Intempo Rebel records songs from FM radio, freaks out RIAA

This is either the best or worst idea ever -- we're still not sure. The Intempo Rebel (aptly named) records songs from FM radio stations, strips out DJ chatter and ads, and saves them to an SD or MMC card as MP3 files. What's more, it even goes after the most-played songs to make sure you're getting all the good (overplayed?) tracks right off the air. It also sports a USB port, line-in jack, and headphone plug. Intempo calls it a "music sampling system" that cuts out "hyperactive DJs" -- we call it a headache for the RIAA. It can be yours for £69.99 or $138 US.

[Via Redferret]

[Gilbert Tang @ Jun 20th 2008 5:12PM]

But for the lack of FM-quality, this thing would be awesome if it had some basic DVR functionality that allowed you to rewind the broadcast so you could catch the song in question in time. I usually don't realize I like a song on the radio--that is, if I listened to the radio--until it's too late.

[akballow @ Jun 20th 2008 5:17PM]

Nice, now i can record the crappy music of the radio!

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 20th 2008 5:39PM]

I was going to say, anyone who actually likes music knows well enough to avoid the top 40's overplayed crap on the radio.

I would only use something like this to record Tom Leykis' broadcast, and Frosty, Heidi and Frank.

The DJ's are the best part about radio.

[John D @ Jun 20th 2008 8:15PM]

Leykis used to come on an AM station by my house, but alas, no more. So I get the podcast - it's perfect - all the episode with none of the commercials. 39 minute mp3s delivered straight in. 97.1 Free FM distributes podcasts of both -

Tom Leykis: http://www.971freefm.com/pages/podcast/117.rss

Frosty, Heidi and Frank: http://www.971freefm.com/pages/podcast/44.rss

But to speak to the product, yeah, radio sucks - especially here in central NC. The only decent rock station is now full of whiny emo crap. Kinda depressing, actually.

[Backwards People @ Jun 20th 2008 5:14PM]

LOL. Great product. TIVO for the radio

[Shane @ Jun 20th 2008 5:18PM]

Given the quality of most FM stations on the dial, I doubt that the RIAA has anything to worry about. People used to record from radio onto cassette (remember those?) back in the 80's and early 90's. Later innovations allowed people to do the same thing onto a computer.

This would be really cool for public radio programming though...

[DefPo3t @ Jun 20th 2008 5:19PM]

make it for hd radio and I'm sold

and on a side note. **** the RIAA

[ishism @ Jun 20th 2008 7:28PM]

yes

[fanman @ Jun 21st 2008 2:58AM]

Under the time lapse clause of the UK's design, copyrights and patents act, any fool who objects to me having this knows where to go.

[nimro @ Jun 21st 2008 5:21PM]

@ fanman

Remember though that that clause is only for the purpose of _time shifting_ a broadcast, so this device is probably in a bit of a grey area (you would have to be able to prove that you were recording for the purpose of listening at a more convenient time).

[Wonderkid @ Jun 20th 2008 5:28PM]

You guys are too young, but there was a time when we would record our radio music to what was known as 'compact cassette'. The trick was to hit the stop button before the DJ spoke over the tunes. Ah, it was so annoying when your TDK C90 ran out of tape half way through a recording so you had to turn it over to get the other half on Side B! And no silly RIAA to worry about either. We still purchased music too, on vynil or somfink like dat... Oh, those were the days!

[DefPo3t @ Jun 20th 2008 5:44PM]

next time read the post above :^)

[olderfarter @ Jun 20th 2008 6:45PM]

cassettes? I used to do this on my 8 track recorder! ;p

[Mario @ Jun 20th 2008 6:59PM]

I used to record the BBC World Service on wax cylinders.

Ahhh, them were the days.

[Adam Rice @ Jun 20th 2008 5:32PM]

HOME TAPING IS KILLING MUSIC

[Neebs @ Jun 20th 2008 6:10PM]

HOME SD CARDING IS KILLING MUSIC

[phanbouy @ Jun 20th 2008 7:11PM]

DONKEYS HAVE TAILS

[El Taco @ Jun 20th 2008 7:44PM]

I NEVER USE CAPS LOCK OR SHIFT

[Bobs @ Jun 20th 2008 9:33PM]

I LIKE EGGS

[vcx @ Jun 20th 2008 10:33PM]

YOUR MOM IS KILLING MUSIC

[Jake Maheu @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:35PM]

CAPS LOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.

EVEN WITH CRUISE CONTROL YOU STILL HAVE TO STEER.

[Scotjo @ Jun 20th 2008 11:10PM]

i like to be difficult...

[kal326 @ Jun 20th 2008 11:26PM]

Video killed the radio star

F*

[Pavan @ Jun 21st 2008 2:04AM]

EIGHT SIX SEVEN FIVE TWO OH NINE

[Pavan @ Jun 21st 2008 2:08AM]

EIGHT SIX SEVEN FIVE TWO OH NINE

[electron @ Jun 20th 2008 5:34PM]

my sammy O2 can do that to.. (minus the editing...)
so will samsung be sued for that?

[krystar @ Jun 20th 2008 5:37PM]

let's see this accept a digital audio input from XM or HD radio devices! then RIAA will be slitting their wrists hopefully

[corey.coughlin @ Jun 20th 2008 7:41PM]

Well, checking the manual on the thing, it does have an external audio (analog, I'm assuming) input, so if you get an HD radio tuner you could conceivably hook it up and get the same kind of 'DJ talk removal' but in much higher quality. Of course, you'd need to shell out for an HD radio tuner, but still, with that combo it begins to sound more and more usable.

[dm @ Jun 20th 2008 5:39PM]

i think there is a unit (been out for some time ) that hooks up to your computer for like 50 bucks or less ( the radio shark) that is usb or pci card that does the same thing but you have to edit out the commercials

a lot of folks over at mp3car use these for carputers

come on engadget have yall not seen these!!!!

dm

[dennis p @ Jun 20th 2008 5:43PM]

oh yay. now you can record FM radio.

my question is why would you want to? all FM has become since Reagan gave us "media consolidation" is CRAP ON THE RADIO. you don't hear creative music anymore. you don't hear independent voices anymore. all you here is the same old crap playlist from right coast to left coast.

FM radio was awesome when I was a kid. there was a lot of variety, creative bands, ... now all you hear is what the labels buy airtime for ...and it sucks.

cute device though...

[DT @ Jun 20th 2008 5:53PM]

I don't think the RIAA will be so hot on this "free songs over specified portions of the electromagnetic spectrum" idea. They should probably nip it in the bud. How can they possibly know how many people are listening to (or, should I say, stealing) their songs?

[Znarfaggle @ Jun 20th 2008 5:59PM]

bwahahaha, considering the talk:music ratio these days on the radio, this thing would capture like 3 songs per day.

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 20th 2008 6:04PM]

Hopefully one day the ratio will be more like 0 songs.

Between Linkin Park and Nickelback, I think I'm legally deaf.

[jonmacd @ Jun 20th 2008 6:09PM]

i need to vote your comment up this time "lowest ranked"

[Alex @ Jun 20th 2008 6:24PM]

Because we couldn't do this before?

[skulldriveshaft @ Jun 21st 2008 3:16AM]

no, because we couldn't do this digitally before.

bonus if you have sticker labels that look like cassettes on your SD cards.

[Leroy Vargas @ Jun 20th 2008 6:59PM]

Why would I want to record from radio? Even FM Stereo can't completely replicate full audio spectrum, and its SNR is distressing too. I'll stick to buying vanilla COMPACT DISCS - they can replicate more than full audio spectrum (up to 22.05 kHz which is half Nyquist sampling rate of 44.1 kHz) and they have better SNR.

[TIMMAH! @ Jun 20th 2008 7:52PM]

Does it automatically tag the MP3 files created with artist/title information?

[Discosis @ Jun 20th 2008 8:40PM]

Thats what I wanna know too! :)

[whatsdamattau @ Jun 20th 2008 8:02PM]

where was this thing when I was really young and I was recording radio with a tape recorder and a microphone? Ah, kids now days are so lucky.

[okayokay @ Jun 21st 2008 12:07PM]

Have you heard today's music- this is no gift to the youth.

[nova62400 @ Jun 21st 2008 2:30PM]

lol so true

[BluFire @ Jun 20th 2008 8:20PM]

Get this before the RIAA puts this in the sh*tter

[nickillous @ Jun 21st 2008 12:52AM]

Worst idea ever.
This will make djs talk more in lead ins/outs.
And stations would drop their ID every 10 seconds.
And those are the recordings that will pollute the song pool even more.
FM is already free people.
Record some NPR.
Spread that shiet.

[BratPAQ @ Jun 21st 2008 7:07AM]

this would have been cool, 15 years ago. "hey man! look, my radio recordings doesnt have DJ on it!"

[Minty @ Jun 21st 2008 1:41PM]

One of my friends has one of these (arrived a few weeks ago).

Bottom line is that:
- build quality not great (but then it's quite cheap)
- speakers are rubbish (but then that's not the main feature)
- as has been mentioned, you can plug in a digital radio if you want better quality.

But the killer:
- doesn't do the greatest job of removing the DJ voice and chopping up the tracks. You do still get the DJ on the tracks.

[nova62400 @ Jun 21st 2008 2:25PM]

Can you put the card directly in your PMP without formatting issues? Seems like you would still want to use a computer to organize the songs and remove the ones you don't like. There are lots of better ways to steal music, but it's kinda fun to be reminded of the old days with cassettes.

[livefire @ Jun 21st 2008 5:15PM]

make one for satellite radio xm or siruis

[palehorse @ Jun 21st 2008 6:28PM]

combine this with HD Radio and other TIVOesque functions (pause, rewind, etc)... then you just might have a winner.

[Richard @ Jun 23rd 2008 7:45AM]

I got one Rebel bastard now. It does work so far.

I will tell you in a few days what is working and what is not, but until now it is all fine.

For the first days I saved 34 new songs. And then I connected my mobile phone's USB cable straight into it and it copied the songs to my Motorola straight away. I will report back tomorrow.

Cheers! ;-)