Trying to broadcast on a Mac...

[ganimation]

Hi everyone! I'd really like to broadcast at shoutcast (used live365 for a little but got sick of it) but am not quite sure how you go about it. My other concern is that I'm using a Mac PowerBook G4 on MacOS 9.1 and I don't know if that will allow me to broadcast. If any ShoutCast veterans here have any advice for how to set up my broadcast or if it's even feasible it would be greatly appreciated!

[DJ AmPs]

You can be a server with a Mac, but I don't think you can actually broadcast the source stream, which requires Winamp and the Shoutcast DSP.. the latter of which isn't available for a Mac.

-amps

[obo17]

You can be a server with a Mac, but I don't think you can actually broadcast the source stream, which requires Winamp and the Shoutcast DSP.. the latter of which isn't available for a Mac.

This is incorrect. Shoutcast server runs on Macs, but only if they're running OS X (not OS 9). MacAmp and Audion 3 can broadcast Shoutcast (and/or Icecast or Live365) compatible source streams and run under OS 9.

[sneekee_d]

This is incorrect. Shoutcast server runs on Macs, but only if they're running OS X (not OS 9). MacAmp and Audion 3 can broadcast Shoutcast (and/or Icecast or Live365) compatible source streams and run under OS 9."

How is this possible? the Winamp site states:

Broadcasters need to use Winamp and the SHOUTcast Source Plug-in for Winamp. There is no current solution for broadcasting from Unix or Macintosh.
The SHOUTcast DNAS server is available for the following platforms as of the writing of this documentation. There may be more recent information on the server download section of this site.

* Windows 95
* Windows 98
* Windows NT
* Windows 2000
* Linux glibc (intel)
* FreeBSD 3.x (intel)
* FreeBSD 4.x (intel)
* BSDi (intel)
* Solaris 7 (SPARC)

A lot of SHOUTcast.com is out of date. There is a server for OS X. (Probably not much different form the BSD server)

[sneekee_d]

So basically you can do it all with OS X? Am I mistaken? Listen (obviously), serve, and "DJ"?

Do you have more updated links for the files (serving and "DJing") needed? I could not find them with a cursory look at the website.

If I am not mistaken there is no need to download a DSP plug-in for Audion. Do you know if there are any broadcasting tools for iTunes?

[sneekee_d]

Actually I just found the server info. Do you know of any broadcasting tools for iTunes, though. Thanks.

[jslmg]

This is precisely the kind of discussion I have been looking for. I've been searching and experimenting with everything I could get my hands on to try to broadcast or stream from my iMac, and the search still goes on. Here's what i've found so far:

--Yes, Shoutcast does have a DSP server of sorts for Mac OS X, but it is entirely developmental. I downloaded it and after some fanagling, I figured out how to open it using the Darwin-based Terminal interface (found in the Utilities folder; it's sort of the Mac counterpart to Window's DOS Mode). But I couldn't get any farther than that. This stuff's really for the technicians, folks!

--Winamp for the Mac is not much farther along in development. I have Mac version 0.74 Beta, which is very simple--no plugin capabilities, no options of any sort. For playback only.

--I tried to download version 3.74, which would seem to be nearly complete, but couldn't figure out how to install it. When I clicked on the install icon, it opened my old 0.74 version, with no way to proceed. Does anybody know how to do this?

I found both these versions through Download.com.

--Apple offers some limited possibilities for broadcasting. Actually, Quicktime Broadcaster is quite excellent, but you have to use a source outside your computer--no MP3 players will work with it, unless the player is on another computer with an audio hookup through the "line-in" jack. Still, if you have a video camera and some production skills, Quicktime's great--easy to use and very efficient.

--There's also Quicktime Streaming Server and Darwin Streaming Server designed for MP3s, but like the Mac Shoutcast, these are "build" versions that obviously require programming skills to get beyond the most basic functions.

--There's a very simple MP3 Streamer for the Mac available through a site I found on Download.com. It's an interesting, easy to use introduction to streaming, but its functions are basic.

--By the way, iTunes is simply NOT designed for broadcasting. It's strictly an end-user product for playback only. Of course, I'd be delighted if someone corrected me on this!

--Thanks for the hints about Macamp and Audion--that's where I'm looking next.

Good hunting...
John Grimmett

[peppert]

There is now a commandline version of sc_trans available for Mac OS X in addition to Linux and FreeBSD, which will permit sourcing an mp3 stream into SHOUTcast on Mac OS X. There is no pretty GUI for it, so you'll be getting your hands dirty in the terminal window, same as the DNAS itself.

http://www.shoutcast.com/download/broadcast.phtml

[jslmg]

Thanks, Peppert. I'll try that, too.

I actually fiddled some more with the other Mac Shoutcast server, and managed to do some stuff with it. I also downloaded the last MacAmp produced--a MacOS X Beta version that looks really good. If I can successfully get it to communicate with the Shoutcast server, I'll be broadcasting in no time. That MacAmp has some great features, including live voiceover and crossfade (the latter has some bugs, though). It's a lot more intuitive than Winamp, too (Hey, it's a Mac, isn't it? )

[Xenophod]

I have MacAmp, (For OSX, I hate OS9) and I use it to listen to music all the time... when I found you could broadcast to a shoutcast, icecast or other kind of server, I played with it a bit...
It didn't like sending music to the MacOSX Shoutcast server. It updated the Stream Title and the Stream URL but it didn't send any music...

Then I found sc_trans and it works great! I just spent two minutes playing with the config files, and it worked!
Yes, you have to know a little about UNIX and the Terminal.... But since this is a Mac, they changed a few things to make it "different" than your regular *NIX OS... And I even figured out how to skip songs just now!

[~]: kill -WINCH <pid>

That'll do it on Mac OS X!
sc_trans ROCKS!!!!

Now I just have to write a php interface for it!

[Ozzmosis]

Howdy,

while it took me a wee bit more than two minutes, i agree that sc_serv and sc_trans on OSX is wonderful.

i (and others) can now listen to my music collection from anywhere on the net!

[idobi]

Ozzmosis, are the ID3 tags working properly for sc_trans? I can't seem to get mine to read properly.

TjC

[Ozzmosis]

Howdy,

no. they don't seem to work.

[Zeitkind]

Hi, just read this thread.
There is indeed some software for the Mac to broadcast to a sc-server.
I played with Audion 3.02 for a while now and it works, though it has some bugs and isn't that stable.

The sc-trans isn't really useful if you want to send AND talk like a radio should.. The Mac-version is mp3-files-only, so you can't stream from any DJ-program.. :/
Audion too lacks support for mic-input for now and I haven't found another mixing-program which can stream to a sc-server. But Audion can at least mix between mp3-files (though the usability is real bad - did these guys ever use their own program..?).
sc-trans should act like a system-sound-output on MacOS X, but I don't think we'll see this feature the next few years..

[djmindz_uk]

I currently broadcast on a MAC G4 using audion 3 to a shoutcast stream, but after a hour or 2 of streamin. Audion through the broadcast and says invalid ip port etc, like if the ip changes. But I know 4 a fact it doesn't.

Help please!!!

Mindz
mindz@kunninmindz.com
http://www.kunninmindz.com

[someToast]

Hmmm... I've been using Audion 3 to stream for a year now and have never seen it do that.

sc_serv is running on the same machine, and the server address in Audion is set to 127.0.0.1

[Miroku]

How do I install it for the Mac? I have Shoutcast for Mac but I can't really get it. How do I install it? I use Mac OS X. I have a Mac OS X.2.6. Can somebody please help? I also have Audion.

[dougk_ff7]

Just thought I'd add.... there are a few other solutions out there, but I've never gotten one of them to work. One happens to be using the Enlightened Sound Daemon (ESound or ESD), along with the command line ices encoder. Ices, although it's not SHOUTcast (and I dunno if it even can send to SHOUTcast, perhaps only icecast?), encoder that should support the esd input... From what I've read, you might need to use the "stdinpcm" module with ices2 and actually pipe the audio from esd into ices. Again, this hasn't worked for me, yet, but I'm still trying... I'm still not getting mpg321, ogg123 (or any application using libao for output) working under OS X... but there does appear to be "liboss" which emulates an oss soundcard driver in order to fool terminal-based applications into sending to it, which it forwards to ESD, as I recall. Also, ices is more or less "stable" on Linux (even though officially, it's still not finished), but ices2 is the current stuff, as I recall (I'm not too familiar with the older versions). Basically, my workaround here for now is to use physical cables to send the audio to another computer which can encode the stream and send it off, even though the music is still playing on my Mac. Sorry I can't be any more clear here or provide any more useful information, but if you google, you might see something that gives you a bit more help than it gave me.
Good luck!

[JXM.RADIO.LA]

If you want to broadcast with a Mac go to http://www.macamplite.com/.

It is abandonware but, boy, did they do a good job. Get MacAMP Lite X, the Plug-in powerpack and use the free codes to register. Included in the plugins pack is a Broadcast encoder.

All you do is enter your server IP, password your URL and so on and you are in business. I have a G3 400 running over dsl to my Shoutcast host and is it solid as a ROCK.

MacAMP has a ton of cool features, and best of all IT SOUNDS AMAZING. Letterally, there is a big difference. I was worried about sending at 96K but it sounds better than a lot of 128 streams, and people actaully mention it in passing.

Amazing how so many great products/ companies don't survive.

[someToast]

Originally posted by JXM.RADIO.LA
Amazing how so many great products/ companies don't survive.

But from the ashes...

The MALT page tells of developers going over to Rogue Amoeba, makers of NiceCast, which lets you stream from any audio playing on your Mac. It uses IceCast under the hood, but there was talk of bringing ShoutCast in as well.

[jackherer]

Have you Mac users though about throwing away your toys and getting propper computers. One mouse button, what's that all about, are Mac users to stupid to work out whether they should click with the left or right button.

/JackHerer hides in expectation of flame throwing Mac users ;-)

[jslmg]

Thanks for all the great ideas, though a little late. I've been using Audion for nearly a year now. I experimented with Macamp, but it used way too much CPU and Audion had essential tools like an MP3 editor and voice recorder.

I'm trying to migrate to Nicecast so I can use iTunes as my source, but darn it if SHOUTcast wont let me list my Nicecast-based source on their directory. If anybody's figured out an EASY way to get Nicecast listed on the SC directory, I'll be very grateful!

[jslmg]

Throw away my Mac? HAH! It's the Windows machine that I threw out the window!

Never, never, once, Have I ever gotten a blue screen of doom on my Mac... Reason enough?

[jackherer]

No.

Try clicking something with you right mouse button ....
Try pressing the eject button on you CD drive ....
Have you ever been faced with a prompt that asks you to do something impossible like insert a disc that you havn't got and the only option is OK, answer yes on a mac, never on a pc.
Load Itunes, the get it to connect to http://www.clickon.me.uk:8000, oh it's not imediately obvious how, oh yes there it is in the ADVANCED section, cos tuning in to a stream with a media player is realy advanced and beyond the average Mac user....

Macs and all their software are designed from the point of view that a halfwit is using it. After using a mac or any apple software for half an hour i just want to smash it up as an insult to my intelligence.

[JXM.RADIO.LA]

To JSLMG and Others,

Glad you are having success with Audion! I hear it's a great program. As for me I have a main machine where I do all my audio work (logic, peak), encoding (lamebrain) and tag editing (mp3 rage), so all i wanted was a player/ broadcaster that was simple and stable.

I did investigate NiceCast, which along with Audion could be the future of Mac broadcasting. I do think RA made an important error by not initially building in ShoutCast compatibility in the first place. Apparently, if you go to their forums, you can do some command-line editing to get on the shoutcast directory, but it seems like it takes some patience and effort for something so basic. I heard they are possibly going to postpone work on Audio Hijack to fix this. One they do I'm positive their user base will grow 100-fold in weeks.

I love iTunes as a player, but my one reservation for using it as a source for streaming is that it momentarily stops your audio whenever you load a CD with, say, new MP3s on it. MacAMP doesn't do this. Not sure about Audion.

As for 2-button mice on a mac... all you have to do is buy one and you can right click all ya want....

JXM.RADIO.LA
Unreleased Dance Music

[someToast]

Originally posted by jackherer
Have you Mac users though about throwing away your toys and getting propper computers. One mouse button, what's that all about, are Mac users to stupid to work out whether they should click with the left or right button.

That's ok... I have five mouse buttons.

"though about"? "propper"? "to stupid"? You sure you're not in the market for a simpler computing experience?

[Hard As Fuck]

Upgrade your powerbook to Panther and buy NiceCast. It is awesome! Good bye to WinAmp and Virtual PC

[EL_Nombre]

Originally posted by jackherer

Try pressing the eject button on you CD drive

Hmm i'd rather just use the eject button on my keyboard....

[peppert]

platform wars are retarded. thread closed.