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Streaming from your own server

C

ChiefEngineer

Similar topic but with a new twist.

We have been using bluehost for our ftp and web transfers for some time. Very reliable. Lots of bandwidth we aren't using.

I have read several tutorials but bluehost isn't familiar with anything other than storing your audio then allowing it to be played with realtime. The forward the current stream process isn't clear.

Any tutorial on setting shoutcast with DNA up on our current site? I can create a new subdomain or link it to an existing domain on bluehost but have no idea how.

Even if we don't stream our own stuff in the future I would like to know how if we have future problems.

Shoutcast software is free. I ahev uploaded the software but can't get it to open within the folder on bluehost.

Any place to look?

BTW - I AM legally blind but can read most things on my 40 inch monitor using magnifier.
 
You normally cannot do things like this on a shared hosting service like BlueHost -- running a stream involves running an encoder application, which is an executable. BlueHost probably does not allow you to run executables on their server. If you wanted to do something like this, you'd probably need to buy a dedicated server for $60/month and up.
 
They allow executables AND allow you to use any version of Windows, linux, or Apple.
 
In that case, it should not be very complicated.

I would recommend trying to do it locally on your desktop machine first. Install the shoutcast server for windows, edit the configuration file (choose port number and passwords), and then just load the shoutcast dsp plug-in into winamp and give it a go. If you forward the correct port in your router, you could have a couple of friends tune in through your own internet connection!

After you've got that far, loading it onto a server that allows any windows applications should not be much more complicated than that. I wouldn't run the player itself on the server -- just the shoutcast server itself, and then use a local machine to uplink the pre-encoded stream to the shoutcast server.

///Leif
 
You mentioned lots of bandwidth, could you give me a number? The reason I ask is because even though for example, 1000 GB of transfer SOUNDS like a lot, it really only amounts to a few listeners 24/7. Most people who stream on their own find "unmetered" bandwidth plans, if its just a few people or feeding a show for syndication you could buy as little as 2mbits.
 
Well, take your average concurrent listeners * your bitrate (e.g. 128kbit) * 3600 (seconds in an hour) would give you the amount of Kbits each hour, in this case for 1 listener for one hour 460800 Kbit (1*128*3600). If you divide this with 1024 you get Mbit instead of Kbit, if you divide it again you get Gbit etc etc. If you divide this by 8 you get Gbytes.
Be aware about bits and bytes. 8 bits is 1 byte.
 
There's two things to worry about when streaming from your own server:

1) the upload bandwidth (or "speed" of your upload connection)

2) whether your ISP charges you or caps the amount of data (traffic) that you transfer

The upload bandwidth will limit the number of maximum concurrent listeners you can have. Say you are streaming a 128 kbps stream and you have an upload bandwidth of 1 Mbps, that means you can accommodate a maximum of 7 listeners listening at the same time (provided you are not using your upload bandwidth for something else other than streaming).

In regards to being charged for the amount of data - you really want flat-rate (uncapped) connection, period. A single listener listening to your 128 kbps stream for 2 hours each day, will generate over 3GB of traffic in a month. A single listener. Now add more and you can see where this is heading...


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
The F Mister said:
Be aware about bits and bytes. 8 bits is 1 byte.
Click to expand...

You have to be careful not only with bits and Bytes, but with kilos and Kilos.

8 bits = 1 Byte
1 kilo = 1000
1 Kilo = 1024

To add to confusion, M can mean both 1000 and 1024 of respectively k and K :-\

When you are dealing with digital communications speeds it's usually bits and kilos. Like 768 kbps ADSL. When you are dealing with data transfer rates it's usually Bytes and Kilos. Like your download from ftp server runs at 40 KB/s.

A stream of 128 kbps is 128 000 bits per seconds (bps).
Which is 128 000 / 8 = 16 000 Bytes per seconds (B/s).
Which is 16 000 / 1024 = 15.625 Kilo Bytes per second (KB/s).

So in a second you are getting across 128 kilo bits, which is equivalent of 15.625 Kilo Bytes.


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
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