First, you must install and set up the server. This is simple -just follow the steps below.
1. Download the SHOUTcast DNAS application for Windows.
2. Once the download has finished, run the Setup program and select the graphic or console interface.
3. Start up the SHOUTcast Radio server by double-clicking on SC_SERV.EXE . If you have not created a shortcut on your desktop locate the file manually (usually in C:/Program files/SHOUTcast).
4. Click on the “Edit Config” menu option located at the top. This will start the default text editor (most likely Notepad) opening the configuration file for SHOUTcast DNAS application. If you can not read the text then try to open it with MS Word. Full description of all commands can be found on the SHOUTcast site, but the following are most important:
PortBase – this is the port used by the radio server (it is 8000 by default and you don’t need to change it, unless it is used by another program).
MaxUser – with this parameter you can specify the maximum number of users that can simultaneously listen to your radio. Note that for more users you will need lots of bandwidth and a stable connection to the Internet.
Password - this is the password for remote access to the server, it is recommended to be a bit more complicated.
5. Once you are done making changes, save the file, close the editor, and restart the SHOUTcast Radio DNAS application.Now it’s time to set up the plugin.
Download and install it without changing the default settings. Then start Winamp and go to the Options menu ( Ctrl + P). From the list on the left, select DSP / Effect, then Nullsoft SHOUTcast Source DSP and press the Configure active plug-in button.
The first - Main contains useful information about the current status, the level of the signal and which version of the plug-in do you have.
The Output tab contains the connection settings. It is recommended to check the options Connect at Startup and Automatic Reconnection on Connection Failure. Then, in the Address box, enter the address of the machine on which the radio server is installed. If this is the same computer, enter Localhost or 127.0.0.1. In Port and Password fields enter the same values as in the server settings.
In the Encoder tab choose the sound quality for your radio station. Here you can specify the encoder and the bitrate (determines the sound quality). NOTE: The high quality means high Upload speed to the internet, so if you have more listeners, it’s possible your connection speed to become insufficient for broadcasting.
In the Input tab you can select the input device depending on what content will be broadcast. If you just want to play music, leave Winamp in the drop down menu.
If you want to use the microphone then change it to Soundcard Input. Now you have access to the following settings:
Open Mixer – opens the audio mixer.
Push to talk – when pressed you can talk along with the music as background.
Lock – it locks Push to talk permanently turned on.
Music Level, BG Music Level, Mic Level, Fade Time – are used to adjust the strength of the base and background music, microphone, and the speed of decrease and increase of the volume when you press Push to Talk.
Click Open mixer button in the Input tab (input device must be Soundcard). This will start the Windows mixer with 2 control windows opened. In Recording control window go to menu Options > Properties and check the Stereo mix option in order to turn it on.
Then select it as a recording source. Its level slider will act as master volume for the radio stream.Changing its position will affect the input levels displayed by the two bars in the Input tab. In Volume control window make sure Mic isn’t muted.
Now after you’ve done all the settings it’s time to test the server. Start it by double-clicking on SC_SERV.EXE . Now create playlist in Winamp and play it. The plugin should automatically connect to the server. If necessary click the Connect button in the Output tab. When the connection is established you should see the following window.
In the Status field you can see the changing values for the information, sent through the server. The next step is to go to another computer, open Internet explorer and enter http://server IP address:8000 . Server IP address is the IP address of the computer where the radio server is installed. Now you should see the page of SHOUTcast server. Here you can view the current state of the server and manage it remotely. To start listening to the radio, press Listen. You will be asked to open a file called listen.pls. With these final steps your radio station is ready for broadcast. You can listen to it with any player supporting streaming audio.