Is it just me or have SCA dropped all their internet streams to 32kbps?
I tested Triple M 90’s, 92.9 in Perth and Hit Dance in Brisbane, on Sonos and with the direct stream URL’s that used to work at 128kbps, and they definitely have the harshness of a 32kbps stream, as opposed to the clarity of a 128kbps stream.
I noticed this too in recent months. Even when I specify the exact URL which for the SCA stations even has “128k” in the URL they are still 32k.
“At Triple M, we don’t dig up rock artefacts, but we sure love digital ones”
That’s the last app I’d use for radio streaming.
Nine Radio also recently yanked its stations from iHeartRadio Australia, leaving only streams owned by ARN’s KIIS and Pure Gold networks, plus ACE, ABC, SBS and some community stations.
We all love judges that have no idea how technology works 
According to a Radioinfo article:
The community radio sector is going digital big time next year with the planned launch of an app that will carry all community stations and a new interface to allow community stations to be heard on smart speakers and other digital audio devices.
This would be like RadioApp, but for community radio stations instead of commercial (+ ABC & SBS) radio stations.
I have been wanting something like this for a while now. It would be awesome if programmes were categorised by genre so you can find something easily. Would do wonders for small stations like Braidwood FM and 2BBB.
And a find a local station feature using GPS. So if you were in Kandos for example, it would come up with KRR Radio. Are they still around?
Getting Triton Digital and All In Media on-board is a very smart decision. Should be promising!
Good on 'em! Remember being forced to listen to KRR radio as I was ferried across the state back and forth to and from Bathurst.
Must be time for a grass roots campaign starting from Media Spy to get the major players to increase their streaming bitrates.
It’s disgraceful that Nova, SCA and ARN all have ~32kbps for their online streams. SCA had a 128kbps stream for most of of their metro stations for many years that disappeared last year. What’s even more upside down about this, is the fact that talk stations from ABC, 3AW, 2GB etc… all have better bit rates than these FM music stations.
SVOD services can deliver Full HD video (3 - 4Mbps) successfully over 4G/5G connections to customers (with what is often very high quality audio accompanying it I must add). Premium streaming music services like Spotify and Apple Music all deliver 256-320kbps with no issues.
So what’s the excuse of radio streaming? Where is the rort happening? Are the streaming web hosting companies over charging them for bandwidth perhaps so they are being cheap with their bitrates?
It’s 2021, surely hosting a 128kbps stream (and even higher preferably) is viable. Especially if these networks want to remain relevant and continue their push into the smart speaker space.
SCA still have 128kbps… I just emailed them for the links and used custom url on sonos and tunein pro. Sound pretty good
triple m gcThe _128 streams used to be 128kbps but have now been cut down to 32kbps.
Well bugger me I must be deaf if I think that sounds good … come to think of it… it does sound slightly metallic in the highs
That looks like VLC. 
Yep, VLC. Tools > Media Information > Statistics will bring up that data.
