Librem 5 FM radio playback?

I have just received my Librem 5 and am delighted at just how well it is setting up. It all works so far! Just great.

I’m in Australia and i usually use an app for our National Broadcaster, the ABC Listen App. Its really good but not an option on the Librem obviously. I only listen to a few stations anyway. So what I tried to do was go to the web site here: ABC SPORT - ABC News which has the option of streaming the sport. Trouble is that I can’t get any sound here from the Librem 5. I can get sound from say soma radio but not from the ABC. This method of streaming works on all of my other devices but not the Librem. Am I doing something wrong? Can anyone point me to a solution perhaps?

Or alternatively is there an app for PureOS that will let me stream things like this?

Thanks for reading.

3 Likes

With a quick glance I didn’t see the link that site button is attached to but if you’d use Shortwave (internet radio app), you can find that ABC Sport station there - sounds fine on L5.

3 Likes

Funny you mention that. I am just downloading Shortwave. I’m still puzzled as to why it won’t play it whereas I think it should. I’m hearing that you can’t open that link? Its abc[dot]net/grandstand will get there.

I’m just going to have a go at Shortwave.

2 Likes

Oh, the link works, but the streaming button of the jws-player on that page hides the URL of that stream. If you can dig that URl up, you could also copy that to VLC or similar and just play the stream that way (or even make it launch from your desktop - one click play).

2 Likes

I see. I’m typing on my laptop and can stream it ok via firefox on this which is a qubes device, fedora though. I just thought the Librem would stream it. I can get all the stations I need I need on Shortwave however. I’ll just make a library, or bookmark them or whatever it takes on that. I hadn’t considered VLC but Ithink that Shortwave will cut it. I only need a few things so this should do it.

Thanks for helping. I appreciate it.

2 Likes

Mark solved and don’t forget to watch the Aurora (Australis down there? Borealis here) :night_with_stars:
(relevant, as normal radio could be effected)

2 Likes

Thanks. Yes, I heard just today that its going to be big. I might be able to see it. I did see it in 1982 in Tasmania, but I’m a long way from there tonight.

2 Likes

The audio starts on my librem 5 using firefox esr. It did take some time before it started playing (20 seconds or so). I am using @Emma Mobile-Friendly-Firefox, but that should not matter much. I highly recommend it though. There is an automatic install that is very easy to follow

3 Likes

Thanks for following that up. I did only try with the gnome web browser. I didn’t think that it could be the browser. I’ve actually come up with a good solution using Shortwave. It found everything I needed and they are stacked up in a neat library. But I will try this with a different browser. I prefer firefox so I’ll give it a go.

2 Likes

Then there are countries which shut off the analog FM band, like Norway. They went to Digital Audio Band (DAB).

I presume that means you don’t need FM radio playback, but can get the stations off the internet somehow.

Maybe a Norwegian may elaborate?

3 Likes

:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

(nice to feel appreciated)

2 Likes

The Librem 5 has no capability to access radio at all (whether AM, FM or DAB). So I think we can assume that the OP means “streamed via the internet”. In Australia DAB is mostly offered in parallel with FM i.e. both are offered and you use whatever your equipment is capable of (e.g. older cars simply can’t do DAB), and some low budget radio stations don’t do DAB anyway.

But if you want to play with SDR on the Librem 5: New Post: My First Year of Librem 5 Convergence - #9 by Kyle_Rankin so with an SDR dongle, you may be able to access AM and/or FM and/or DAB directly on the phone i.e. without internet. :wink:

2 Likes

DAB radio is scarce in Australia. It is available in major cities, and not that well in parts. It is not available in the regions which is most of the country where FM is the mainstay.

1 Like

Hello. I use a progressive web app for this. See my prior post about Linux Mint Webapp Manager: Linux Mint Webapps Manager for web apps

1 Like