Monday
Sep292008
TWiT-AM Is On The Air
Monday, September 29, 2008 at 11:07AM
I like to use my days off to work on projects that I just don't have time to get to otherwise. This morning I set up an audio server for the TWiT Live show that's compatible with the iPhone and other portable devices. This is something many of you have been asking for, even Dane! It's up now if you'd like to give it a try.
I've been listening on the iPhone using NullRiver's $5.99 Tuner Internet Radio (which is quite good for other streams, too, by the way).
According to Randal Schwartz, the free FStream works, too, but I haven't been able to figure it out myself. (UPDATE: I was adding .m3u to the URL - that confused Fstream, just use http://twit.am/listen.)
The stream works great, even on 3G while driving around. I'm sending a 64kbps stream, so it might not work as well on Edge (UPDATE: worked fine as a drove around Petaluma even with Edge!). I'd love to get some listening reports.
For folks who want the technical details, I've set up a dedicated server at Softlayer with a gigabit connection and icecast2. 4TB a month will cost me about $400. That's enough for 4000 listeners at 64kbps 24x7. If we need more I'll get more.
Listeners will connect to this server, but the content will be sent to the server from our studios using a Barix Instreamer hardware encoder. The encoder takes the output of my mixer, turns it into MP3 audio, then uses the T1 to send it to the server.
This should be a pretty reliable setup. I'll send live audio when we're on the air, and TWiT podcasts when we're not. We're in beta right now - at least until the Barix arrives and the twit.am URL propogates, but I would like your feedback, pro and con.
http://twit.am/listen
This URL will work in iTunes, WinAmp, and other Shoutcast/Icecast compatible players.I've been listening on the iPhone using NullRiver's $5.99 Tuner Internet Radio (which is quite good for other streams, too, by the way).
According to Randal Schwartz, the free FStream works, too, but I haven't been able to figure it out myself. (UPDATE: I was adding .m3u to the URL - that confused Fstream, just use http://twit.am/listen.)
The stream works great, even on 3G while driving around. I'm sending a 64kbps stream, so it might not work as well on Edge (UPDATE: worked fine as a drove around Petaluma even with Edge!). I'd love to get some listening reports.
For folks who want the technical details, I've set up a dedicated server at Softlayer with a gigabit connection and icecast2. 4TB a month will cost me about $400. That's enough for 4000 listeners at 64kbps 24x7. If we need more I'll get more.
Listeners will connect to this server, but the content will be sent to the server from our studios using a Barix Instreamer hardware encoder. The encoder takes the output of my mixer, turns it into MP3 audio, then uses the T1 to send it to the server.
This should be a pretty reliable setup. I'll send live audio when we're on the air, and TWiT podcasts when we're not. We're in beta right now - at least until the Barix arrives and the twit.am URL propogates, but I would like your feedback, pro and con.
Reader Comments (33)
This is super Leo, going to try it straight away, have to pick up a itunes gift card tomorrow to get the internet tuner from Nullriver, but it's worth it if I can listen to you :D
Hi Leo!
The stream appears to be working, time is commencing and it gives out valid title information, however there is no sound. Other streaming services like Lounge Radio work fine, so it's probably not my system. I am running it on Winamp/Vista.
This is a great idea, but I too get no sound when connecting to the stream. It finds the stream, and appears to be playing something, but it's just a deafening silence. By the way I wrote about the joys of of Internet radio on the iPhone on my blog earlier this month.
It is correct there is no sound, earlier today there was an Old episode of TWiT playing, after that finished the sound went out, but the stream is still active :)
Oops. I was running podcasts from iTunes and it ran out of stuff. (Just for the test.) I've added more shows to the playlist. It's playing now.
no problem, I can't tell you how happy I am that there's an audio only stream now :D
Ah, wonderful, it's working now, listening to Dick and You talking about the Smart. There are plenty of those here in Gemany BTW, a good friend of mine had the convertible for years and loved it. I however did not, it felt too much like a go-cart to me with no suspension / driving comfort at all. But as You said - You apparently either love it or hate it, there's no in-between, and right now, from what I understand, those Smarts are HOT in the US, so Your daughter's gonna be the star! :-)
Wow Wow Wow!! Just what I wanted! Now I can listen on my iPhone with Nullriver Tuner while I'm on the go! Thank you so much Leo!
Leo, can you get this in the shoutcast or flycast directory? If so, then some other iPhone apps can listen to it too.
Shiny! I had no problem connecting and the stream works. I'll give it a highway test tomorrow.
this is really great Leo! Thank you!!!
It's on the http://xiph.org">xiph.org and oddcast directories. I don't know if you can add an icecast stream to the Shoutcast directory. I'll check. I'm sure Flycast will add us to their directory, too. I'm just waiting for the twit.am domain to resolve.
Does anyone know of an application for Symbian Series 60 3rd edition that can capture this stream? I have a nokia n81 8gb now and the builtin realplayer cannot play this stream.
I found a program from Nokia called Internet Radio. Here: http://snipurl.com/3ycnu">http://snipurl.com/3ycnu
Just leave the .m3u off of the end of the address and it should work fine.
@randal How did you get FStream working? keeps disconnecting for me?
ok so the trick is: Use this server : http://67.228.204.146:8000/twit">http://67.228.204.146:8000/twit
Without the '.m3u'
Leo just so you know the stream of live audio is working great. I am listening to MBW while at work!
I love twit
thank you! This got it working with FStream for me. FStream works great despite it's weird config interface.
I hope things work out
I was just trying to do this myself last week to get Windows Weekly live in the car! Thanks, Leo. I love it!
I love this. I've been looking/wanting a shoutcast App for my Ipod Touch for the longest. I stream out my XM PCR from home to listen to at work. Plus throwing in TWIT broadcasting is like the icing on the cake. I can do shoutcast listening easy on my WinMo phone but the Iphone is looking better by the minute. If only they would put a replaceable battery and add bluetooth stereo and, and ....maybe a microSDHC card in it?
Thanks for adding this. Now I can finally listen live while I'm at work, since Stickam doesn't work through the proxy.
It's also great to be able to listen from my iPhone. (Either through FStream; which is a little sketchy or through a PHP script I wrote based on http://blog.fuexy.com/2007/11/03/streaming-shoutcast-on-the-iphone/">http://blog.fuexy.com/2007/11/03/streaming-shou... )
Care to share this php script?