Radio on a phone.

[bgmnts]

Does anyone know of an application that will allow a Samsung user to listen to FM radio? I can't seem to find anything and I just want to be able to listen to something without having to fucking stream it.

I used to be able to listen to FM on an old shitty MP4 player like 10-15 years so I dont see why we cant do that now.

[Twed]

Here's the fucker: European releases of Samsung phones have the FM functionality removed. In other markets you can install an app (NextRadio) and use the headphones as an antenna to get FM radio.

Still, try the app anyway. It might be that you have one of the few European Samsungs that have the FM chip. Or maybe you're not in Europe at all.

[bgmnts]

NextRadio isn't available on my phone apparently.

That's an absolute fucker, fair play. Cheers Twed.

[a duncandisorderly]

does it have to be FM? can you get the same channel(s) using an internet radio app like tune-in?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tunein.player&hl=en_GB

what's the objection to streaming? is it crap or expensive or both where you are?

[bgmnts]

I just dont want that to be my only option really. Sometimes I just want to turn my wifi off.

[NJ Uncut]

I just dont want that to be my only option really. Sometimes I just want to turn my wifi off.

Why? Wifi on your phone uses less battery than mobile data. If you turn both off, fine though

TuneIn Radio is pretty good, lets you set buffering n all that. And download shows though if you want live radio you're a bit stuck with a phone these days if you don't like online

[bgmnts]

Why? Wifi on your phone uses less battery than mobile data. If you turn both off, fine though

That's what I mean, is it that hard to believe I want a break from the constant internet?

But yeah, no radio, that's shiiiiiit.

[NJ Uncut]

That's what I mean, is it that hard to believe I want a break from the constant internet?

But yeah, no radio, that's shiiiiiit.

It is a little bit hard to believe that there's an FM station out there that is better than, say, a Google Play Music account stuffed with uploaded songs and podcasts for nowt

Suppose you're a bit hung up on the method, but the content must be fucking great! But if it's so great, you'd get immersed in it via Tune In and WiFi anyway?

[bgmnts]

I have spotify but my premium ran out, I just want some radio and to turn my internet off for a while. Maybe it is weird.

[Twed]

Nope, I understand.

There are some pretty decent, tiny FM radios for a small price. e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Receiver-Rechargeable-Headphones-Earphones-Black/dp/B07FY6KCRW/

[bgmnts]

Holy moly cheers! Will def be getting that.

[a duncandisorderly]

I have spotify but my premium ran out, I just want some radio and to turn my internet off for a while. Maybe it is weird.

the tune-in app may use the phone's wifi or mobile data connection, but it fires up in its own UI, so you're not necessarily aware of it 'being the internet'.

annoyingly, the app won't let you make recordings while in the UK, but it has a timer facility that you can use to record shows unattended when not in the UK. I use it on an old iphone with no sim, hooked into the hifi. I also run it on an ipad when I'm in madrid, & capture hours of my favourite internet stations for offline listening. I understand very well the appeal of listening to 'live' radio instead of (say) a spotify or youtube channel, but the tune-in app lets you do this with thousands of stations all over the world, instead of the five or six you can pull in with all the hiss &c using a tuner & an old coat-hanger.

maybe this piece of genius can make the internet/browser approach more palatable- I fucking love this thing, & often run it alongside the also brilliant geoguessr game.

https://radio.garden/

https://geoguessr.com/

there. there's a few hours some of you will never get back. sorry!

[Twed]

the tune-in app may use the phone's wifi or mobile data connection, but it fires up in its own UI, so you're not necessarily aware of it 'being the internet'.

Don't worry bgmnts, I get it.

[momatt]

Whenever I've had phones in the past with FM radios, they seemed like a great idea.  But in reality, they were shiiiiit.  Every time you move they lose reception.

Streaming is way better (for everything except conserving data).  I've got the BBC Sounds app, works really well and you can listen to any show any time you like.

[Sin Agog]

Get some friends to record all the previous day's radio, then plop it onto your music-player and listen to it as if it's live.

[touchingcloth]

Here's the fucker: European releases of Samsung phones have the FM functionality removed. In other markets you can install an app (NextRadio) and use the headphones as an antenna to get FM radio.

Still, try the app anyway. It might be that you have one of the few European Samsungs that have the FM chip. Or maybe you're not in Europe at all.

It's astonishing to me that there's any market where it makes sense to build an FM chip into a smartphone.

[Ambient Sheep]

I dunno, I quite liked having an FM radio on my old feature-phone (especially as, unlike previous such gadgets, the reception was much more consistent) and it's something I do kinda miss on the smartphones even if I'd rarely use it.  Handy if sitting somewhere in the middle of nowhere with no wi-fi and not wanting (or able) to use mobile data.

[momatt]

I suppose a built in DAB would be nice.  Dunno if that would be expensive or not.
Apparently the quality of DAB is absolutely awful, but it would still be kinda cool.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Tunde Adebimpe and David Sitek consider band rename.

[Twed]

It's astonishing to me that there's any market where it makes sense to build an FM chip into a smartphone.

The Bluetooth/WiFi chips usually support FM too. A common one (around 2009 at least) seemed to be the BCM4329 which was in the iPhone and iPad.

(this is from me researching it all just now, not from knowledge, so I'm sure somebody in the field could give more current examples)

So FM radio is just a bonus feature, vendors just need to write the software to interface with the chip.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I suppose a built in DAB would be nice.  Dunno if that would be expensive or not.
Apparently the quality of DAB is absolutely awful, but it would still be kinda cool.

The quality is poor, the modules expensive, the coverage not much better than mobile and WiFi radios use less power these days - it's probably better on battery life to use cellular too and handle it in software.

[Twed]

DAB is the most dead in the water technology that's actually in use that I can think of.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The Bluetooth/WiFi chips usually support FM too. A common one (around 2009 at least) seemed to be the BCM4329 which was in the iPhone and iPad.

(this is from me researching it all just now, not from knowledge, so I'm sure somebody in the field could give more current examples)

So FM radio is just a bonus feature, vendors just need to write the software to interface with the chip.

I've been doing some work on this; a vendor has given us their ropey source, I've had to put hacks in for our electronics guys to disable WiFi as they're working with a Bluetooth device that samples at 200-1000hz and they were getting dropouts. Apparently the vendor want to move away from on board Bluetooth modules because of it.

Speaking of Bluetooth that's another reason fm is killed - the headphone wire is usually the aerial.

[Twed]

Yeah, the main issue is that broadcast FM radio is in a band that requires a length of metal to receive well.

[NJ Uncut]

Boy, I'm just made up my Xiaomi Mi 9 has an infrared blaster (usually for pub TV hijinx like "cricket is on?? Nah." OFF IT GOES "World Cup Final on? Naah" OFF IT GOES)

The mobile phone industry doesn't like old standards, not one bit

No FM Radio for John Quays

[wooders1978]

DAB is in most cars and used pretty frequently I would imagine?

Anyway, the idea that you want to listen to the radio but won't stream it because you want a break from the internet, however you still want to listen to the same radio broadcast but on FM because fuck off internet has my mind a bit boggled tbh - what difference does it make?? Apart from much better sound quality online?

[Sebastian Cobb]

If you really want to go off grid for a bit you can do so for £7.99 it would seem.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Operated-COVVY-60-108MHz-Handheld-Receiver/dp/B07QNK9NMG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=pocket+fm+radio&qid=1571864519&sr=8-3

[Pinball]

[touchingcloth]

I've been doing some work on this; a vendor has given us their ropey source, I've had to put hacks in for our electronics guys to disable WiFi as they're working with a Bluetooth device that samples at 200-1000hz and they were getting dropouts. Apparently the vendor want to move away from on board Bluetooth modules because of it.

Speaking of Bluetooth that's another reason fm is killed - the headphone wire is usually the aerial.

Is that a big reason? I've had Bluetooth earbuds in the past but I always revert to corded because there's no battery to worry about, and the size and weight is about equal just distributed differently. Coiled corded buds are as portable as cased Bluetooth ones to my mind, and I'd say I see more wired than wireless sets on random bus and pavement wankers.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I like Bluetooth because the cord doesn't snag on my clothes.