Best Radio 3 stream for Volumio/Pi

raysablade · Dec 30, 2020

A small project for this coming year is to have a constant Radio 3 stream available on input 3 of my amp.

I have Raspberry Pi with a DAC hat set up for this purpose and just need to decide on a stream to load into Volumio.

All of the ones I have tried are reported as 128kbs by Volumio. Is that just a quirk of the software or a limit? If it is a limit, are there any other easy to set up Pi packages that would do a better job?

I simply want to set the pi to play constantly and select Radio three in an entirely mechanical turn of a knob way. I know this sounds a little daft but it pleases me.

As an aside I’m planning to use a high capacity battery power pack as a uninterrupted power supply trickle charging it from the mains. Is there any risk in that, I’m only doing it because I know uninvited power downs upset Volumio.

PS: I know I can use an FM tuner for the same job but I’d need to install an aerial and buy a tuner

Del monaco · Dec 30, 2020

It’s usually 320 using the BBC sounds or IPlayer plugins on Picoreplayer. I think it does vary though. I’ve certainly seen streams at this level during the day.

Del monaco · Dec 30, 2020

Just checked.It’s playing 320 kbs 48Hz now.

gustavm · Dec 30, 2020

This is the url for the live stream:

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...lcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

raysablade · Dec 30, 2020

Del monaco said:
It’s usually 320 using the BBC sounds or IPlayer plugins on Picoreplayer. I think it does vary though. I’ve certainly seen streams at this level during the day.

Thanks, however my efforts with LMS over the years have convinced me that life is too short.

The knotweed like grip it retained on my Mac long after I’d given up the ghost convinced me never to try again.

gustavm said:
This is the url for the live stream:

http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...lcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

This look promising, I’ll try it on new Volumio build; the last shutdown seems to have broken the existing one.

I’m minded to stick with Volumio because it supports the IQAudio Pro dac hat I am using. Nothing else seems to.

geoturbo · Dec 30, 2020

What about Radio Paradise (music only with no commercials), check for Radio Paradise Volumio's plugin, from plugin it is streaming - I reckon - in cd quality.

marshanp · Dec 30, 2020

As of December 2018 this the only Shoutcast AAC stream that the BBC are still running; others are now HLS or MPEG-DASH. It's what I have put into my Auralic Aries Mini for Radio 3. I can't imagine anything short of flac being better than 320kbps AAC.

http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediasel...-aac-lc-a/format/pls/vpid/bbc_radio_three.pls

Del monaco · Dec 30, 2020

geoturbo said:
What about Radio Paradise (music only with no commercials), check for Radio Paradise Volumio's plugin, from plugin it is streaming - I reckon - in cd quality.

LMS with Picoreplayer is better than ever. I have access to FLAC streams of Paradise etc. Don’t understand the problems with your Mac.When I stopped using it I just removed the software and associated files. No problems. I also found Picoreplayer the best of all softwares by along way.

raysablade · Dec 30, 2020

geoturbo said:
What about Radio Paradise (music only with no commercials), check for Radio Paradise Volumio's plugin, from plugin it is streaming - I reckon - in cd quality.

I've tried Radio Paradise and it is amazing; the quality is peerless, everything sounds like its been specifically made for my setup whatever my setup happens to be at the time. The only problem is that everything I've ever heard on that station is at best dull and more generally sickly to the point of being revolting. Each to their own.

Radio 3 on the other hand is at worst dull and occasionally quite exhilarating.

marshanp said:
As of December 2018 this the only Shoutcast AAC stream that the BBC are still running; others are now HLS or MPEG-DASH. It's what I have put into my Auralic Aries Mini. I can't imagine anything short of flac being better than 320kbps AAC.

http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediasel...-aac-lc-a/format/pls/vpid/bbc_radio_three.pls

Thanks i'll compare with the other stream on Volumio and the stream from my Aires. The main purpose of my project is to support a plan for 7 screen free days a month, every month, next year. And i like the idea of; setting up a radio stream via the the Volumio interface, navigating away from that screen and not returning for a year.

Dave H. · Dec 30, 2020

marshanp said:
As of December 2018 this the only Shoutcast AAC stream that the BBC are still running; others are now HLS or MPEG-DASH. It's what I have put into my Auralic Aries Mini for Radio 3. I can't imagine anything short of flac being better than 320kbps AAC.

http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediasel...-aac-lc-a/format/pls/vpid/bbc_radio_three.pls

Thanks for posting this, I can confirm that it does work with Volumio, which reports the higher bitrate.

I’ve posted on the Volumio forum asking for an update about the HLS streams. A username I recognise from pfm also posted in the same thread a few days ago.

Fingers crossed a fuller solution comes along, but in the meantime marshanp’s URL seems good for R3.

gustavm · Dec 31, 2020

Dave***t said:
Thanks for posting this, I can confirm that it does work with Volumio, which reports the higher bitrate.

I’ve posted on the Volumio forum asking for an update about the HLS streams. A username I recognise from pfm also posted in the same thread a few days ago.

Fingers crossed a fuller solution comes along, but in the meantime marshanp’s URL seems good for R3.

This one doesn't work for me on LMS/PiCorePlayer, but the one I posted above does work (and displays as 339kbps CBR, via HLS)

Del monaco · Dec 31, 2020

gustavm said:
This one doesn't work for me on LMS/PiCorePlayer, but the one I posted above does work (and displays as 339kbps CBR, via HLS)

Can you not get it through the BBC sounds plug in?

mercalia · Dec 31, 2020

raysablade · Dec 31, 2020

mercalia said:
some urls
BBC Radio 1
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8

BBC Radio 1Xtra
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_1xtra.m3u8

BBC Radio 2
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_two.m3u8

BBC Radio 3
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...lcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8

BBC Radio 4
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...cast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourfm.m3u8

BBC Radio 4LW
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...cast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourlw.m3u8

BBC Radio 4 Extra
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv.../hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_four_extra.m3u8

BBC Radio 5 Live
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...t/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_five_live.m3u8

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...high/ak/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra.m3u8

BBC Radio 6 Music
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_6music.m3u8

BBC Asian Network
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...ast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_asian_network.m3u8

LBC National
http://media-ice.musicradio.com/LBCUK.m3u

LBC (London stream)
http://media-ice.musicradio.com/LBCLondon.m3u

LBC London News 1152
http://media-ice.musicradio.com/LBC1152.m3u

There are more local radio stations here
http://media-ice.musicradio.com/

or to make a simple web page you can run from a browser

<html>

<head>
<title> Radio Streaming urls </title>
</head>

<body text="black" link="blue">

BBC & LBC Radio Station Quick Access Streaming Urls
 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8" > BBC Radio 1 </a>
 

<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_1xtra.m3u8" > BBC Radio 1Xtra </a>
 

<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_two.m3u8"> BBC Radio 2 </a>
 

<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...lcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8"> BBC Radio 3 </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...cast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourfm.m3u8"> BBC Radio 4 </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...cast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_fourlw.m3u8"> BBC Radio 4LW </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv.../hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_four_extra.m3u8"> BBC Radio 4 Extra </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...t/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_five_live.m3u8"> BBC Radio 5 Live </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...high/ak/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra.m3u8"> BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_6music.m3u8"> BBC Radio 6 Music </a>

 
<a href="http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...ast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_asian_network.m3u8"> BBC Asian Network </a>

 
<a href="http://media-ice.musicradio.com/LBCUK.m3u"> LBC National </a>

 
<a href="http://media-ice.musicradio.com/LBCLondon.m3u"> LBC (London stream) </a>

 
<a href="http://media-ice.musicradio.com/LBC1152.m3u"> LBC London News 1152 </a>

 

<a href="http://media-ice.musicradio.com/"> There are more local radio stations here </a>
</body>
</html>

if you are into downloading BBC content there is a nice browser based app

https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer/wiki

.
Thanks for these, I can add them to my Auralic.

The pi is set up now, playing a constant Radio 3 stream, hopefully until next New Year’s Eve when I might update the software. So long as I leave the amp on input 3 when I switch it off, I can get music from the press of one button.

It doesn’t come any simpler.

gustavm · Jan 1, 2021

Del monaco said:
Can you not get it through the BBC sounds plug in?

Looks like there are multiple streams available.

1)The one for which I gave the url above:
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/liv...lcast/hls/uk/sbr_high/ak/bbc_radio_three.m3u8
Which shows as CBR 339 (HLS mask)

2)The one available via the "BBC Sounds" App:
Info from LMS: URL: sounds://_LIVE_bbc_radio_three, 320 CBR, and also provides LMS browser with programme details

3)The one given by marshanp, which doesn't work for me using LMS/PiCoreplayer.
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediasel...-aac-lc-a/format/pls/vpid/bbc_radio_three.pls

Not an issue for me, but just commenting.

Del monaco · Jan 1, 2021

I swapped from IPlayer to BBC Sounds(nice plug in). No problem with stream.

Man in a van · Jan 1, 2021

gustavm said:
Looks like there are multiple streams available.

3)The one given by marshanp, which doesn't work for me using LMS/PiCoreplayer.
http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediasel...-aac-lc-a/format/pls/vpid/bbc_radio_three.pls

Not an issue for me, but just commenting.

#3 url plays for me on LMS-pCP

paulfromcamden · Jan 1, 2021

@mercalia thanks for the get_iplayer link - that looks super useful!

Naimlover · Jan 1, 2021

raysablade said:
I’m minded to stick with Volumio because it supports the IQAudio Pro dac hat I am using. Nothing else seems to.

Moode Audio (moodeaudio.org) supports your IQAudio dac hat and has 320 kbs streams in its radio tab as standard. Latest version 7 just out for you to try

Del monaco · Jan 1, 2021

Naimlover said:
Moode Audio (moodeaudio.org) supports your IQAudio dac hat and has 320 kbs streams in its radio tab as standard. Latest version 7 just out for you to try

Picoreplayer also.

Best Radio 3 stream for Volumio/Pi

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