Icecast Streaming Media Server

[brian]

Hello,

I am using edcast as my source and from time to time there can be some small network interuptions on the link from my studio to datacentre.

My WMA streams from windows media encoder to WMS seem to survive this but my edcast --> icecast always drop and reconnect which is correct I guess.

I am wondering does Icecast have any kind of buffer between the server and source and if so how would I increase this to stop the disconnects? If I could prebuffer maybe 30 seconds of audio it would certainly help this problem!

Thanks in advance,
Brian

[karlH]

The buffer you want will be in the source client, you can always increase the burst-size for your listeners and increase the source-timeout, the question though is what tolerances are going to allow.

karl.

[DJ-Zath]

KarlH is right, in this case..

I sorta have the same problem- with me, its on my own return feed from the CoLo.. when I attempt to view the video feed from Icecast, I get the first 2 or three FRAMES from which that point the viewer (winamp or VLC) simply buffers and rebuffers and rebuffers.. I have tried increasing the buffer size and burst but it didn't help. outgoing video (on the same machine) seems uneffected, except initally, at connection.. viewers say the video stream stalls and becomes a tad choppy... now, before someone suggests the machine isn't powerful enough, its has 4 dual-core xeon CPUs and 2 GIGS RAM in it! BUT it only has a 8 meg (onboard) video graphics adaptor on it (upstream video is via a $1000 video cap card)

but, as KarlH also states, adding burst (prebuffer) will increase the latency (lag) considerably.. if its a live feed where you interact with your listeners/viewers, this lag will quickly become noticable and even become a neusence, if not a problem real quick! If the program is recorded, or you don't interact with them directly, then adding about 30 secs of buffer would be okay.. I would try for 15 secs first.. also, a quick note on buffer.. adding buffer will NOT fix a broken stream caused by connection issues! The reason? its a stream with a FIXED data-rate! (its not like the SOURCE can send ahead data thats not yet been encoded!) a lot of people overlook this fact.. adding buffer will, at best, DELAY the problem- but it can NOT correct it- EVER! For this, it is IMPARATIVE that the source-to-encoder connection be as CLEAN and FREE of SPYWARE as humanly possable! AVOID ALL OTHER UNESSESSARY TRAFFIC on the stream connection.. especially surfing and e-mailing! I'd find out why the connection becoimes interupted- don't surf or allow that streaming computer any other type of internet activity- especially that which can aquire spyware! I know this is a tall order for some, but at least reduce it or not do it diring a show or important program..

I hope this helps.. just my 2 cents

-DjZ-