Live Stream FAQ Page

Soooo... you want to live stream?! Best to have a DSL or high speed constant Internet connection. Make sure you have the blessing of your Internet service provider to operate a server on your connection. Know how to calculate your band width usage. I use an old pc I bought at a garage sale that streams 24/7. It has to have a sound card and the more memory... the better. Next... add some software. It's free and available from the Shoutcast and Winamp web sites. You'll need the following software...

1. Winamp free version
2. Winamp DSP v1.8.2b [dsp_sc.dll] plugin (newer versions may be available)
3. Nullsoft Shoutcast server sc_serv.exe file

If you have trouble with the above links... just go to the Shoutcast web site and look for the download section near the top of the page. There are also some "user help groups" there to read over and ask questions if you get stuck.

After you've installed all the software on your pc in the C:\program files\shoutcast directory... you can begin the set up process.

Your scanner should be on and its output connected to your sound card mic input. Start with normal to low volume settings and lock it on a NOAA weather station for testing purposes. If you use your scanner's headphone output jack for the connection… you most likely wont be hearing your scanner's audio at this point. Just make sure you hear audio before you plug it into your pc mic in jack.

Above is how I configured my DSP plug in. Start Winamp. Under preferences on Winamp… click the “top left hand corner” ~ icon. Then navigate to Options - Preferences - Plug-ins – DSP/Effect. Change the setting from none to the Nullsoft Shoutcast source DSP v1.8 2b. (this could be a different version depending on what was available when you downloaded) The Shoutcast source box like the one above and to the left of the screen will come up. The Main tab doesn't have any settings but you can monitor input scanner audio levels here.

There are 2 sections to the Output tab… Connection and Yellowpages. Click on Connection. Above you can see I'm using localhost and port 8000. The port and the password has to be the same as the one entered in the Nullsoft sc_serv.exe software later. Make up a password and enter it now. Write it down because you'll have to enter the same password in a config file later. I left the Connect at Startup box unchecked and the Automatic Reconnection box checked. 30 secs time out is the default setting.

The 2^nd setting on the Output tab is Yellowpages. Click the “make public” box to be listed on the Shoutcast pages. Under description… type what you want people to see in the listing/scroll and what they will find when they do a search from the Shoutcast main page. Mine is Ft. Myers / Cape Coral / Lee Co / Charlotte Co / Florida – FD EMS / RSW Airport / Sanibel PD. Next... enter the URL of your web site. You can leave this blank if you don't have a web site. Mine is http://www.pinelakeshome.com/Scanner/radio1.htm. I use Scanner Radio in the Genre section. The rest can be left blank.

Notice the Connect box. You will use this later when you are ready to go online.

Settings on the Encoder tab. I use the MP3 Encoder at the 24 kbs 25.050 khz Mono setting. You can ignore the other encoders. Use Encoder 1. Streaming in stereo just wastes bandwidth.

On the Input tab… I use Sound card input and the 22050 hz Mono setting. My scanner plugs into the Mic Input on my pc sound card… so Microphone is selected vs Line Input. I don't use the level settings (Music BG Mic Fade PTT Lock) on the bottom of the tab. Click Open Mixer to set levels. Later… when you're setting your audio levels… don't exceed 0 db on the green vertical meter bars or your streamed audio will be distorted.

From the Mixer... you'll need to navigate to the Recording Control. If it doesn't come up… look under the Options tab of the Master Volume box. I selected Microphone and adjusted the level not to exceed 0 db while watching the green vertical meter bars located on the DSP input tap section. Use the slide bar along with the volume on your scanner to get the best sounding audio. You most likely can hear your scanner's audio on your pc’s speakers now.

Start the Nullsoft Shoutcast Server by clicking the sc_serv.exe file. This file should be located in the C:\program files\shoutcast directory. (You can make a shortcut to this file on your desktop if you want). Then click on the Edit Config tab. A box like the one above and to the right of the screen will come up. You can see my Maxuser is 4… Password is Tigger… and Portbase is 8000. The password and the port settings have to match what you previously entered in the Winamp DSP settings. Save your settings. You can read the rest of the text. It has a zillion settings but you don't need to change any of them.

To stop streaming... use the Kill Server Tab... not the x in the top right corner of the open program box to stop running the program. Be careful not to get more then one Nullsoft server running at the same time. They will show up as little icons on your task bar next to the time on the lower right of your desktop. You can watch (in the above picture the sand colored area) to see if Shoutcast adds you. This will take a few seconds after you click Connect. Connect can be found under the DSP Output tab. If Shoutcast won't add you… most likely you'll see a port error message. You'll have to open port 8000 to the Internet.

This is what my Linksys router config tab looks like. You can see I've Enabled ports 8000 to 8002 for the Compaq 192.168.1.105 computer. That is my networked pc I use for streaming. I don't know what type or brand name router you will use. They all have different screens that basically do and say the same thing. They just look different. For Linksys… you have to log in. Follow the directions that come with your router setup instructions. On Linksys… the port settings are under the Applications and Gaming tab. Of course… if you don't have a router or aren't running a firewall… ALL your ports are already exposed to the Internet. I don’t recommend that!!!!! If a hacker finds you… well… I don’t need to say anymore…

2. Run/start the Nullsoft file sc_serv.exe file

4. Start the DSP section

5. Click on Connect from the Output tab

6. Watch to see if Shoutcast adds you

7. Live stream 24/7 and tell your friends about it!

If all the settings are right… Shoutcast will look for your server and then add you. After a few minutes… your scanner listing will be added to the Shoutcast directory. You can search for yourself. For me… I can just search for Myers or Charlotte etc.