Listening to The Ashes commentary on my iPhone
It’s surprisingly difficult to find a pub in Bayswater that shows the cricket during the day. I went searching for one today, hoping to catch a bit of The Ashes over my lunch hour. Of the few I did find, none had the volume turned up. Even The Elbow Room, which has individual TVs intended for watching sport, was playing loud 90s dance music instead (at 2pm).
I decided that next time I needed to more prepared. I needed my own portable commentary source. My first thoughts were a traditional AM radio, but this approach felt a bit dated. I then had a look at DAB alternatives, but was shocked that they are still so expensive.
Finally, after a bit of research, I found that I had the solution already; my iPhone. Here is how to do it:
- Go to the App Store and search for the App ‘FStream’. It’s free, so download it
- Open FStream and Select the ‘Favourites’ menu
- Click ‘Edit’ then ‘Add new webradio’
- Call the station something like ‘BBC Radio 5 Sports’
- Enter the URL http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r5lsp.asx
- Click on the ‘Play’ menu and select your new station.
- Within a few seconds you should have BBC Radio 5 sport
- Find a pub
These instructions don’t just work for the Radio 5; most of the other BBC radio stations are available. You can find a list of URLs at http://bbcstreams.com/.
That’s fantastic, Andrew! Thank you! I’ve been wondering how I can take my ipod to bed with me and drift off to sleep listening to the cricket commentary, and now I know. Woohoo!
Thanks for this. Very helpful, just what I was looking for.
John
Superb - saved me a load of messing about!
Great stuff. Does what it says on the tin…thank you.
Superb. You’re a high hit on Google for this search and well deserved - thanks for the instructions!
Excellent. Thank you.
I can download the app and enter the URL from Five Live as per teh website you mentioned, but when I want to play it, it disconnects me. Do I need to change a setting, or encode somehow?
I am desperate to get some live audio cricket commentary!
Made a Granny very happy to be able to listen to the cricket in the car, thanks.
Fantastic - I’m listening to Test Match cricket in Tokyo!
The only extra thing I had to do was go to More and Settings and turn Cellular network On.
Great stuff.
Thanks for this great tip.
I just found you site via Yahoo and I have to say I am glad I did as I have now bookmarked it.
Fantastic! Just made my husband very happy by showing him he can listen to the Ashes on 5live on his iPhone. If you have probs with ‘disconnecting’ check every part if your link is in lower case, esp where the iPhone auto capitalises- should sort the problem.
That’s fantastic… Thanks.
Mate, you’re a genius!! Listening to The Ashes in the office in Melbourne. Cheers
PS: Thanks to Tony for the tip about turning the Cellular network On.
Legend , saved me alot of time thanks mate (:
Thanks……just what i was after! Top man!
Thankyou , thankyou thankyou!