I'm particularly pleased to share this press release.  Brian and I have become acquainted over the past few months, although I've read some of his writing dating back ten years. Brian's an inventor, author and serial entrepreneur. He has founded a series of telecom startups, including PhoneZone, TrekMail,  and more recently Open Communication Systems, the parent company behind RadioHandi. He is also an O'Reilly author and frequent contributor to the O'Reilly Network, and also maintains Telephony Design, a telecom tutorial and buyers guide.  

Brian and I have talked a bit about this new Stream Codes Directory Service over the past couple of months. Here's an example of how unifying communications gives more freedom to users. This service can take Internet broadcasting to a new level. And audio streams really provide just an introduction. I expect to see other media streams in the directory in the future.

MP3 players are so common they're built into our phones today, but other consumer electronics devices can easily support streaming media. We've seen talk about place-shifting television with Slingbox and the like. This simple service can take the pain out of listening to podcasts and make it as simple as a radio. And it leads quickly to imbedded Internet radio. Or you can listen via the phone if you like...any phone.

Internet broadcasting just changed for the better.

Radio Handi Launches Stream Codes Directory Service
San Francisco, CA (Sept 6th) - Radio Handi has launched Stream Codes, an innovative new service that will make viewing live or time shifted Internet audio/video content on consumer devices as easy as tuning a TV channel.

Stream Codes (guide.radiohandi.com) is an open directory service that enables content providers (TV/radio stations, internet stations, podcasters and vlogs) to register to receive a stream code, a short numeric code that can be entered on a telephone style keypad. Registrants can request easy to remember mnemonic codes (for example, KQED is listed as 5733 or KQED on a phone dialpad). Content providers then provide current addresses for their live streams, podcasts and RSS feeds.

Radio Handi shares this directory with consumer electronics manufacturers and software developers under a dual open source/commercial license, enabling them to make streaming and time shifted media as easy to use as AM/FM radio. The directory enables manufacturers to embed internet media in virtually any form factor, from a wi-fi table top radio or boombox to high-end audio/video or gaming consoles.

The directory is very easy to integrate into consumer devices including mobile phones, table top radios/boomboxes, portable media players and home A/V or gaming equipment. In a typical scenario, a table top wifi radio for example, the user keys in a station's stream code (KQED public TV/radio is registered as 5733, or KQED on a telephone style keypad). The device loads an RSS file from Radio Handi web service, and then attempts to download or play the items listed in the RSS feed. From the user's perspective s/he simply tuned a station.

Radio Handi will also enable users to listen to live and archived MP3 programming via any telephone. This service, due for launch in September, enables users to call any Radio Handi local access number, a local call in over 30 countries, and listen to the live or archived program on any fixed, mobile or VoIP telephone.

The Stream Codes directory is open for public registration now. Amateur and professional content providers can register free of charge to obtain their stream codes at guide.radiohandi.com Consumer electronic manufacturers and software developers interested in using this directory can contact us for more information about engineering details and licensing programs.

About Open Communication Systems
Founded in 2003, Radio Handi's parent company develops global communication and broadcasting technologies based upon open source and standards based technologies.

For more information contact:
Brian McConnell
Open Communication Systems Inc
35 Keyes Ave
The Presidio of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
brian@radiohandi.com
tel: 415-738-0964