TinyTIM Radio. Are you ready for it?
Two of the most common topics of TinyTIM Experience Enhancement I've
heard over the years are coming up with some sort of "Soundtrack" or
background music to go with TIM, and/or producing some sort of "TIMster
Music Collection" where our players get to submit music that would
eventually go on some sort of CD. Both of these projects have failed
to materialize over the years, mostly because of financial/output
concerns. (That is, either we can't afford it, or there isn't enough
music people are willing to send in.)
Well, with the help of several TIMsters, I'd like to announce the new
project: TINYTIM RADIO.
The core of this new idea is Shoutcast. You can read about it at:
http://www.shoutcast.com, but I'll give you a quick overview.
Essentially, this technology will provide streaming MP3s to a number
of people across the Internet, giving you near CD-Quality Music and
a large amount of control over a playlist. This whole implementation
is blazingly new, but it's catching on like wildfire. If you have no
idea what MP3s are? I have to suggest http://www.mp3.com. They're the
mack.
Now, this thing requires you have a streaming MP3 Player. There are
streaming MP3 players for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux/Unix, so I
don't feel that this is knocking out a lot of people. It also requires
a pretty fast connection, at least a 33.6 although we're still
beta-testing this software to see what the lowest speed really is.
Now while we (the staff of TinyTIM Radio) get our act together, I can
tell you one thing we're definitely looking for: Material. See, while
all the rest of the Shoutcast Radio Stations are using somewhat
questionable material (the material is often copyrighted and who knows
what the law will say about this stuff), we're going to use ALL-TIMSTER
MATERIAL.
How much TIMster Material is there? Well, based on what I've been able
to research and coordinate so far, about 4 hours worth of music. That
mostly includes MOD/XM files, the TinyTIM Jam we had at Lag Day 1998,
and various work by RedEVIL in the scope of electronic music.
Now, 4 hours is nowhere near enough. We want 24 hours of TinyTIM Music,
all the time. What we're looking for is the following:
* Music created by or performed by TIMsters
* Spoken-word rants from TIMsters
* Poetry written and performed by TIMsters
Basically, if you can put it on tape, we want it.
If you don't play any music, don't feel left out! Grab yourself a
tape recorder or sound digitizer, and record yourself doing your very
own "Drop-in" promo for TIM Radio! Say anything you want; we'll jam
it in there somehow.
We're looking for comments and other such fun from you of course;
don't hesitate to chime in on TIM or in mail to Sketch.
If you have stuff you want to send in, send it to:
TinyTIM Radio Digitization Department
c/o Benjamin Hauger
821A1 Southgate Drive
State College, PA, 16801
Oh and a final note: Obviously, this hot new thing has NOWHERE
near the cross-section applicability of, say, TIM itself, which is
why it should be considered a weird little side-project and not
an official TIM Required Thingy, which everyone is required to
have, like a telnet session. We hope you'll enjoy it if you can
get it, and ignore it if you can't. Thanks.
- Sketch the Program Director Cow
TINYTIM RADIO WORLDWIDE