Fix up all the buffering...

[BigBen]

I was wondering if y'all can find some way of getting better performance on the servers. Cause I was checking out some of my new DJs, and my player and my other listeners are buffering out.

[Lostboy]

You need to realize that the servers do not run on dedicated bandwidth for each individual station....Every station shares the bandwidth on whichever server they are part of....If there are a lot of listeners tuning into various stations at a single time, this will affect performance....Buffering can also be caused by a station trying to broadcast at a bitrate that's higher than the dj's or station's base computer can handle....More often than not, it is the lack of a good connection from the broadcasting computer that causes most of the buffering.....This is the nature of shared bandwidth and you will inevitably encounter this problem, even with paid hosting, on any service that uses it for streaming services (FDC servers come to mind and are notorious for buffering and are a very popular host for premium SHOUTcast hosting)....The only way to guarantee no buffering is to either purchase a dedicated box from a host or try to set up your own...Both of these options are extremely expensive, ranging from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars per month depending on the server's connection setup.

Other factors can also affect stream quality....If one of your dj's does not have a powerful enough CPU on their computer and try to perform other tasks while broadcasting, you will have skips and buffers....If their internet upstream speed (download speeds are irrelevant for broadcasting) isn't large enough to handle the broadcast's bitrate, they will have the same problems if they try to surf the web while broadcasting.....Many station's try to broadcast at 128k stereo and the average ISP upstream bandwidth is still only 256k....Half of the bandwidth on their own connection is sucked up by the broadcast itself.....Anyone trying to run a station or dj on one shouldn't be doing anything except broadcasting when connected to your SHOUTcast.

Listeners buffering can mean that the listener's computer can't handle the bitrate the station is using.....Switching to a lower bitrate will help alleviate this problem.

There are quite a few possibilities for a buffering problem to take into consideration before blaming the server....You need to eliminate each problem beforehand.

[BigBen]

gezz. never mind then

[pulse radio]

buffering is caused by yourself not by the server its to do with your bandwidth and how many listeners you are wonting if your streaming at 128kbps then you wont get a listener unless you have a big upload speed as in 512 kbps as in example ....upload 512 divide 128 = 4 listeners

[voodoohippie]

I suggest if your broadcasting from your own PC from the US that you get something like Road Runner Turbo that has an upload speed of 512 and you can broadcast 128K all day long to your server. L2MR has improved a bit and I don't have some of the troubles I use to have like the server going out at random times. I've tried to broadcast on L2MR in the past and when listeners quickly came and went it use to cause The Legacy to stop and start and click. I had friends test that theory. I even had AutoDJ on L2MR (back before the improvement) and listeners with good connections had buffering issues. Now its improved on the FREE service and I'm at it again as I don't have the $$ for huge bandwidth costs for more than say 20 listeners.
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One suggestion I have is an AAC+ web player like I think Ravetrax or something. I'll have to search for it. Then everyone can broadcast 64KAAC+ which would do tow things. First it will conserve bandwidth as 64KAAC+ sounds the same as 128K Mp3 Stereo (And I am pickey). I broadcast 64K AAC+ and you can find me on iTunes from a US server. Prog Rockers are pretty picky so if they think it sounds good it will suffice for everyone.
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Thanks for improving your FREE service.

[voodoohippie]

One more thing: Never and I repeat Never ever think about running Sam Broadcaster or try broadcasting when you have Vista installed in your machine. If your an unfortunate Vista victim Get Windows 7 or get Windows XP (like I did). You'll be able to broadcast fine with 2GB Ram XP. I've even been able to surf the web at the same time or work on my Playlist. I also have AVG as my antivar and use Ccleaner to clean registry issues. So 99% of most peoples issues is simple Windows Vista. You can get a nice computer tech to scour for 3rd party drivers to fit even the new machines to XP. XP is the OS of choice (or windows 7 Pro with the XP emulator running for your SAM Broadcaster). As SAM 5 will be comming out soon just for vista/Win 7 you can run SAM 4 on 7 I've been told. However to be 100% sure simply use the XP emulator for SAM.
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Winamp with the DSP should work in Windows 7. Make sure you purchase Winamp Pro a meer $20 for broadcasting. I started with Winamp Pro+DSP using Super Mp3 recorder to announce. either way should work for you.
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For Progressive/Classic Rockers to hear my example of a good station head to http://thelegacy.youstream.fm and you'll hear a hobby station sound like a Pro station.

[lildjrich]

Firstly, introducing new suggestions should usually be posted as a new topic to make it easier for me, please. Obviously not now, but any future suggestions.

AAC has already been suggested I think, and we're looking into it.

SAM Broadcaster worked fine for me whilst I was on Vista, if you were having sound problems or anything like that then that's Vista itself as Vista just sucks for sound etc... I still wouldn't go over to Windows 7, I still prefer Windows XP.

[Mark Dickenson]

40Kbps stereo works great with a 1Mbps upload speed using shoutcast.

A dedicated laptop using Win XP & ADSL2+ dedicated modem running off our studio mixer works perfectly using shoutcast from Australia all the way to the USA server (from the otherside of the globe)!!

Virtually no buffering problems. The quality is actually VERY GOOD!
Then again we are using one of the best & biggest ISP's (Telstra - Australia) on the planet.
You might want to look for a better ISP.

try http://noosacommunityradio.listen2myradio.com/ and you will see what I am talking about.