Icecast Streaming Media Server

[Anonymous]

Hallo
I've installed Icecast2 on a win2003sp1 OS. I deliver the streaming to icecast with Ezstreamer.

If I connect to the Icecast server with the winamp player everything is working fine. But if I try to connect to the same url with Windows Media Player i receive an error "file/server not available"...

Anyone has an idea why WMP isnt working/playing the stream?

If anyone wants to try out I can send the url to log to listen the audio stream

Thanks
Johanna

p.s.
Here are the two conf files:
1--- icecast
<icecast>
<limits>
<clients>100</clients>
<sources>25</sources>
<client-timeout>30</client-timeout>
<header-timeout>15</header-timeout>
<source-timeout>10</source-timeout>
<burst-on-connect>1</burst-on-connect>
<burst-size>65535</burst-size>
</limits>

<hostname>localhost</hostname>
<listen-socket>
<port>8000</port>
</listen-socket>

<fileserve>1</fileserve>

<paths>
<logdir>./logs</logdir>
<webroot>./web</webroot>
<adminroot>./admin</adminroot>
<alias source="/" dest="/status.xls"/>
</paths>

<logging>
<accesslog>access.log</accesslog>
<errorlog>error.log</errorlog>
<loglevel>1</loglevel>
<logsize>10000</logsize>
<logarchive>1</logarchive>
</logging>
<security>
<chroot>0</chroot>
</security>
</icecast>

2--- ezstream
<ezstream>
<url>http://localhost:8000/ef-m</url>
<sourcepassword>*****</sourcepassword>
<format>MP3</format>
<filename>fm\music.m3u</filename>
.. follow variuos info settings
</ezstream>

[Anonymous]

Ok I tried to log with Windows media player (default buffer settings) from a different machine/sameip (my laptop)... and its working, but in a weird way... to make it play the music you must press the play button twice otherwise it goes on buffering for approx 5+mins. Can this buffer time be reduced to a more nicely one, like a couple of secs(?); with winamp the stream starts playing almost immediatly.

I'm confused about this WMP so here is the url -> 62.161.173.24:8000/ef-m

Thanks
Johanna

[Anonymous]

I've asked some mates to check if they can connect with windows media player... no one can connect ... but they can with winamp and iTunes.
I really have no clue on how to correct this...
Anyone can check to give me some ideas to work on? url is ->
62.173.161.24:8000/ef-m

Thanks
Jo

[karlH]

You are experiencing a common problem of MS not doing their job properly. Your stream is variable bitrate and while WMP can handle VBR mp3 files, it has trouble with VBR streams. You have a choice, inform MS and wait for a fix, change your setting in your encoder to use constant bitrate, or keep what you have and advise your listeners to avoid wmp.

karl.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Karl! great...
love microsoft .. My best choice is using the costant bitrate.
I'm using winlame to encode wav to mp3 and I'm using costant bitrate.
you think I should work on ezstream for rencoding?... actualy I'm just passing the mp3 to Icecast as is... also I'm wondering how you know that my stream is variable
anyway the real question is... know how to set it costant.. alas how to let wmp play...
thanks
jo

[karlH]

ezstream can be used to reencode, just pick one that suits your setup. I knew it was VBR as the bitrate changed in xmms during playback (winamp should do the same). There will be a setting for CBR in your encoding app, what that is depends on your source client/encoding application.

karl.