Welcome to 'Transmitting to Earth'. I'm Charssun and I'll be your host. This blog and podcast is a byproduct of VoyagerRadio.com and is intended to provide the most timely information about this Internet radio station. It is also intended to be a fun and accessible electronic journal with commentary focusing on Internet radio, podcasting and webcasting issues and technologies, music, and some of my other interests. I also offer personal perspective about being an Internet radio broadcaster (and podcaster).
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Broadband 24 Times Faster At Less Than Twice The PriceSpeaking of data transfer, UK broadband provider Be are now offering 24-megabit broadband for a reasonable price... Internet Access For Mobiles Still Too PriceyI'd like to listen to Internet radio on a mobile device, but at what price? Wireless carriers are charging way too much for data usage, in my opinion. I tried my mobile phone's Internet functionality for about two months this year, but Cingular won't be touching my wallet again until they give me some more reasonable data limits. 512k for $10? What the f is that? That wouldn't even cover the data used up by one song. They're getting more money out of consumers, though. Three Mobile Music Phones, ReviewedIn this L.A. Times article [registration required to read], David Colker astutely points out the shortcomings of the current crop of mobile phones attempting to be digital audio devices. Motorola's ROKR, which Ross Rubin cleverly referred to as MEDIOKR, is generally a decent device, possessing the ease-of-use and familiarity (for iPod users) of Apple's iTunes software. Yet the device is limited severely by its meager storage capacity: We've become spoiled by portable music players on which we can organize whole collections of CDs. The Rokr's roughly 400-minute limit is a pittance compared with the lowest-level iPod with a screen — a Nano model that holds 2,000 minutes.The ROKR also lacks Internet radio or music subscription functionality, features set which make Palm's Treo 650 a highly desirable mobile device for streaming audio lovers. Yet those same features come at a high cost, both financially and technically. The Treo requires the purchase of additional equipment in order to store the music downloaded using RealNetwork's RealPlayer, and unlike the simplicity of using the ROKR, the Treo requires significant technical hurdles in managing the music downloaded (or streamed). Nokia, in its own bid to stay in the music game, introduced its Music Pack, a collection of items that can be added to various phones to convert them into music machines. Perhaps this is the best assemblage of them all, as Nokia's solution provides massive storage options and the likelihood that you'll be able to play more audio file formats than the ROKR or the Treo allow. Jake Ludington On Eliminating Noise From RecordingsJake Ludington provides some great tips for podcasters and other recording artists, such as this article on eliminating noise from phone recordings... Internet Radio Gains 1.0 Ratings ShareThere's no doubt Internet radio has been gaining popularity these past few years, but now it's hit a real milestone: a 1.0 rating among a key demographic. Read the comScore Arbitron Online Radio Ratings FAQ to learn more... RadioIO Becomes 1st Publicly-Held Internet Radio Co.RadioIO has become the first publicly-held Internet radio company as the result of being acquired by PowerCerv Corporation. RadioIO streams 15 channels of music and even streams to Palm and Treo devices (using this URL). Not Only Fine Music, But Fine ArtThough it's all about the music, really, many of the recording artists you're hearing on VoyagerRadio have some worthy visual artwork, as well. For example, check out Monta's merchandise, which includes images of the t-shirts they have for sale and the tin that encases their debut full-length release. Recording label RedCola displays an aesthetic which is demonstrative of their fine taste in selecting recording artists; they always have interesting designs - not just on their website, but on their t-shirts, one of my girlfriend's favorite and most comfortable threads. Contact RedCola via their website to inquire about their tees. Then there's Baby Grand's home on the web, Club Grand, one of those sites you almost hope never changes, it's so fun to visit. Be sure to view the site's Live footage and, if it's your birthday, check out the special video you'll find on the (what else?) Video page. Downtempo on River StreetIf you're in Cambridge, you might hear some downtempo on River Street on a Tuesday night... Three Cross-Platform Audio Editing AppsWhen I'm done editing audio using Audacity, I export the audio as a WAV file (so that I have a pristine Master recording) and then convert the WAV to an MP3 file using LAME, the open source and cross-platform program. Since I'm constantly moving between Mac, Windows, and Linux boxes, I'm really liking the cross-platform apps. That way I don't have to constantly re-learn and re-adjust to programs on each platform; I just learn one program that works the same on all three. I just read about another cross-platform application I'm certainly going to be trying out next: Jaikoz. This program has a purpose which I've been seeking a cross-platform solution for: editing MP3 tags. I used to think I wanted all-in-one apps that could perform many functions; my view on this matter is changing. Audacity, for example, can perform all of the above, to some extent: it can edit audio, convert it to MP3, and edit the resulting file's audio tags. Yet Audacity, as all-encompassing a program as it is, performs best as an editor, and that alone. For converting/encoding files, LAME excels; it's much faster at performing this task than Audacity. So I'm hoping Jaikoz will perform its purpose as well as these apps do theirs. Audacity on KDE on a Mac? Can It Happen?Now this is intriguing, the idea of running KDE instead of Aqua whenever I want to run Audacity. Okay, now in English: My favorite audio editing application, Audacity - the one I use to edit my podcast Tempo of the Down - runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Now I use a Mac, but the problem is, Audacity doesn't run very well on my Mac. It runs great on Windows, and even better on Linux. Yet for some reason, it performs, well, so-so on the Mac. The solution? Audacity seems to run best within an X-windowing environment, like KDE or Gnome on Linux systems. The Mac, on the other hand, uses Aqua, though it's possible to set up an X-windowing environment. (I've tried to install Audacity on X on my Mac, but it didn't take.) Yet now that a working version of KDE runs on the Mac, perhaps it will be possible to install and run Audacity on it! And my Mac will finally be a fully-functioning digital audio workstation! Am I on the right track, or am I just not thinking this through properly? VoyagerRadio Artists Page Includes Current Playlists & LinksI've updated the Artists page to include the latest Tempo of the Down playlists. The playlists are in the 'Recording Artist-Track Name-Album Name' format and include links to the artist's recording labels. Current playists: Session 04 (Transmission) and Session 04.5 (Katrina). Google Offers Free Wi-Fi to San FranciscoThere have been rumors that Google has been testing its own Wi-Fi network in order to provide free wireless Internet access to the public. Today those rumors have been confirmed - Google is indeed going to be providing free Wi-Fi to the San Francisco area. If you're in that neighborhood, download the application Google Secure Access in order to jump on that network. The question which remains is, will Google be offering free Wi-Fi elsewhere? A quick Google search for the term 'wifi' brings up an interesting URL, wifi.google.com, but the address currently takes you right back to Google's homepage (rather than a special Wi-Fi site). So beyond the FAQ, we really don't know much else about the service. Keep watching the blogs for more info. Camper Van Camp OutThough it's not downtempo, I'm still going to mention this item because Camper Van Beethoven has been one of my favorite bands for about 17 years, and since I've been digging on them for that long, you just might, too. The First Annual Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven Camp Out took place this past September 9 and 10. Sad you missed it? I thought you'd be. Pictures, video, and blogs from the event are being added to the Camp Out site, so check out the event you wish you hadn't missed (and will attend next year)... A Couple of Easy Internet Radio ApplicationsCorey Deitz reviews Easy Radio, a software application that provides Internet radio listening and recording - and is free! Download Easy Radio here. Mac users looking for the same type of application: take a look at Audio Hijack, another simple-to-use (and free) Internet radio listening/recording application. Airgo Quadruples Wifi LimitsA company called Airgo has quadrupled the wifi limits. Get prepared for video being delivered at your local Starbucks... Google Introduces Blog Search EngineGoogle has finally entered the blog search business, releasing a beta version of Google Blog Search. Run a search for 'downtempo' and check out the results at the very top of the Related Blogs list! Apple Files 'iPodcast' TrademarkApple filed an "iPodcast" trademark, and the podcasting community is in an uproar. Join the fray, if you dare. Control iTunes Remotely From a BrowserThis awesome little script, acgi dispatcher, allows you to use AppleScript as a CGI through the Apache web server. In other words, once installed, it allows you to perform a task - say, operating iTunes on that Mac you've turned into a web server - remotely from any web browser. So for example, when you're resting in one room with a laptop in hand, you can fire up a webpage that displays the iTunes playlists and controls for a Mac sitting in another room, then click 'Play' and begin blasting those MP3s. Even better: if that iTunes-servin' Mac is equipped with an FM transmitter, you can now control your transmission as you're roaming the house (or however far your transmitter transmits). Watch Bill Gate's Keynote at the PDC 2005Keeping in line with yesterday's mention of tech vidcasts, here's more geek-out video: Bill Gates' keynote at Microsoft's Professional Developer's Conference 2005. C-SPAN Introduces a PodcastPolitics junkies, rejoice! C-SPAN now has a podcast. So you can tear yourself away from the most, uh, exciting channel in the world once in awhile... [Spun by Rogers Cadenhead.] Tech Vidcasts Growing in NumbersYou've heard all the tech podcasts out there, but have you seen the tech vidcasts? The number seemingly growing daily, tech video shows now include (among others) Microsoft's Channel 9, the hi-definition MacTV, and Patrick Norton's Digital Life TV. Transmitting to Earth Now Hosted at VoyagerRadio.comThis blog has now been integrated into the VoyagerRadio website, at VoyagerRadio.com/blog.html. IT Conversations: Still the Tops of the PodsBruce Sharpe writes about the experience of working with Doug Kaye on IT Conversations, the original tech podcasting network. I've been listening to IT Conversations for a couple of years now, and though I've tried to give more of my listening time to other tech podcasts, I keep going back to ITConversations.com for its reliably great-sounding and informative content. IT Conversations is currently branching out beyond tech conversations, as well. Listen to Dr. Moira Gunn's conversation with Doug Kaye for more on that subject. Hurricane Katrina Fucks With HubbleSo now it appears Hurricane Katrina has even wreaked havoc with the Hubble Space Telescope's future, damaging shuttle-assembly facilities in New Orleans and Mississippi. What next? Will the Earth stop spinning? Gridiron Podcasts For Your PodcatcherLooking for NFL podcasts? Drop these feeds in to your podcatcher:
Open Pandora's Box To Discover Music You May Just LikePandora is a software technology created by the Music Genome Project, "the most sophisticated taxonomy of musical information ever collected". Simply enter your favorite recording artist or song and the service will play your artists and/or any other artists it thinks you will like. I plugged in the term 'cure' and Pandora played the song "Killing An Arab" by the Cure, then followed it up with a song by Television, then one by U2, then another song by the Cure. Currently the first 10 hours of use is free. VoyagerRadio Podcast Page: Back to the Drawing BoardSomehow I managed to screw up my Podcast page at VoyagerRadio.com, and I'm having difficulty locating the backup. So it may be back to the drawing board... Oh, well. The page probably needed a revision anyway. Still, I don't know where I'm going to find the time to recompose the page. Let it be a lesson to you: Always backup, and make it an easy backup method if you can afford it. ROKR Mobile Phone Doomed By Its Own Creators?Jake Ludington has a theory that the three companies behind the new ROKR mobile are themselves going to hinder the device's success, and I believe he's onto something there... Gulf Coast Has Stellar View of the Southern CrownWhile the nation ponders the head of FEMA's resume in light of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the good people of the Gulf Coast have an opportunity to catch a stellar delight many of us living elsewhere won't be able to view, Corona Australis, also known as the Southern Crown. Using Gmail? Customize Your 'From:' Address To Create the Illusion You're Sending from Another Email AccountIf you're using Gmail, you're not stuck using your Gmail address as the 'reply-to' address. While composing a Gmail, you can easily customize it with another address. In fact, you can add several addresses to the 'From' field. SLABTO!Presenting: A Brief Chat with a Little-Known ManRobert Scoble Visits Bill Gates, Videotaping the Event for your viewing pleasure. Umm, pleasure? You might find it interesting, anyhow, if you're the geeky type, like me. Live Audio Streaming From New OrleansLive audio streams from New Orleans, including FEMA scanners, radio stations in Louisianna, and some scanners in Texas, are linked to at the New Orleans, LA Post-Katrina Intelligence Dissemination (nola-intel) wiki. Apple Answers, With Its Own Social HardwareRobert Scoble wonders when Apple and Microsoft are going to get on the social software bandwagon. I know he's talking about Flickr and Flickr-like services, but as far as Apple goes, what's more social than music? Apple's even got music on a mobile phone now. Perhaps podcasts, even... Apple, Motorola First to Provide Podcatcher Cell Phone?Apple today introduced some highly-anticipated products, including their own version of a mobile phone, a new line of iPods, and version 5 of the iTunes software. The mobile phone is called ROKR, it's manufactured by Motorola and works with the Cingular Wireless network. What's special about this phone? It plays iTunes audio. The new iPod Nano is pencil-thin and has a 1.5-inch color LCD screen. Similiar to the iPod Shuffle, the Nano is built around a flash drive rather than a hard drive, and comes in 2GB and 4GB models. Unless I'm mistaken, the iPod Nano replaces the iPod Mini line. Apple will continue selling 20GB and 60GB iPods, 20GB iPod U2s, and 512MB and 1GB iPod Shuffles. iTunes 5 adds compatibility with the ROKR, parental controls, a new Search (apparently faster) Search bar, a feature called Smart Shuffle, and a new streamlined look. Steven C. Watts refers to all of this Apple action as "an explosion of Apple awesome", and I can only agree with that sentiment, especially with the arrival of an iTunes-enabled mobile phone. Steven also presumes that the ROKR can not only download music and audiobooks, but podcasts as well. I hope his presumption is correct; if so, my dream for a truly portable wireless Internet radio device may have finally been realized. PayPal for PodcastersPayPal is introducing micropayments processing, which is good news for anyone buying or selling anything online for only a few dollars. For example, recordings artists, who may find success in selling their songs online for significantly less than the price of a full CD. Podcasters may also find their monetizing niche with micropayments. Anyone want to send me a buck or two for more frequent sessions of my Tempo of the Down podcast? Linux Made EasierXandros was one of the first Linux distributions I installed, as I had read about its simple installation and Windows-like interface. For the year that I had a PC, Xandros was my primary desktop OS, but now that I'm back to a Mac I'm using Ubuntu Linux. Still, I would recommend Xandros for anyone, geeky or not, interested in trying Linux; there's even a book published by No Starch Press, Linux Made Easy, based on the latest Xandros release. Trying out a new operating system doesn't get much easier than this, folks. AMP Makes It Easier To Locate ResourcesThe Association of Music Podcasting (AMP) now has a wiki to make it potentially easier for visitors and members to locate the resources they need. For example, music podcast listeners can find links to RSS feeds, podcasts, and information about recording artists heard on AMP podcasts, while musicians can find links to the AMP Music Library and to information about copyright issues (in regards to podcasting). Podcasters will find links to audio promos they can play in their shows, things they can do upon joining AMP, and other resources. A Tech Conference Off-Broadway?A geeky lingo spectacle! Gorgeous flabby IT-bodied dancers! Oh, the silliness, the ludicrous lyrics and Amazingly Great fun! Bad hair and badder wardrobes! Oh, the musicals in the Age of Information Technology! An off-Broadway musical featuring Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Nerds://A Musical Software Satire. Perhaps the ratio of men-to-women will actually be balanced at this particular IT get-together... Tempo of the Down: Session 04.5 (Katrina)Tempo of the Down: Session 04.5, the special Hurricane Katrina relief podcast, is now available! Download it directly here, or add the following feed to your podcatcher program: http://www.voyagerradio.com/podcast.xml If you don't have or know what a podcatcher is, don't worry - you probably already have one installed. Do you have the latest version of iTunes? The latest version includes podcast downloading. So once you have iTunes installed, open it up and click the Music Store link on the left side of the screen, then click the Podcasts link you'll see displayed there. From there you can run a search for "Tempo of the Down" or simply browse through the Music categories until you find it. Once you find it, all you have to do is click the Download (or Subscribe) button! It'll take a few seconds to begin downloading, and soon you'll be listening to Tempo of the Down! Special Hurricane Relief Session of Tempo of the Down: 04.5I'm currently compressing and encoding a special extra edition of my downtempo podcast Tempo of the Down, part of my own addition to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. In this edition, Session 04.5, I've creatively worked the 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669) relief number into the mix. As always, before I make the podcast available on the website it will be available for automagic download to your podcatcher or iTunes music player, since that's the fastest way for me to get it out there. So make sure to add the following feed to your podcatcher! http://www.voyagerradio.com/podcast.xml Or search for "Tempo of the Down" in the Podcasts area of iTunes, where you can download the podcast just as if you were download iTunes music. Walk on the Moon...in 3D!The IMAX will soon be presenting a 3D "walk on the moon" presentation... Besides this blog, a narrative blog called something that happened, and various other projects, I also moderate a discussion forum: Please consider subscribing to engage in a dialogue about all things having to do with Internet radio! |
Send Us Your Music
Artists! Want to be heard on this station? Email your MP3 audio, one file at a time, to our Program Director or mail your CD promo(s) to the following address:
Harold J. JohnsonVoyagerRadio
547 Gayley Avenue #1
Los Angeles, CA 90024 Make certain to let use know whether we may use the audio in our podcast, too!
Download the Podcast
We are officially podcasters now that we have revitalized and reintroduced our downtempo show Tempo of the Down, this time around as a podcast. Now showcasing independent downtempo we've been granted permission to offer for download, Tempo of the Down is our entry into the future of Internet radio.
Head over to our new Podcast area to download the latest session!
