ScreamerMenu is a small program that adds a number of useful functions to the Screamer Radio internet-radio streaming and recording software.
Most notably it provides the ability to filter by station name or category, the ability to schedule recordings, and the option to list stations in simple list view.
I’ve used Screamer Radio for a long time, and although there has been a spate of similar net-radio streaming and recording apps in recent weeks, these were either (a) not as cool as Screamer Radio, or (b) adware, or even (c) crippleware.
This is why I was thrilled to find ScreamerMenu, a program that adds a few simple yet very useful functions to Screamer Radio. Here are some notes on this program:
- List and filter stations in simple listview: sorts stations alphabetically and allows you to enter a string to use for filtering. For example, type in “news” in the filter box and press ’filter’, and all the stations with “news” in their title or genre will be pushed to the top. (Strangely, other stations that are not relevant to your filter seem to be pushed below your set of relevant results and do not disappear altogether). Filtering also works for zeroing in on a specific station that you’re looking for.
- History: a great feature, IMHO, that allows you to trace your steps (especially useful if you’ve randomly browsed net radio stations that you want to get back to).
Scheduler: a rather sophisticated recording scheduler that you can use to play, stop, start recording, or stop recording. You can specify the station and schedule an event once on a specific date and time or make it recur every day/week/or month. ScreamerMenu allows you to create and save multiple scheduled events. (See second screenshot for the scheduler UI).- Automatically record an artist or song title: enter the name or part of the name of a band or song and ScreamerMenu can automatically start recording it for you whenever it detects a match streaming in.
Scheduler: a rather sophisticated recording scheduler that you can use to play, stop, start recording, or stop recording. You can specify the station and schedule an event once on a specific date and time or make it recur every day/week/or month. ScreamerMenu allows you to create and save multiple scheduled events. (See second screenshot for the scheduler UI).Wish list (or how this program can be even better):
- Automatically Start Screamer Radio: the only way to start ScreamerMenu was to launch Screamer Radio first and then launch ScreamerMenu. It would be great if ScreamerMenu automatically launched Screamer Radio whenever it was launched (either by autodetecting it or initially asking the user to specify the path).
- Detect/record more than a single artist/song title: the version I tested had a single box/prompt for entering artist or song names to look for, and I’m not sure if it is possible to enter multiple entries separated by commas. It would be great if you could enter multiple distinct entries in hierarchical priority.
The verdict: all I can say is that as a long time user of Screamer Radio I am extremely excited about the functionality that ScreamerMenu adds to that program. If you use Screamer Radio download this immediately; if you don’t, download and start using both programs ASAP.
Version tested: 0.99
Compatibility: WinAll. Requires Screamer Radio.
Download here (approx 223K). Click here for more info on this program; also check out the entire list of Skrommel’s supercool “1 hour software” written using Authohotkey.
