5 ms·

One line of thought I've pondered here for scifi settings is people being able to share their currently playing music that way, like a tiny virtual radio statio

One line of thought I've pondered here for scifi settings is people being able to share their currently playing music that way, like a tiny virtual radio station.

jacquesm 7y ago
Just the other day I was walking down a relatively quiet part of Amsterdam and some guy with a boombox taped to his bike 'shared his currently playing music with me'. It seems that is working just fine already.
- crooked-v 7y ago
  Consider, for contrast, a crowded bus or subway instead.
  - zeristor 7y ago
    I quite often have to sit next to people watching YouTube videos, or football games with through their speakers; why spend money on ear phones?
r3trohack3r 7y ago
For my commute I set the radio to between 91.1 and 93.3. This range tends to be where the default for most Bluetooth and AUX radio broadcasters ends up being set. Arguably an invasion of privacy, but it turns fellow commuters into DJs. I’ve discovered some good music this way. Also lots of static.
- mathisonturing 7y ago
  Are you saying that if I turn on my phone's radio and set it between 91.1 and 93.3, I'd be able to hear what other people are listening to? Could you elaborate?
  - ilikepi 7y ago
    Nowadays, most new cars offer at least one way of connecting to an external playback device, via Bluetooth or wired auxiliary input or both. A decade ago, though, this was more of a premium feature. Back then, if you wanted to connect your music player or smart phone to your basic stereo, the simplest and least invasive way was a device that plugged into the headphone jack of your device (or alternatively connected to it via Bluetooth) and which broadcast a very low power FM signal. You would the tune your car stereo to the matching frequency, and your device's audio would be piped through the car's speakers. Usually the transmitter provided a way to choose from a list of frequencies so you could pick one not used by any local radio stations. When operating in good conditions, if another car was driving down the road next to you, they could also tune to the same frequency and hear your playback.

One line of thought I've pondered here for scifi settings is people being able to share their currently playing music that way, like a tiny virtual radio station.

jacquesm 7y ago

Just the other day I was walking down a relatively quiet part of Amsterdam and some guy with a boombox taped to his bike 'shared his currently playing music with me'. It seems that is working just fine already.

crooked-v 7y ago
Consider, for contrast, a crowded bus or subway instead.
- zeristor 7y ago
  I quite often have to sit next to people watching YouTube videos, or football games with through their speakers; why spend money on ear phones?

r3trohack3r 7y ago

For my commute I set the radio to between 91.1 and 93.3. This range tends to be where the default for most Bluetooth and AUX radio broadcasters ends up being set. Arguably an invasion of privacy, but it turns fellow commuters into DJs. I’ve discovered some good music this way. Also lots of static.

mathisonturing 7y ago
Are you saying that if I turn on my phone's radio and set it between 91.1 and 93.3, I'd be able to hear what other people are listening to? Could you elaborate?
- ilikepi 7y ago
  Nowadays, most new cars offer at least one way of connecting to an external playback device, via Bluetooth or wired auxiliary input or both. A decade ago, though, this was more of a premium feature. Back then, if you wanted to connect your music player or smart phone to your basic stereo, the simplest and least invasive way was a device that plugged into the headphone jack of your device (or alternatively connected to it via Bluetooth) and which broadcast a very low power FM signal. You would the tune your car stereo to the matching frequency, and your device's audio would be piped through the car's speakers. Usually the transmitter provided a way to choose from a list of frequencies so you could pick one not used by any local radio stations. When operating in good conditions, if another car was driving down the road next to you, they could also tune to the same frequency and hear your playback.