Radio Free Porty - call for helpers!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Oct 2006, 14:46

RFP is over a year old now and is a fully paid up broadcaster!

I'm flat out with work commitments and can't give it the time it deserves any more - plus my home machine has been in use 24/7 for hosting and streaming which I can't reliably provide any more. And my wife is having a baby in January!

This doesn't mean I'm giving it up or even that I want to - but there will be changes.

Gilo and iv - and anyone else - I'd really appreciate your input!

My idea is to move to a podcasting format so that people can download shows instead of trying to connect to a stream - and to make it such that individual djs can log in and upload/update their own sets as if they were doing their own podcast.

We've seen AmericanaOK do this to great success - RFP could be a portal which people subscribe to and which has sets updating as and when the djs want to update their particular content.

The problem with podcasting though is the cost of licensing - I'll dig out the exact figures but it's in aggregate listener minutes, so I don't think we could afford to let the world download large commercial mp3s.

If the podcasts were of "Podsafe" non-commercial music, we'd be laughing.

An alternative is that someone else with a bit of technical knowledge and broadband takes over running the station by having a machine in their house, same as I'm doing just now.

Any ideas or feedback would be much appreciated. Many thanks for all the hard work and hard currency provided thus far!

impossiblevoices · Post by **impossiblevoices** » 13 Oct 2006, 15:01

I like the idea of using podcasts. Each DJ could login via FTP and upload their latest mix.

Is the cost going to be prohibative though?

How does the streaming software work at the minute? If for example, RFP moved to podcasts, would the DJ's supplying the sets need to properly mix the tracks and produce a more polished production?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Oct 2006, 15:05

The djs could produce whatever they wanted - but as a podcast it would have to be a single mp3 file.

Production or lack of it would be completely up to them.

Unless we tightly controlled the number of downloads and the length - the cost for providing a service which lets people download mp3s of commercial music is prohibitive - highly prohibitive. We'd have to go non-commercial.

impossiblevoices · Post by **impossiblevoices** » 13 Oct 2006, 15:13

Ok, so what exactly do you need then?

I have an 'always on' cable connection and a secure wireless network at home. The wireless network is 'up' even when the pc is switched off.

Do you have a dedicated machine that streams the content or is it your home pc?

What I'm thinking is that a second machine with a usb wireless adaptor (or a laptop) could quite happily sit in a cupboard and stream content. In fact, a guy I used to write techno with did that before he moved down south.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Oct 2006, 15:41

That's good to know. I have used my laptop to stream RFP as a backup sometimes - it doesn't matter where the machine is, just that it is always on and streams the content.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 13 Oct 2006, 21:48

Ok, whoever is helping; can you please add this to the RFP homepage before they riot:

TurboShandy
http://www.myspace.com/turboshandy

Horse Nation
http://www.myspace.com/horsenation

EyeCandy
(no website yet) punk band from Perth

The Boy Lacks Patience
http://www.theboylackspatience.com

ericeuan
http://www.ericeuan.com

Random Acts of Human Kindness
c/o j3nnysturgeon@hotmail.com

Skeleton Crew
http://www.skeletoncrew.org.uk

Thank you!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Oct 2006, 22:52

Whoever is helping has added your links.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 13 Oct 2006, 22:56

Dadaist wrote:Whoever is helping has added your links.

Hey, not bad for speed!

Ok mysterious helper, next add them to the demo page too please!

Novastar · Post by **Novastar** » 16 Oct 2006, 12:02

Dadaist - as I read this you have 2 problems....

1 - your machine is being used for hosting.
2 - it takes too much of your time to prep shows ready for streaming.

1 - how about moving to a dedicated server. Loads of people offer really cheap web space with high bandwidth. My web sites on a low bandwidth server with a domain name and it's only about Â£15 a year. You've already got the domain and it can't be much compared to the copyright license.

2 - don't know what's involved in taking my MP3 collection and 'Portifying' it but is it possible to send out a kit to DJs so they can do most of the work - you (or someone) just has to ftp it at the end.

Just thoughts.

BTW - have to get another selection over to you sometime - do you still have a box in that shop at the top of Leith Walk?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 16 Oct 2006, 12:12

Thanks Nova!

I'm talking to Gilo and IV at the moment about hosting, streaming, collecting etc - but there is an opening for a website admin.

We should be able to sort out something such that people who know what they are doing can edit and update the page.

On point 2 though, I tried at the start to get everyone to submit nicely tagged mp3s but it never worked. People send audio cds and the fact is that somebody has to sit and rip/edit everything such that consistent track names appear on the page - otherwise people start to complain!

If we had to discriminate against people who aren't completely au fait with ID3 tags and ftp, we wouldn't have met all the nice people we have thus far - at least, that's my take.

Would you like to interface with Gilo and IV and become our web developer? If you have ideas about automating the submission process that would be fantastic!

Novastar · Post by **Novastar** » 16 Oct 2006, 12:37

I think until I get broadband at home, long term commitments to web development for something like this might be tricky (I'm still on dial up or ADSL access at work and parents home). Am rapidly running out of time in the week...

Will have a think about what can be done and see what I can do. Am I right in saying you just need MP3's (file name important?) with track name and artist in the ID tags?

What about track listing txt files/jpgs/html files??

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 16 Oct 2006, 12:41

Novastar wrote:I think until I get broadband at home, long term commitments to web development for something like this might be tricky (I'm still on dial up or ADSL access at work and parents home). Am rapidly running out of time in the week...

Will have a think about what can be done and see what I can do. Am I right in saying you just need MP3's (file name important?) with track name and artist in the ID tags?

What about track listing txt files/jpgs/html files??

We might get back to you about that, once our new station team have found their feet and have things running.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 16 Oct 2006, 13:24

Dadaist wrote:
We might get back to you about that, once our new station team have found their feet and have things running.

Are you trying to jog as into action with a deliberate pun teaser?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 16 Oct 2006, 13:33

Porty wrote:
Dadaist wrote:
We might get back to you about that, once our new station team have found their feet and have things running.
Are you trying to jog as into action with a deliberate pun teaser?

Run away now.