Icecast Server Hosting for Convenient Radio Streaming
Icecast is a server that is used for video and audio media streaming. It supports MP3, WebM, Opus, and Ogg (Vorbis and Theora) streams. Icecast server hosting can be used for the creation of internet radio stations. It can also run a private jukebox. There are so many other things that it can be used for. The platform is quite versatile, and it is possible to add some new formats to it quite easily. The server can support open standards for purposes of interaction and communication.
This streaming media project is free software. xiph.org the foundation maintains it. The name also refers to the server program that is a part of this project. It was created in 1998/1999 by Barath Raghavan and Jack Moffitt to provide a modifiable open-source server for audio streaming.
A version 2 was also introduced in 2002 and then released in 2004. This was a rewrite aimed at creating a server that supported different formats and allowed scalability. At first, the target was OggVorbis.
Originally, Icecast was developed for use by SMU’s radio station. This was because of the way the radio station kept losing FCC licensing. This made it hard for the station to reach its listeners. The only ones that could be reached were those in the same building. Within the campus, all dorms enjoyed ethernet connectivity which meant streaming audio to broadcast was a very sensible solution. However, at that time, RealAudio, which was the only audio streaming software available, happened to be too expensive. It was at this moment that Moffit created this server. It made it very easy for the radio station to reach everyone on the campus without having a transmitter upgrade or FCC licensing. The initial support was for mp3, but later, Vorbis support was added.
What it requires
This server usually needs some external programs, referred to as source clients, to originate streams. This project has a source client program included, called IceS. The source client normally runs where audio is being generated. This could be in the studio or anywhere else. On the other hand, the Icecast server runs where high-bandwidth connections are available, like in colocation centers. For those using version 2.4.0, the custom SOURCE method is not a must. HTTP standard PUT requests can be used instead.
What Icecast Server Hosting offers
Streaming networks that are Icecast server hosting compatible offer great features and reliability compared to other providers. With the best Icecast hosting, many things are taken care of, making streaming so much easier.
Icecast server hosting allows you to broadcast effortlessly and live. It is very easy to stream radio stations to all parts of the world while tracking the people listening and where they are streaming. It has mount points meaning that listeners are transferred from auto DJ to streaming live and vice versa, workout turning anything off or on manually. This makes things so much easier.
When you choose Icecast server hosting packages, you gain access to a free auto DJ. This system makes it easy for you to upload files in mp3 format to the system. This can help you select different playlists that can be streamed throughout even when you are not near the computer.