Is your station bu..f.f..er…ing!? Oh no! We hate it when this happens just as much as you. So let’s get this fixed ASAP.
Today’s technology makes it relatively easy for you to start your own online Internet radio station. And, if you attract enough listeners, you may even generate additional revenue from your Shoutcast (or Icecast) station. Of course, you won’t have much luck growing an audience when buffering interferes with your broadcast. Read on to diagnose and prevent Shoutcast buffering through the process of elimination.
Common Causes of Shoutcast Buffering
Several issues could contribute to your station’s buffering. Anything from a weak Internet connection to a lack of computing resources, to the distance the audio signal travels between you and your Shoutcast server.
Executing a traceroute from your location the moment buffering occurs is the best way to diagnose a bottleneck or intermittent broadcasting issue. While this may require moderate technical skills, the results can prove to be immensely insightful for troubleshooting purposes.
The second-best option involves testing your Auto DJ to bypass the upstream “hops” between your physical location and the Shoutcast server itself. The Auto DJ is local, or server-side, so your source doesn’t have any latency at all, zero. Compare that to a remote DJ whose live signal travels through ten or twenty different network hops before it gets to the server and is distributed to your audience. That’s a lot of room for error. Cut out the distance, leave the majority of broadcasting up to Auto DJ, and there is a good chance you can eliminate Shoutcast buffering from your Internet radio station.
Tip: Shoutcast servers have a short built-in prebuffer to prevent poor quality out of the box. Large streaming platforms like Netflix also use this method, “…ta-dummm.” 🎵
Troubleshooting Checklist for Shoutcast Buffering
More likely than not, your station’s buffering comes from a common problem that all broadcasters experience, eventually. The next time you witness buffering firsthand, run through this short troubleshooting checklist. There’s a good chance one of these basic tips is the solution to your problem, or at the very least, will lead to one.
I. Restart device
Duh, right? This one is obvious, but cannot be overlooked. Unplug your device (modem/router) for ten to fifteen minutes to be sure the power cycles down completely. Once the time has passed plug in and restart the device. Try again.
II. Upstream speed
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) don’t always give their customers entirely accurate information about their download and upload speeds. Test your Internet speed to make sure you have the bandwidth needed to source your station. If you have a slow upload/upstream speed, then you might want to consider upgrading your Internet plan or finding a better provider.
III. Broadcasting bitrate
A high bitrate could cause your station to push more data through your ISP connection than its upstream capacity allows. Try lowering the bitrate a little and see if your stream’s sound improves. Be careful though. You don’t want to lower the bitrate too much or the actual audio quality may suffer. If you cannot find a balance between the two, your Shoutcast or Icecast station may benefit from the AAC format.
IV. Hardwired connection
Wired connections are always stronger than wireless connections. If you broadcast through wifi, try plugging your computer directly into your router. Switching to an ethernet cable could immediately solve the problem.
V. Traceroute
Performing a traceroute may be a bit complicated for anyone without a background in tech. However, if these other troubleshooting checklist items don’t help, a traceroute may be your last resort to locate the upstream lag. In rare cases, an intermittent bottleneck or off-network hop may cause Shoutcast buffering.
Find Affordable Shoutcast Server Hosting That Meets Your Needs
As an added insurance policy to prevent Shoutcast buffering, try Gecko’s cheap Shoutcast hosting with Auto DJ. We offer reliable plans starting at just $5.90 USD per month. Get on the air for the price of a cup of coffee! ☕️ Then, as your audience expands and you add more content to your station, you can conveniently upgrade in place to an unlimited plan for more freedom.
Regardless, we can and will help you keep your station online and buffer-free.