i'm an old rock jock from the 60/70's and i want to put up a station for the fun of it..i've done a lot of research, but still somewhat unsure of how..i have a dedicated pc, dsl service, music library etc..what is the least expensive software i can use to put forth a professional station? i need the ability to play music,break for vintage spots,jingles, and go live when i want to..also which of the hosting sites is the most affordable? i'm leaning toward loud city..i have roughly 100.00 per month i can spend for costs to cover license fees,..i understand the more bandwidth, the more money it takes..i've tried winap, but the cross fade points don't work as smoothly as i desire..plus i can't load the spots, jingles ,etc..unless there's something i doing wrong..i use
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
internet radio startup questions..
- Thread starter deltas69
- Start date
If you're going it "for the fun of it" you may want to look at an all-in-one solution like Live365, especially since those who subscribe to their premium listening service can listen to your stream even if all your "freebie" listening slots are taken. As far as audio playback, I've used StationPlaylist Pro for my stations and it's fabulous and full featured and for under $400 it's a great investment since it allows voicetracking, spot playback, etc.
thanks for the reply..i've looked at 365,shoutcast,loud city, pirate radio..just trying to get a feel of what is the easiest to setup and maintain..,my "station" would run in automation weekly, weekend nights i would do a live show 8 til midnight..and hopefully within six months or so be able to generate enough donations to break even on the expenses..i've taken a look also at station playlist pro as well as other programs..the one i like better than others is OTS AUDIO..i have their "bedroom software" to play my music at home..they offer a broadcast edition for around 300 that is compatible with shoutcast...looks like any way i go..roughly 500.00 to get it off the ground..sound about right ? thanks for the help..pj
T
The Beave
Guest
Shoutcaster and Live 365 both run off of SAM broadcaster. which logs in to the servers which feed shoutcaster and Live.
Not as user friendly as let's say Scott System, ot Mediatouch. but it works.
Not as user friendly as let's say Scott System, ot Mediatouch. but it works.
deltas69 said:thanks for the offer...what would the total be including transfer? what services (shoutcast.live 365 etc) is OTS compatible with..thanks..pj
First of all.... OTS like Station Playlist as well as SAM is it's on player. All 3 are compatible with Shoutcast, Live 365, Loud City, etc. which are mainly your host for streaming. And some as far as royalty suppliers.
Transfer fee is 25.00...but this is the best deal for your money. I have 3 automation systems for 2 servers, I don't need a third.
Automation: I strongly suggest StationPlaylist. Best you're going to get for the money, and truly a very powerful tool, especially for broad-playlist stations.
Streaming: There are many services out there. You can even search this board for suggestions, and search around. Live365 is the easiest way to cover streaming and licensing for an independent station.
Send me a private message if you want more info. I've been a part of many online start-ups, many of which still operate with a combined concurrent listenership of about 15,000 during peak hours.
Streaming: There are many services out there. You can even search this board for suggestions, and search around. Live365 is the easiest way to cover streaming and licensing for an independent station.
Send me a private message if you want more info. I've been a part of many online start-ups, many of which still operate with a combined concurrent listenership of about 15,000 during peak hours.
I do agree that Station Playlist is the most impressive, one of the reasons is that it has a more simplistic layout or display.....but it's gonna cost him 100.00 or more with SP at least for a starting up even though the OTS is just as good as far as he's describing what he's looking for. Since i don't need it...save him money, I'll probably lower the price if he's interested getting started. If he's looking to have just an automated jukebox of music on a non timely basis, but with a format wheel... the OTS is good enough for him. But if he's looking for top of the hour ID's and liners , jingles, or commercials programmed automatically in a formatic timely matter....then SP.
I can also get a great discounts on SP because I already purchased multiple.
Forget the SAM. Lots of Bells and whistles and it can be frustratingly complicated to get a good timed segue or the way you would like it. Plus it's DRM compliant. It's like an airplane cockpit. You figure what buttons you should push next.
I can also get a great discounts on SP because I already purchased multiple.
Forget the SAM. Lots of Bells and whistles and it can be frustratingly complicated to get a good timed segue or the way you would like it. Plus it's DRM compliant. It's like an airplane cockpit. You figure what buttons you should push next.
i'll try to explain what i want to do..first i want it simple..i may not have the exact terminolgy..but you can see where i'm going..friday, and sat nights i want to do live shows from 8 til midnight..maybe more nights if i can..i want one window with my playlist in it, another with my jingles, and a third with my spots..at least for the live part..that way i can drag what i need as needed just like i am at a board in a studio..i will play spot breaks at 20 after and 20 before..I.D top of the hour..and insert jingles between songs as i'm doing the live show..for the REST of the week..i want to be able to build each hour exactly as i discribed..only i'm not there and it runs in automation so to speak..ID top of the hour, 2 songs, jingle..more music,jingles, music til 20 after, 3 or 4 spots, jingle out to more music..and so on til the top and repeat..pretty much like a real radio station any of us worked at back then..'cept we gon't have turntables or spotmasters..lol..i have a playlist of 3500 songs, about 500 spots, and 3-4 hundred jingles...runs about 9 days without repeating anything..so what do i need..how much..and the best place to throw this up..(well that may be a bad analogy)..but you get my drift i hope..thanks..
You can do exactly that with iTunes and it's free. We do what you outlined every day using itunes. It is so simple - have as many playlists open as you want, pulla and play on your live show. Your id's and spots are just another song to itunes.
rickity
gulchradio.com
rickity
gulchradio.com
hummm..i know nothing about i tunes..can you post a link that shows me what your talking about ? i thought i tunes was something you put on an ipod..forgive my ignorance on this subject..but how would i go live? is there software that allows me to load my files as i want..and does it sync with internet serveers like live 365,shoutcast,loud city etc / thanks for the reply..
I tunes is not what your looking for...that guy is from mars, let me help you. You can also use winamp for what he is thinking, and your not going to get that type of flawless playback and accuracy. It's not exactly what you ant or describing. You want a real player. Not an IPOD. I'm gonna break it down the best way and it will help your decision. OTS and SP are both good players except different layouts and some lean in different directions.
....I'm going..friday, and sat nights i want to do live shows from 8 til midnight..maybe more nights
Answer...this case I recommend OTS...pretty much which you call Live assist. It's whole shell or layout is 2 columns which consist of 2 turntable like players. One on each side. I'll try to be pretty basic.
Underneath TT/Player 1....is your playlist that has whatever hours you programed in it the list of songs that will be coming up to be played in the order of the listing...while one songs playing...the other with 10 seconds left of the current song is in cue for the TT/Player 2. Once the song starts to fade out , the other song comes in with a good segue in TT/Player 2. And you can let play continuosly.
Now if you want to go live instead....there's a button to press w/ mouse of course to let you go manual. There...you drag and drop what goes into the next player while the other song is playing. You also have a mike hook up so you can broadcast these songs manually while your mixing and have complete control of the segues you want to mix from you playlist.
The other side is your media library. It has every song listed in alphabetical order by artist and title (eithier way is right for you.) In case you get a request....and you have your media library in genres...someone request a song from the 80's or from Queen...there it is...already listed in proper order. As long as you list your files properly and correct spelling...there should be no problem. Then you can drag and drop it. And use your music or commercial liner files like your placing your vinyl on two turntables.
...i want one window with my playlist in it, another with my jingles, and a third with my spots..at least for the live part..that way i can drag what i need as needed just like i am at a board in a studio.
I'm gonna lean on SP on this one. It will show everything in one big list, or hourly current playlist. SP ...you have two phases in doing this. One is a studio which is you main player an displays your current list or log for the hour. The other is the creator ...that stores your schedule and files in genres , your liners, or commercials. It also schedules your programming or playlist for the 1 hour,1 day or even 1 year in advance if you like. (I wouldn't suggest it though...if you add new songs every week...)...but their structure leans more toward strictly automation. Their shell is more simplistic if you go fully automated. Plus you will great accuracy if you want your ID and liners to be played :20 past or top of the hour. That is made by the creator.
You can do live with SP...but the OTS is better layed out for doing a live show...the SP is better layed out and more simplistic for automation and Voice tracking. And the list is right in front of you for the hour what's coming up on a formatic scheduled list for next hour. You can do manual with SP...but it's not as simplistic as the OTS,.... which as far as straight automation and VT....it's Station Playlist.
.....i have a playlist of 3500 songs, about 500 spots, and 3-4 hundred jingles
Both will handle it, but in different ways...SP does it with the creator that sends it over to the studio (which is you log and playlist.
OTS list it on the front page under your TT/players on the right side which is your media library..(song list and list broken up in genres.)
As far as rotations...I don't know about 9 days... I never tried on the exact side of things, but it can be done. I believe SP would have a better handle on that then OTS...but wouldn't that sound preditable every 9 Days? With both you van make heavy medium , slow, hot rotations, with both...yes SP has the edge on that when it comes to simplicity. .
I hope this helps you decide...and whatever you do...don't program your station with an IPOD. (Gee!)
....I'm going..friday, and sat nights i want to do live shows from 8 til midnight..maybe more nights
Answer...this case I recommend OTS...pretty much which you call Live assist. It's whole shell or layout is 2 columns which consist of 2 turntable like players. One on each side. I'll try to be pretty basic.
Underneath TT/Player 1....is your playlist that has whatever hours you programed in it the list of songs that will be coming up to be played in the order of the listing...while one songs playing...the other with 10 seconds left of the current song is in cue for the TT/Player 2. Once the song starts to fade out , the other song comes in with a good segue in TT/Player 2. And you can let play continuosly.
Now if you want to go live instead....there's a button to press w/ mouse of course to let you go manual. There...you drag and drop what goes into the next player while the other song is playing. You also have a mike hook up so you can broadcast these songs manually while your mixing and have complete control of the segues you want to mix from you playlist.
The other side is your media library. It has every song listed in alphabetical order by artist and title (eithier way is right for you.) In case you get a request....and you have your media library in genres...someone request a song from the 80's or from Queen...there it is...already listed in proper order. As long as you list your files properly and correct spelling...there should be no problem. Then you can drag and drop it. And use your music or commercial liner files like your placing your vinyl on two turntables.
...i want one window with my playlist in it, another with my jingles, and a third with my spots..at least for the live part..that way i can drag what i need as needed just like i am at a board in a studio.
I'm gonna lean on SP on this one. It will show everything in one big list, or hourly current playlist. SP ...you have two phases in doing this. One is a studio which is you main player an displays your current list or log for the hour. The other is the creator ...that stores your schedule and files in genres , your liners, or commercials. It also schedules your programming or playlist for the 1 hour,1 day or even 1 year in advance if you like. (I wouldn't suggest it though...if you add new songs every week...)...but their structure leans more toward strictly automation. Their shell is more simplistic if you go fully automated. Plus you will great accuracy if you want your ID and liners to be played :20 past or top of the hour. That is made by the creator.
You can do live with SP...but the OTS is better layed out for doing a live show...the SP is better layed out and more simplistic for automation and Voice tracking. And the list is right in front of you for the hour what's coming up on a formatic scheduled list for next hour. You can do manual with SP...but it's not as simplistic as the OTS,.... which as far as straight automation and VT....it's Station Playlist.
.....i have a playlist of 3500 songs, about 500 spots, and 3-4 hundred jingles
Both will handle it, but in different ways...SP does it with the creator that sends it over to the studio (which is you log and playlist.
OTS list it on the front page under your TT/players on the right side which is your media library..(song list and list broken up in genres.)
As far as rotations...I don't know about 9 days... I never tried on the exact side of things, but it can be done. I believe SP would have a better handle on that then OTS...but wouldn't that sound preditable every 9 Days? With both you van make heavy medium , slow, hot rotations, with both...yes SP has the edge on that when it comes to simplicity. .
I hope this helps you decide...and whatever you do...don't program your station with an IPOD. (Gee!)
well not knowing anything about ipods..i didn't think it would be what i was looking for..i have ots bedroom edition that i listen to my playlist now..love the spinning turntables..but i thought if i went to their broadcast software..i'd lose that turntable skin..man i wish i could talk to a software guy and have him build what i want..i've looked at most all the options..and it seems they have a lot more bells and whistles than i need..of course they are designed for a real broadcast situation with a real station..if i could explain in an analog way..those of you that actualy worked a board 30 years ago..two turn tables, one 5 slot spotmaster, a rack of carts,one mic, and a box of 45's..and the daily log...thats all i need in a simple piece of software..there was a time i had all that..and ran a 10 share.......as for repitition..i see your point..but during the week i would shuffle the music,spot,jingles at night..so it wouldn't repeat exactly as it did the week before..but even if it did..that still a hell of a lot better than hearing the same 300 songs repeated every 12 hours like oldies stations do now...at least the ones still formatting oldies..thanks for all the help so far.
just a revalation i thought of...this would probably simplify things..instead of trying to run a weeks worth of music,interlaced with spots, and jingles...i would just use the spots,jingles, etc for the live shows thus allowing me to pick exactly what i want..the rest of the time the music would just flow song to song..as long as i could designate what i want during mornings, middays, etc..then when i go live..i call the shots personally...sounds like ots might be the way to go now...if so..which ots program should i use ??
i was just looking at OTS pro (80.00)..and checking out it's abilities..if i understand what you mean in the above text concerning the media library..can i insert my jingle list and commercial list in that side in stead of a media library..then i can drag what i want over to the playlist and put it in the order i want ? this would be perfect for live..but i might have to spend some time loading jingles/spots for a weeks worth..or i could load all my music/spots/jingles in one file and just inseret that for the week..then go live weekend nights..hope i made some sense out of this..thanks for the help..
What I have is the Silver edtion and it's perfect for the live programming of what your describing w/ 2 turntables a cart machine, microphone, and a box of music...there's no box of music...instead it's a media library that is in alphabetical order eithier by artist or song tiitle along with many tabs to headine the format or category genre you like to place the file under. That's the glory of technology...all in one monitor.
....the rest of the time the music would just flow song to song..as long as i could designate what i want during mornings, middays, etc..then when i go live..i call the shots personally...sounds like ots might be the way to go now...if so..which ots program should i use ??
Yes you can...you would make a template for an automated format wheel if your not live. Just make sure you follow instructions and don't miss a symbol....(just like someone's email address) don't miss a letter, > & (expl.)
....if i understand what you mean in the above text concerning the media library..can i insert my jingle list and commercial list in that side in stead of a media library..then i can drag what i want over to the playlist and put it in the order i want ?
Yes...or even better.....the media library on the right side column... carries or stores your files like I mentioned above as far as music, jingles,commercials, features, etc.....and you would just make the mp3 , WAV, or OTS files out of them from downloading your CD's or download sites and stores them into the categories you make up first and place them in there. Once it's all done...then you set the software to scan your files as it downloads them from your computer drive into the media library. (It may sound complicated as first...but it really isn't until you work with it)
On the column left side of things, that's your log where you can put what you want in there from the media library. At an instant in any order or letting it schedule it randomly ..... Yes you would drag and drop it. and it will feed in order for play automatically or manually in the 2 players. One playing...and the other in cue.
As far as scheduling it automatically for the hours your not there...it will schedule your station for the amount of time your away. Just put in how many hours you want the template to play your wheel......and in case your gone for 10 hours and you programmed 8 hours worth of music...it will replay the first 2 hours of the beginning just in case your gone, so there is no dead air.
To put it this way...as far as live shows the way you described it to me, like it in the analog days...I recommend the OTS. It's layed out simple like your in the control room yourself.
SP is great for stable strict scheduling automation and for hours to weeks or months where your ID must come in the top of the hour and commercials at the :10 or 20 mark 24/7 and you plan on just keeping the same strict playlist(s) for awhile...that's what that does. You can do live assist...but it's not layed out as simplistic as the OTS is for live....SP is more simplistic for automation only by the way the player or shell is designed.. And my internet station I prefer strictly automation. That's why for would I'm doing ....I prefer SP and I no longer need the OTS.
I don't have the heart of being a star, celebrity, or an announcer no longer.
....the rest of the time the music would just flow song to song..as long as i could designate what i want during mornings, middays, etc..then when i go live..i call the shots personally...sounds like ots might be the way to go now...if so..which ots program should i use ??
Yes you can...you would make a template for an automated format wheel if your not live. Just make sure you follow instructions and don't miss a symbol....(just like someone's email address) don't miss a letter, > & (expl.)
....if i understand what you mean in the above text concerning the media library..can i insert my jingle list and commercial list in that side in stead of a media library..then i can drag what i want over to the playlist and put it in the order i want ?
Yes...or even better.....the media library on the right side column... carries or stores your files like I mentioned above as far as music, jingles,commercials, features, etc.....and you would just make the mp3 , WAV, or OTS files out of them from downloading your CD's or download sites and stores them into the categories you make up first and place them in there. Once it's all done...then you set the software to scan your files as it downloads them from your computer drive into the media library. (It may sound complicated as first...but it really isn't until you work with it)
On the column left side of things, that's your log where you can put what you want in there from the media library. At an instant in any order or letting it schedule it randomly ..... Yes you would drag and drop it. and it will feed in order for play automatically or manually in the 2 players. One playing...and the other in cue.
As far as scheduling it automatically for the hours your not there...it will schedule your station for the amount of time your away. Just put in how many hours you want the template to play your wheel......and in case your gone for 10 hours and you programmed 8 hours worth of music...it will replay the first 2 hours of the beginning just in case your gone, so there is no dead air.
To put it this way...as far as live shows the way you described it to me, like it in the analog days...I recommend the OTS. It's layed out simple like your in the control room yourself.
SP is great for stable strict scheduling automation and for hours to weeks or months where your ID must come in the top of the hour and commercials at the :10 or 20 mark 24/7 and you plan on just keeping the same strict playlist(s) for awhile...that's what that does. You can do live assist...but it's not layed out as simplistic as the OTS is for live....SP is more simplistic for automation only by the way the player or shell is designed.. And my internet station I prefer strictly automation. That's why for would I'm doing ....I prefer SP and I no longer need the OTS.
I don't have the heart of being a star, celebrity, or an announcer no longer.
thanks for the help..i just looked at the silver edition..but i don't see where it supports an upload to shoutcast or another servor..the pro edition states it offers shoutcast support..am i looking at the correct version ? the pro is 79.95..the silver ..less than that..i have the bedroom edition and put my playlist in it, as well as my spots and jingles..granted they are all in one big long playlist file..but i can copy and paste and put them wher i want them..too time consuming i know..and it won't upload to a servor..but the tests i ran sure sounded tight..i'm really impressed with the way ots knows just when to start the next song in automated mode...for the money if the pro edition will do what i want..i don't mind throwing down a 100.00 bucks for that..
- Status
- This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.