WBUR offers audio in a variety of formats.   If you are new to listening online, here are a few points to help you get started.

1. Get a Player

To play audio on a computer you need a media player installed.  Check your computer to see if you have one of the media players below.  If not select one of the players below or another of the dozens of players freely available on the Web and follow the instructions it gives you to install it on your computer.

• Windows Media player - http://www.microsoft.com/windows/WindowsMedia
• VLC media player – http://www.videolan.org/vlc
• Winamp – http://www.winamp.com
• Apple Quicktime – http://www.apple.com/quicktime
• XMMS – http://www.xmms.org/

Firewalls and Networking issues:   Our shoutcast stream is your best bet if listening from work (it uses port 80, the same port used for web surfing).   If you’re set on using Windows Media, be aware that it uses port 554.

2. Our Streams

WBUR streams its signal over the internet in three different formats or “codecs”:

1. Mp3 stream – Our simple, no frills mp3 stream.   Streams over port 80 for ease of access.  Streamed at 44khz and 24 kbps.     Available as a standalone stream and via our embedded Flash player.
2. Windows Media – Windows streaming codec (Windows Media Audio 9.1) at 32 kbps, 44 kHz
3. Ogg Vorbis – the open source codec.   Help with using Ogg Vorbis

(See our Ways to Listen page for more ways to listen.)

3. Podcasting Basics

To podcast you need podcasting software on your computer.  You’ll set that software up to check for new audio from your favorite sources each time you turn your computer on.  If there’s something new from, say, On Point, the software will download it to your computer.  You can then play it on your computer when you feel like it, of plug your mp3 player into your computer and download the audio to your player.

So… what software do I need? Here are some software clients available for Windows and Mac OS X:

• Apple iTunes (Windows, Mac, iPhone)
• Doppler (Windows, Mac)
• Odeo (Windows, Mac)
• PodNova (Windows, Mac)

Each software application is different. The basic instruction is to copy and paste the podcast link into your podcast software. Try one or more of the above to find one you like. Read the documentation for the software you’ve chosen.

4. iPhones and Other Players and Tools

• The Public Radio Player from PRX - Free from iTunes
• Many other public radio players, a nicely compiled list at www.publicradioplayer.org
• WBUR Vista sidebar gadget – by Nick Inglis (thanks Nick!)
• Windows Media Player Firefox Plugin