Featured
- .977 Hitz
- NPR News
- 1.fm Blues
- SKY.FM 80s
- Comedy Club
- Otto Baroque
Radio Genres
- Alternative
- Blues
- Classical
- Country
- Decades
- Easy Listening
- Electronic
- Folk
- Inspirational
- International
- Jazz
- Latin
- Metal
- Misc
- New Age
- Pop
- Public Radio
- R&B and Urban
- Rap
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- Seasonal and Holiday
- Soundtracks
- Talk
- Themes
SHOUTcast Radio FAQ
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GENERAL
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BROADCASTING
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TROUBLESHOOTING
What is SHOUTcast Radio?
SHOUTcast Radio is the ultimate directory of online radio stations. With over 45,000 music, talk, sports and community radio stations from the US and around the world, SHOUTcast is unparalleled in the breath of content available -- no matter where you are -- at the press of a button.
The embedded web player lets you listen whilst simultaneously exploring other stations in the directory. The search function allows you to find your favorite songs and artists playing across the network, and our categories will make sure you won't have to spend time shuffling through music you don't want to hear.
How do I access PLS files on SHOUTcast.com?
Users wishing to use their default media players (eg Winamp, Windows Media Player, iTunes) to listen to SHOUTcast radio stations should follow these instructions. Further, this tutorial is also geared towards users wishing to access each station's launch link in pls format.
Step 1: Go to Help --> Settings from the top main menu.
Step 2: Check the option that says "Play SHOUTcast stations in default media player ( eg: Winamp / iTunes / Windows Media Player )"
Step 3: Click "Save Settings"
How do I search for Radio Stations?
You can use the SHOUTcast searchbar to find radio stations playing music or audio content that you are looking for.
Simply type in the artist, song title, type of music or even the station name into the search bar to find stations matching your search criteria across 38,000 radio stations in the SHOUTcast directory.
For example, a search for Madonna returns radio stations playing songs by Madonna.
You can search for stations by name. Example: NPR, KCRW Los Angeles.
Using Search Filters
Using options on the left of the search results page you can further refine your search.
Song Filter:
- +Now Playing filters stations from the results that match the artist or song title right now.
- +Coming Soon filters stations from the results that match the artist or song title, but will be playing it within the next couple of minutes.
Connection Type Filter:
- + Broadband filters stations that are streaming at the bitrate of 128Kbps or more.
- + Narrowband filters stations that are streaming at the bitrate below 128Kbps. Use this filter if you are on a mobile device or using a dialup connection.
Type Filter:
- + AAC+ AAC+ filters stations streaming in the ACC+ streaming format. Note that you will need a media player that is capabile of playing AAC+ content in order to listen to AAC+ stations. We recommend Winamp.
- + MP3 filters stations streaming in MP3 format.
Where is the old SHOUTcast Classic (black) website?
SHOUTcast Radio is constantly evolving. Over the past year we have completely upgraded the back-end platform that powers one of the largest online radio station directories. Because of this, we have had to retire the old platform to make way for all the exciting new features we have in store for SHOUTcast 2.0. We think this is the best SHOUTcast Radio website yet and hope you will give the new website a chance.
What is a SHOUTcast Radio partner?
SHOUTcast.com is not the only place where you can browse and listen to SHOUTcast Radio stations. The SHOUTcast Radio directory is available on many third-party applications like the Sony MYLO and PSP, Chumby Internet Device, Radio Bee mobile applications and many more. Click here for a full list of our partners.
How do I become a SHOUTcast partner and use the SHOUTcast Radio APIs in my product?
Please fill out the SHOUTcast API Partner Request form and one of our team members will get in touch with you regarding the next steps.
Where can I get more information about SHOUTcast?
We've opened a new blog which will be updated with the latest SHOUTcast Radio news, updates and how to's. You can visit the SHOUTcast Product Blog. You can also follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook. Additionally, you can visit the SHOUTcast forums to communicate with other broadcasters about their SHOUTcast Radio experiences.
How do I start an Internet Radio station on SHOUTcast?
Want to start your own Internet Radio station? The FREE SHOUTcast broadcasting tools allow you to broadcast your audio content online and become part of one of the largest directory of radio stations on the web. There are two parts to running a SHOUTcast radio station:
- SHOUTcast DNAS - This is the SHOUTcast server, the piece of software thats responsible for actually streaming the audio data to your listeners.
- SHOUTcast DSP / Transcoder - This is the tool with which you manage your station's playlist.
What is the SHOUTcast DNAS?
SHOUTcast DNAS stands for Distributed Network Audio Software. The DNAS, also known as "SC_SERV," is a software program that is installed on a network server. All listeners that wish to tune into a SHOUTcast stream connect to the SHOUTcast DNAS. The DNAS is also responsible for updating the SHOUTcast directory with now playing and other information relevant to the audio stream.
The SHOUTcast Radio DNAS software is available for the following platforms:
- 1. Windows - All versions
- 2. Linux glibc (intel)
- 3. FreeBSD 3.x (intel)
- 4. FreeBSD 4.x (intel)
- 5. BSDi (intel)
- 6. Solaris 7 (ULTRASPARC)
Download SHOUTcast DNAS here.
What is the SHOUTcast DSP / Transcoder?
The SHOUTcast DSP is a plugin for Winamp that can be used to manage a SHOUTcast radio station. Using the DSP, you can stream your audio playlist in real time as its being played back on your Winamp media player. You can download the DSP from the Broadcaster Tools section of the site.
For our advanced users, we have the SHOUTcast Transcoder (also known as SC_TRANS). SC_TRANS is a command line service that can run as a service. You can use it to manage your playlist, schedule shows in advance, assign rights to DJs, relay other streams and much more! se Winamp with the SHOUTcast DSP Plugin to source and manage their playlists. Download SHOUTcast Transcoder from the Broadcaster Tools section of the site.
The audio skips or cuts off when Im tuned into a SHOUTcast Radio station
If you're experiencing audio skipping or the stream cuts off in the middle of a song, it could be due to several reasons. Please check if your Internet connection is fast enough to accommodate the bitrate of the radio station. Also: You might want to try a station that is of a lower bitrate.
I've installed Winamp but RealPlayer keeps launching when I tune into SHOUTcast Radio. How do I get Winamp to play SHOUTcast Radio?
Please disable Real's SmartCenter by right-clicking on the real icon in your system tray (bottom right hand corner of the Windows screen) and select Disable Smartcenter. Install the latest version of Winamp once you've done this, and Winamp will have control of the stations again.
I have configured SHOUTcast to launch my default media player, but it does not work and gives me an error when I click on the Tune In button.
Please make sure you have your media player associated with the correct media file type. You will need to associate the filetype *.pls with your media player such as Winamp. Click here to learn how you can set the pls filetype with your media player.