Creating an Internet Radio Station - A Quick Guide
Streaming in less than 30 minutes.
Using SAM Broadcaster and AudioRealm Streaming Services.
Quick Introduction
This document is a quick start guide on how to setup a live Internet radio
station using SAM
Broadcaster and AudioRealm.com
stream hosting services. We have offered related topics at the end of the
document in the event you wish to obtain detailed information, but if you want
to do it in 30 minutes it is best not to be detailed until you are up and
running.
Quick overview:
How does online Internet radio work?
The Internet can transfer any type of data including text, video and
audio. Basically Internet radio is the transfer of audio data over the
Internet to listeners spread across the world.
To make all of this happen 4 things are required;
The audio encoder takes the source audio and encodes the audio into a
continuous stream of audio data. This single audio stream is sent to the
streaming server.
The streaming server then acts like a broadcasting antenna by sending the
audio data to all the listeners.
For listeners to tune-in to the audio stream, they must have some kind of
player installed that is able to receive the stream of audio data from the
streaming server, and then play the audio data over the speakers. Since
compressing audio data requires large amount of computing resources, the
computer running SAM should be a dedicated server.
The audio data is usually compressed to make it easier and more cost effective
to stream over the Internet. For this purpose many audio file formats have
been developed that all vary in quality, compression rates and features. Some
examples of popular audio formats: MP3, mp3PRO, Windows Media and Ogg.
This document will explain how you can use SAM Broadcaster as your audio
encoder, streamer and use the stream hosting services of AudioRealm.com to
start your own professional online radio station.
Advantages of online radio
- Start your own professional radio station for as little as $250,
excluding hardware/operating costs such as a dedicated computers and ISP
- Can be operated from home.
- Many ways to generate revenue to fund your own station.
- Reach an audience located across the world.
- Start out small and grow as your station’s audience grows.
What you will need to get started
First you will need to decide which type of station you are going to run.
Are you going to broadcast live content, prerecorded content, just playing
audio source files or combination? Anyway you decide to do it, SAM Broadcaster
is the program that can handle it.
What do you need to set up an Internet radio station?
- CD player
- Ripper software (copies audio tracks from a CD onto a computer’s hard
drive)
- Minimum 48kbps Internet connection
- Assorted recording and editing software (Optional)
- Microphones (Optional)
- Audio mixer (Optional)
- Outboard audio gear (equalizer, compressor, etc.) (Optional)
- Soundcard (Optional)
- Dedicated computer with SAM
Broadcaster software
- AudioRealm
Stream Hosting Server
Quick Stream Hosting Setup
This portion of the documentation will go over the process of planning and
setup of AudioRealm.com
stream hosting.
Planning
Planning for your stream hosting is a key element in the planning portion
of your station. Depending on the station you will either need to start small
and increase as the need arises or you will need to start large and scale down
after you have a feel for how many listeners you should really expect.
If you are an existing organization with a large contact list or a
terrestrial station with means to advertise to the masses and you plan to
announce to all of your potential listeners you will want to be able to handle
the initial traffic.
AudioRealm.com stream hosting offers 20 listeners as the minimum amount to
start and we offer up to 500 listeners per server, if you wish to have more
please contact us we are able to accommodate.
Setup AudioRealm Live Stream Hosting account
- Goto http://www.AudioRealm.com/stream
- Select ‘Live Streaming’
- Specify Server type ‘SHOUTcast’ or 'Windows Media"
- Select the Maximum bitrate, this will determine the quality of your
stream, see determining your stream quality for more details
Note: do not exceed your internet connection speed also allowing some room
for emails and any other outgoing communications.
- Select Maximum Concurrent listeners from the drop down box
- Click Calculate
- If the total monthly cost is within your budget click Continue
- Member Details
- If you are an existing member select ‘I’m already an
AudioRealm member’
or
- If you are not an existing member select ‘Sign me up (FREE)’
- Enter a valid email address (notification of your server details and
billing information will be sent to this email address)
- Enter a username
- Enter a password
- Re-type your password
- Read the Terms and Conditions and review the legal information
(links are provided at the bottom of the page)
- Check the box that indicates that you have read and understand the
terms and conditions and that you have reviewed the legal information
- Click Continue
- Select your preferred payment method to make a payment right now.
- Select ‘Automated Monthly Payment’ this will ensure that your
payment is made on time and that you will not have a lapse in service.
Note: any payment made by PayPal’s e-check, direct deposit, money order
or check will take 4 days to process or until we receive and verify funds.
A PayPal linked to your credit card is the fastest method and your account
will be setup almost instantaneously upon completion of your order.
- You will now be taken to the paypal.com site to complete your payment
and setup a subscription for monthly payment
Note: If you do not currently have a PayPal account click on the ‘click
here’ button next to the line that reads ‘If you do not currently have
a PayPal account‘
- Enter your PayPal login information
- Enter username
- Enter password
- Click Continue
- Confirm your payment by clicking ‘Pay’
- You made a payment, now click ‘continue’ near the bottom of this
page or you may exit this website at anytime by click ‘log out’ at
the top of the page.
- If you paid with a PayPal account linked to your credit card you should
now be able access your stream hosting server by clicking here
- Click Edit next to your new stream hosting account to obtain your
encoder configuration information. Leave this window open
Quick SAM Setup
Basic Setup
- Download SAM
Broadcaster full install
- Select ‘Save this program to disk’ and click OK.
- Browse to the location where you would like to save the file (i.e.;
desktop)
- Once the file has been downloaded Click Start/Run/Browse find
Installation file SAMf.exe and click Open.
- Click OK to execute installation file.
- Click Yes, then click Next after reading the welcome message
- Click Accept (to agree to the software terms and conditions), and then
accept all defaults, clicking Next until you click Finish to close the
installation program.
- (or click next to accept the default install path, Click Next to accept
the installation options for SAM and the SAM Database i.e. MYSQL)
NOTE: if you have an existing MYSQL server on your dedicated system you
may need to change the username and password for MYSQL, otherwise leave as
the defaults; username: root, password: <blank> (that means leave it
blank)
- Once the installation has completed, you will be prompted to view the
SAM readme file and start SAM, click Finish.
- Note: it is suggested you read the readme file, but for now we can set
that aside.
- A Welcome! Window will appear that will prompt you to ‘add demo files’
and ‘add my audio files to the media library (Recommeded) click
Continue. Note: You may wish to uncheck the ‘add demo files’ option.
- Select the location of your audio files and click OK.
SAM Broadcaster should now be running, if it is not you may execute SAM
broadcaster by going to Start / Run / Programs / SAM / SAM Broadcaster.
Restart your Computer.
Setup Encoders and Statistic Relays
Please go to the type of server you chose SHOUTcast Server or Windows
Media Server Below.
SHOUTcast Server
Setup Encoder for SHOUTcast Server:
- Goto Desktop B in SAM Broadcaster
- In the Encoders window click on the ‘+’ button
- Select MP3 and mp3PRO and Click OK
- MP3 (PRO) Encoder & Streamer Configuration
- On the Converter tab
- Set Quality to Medium
- Under Format select the format that matches what you purchased
at audiorealm.com for stream hosting. See the audiorealm.com
stream hosting account panel for bitrate.
- Check Auto Start encoder after 5 Seconds
- NOTE: be sure that ‘Allow scripts in stream’ is unchecked.
- Server Details tab
- Server type is SHOUTcast
- Server Details (found on your Audiorealm.com stream hosting
panel).
- Enter Host in Server IP field
- Enter Port in Server Port field
- Enter password in password field
- Station Details
- Type in your Station Name
- Select the genre from the drop-down box or type in your own
- Note: you may type in more than one genre comma separated.
- Type in your website URL
- Enter AIM ID (optional)
- Enter ICQ # (optional)
- Enter IRC Channel (optional)
- Check ‘List on public station listing (recommended) -
Note: this will list your station at SHOUTcast.com
- Check ‘Enable title streaming’ and be sure that
$combine$ is in the field below ‘Enable title streaming’
to display titles.
- Click OK
- Your Encoder should now say ‘encoded (#) and streamed (#).
Setup SHOUTcast Statistic Relay
The final step is to create a Statistics relay for the streaming server.
A statistic relay simply grabs the current status and viewer count from each
server, reporting the details to SAM. Without a statistic relay, SAM will not
know where listeners can connect to listen to your music and it will also not
accurately report the count of listeners connected to your stream.
Additionally, without valid statistic relays your station will not show up on
AudioRealm.com. This means you will not get any extra exposure and you will
miss extra listeners coming from the AudioRealm portal and partner sites.
- Goto Desktop B in SAM Broadcaster
- In the Statistic Relays window click on the ‘+’ button
- Select SHOUTcast Statistic Relay, click OK
- Enter SHOUTcast server details (found on your Audiorealm.com stream
hosting panel).
- Enter Host in Host field
- Enter Port in port field
- Enter password in password field
- Click OK
- Statistic Relay should now say ‘Active (OK)’
Congratulations - after reaching this point you are officially part of
the Internet broadcasting community!
Windows Media Server
Setup windows media stream host server
Windows Media works in PUSH (recommended) or PULL mode.
To push is that the encoder connects to the server. To pull this means the
Windows Media Server will actually connect to your encoder plugin. In order to
do this the server must know where to find you.
Configure Stream Host Server Account
To configure your stream host account goto http://www.AudioRealm.com/members/
login and select Stream hosting then click edit next to the desired windows
media stream host server account.
- Push Distribution
- From your Windows Media Stream host account select “Encoder
connects to server (PUSH) “ then click “Update MediaPoint settings”
- Pull Distribution
- Enter the IP address to your encoder and the port the encoder is
running on. You may detect my IP address to obtain you IP address.
- Click update to push changes to server.
Note: If your IP address changes often, get a static DNS name from
www.no-ip.com. You might also need to open the Port in your firewall, or
"port forward" the port in your router. Once your encoder is running
goto http://www.canyouseeme.org and enter the port of your encoder (default
3690) and click check. If canyouseeme.org returns an error you are most likely
behind a firewall/router/nat and it will need to be configured with a port
forward for tcp on port 3690 to your internal IP address of the encoder.
Setup Windows Media Encoder Setup
You have set up a streaming server the next step is to create an encoder that
will connect to this stream host server.
- Goto Desktop B in SAM Broadcaster
- In the Encoders window click on the ‘+’ button
- Select WMA (v9 Advanced) and Click OK
- WMA (Windows Media Audio) Encoder & Streamer Configuration
- Set to single bitrate at top of window
- On the Profile tab
- Select Profile (bitrate) that corresponds to the bitrate you
purchased for stream hosting or less.
- Under Stream Options tab
- Check Auto Start encoder after 5 Seconds
- Distribution Type (Push or Pull)
- Push Distribution (recommended)
- Enter Media server Host/IP
- Publishing Point (Alias)
- Username
- Password
- Check Error Auto Recovery
NOTE: You will find all of your settings from your stream host account
page. The MPM Host is the HOST/IP for your encoder.
- Pull Distribution
- Select Use Pull distribution on port 3690 max clients set to
10.
- Click OK
- Your Encoder should now say status ‘encoding’
description Encoded (#) and streaming.
Setup MPM Statistic Relay for Windows Media
The final step is to create a Statistics relay for the streaming server.
A statistic relay simply grabs the current status and viewer count from each
server, reporting the details to SAM. Without a statistic relay audiorealm.com
will not know where listeners can connect to listen to your music and it will
also not accurately report the count of listeners connected to your stream.
Additionally, without valid statistic relays your station will not show up on
AudioRealm.com. This means you will not get any extra exposure and you will
miss extra listeners coming from the AudioRealm portal and partner sites.
- In the Statistic Relays window click on the ‘+’ button
- Select MediaPoint Manager (Windows Media) Statistic Relay, click OK
- Enter MPM server details (found on your Audiorealm.com stream hosting
panel).
- Enter MPM Host
- Enter MPM Port
- Enter Username
- Enter password
- Select Alias from dropdown
- Select Bitrate
- Select Color on graph
- If private relay check the “Private statistic relay” box
- Click OK
- Statistic Relay should now say ‘Active (OK)’ after a few seconds.
Congratulations - after reaching this point you are
officially part of the Internet broadcasting community!
General SAM Use
How to play audio tracks - Here is a quick overview on how to add
files to SAM, load them into the queue, and then play them.
- Adding files to the SAM media library
Goto the playlist window located on Desktop A far left half way down and
select the category into which you want to add files. Categories are used
to split files into manageable groups or lists.
For this example, we will create a completely new category.
Right-click on the root Playlist category and from the popup menu choose
New . Then type in the name of the new category - we'll call it
QuickTracks. Press [Enter] to save the changes.
Now right-click on the QuickTracks category and from the popup menu
select:
Add->Add Directory.
The Choose directory dialog will display. Browse to the directory
containing the music you want added to the category. Now click on OK and a
status window will display the progress of the files being added to the
media library.
Once completed, you should be able to see the list of tracks added to the
category in the Tracks in selected category window.
- Adding files to the queue
The next step is to load the files you want to play into the queue. The
queue contains a list of files that will be played from top to bottom.
Inside the Tracks in selected category window double-click on a song and
it will be added to the Queue. Repeat this process until you have a few
songs in the Queue.
- Playing the files
First make sure you have the Virtual DJ set to Auto DJ mode, this option
is set by default. You can select the Virtual DJ mode by selecting the
drop down arrow just left of the Desktop A button in the toolbar. By doing
so the virtual DJ will automatically load the next song from the queue
when required and crossfade to the next track.
Next, make sure both Deck A and Deck B are visible. You may reset the
layout of the screen by selecting ‘layout’ from the menu bar, your
resolution (i.e.; 800x600 or 1024x768), default.
Click on the Play button in the toolbar just below file in the menu bar to
start audio playback in the next available deck.
Note: The Virtual DJ cues up the next track as soon as the currently
playing track reaches the end and then starts playback of the newly cued
track (while crossfading).
- General tips, tricks & features
You can quickly locate a song by clicking inside either the Queue or
Playlist window and typing the name of the song you wish to find. This
will instantly bring up a search window with matching results. Just
double-click on the song to add it to the queue.
Drag & drop! In SAM you can drag track(s) from anywhere to almost
anywhere. For example, you can drag a track from the search window onto
the playlist, queue, or even directly onto the player decks. You can also
drag from the search onto a category inside the Playlist window.
Learn the Shortcut keys - Like zippers, they make life so much easier...
More Dragging & Dropping - you can even drag & drop directly from
Windows File Explorer!
Cool Trick: If a song is playing in a deck, hold down the [Shift] key
while left-clicking on the Play, Pause, Stop or Next button. This will do
a nice fade of the music to the specified state.
