Icecast Streaming Media Server

Liquid_Squelch · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 56

Since I changed my intro file, I've been having problems with people listening with VISTA machines. They are getting the intro file, but their counter stops and does not advance to the live feed. (Which is the same problem if the intro isn't coded for the same bit as the feed)

My original intro.mp3 file was 6kb coded for 16kbps at 16000hz and runs 2 seconds.
My new promo intro is 128kb coded for 16kpbs at 16000hz and runs for 1min4 secs.

All the feeds on my site are all coded for 16kbps at 16000Hz.
From what I can tell, the intro and encoded streams should match.

I am not receiving any complaints from users, unless they use VISTA! Since I do not use VISTA, I can not troubleshoot the issue. I don't see any issues in my error.log file.

Does anyone have a clue on what could be the problem?

Example Feeds:
Long Intro: http://w2lie.no-ip.org:8005/ncfd-east.m3u
Short Intro: http://w2lie.no-ip.org:8000/ncfd-east.m3u
(These are live scanner feeds, so they may not be too busy if you catch them at an off time.... so keep an eye on your media counter)

To work around the problem, I setup a 2nd server relaying the feeds from the first server. The feeds are not streaming on demand. If I were to stream on demand, then the long into file would play and break the streaming on the relay as well.

Here are my limit settings:

karlH · Code Warrior Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 5476 Location: UK

the intro is sufficiently different to the stream, it seems to be identified as

MPEG ADTS, layer III, v2, 16 kBits, 16 kHz, Monaural

The players in question cannot handle the midstream change from ADTS to MP3, recheck the software that you used to create the intro.

karl.

Liquid_Squelch · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 56

karl,
First, thanks for the very quick answer.....

Where did you get the info that this was a MPEG ADTS stream? I can't find that in the file properties or in winamp.

I created the file in Audacity and saved it as a WAV
Then I used RazorLAME (Windows GUI for LAME) to encode the file to MP3.

I'm asking where you found the info, so if I can figure on how to recode the file - I can make sure I got it right!

Thanks again for all your help!
Phil

karlH · Code Warrior Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 5476 Location: UK

I just used the file command on linux. I guess lame is causing you the issue

karl.

Alaska · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 5

I had come across this problem with Windows Vista over a year ago.

For the discussion, see: http://icecast.imux.net/viewtopic.php?t=4047

The only solution I came up with for those using Windows Vista AND Windows Media Player was to get and use WinAmp for listening to mp3 streams. I suspect there is a problem with the "basic" mp3 codec that WMP uses that sees the switch between the intro file and the stream as a change in bit rate which causes the player to stop. Using a VBR for both the stream and the intro file may solve the problem - but I find WinAmp a much better player, anyway.

karlH · Code Warrior Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 5476 Location: UK

wmp is known to have problems with VBR based streams but the problem raised was actually down to a format difference. You really have to make sure that the file format used in the intro matches the stream.

karl.

Alaska · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 5

We did match the bitrate and other settings of the intro file to the stream format. In our case we were using a CBR of 16 kbps and a sampling rate of 11 kHz. Icecast does not syncronize files and switch on frame markers between the intro and the live stream, so there is the potential of always having a bad/incomplete frame at the switchpoint. This is what I think is causing Vista/WMP the problem. But then it would seem that any missing data in a live stream would create problems for Vista. Also, I have not experienced the problem with XP/WMP; one of many reasons why I have not switched to Vista.

Liquid_Squelch · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 56

KarlH,
I am wondering if you can give me the string you used for "file".

I'm still learning Linux, but tried the file that gave me a headache last year, and a new file I created this year, and the only info I can get is:

Audio file with ID3 version 2.3, MP3 encoding

Also, will 'file' work over a lan?

Any help would be appreciated. Like I said, I'm still new to Linux.
Thanks

karlH · Code Warrior Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 5476 Location: UK

It's not an OS issue, it's a player issue. If a player does not resync to mp3 frames midstream then they are asking for trouble. We cannot fix that as it is beyond our control. If the issue is with WMP then raise a bug report with Microsoft.

karl.

Liquid_Squelch · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 56

would it be possible to have 2 icecast servers running then?

One would play the intro, and then "fallback" to the mount via a URL or a playlist?
Would that cause a break? I am just wondering since I guess an intro file + source is different than a playlist?

At least this year I have a pc with VISTA so I can try and troubleshoot.

Thanks again KarlH

karlH · Code Warrior Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 5476 Location: UK

There is no fallback from a file, and even if there was it would not get around the issue of lack of resync handling midstream. afaik all players will resync at the beginning so having 2 entries in a playlist would work but that doesn't fix the wmp issue.

karl.