BBC Radio BBC stream quality

[tdk-90]

Hi, does anyone know if the BBC Radio option under Music Services in the Wiim app uses the 320 kbps HLS streams, where available?



I'm aware that I can use BBC Sounds to Chromecast these but I would rather use the native options so I can set a preset and view the logo etc in the app and hopefully at some point meta data such as Now Playing info. Id prefer this also over using an Open Network Stream link too ideally.



Thanks

 

[Gieseking]

I would also be interested to know the answer to this one! And thanks for reminding me that it's possible to Chromecast from the Sounds app.

I think I read that since the BBC moved its streams from the Shoutcast platform to HLS/Dash last year, it's only Radio 3 that still maintains a 320 kbps option. I've not managed to find out how I can access it, however, or whether it's available via WiiM. Anybody know?

(As a side note, does it make any difference to sound quality whether I listen by Chromecasting from the Sounds app to WiiM, or natively via the WiiM app?)

 

[d6jg]

There is a superb BBC Sounds plugin available for LMS which gives you 320kbps streams and (almost) everything you can get in the official BBC app.
The Pro, Pro Plus, and Amp (and presumably Ultra) all contain built in Squeezelite players for LMS.

 

[Brantome]

I would also be interested to know the answer to this one! And thanks for reminding me that it's possible to Chromecast from the Sounds app.

I think I read that since the BBC moved its streams from the Shoutcast platform to HLS/Dash last year, it's only Radio 3 that still maintains a 320 kbps option. I've not managed to find out how I can access it, however, or whether it's available via WiiM. Anybody know?

(As a side note, does it make any difference to sound quality whether I listen by Chromecasting from the Sounds app to WiiM, or natively via the WiiM app?)

The updated BBC URLs can be found in the link in this thread - enter the ones you want under Open Network Stream

Thread 'List of radio station URLs'
https://forum.wiimhome.com/threads/list-of-radio-station-urls.1518/

 

[beadlesabout]

It's quite disappointing that WiiM only serve up the lowest quality stream natively in their App. It's always a shame when radio isn't given the attention it deserves for playback quality but not uncommon.

I moved to WiiM from Bluesound and in the Bluesound App it defaults to the best quality stream but also gives you the option of selecting an alternative stream. One area where Bluesound are ahead.

I've contacted WiiM about this again recently but had no response.

For now I'm using Chromecast but for some reason Chromecast doesn't report the stream quality.

I've also tried the HLS streams linked but they're loading at the lowest rate as well.

 

[Burnside]

For now I'm using Chromecast but for some reason Chromecast doesn't report the stream quality.

It's been mentioned several times that WiiM doesn't display the stream quality as it can't reliably obtain that from ChromeCast.

I've also tried the HLS streams linked but they're loading at the lowest rate as well.

Did you change the default 96000 that appears in some URLs to 320000? Try this and see what you get:

http://as-hls-ww-live.akamaized.net/pool_904/live/ww/bbc_6music/bbc_6music.isml/bbc_6music-audio=320000.m3u8

Note these streams are only available in the UK at the highest resolution.

 

[beadlesabout]

Thanks so much, I feel a bit silly for missing that in the URL. Changing it to 320000 sorted it.

It would still be nice if the WiiM implementation took care of this. The quality difference is significant in my system.

If not that, it would be nice if we can customise the preset artwork.

 

[cdmackay]

If you have Roon, it defaults to a 320kbps stream for Radio 3, or you can also select the 96kbps stream.

 

[Burnside]

Or if you have LMS, it also has a very good implementation of BBC Sounds which delivers 320kbps

 

[beadlesabout]

Thanks, although I don’t have Roon as I have no stored media and I don’t otherwise have a need for LMS either - although both options show how it should and can be implemented so WiiM just need to do the same.

Hopefully they will sort it in the future.