This guide is for DJs who have been given a login by their station. You'll broadcast live from your own computer with your own software. The station takes care of the rest: the AutoDJ fades out when you start and fades back in when you stop.
What you need
- The connection details your station sent you: address, port, mount point, username and password.
- Broadcast software that can stream to Icecast or SHOUTcast. If you don't have one yet, BUTT is free, simple and works on Windows, Mac and Linux. Mixxx is a free full DJ program.
- A steady internet connection. A cable is better than Wi-Fi, and your upload speed should be at least twice the bitrate (for 128 kbps, 256 kbps or more upload).
The settings, in every program
| Server type | Icecast (sometimes "Icecast 2"). Only if there is no Icecast option: SHOUTcast v1 (also called "SHOUTcast 1" or "legacy"), not SHOUTcast v2. |
| Address / server / host | As sent to you, e.g. smartstream.myautodj.com. No http:// in front. |
| Port | Your DJ port, e.g. 8004. Use the same number for SHOUTcast v1 too. |
| Mount point | /live (Icecast only) |
| Username / user / login | Your DJ username (Icecast only). If your program has no username box, leave it; the password is enough. |
| Password | Your DJ password. It's case sensitive. |
| Format / codec | MP3, at the bitrate your station uses (usually 128 kbps), 44100 Hz, stereo. |
Going live
- Enter the settings once and save them (most programs remember them).
- Start broadcasting (the steps for each program are below). Within a few seconds the AutoDJ fades out and you're on the air.
- Play your show. Listen on your phone or another computer if you want to hear what listeners hear; it runs a few seconds behind, so turn that device down while you talk.
- When you're done, stop broadcasting. The AutoDJ fades back in by itself with the next song.
BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool)
- Open Settings > Main. Under Server, click ADD.
- Enter a name (e.g. your station's), choose Icecast, and fill in Address, Port, Password, Icecast mountpoint (
/live) and Icecast user (your username). Click ADD. - Open the Audio tab: pick your sound card or mixer as the input, Codec MP3, Bitrate your station's bitrate, Samplerate 44100 Hz, stereo.
- Optional, for song titles: Stream tab > Update song name from your music player or a text file.
- Click Save settings, close the window and press the ? play button to connect. "connected" appears in the display. Press ? to end your show.
Mixxx
- Open Options (Windows/Linux) or Mixxx (Mac) > Preferences > Live Broadcasting.
- Type: Icecast 2. Fill in Host, Port, Mount (
/live), Login (your username) and Password. - Encoding: MP3, your station's bitrate, stereo. Song titles are sent automatically.
- Click OK, then turn on Options > Enable Live Broadcasting (Ctrl+L). Turn it off again to end your show.
SAM Broadcaster
- Open the Encoders window and click + (Add). Choose MP3 (LAME) and set your station's bitrate, 44100 Hz, stereo.
- On Server Details: Server type Icecast2, Server IP the address, Server port the port, Password your password and Mount
/live. If there's a User box, enter your username; if not, the password is enough. - Make sure "update metadata" / "send song titles" is ticked, click OK, then Start the encoder. Stop it to end your show.
RadioDJ
- Open Options > Plugins and enable the Encoder (streaming) plugin, then open its settings.
- Add an encoder: type Icecast, the address, port, mount
/live, your username and password, MP3 at your station's bitrate. - Tick sending song titles, save, and start the encoder to go live.
VirtualDJ
- Open Settings > Broadcast (or the Record/Broadcast panel) and choose Broadcast to radio server.
- In Config: server type Icecast, the server address, port, mount
/live, login (your username) and password. Format MP3, your station's bitrate. - Click Start (or Broadcast) to go live; click it again to stop.
From a phone
On Android, apps such as Cool Mic can stream to Icecast: enter the same address, port, mount point, username and password, and MP3 if the app offers a choice.
Troubleshooting
- "Wrong password" / "authentication failed" / 401: check the username and password exactly as sent (they're case sensitive, no spaces). After many wrong tries your address is locked out for 10 minutes.
- Can't connect at all / connection refused: check the port is your DJ port (not the listening port), and there's no
http://in the address. If it still fails, the station's AutoDJ may be stopped; ask your station manager. Some workplace or public Wi-Fi networks block these ports; try a phone hotspot to check. - Refused with "another DJ is live" / "stream in use": only one DJ can be on at a time. Wait until they finish.
- Connected, but the AutoDJ keeps playing: your software must be sending sound. Check your input levels are moving. The switch happens about a second after your audio arrives.
- "Unsupported" or no sound: set the format to MP3 (not AAC, Ogg or Opus).
- SHOUTcast software won't connect: choose SHOUTcast v1 / legacy mode, enter the DJ port as shown (the software adds one by itself), and only your password.
- Song titles don't show: turn on "send metadata" / "update song titles" in your software. Until titles arrive, listeners see your DJ name.
- The AutoDJ came back in the middle of your show: your connection stalled for more than 8 seconds, so the station took you off air. Most programs reconnect by themselves (turn on "reconnect automatically" if yours has it), and you fade back in as soon as your audio arrives again.
