What is SHOUTcast Widgets v7?
SHOUTcast Widgets was built back in 2012 as a type of aid for webmasters to easily include SHOUTcast and Icecast currently playing stats, players, recently played artists and more. Back then the top control panels for browser based online radio automation were and still are Centova Cast, Media CP (formally Cast Control), and Sonic Panel (aka WHM Sonic). Changes in the past 10 years have included the big switch to mobile, responsiveness and SSL (https).
SHOUTcast Widgets v7 brings several big changes including a near complete re-code and optimization which means making changes to outdated scripts line by line and ensuring correct coding techniques.
The old currently playing tracks widgets would pull the data from a text file that stores each track, date, listener amount, online dj and more. This data file was a huge advancement in SHOUTcast Widgets back in version 5 as it lets us record the last 2500+ in a simple text file for easy import using just about any coding language. This data file is also now playing a huge part in the new SmartMix. All new v7 accounts can quickly view and access this data file at the very top of the panel, just click on your user image and look for the link Data File.4
While the data file opened many doors, it should not be used to display currently playing data because it's slow. It's a perfect solution for last played data but we want to do everything we can to keep the currently playing artist on the stage is the one that's actually playing. The new currently playing widgets pull directly from the server. This was the original way SHOUTcast Widgets was designed and how it will be from now on.
Plugins have been introduced to SHOUTcast Widgets and include everything from fake listeners to the Tune in radio API.
SmartMix is a type of plugin for SHOUTcast Widgets customers that use Centova Cast. Smartmix will generate a new playlist and automatically play with help of the Centova Cast API which is included with any Centova Cast stream. Smartmix makes use of the data file we mentioned above and will judge what tracks to play by analyzing the amount of tracks both before and at the end of each track to determine listener jumps and drops per track. In addition, Smartmix will prevent the same artist and/or track every X amount of times. X is set in your SHOUTcast Widgets panel under server settings > Centova Cast plugin
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