WKOP1990 On Live365

[Captainfirst]

Just thought I'd let everyone know about my new station on Live365. Running at 32Kmp3Pro and am doing my first ever live broadcast starting at 11:59 eastern tonight and going till 3 a.m.

I'll be spinning some rare stuff, including a live performance by the Shirelles from 1967 and a stereo version of a Beatles classic from the Magical Mystery Tour LP.

The station's address is : http://www.live365.com/stations/wkop1990?play


And to give you a feel for my style, here are some of the songs from my current playlist:

BLUEBIRDS OVER THE MOUNTAIN- RITCHIE VALENS
DREAM LOVER- BOBBY DARIN
BREAKIN' UP IS HARD TO D0- CAROLE KING
GUITAR MAN- ELVIS PRESLEY
ARIEL- DEAN FRIEDMAN
LOVE POTION #9- CLOVERS-
LIVE AND LET DIE- PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS
BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY- THE 4 SEASONS
MONSTER MASH- BOBBY "BORIS" PICKETT
CINNAMON GIRL- NEIL YOUNG
SHE LOVES YOU- THE BEATLES
I CAN'T EXPLAIN- THE WHO
BRANDY (YOU'RE A FINE GIRL)- LOOKING GLASS
IT'S NOW OR NEVER- ELVIS PRESLEY
JENNY, JENNY- LITTLE RICHARD
GOOD VIBRATIONS- THE BEACH BOYS
HAIR- THE COWSILLS
YOU WERE ON MY MIND- CRISPIAN ST. PETERS
I CAN'T STAY MAD AT YOU- SKEETER DAVIS
BABY, I'VE BEEN MISSING YOU- THE INDEPENDENTS
REFLECTIONS- DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES
WHO'S THAT LADY- THE ISLEY BROTHERS
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT- MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND
REUBEN JAMES- KENNY ROGERS & THE FIRST EDITION
I'M IN LOVE WITH YOUR DAUGHTER, PART 1- THEE ENCHANTMENTS
I WANT CANDY- THE STRANGELOVES
SPIDERS AND SNAKES- JIM STAFFORD
SITTING ON A POOR MAN'S THRONE- COPPERPENNY
DAY AFTER DAY- BADFINGER
LIES- KNICKERBOCKERS
WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES- THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
TWELVE-THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON)- THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS
ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN- CHUCK BERRY
BE-BOP BABY- RICKY NELSON
LITTLE LATIN LUPE LU- THE KINGSMEN
LOVE GROWS WHERE MY ROSEMARY GOES- EDISON LIGHTHOUSE
LONELY TEARDROPS- JACKIE WILSON
TEARS OF A CLOWN- SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES
MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK- THE ANGELS
SEVENTEEN- BOYD BENNETT
LADY GODIVA- PETER & GORDON
JUNGLE LOVE- STEVE MILLER BAND
I'M HERE TO GET MY BABY OUT OF JAIL- THE EVERLY BROTHERS
HONEY HONEY- LEWIS LYMON & THE TEEN CHORDS
THE ABC's OF LOVE- FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS
SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR- BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS

WKOP1990 is THE Rock And Roll Era.

 

[hipporadio]

That's a "delicious" playlist Captain... I'll be sure to listen. SEE... Oldies are on the move to a new creative-capable medium... Let's all listen 'n ENJOY (and spread the word--reward these hobbyists and enthusiasts). This may be our best-ever outlet--and a new frontier for the format! [Screw corporate radio--we may not need them thank God]. Thanks to the net--the POWER is OURS!

Anyboby with the b*lls to play "Lady Godiva" and "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes [NOTHIN' Grows Where The Dog Goes]" in a special show or format--and be prould of it--is JUST FINE with me! MAN--I love this stuff! 1650 OldiesRadio North Dallas played them both in the last few days... CREDIT to the "Conductor" in Texas--GREAT JOB!

GOOD LUCK music lover, and God bless Part 15!

[hippo]

 

[lash]

Station wasn't in play mode. Wouldn't even come up. What happened?

 

[hipporadio]

Captain...

Go back to work on your audio [sorry] UNIMPRESSIVE--MUCH BETTER capable at your stream rate--NO highs and a lot of distortion. When you "lashed out"--distortion followed. "What's Goin' On" by Marvin Gaye is generally MUCH better than you streamed on the net... "Live And Let Die" that followed was very weak, as was "Tears Of A Clown" which is usually very "dense"--Lady Godiva was OK (good stereo 'n Steve Miller also), BUT do you hav a proc? Don't think so--GET ONE! I understand--but there is a technical "entry fee"... Your mic was VERY WEAK... Consider some audio upgrades. The medium is not unlike AM broadcasting--modulate the f*ck out of it for maximum effect.

I Like your suggestion to play at 47 RPM (YEAH--very cool)...But sorry... 'Just telling the truth dude--audio could be better. This is an arena not unlike AM--"crank it" and tweak to get you noticed. You put forth the effort to choose some GREAT MUSIC, but your audio in this instance let you down (sorry)--CRANK IT--but choose a GOOD codec! Take my advice 'n come back--you have some great tunes and ideas in mind! I enjoyed your show... REALLY... WECOME!

 

[Captainfirst]

Hipporadio-

First off, thank you for taking the time to offer constructive criticism. I will be getting a better microphone later today, so that takes care of that issue. You ask if I have a proc- what is a proc? As regards some songs not sounding right- I thank you for letting me know about them. I will be reviewing all the current songs over the next few hours and making sure that things are better than they already are. I'm truly sorry that some songs were distorted- these will be removed ASAP.

And as for modulation levels, I can and will go a lot harder/higher on them, as I've noticed from listening to other streams that it does make a noticeable difference.

One quick question- you said there were no highs- how can I help that?

And as for audio upgrades, I'll be spending some cash on pro software (everything I have right now is freeware) and such in about ten days and am sure that the results will justify doing so.

Again, thanks for your input, I'm brand-new at streaming and learning as I go- so when I goof, I do appreciate having it pointed out nicely, which you have done.

 

[pqgeorge]

Good work and a very nice playlist with WKOP1990. I, too, operate a Live365 stream (really it's my wife's station.... but I maintain it). You'd never believe what I use to stream my oldies station. Somehow, it works. The streamer computer is a simple Dell Pentium II that has only one job to do, create the one stream to Live365 in California. The jukebox is an old Gateway Pentium II that uses WINAMP with several "plug-ins" for crossfading and peak limiting (really it's simply an AGC unit). For processing, I use an old MXR compressor fed into (get this...) an old Marantz cassette deck with an on board peak limiter. Somehow, it all works. Check it out at http://www.geocities.com/superstationxrb . Like WKOP1990, SuperStationXRB is a work in progress. But it's really a lot of fun. It's been running faithfully now since August of 2003.

Good luck with WKOP1990!

73,

Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
CE/SuperstationXRB

 

[Captainfirst]

Peter, thanks for the kind words. Just thought I'd let everyone know I'll be live again, from 1 a.m. till 4 a.m. on Monday morning- to celebrate my birthday I'll be playing some extra-special stuff.

If you have a dedication or request, send it to [email protected] (you can send them during the show as well as before-hand).

 

[hipporadio]

Captain...

Again, let me compliment your content and effort. As I have said in many posts here—“oldies” on terrestrial large-market corporate radio is near concluding a long and wonderful run. There is very limited potential for a reversal of this “strategy”. Oldies/classic music lovers should not fret as there are numerous (and better) options awaiting them. Folks like you are jumping in to meet their need. Any new endeavor comes with its pitfalls and missteps—heck, I’ve never launched a radio station that hasn’t been chock-full of screw-ups! Finding solutions for those missteps is part of the fun, learning experience, and reward.

My reference to “a proc” was an abbreviation for “audio processor”. In many ways your “sound” represents your station’s personality. Listen to Steve’s 1650 Oldies Radio. Yes—his playlist is awesome... The jingles and old commercials set his presentation apart from hundreds (maybe thousands) who try the same thing... But his station would NOT be the same without his outstanding technical (audio) delivery. It PERFECTLY mimics that used back in "the day" on the finest AM stations. Steve is delivering the full package... I said in a post covering 1650: “He has a runner on every base”.

Digital technology comes with its fair share of concerns. In many ways, it’s downright inferior to good ‘ole analog. I can guarantee that Steve’s 1650 sounds MUCH better received on a good quality AM radio in North Dallas than it does on 24k mp3 via the net. Digital audio is highly intolerant to over AND under-level conditions. Actually, digital distortion INCREASES as level falls below the theoretical maximum (the opposite from analog). Exceed that maximum limit though, and the sound goes south instantly—not so again in analog recording. So “personality” aside—a digital medium DEMANDS very good level control and optimization. This becomes especially true when you introduce a “lossy” bit-compression scheme such as low-bitrate mp3.

You will find no two people here who will agree on the BEST way to achieve the finest sound over a digital audio stream... There are simply too many variables, and sound is like beauty—it’s in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. Many who experiment and finally find “the sweet spot” will guard this to maintain their edge. Steve at 1650 actually shows us the very equipment used to achieve his results, but his superior content breeds that confidence.

There are two solutions I am very fond of for mid-high bitrate internet audio... The TKElectronic “Finalizer” is a “one-box wonder” that offers numerous audio tools and unrestricted scalability. Listen to nearly every re-mastered CD or the Leno and Letterman shows—and you're listening to a “Finalizer”... You WON’T be attracted by the price though. My favorite solution (because it’s ANALOG) is a combination of the Aphex “Dominator” multi-band peak limiter and gain-riding “Compellor”. Between the two is the 5-band parametric EQ from Rane. It is a MONO unit (two will be required for stereo), and their very versatile adjustment allows for nearly any target bandwidth. Since these are analog “studio” products (and studios frequently upgrade to digital)—these units can easily be found in “mint” condition at a used audio dealer for well-below their original retail.

Both (in a new un-opened box) are more expensive than the typical hobbyist could sanely afford. A third more reasonable choice may begin with a unit from the long-popular DX160 family. It’s affordable for the casual programmer and it’s effective (and clean) “PeakStop” feature makes it well suited for the digital medium. Whatever you choose—AVOID ANY “software” processing program running on your program or encoding PC. They ALL are massive CPU hogs and their performance generally sucks—good processing MUST be exercised with an external box feeding your encoder PC.

Software program automation: I LOVE WinAmp, but I wouldn't employ it in a radio station control room! I prefer BSI for automation and CD extraction www.bsiusa.com A lower-priced and stable alternative is the “Jockey Pro” or its “Light version” from 11 Software www.11software.com That is the program Steve is using at 1650... I have seen over a dozen others use it (a few at radio stations) with pleasing results.

As for audio quality issues (like high-frequency content)... First, get a good ripper/file prep program (FORGET about the “free tools” in Windows Media Player, WinAmp, or MusicMatch... BSI "Speedy" is my favorite. You'll easily find others, but you get what you pay (or don't pay) for. YOU MUST properly “trim” and “normalize” your files. Your quality begins with a good music file (remember “garbage in—garbage out"). Try to keep it in uncompressed PCM .wav format (especially if you’re using a “consumer” audio card). mp3 is fine for iPods, but double-mp3 when the net gets involved contributes significantly to those pesky digital artifacts... And heck, very large 250-gig drives will not break you these days. Since compression is a necessary evil on the net, and mp3 at 32k is VERY lossy, make that the ONLY compressed portion of your transport.

Well, ‘hope I’ve helped a little... GOOD LUCK on your station!

 

[hipporadio]

...A third more reasonable choice may begin with a unit from the long-popular DX160 family. It’s affordable for the casual programmer and it’s effective (and clean) “PeakStop” feature makes it well suited for the digital medium...

Let me correct a typo... The product I intended to reference is from DBX... Sorry

...For processing, I use an old MXR compressor fed into (get this...) an old Marantz cassette deck with an on board peak limiter. Somehow, it all works
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
CE/SuperstationXRB

YOU BET the Marantz cassette deck peak limiter works well. Long ago, my 1980 Model 5010B cassette deck’s transport died, but I keep it around for the wonderful peak-limiting function. It's effect is available at the line out jacks. I currently use it to “protect” a C Crane Part 15 stereo FM transmitter (good quality but no built-in peak control). It works great over a HUGE range with NEARLY NO negative side-effects... ‘Just MUCH louder transmitted audio.

 

[hipporadio]

Captain...

Listening to your stream around 3:30 this afternoon... NICE MIX, but I got smacked up the side of the head with the obvious “re-record” of Crispian St. Peter’s “You Were On My Mind”. It didn’t even remotely resemble the original. You can find the “real deal” at Oldies.com. It’s a reissue of the 1966 LP featuring that tune—formerly $15—now in the $6 or 5/$25 category. A LOT of other great stuff there at that price.

http://www.oldies.com/product-view/56152.html

"Indiana Wants Me" on standard (so-called "compatible") mp3 sounds like hyper-phased shortwave reception thru the Aurora from northern Norway. So much for "compatable" mp3PRO. I'd consider losing that codec. Not a lot of standard players, and I think you have to pay Live365 to listen in that mode.

I thought I recognized the WKOP calls in this thread, then I visited your site... Binghamton, NY (home of McIntosh) and nearly my first station purchase 1330 WEBO and 101.7 FM in Owego from the good Mr Penny—glad I passed on that one

I understand WEBO’s tower fell down and they were forced to fire into a longwire... OMG—you wouldn’t believe the ancient transmitter there also

 

[Captainfirst]

Hipporadio-

First, I again thank you for your comments and suggestions. I never really realized what kind of a difference using analog versus digital could make. I just did an A/B comparison of several songs, with A being a tape and B being a 128K mp3- it was no contest. I ran the tape audio through an old boombox of mine that has peak limiting built in plugged into my computer's line-in connection. I'm well aware that the boombox won't do anywhere near the job that a professional item would, but it should be a distinct improvement over the current sound. I'm going to pull an all-nighter to have at least two or three hours worth of music ready to cue up by noon today. And if I can get a loan from my credit union I would be able to afford pro equipment- anyone wanna co-sign?

I've bought a few cds from Oldies.com before and just ordered the Crispian St. Peters CD from their site- for
what it's worth, all of the records I play are from vinyl, tape, or CD- I refuse to use downloaded mp3s on-air because they really sound bad when streamed.

That does limit the number of songs I have available to play a bit, but I'd rather play fewer records well than more poorly.

And yeah, the WKOP calls are from 1360 AM here in Binghamton- my format started out as a recreation of their days as WRSG but is gradually evolving into my own distinct style.

Again, thank you for the constructive criticism presented politely, and for the very helpful suggestions. I do aim, by the end of this year, to have the station go Pro and become an actual business for myself (and it doesn't have to make a ton of cash, a monthly profit of even 50 or 75 bucks would be fines as I
live very frugally for the most part). Thus, I want the station to be the very best I can make it, and am already trying to run it as I would run a business, though there are going to be a lot of growing pains along the way, those of you who are on-board early will reap the rewards later on. I say this, because I will offer subscriptions rather than run ads, and I plan on offering free subs. to at least four or five of you.

So for doing a nice thing, you will receive in kind.

Oh, yeah, also, am going back to 56k regular for the stream or even 64- IF those of you here who have listened can handle a 64k stream on your computers, please e-mail me or let me know here by post, as I am more intent on keeping a small-to-medium amount of loyal and satisfied listeners than I am in racking up tons of TLH or being ranked in the top 100 stations for my genre.

 

[hipporadio]

Hipporadio-
First, I again thank you for your comments and suggestions. I never really realized what kind of a difference using analog versus digital could make. I just did an A/B comparison of several songs, with A being a tape and B being a 128K mp3- it was no contest

Captain... HI-FIVE... I'm happy that you took the initiative to find that out for yourself... VERY FEW would because “It’s all about my mp3 dude...DAAAAH”. Understand, there ARE digital formats that balance convenience with quality—unfortunately the “free” software-based mp3 that bounces around cyberspace IS NOT one of them. The mere term “mp3” is a label distortion to begin with. “mp3” in reality is “mp1 layer3”—soon to be TWENTY YEARS OLD. The latest option is “mp4”—and guess where that platform delivers it “goodies”... On APPLE in the form of Quicktime. “mp2” is the professional (and not-so-free”) broadcast standard—and fewer operations today employ it for music... Huge hard drives have fallen in price to a point that outmodes the need and desire to bit-reduce the original pristine material.

And if I can get a loan from my credit union I would be able to afford pro equipment...

I wouldn’t suggest going in hoc and suffering a retail interest rate to mess around at Live 365, Captain. Just “go slow but true”—have some fun and enjoy the learning experience—the best opportunities still await, but need some time to grow into a viable enterprise worthy of risk. After selling my stations, I spent several years in streaming media (the prehistoric era when “broadband” was the staple of corporate business only). Luckily, I didn’t toss a lot of cash into what clearly amounted to a self-edifying hobby. PLEASE don’t do the same. You have time to frugally grow and get better at your trade! I'll get an Email off to you (or post here) in the coming days some very good (yet affordable) equipment suggestions (processor, mixer, software, etc).

I refuse to use downloaded mp3s on-air because they really sound bad when streamed... That does limit the number of songs I have available to play a bit, but I'd rather play fewer records well than more poorly.

VERY GOOD philosophy! Digitally-duped compressed audio sounds even trashier when bit-reduced for a second time and streamed! Two reasons... (1) Their dubious creation (that you have no quality control over) at the beginning; and (2) The unavoidable degradation from double-compression. That’s why I suggest that you patiently “rip” and prepare your content slowly and deliberately—saving it in the highest quality PCM .wav format. All those files will be there when you really need them—and they’ll sound kick-a** well into the future when your options are more numerous.

...am going back to 56k regular for the stream or even 64k IF those of you here who have listened can handle a 64k stream on your computers, please e-mail me or let me know here by post.

GOOD CHOICE. At the risk of straying WAY off topic, I’ll save my critical observations of the mp3Pro codec for another board here. Just understand... You are limiting your audience more by using it than you would by upping the rate to 64k (the very MINIMUM tolerable for mp3 stereo over the net)... mp3PRO has turned into a “marketing misstep” courtesy of the “suits” at Thompson. VERY FEW players incorporate it without a plug-in, and (contrary to claims)—it is not fully compatible with standard mp3-enabled players when dynamic deviations on the net become involved.

A “streaming friend” asked me recently about the very same question you pose regarding stream rate. “I want to sound better, but I don’t want to lose my dial-up listeners—and I can’t afford a second stream”... My response was “The sun rarely shines while it rains”. That analogy would be a much harder to make stick in 1999, but times are quickly changing and broadband penetration is growing. The ISPs want to banish dial-up—REALLY! Do you think they enjoy paying “business rate” to the phone company for all their antiquated dial-in lines to their local POPs—NO WAY! Verizon DSL service is cheaper here than AOL dial-up used to be (and it’s going away). Make the jump Captain—it’s time... Your Oldies lovers will love you for it! GOOD LUCK!

 

[hipporadio]

OK... Here’s some hints to get you into the NetOldies game with some “class” Captain...

You have a new microphone, so I won’t go there... The mixer and mic-proc I suggest will allow you to “balls it up” anyway.

The Mackie mixer I'm suggesting is AWESOME—and PERFECT for your application (and it's a "budget" unit). I have used many of their products over 15+ years and they have NO real competition—BELIEVE ME—they are your BEST affordable choice. I can offer you NO BETTER recommendation. The 1202 offers an “alt 3/4” stereo buss which will allow you to “cue” live events and use the mixer for “off-air production” while it handles you live stream.

Here’s some links...

Mackie 1202-VLZ mixer: http://www.mackie.com/products/1202vlzpro/index.html

DBX processors
1066 (ultimate for program audio): http://www.dbxpro.com/1066.htm
166XL (good for program audio): http://www.dbxpro.com/166XL.htm
160A (microphone—insert to Mackie mic channel): http://www.dbxpro.com/160A.htm

SOFTWARE:
program control: http://www.11software.com/ Check out the Jockey Pro or “Light” version—decide what you need and spend accordingly.
CD ripping/file prep: http://www.bsiusa.com/software/speedy/speedy.php I like this program because it ably-automates many “separate steps” like “trim” and “normalize”.

Nero is a very good program for this also, and is cheaper.

Here’s the best free audio program on the net: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Audacity is AWESOME... It will allow you to edit, trim, and normalize your files... Plus give you a GREAT basic production tool... GO FOR this one—hell, it’s FREE!

To do it “right”—you’ll need TWO dedicated computers (NOT including your "general" PC which you may use to surf, look at family photos, run other applications, and even listen to your station and do "off-air" production on). This assumes that you are feeding the stream "live" at all times, and not using the tacky Live 365 "upload to storage feature". FORGET about being a "player" if you depend on that!.

PC-1 will run your program (fully auto and/or live-assist control software) and you’ll need to install a VERY GOOD duplex multi-instance sound card (a Creative Audigy with MINIMUM installed drivers) comes to mind, BUT be sure to consult your audio control program provider for their recommedations (Jockey Pro CAN run on a good consumer card)... PC-2 is your Live 365 mp3 encoder to feed your 64kbps mp3 “backhaul” to the Live 365 interface in CA. The audio equipment will be between the two computers. A basic annotated diagram: PC-1 (station music storage and control) > the Mackie’s stereo line inputs where your other non-automated sources such as live microphone, CD player, tape, and turntable can be plugged in, accessed, and “aired live” > your choice of DBX “procs” (I’m intrigued with the 1066—and DBX ALWAYS delivers on an upgraded product, but the 166XL is a good “budget” choice) > the audio card living in PC-2 (which will encode and send your audio to Live 365) Generally a good Windows-compatible card with VERY MINIMAL features is advised in this PC (install MINIMAL drivers only—NO “extra features”). You can certainly find a Creative (Soundblaster) product that will work well.

I strongly suggest the DBX 160A for your microphone channel—it will make your vocal presence sound much better. It interfaces PERFECTLY to the Mackie’s microphone channel input thru its “insert” jack. The 1202 also offers respectable EQ for your mic and pre-net program audio. This product is a real “Swiss Army Knife”—I’m POSITIVE that you’ll LOVE IT!

OK Captain—that ought give you some stuff to munch on... I like your enthusiasm... Keep the Oldies coming on strong!

 

[hipporadio]

...And I just was thinkin'... BOTH Mackie and DBX are "Musician brands"--you may find them LOCALLY at a store that caters (with a good price) to that crowd. I like Full Compass for pro stuff. Sound cards... Go to any Best Buy or CompUSA. Online--the options are many--just search! PCs--I like Dell, but generally build my own or buy local (so I can blame someone) BOTH the "program" and "64k encoder" requires NO MORE than a Pentium III (one-gig CPU), BUT stock them with ONE GIG of memory--"issues" develop if you use less! Save head-pains and spend the extra 'hundred bucks to build the PC right with extra memory and a "premium" power supply! NO--absolutely NO Windows XP allowed--or Windows Server 2k or '03--Intel required--NO AMD CPUs permitted... Basic Win-2000 "single-user" is best with an Intel Pentium CPU. Win-98se is actually OK also (interesting, but it works fine).

 

[Captainfirst]

Just wanted to let everyone know that all changes were postponed due to some personal issues- a new playlist is running, the stream rate has been changed to 56K, the new microphone has seen its first use, and all songs were taken from vinyl, tape, or cd and have been run through a new processing style.

Though I have a long ways to go, the station, right now, sounds the best it has since I signed on a month ago.

 

[RadioMan203]

...And I just was thinkin'... BOTH Mackie and DBX are "Musician brands"--you may find them LOCALLY at a store that caters (with a good price) to that crowd. I like Full Compass for pro stuff. Sound cards... Go to any Best Buy or CompUSA. Online--the options are many--just search! PCs--I like Dell, but generally build my own or buy local (so I can blame someone) BOTH the "program" and "64k encoder" requires NO MORE than a Pentium III (one-gig CPU), BUT stock them with ONE GIG of memory--"issues" develop if you use less! Save head-pains and spend the extra 'hundred bucks to build the PC right with extra memory and a "premium" power supply! NO--absolutely NO Windows XP allowed--or Windows Server 2k or '03--Intel required--NO AMD CPUs permitted... Basic Win-2000 "single-user" is best with an Intel Pentium CPU. Win-98se is actually OK also (interesting, but it works fine).

You have some good points there, but there are a few I would say aren't a big deal.

Sure, Windows 2000 may be a little more stable than XP, but I've been using XP Pro on automation systems and streaming computers with great success - if not, the terrestrial stations I consult for would be on the phone with me at all hours of the night complaining.

While Dell makes a good box I have to concur I would rather build my own. Not to blame myself, however, but the very fact that generic parts are less expensive than Dell's proprietary parts - especially when you need something on a weekend and can only get to a Staples or CompUSA.

My original streaming encoder used Win98SE and a product called 98Lite, which strips all the garbage out of the OS. I had a rock-solid encoder that worked quite well. Currently I deploy encoders with WinXP Pro and have yet to have any issues.

I suppose it's like anything ... your mileage may vary.

 

[hipporadio]

...BOTH the "program" and "64k encoder" requires NO MORE than a Pentium III (one-gig CPU)... NO--absolutely NO Windows XP allowed... Basic Win-2000 "single-user" is best...

Sure, Windows 2000 may be a little more stable than XP, but I've been using XP Pro on automation systems and streaming computers with great success...

My original streaming encoder used Win98SE and a product called 98Lite, which strips all the garbage out of the OS. I had a rock-solid encoder that worked quite well. Currently I deploy encoders with WinXP Pro and have yet to have any issues.

Bill... Just this morning, I was reviewing a few digital encoder “appliances” including the FMExtra ACC-plus (mp4) box for digital FM-SCA—and they run on the WinXP-Pro OS (but with an Intel P-4 3 GHz CPU onboard). XP-Pro IS dependable, but my suggestion was in the context of saving a new i-station some bucks by finding a couple “cast-off” Pentium III PCs or building one with a heavily-discounted CPU, PC-133 memory, and motherboard. Since XP is well-bloated and a resource “hog”—I thought it better to use the more streamlined Win2000 which was written in the P-3 era.

Have you found a “solution” to “stripping down” XP to the simple essentials? As you noted—it was fairly easy with 98se. For XP—it appears to be more of an undertaking with complex registry hacks and file removals—a task I wouldn’t recommend the “faint at heart” (including myself) attempt. I’ve seen only a few forums (usually populated by gamers) that offer guidance.

As it appears that “Oldies” may need to find the net as a new home, and many seem ready to rise to that occasion—it would be great to share as much helpful information as possible.

 

[RadioMan203]

Bill... Just this morning, I was reviewing a few digital encoder “appliances” including the FMExtra ACC-plus (mp4) box for digital FM-SCA—and they run on the WinXP-Pro OS (but with an Intel P-4 3 GHz CPU onboard). XP-Pro IS dependable, but my suggestion was in the context of saving a new i-station some bucks by finding a couple “cast-off” Pentium III PCs or building one with a heavily-discounted CPU, PC-133 memory, and motherboard. Since XP is well-bloated and a resource “hog”—I thought it better to use the more streamlined Win2000 which was written in the P-3 era.

Very good point. P3's and XP just don't play nice when it comes to speed. Also God knows there's plenty of cast-off hardware just waiting to be repurposed.

Have you found a “solution” to “stripping down” XP to the simple essentials? As you noted—it was fairly easy with 98se. For XP—it appears to be more of an undertaking with complex registry hacks and file removals—a task I wouldn’t recommend the “faint at heart” (including myself) attempt. I’ve seen only a few forums (usually populated by gamers) that offer guidance.

Shane Brooks, the author of 98Lite has a version for 2000 and XP. You can find it at litepc.com. I haven't played with it yet but if it works as well as 98Lite it should be a blessing to cut the fat from XP.