Has anyone out done or is doing this? What's a basic set-up/configuration you've used? Cost?
Thanks, John
Thought about it, been never got past the how to do it. Depending on the size of the computer you might want to use, more than $300. I was looking into using a VIA nano-ITX computer (12 centimeters square) to keep things small, and those start at around $300 for the motherboard. The other sticking point was trying to find a client that could play the audio out because I was thinking of using an odd real time streaming protocol. If you just want to set up a Shoutcast server and use Winamp to play the stream, then it might be easier. The delay will be variable between additional computers, so if you are looking at trying to put together a transmitter network I would suggest looking for a different player client.
I'm working on a basic streaming project that will use the AM 1000 transmitters in a couple of remotely located cities. Basically, the project calls for using two scrap computers to receive a stream using VLC ( http://www.videolan.org/) and the audio output will go through an Inovonics 222 to the AM 1000. A local radio will be tuned to the Part 15 station and connected to the audio input and a second instance of VLC will be used to monitor the remote stations.
The audio stream the computers will be receiving will be sent using VLC as well, however the receiving computers could easily receive a stream from a Shoutcast server as well. The cost of the computers will be minimal as the audio streaming isn't very CPU intensive... I'll be using VNC for remote desktop access and that will probably be the biggest hog of CPU power 🙂
Is bang on the money 🙂 You stream it from point to point. Not really a way to keep TXs synced but it works.
You won't be able to keep transmitters synched using Wifi as there is encoding and decoding lag... Analog is really the only way to go. In my plans for these two cities, we will be able to add multiple transmitters by utilizing 900 mHz or 1.2 gHz video/audio transmitters/receivers to the AM 1000 units. This wouldn't be in the first phase, but down the road it could be a big possibility.
--Chris ^_^