FA News – February, 25 2017

Website Issues Resolved

Our website issues have been resolved – at least for now.  The issue was with some rouge indexing bots.  We have taken steps to prevent this from occurring.  Our host will be monitoring the site for the next week to see if the steps were effective.  If not, we will be back in the same situation.

As a precaution, I am creating a backup site with another host.  If we run into issues, it will be a simple matter of pointing to the new host.

We Are Back With Sonixcast

After running a non-public test stream for the past few months on our sister station, Flashback Division, I am satisfied that the bulk of the growing pains SonixCast was experiencing have passed.  Our iTunes stream now points to the 192kb SonixCast feed.  The FA website listen links have also been updated.

You will no longer be able to use the StreamLicensing app on your smart device.  However, any app that supports the ShoutCast directory can be used to tune in.  Our 192kb and 64kb streams are listed.  If you bookmarked the StreamLicensing streams, please update to the new SonixCast streams.

Thank you for your patience, and as always, thanks for listening to Flashback Alternatives.

DJ Ed

#flashback-alternatives, #sonixcast, #streamlicensing

FA News – December 27th, 2016

Flashback Alternatives now on Stream Licensing

I am happy to announce that Flashback Alternatives has rejoined StreamLicening for its licensing and royalty needs.

The Flashback Alternatives website has been updated to point our listen links to the launch page on the StreamLicensing domain, which is a requirement.  You can either use the StreamLicensing player to tune in, or your player of choice.  Our iTunes and Shoutcast listings have also been updated to point to the new streams.

As of tomorrow, all SonixCast streams will be turned off, and we will be fully independent.  SonixCast is still a work in progress and was not meeting my expectations as our main provider for stream services.  Moving back to StreamLicensing is a significant expense, so listener support is greatly appreciated (but not necessary).

Look for more changes to FA in the coming days (including the move of FA’s broadcast server back to FA HQ).  Also on tap, tons of new music and a new website.

We are also working on getting FA relisted on TuneIn under the Flashback Alternatives name.  Stay Tuned!

Flashback Alternatives New Year’s Eve Dance Party

Just a reminder to tune in to the Flashback Alternatives New Year’s Eve Dance Party starting at 8pm (ET) on Saturday, December 31st.  All shows will repeat the following day.

As always, thanks for listening to Flashback Alternatives!

DJ Ed

 

#fa-news, #new-years-eve-dance-party, #streamlicensing

FA Alert – 6/17/16

We are currently having issues with the Flashback Alternatives website.  Our hosting provider has been alerted.

The site is very slow to load, when it loads at all.

We are working on moving the website to our own dedicated server over the coming weeks.

In the event you can’t reach the website, you can tune in via iTunes, TuneIn.com. Shoutcast.com, or via the following links:

• 192kb MP3 Stream
• 64kb AAC+ Stream

Thank you for your patience.

DJ Ed

#fa-alerts, #itunes, #shoutcast, #streamlicensing, #tunein, #website

FA News – May 29th, 2016

Stream Changes

As of today (5/29/16) we have changed our streaming provider to ReliaStream.  The Stream Licensing links as well as the iTunes links have been updated.  We are now offering 192kb MP3 and 64kb AAC+ streams.  We have eliminated the 128kb MP3 stream as the 64kb AAC+ stream offers the same quality using less bandwidth.  At the same time, we have increased the number of slots for the 192kb stream.  The FA iTunes link points to the 192kb stream.

We have also instituted a 12-hr listening maximum.  After 12 hours you will be disconnected from the stream.  To continue listening, just restart the stream.  This is being done to cut down on ’empty chair’ listening.

The original 192kb stream will be taken offline later tonight.  If you are using any kind of direct URL to that stream, please follow the 192kb Listen Link on the FA Web Site.

Directory Updates

TuneIn: I still have not heard back from TuneIn regarding relisting Flashback Alternatives.  I am going to be resubmitting FA as a new station and not as an update.  Maybe that will help.

iTunes: iTunes has cleaned up all the Flashback Alternatives listings.  Now there is only one FA listing.

Shoutcast: Both the 192kb and 64kb streams will be listed on Shoutcast.

Twitter and Facebook Updates

We have resumed posting Now Playing on the #npflashalt Twitter feed.  Currently it is tweeting after every song, but that should change to every 30 minutes once the application settings are refreshed.

We are also sending those tweets to our Flashback Alternatives Facebook Page.

Stream Rippers

One of the reasons we switched stream providers are the tools available to us to block Stream Rippers.  Stream Rippers, plain and simple, will be banned from listening to Flashback Alternatives.  Once banned, you will not be allowed back.  This should not affect the majority of FA listeners, as I suspect most Stream Rippers are bots, but for those human stream rippers – support the artists and buy their music.

June Artist of the Month

There is still time to vote.  It is a very close race this month.  Visit http://goo.gl/VTa2VW to vote!

That’s all for now.

As always, thanks for listening to Flashback Alternatives!

DJ Ed

#fa-news, #flashback-alternatives-2, #itunes, #reliastream, #shoutcast, #streamlicensing, #tunein

FA News – May 17th, 2016

Radionomy Update

This morning, after careful consideration, I decided to completely delete the Radionomy FA station.   This is to ensure that there is no mistake about FA’s legal status with licensing and royalty agencies.  All FA streams are licenced with StreamLicensing.

The downside to this is that we do have iTunes listings that will continue to point to non-existent streams, and anyone tuning it via iTunes will be directed to another station in the directory.  I have contacted iTunes about pointing our old Live365 listing to our 128kb StreamLicensing stream.  I am hopeful they will be able to make that change sooner rather than later.  I have also contacted TuneIn and asked them to relist FA (all three bitrates) now that we are no longer part of Radionomy.

Tuning In To Flashback Alternatives

There has been some confusion about how to tune in to Flashback Alternatives.  Until our listings are updated (or re-added) with services like iTunes and TuneIn, you will need to tune in via the FA website Play Now! buttons.  Clicking on a PlayNow! button will bring you to our StreamLicensing page where you can either use their web player (HTML5 – not Flash) via the Click To Play icon

You can also use you can launch the stream in a player of your choice by clicking on “Tune in using your favorite external media player click here“.  That will bring up this window where you can select your player:

Lastly, if you open the Flashback Alternative website on a Smart Phone/Tablet and click on one of the Play Now! buttons, you will see the To Download And Listen Via IOS or Android Click Here link.  That will start the download of the StreamLicensing mobile app – with FA as the default station.

You can also tune in to Flashback Alternatives via the StreamLicensing directory.

If you have any question about how to tune in to Flashback Alternatives, please contact me here.

As always, thanks for listening to Flashback Alternatives!

DJ Ed

#fa-news, #flashback-alternatives-2, #listen-to-fa, #radionomy, #streamlicensing

FA News – May 14th, 2016

FA Returns To Stream Licensing

As of Friday night (5/13/16) Flashback Alternatives has moved its live stream from Radionomy to Stream Licensing.   If you visit the Flashback Alternatives website you will see the new listen links.  The links will open to a separate listen page on the Stream Licensing domain.  Right now this is a generic page.  I will be working on the custom listen page this weekend.  This separate listen page is required to stay compliant with the various licencing and royalty agencies.

We are offering 192kb MP3, 128kb Mp3, and 64kb AAC+ streams.  192kb and 64kb streams have limited slots.  The 128kb stream is to be considered our main stream.  The custom listen links will automatically roll to the 128kb stream if the 192kb or 64kb streams are full.  You have the ability to tune in via a very nice HTML5 player or  you can listen with the app of your choice.  Also on that tune in page is a link where you can download the Stream Licensing app for your Smart Phone (IOS or Android) that will automatically play Flashback Alternatives!

Also – No More Ads!  With the move to StreamLicensing we are no longer required to air any ads (or Public Service Announcements).  FA will be commercial free again!  The one exception is a Pre-roll add that may play.  That is required by StreamLicensing’s new ownership group.

As a result of not having to incorporate ads in the programming, all FA shows will run 1 hr straight.  No more commercial breaks.

Moving back to StreamLicensing is quite honestly not cheap.  Hopefully a new Small Webcasters license will become available soon that will help reduce costs, but until then we are paying the same rates as the Pandora’s of the world.  Any listener support is greatly appreciated.

FA on Radionomy

We will be maintaining a presence on Radionomy – mainly because our iTunes links point there.  There is a basic stream still playing there with a few hundred track playlist.  We are running sweepers directing listeners back to the FA website if they want the full FA experience.

I will be working with iTunes to get our original FA listing (which is still up and pointing to the non-existent Live365 stream) switched to our StreamLicensing stream.

That’s it for now.. as always, thanks for listening to Flashback Alternatives!

DJ Ed

 

 

#fa-news, #flashback-alternatives-2, #itunes, #radionomy, #small-webcasters-agreement, #streamlicensing, #tunein

FA News – May 12, 2016

Radionomy News

As many of you are unfortunately aware, Radionomy has Geo-blocked some countries from tuning in to Radionomy streams.  They have communicated very little about what is going on.  This is just the latest of many recent issues with the Radionomy platform.  What started out looking like a good platform for Flashback Alternatives has quickly deteriorated.  In fairness to Radionomy, not all of their issues are their fault, but similar to what was going on towards the end of Live365, communication to the broadcasters about what is happening is piss poor.   So, effective this weekend (probably Friday night), we will be switching our live streams over to a new streaming host in conjunction with licensing via Stream Licensing.  We will be offering  128kb MP3 and 64kb ACC+ streams.   StreamLicensing itself was recently purchased by a radio group but they have said that things will not change – other than the insertion of a pre-roll ad prior to a stream launching.  There will be NO in stream ads.

I will also be maintaining a non-live feed of FA on Radionomy  – mainly because I have iTunes listings pointing to it, but also in case I need to return to Radionomy with the live feed.  I am going to try and have the old Live365 iTunes listing pointed to the new 128kb stream (it still points to a non-existent Live365 stream) as well as get relisted on Tunein.

StreamLicensing

Some may remember that we use StreamLicensing a few years back prior to moving back to Live365.  StreamLicensing requires all streams to launch from their domain for licensing and royalty purposes.  There will be no direct links to the streams from the FA website.  This just means one extra click.  StreamLicensing does have an HTML player and mobile apps as well.

With the move to becoming quasi-independent again, our costs are going to go up dramatically.   I am hoping to find additional listener support now that the station will be commercial free (although I do have requests to keep the Jill in the Forest PSA.. not).

In addition, I plan to limit listening to 8 hrs – after which you will have to restart the stream.  This is to keep costs down.  I don’t mind paying for actual listeners, but would rather not pay for empty chairs.   Streamrippers will also be blocked and banned.

FA 9:00pm Shows

As a result of moving back with StreamLicensing and not having to worry about commercials, all FA shows will be able to return to a 1 hr format with no interruptions.   It might be a week before everyone can get there shows back into a one hour format, but this will be a welcome change for all.

That’s all for now, and as always, thanks for listening to Flashback Alternatives.

DJ Ed

 

#fa-news, #flashback-alternatives-2, #radionomy, #streamlicensing