Free music: Listen to the radio on your computer
Any computer with an Internet connection can easily be turned into a global radio receiver. All it takes is some software and some tips on where to look so you can listen to live radio or streaming radio. Let's spin the dial.
What is Internet radio?
Girls listening to online radio
First, some background. All over the world, radio stations and many individuals have created Internet radio stations (or web radio. National Public Radio and CBC (click the Listen tab at either site to select your programming of choice) are real-time or archived broadcasts of public radio programs you can listen to at your leisure. Others, like ChoiceRadio and SHOUTcast, are "radio" stations developed specifically for the Internet.
What you'll need
To turn your computer into a radio and listen online, you need to download a player like Windows Media Player (Windows Media Player is already installed in both the Windows 7 and Windows Vista operating systems). Internet radio also commonly broadcasts in RealPlayer and QuickTime formats, which are also easily downloadable programs.
It is pretty easy to start exploring different radio stations immediately with Windows Media Player. You'll find a list of dozens of radio "stations" that have custom-built playlists of songs by genre, like Latin, Christian Hits, Jazz, Americana and Roots, or Rap & Hip Hop.
What you'll pay
Another great thing about Internet radio is that it's generally free music. The stations you access via Windows Media Player, as described in the next couple of paragraphs, offer free online radio, and you can listen to it as often as you want. Some of the other options mentioned in this article, such as Pandora, offer their service free of charge but do require you to sign up and to provide an email address. Some of these companies also offer premium services, such as higher bit rates (better quality music), exclusive content, and commercial-free listening, on a fee-based model. Make sure you know what you're signing up for.
How to listen to the radio on your computer
Listen with Windows Media Player 12 (Windows 7)
Listen with Windows Media Player 11 (Windows Vista and Windows XP)
Select a station from your browser
The web is also a great place to search for music. Drop by Live365.com and pick from dozens of genres and wild indie radio stations featuring exotica, drum and bass, trip hop, and jazz. Another great option is Pandora.com. Tell the site your favorite musician, composer or song, register for free, and Pandora designs a radio station (much like a playlist) just for you. And you can access anytime.
Or listen to your own favorite radio station anywhere in the house on your computer. Most major music stations now have websites where you can access their music and broadcasts in real time, no matter where you are located. To find your local radio station, go to Bing.com and type in your station’s call sign (for example: 94.9). After you’ve opened the station’s website, look for a link that says Listen Live or Streaming, and follow the instructions provided by the site to get the music started.
How to enhance the experience
Of course, after you start listening to the radio online, you may want other peripherals to enhance the experience. To get the most out of the stations you select, consider hooking up a good set of speakers or headphones to your computer. You can plug them into your headphone jack (or in some cases a USB port). Speakers that used to cost a fortune can now be had for under $100.
Source:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/musi...er&WT.rss_ev=a
Free music: Listen to the radio on your computer
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