FAQ: ShoutCast Streaming for professionals
After reading the beginners FAQ for ShoutCast Streaming, you will already know what you need to stream with ShoutCast servers. The professional alternative is the DRS 2006 radio automation software together with the DRS 2006 Internet Broadcaster. The DRS 2006 radio automation will replace Winamp in the beginners FAQ and the DRS 2006 Internet Broadcaster will replace the DSP Plugin. By using these professional radio tools, you will have countless advantages if you plan a professional radio station. The DRS 2006 allows you to pre-program your radio station and it will let the the playback sound highly professional, just like all the big radio stations. There is much information about the DRS 2006 available on our website at www.drs2006.com. It is hard to explain what DRS 2006 is with just a few words. For all internet radio stations we have the DRS 2006 Internet Broadcaster Plugin available. This will get your professional sounding radio automation on the net. It is a high end software and already contains all sorts of encoders in a single plugin. It can encode mp3, mp3PRO, WMA and Ogg Vorbis. All together and/or as many instances you want to use. It will take anything thats comes from the DRS 2006 playback system and it will then stream it right to your server. Of course it will also take all information and stream it as well, like artists, titles etc. Here is a short overview. For further information take look at our website.


The DRS 2006 Internet Broadcaster
Overview
Configuring the Internet Broadcaster
Adding/Removing Encoder Instances
Adding an MP3/MP3Pro encoder converter

Download the complete manual here!
The DRS 2006 Internet Broadcaster plugin allows you to easily add, delete, configure, monitor status and fully manage all your encoder types including mp3PRO, plain mp3, Ogg Vorbis and Windows Media file formats (more formats coming up). You can simply configure the plugin directly over any DRS 2006 playback module or even in stand alone mode without any DRS 2006.
To listen to MP3 Pro audio your listeners will need the mp3PRO plugin for Winamp provided by Coding Technologies. Download this plugin at Coding Technologies for free.

Overview: The Main Display of the Internet Broadcaster
First of all you need to start the Internet Broadcaster with the 'Start/Stop' Button. After starting you should see the VU Meter on the right moving as long has you have any sort of audio playing. This indicates that the plugin is sucessfully grabbing your audio from the sound card. If do not see the VU Meter moving altough you have audio playing, be sure to setup your windows mixer. Set the recording options of the mixer by clicking on the "speaker" icon in the tray. Normally you should find an expression like "What you hear", "Stereo Mix" or "Wave". This depends on the sound card you are using. Choose the option which relates to your soundcard.

Configuring the Internet Broadcaster
On the plugins main interface, select the 'Config' button and you should first see the 'General options'. Here you can set the general base encoder options. Select the sound card from which you want to grab your audio from and also a location of the log file (if you wish to record your stream). You should also select 'Automatically start on load' so the plugin will be started immediately when it is started.

The next point is the 'AudioRealm' Member Login details window. If you have signed up at AudioRealm as a member of their Network, you will place your 'Username' and 'Password' in the appropriate fields. If you choose not to use these services, simply ignore these fields. However signing up with AudioRealm is FREE and you will instantly receive additional services and resources that enhance this plugins abilities as well as receive FREE listing of your stations on the AudioRealm stations listing directory, which can help drive potential listenership to your Broadcast.

Adding/Removing Encoder Instances
Select the Encoders button on the main display. In the top menu bar of the encoders plugin 'Click' on the + (add encoder) or - to (remove encoder). If you are indeed configuring an encoder for the first time - go ahead and select + (add encoder) and proceed to the next step - ('Select your encoder type').

The 'Toolkit' button will also allow you to configure your plugin at anytime by selecting it in the 'Status' window once it has been initially added.
Additionally you can Start and Stop each of your encoders by selecting those buttons. Simply 'Select' an encoder you wish to Stop or Start in the encoders 'Status list' and click on the desired function/button.

Select your encoder type:
There are currently 3 different types in the list:
- WMA (v9 advanced)
- MP3 (mp3pro or plain mp3)
- Ogg (Vorbis)

Select the one you wish to use and click 'OK' - it is now added to your list and you can now move on to the instructions for whichever encoder type you've chosen.

Adding mp3PRO or mp3 plain encoder Converter
For mp3PRO and mp3 plain you will need to click on the 'Choose Format' button and in the dropdown menu that appears you will select the mp3 type (pro or plain), the Bitrate and the samplerate (frequency) as well as the Stereo or Mono setting combination you desire. Then - Select 'OK' to add the setting you chose.

Next, In the 'General options' section, you can set your encoder to 'Auto Start' and or 'Auto reconnect' within a specific time and also by selecting 'Allow Scripts in Stream' you will enable the 'Automatic Data Streaming' for embedded MP3 players that support it like that at AudioRealm.com - NOTE: Make sure to have also selected the 'Allow scripts in stream' option for this to function. If you find that this funtion is causing stuttering on your stream you may uncheck this function.

Make sure you know which type you will be streaming to as each server type may require some additional information to be added in the configuration - specifically for 'Icecast'.

Here we will be configuring the most widely used, a ShoutCast mp3 server like the ones we use on our DRS 2006 Radio Streamer. Simply fill in the details starting with your Servers IP, Port and Password information and then add your Stations details, Select your stations 'Genre' and add your websites URL. Optional are the AIM, ICQ and IRC details.

If you wish to have your station listed in the associated servers 'Public' listing directory - you will need to make sure that you check the box to enable that. Selecting this option will list your station on www.shoutcast.com. Great for listener traffic generation! However, if you wish your stations listing to be 'Private', then DO NOT select the 'List on public station listing' option.

If you wish to have your stations information as well as Song, Artist, Album and such information displayed in the listeners player, you must check the 'Enable title streaming' option!

If you plan on running a ShoutCast or Icecast server located or running on the same machine as your Broadcast, then try and avoid using 'localhost' or 127.0.0.1 ,and if your machine has an assigned IP best results will be achieved from using it instead, however you can use localhost or 127.0.0.1 - But again, having the 'True' IP is best.

NOTE: DO NOT use a proxy IP if you are in fact running off a Proxy server!! If you are unsure ask your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or Company Administrator.



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