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Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: acidjack on September 01, 2010, 05:38:11 PM

Title: FM Receiver?
Post by: acidjack on September 01, 2010, 05:38:11 PM
I am attending an event where a bunch of the show will be broadcast via FM onsite.  I'm thinking about trying to get some kind of simple FM receiver that I can rig up in my room plugged into an M10...

Any idea of something that is (a) inexpensive, (b) relatively portable and (c) sounds good?
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: eric.B on September 01, 2010, 05:47:03 PM
(http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g213/ericBowne/greyfox%202007/IMG_3173.jpg)

not sure what you mean by "inexpensive" or "relatively portable", but the grundig gs350dl gets good reception, runs on batteries(and wallwart), and has stereo RCA out jacks...

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-r3NZDDPkG3O/p_710GS350DL/Grundig-GS350DL.html (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-r3NZDDPkG3O/p_710GS350DL/Grundig-GS350DL.html)
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: Massive Dynamic on September 01, 2010, 05:53:21 PM
My iRiver hp-120 has an FM receiver. Maybe someone local would lend you one?
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: rhinowing on September 01, 2010, 06:28:13 PM
got an old walkman with FM reception or anything similar laying around? Would be real easy to just run from the headphone jack into your recorder...
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: rastasean on September 01, 2010, 07:12:59 PM
My iRiver hp-120 has an FM receiver. Maybe someone local would lend you one?

I recommend this as well. you will need a pair of headphones plugged in since it acts as the antenna.
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: bucsab12 on September 02, 2010, 10:07:16 PM
I am also looking for a small FM receiver with RCA output. I cam across this radio while looking through the web:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-XDRF1HD-HD-Radio-Tuner/dp/B00168Q248/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1283477197&sr=8-1

I wanted to know what will I need to buy other than the radio so I'll be able to listen to music and record what's playing (through RCA out)?

Do I have to buy a receiver to connect the radio to?

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: dgale on September 02, 2010, 10:15:41 PM
i've been wondering the question for a while as well - many of the festivals broadcast an in-house FM signal and I've always used an old FM Walkman I have and run out of the headphone jack into my SBM-1, but often the reception is not perfect and I've wondered what others would suggest that would be a higher end approach to getting a good signal on a battery-powered device with line outs. 
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: mloewen on September 03, 2010, 12:19:04 PM
I used my old Sony Sport cassette boom box (the yellow ones) to record The Grateful Dead at Telluride . they broadcast it on Koto fm.
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: bucsab12 on September 03, 2010, 07:02:37 PM
Can anybody tell me if I record through the headphones jack using a stereo to stereo cable, will the quality be as good as connecting the recorder to the radio using a RCA to stereo cable?

Does anyone have any other suggestions for a radio that has an RCA connection and has good reception other than the Grundig one?
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: rastasean on September 03, 2010, 08:54:56 PM
Can anybody tell me if I record through the headphones jack using a stereo to stereo cable, will the quality be as good as connecting the recorder to the radio using a RCA to stereo cable?

Does anyone have any other suggestions for a radio that has an RCA connection and has good reception other than the Grundig one?

again, I fully support and recommend the hp 120. it records directly to disc so there's no need for cable other than a pair of headphones to act as the antenna.
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: bucsab12 on September 04, 2010, 08:39:29 AM
Can anybody tell me if I record through the headphones jack using a stereo to stereo cable, will the quality be as good as connecting the recorder to the radio using a RCA to stereo cable?

Does anyone have any other suggestions for a radio that has an RCA connection and has good reception other than the Grundig one?

again, I fully support and recommend the hp 120. it records directly to disc so there's no need for cable other than a pair of headphones to act as the antenna.

Thanks Sean for the response. I only intend to record from my house when there are shows that are broadcast on the radio. If I had the hp 120 it could have been a great solution but I don't and I don't know anyone in my area that owns one.

I would like to find a radio, it doesn't have to be real small but not too big either. I used to own a Sony receiver that had a tuner built into it so it could pick up radio signals but it broke down.

I would like to find something that could do the same job but only smaller than a receiver because my current apartment is tiny.

Thanks again for the help.
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: Colin Liston on September 04, 2010, 09:30:06 AM
RAido Shack used to sell small tuners, that were only tuners that had RCA outputs.  Maybe Ebay or local craigslist for an old cheap tuner.
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: anonymous_user on September 04, 2010, 02:04:21 PM
You could probably find a decent PC FM tuner for $15-20 if you looked around. I've used a PC FM tuner before and with good results. They often come with their own antenna which can be better than you'll get from some stereos or probably most radios or boomboxes. I've only used them in the form of TV tuner PCI cards, but I'm sure they have decent USB ones as well that are only for FM.
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: sunjan on September 04, 2010, 04:58:14 PM
You could probably find a decent PC FM tuner for $15-20 if you looked around.

What he said.
Here's one for ya. Griffin Radio Shark, $18 incl shipping:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250627185642

PC based solutions have the advantage that you can schedule multiple recordings and even switch channels if necessary, without being present. Combine this with Total Recorder or Audacity and you're set...
Title: Re: FM Receiver?
Post by: bucsab12 on September 04, 2010, 07:37:13 PM
Thank you huys for all the suggestions. I will look into it...