Streaming

When used with an appropriate SHOUTcast distribution server, Zephyr iPort PLUS can be used as a simple and reliable encoder for Internet or internal audio distribution. Because the iPort generates standards-based MPEG streams, a wide variety of internet and mobile devices can be used for listening.

For delivering audio over a LAN or private network, the encoder and server can be together in the same rack. For public streaming over the Internet, the encoder typically runs in the place where the audio is generated (e.g. a studio) and the server is in a place where a lot of bandwidth is available such as an Internet co-location site.

Streams that are served by SHOUTcast protocol servers can be heard on Winamp, Apple iTunes, XMMS, VLC, Foobar, Microsoft Windows Media Player, and many other PC software players.

The diagram above shows a simple set-up for streaming. A Livewire xNode AoIP interface provides live audio input, which connects directly to the Livewire Ethernet jack on the iPort. The iPort’s WAN jack connects to a network (typically the Internet via your router) that leads to a remotely located streaming server. That streaming server provides streams to listeners over the Internet.

Many variants are possible. For example, a Livewire PC driver could provide the source audio rather than xNode hardware (remember, there must be an xNode somewhere on the network to provide clock synchronization). An installation which already has Livewire equipment would not need another xNode dedicated to the iPort - you would just select channels you want to stream directly from the Livewire network.

If you are planning to make really large scale public broadcasts via the Internet, you may want to host your broadcast through a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

This type of installation would be similar to the one diagrammed above. In this case, one LAN ties together the xNode, Zephyr iPort PLUS, as well as an Omnia® audio processor. Another network links to the WAN (presumably with a firewall in the picture). This offers good security since the Livewire network is isolated from the WAN. It would also be possible to use a single network on the studio side. In this case, the firewall would be responsible for protecting the Livewire network.

Configuring Zephyr iPort PLUS for Streaming

Go to the Codec Configuration page. For each stream:

Enter the Livewire channel number you want to use as your source.

Enter the Livewire text name.

Enter the stream server IP number and port (the port must correspond to that set in the server’s configuration).

Press the Options button to access the codec detail configuration.

Enter the encoder type, bitrate, and other parameters.

Select ‘TCP’ as the protocol (used for the iPort to server link).

Click the box Enable SHOUTcast protocol, and enter a password that will be used by the server to authenticate the stream.

Install, configure, and start the server.

Using the Integrated SHOUTcast Stream Server

Click the Enable stream server checkbox, then complete the following fields:

Source name – Used for the stream directory listings.

Homepage for the stream - Enter the stream's web address.

Genre – Enter the format of your stream or station here, for example rock, country or urban. SHOUTcast will display this information in the metadata field.

IRC – Internet Relay Chat - If you have an IRC channel, enter it here and it will be displayed on your SHOUTcast server stats.

AIM – AOL Instant Messenger - If you have an AIM handle, enter it here and it will be displayed on your SHOUTcast server stats.

ICQ – I See You - If you have an ICQ handle, enter it here and it will be displayed on your SHOUTcast server stats.

MPEG License & Music Copyright

The MPEG encoders in Zephyr iPort PLUS are properly licensed for professional, non-public applications such as broadcast remotes, private distribution systems, and the like. We’ve paid the fees as part of the cost of making the Zephyr iPort PLUS (in fact, it is a significant part of our expense), and the use license is passed to you when you buy the equipment. For this kind of application, you have no need to pay any additional fees.

However, public streaming applications may require additional license payments. It’s your responsibility to investigate whether you have this obligation.

Musical compositions and sound recordings are creative works that are protected by the copyright laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) and other countries. Under U.S. law, the owner of a copyright has the exclusive right to (and to authorize others to) reproduce the work, use parts of the work in a new creation, distribute the work in whole or in part, and to publicly display or perform the work (including on web pages and through webcasting). With few exceptions, it is illegal to reproduce, distribute or broadcast a sound recording without the permission of the copyright owner. It is your responsibility to comply with the copyright laws of the United States and other countries in which you broadcast and to pay all applicable royalties to the copyright owners when you become a webcaster.

There have been recent amendments to the copyright law regarding webcasting of sound recordings. These new provisions allow webcasting under the terms of a statutory license, as a way to help webcasters get permission without having to go to each sound recording’s owner. The statutory license, however, has strict requirements that you must follow. Some of these requirements include the payment of license fees, limitations on the number of songs from the same album or artist that may be played in a three hour period (called the sound recording performance complement); a prohibition on publishing advance playlists; and a requirement to identify the song, artist and album on the website. There are other requirements as well. The Recording Industry Association of America provides quite a bit of information on copyright law as it applies to webcasting, and both ASCAP and BMI have created license agreements that they are willing to grant to webcasters that they believe conform to the provisions of the new copyright rules for webcasting. For additional information on the statutory license and other aspects of webcasting, please visit the following sites:

The U.S. Copyright Office

http://www.copyright.gov

The Recording Industry Association of America

http://www.riaa.com/issues/music/webcasting

ASCAP

http://www.ascap.com/weblicense/webintro.html

BMI

http://www.bmi.com/iama/webcaster/index.asp