK just now. http://www.vistron.tv/radio_MX200ib.php illustrates the model a bit later than mine, they might be able to advise where to get one from.
OK, thanks again to all. You are so helpful. I tried the old smartphone (bit tinny) and then my iPad (tinny plus difficult to adjust the volume) Then I bought an Ocean Radio, cheapish, small and plastic box wi-fi radio on offer from Amazon (delivered from UK to France in 2 days - how do they do that?!) Easy to set up, unobtrusive and with good ‘stereo type’ sound. I’m greatly pleased. I heard ‘The Archers’ again for the first time in years - still the same old stories, plus ca change!
Hi Kit, I’m a chef and in the kitchen I use my iPad (placed on a shelf). Of course you may not have an iPad but your 'phone (if it’s a smart 'phone) should do the job. However, only if it’s connected to your home Internet, otherwise it will be expensive.
The people who have been recommending phones have also suggested using a speaker, not tinny at all then.
I use an Ocean as well, in the bedroom. Downstairs I listen to radio through my Orange Livebox/TV system.
I use a bog-standard Kindle which is 4 years old. I downloaded the BBC iPlayer and it always works first time. You can choose from all the BBC radio outputs. I have it alarm-set to wake me up to John Humphreys’ harrumphing tones 