Nikhil Dev

I have already posted about how to record streaming audio for Windows users. But it would be really mean if I do not help my Linux brothers. To accomplish the same on Linux we will use something called Streamripper and Streamtuner. Streamripper and streamtuner are Linux applications that work in tandem, allowing you to listen and record streaming radio.

Streamtuner is a basic application used primarily for playing internet radio from any number of sources including Xiph, basic.ch, punkcast.com, Google Stations, Live365, and SHOUTcast. Streamripper, on the other hand, sits stealthily in the terminal recording and parsing all of the music pipped through your system into MP3s. Leaving Streamripper running all day will rack you up a healthy dose of your favorite tunes. What’s particularly nice about the combination of Streamripper and streamtuner is that once you choose a station to record, you can exit streamtuner leaving only a tiny, non-obtrusive terminal window for Streamripper.

Note that Streamripper doesn’t do a perfect job parsing your songs into individual MP3s. Unfortunately, there tends to be a few seconds of overlap at the beginning and/or end of the songs. If this bothers you, you can always edit your newly recorded songs with Audacity. Ubuntu users can grab Streamripper and streamtuner out of the repositories with this command:

sudo apt-get install streamripper streamtuner

Other Linux users should grab the appropriate package for your distro at the streamtuner and Streamripper homepages.