The above picture is a Strohviol or Stroh violin. It has other names, but essentially it was used in the early days of recording when violins and fiddles lacked enough volume to be recorded effectively. It’s named after a German – Johannes Matthias Augustus Stroh – who patented it in 1899. They sound remarkably like a violin, albeit with a very tinny tone.
I mention this on New Radio Strategies as an example of how things developed to try and get the best out of what was available in order to get where you wanted to be. We still do it, of course, and I think we’re at a point in radio development where we need the modern day audio equivalent of the Strohviol.
We have some fantastic things happening in the radio world – read articles by Robin Valk here and by Billy Sabatini here – for a flavour. Yet it seems to me that we’re not quite there yet in terms of the hardware.
We all know the strengths of radio – one to one and mobility. I can listen when I’m driving, having a shower, cooking, ironing, alone or with friends and this isn’t going to change. But using the internet closes off some of the options.
This web audio interface (or radio) really locks me into a room.
There is a lot of great stuff going on – from Pandora (but not in the UK, unfortunately), last.fm through any number of podcasts and live audio from pretty much anywhere in the world – but at the moment I have to be locked into my computer to receive all this.
Where is the portability?
Why can’t I get web radio (or whatever you’d like to call it) up a ladder, in the middle of my garden or on a hike? I know we’re making progress around the house, and via mobile phones, but much of my listening is in the car and I feel I’m missing out on a lot of stuff.
I believe this is a central issue to development and is currently an essential difference between radio as we knew it (the wireless!) and most current types of web audio (the future!).
Is it an infrastructure thing? Is it a lack of hardware? Do we have anyone developing web receivers for travel? Or is it the typical Catch 22 conundrum of developing new technologies? Am I living in dreamland? Will it ever happen?
I suspect the mobile phone wifi route must surely be the way forward, but I’m not up to speed with developments.
Any thoughts anyone?
Meantime it’s back to the fiddle……..
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One Comment
Hey Paul,
Great post – and it made me think of what the Pandora CEO Joe Kennedy said about Internet radio recently at the RAIN Las Vegas Summit – he said, “All of us recognize that over the next 3 to 5 years, transitioning Internet radio from a mostly ‘at work in front of the computer’ experience is the single most important thing… other than getting a royalty structure that enables us to survive.” He then added, “we’ve always thought the home is really the best near-term opportunity to get off the PC and get into the living room and kitchen.”
So I agree with you and I would add that in addition to getting into the living room and kitchen, it has to get in the car!!! in fact, i think i’ll write a post about it!
Great stuff Paul