Design and Implementation of an Online Radio Streamer Application
Chapter One
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary aim of this project work is to design and develop an Online Radio Streamer Application that would upon successful completion be able to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide ease of access to online listening to radio broadcast.
- Easy documentation of the URLs of different radio stations.
- To create a well organised and better environment for both the radio stations to reach their users and also for the users to reach the radio stations.
- To limit the old, manual system and invent a faster, more accurate and safer means of listening to radio stations.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Traditionally, audio programmes have been available via dedicated terrestrial networks broadcasting to radio receivers. Typically, they have operated on AM and FM terrestrial platforms but, with the move to digital broadcasting, audio programmes are also available today via DAB, DRM and IBOC.
Franc. K and Michael M. (2005), Radio programmes are increasingly available not only from terrestrial networks but also from a large variety of satellite, cable and, indeed, telecommunications networks (e.g. fixed telephone lines, wireless broadband connections and mobile phones). Very often, radio is added to digital television platforms (e.g. DVB-S and DVB-T). Radio receivers are no longer only dedicated hi-fi tuners or portable radios with whip aerials, but are now assuming the shape of various multimedia-enabled computer devices (e.g. desktops, notebooks, PDAs, “Internet” radios, etc.).
These sea changes in radio technologies impact dramatically on the radio medium itself – the way it is produced, delivered, consumed and paid-for. Radio has become more than just audio – it can now contain associated metadata, synchronized slideshows and even short video clips. Radio is no longer just a “linear” flow emanating from an emission mast – audio files are now available on demand or stored locally for time-shifted play out. It is convenience for the user, rather than the broadcaster-imposed schedule, which matters now.
Radio streaming is a relatively recent phenomenon. Nevertheless, during the past ten years, the Internet has become a very important distribution mechanism for audio and video streams and files. Audience statistics show that radio streaming is increasingly popular, especially among young people and users in offices.
For conventional broadcasters, radio streaming could usefully complement existing on-air broadcasts. Radio streaming works best as a narrow-cast medium targeting a small number of concurrent users. Should this number increase to more than a thousand (or several thousand), the Internet streaming servers are generally not capable of providing the streams economically. In other words, Radio streaming is only really useful if it is kept relatively small.
Franc et al, Radio streaming is best suited to niche content, such as education, specialist music, and programmes aimed at ethnic minorities, which may be of interest to a relatively small number of people. Often it is considered too extravagant to use scarce spectrum for such programmes.
Radio streaming can offer a solution for communities scattered across the world. For example, there may not be enough fans of gypsy music in a given part of the world to justify a local broadcast station, but if we add listeners around the world who are interested in this kind of entertainment, the potential audience will look a lot healthier.
While it is easy to introduce a new web radio for niche radio programmes, it is more difficult, if not impossible, to find spectrum for new FM stations, particularly in some large agglomerations where spectrum is already very congested.
The scalability of radio streaming is a major issue. When audiences are relatively small, the required bandwidth – and thus the cost – is reasonable. However, when audiences increase, the operational costs may escalate. In a way, a station may become a victim of its own success.
Streaming websites are places for listeners to interact not only with the station, but also with each other. These interactions are usually achieved through text messages, e-mail forums or chat rooms as well as, in a growing number of cases, audio and video messages. Indeed, listeners may become active contributors to the website audio-visual content. As an example of interactivity and audience active participation,
More so, streaming websites have a unique possibility to offer both live and on-demand audio programmes. Many radio stations have created on-demand online archives enabling their listeners to hear programme items that were originally broadcast on-air, for example, up to seven days before. This on-demand service allows users to time shift broadcasts and frees them from the constraint of adhering to station schedules. On-demand services transfer control to the listeners: they can create their own schedule of programmes.
Web radio has the advantage of allowing broadcasters to measure audience directly. Broadcasters using a Windows Media Server, or other streaming media, will have detailed reports of the streams played, while those using web servers can estimate audience sizes by viewing the traffic statistics found in the web-server log file, an automatically-generated list of all the files served.
Radio streaming adds a global audience which may be important for ethnic minorities scattered around the world. While terrestrial radio is generally limited to a certain geographical territory, its audience is effectively global and is redefined according to shared interest. It introduces a concept of a multitude of niche audiences spread globally and not necessarily limited to one geographical region or country.
THE CONCEPT OF RADIO STREAMING
Radio Streaming (also web radio, net radio, internet radio, e-radio, IP radio, online radio) was created in 1993 and is defined an audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted broadly through wireless means. It can either be used as a standalone device running through the internet, or as a software running through a single computer system. It is a technology that continuously transmits streaming audio over the internet to your computer. This technique of broadcasting audio using data transmission is much like listening to terrestrial radio.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Research methodology has many research dimensions and methods. The scope of research methodology is wider than research method. This is mainly adopted by the researcher in undertaking this research. Methodology is the underlying principles and rules that govern a system method, on the other hand it is a systematic procedure for a set of activities. Thus, from these definitions a methodology encompasses the methods used within a study.
A waterfall model under the software development life cycle (SDLC) is the methodology used to produce the online radio streaming software. It is used by system developers to produce or alter information systems or software.
It divides the development process into several stages or processes. After the completion of one stage, it will logically move to another stage. Sometimes moving back to the previous stage is necessary due to failure that occurs in current stage.
ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM
The existing system is a terrestrial FM/AM radio and it works by connecting to an antenna which then converts some of the energy from incoming radio wave into a tiny radio frequency which in turn, produces a sound through the loudspeaker that has been designed along with it.
The existing system has the following problems:-
- It is limited to its transmitter,
- Meaning that a radio listener that lives in Lagos might not be able to listen to radio stations at Abuja or even outside Nigeria.
- Because of the reason above, radio stations transmitting at far distance are not always readily available to listen to.
- Also, relating to the limitation in transmitting, it doesn’t contain enough choice and varieties of stations one can listen to.
- It doesn’t always provide quality sound.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM TESTING AND IMPLEMENTATION
INTRODUCTION
A system is an organized collection of inter related subsystems with a collective responsibility of meeting a goal. Dependent subsystems are regularly interacting while independent group of components forming a unified whole work like standalone in achieving a specified task.
A system also defined as an organized or complex unitary whole. System testing is therefore the study of the system’s processing including investigation of inputs and outputs in order to find better, more economical and efficient means of processing data.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY
The product of the study, RADIO STREAMING, has successfully brought ease and efficiency to existing system, which is characterized by manual, time consuming and rigorous processes. It is very user-friendly. The researcher also incorporated graphic user interfaces (GUI) to enable the users appreciate the software package.
However, full usage of this system by any radio listener will reduce the operational hardship encountered during the use of the web version mode of operation. The system will;
- An efficient storage management which will contain and manage all radio station URLS
- Reduction of workload of the users in getting access to streaming URL.
- Minimal usage of time locating stations in the application.
The Radio Streaming System is easy to use by users who wants to listen to stream radio. It incorporates storage, streaming and recording, all in one package. Radio Streaming has never been easier.
RECOMMENDATION
Having clearly tested and observed that the package provides a great improvement on the terrestrial radio system. I therefore, confidently recommend it to any user or organizations or establishments that need effective and efficient radio streaming system. The new system is easy to use and does not require training before one gets used to it.
CONCLUSION
The almost impossible approach to accessing internet radio through the use of terrestrial radio poses a lot of problem to user. With Computerized based spec analysis system, radio streaming data/information are well collected, processed and stored for future purpose.
REFERENCES
- Barb, G. (2017). The Difference between Streaming and Downloading Media [Web log post]. Retrieved from www.lifewire.com/difference-between-streaming-and-downloading-1847372 on July 8, 2018
- Dave, G. (2017, June 2). What are the advantages of internet radio? [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://intotomorrow.com/what-are-the-advantages-of-internet-radio/ on July 2, 2018
- Franc K. & Michael M. (2005). An Introduction to Internet Radio. EBU Technical Review Radio Receiver. Retrieved from Wikipedia website, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Receiver on January 2, 2018
- H, A. (2013, February 12). Online Radio and Advantages. [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.streamwithq.com/online-radio-and-the-advantages on May 5, 2018
- Key Differences between Terrestrial and Internet Radio. Retrieved from Talk Tainment website, www.talktainmentradio.com/wordpress/key-differences-between-terrestrial-and-internet-radio on February 6, 2018,
