CHIRP Radio Real Time Playlist Widget
I started listening to the Chicago Independent Radio Project(CHIRP) last week and was immediately hooked. Most of my music comes from listening to The Current in Minnesota and KEXP in Seattle, so I was psyched when I learned that there was a similar music station going on here in Chicago. There is a good playlist on the CHIRP Radio site, however I wanted to have something that would auto refresh on my desktop instead of having to keep a browser window open all the time. So my friends, I created a Yahoo! Widget that updates every sixty seconds and displays the current song playing on CHIRP Radio.
In order to use this widget you must have Yahoo! Widgets installed on your system. Which you can download here. Once you have Yahoo! Widgets installed just download the CHIRP Radio Realtime Playlist Yahoo! Widget – version .1 and open it using Yahoo! Widgets. Simple as that.
Now please keep in mind that this is the first version and I will be updating the look/feel/functionality as the days go on. I just wanted to get this up and out there as soon as possible. Drop me a line if you find any bugs or have any comments.
UPDATE: I removed the big CHRIP icon with a smaller icon so that there is no longer a “L” shape to the widget. Being that I wanted to have some type of identifier as to what the widget was, I put the little CHIRP bird icon on the right end of the now playing box.
Download: CHIRP Radio Realtime Playlist Yahoo! Widget – version .1.1
Here is some background about CHIRP Radio:
CHIRP Radio is a non-profit, volunteer-run, music-, arts-, and culture-focused radio station transmitting live from our studios in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood from 6AM-3AM seven days a week, 365 days a year.
CHIRP Radio hosts curate their own shows within certain guidelines, playing an eclectic mix of independent and under-heard music from an array of genres and eras. Listeners are encouraged to make requests and generally interact with CHIRP Radio hosts via comment, IM, or phone.
For now, CHIRP Radio is a web-only outlet, but the Chicago Independent Radio Project is working to change the law at the federal level to open up new licenses in urban areas, and hopes one day to be able to apply for a low-power FM broadcast license as well. To find out more about this work, visit chicagoindieradio.org.
CHIRP Radio does not air commercials, and receives no funding from corporations or the federal government. It is supported by special event revenues, small grants, and listeners like you. If you like what you hear, please consider making a donation to support this service.
Twitter: cinchel
says:
just a quick comment now that i have been using it for a few weeks. i know you probably want to keep something in the widget that says chirp..but i was wondering if it could be a touch more low profile. Being that the widget is “L” shaped it starts to cut into a lot of other windows on my desktop.
I leave the widget 50% transparent and above all other widows almost 100% of the time. I think it would be great if it was just the grey rectangle part.
just my thoughts. thanks for putting it together though.
cinchel