Powerhouse Radio Newsletter July 15, 2002

Powerhouse Radio Newsletter

Return to the list of newsletters

How to Listen to Internet Radio on your Home Stereo
July 15, 2002

This issue includes...

1) How to Listen to Internet Radio on your Home Stereo
2) Powerhouse Radio's Global Community
3) Concert Dates: Quick Takes
4) Music News: Michael Jackson is Singing the Blues
5) Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood: Lyric Power
6) Instant Access to PowerhouseRadio.com
7) Tell Us What You Think

Forward this issue to a friend

Subscribe at https://powerhouseradio.com

1) How to Listen to Internet Radio on your Home Stereo

We've all grown used to listening to our favorite music on either a personal Walkman, a boombox, a good car stereo, or a nice home stereo hook-up. Unfortunately, not all sound is created equal when listening to music on your computer. When listening to mp3's or online radio, the quality of the sound can vary a great deal when using your computer.

Basic computer speakers leave a lot to be desired. The speakers that came with your PC may not sound good to you. Have you upgraded your computer speakers to multimedia units with improved frequency response? If you haven't - don't worry. Save your money and do the following (for about $20 or less).

Here is a virtually free way to upgrade your listening experience by plugging into the capabilities of your home stereo system. Some people even have stereo systems at work, so this trick may work in your office too.

Depending upon your computer and stereo system, you'll need the following:

1) Two (2) stereo mini plug "Y" connectors:
NOTE you'll need two different kinds...

* 1 stereo "male" mini plug to double "female" mini plugs.

* 1 stereo "male" mini plug to "double male"
RCA adapters.

2) One (or more) standard RCA stereo audio cable(s).

3) An optional RCA stereo audio adapter (see adapters below).

NOTE: RCA is a generic term for standard home stereo audio cables. You do not need the RCA brand.

Your configuration may differ depending on how far your stereo receiver is from your computer. You may need two (2) or more standard RCA stereo audio cables if your connection distance is longer than say 20 feet or so. Just plug the cables in end-to-end.

Here is the basic connection diagram:

"a"
  [] stereo "Y" mini plug (male end)
  / \
  / \
[] [] (female ends) stereo mini plug
"b" "c"

Plug the "a" end into your computer audio output jack.

Plug your computer speaker cable (which is a male plug) into female plug "b." You can now listen to music from your computer through your computer speakers as you normally do.

Plug female plug "c" into male plug "d" (your second cable, the "mini plug to RCA male adapter "Y" connector). This will allow you to listen to music from your computer speakers, AND, your stereo system at the same time.

"b" "c"
[]    [] (female ends from above)

   "d"
    [] (stereo mini plug male)
   / \
   / \
  [] [] (male RCA audio plugs)
"e" "f"

OPTIONAL NOTE: You don't need to connect plug " f " unless you want a stereo connection. For a stereo connection, plug the black side of the RCA audio cable to the left channel (plug "e,") and the red side of the RCA audio cable to the right channel (plug " f " ). Some cables use gray & red (instead of black and red).

For mono only listening, you can use a male mini plug to a single male RCA plug! We suggested the "Y" connector because you could connect your PC into two different stereo receivers in your house or apartment at once (for mono listening). For most mono online radio, this is a great trick.

Up to this point, everything is very simple. It gets a little bit more challenging to do the final step. Most stereo receivers use female audio input jacks. When you go to your local Radio Shack, Best Buy, or local electronics store, get a standard male to female RCA audio cable, and you're done.

Plug the female end into "e," and the male end into an available female audio input on your receiver. Use the black side of the stereo audio cable (for mono setups). Our receiver has VCR 1 and VCR 2 audio inputs. We used VCR 2 to make the connection.

ADVANCED and OPTIONAL

If your electronics store is sold out of male-to-female audio cables, you can use male-to-male cables. To do this, you must have a short adapter (about 4 inches long) with female plugs on both ends. Use two adapters for stereo, one for the left channel, one for the right channel.

Plug your female adapter into "e," plug one male end of your male-to-male audio cable into the adapter, then plug the other side of your male-to-male audio cable into your stereo receiver female audio input. Whew!

ADVANCED tip: any combination of male-to-male, female- to-female, or male-to-female RCA audio cables will work with the appropriate additional adapters. HINT: draw a picture on paper first and identify your male and female cable ends (or things may get too complicated).

Now Enjoy the Music:

With your stereo receiver off, turn on your computer. Either Load an mp3, or connect to the Internet and launch your favorite online radio station.

Turn on your stereo receiver (with the sound volume off). Select the appropriate audio input (the audio input you plugged the cable into). Now turn up the sound volume.

If you used the mono setup, turn your stereo mono switch on your receiver to mono, so the sound will come out of both speakers. Does your receiver have main and remote speaker abilities? Yes? You're in heaven! The music is now coming out of your computer speakers, your main stereo speakers, and the remote speakers in a different part of your apartment or house.

Adjust the bass and treble tone controls to your personal taste. Try boosting both the bass and treble when listening to lower bandwidth "dial-up" online radio stations. If you are using a cable modem or other high speed connection, adjusting the tone controls will also improve your sound.

Wireless devices are also on the market to accomplish playing music from your computer to your stereo system. Save some money and do it the way we've recommend above! Remember, a direct connection via wire from your computer to your stereo receiver should give you better quality. Have fun!

King
Powerhouse Radio
https://powerhouseradio.com
---------------------------

Good luck. Tell us a good story about how you did this hook-up, and we may print your response in a future issue (and send you a prize).

Use our feedback form

2) Powerhouse Radio's Global Community

Did you know that Powerhouse Radio has listeners in over 60 different countries? These are not just website visitors, these are actual listeners, like you who have fired up our audio stream.

Here are the top ten countries in terms of total listening hours to Powerhouse Radio during the month of June, 2002:

1) United States
2) United Kingdom
3) Canada
4) Republic of Korea
5) Japan
6) Belgium
7) Spain
8) Germany
9) Netherlands
10) Trinidad and Tobago

Here are the top USA locations listening to Powerhouse Radio during June, 2002 (based on total listening hours):

1) Washington, DC
2) Los Angeles, CA
3) New York City, NY
4) Atlanta, GA
5) Raleigh - Durham, NC
6) Dallas - Fort Worth, TX
7) Cleveland, OH
8) Syracuse, NY
9) Boston, MA
10) Nashville, TN

3) Concert Dates: Quick Takes:

Mary J. Blige
Friday, July 19, 2002
MCI Center, Washington, DC
7:30pm

Rick James
Friday, July 19, 2002
Chicago Theater, Chicago, IL
7:30pm

LL Cool J
Sunday, July 21, 2002
The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
9:00pm

New Edition, En Vogue
Sunday, July 21, 2002
Fleet Boston Pavilion, Boston, MA

Mary J. Blige
Tuesday, July 23, 2002
Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
8:00pm

Pointer Sisters
Friday, July 26, 2002
Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
8:00pm

Alicia Keys
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
7:30pm

Dionne Warwick
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
Ocean, London, United Kingdom
8:00pm

Lauryn Hill
Thursday, August 1, 2002
Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ (Philadelphia, PA region)
6:00pm

Maxwell
Saturday, August 3, 2002
Hummingbird Center, Toronto, ON Canada
8:00pm

Teddy Pendergrass
Wednesday, August 7, 2002
Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA

Ray Charles
Wednesday, August 7, 2002
Beacon Theatre, New York, NY
8:00pm

Natalie Cole
Thursday, August 15, 2002
City Lights Pavilion, Denver, CO
7:30pm

Taj Mahal
Sunday, August 25, 2002
Hudson Park Blues & BBQ Festival, New York, NY

Alicia Keys
Thursday, August 29, 2002
Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (Baltimore area)
7:30pm

4) Music News: Michael Jackson is Singing the Blues

The "King of Pop," Michael Jackson, has gotten the spirit. He's been "testifying," along with his new associate, the Rev. Al Sharpton. What's the fuss? Seems as if Michael hasn't duplicated the 40 million plus unit sales of 'Thriller,' so he's now expressing political correctness as a 'man of color' to call out the evil record company Sony Music.

Now it's clear why Michael came up with his new "Love Songs" CD collection: to satisfy his contractual obligation to Sony before going public with his assertion that the music business is racist.

In a recent appearance alongside civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton in Harlem, USA, Jackson lashed out at the music industry - specifically Sony Music - and accused it of conspiring against black artists.

Jackson specifically called out Sony Music Entertainment Leader Tommy Mottola, labeling him racist and accusing him of using the "n-word" in reference to one of the label's African American artists.

Looks like Jackson's last release, 'Invincible,' only sold 2 million copies (only!). For most mortal music artists, this would be fabulous. For Mr. Moonwalk, this is chump change. Michael is claiming that Sony Music failed to promote 'Invincible.'

The 2 million sales figure for 'Invincible' seems like a stretch. There were four different versions of the CD cover. How many suckers do you think purchased all four, banking on the possibility that 'Invincible' would become a collector's item?

Many fans were able to download and record both 'You Rock My World,' and 'Butterflies' directly from the Sony Music website... (good free promotion for a new CD), so it's debatable whether Michael can say that Sony didn't promote the 'Invincible' CD.

His new found political consciousness seems like too much, too little, too late. It's funny, the same people we ignore on the way up, are the same people we reach out to for help on the way down. Enter the new 'alliance' between Jackson and Sharpton.

Michael Jackson has a 27 year history with Sony Music. You would think if he had major disagreements, he would have done what many of his former Motown breethern did to Berry Gordy: exit and move on to greener pastures. The fact is that according to Quincy Jones, Michael re-wrote the playbook by getting an incredible financial share of his sales success of 'Off the Wall,' 'Thriller,' 'Bad,' and other releases.

I respect Michael's new role to be a crusader for black artists (mostly himself), but how legitimate is his commitment given that his career has taken a dive. Talent is talent. If the Isley Brothers can have hits in 6 consecutive decades, I think there is still hope for Michael Jackson, if he gets his priorities in order.

King
Powerhouse Radio

5) Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood: Lyric Power

Courtesy of The Archive of Misheard Lyrics at
kissthisguy.com

Song: Papa Was a Rolling Stone
Artist: Temptations

The real lyrics:
And when he died, all he left us was alone.

Misheard by Barbara as:
And when he died, all he left us was a loan.

6) Get instant access to the Powerhouse Radio Website

Add Powerhouse Radio to your Windows desktop. You'll be able to listen automatically with just two clicks!

Try this amazing FREE software out, you'll love it. Click on the following link:

2021 Update: Software is sunset. Link removed.

Download and "save to your computer."
Share it with a friend. Super easy to install, no hassle
automatic uninstall. Only 537K.
No pop-ups, no banner ads, no nonsense, no spyware,
no hassles, no headaches! Guaranteed.

7) Tell Us What You Think

We would love to hear what you think of this issue of the
Powerhouse Radio Newsletter.

Use our feedback form

More 2002 Powerhouse Radio Newsletters:

December -	Music Review: En Vogue, The Gift of Christmas
November -	Standing in the Shadows of Motown: The Movie and the CD
November -	The Legacy of Jam Master Jay
October -	Welcome to Our New Listeners and Subscribers
September -	SPECIAL EDITION
August -	The Satellite Radio Revolution
June -	Why Aretha Franklin is the number one diva

Return to the list of newsletters