Streamerp2p Forum

Hi Fellow Streamer Dudes

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am testing once again on my station

Using only virtual Audio Cable in the Broadcast Sound Chain (i.e No Hardware Soundcard )

for those not aware on " V A C " here is a link to the website
http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac3.htm
http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac4.htm

Why do this:
well the Soundcard that is fitted to the station transmit PC
does not support multiple connections to the same output
& has pretty high distortion (abt 1%) and noise floor (abt -85db)

Basically its a pile of S**T

VAC has much better performance /quality, and the cost of purchase/registration
is much lower than aquiring a (profesional) soundcard able to provide the same functionality
and the required audio quality (Fidelity)

--------

How it works..

I have setup 2 audio cables in VAC ( both @ 24bit 16buffer 44100khz sample rate )

My main player is ZaraRadio (v1.61), the output of ZaraRadio plays into VAC [ Cable 1 ]

The output of " VAC [ Cable 1 ] " is the feed for my 4band Audio Processor (MBL4)

The output of "MBL4" plays into VAC [ Cable 2 ] and ODDCAST picks up its feed from here.

The flow chart looks like this.




In order to feed monitor sound to the TX-PC's speakers,
I use the Audio-Repeater that comes with the VAC Package.

In order to start the Audio-repeater program with the correct settings
I created a simple .BAT file, the content of which follows.


thou it could easily "repeat" sound sourced from either cable, I prefer to hear the MBL4 output.


====================
re: MBL4
Sadly this audio processor is no longer available from the authers website http://www.burnill.co.uk
it was released as FREEWARE about 6 years ago
and is now removed, as they are now focused on there latest "Sonos 4"
which I quote " Sonos 4 is a much better alternative and it is free"

Thou I have not tested it !


====================
re: Stream encoding
Presently my ODDCAST has 2 mounted encoders

a) encoder 1 = Ogg Vorbis,, Q=5.5 22050khz (ice-bitrate 96kbs, full stereo)

b) encoder 2 = AAC PLUS,, 48kbs 44100khz

Both (a) & (b) are connected to a L.A.N Icecast server

Both copies of streamer (which broadcast my station)
Auto-connect (streamer RELAY mode) as liseners to the ogg vorbis stream
and in doing so, RELAY them onto this network.


====================
re: streams
My test streams are presently available in both v1.47 & Beta
Search http://www.streamerp2p.com/index.php?t=swansong (to evaluate for yourself)



Enjoy .. 2xQ aka Double'Q

hi Fellow Streamer dudes.

forgot to menton:

All the above software is running on an ancient/vintage PC

CPU = AMD Barton 2100 (single core, slight overclocking)

RAM = 1 gig (166mhz clock)

OS = Windows 2000

I have recently removed the AAC encoder
& returned the Main Stream to Q=2 @44100KHZ ( ice-bitrate 96kbs average )

Appear that 2 encoders mounted in Oddcast, were the staw that broke the camels back.
( i.e just to much for the processor to handle, hence removed )


For anyone that wants to try MBL4

I have placed a copy of the install at the bottom of my "LINKS"
on http://www.swansong-webradio.99k.org


also:
I failed to release that the audio processor setting that I was previously using
was setup to have about (on average) 5%~10% clipping

Hardly noticable when using the "S**T"y Hardware Soundcard,
but very noticable on the MID/HIGHs with the higher clarity of the Software [only] V.A.C system.

Hence I have now reduced the clipper drive in my preset,
so that clipping only accures on overdrive/transients (average about 0.5%) !



[enjoy]

new lower clipping "preset"

now present in "Doubles Q's MBL4 pre-sets.zip"

Name: = "2xQ -RADIO2- [ IBC src MP3] [ 50uS 15KHZ LPF]"

See MBL4 manual (included with Install) on how to install /load it.


[enjoy]

An ho yes.. AGC in ZaraRadio 1.61 is OFF (all level'ing done by MBL4)

Yes thank you for posting this interesting thread.


I already have a good alternative for such a set up. All software can be monitored off my CPU via soundblaster play control vol32 output "what you hear". ?Using Windows XP here and the original SB live 5.1 driver CD. This "what you hear" feature is a very powerful, it comes with the full instalation of all the player applications the with the soundblaster live 5.1 original CD, So there is a point in putting some of those applications you think you may not need with the soundblaster series cards. New exciting volume sliders snd drop downs appear in a lot of software that open up the capabilities of the WDM audio driver.

This is an awesome feature from the old soundcard because you monitor straight off any and all software after WDM and before the sound reaches the PCI Bus..

EG
If you have a skype audio conference, winamp, and a web site sound file are running everything goes to the play control mixer and I select "what you hear" in oddcast dropdown, and everything is monitored and encoded to streamer, but sadly, this drop down selection does not appear in Streamer Beta. I want to rid of my Ed/Oddcast addiction and just go with Streamer sound in the end.

Edit.
You already answered my questions in OP. I think..

I am going to purchase VAC now as I am going to attempt move to windows 7 64bit, My "what you hear" function will be lost.

Here goes. crosses fingers.

I own this V A C now.

I liked the way the audio repeater combines my Presonus Inspire 1394 front xlr inputs into a mono source within the driver, a bug that a lot of people were complaing about not being a hardware mixed signal into the firewire port. So the pan controlls were usless when recording to a stereo track.. This little proggy solved some issues here.

Im thinking of res hacking the Audio repeater shell to contain dual repeater interface if it is plausable. Dont know if I dont try.

Good for a lot of things and all the new options now has totally has messed up my way of running the station. Running multiple instances of the audio repeater seems to be working and I run a very good compressor within my winamp DSP plugins takes away the need another proggy to work with music broadcasting..

I just purchased a yamaha mg124cx mixer today, one very good analogue device for the price, nice hardware compressor on 4 mono to stereo channels, with six channels with balanced XLR inputs with effects sends and 3 band by passable pre fader EQ's and two full stereo input channels. 8 channels all up. It has a chose one from 16 effects and minimum parameter controll in built effects processor. The output seems clean enough for pro use. I will do a review if anyone is interested once I get some experience with it. One just needs to be gentle on the knobs and it should service the owner for a long time. However if Id just bought this virtual audio cable I prolly would not of required the analogue desk and just used my inspire firewire module, but I will find some use for the analoge desk. I guess the EQ function will prove valuable.

The Presonus Inspire 1394 is an excellent 24bit ASIO device, it has a basic hardware limiter, and does a good job on mics. The Presonus Inspire 1394 should last a lifetime as this device has no hardware controllers on it and relies on a software interface for volume and setting controlls. I like this about the module and It should last a lifetime with no moving parts to fail..

I found an interseting thread here regarding V A C. Can be a little stop and start getting it setup, and found some commandlines here.

http://community.justin.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=7810

The last post is most excellent too.


Meth3rlence Says



Im broadcasting with windows 7 patching this way now. Because I had a few jitter problems with the VAC audio repeater, I worked them out though,

But this is a better way through windows and it's perminant and seemingly risk free of jitters.

I have my Mic and desk into the Presonus Inspire 1394 line in patched to virtual audio cable too.


Like this.

Winamp>>> VAC1 >>> (Windows play/listen through> Presonus Inspire)>>> Streamer 2.06 beta
Mic>>>Yamaha Mixing desk>>> Presonus line in>>> (Windows Play/listen through> VAC1)>>> Streamer 2.06