Design And Implementation Of An Online Radio Streamer Application

Project and Seminar Material for Computer Science and Computer Engineering

Abstract

This research work deals with an online radio streaming application. Chapter one is an introduction to the project to describe what the project entails. It discusses the problems in the existing system. Also described in chapter one are the aim, the objectives, the significance and the limitation of the study. Chapter two is the literature review of the project which contain diverse research and scholarly articles written of this project while chapter three describes the method of data collection, system analysis and design and improvement on the proposed system. Chapter four describes the implementation and result of the project and lastly, chapter five gives the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.0 Background to the Study

A radio streamer is a software or system that collects (accepts) as input, a radio station streaming URL, checks the authenticity of the URL and then connect to it through the internet; and this is done with the aid of the computer.

It offers a more computerised approach to the way and manner we appreciate the use of technology by listening to radio online in our day to day activities thereby reducing the massive limitation that is associated with the limited system of listening through a radio player or a mobile phone.

It serves as an alternative medium to AM/FM when broadcasting a station, but why do we have to make a choice

Some radio stations (within and outside the nation) broadcast online live on the internet and because of the limitation of the FM Radio in accessing frequencies at a very far distance, the software ensures that there is a globalize access to such information when needed.

Before developing the software, the perspective of a situation where radio listeners i.e. the users buys a FM/AM radio device and start listening to his/her desired local station. This device must have been preconfigured to have access to these local stations. But before the user will be able to listen to his/her desired station, it is assumed that the radio device must have met certain necessities some.

Before the advent of computer technology (internet to be precise), that has been the way people listen to radio but it has a lot of limitations in terms of assessing or listening to radio across the nation or even beyond the vicinities of a local station area.

It was because of this reason that radio stations started broadcasting their programs online. The invention and application of computer and internet now brought succour to the way and manner radio stations broadcast their programs.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Listening to online radio programs in our midst especially among the youths usually undergo tedious and delayed process, and even when the stations are ready, users encounter many ups and downs on trying to access the URL of the broadcasting station.

Some of the problems posed by this system include:

Limited access to radio stations.
Unable to access radio stations outside the nation or outside a certain vicinity
Time wasted in getting URL of radio stations.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The primary aim of this project work is to design and develop an Online Radio Streamer Application that would upon successful completion be able to achieve the following objectives:

Provide ease of access to online listening to radio broadcast.
Easy documentation of the URLs of different radio stations.
To create a well organised and better environment for both the radio stations to reach their users and also for the users to reach the radio stations.
To limit the old, manual system and invent a faster, more accurate and safer means of listening to radio stations.

1.4 Methodology

To solve these problems, the proposed methodology was to design the application using Visual C# – Winforms. Visual C# is a high level programming language that was developed and implemented on the .Net framework (software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Microsoft windows). It is an Object Oriented Programming (OOP) computer language. It comes in two main editions either as a commercial software e.g. Microsoft Visual Studio or as a freeware in the form of Visual C# Express edition.

1.5 Scope of the Study

This project will produce an online radio streamer that would handle the allow users to listen to live radio broadcast over the internet and have the URL stored in the application database for easy access and reference sake. It considered the different URL of the broadcast station as the input, connects through this URL and then transfer the live broadcast back to the application on the system.

This system is ideal for its purpose and may be used for other similar usage like listening to local music on the system.

1.6 Limitation of the Study

Every successful project must have one limitation or the other and this one is no exception. To ensure I achieved the primal objective of my research work, I took the bull by the horns and dealt with these limitations in order to obtain maximum results.

The project will be limited to listening of online radio stations in the presence of internet and the project will not go beyond listening to radio stations and recording of radio programs to be listened to, at a later time.

1.7 Significance of the Study

To ensure unlimited access to radio broadcast within and outside Nigeria.
To increase the level of accuracy in (1).
To create an online radio streamer application that handles and manages radio stations broadcast URLs.
To ease the stress users undergo on trying to access radio stations outside their locality.

1.8 Definition of Terms

URL:

(Abbreviated form for Uniform Resource Locator), is a reference to a web resources that specifies its location (address) on a computer network and mechanism for retrieving it.

Website:

This is a set of related web pages including multimedia content, typically identified with a common domain name and published on at least one web server.

Radio:

Is an electronic device that receives radio waves and converts the information carried by them to a usable form. It is sometimes used with an antenna.

Streaming:

Is a flow of data in form of audio broadcast, a movie or a live video, transmitted smoothly and continuously from a source to a computer, mobile device, etc.

Computer:

Is an electronic device which is capable of receiving information (data) in a particular form and of performing sequence of operations in accordance with a predetermined but variable set of procedural instructions to produce a result in form of information or signal.

Radio Frequency (RF):

Is any electromagnetic wave frequency that lie in the range extending from around 20 KHz to 300GHz.

Online:

Activities that is carried out on the internet.

Terrestrial Radio:

The system or industry that broadcasts programs of audio content to the public by the means of radio waves. It is also known as an electronic device for listening to radio programming, consisting of tuner and speakers.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Summary

The product of the study, RADIO STREAMING, has successfully brought ease and efficiency to existing system, which is characterized by manual, time consuming and rigorous processes. It is very user-friendly. The researcher also incorporated graphic user interfaces (GUI) to enable the users appreciate the software package.
However, full usage of this system by any radio listener will reduce the operational hardship encountered during the use of the web version mode of operation. The system will;

An efficient storage management which will contain and manage all radio station URLS
Reduction of workload of the users in getting access to streaming URL.
Minimal usage of time locating stations in the application.

The Radio Streaming System is easy to use by users who wants to listen to stream radio. It incorporates storage, streaming and recording, all in one package. Radio Streaming has never been easier.

5.2 Recommendation

Having clearly tested and observed that the package provides a great improvement on the terrestrial radio system. I therefore, confidently recommend it to any user or organizations or establishments that need effective and efficient radio streaming system. The new system is easy to use and does not require training before one gets used to it.

5.3 Conclusion

The almost impossible approach to accessing internet radio through the use of terrestrial radio poses a lot of problem to user. With Computerized based spec analysis system, radio streaming data/information are well collected, processed and stored for future purpose.

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