Shoutcast Ads NoAdShoutcast
 

Hi

Some shoutcast stations play advertising to pay for the cost of there severs ect, I find this annoying and have written a program to allow the user to black list adverts. As it is a VB exe file I cant upload it to the plugging section.

So what im asking is two things, is it bad to be doing this (legal implications etc)?

And would it be better to rewrite it as a winamp plug-in or something (and if i did would it be welcome in the plug-in section here)?


If you want the program theres a link on my blog www.hmmablog.blogspot.com

You beggar them if you're offering tools to block ads needed by the radio station to finance their station.

Yes I do agree,

However

1. The adverts are usually for products in a different country
2. They are annoying as hell
3. I have donated to the radio station numerous times

Also isn't there software to block ad's on web pages (adblock plus)and TV (dvr devices or mute button)already?

They don't seem to be getting in trouble?

They way I see it unless the advertising company's find out this sort of software exists they will still be paying for the advertising.

Also the program only changes the Volume of winamp on your computer, the same as manually pressing mute when the ad comes on.

So the online radio streaming you get for free isn't good enough for you? There are plenty of pay-for radio streams out there that are advertisement free you can look into, then if it bugs you that much.

As long as it still shows the stream as connected, the station gets their money whether you listen to the ad or not. You could just as easily click the mute button and wait in silence while the ads are playing. Same thing to the station as the revenue is based on the connection logs, not on whether people really listen to the ads.

You must have some great software - because it would have to be psychic to sense a commercial (Unless the station is not delaying their metadata, in which case they are idiots)

What you're basically saying, unless I'm mistaken, is that you want to screw the broadcaster and the advertiser, yet you don't think it will eventually lead to the demise of the very station you claim to support. Hmmmm...

There's always ways to block stuff, and I don't think what you're trying to do is wrong from a legal standpoint. But there are also other solutions.

If you love the station, you make donations, but you don't like the ads, why not contact the owner of the station and explain that you think supporters/subscribers should receive a commercial-free stream? Seems like a reasonable request to me.

It uses the mettadata that my progam grabs from winamp.

Because I listen to a few difrent radio stations.

Also my second question in my first post still stands unanswered

Negative.

A station isn't paid by lump sum with ad campaigns.

They usually have a listener count associated with them. They are usually required to stream them at a set time, and the payment will be MINUSCULE compared to the price to keep a server running.

If you use this script, the broadcaster will see you popping on and off during ads in the DNAS logs, and think you are a stream ripper, and then ban your IP.

I wouldn't count on anyone doing answering it. Broadcasters work hard for what little revenue (if any) they take in. They are not going to turn around and help you bypass that system.

It sets the volume in winamp to 0 when the advert starts and back to where it was when its over, you are still connected to the stream, they will not think you are a stream ripper, and your IP will not get banned.



Yes I agree, however am not expecting them to make it easy, rather they are going to make it hard (random numbers in front of advert mettadata, time shifted mettadata etc). As I understand it the people who moderate winamp plugins are not the same people who run the streams.

And people will find this less irritating!?

Hmm.. the sounds not working? better crank up the volume, hmm.. still nothing, something wrong? SUPER LOUD CRASH BANG ZAP! oh..

It'll be frustrating for all the other users who want to see the correct metadata when broadcasters start putting in bogus metadata to trigger your plugin to cut volume 30 seconds into every 4th song, that'll be a LOT less irritating I bet.

I hope you'll include your email address so everyone can thank you.

I have to laugh, this is too funny :-)

Sure you will do this if you were droped on your head as an infant. Serously you know what adverts you have blacklisted, why not check whats playing?

Its coded in a way that this will never happen.

Incorect data isnt my fault, im not forcing anyone to change their mettadata now am I?

I do in the about section of my program.