StreamRipper fans, check this out

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StreamRipper fans, check this out

Post by pk500 »

Fellas:

Many of you enjoy using StreamRipper, which lets you record and rip streams from free digital music service Shoutcast through a plug-in for the WinAmp player. The streams are cut into individual MP3 files automatically.

A colleague and friend of mine from work told me yesterday about StationRipper, which he uses. It's Sourceforge software, just like StreamRipper, and based on StreamRipper.

But StationRipper allows you to rip and record up to <b>10</b> streams simultaneously, while StreamRipper only allows you to do one. And StationRipper also can be configured to rip and record non-Shoutcast streams, too.

I'm just starting to use it now, so no evaluation from me yet. If curious, check out StationRipper at:

http://www.ratajik.com/StationRipper/

This isn't spam. I just know a lot of cats in here enjoy free digital music, and this looks to be another very good way of obtaining it.

Take care,
PK
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Post by dbdynsty25 »

Any idea if it'll record Windows Media or RealOne streams?

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Post by pk500 »

DB:

Not sure. I know my buddy uses it to record streams from the Apple Music store or ITunes or whatever the hell it's called simply by pasting the IP address or URL of the stream into the StationRipper window.

That might work with Real or WinMedia streams. Not sure.

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PK
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Post by pacuca »

PK,

Keep us informed. This seems like one heck of a good product.

pacuca

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Post by RobVarak »

Excellent! I'll have to check that out.

My biggest problem with streamripper is the shoutcast channel selection. This could be a huge benefit.
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Post by pk500 »

I've been recording and ripping anywhere from seven to 10 Shoutcast streams at 128 kbps or better simultaneously over the last two hours, with 149 songs in the can.

I'm not sure how many of the tunes I'll keep, but it's amazing to have that kind of selection after just two hours of ripping in the background while I work. I hit a button for each of the streams, went back to work, and StationRipper did all the rest.

Far out!

Take care,
PK
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Post by dbdynsty25 »

pk500 wrote:Far out!
Like, totally...it Roxxxxssss.

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Post by pk500 »

Correction: I said earlier that StationRipper allows you to record and rip up to 10 streams simultaneously.

I was wrong. It allows you to record and rip up to <b>300</b> streams simultaneously.

That's not a misprint. This thing could fill your hard drive in a day if you forgot to turn it off.

DB: I use "far out" in regular conversation. It's the generation gap thing, you know. :)

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Post by dbdynsty25 »

pk500 wrote:DB: I use "far out" in regular conversation. It's the generation gap thing, you know. :)
I figured as much...I was just giving you a hard time. 300 at a time...damn.

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Post by pacuca »

PK,

What actually is Shoutcast? Is it a bunch of internet radio stations or just people playing their songs over the net? How is the quality of the streaming music? Can StationRipper record any audio stream off the net or is it just limited to Shoutcast? What exactly do I need to get up and running with all this stuff?

Thanks. Been watching you talk about Streamripper for a while now, but never got too interested, but this product sounds great.

pacuca

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Post by pk500 »

Pac:

Itemized deductions:

>>>What actually is Shoutcast? Is it a bunch of internet radio stations or just people playing their songs over the net?<<<

Both. Shoutcast is Nullsoft's (makers of superb WinAmp player) streaming radio service. Some commercial stations stream through it, some other Internet-only stations stream through it, and some regular Joes sometimes just stream their music collections through it. All sorts of genres -- quite the eclectic mix. And more than 2,000 stations, I believe.

>>>How is the quality of the streaming music?<<<

Sh*tty to excellent. The bit rate of every station is listed. Just like MP3 downloads, I don't rip anything lower than 128 kbps, and I prefer 160 and 192. There are a ton of stations at 128 kbps and higher.

>>>Can StationRipper record any audio stream off the net or is it just limited to Shoutcast?<<<

I'm not sure. I need to check on this. My colleague at work who tipped me off to StationRipper indicated it can record and rip more than just Shoutcast streams. I'll have to check.

>>>What exactly do I need to get up and running with all this stuff?<<<

Go to the StationRipper site listed above and download the program. Shoutcast is built right into the interface, so you simply click on the button next to the station you want to record, and voila, the ripping starts.

The only tweak I had to make was to change the output directory from the default StationRipper directory to the directory in which I place all of my new downloads, regardless of the means used to get them.

I also recommend a broadband connection if you're going to do this, but it might work on dial-up, too. Not sure. The nice thing is that StationRipper doesn't seem to be a big system hog even when recording and ripping multiple streams. I have a 3-year-old IBM laptop running a 450 mHz PIII, and my system isn't slowing down with StationRipper running in the background.

Check it out!

Take care,
PK
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Post by dbdynsty25 »

pk500 wrote:I also recommend a broadband connection if you're going to do this, but it might work on dial-up, too. Not sure.
You're not going to be able to stream a 128 bit rate on a 56k connection...

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Post by pk500 »

Just discovered another cool feature of StationRipper while eating some lunch.

The program keeps a list of all stations from which you've recorded and ripped. You can simply return to that list each time you launch StationRipper and start ripping any of those stations.

Almost like a push-button preset on a car radio. No more searching for streams in the long, clunky Shoutcast menu.

Very cool.

Take care,
PK
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Post by snate »

Have you guys noticed that many shoutcast stations do not end their songs in time with the title so you end up not getting clean MP3's with steamripper?

Do you just avoid these stations?

How about posting your top 3 favorite shoutcast stations?

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Post by pk500 »

Snate:

The early or late clipping of some tracks is a problem with some Shoutcast stations when using Streamripper. I haven't listened to the tracks yet that I ripped with StationRipper.

My solution is a small, free utility called MP3Trim. It allows you to trim MP3 files easily, down to the millisecond, and also fade in or fade out tracks. I just trim the excess stuff from a long file or fade out a file that ends early.

You can download it here: http://www.logiccell.com/~mp3trim/

Sure, it's a bit of a pain. But I'm anal about my MP3 files, getting the ID3 tags perfect, normalizing the volume on all with MP3Gain and fixing any bad stream rips with MP3Trim. It takes some time, but it's still cheaper than buying CD's. I'll take the time and save the money every time.

Plus all of the music software I use, from downloading to editing to my MP3 player firmware, is 100 percent free.

I'm a cheap f*ck, no doubt. Guilty as charged.

As for favorite Shoutcast stations, my moods always change. But right now, my four favorites are:

Radio Paradise -- eclectic mix of rock and pop.
Boot Liquor -- a great mix of Americana and outlaw country. None of that Nashville sh*t.
XTC Radio London -- fantastic trance/house station.
Groove Salad -- very cool downtempo, lounge and ambient tunes.

Belly Up 4 Blues is an ass-kicking blues rock station, but it usually cuts off rippers pretty quickly. One of the few that actually does that.

Take care,
PK
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Post by pacuca »

PK,

Thanks a bunch. Also, what version of Winamp should I be using? I remember you saying something about an older version being better than the newest release or something to that effect.

pacuca

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Post by pk500 »

Pac:

I use WinAmp 2.91. Less buggy and bloated than newer versions.

You can get it here:

http://www.oldversion.com/

Click on the WinAmp link, scroll down and click on the Version 2.91 link.

Take care,
PK
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Post by pacuca »

PK,

Much appreciated.

pacuca

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Post by pk500 »

My pleasure, mate. :)

Take care,
PK
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Post by snate »

Hey PK,

I downloaded MP3gain - do you normalize everything in your collection to the default 89.0db?

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Post by RobVarak »

pk,

Have you tried any non-shoutcast streams yet? I frequently find myself wishing that I could rip streams from a ton of other sources, and this sounds like it might be the solution I've been hoping for.
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Post by pk500 »

snate wrote:Hey PK,

I downloaded MP3gain - do you normalize everything in your collection to the default 89.0db?
Snate:

Yes, I do. It's lower than the volume most popular recordings are produced these days, but the lower dB rating seems to eliminate more clipping.

You can always turn up the volume to compensate, although I usually pipe my MP3s through computer speakers or my home stereo, which have tons of volume. You might need to set higher dB ratings if you're playing often from the portable to headphones in a noisy environment, as Z suggested.

A pretty smart cookie must have developed this software. I figured he picked 89.0 dB as the default for a reason, so I stuck with it. :)

Take care,
PK
Last edited by pk500 on Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by pk500 »

Rob:

I have not. Sorry.

Out,
PK
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Post by pacuca »

PK,

How many K/Sec are you getting with StationRipper?

Any info. from your colleague on how you can record the streams from Apple's ITunes would be appreciated. Thanks.

pacuca

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