How Do You Listen To Internet Audio?

Anyway you want to!

If the audio website provides a ‘listen now’ or ‘play’ button, you can listen right on the web by clicking the play button and turning up your computer speakers. 

If you don’t happen to have speakers connected to your computer you can improvise by plugging a simple audio headset into the speaker jack on your computer and lisen that way.

If you don’t have either – can I ask you to please buy an inexpensive set of computer speakers?  There are so many awesome podcasts and media on the web is growing by the minute, it’s a shame to miss out on it.  I found this deal on Amazon: Cyber Acoustics (Under $5). 

Or if you have to share airspace with others, you should grab a USB headset mic that lets you listen (and talk) on your computer.  Here’s a good inexpensive set: Cyber Acoustics USB Headset (Under $25).

You can spend a lot more on computer speakers or USB headsets, but the casual user can skip pricey solutions and get by just fine.

If the website doesn’t provide a way to listen online through a player, it is probably offering the audio to you as an Mp3 file.  An Mp3 file is the most common type of file used to share audio digitally. 

Find the audio link and right click it so that your computer menu appears.  Then choose ‘Save Link As’ or ‘Save Target As’ or ‘Save File As’ (whichever appears on your list) and save the file to your desktop or to a folder you have set aside for it. 

Once the file downloads completely you will be able to listen to it on any media software that you have on your computer. 

If you can’t find a media player on your system, you can download iTunes (PC or MAC) or Windows Media Player (PC).  Both are freely available and will play your Mp3 files for you right on your computer.

What if you want to listen to the audio away from your computer? 

• You could burn the audio to a CD and take it with you to your stereo or car.
• You could transfer the audio to your preferred Mp3 player and listen anywhere.

Next time I’ll make a few affordable Mp3 player recommendations :)

Last 5 posts by Kelly McCausey

• Are You Running Out of Podcast Topics? - July 28th, 2009
• I'm Just Not That Into My Podcast - April 14th, 2009
• New Resource for Audio Clips - March 5th, 2009
• What about Blog Talk Radio? - January 15th, 2009
• Learn About Podcasting - December 29th, 2008