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What Happened to Shoutcast?

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    What Happened to Shoutcast?

    When I upgraded from Jaunty to Karmic, I was horrified to find that Amarok no longer included an entry for Shoutcast. While visiting this site (or web-surfing), I listen to classical music over internet radio. This used to involve pulling up Shoutcast in Amarok and clicking on my classical stream of choice. Now, Shoutcast with its plethora of streams isn't there!

    The technical solution is, in fact, simple: Start a web browser (I use Firefox); Navigate to Shoutcast; and Start a stream using a commercial player (I use Realplayer).

    But that is not the point. Rumors imply that Shoutcast changed their license to one that somebody (the Amarok project?) found to be incompatible with their interpretation of FOSS ethical standards. Real Networks, has no ethical standards, of course. They're a corporation (Ha, ha only serious, ask the man who used to own one). Personally, I'm used to putting up with advertisements in order to listen to the radio, watch TV, read a magazine or the newspaper. It's the American way!

    Moreover, I don't think that's the whole story, because among the "cool streams" that are included with the new Amarok is "Mostly Classical" from Sky-FM, which broadcasts ads. They also broadcast blah music, so this is not as acceptable to me as listening to Otto's Classical or Baroque on Shoutcast.

    Does anyone know the details of this story? What did Shoutcast add to their license? Is the removal of Shoutcast from Amarok, exclusive to *buntu? Is it exclusive to Amarok, or have other Open Source media players followed suit? Is a compromise possible? Enquiring minds want to know.

    #2
    Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

    You piqued my curiosity Al. Mr. Google and I turned up this:

    https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ok/+bug/371874

    #6 implies there were "commercial" issues of some kind -- that's all I came up with.


    If you're looking for a project, it appears there's a way to restore the function to Amarok 2, but it doesn't look easy:

    http://mib.pianetalinux.org/mib/dist...&t=1191&p=7085

    Comment


      #3
      Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

      Lydia Pintscher wrote on 2009-11-02: #6

      Kind of. Upstream removed shoutcast due to licensing and technical problems.

      Changed in amarok (Ubuntu):
      status: Incomplete → Fix Released
      Jonathan Thomas on 2009-11-02
      Changed in amarok (Ubuntu):
      status: Fix Released → Won't Fix
      Windows no longer obstructs my view.
      Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
      "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

      Comment


        #4
        Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

        But ... but ... I like Shoutcast!
        Welcome newbies!
        Verify the ISO
        Kubuntu's documentation

        Comment


          #5
          Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

          @fellow Shoutcast users: There are now 2 solutions. (a) Easy but unsatisfying: see my initial post in this thread: Firefox -> Real Player at Shoutcast website. (b) Not so easy, but uses only free software. There is a patch to Streamtuner that will give you Shoutcast. Of course, Streamtuner is obsolete (un-maintained?) and you still need another pls player (Audacity maybe?).

          But I'd still like to get the real story. Aren't these licensing issues EXACTLY the reason that we have things like kubuntu-restricted-extras and Medibuntu? That's where I found RealPlayer. What's different about the Shoutcast situation?

          Comment


            #6
            Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

            I'm another Shoutcast streamer. I found some pretty good options that will keep you on your favorite players. I can't stand Real Player. VLC understands Shoutcast playlist files. Associate VLC with playlist files in Firefox, select use my own media player from the Shoutcast web site and it will launch the stream automatically. VLC also has the Shoutcast directory available if you prefer to use it from inside the application. If you want the streams added to your library you need to drag the URL from the playlist to the media library.

            Amarok can still play the streams. If you prefer to stick with it, install the icecast script to get back the Shoutcast streams.

            http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show...content=108337
            linux && bash = "the future"

            Comment


              #7
              Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

              I use Streamtuner and get Shoutcast.

              (Senior moment. Now can I remember?)

              I think Google led me here: http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-870436.html

              Look at the post by clubsoda
              "A problem well stated is a problem half solved." --Charles F. Kettering
              "Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."--Dr. Seuss

              Comment


                #8
                Re: What Happened to Shoutcast?

                @arochester: That UFO thread concerns technical problems with Streamtuner in releases up to and including Jaunty. Personally, I had no trouble listening to Shoutcast streams in Amarok (which doesn't use Streamtuner) until I installed Karmic.

                The problem in Karmic is purely IDEOLOGICAL, Shoutcast was removed from the Amarok released with Karmic for unknown reasons, having to do with a change in the Shoutcast license agreement. I'd like to know what those reasons were, so that I can decide for myself whether I agree with them. I thought that was what the "as in speech" part of RMS's famous quote stood for. Instead all I get is the phrase "legal reasons". DETAILS, DETAILS, please. I Am Not A Lawyer, but I'm getting pretty anal on this subject.

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