If you want to have your own online radio, then you must have a good hosting service for audio streaming. You cannot miss this option, especially if you want to make live radio. Therefore, this time we will show you everything you need to make live radio streaming, as well as we will explain the best hosting services for audio streaming.
What you need to make live radio streaming
While the audio streaming hosting service is necessary when you want to make live radio, it doesn’t change the fact that you still need other things in order to start broadcasting. That’s why we will mention everything you need to make live radio streaming. While there are always many other things that will allow you to be more and more professional, here there are the basics that will allow you to get a good start in the world of live radio:
The equipment
The first thing you will need is a computer, either desktop or laptop. If you want to just stream music and talk eventually, it is a matter of having a computer that has integrated microphone or simply buy one of better quality that is compatible with your computer.
Now, if you want to offer a live radio service, such as two people talking and between the conversations mix some songs, it is best to invest in an external USB sound card or at least a small console. But of course, this is an additional expense that is worth it only if you really want to offer a live radio service, so that you can count on a good sound quality.
Hosting service for audio streaming
The process for your live radio to become a reality is to connect from a computer to a streaming hosting, which will allow you to send the audio signal. Therefore, those who want to listen to your streaming radio program will connect to that server. In this way, you will be able to share your radio through a player that you place on your blog or website.
There are many platforms that offer the streaming hosting service for free, since they are companies that are only focused on attracting customers in exchange for free plans and then offer premium packages. This will allow you to improve the user experience. Now, among these free services, the best known are:
- MyRadioStream
- Listen2MyRadio
- Caster FM
Among the three options mentioned above, one of the most outstanding is Caster FM. It has its own player, which will allow you to easily insert it into your website without any complications. Best of all, it works in all browsers.
Now, if you want to opt for non-profit options that are responsible for supporting social organizations along with community radio, the best known options are:
- Yanapak
- Zeno FM
- Giss TV
As you can see, whether your radio show is for commercial or non-profit purposes, there are perfect options for you.
Live radio software
Do you think that because it is a live radio show only your voice would be enough? This is not so. Remember that in addition to the equipment mentioned above, you also require software, which will allow you to transmit your radio program.
In this case, you need software in charge of encoding what sounds from your sound card and sending it to the server. For this there are good options, such as Butt, which is free and very easy to use. This is an ideal option for those who are just starting, and it also works very well for Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
Another widely used software is Mixxx, which is a player similar to a DJ that will allow you to share your streaming audio without much hassle. Now, in case you want to automate your live radio program, G-Radio is one of the best options. It is currently only available for Linux, since it connects to your streaming server.
Now, in the case you have decided to transmit your radio program through a smartphone instead of a computer, it is also possible. In this case, Cool Mic is a highly recommended app; which once you download it, you must configure it with the data provided by your service provider, among which are: IP address, password (in case of private software), mount point and user (in case of free software).
How can you configure the audio card and software for live radio?
This will vary depending on the equipment you have and the software you use. But in general terms, you must indicate the software to use the signal to transmit, and for this, you must make certain settings on your sound card.
In case you are using a computer or laptop, and you have in mind to make a mix between audio and music, then you must configure the card indicating that it takes the signal from the “audio monitor, in the case of Windows, it must be the option “Stereo mix”.
To optimize the configuration and thus get the most out of your sound in Linux, you can make use of Jack, which is a powerful engine that will manage the audio. Once you have finished configuring your sound card, you will be ready to start streaming.
As you can see, starting a live radio streaming is not as complicated as you might think. The first thing to keep in mind is the planning of quality content. After that, invest in that basic equipment to start and gradually, as your radio program begins to be profitable, you should continue to invest in sound quality. In this way, you can give a better service to your audience.
