One thing I hadn't considered was bandwidth. In reading the specs of one of these sdr servers, it said that 1Mbps minimum was required (presumably for each user).
That certainly dwarfs the requirements for even a high bitrate streaming server, and Artisan Radio runs at 64kbps.
I'm still interested in the results of testing, and I likely will get one of my own and put it through its paces, but only as a point of interest. I don't think that it would be practical to use as an alternative to streaming your own radio station via something like IceCast.
But it is all rather neat.
Thinking about the bandwidth issue...
Our Icecast streams typically set aside a certain amount of bandwidth that will accommodate a specific number of simultaneous listeners, but we almost never have that number of listeners. As I see it because of the novelty and appeal of offering an SDR server of our station, allowing only one or two SDR connections at the same time would become a big attraction, more so than conventional streaming. It might even be preferable to reduce or even discontinue regular streaming in favor of SDR serving.
I also suspect that if you restrict the SDR to, say, a portion of the AM or FM band that your station is located within, the bandwidth might be a lot less. That 1Mhz figure might not be taking that into consideration.
Anyway, I've decided to purchase an RTL-SDR V4 Blog. For playing around with, it seems to be perfect, particularly since I'm not all that concerned with anything other than my own station.
It runs SDR# as the controlling software (you can use others, but that seems to be the recommendation). It also has a server, SpyServer. That software was intended for Airplay products, but the developer has added RTL-SDR support.
The product has a built-in upconverter, so it covers the entire radio spectrum, and a Tee-bias so that you can add an amplifier at some point in the future if desired. It's also less than 1/3 the cost of the SDRPlay here in Canada, and, RTL sells it through Amazon. Going through reviews, it doesn't perform as well as the SDRPlay, but for my purposes, it's ideal.
The other reason I went this way is that the server software for SDRPlay appears to still be in beta, and under active development. Spyserver is a stable product.
I should get the SDR by the end of the week (it has to be imported from the U.S.), and then I'll be good to go.
@ Artisan-Radio Very glad to hear that you are diving into the SDR game. I am so captivated by it that I have been spending all free time slowly learning about it.
I think you are probably correct in suspecting that bandwidth can be kept low by limiting the server to only your station and not the whole MW spectrum.
I just installed SDRconnect, which I wrote about earlier. I may have done it wrong because I can't get anything to happen, but that's part of the fun.
Also, late last night, I discovered that there are SDR Transmitters! Yes, these are Part 15 transmitters designed with all the variable settings of SDR software.
Most of the heavy action in the SDR arena is being carried out by HAM radio operators but nothing prevents Part 15ers from participating.
As an amateur radio operator, I purchased a Chinese made VHF/UHF handheld transceiver, which is driven by firmware, so it's essentially an SDR. This handheld is unique in that it allows you to easily update the firmware, and various hams have created their own firmware to do wonderful things. This is an FM handheld, but firmware exists to transmit in DSB (double sideband) and AM across the radio spectrum. Output is only a few milliwatts and even microwatts down in the HF ham bands, but at least it goes there. I'm using the handheld on 2 meters in conjunction with an HF transverter mobile in my car to get quick and easy HF operation on DSB (which is a valid operating mode in the HF bands, just an extra sideband over SSB).
I'm not surprised that SDR Connect isn't working. SDRPlay did say it was a work in progress. As I stated earlier, that's why I went with the RTL-SDR, as the software exists and is stable. There are also other solutions to networking with the RTL SDR's (something called tcp_rtl I believe, although I may have transposed it).
I figure, for C$50, you can't go wrong, even if it ends up gathering dust.
@ Artisan-Radio I expect you will be very entranced with RTL-SDR. The YouTube videos give it a strong thumbs-up.
I discovered that SDRconnect works very well, it is a standalone program whereas I at first presumed it was an add-on to SDRuno. Rather than using the description 'EarlyAccess', which is used for games, SDRconnect uses the term 'Preview' as development progresses. I have Preview 3.
These SDRs are also referred to as RSPs. What is an RSP? I went to find out and so far I know that the acronym RSP has 104 different meanings.
I decided that for now RSP means bedtime.
Besides being technically daunting, all this SDR stuff is also language intensive, requiring mastery of a whole special vocabulary to describe and discuss. In a recent posting I left out a word when I described the status of the current round of SDRconnect releases... they are 'Public Previews', not simply 'Previews'. Learning and thinking about SDR technology may very well be the preventative against dementia.
The manual for SDRplay has a list of about 100 acronyms, and i'm finally able to know what 'RSP' means and I'll tell you. It stands for 'Radio Spectrum Processor'. Now don't you go forgetting.
The biggest conundrum in self-education is figuring out what we don't know so we know what to learn. That has never been more true than with SDR remote server software hardware system design. This entire statement might do more to reveal my level of ignorance than it manages to clarify whatever it is I'm trying to say. Do you know what I mean?
There's always a snag and it's usually Microsoft's fault. Stop whatever you're doing and I'll tell you what went wrong this time.
I decided to install my SDRplay in the server computer that also handles my website and Icecast servers, and then I'll use my other computer to see if I can establish a network link over to the SDRplay device. The SDRuno software went in smoothly, but I hit a roadblock when I was warned that SDRconnect does not work under Windows 7. Phah!!
@carl-blare Probably something to do with driver signing, which is different in the 2 O/S's (Windows 7 & 10). Spy Server for the RTL SDR will also not run under Windows 7.
I was having fun tinkering with SDR until bumping into the unpleasant wakeup call that I cannot proceed until switching to Windows 10. Figuring out how to make the switch is now robbing my time. What could possibly go wrong?
My RTL-SDR arrived, so I'll be diving into the technology pretty soon.
Found out that Spy Server, which allows you to listen over a network, uses approximately 128K bps for Wide FM, and around 40 kbps for narrow modes. Listeners can share the bandwith, so multiple listeners to your FM station, as an example, will still only use 128 kbps. At least that's the claim.
We'll have to see.
I'm sitting here listening to Artisan Radio on my RTL-SDR receiver. Sounds great.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get SDR# to work. I went through the complicated driver setup, loaded all the stuff that it wanted, and it continued to crash. And I know what I'm doing.
I then went to SDR++, and got it working in literally a couple of minutes (and that included extracting it from the zip file).
There are a lot of parameters that I'll have to set up, so I've downloaded the manual and will get to some serious playing later today.
At first glance, it seems to have everything I would want as an alternative to streaming. It decodes RDS signals, which I conveniently happen to broadcast, so I won't even lose metadata.
I don't know what server software will work with it. So that also has to be looked into. Spy server maybe, still, but after my experience with SDR#, I have my doubts. Guess we'll see.
I have to say that this is great. I only have a minimal antenna connected to the SDR (it takes a male SMA, as I'm only interested in receiving my station. Right now I'm temporarily using a rubber duck antenna from one of my amateur radio handhelds.