Why broadcast live audio from your smartphone?
Maybe you run an online radio station and want to broadcast remotely to your fans.
Some podcast owners are also interested in LIVE podcasting.
They will record the podcast in studio, at the same time broadcasting it to live audiences.
Even ordinary people have reasons to broadcast live audio from their smartphones!
And here is how to go about it:
Reasons to Broadcast Live Audio From Your Smartphone
- High stakes: There is the potential for something to go wrong. You don’t get to filter your words or get a do over. All these factors make live broadcasting an exciting, heart-stomping experience!
- It's different & unique: Want some razzmatazz! Just do a live broadcast from your phone. Few people have tried it. And just by doing it will make you noticeable & dramatic. Though, you need to promote your live sessions well to create interest.
- More engaging: More engaging: Your listeners might be familiar with live shows that emanate from your studio. But taking things remote with your smartphone is another ballpark. It’s new & surely more engaging!
#Part 1 - Broadcasting Live from an Android Phone to a Streaming Server (Icecast & Shoutcast)
Do you have a radio broadcasting server?
If so, chances are you're an online radio broadcaster!
In the first part of this article, you'll learn how to broadcast to your radio server.
For part 2, you'll learn how to broadcast without an Icecast or Shoutcast streaming server.
1. DOWNLOAD THE MEDIACAST APP
If you're using an iOS device, you'll need to download the iCast2 app. For this tutorial, we are going to use Media Cast.
You can download it from the Play Store by clicking the button below.
Download Media Cast from App Store >
2. LAUNCH THE APP
Launch the app by opening it from your app menu.
You'll notice it has three sections: Radio, Music & Effects.
First, select the menu icon then Settings.
3. CONFIGURE SERVER SETTINGS
The General Section gives you the ability to modify different settings.
For instance, the MediaCast app lets you specify a folder that has all your music. You can even create playlists inside the app.
For this step, we are changing the server type from Icecast to Shoutcast.
Followed by opening the "Shoutcast Settings" tab.
You'll need to know your server stream settings.
In case you're hosting with CloudRadio, you can find your settings in the Dashboard section.
4. CONNECT TO SERVER & PLAY MUSIC
After configuring the app with your server details, it should look like the above screenshot.
The next step is connecting to the broadcasting server. You can transmit what's being recorded by your microphone or play music.
Did the app work for us?
As expected, the app worked well*. It captured sound from the mic & generated a live audio stream sent to our servers. And in the screenshot above, you’ll see that it’s playing back an MP3 file. You’ll also see that it’s connected, & you can press to talk.*
Progress so far 80%
#Part 2: Broadcast live audio (other apps)
If you're not an online radio broadcaster already, there are other apps you can use to broadcast online radio.
Here are the options:
Mixlr
Mixlr dubs itself as the "social media of live audio."
It's not an exclusive app for radio broadcasters. But something used by podcasters alike or anyone who wants to go live with their audio stream.
It's specially featured on this page because you can broadcast live audio straight from your mobile device.
They also allow live streamers to chat with listeners live. You also get a personalized profile.
About Broadcast MySelf & other defunct apps
BroadcastMySelf popped up a while back. But currently, the app is not accessible from the Play Store.
Another app that emerged only to fizzle out was TrackCast.
For iOS, a while back, there was ZCast. It promised the same experience as using Periscope for live video streaming. Only that it entailed live streaming your podcast