Streaming audio times out in iTunes

[Boyd 9]

Hey there.....

Have a minor problem. I am trying to record a radio show using iTunes and Audio Hijack Pro.

The show is on in the middle of the night (2-4am), but after about an hour and a half or so, the audio stream in iTunes seems to go dead, and for the last half hour, I get silence.

I think it's a problem with the feed, not with Audio Hijack.

Is there:

a) any way to get iTunes to STOP doing this (i.e., losing the feed, or not letting it time out, or whatever it is that's happening) and/or

b) any other Radio/internet recording software that I could use instead?

I noticed that the makers of Audio Hijack make other software for recording internet radio, but it requires 10.5 (I'm 10.4.11). Also, I was looking at Radio Lover, but not sure it's the sure-fire fix I need.

Thanks for any and all suggestions. This is really starting to annoy me!

[rwm]

How are your energy saving settings set? Could this affect anything .. like sleep, HD sleep, computer maintenance, auto shut down. An iTunes preference setting.

[Boyd 9]

I changed the iTunes buffer size on internet streaming from Medium to Large, and I'll try changing the 'put HDs to sleep whenever possible' setting to off..... and we'll see if those help.....

I don't think it's a problem with my internet connection-- although it's wireless, it's one of the newer N or N+ routers.

Anyway, thanks for the tips. I'll let you know if those work.

[rwm]

Those all sound like possibly issues. Let me know.

[Boyd 9]

So, using the above tips (larger buffer; HDs set to no sleep), I tried to do the recording like I normally would (setting it up ahead of time to record, and starting the streaming audio in iTunes), and it did the same exact thing it always does.

I came back at the end of the recording time, only to find that the streaming audio was no longer playing, and Audio Hijack was recording dead silence for the last part of the recording.

Dang, this is really frustrating. Why won't the streaming audio just keep playing as long as I want it to, until I tell it to stop? And why should that be such a problem?

Anyway, back to square one...... I'm scratching my head on this one.

[Hazkell]

Hi, well, I never really thought about it for very long, but ........
reminds me of the " old radio days"..... but since your having silence or a drop-out, I've had the same problem with a couple of radio stations using I- tunes.

Because it doesn't happen with EVERY station, I'm thinking that it's .... a bad signal .... or their way of stopping anyones recording (for free).

Could be that their call-letters are so close to a Major station

A station that I listen to while I work, always has drop-outs on the GOOD songs .... every time!
They want you to buy the CDs.

When I have I tunes playing and the phone rings or something and I mute the sound .... come back a while later, I've lost connection!

I don't think it's your Mac .... thinking maybe they might be having financial woes and can't maintain a strong signal all the time.

Probable why their on early in the morning ...... little traffic. Could be drowned-out be REALLY STRONG signals in the day.
Their Call-letters are TOO close.
There's only a zillion stations, all trying to get your attention!

After all is said and done ...... I don't really know!

Can you get that radio station on a digital radio box?

Why not call or eMail them .... maybe they have a simple explanation?

Do a search for them and their call-letters?
Wish I could be of more help!

GOOD-LUCK!
h

[Damien]

Just an oddball way out there thing to check on but when does your cablemodem/DSL get its new IP address?

[rwm]

Just an oddball way out there thing to check on but when does your cablemodem/DSL get its new IP address?

Now there is an answer I would not have thought about - limited thinking here. Thanks Damien, So if your ISP assigns you a new IP address (for security) each day like in the middle of the night that would be like logging off.......... it's a thought.

[Boyd 9]

Thanks for the observations and ideas. Unfortunately, I've not been able to tackle the problem due to other considerations (like, busy week at work), but it sounds like maybe you Gurus are on to something here....

There has to be some reason it's doing this.... and it's not happened enough times to just be on this side of random that makes it especially puzzling.....

Again, thanks, and will let you guys know when I find something out.

[greg2]

sometimes when I'm listening to an itunes radio station for an extended period of time, the "session" times out, and i have to exit/stop the feed (channel) and then log back into it. sometimes the feed just stops, or i will hear a message telling me the I have timed out and need to log out and back in or subscribe the whatever it I that they are selling...

maybe they do this as too not get bogged down by people who walk away from their computers and just leave em connected to their servers.
really I'm not sure if the last bit is true just theory.

[rwm]

But stuff does happen.

[Boyd 9]

OK, so I opted for one of these

Because, in my particular situation, the radio station I'm trying to record is a local one. There were, admittedly, some iffy reviews, but they mainly seemed to be about the earlier version of the Shark.... one review I read said they'd updated the FM receiver chip back in 2007 or so. So far, it seems to pick up what I need just great.... with great audio quality and a cool 'shark fin' look to boot.

Amazon had them for like $35 or so. Didn't have to pay fifty.

It includes it's own record function, plus I can also record with Audio Hijack (it'll record any audio going through the system).... so, I'm thinking this should be fool proof..... (LOL -- famous last words).

I'm thinking Hazkell may be right -- the station is a small community (non-profit) station, so maybe they limit the number of streaming audio feeds or otherwise they get bogged down?

Really, I've no idea why my computer dropped the feed, but hopefully I've got my solution now.

Thanks to all for the tips and ideas. I do so much appreciate it.

[Hazkell]

So, how's that Shark working out?
Thinking about buying one.

thanks, h

[Boyd 9]

Oh, god, so sorry -- Forgot to check the thread and post back.

Well, it seems to be working out fine. Apparently, the folks at Radio Shark upgraded some of the electronics back in 2007, so what I found in my research was to stay away from the silver colored one (apparently the earlier model) and stay with the Black colored one (the later models). I use it to tune in to my local Community and NPR stations -- which it receives just fine. And I can't really imagine anyone having problems trying to pick up the higher powered FM commercial stations at all.

I haven't really listened to AM, but believe I did a quick sample to make sure that it picked up AM (some complaints about that in the reviews), and it did.

The antenna it came with is fine, and I can live with a bit of background static from the local Community station.

All in all, I think it was a pretty good deal. I think it was like $35 bucks from Amazon.

Hope that helps

[Hazkell]

Thanks, I'll be going for a black one also!
Will report back after I give it a whirl.

thanks, h

[Hazkell]

Heck, I forgot to mention a station that I listen to everyday.
Good for working with photographs and PS .... and anything else when needing to relax and have background music.

iTunes - radio - ambient - Drone Zone.

I LIKE IT!

later, h