How to Save Web Radio Stations to Disk

Record your favorite web radio stations and burn them to CD for listening on the go.

Recording your favorite Internet radio stations can be accomplished using only your sound card and some basic audio recording software. You'll find plenty of sound software that will get the job done at a reasonable price or in some cases, free. Programs such as Replay A/V, Radiotracker, and Ask & Record Toolbar are some of the most popular, as these will record any audio source that is playing through your speakers.



Once you've recorded the radio station you want, the files are automatically saved to your computer's hard drive. At that point you can open the files in your favorite media player and start archiving all those hours of radio shows onto CD.

Instructions

Record Streaming Audio

1. Install the sound recording software of your choice.

   For the purposes of this tutorial, we will be using the Ask and Record Toolbar software. However, the basic functions of all sound recording programs are the same no matter which software you choose.

2. Open the Ask and Record Toolbar by clicking the red "Record Audio" button on the toolbar (located near the top of your browser window). A waveform window will open, indicating that the toolbar is ready to record.

3. Go to the online stream of the radio station you wish to record and press "Play" to begin playback. The Ask and Record toolbar begins recording automatically when it detects a sound source playing on your computer. You will see the waveform in motion while recording is in progress.

4. Press "Stop Recording" when you are finished. Depending on how much disc space you have available, you can record up to 24 hours or more of uninterrupted radio programming.

5. Select your options when a pop-up screen appears listing all of the tracks/shows you just recorded. Here you can preview, save, or delete the files one-by-one.

Burn to CD

1. Launch Windows Media Player, Real Player, Express Burn, or any CD burning software you already have installed.

2. Follow your DVD burning software's onscreen prompts to select your burning speed, CD type (either Data CD or Audio CD), and other preferences.

3. Insert a blank, recordable CD in your computer's CD writer drive. Allow a couple of minutes for the disc to format.

4. Add the audio files of your recorded radio shows using the "Add" or "+" button until the CD is full. Re-arrange the tracks as needed to put them in the desired order.

5. Click "Burn" and wait several minutes while your web radio station recordings are burned to disc. When burning is complete, eject the disc and label it with a soft-tip felt marker.

Tips & Warnings

• Most sound recording software programs will also allow you to capture and save any video source that is playing through your computer.

• Your sound recording software allows you to set your recording preferences prior to recording a stream. Here you can select your default folder for completed recordings and choose what format to record the files in (MP3, WAV, AVI, MPEG).

• Remember that the music and programs you hear on Internet radio are copyrighted material. It's acceptable to burn CDs of radio stations for your own personal use but don't copy, distribute or sell this material without permission from the copyright owner.

References

• YouTube: Learn How to Record Internet Radio with Replay A/V
• Applian: How To Record Web Audio with Ask & Record Toolbar
• Online Tech Tips: How to Capture, Save and Record Streaming Audio for Free

Resources

• Replay A/V Software
• Radiotracker Software
• Ask and Record Toolbar
• Express Burn CD/DVD Burning Software