Folks love a digital video recorder such as TiVo because it lets them easily record their favorite TV shows. But what are fans of radio shows to do? Well, so long as your favorite show is broadcast on the Web, you can set up your computer to capture it. Download the right software and fiddle a bit with some settings; your computer will automatically launch a browser and record your show each time it airs. You'll then have it as an MP3 that you can listen to at your leisure, transfer to your MP3 player, or burn to a CD.

Required attention span: 30 minutes Ingredients
Before you start, you'll need to gather these elements:

PC


Replay Radio 6.1 ($30)

Follow these simple steps


1
Download and install Replay Radio
Download and install Replay Radio. You can try it in demo mode, but it allows you to record only one-hour segments for a period of seven consecutive days. Once you purchase the software, your recordings can be as long as you like.

Replay Radio is a straightforward app with an attractive interface.


2
Configure the software
Configure the software. When you first launch Replay Radio, you'll be greeted with a window that lets you choose where your recordings will be stored. Make sure that you select a hard disk with plenty of room. If you're on dial-up, you'll need to check the appropriate box and test the connection. Otherwise, you should be able to leave the rest of the settings as they are. If you have trouble, you can come back to this screen later to adjust settings (such as tuning options) to get better recordings.

When you initially start Replay Radio, you can choose where you want your recordings to be saved.

3
Configure your PC
Configure your PC. Replay Radio can record only when your PC is turned on. If you turn the PC off or if it automatically goes into standby mode, you'll miss your recording. Click Start > Control Panel > Power Options. Make sure that the System Standby setting is on Never.

Use the bottom drop-down menu to set your system standby mode.





4
Add listed radio shows
Finally, it's time to add some radio shows. Click Add Show, then Pick Show. Click the "Get updated list from the Web" button to make sure you have the latest list of radio shows. If the show you're interested in is in the list, just select it and click OK.

You can pick a show from a long list of Internet broadcasts.

5
Add unlisted radio shows
If your show isn't listed, click Pick A Station. This works the same way. Then enter the time and days that your show is on.

Once you've scheduled a recording, this screen pops up with a summary of the settings.


6
Customize recording settings
Once you've picked a show or a station, you're presented with a pop-up that lets you customize settings for the recording. You should be able to leave everything at its default. You may opt to change the output options to a particular quality. For example, the KQED stream of All Things Considered is very low quality, so you might opt to use FM quality rather than CD quality. This will save you some disk space. We also prefer to check the "Mute sound while recording" box. (Click the Recording tab for this option.) If you've left the volume on too high, it's pretty startling when your computer automatically tunes in to the radio.

The settings box lets you choose your desired output quality.





7
Find URLs for obscure radio shows
Don't despair if your show or station isn't in either list. You'll just need the URL for the station you're trying to record. If, for example, your station of choice has a Web site with a link labeled Listen Live or something similar and that launches RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, simply right-click that link and select Copy Shortcut. Return to Replay Radio and click Add Show. Name the show, right-click in the URL field, select Paste, then set up the time your show airs. Other radio Web sites launch various pop-up windows that make this process more difficult. Try using the URL-finder feature on the main page of Replay Radio in this situation.

If you copy and paste the URL for a station that's not listed, Replay Radio will tune in for recording.


8
Minimize Replay Radio
Now you're done. Just minimize rather than close Replay Radio--it needs to run in the background. And don't forget to leave your PC running.



9
Hear the results
After your show has aired, open Replay Radio from the icon in the taskbar and click View Recordings to hear what was recorded.