Why does Internet "Radio Search" return lower kbps URLs than the direct links?

[tamanaco]

If I search for Radio Paradise under Internet Radio -> Search it returns the following URL: http://opml.radiotime.com/Tune.ashx?...d&partnerId=16 This URL usually ends up playing a 64kbps stream, but if I go to Staff Picks and select Alt| Radio Paradise it links to URL: http://www.radioparadise.com/musiclinks/rp_128.m3u which consistently plays at 128kbps. This also the case with other Internet stations when using the search function instead of using the direct links found under Apps. If I go directly to Sky.fm and select a The the Bossa Nova station directly I get URL: http://www.sky.fm/mp3/bossanova.pls which usually plays at 96kbps, but if I use the Search function to Searh for a Bossa Nova station it returns the same Sky.fm Bossa Nova station, but with URL: http://opml.radiotime.com/Tune.ashx?...d&partnerId=16 When I select it... it only plays the station at 40kbps. There is probably an obvious explanation for this, but I don't know it. Why doesn't the search function return the 96kbps link or at at least two links with high and low kbps stream URLs? Am I doing something wrong? Is this a known issue? Maybe is just the player panel reporting the wrong bitrate? Why the inconsistency... I'm using the same Web UI?

I'm going over all my favorites as I'm trying to organize them using the Favorites folders using SC 7.5, but having to navigate to the Apps menu to get the direct high bitrate links to add them to my Favorites is a pain. If the search function returned those links... adding them to my Favorites would be lot easier.

Also when I use the search function all of the Sky.fm Radio stations have an Sky.fm icon and location associated with them which are displayed in the Favorites, Search results and the Player Panel when the station is playing. The Sky.fm stations that are accessed directly under Apps end up with a "generic" radio icon everywhere.

[toby10]

My guess is that RadioTime supplies the URL's within the Internet Radio menu and RadioTime is not offering (or does not have access to) the higher bitrate streams.

Write to RadioTime and ask.

I agree about the lack of station art in the network Apps (DI, Sky, Soma)
Seems odd to me that doing a general station search under Internet Radio (which doesn't even require a MySB account) returns station art. But then if someone goes through the added steps of obtaining and registering a MySB account, then installs specific Apps (DI, Sky, Soma) they get no art.

Basic: lower bitrate with station art
App: higher bitrate with no station art

And one more bothersome station issue: I'm noticing a lot of stations saved to Favorites are returning lower bitrates. Example: I save a station that clearly is 128k, play it numerous times at 128k, then it "reverts" to 64k at some point. I've particularly found this happening on 1.FM, 181.fm, and .977 stations.

[garym]

Because you mentioned radioparadise, note that they have an mp3 192 stream as well (with album art). Once in a while this stream is 'full' (too many users?) so I have both the 128 and 192 in my favorites, trying the 192 first.

http://www.radioparadise.com/musiclinks/rp_192.m3u