Product manual
Problem : What do the icons mean?
Solution :
• IDLE : means that the application is not playing neither buffering or playing a stream.
• BUFFERING : the application is downloading enough data from the server to play it locally preventing the stream from being interrupted.
• PLAYING : the stream has been buffered and is now played. You can stop it by either touching the STOP button or touching another station from your own list.
• Those indicators aren’t currently reflecting the actual connexion in use. You must refer to the iPhone ones (or the Wifi one on iPods Touch) : WIFI, 32K, 64K, 128K, 192K, 256K
• VBR / CBR :
The bitrate is either Constant (CBR: Constant Bit Rate) or Variable (VBR: Variable Bit Rate).
In theory the Variable mode is better because the complex is the audio message, the higher will be the bitrate, so you can achieve a permanent quality adjustement. But in practice, today with a Constant bitrate of 192 Kb/s you won’t notice the difference.
Each of those terms reflect the actual stream’s bitrate.
HINT. The displayed bitrate information in the directory list is provided by the radio, there can be some mistakes. The actual bitrate is the one displayed by allRadio.
Minimal network requirements
Problem : What is the minimum network coverage I should have to properly use allRadio?
Solution : The best network you get, the higher bitrate you can play. An EDGE connexion is a minimum to play a 64 Kb/s radio stream.
Buying, downloading and billing problems
Problem : Should you encouter a problem while buying allRadio, download failure or billing problems…
Solution : …we ask you to contact directly the iTunes store support at Apple.
Problem : I want to know how much does allRadio cost?
Solution : Once you bought allRadio, there is no recurring billing, we offer unlimited update policy.
Problem : What would my Operator bill me for?
Solution : iPhone comes with unlimited data plans in most of the countries. You have to check with your provider if they limit the volume of data you can download, if they block streaming ports or not.
Directory listing
Problem : The directory or featured screens are empty.
Solution : There was a bug in the first release of allRadio (called “VisuaRadio”), preventing stations to be listed. This bug has been corrected in the following days.
The only way to face this bug again is to use allRadio without network connexion, in such case, the updated station list can’t be downloaded.
But, once allRadio is launched, should you loose the network connexion, the stations list remains in the phone with a local cache mechanism.
Problem : I can’t find my favorite radio!
Solution : The fact is that we can’t list all the existing radios on our own. Until we integrate the “Add yourself” function, you can send us your favorite radio information to get it listed. You must send us :
• Radio Name
• Radio URLs for its different bitrates, in one of the following formats: AAC, MP3, M3U or PLS.
• Radio categories (2 for instance)
• Radio country
• Radio website adress
NOTE : Today we can’t add, nor play Microsoft (.asx, .wma) or Real Audio (.ra) streams.
Playing and listening problems
Problem : The radio is not playing when you click on “Play”.
Solution : This issue may come from 3 reasons.
We advise you to select a bitrate just under your current network bandwidth:
• EDGE < 64 kb/s
• 3G < 128 kb/s
• 3G+ < 192 kb/s
• Wifi: All
The network indicators arent’ properly reflecting the actual network connexion but you don’t need it to know your current connexion: the iPhone is diplaying it at the top left of the screen.
Slow connexion like EDGE or a weak signal strength in 3G make buffering take a longer time or even may prevent you to play a radio.
To check it, just test several radios from the directory, or try to connect to the web with Safari. In such casen try to move to get a better signal coverage.
Station may also have problems to broadcast correctly or internet congestion may occur. We use HTTP to stream the music, HTTP is not QoS (Quality of Service) oriented, so like on the web, a server may have a problem even if your connexion and the Application are ok.
Managing favorites
Problem : What is the favorites list?
Solution : The favorite list is located in the player screen, you can add several radios, you can scroll up and down the list.
Problem : How do I add a stream to my favorite list?
Solution : From any radio detail screen (from the featured or Directory screens), touch the +ADD button. The button then become grayed, meaning that the station is now in your favorites list. You’ll find it at the bottom of the favorites list.
Problem : How do I remove a station from my favorites list?
Solution : Do just as you do with an email or SMS, slide your finger on the right or on the left of the station name. A red button DELETE will appear.
Hang up and crashes
Problem : Your allRadio application is freezed. You can’t go back to the dashboard, etc.
Solution : Keep the iPhone button at the bottom of the screen pressed until the application quit and you get back to the dashboard. Then click on allRadio and answer Yes when you are asked if you want to reset or not.
Problem : allRadio quits unexpectedly.
Solution : If the application is launched long enough to reset it, keep the iPhone button at the bottom of the screen pressed until the application quit and you get back to the dashboard. Then click on allRadio and answer Yes when you are asked if you want to reset or not. If you don’t have the time to do so, make a reset of your iPhone (shut the iPhone off by pressing the power button at the top of the iPhone until you are asked if you want to shut it off. Restart your iPhone.
In any case of a bug non listed here or recurring, send us a message with a proper description of the situation. We’d get back to you with a solution
Updates
Problem : How can I know when there’s an update for allRadio?
Solution : Visit the “Updates” section in the AppStore application on your iPhone, or have a look at the “Applications” section of your iTunes Mac or PC, then click on Search for updated applications.