Going Live as a DJ

This article is for DJs a station has booked for scheduled shows. If you run the station, see Scheduled DJ Shows instead.

When a station invites you as a DJ or Guest DJ, you get your own login for the station's DJ input. It works only during your shows, starting 5 minutes early so you can check your levels.

Open My shows

Accept the invitation email, then sign in. You land on My shows. It is also in the sidebar.

• A Guest DJ sees only My shows.
• A DJ also sees the station dashboard and a read-only schedule.

All times on the page are in the station's time zone, shown next to the times.

Find your login

The Your connection card holds your personal login. It is always visible, so you can set up your encoder before your first show.

At the top is a full connection URL with a Copy button, for encoders that accept one URL:

http://YOUR_USERNAME:YOUR_PASSWORD@SERVER:PORT/dj

Under Manual settings you'll find each field on its own line:

• Server type: Icecast
• Server: the station's host name
• Port: the DJ input port
• Mount path: /dj
• Username: your personal username
• Password: click Show to reveal it

Each value has a copy button. Copy them rather than typing, to avoid typos.

Change your password

Click Regenerate next to your password and confirm. Put the new password in your encoder before your next show.

Set your on-air name

Your on-air name is the title listeners see while you're live, until your encoder sends track info. It can be your DJ name or the name of your show.

1. On My shows, find the On-air name card.
2. Type your name, up to 60 characters.
3. Click Save.

The card shows the name listeners currently see. Leave the field empty and save to go back to your account name. If your account has no name, listeners see Live Stream.

Your on-air name is set per station. A change applies the next time you connect, so if you are live, reconnect your encoder to use it.

Set up your encoder

Enter your login in any Icecast-compatible encoder, such as BUTT or Mixxx. The station's encoder guides are in Broadcasting Live.

• Set the server type to Icecast 2 / HTTP, not Shoutcast.
• Use your username, not source. Many encoders and encoder guides fill in source by default. Your personal login does not use it.
• Use mount /dj.
• Recommended quality: 256 kbps AAC.

Before your show

The top card shows your next show, its time, and a countdown.

Below it, Coming up lists your other shows in the next 14 days. If you have none, the card says No upcoming shows.

Your login only works from 5 minutes before a show. Connecting earlier is refused.

Sound check

During the 5 minutes before your show, you can connect. Listeners don't hear you yet. Use the time to check your levels. You go on air automatically when the show starts.

During your show

When your show is on, the page says You can go live now. Connect your encoder if you haven't yet.

While you are live, listeners see your on-air name as the title until your encoder sends track metadata. See Set your on-air name.

If the station is live from its Studio or Guest input, that input takes priority. You stay connected and go on air when it stops, as long as your show is still on.

If you lose your connection, you can reconnect while your show is still on.

When your show ends

You are disconnected at the end time shown on your show. The last few seconds you sent still play out, then the station's automated programming takes over.

Your login is refused again until 5 minutes before your next show.

Connection refused

If your encoder cannot connect, it usually reports a failed login or an authentication error. The station owner sees the reason on their side. The most common one is Refused: outside their shows: you tried to connect when none of your shows was on or about to start.

Check these in order:

• Is your show on My shows, and is it less than 5 minutes away or already on?
• Is the time correct? Times are in the station's time zone.
• Is the username yours, not source, and is the mount /dj?
• Did you regenerate your password? Copy it again from Your connection.
• When shows run back to back, you can connect once the previous show ends.

If you can no longer open the station, ask the station owner to check your role.

Related articles

• Scheduled DJ Shows for station owners and managers
• Broadcasting Live for encoder settings and software
• Missing Stream Metadata if listeners don't see your track titles