Streaming radio in the car : it’s one of the most reliable ways to listen to our favorite radio. Why in streaming? The reasons can be different: from the lack of FM frequency in the area in which we are traveling, because we want to hear a radio that transmits only in DAB or because we want to continue listening to that foreign radio station that we always followed when we were on vacation. It must have happened to you too, right?
Streaming radio in the car: advantages and disadvantages
We have already mentioned some advantages of streaming radio in the car , one above all the possibility of listening to any AM, FM, DAB radio, without any problem of frequencies or coverage areas. This applies both to large national radios and to those broadcasting exclusively locally, perhaps in a single province. It is also possible to listen to the radios that broadcast from abroad but which obviously do not have space on the Italian FMs. Last but not least, you can listen to other streaming services such as podcasts or Spotify or Amazon Music .
The biggest drawback is due to the need for a data connection in the car . A smartphone with a very high data plan is required. However, considering the current offers of 50 GB per month, these are not economically unattainable prices as it happened a few years ago.
How to listen to streaming radio in the car?
To listen to streaming radio in the car, you need to use a free app, such as the excellent MyTuner Radio or RadioGram . We have tested both, having found that they are among the most reliable and complete from the point of view of the list of radio stations. They also have several podcast channels and car mode which reduces distractions. They are not the only ones, you can choose the one that convinces you the most, obviously also for iPhone .
At this point it is necessary to connect the smartphone to the car radio. Let’s see some possibilities, depending on the various models. It is possible to connect smartphones and car radios with a cable to the AUX input . There are really cheap ones, like the one we have selected here .
If you do not have the AUX input or in any case you do not want flying cables you can use the bluetooth connection . In addition, for the latest cars you can use Android Auto or Apple Car Play .
How can we do if there is no AUX or bluetooth? Don’t panic, because there is a way around the problem. For some years now, small devices have been available that receive sound via bluetooth from your smartphone and transmit it back to the car radio using an FM frequency . You will have to choose the frequency that is not occupied by a radio station: a somewhat tedious operation but which must be done with care.
These devices are valuable travel companions in sparsely populated areas when we want to listen to a streaming radio in the car. It must be said that in large cities, where practically all frequencies are already occupied, they can actually suffer from radio disturbances. In any case, we point out three of the best on the market, all under 20 euros. Given the prices, it’s worth a try.
