Tag: shoutcast directory

How To Get Your Station Listed In The Shoutcast Directory

How To Get Your Station Listed In The Shoutcast.com Directory

If you are like most Internet radio stations, you are constantly trying to add to your audience. Listeners search the Shoutcast.com directory to find new music every day. It is the biggest online radio index with approximately 100,000 active stations and a history that dates clear back to 1999.

After much ado from Shoutcast ownership and API issues in the present day, a new and improved Shoutcast authorization hash has been developed for compatibility with all Shoutcast server versions 2.6.1 and higher. Our techs have worked out the details. So, you don’t have to. Please read on.

How to: The Shoutcast Authhash

To get your SHOUTcast server listed in the Shoutcast.com directory, first register for the Shoutcast.com Freemium plan (also known as the “Basic” plan) if you have not already. Then follow the five setup steps when prompted.

Once you complete and save the steps go to the Shoutcast Radio Manager. This is where you will find your station’s unique authorization hash and dashboard.

Now navigate to the “Settings > Advanced” tab as shown below. Bingo. There it is. Please copy the Shoutcast authhash or keep your browser window open. In a moment, you will need to paste the authhash into your Shoutcast DNAS admin.

Shoutcast Authorization Hash

Next, open and login to your SHOUTcast DNAS admin. This can be done by clicking the “Server > Admin” link in the main Centova Cast navigation.

Centova Cast menu

Or, as described in the Gecko “Complete Login Guide To SHOUTcast and Icecast” help article. Remember, the username for the Shoutcast DNAS is always ‘admin.’ The DNAS admin password matches your Centova Cast and FTP passwords. It can also be found in Centova Cast “Configuration > Settings”.

Shoutcast DNAS authhash

From here, navigate to the active stream you wish to list in the directory. In most cases, this will be named “Stream #1.” Please note that an AutoDJ or remote encoder must be connected for this option to appear.

Create a Shoutcast Authhash

Continue by clicking the “Create Authhash” text link. On the next page, paste the Shoutcast authorization hash you previously copied to list your station in the Shoutcast.com directory. Press save.

How To Get Your Station Listed In The Shoutcast.com Directory

Before restarting your Shoutcast server to apply the configuration changes, double-check that your public server setting is set to “Always” in Centova Cast (“Settings > Shoutcast” tab).

Finally, while you are still logged in, restart your server via the control panel (left-hand nav). Try to be patient and let several minutes pass before searching directory.shoutcast.com to confirm your station listing. That’s it!

Gecko clients in need of assistance may open a support ticket in the client area. Our friendly support staff is more than happy to help guide you through the process.

Shoutcast: The List To Get Listed

To summarize, here is a quick recap of how to get your Shoutcast station listed in the Shoutcast.com directory. We recommend using the pictures and instructions above unless you are an advanced user.

  1. Register for a free Shoutcast.com Basic account
  2. Complete the five-step station setup
  3. Go to your Shoutcast Radio Manager
  4. Navigate to the “Settings > Advanced” tab
  5. Copy the Shoutcast authorization hash
  6. Login to your SHOUTcast DNAS admin page
  7. Navigate to the stream you wish to list in the directory
  8. Click the “Create Authhash” hyperlink
  9. Paste and save the authorization hash code
  10. Double-check your server’s public setting
  11. Restart your server via Centova Cast
  12. Search the directory for your station

Above all, as long as you can provide the Shoutcast authorization hash, GeckoHost technical support can and will get you listed in the Shoutcast.com directory. Please sign up for one of our cheap Shoutcast hosting plans to get started.

-Kia Ora!

By Gecko Web Bot
Top Ten Tips For Internet Radio Stations

Top Ten Tips to Improve Your Internet Radio Station

Radio has been around for well over a hundred years. This is a medium that’s always adapting and changing to keep up with both culture and technology. Now that we’re in the age of Internet, radio has taken on a whole new dimension. Below are several small digital tips and tricks from our experts that can go a long way toward making big improvements to your Internet radio station.

10. Stream in AAC Format

People listen to online radio in a variety of ways. This might mean their laptop, tablet, phone, tv or car. The audio format and encoding of your radio stream needs to be universally compatible. In general the most widely accepted streaming formats are MP3 and AAC. “Advanced audio coding” is usually thought of as the successor to MP3 because AAC sounds better at lower bitrates. When using AAC, you can produce a quality stream at 64 Kbps. With MP3, 128 Kbps is usually the norm. This is as cost effective as it is mobile friendly. Just remember that you can squeeze about twice the quality into the same bitrate using AAC.

9. Encode for All Audiences

Encoding the audio bitrate, samplerate and channels for a stream is usually a compromise between available bandwidth and overall sound quality. On one hand, the higher the bitrate, the higher the quality of audio. On the other hand, the higher the bitrate, the higher the chances of buffering. Finding a balance for your dial up and fiber listeners may be easier said than done. Also, consistency is key. Digital audio players need a constant steady feed.

8. Use a DJ Management Tool

The Centova Cast streaming control panel’s DJ management tool is a perfect way to give disc jockeys restricted access to your Internet radio station. Creating a DJ account permits you to limit his or her live broadcasting schedule. You can also set permissions to stop and start the stream or Auto DJ, view statistics, program playlists, and more. One of the best aspects of the DJ account is that it is possible to modify and configure each DJs privileges individually based upon trust and know-how.

7. Embed a Web Player

Embedding a web player on your site makes an incredible addition to your radio station that can improve both convenience and accessibility. Most website widgets will dramatically expand the functionality of your website. Centova Cast generates easy to copy and paste code for website integration. A few examples of these widgets are as follows: web player, tune-in links, recent tracks and stream summary. Highlighting the song request form widget promotes positive audience interaction and engagement.

6. Create a Custom Jingle

Why not add a catchy jingle for listeners to hear as they tune-in to your station? It’s informative and familiar to repeat listeners. Start building your brand through the use of radio imaging or an “introfile” before the live broadcast even begins. Whether you come up with a jingle in-house or hire a professional to craft one for you, it’s imperative to maintain the same sound, tone, and overall consistency when recording. Technically speaking, you must encode the introfile bitrate, sample rate, and channels (stereo or mono) to match the live online radio stream.

5. Submit to Streaming Radio Directories

Searchability is a crucial aspect of success for nearly everything these days, especially Internet radio. So, you’ll want to make sure listeners can find your station easily. To do this, you need to submit to as many streaming radio directories as possible. Places like TuneIn and Tunerr, or Streema, for instance, which indexes over 70,000 radio stations. Unfortunately, old reliable, the SHOUTcast.com directory, is not what it once was and the Icecast directory is what it has always been, just ok. Still, both are free. And ultimately, it is going to be a combination of directory listings that helps builds your audience.

4. Include ID3 MetaTags

You definitely want to include ID3 metatags in all of your music files. This is the data passed to audio players that contains the track title, album, and artist. Let your listeners know what’s playing. The universal Mp3Tag editor recommended on Midnight.fm‘s “ID3 Audio Meta Tag Tutorial” doesn’t require any technical skills. You can even insert cover art into your mp3 / metatags for more advanced playback displays. Do not overlook this commonly made mistake.

3. Make the Most of Auto DJ

Cutting in live over an automated broadcast can often prove to be a tough transition for any radio station, online or terrestrial. So, you’ll definitely want to consider running AutoDJ continuously in the background. For one, this makes shifting the listeners between a scheduled playlist and live event or radio show seamless. Not to mention, automatic. Plus, it prevents downtime if or when the remote feed is lost. By implementing IceCast’s fallback mountpoint or enabling Liquidsoap for SHOUTcast v2, “kicking” DJs is a thing of the past thanks to the Centova Cast control panel.

2. Enable HTTPS / SSL Streaming

SSL streaming has quickly become a necessity due to the fact that Chrome and the other major browsers no longer permit or support mixed content. For example, HTTP streaming links will not play on HTTPS pages. Mixed content can also cause unwanted browser warnings and disable the green lock icon in the browser’s address bar. Meanwhile, enabling HTTPS / SSL streaming will satisfy a larger audience and meet modern standards.

1. Invest in the Best Gear

While all you really need is a PC and the Winamp DSP plugin to get started, investing in the best gear, such as mics, mixing boards, sound cards, and headphones can make a big difference from a production standpoint. Keep the following tips in mind when selecting equipment.

  • Choose headphones that are comfortable and have a long cable.
  • Purchase a quality microphone to improve sound and clarity.
  • Don’t skimp on the mixing board. It is the heartbeat of your station!
  • Finally, make sure you have Gecko’s cheap SHOUTcast hosting +SSL.

Fine tuning your Internet radio station is an ongoing project. Have fun with it. As technology evolves there will always be new ways to tweak and improve your station.

By Gecko Web Bot