Client Login
How do I start broadcasting?
Add to Favourites
Print this Article
This tutorial will walk you through setting up everything you need to start broadcasting from a computer/server running Windows.
SHOUTcast is basically a plugin for winamp, once this is configured with your XDnet SHOUTcast Hosting account you can be broadcasting to listeners across the globe!
DISCLAIMER: XDnet is not responsible for the safety or integrity of any third-party software you choose to install on your computer. This tutorial is provided "as-is" as a guide to help users.
Getting Started:
The follow steps will guide you through what you need to get going.
Step 1. - Getting Winamp
Navigate to the SHOUTcast D.J page
The first piece of software you need to install, assuming it has not already been successfully installed on the system you wish to broadcast from, is Winamp Player.
After you have downloaded and installed Winamp move on to Step 2.
Step 2. - SHOUTcast Source/DSP Plugin
Now that you have Winamp installed you can move on to the next step in your journey to being an Internet broadcaster!
Installing the SHOUTcast Source or DSP Plugin, this is the piece of software which will be doing the work of sending your audio across the web to our SHOUTcast servers.
Getting the plugin:
You can download the DSP plugin directly from SHOUTcast.com here.
After the plugin has downloaded select "Run" on any prompts to continue and begin installing.
XDnet advises you use the default settings and just click next on all install screens and install.
After the plugin has been installed and the installer window has closed move on to Step 3.
Step 3. - Setting up the DSP Plugin.
Now that the necessary software has been installed you can begin configuring your SHOUTcast.
Launch/open Winamp, go to OPTIONS > PREFERENCES.
Go to plugins and select the one highlighted below. 
Step 3.1. - DSP Plugin :: Connection Settings
Once you have clicked the plugin, as instructed above, the SHOUTcast Source Option box appears.
These options control your whole SHOUTcast broadcast, it tells the port to connect to, the password and encoder.
The connection settings will have been emailed to your by our support staff on set up of your SHOUTcast account.
Address: Within this you will have been given your accounts IP address which you should enter into the Address field shown on the left.
Port: This is your SHOUTcast port, this will also be included with you in your email with the account details.
Password: This is your Radio Password and is NOT the same as your cPanel password, you can view and change this password in your WHMsonic SHOUTcast Admin Pro, located in your cPanel.
Connect at Startup: This option should mean that if your streaming server (local one not our server) shuts down as soon as WinAmp starts it should reconnect to our server and resume your stream.
Step 3.2. - DSP Plugin :: "Yellow pages" Settings
What is "Yellow pages"?
Yellow pages is the details of how your online radio appears to the world.
Difference between Public and Private server: When your server is public it will automatically appear in the SHOUTcast.com yellow pages and can be viewed by anyone, users can "Tune In" see how many listeners you have other details about your server stats.
Description: This is simply what it says, a brief description of what your station is all about.
URL: If the station has a website, add it here and it will be included on SHOUTcast.com's Yellow pages.
NOTE: When you are all set up and ready to go, it may take up to 30 minutes for your SHOUTcast server to show up on SHOUTcast.com.
Step 3.3. - DSP Plugin :: Encoder Settings
The Encoder options control the quality of your out put and its format.
Encoder Settings: The drop down field labelled Encoder Settings control the output quality of your music, depending on your UPLOAD speed, you may want to adjust these settings accordingly.
The KB/s [Kilobytes Per Second] changes the quality of your output audio, the higher the KB/s the high quality and more depth your output audio has; However as with all things the higher quality you have the less listener hours you have.
XDnet advises you use 56KB/s minimum to ensure your listeners have a reasonable quality sound output and keep a balance on your bandwidth levels.
Step 4. - DSP Plugin :: Input Source
The input options define where your auto streaming is coming from on your PC, for home DJ's in particular you may wish to use Winamp, so anything played in winamp goes out on your stream, however in the more likely event that you are a more advanced user or a fully fledged radio station you will be using other playout software, and usually a totally different system for playout and with there-for need to use the Soundcard Input option.
This will enable you to take audio from the soundcards input, which is then transfered to your Streaming Server with XDnet and webcast to the world!
Step 5. - Spread the word!
Finally arguably the most important step, spread the word advertise your online station, get your URL out there and get people tuning in to hear you and your station!
DISCLAIMER: You, the client, are responsible for what you broadcast. It is your responsibility to ensure that you follow all copyright laws and that you have appropriate licensing/authorisation to broadcast copyrighted material via XDnet's streaming services.
XDnet is NOT in anyway shape or form a source for legal information about copyright licensing. We can not provide advice about such matters.
Updated: 18th September 2008 - Added information about input selection and connect on startup feature.
Add to Favourites
Print this Article
Powered by WHMCompleteSolution
