EMFM Radio
Contents |
Radio Streaming
During the event the radio will run 24/7 (falling back to auto-dj when there's no show and running repeats of earlier shows for listeners in wildly different timezones). Every hour there will be a short news bulleting, with the current terrorism threat level, the weather and interesting security and tech news from the campsite and the globe.
Please refer to the EMFM main page for streaming server locations and the broadcasting schedule.
Making radio 101
It's easy and fun to do, especially when broadcasting-geeks like us provide the entire studio setup for you; even if you have never touched a mixing desk before. All you need is something you want to talk about and maybe some musical intermezzo's (creative commons or public domain or some such license).
Just pick one or more one-hour slots on the broadcasting schedule.
Generally, for a radio show the following roles should be full-filled:
- Operate playout software and play out jingles/music/etc
- Operate the mixer(s)
- Make coherant noises into a microphone (otherwise known as speaking)
These can all be done by one person, but the more the better generally! In fact, the last part can be subdivided in people doing editorial work, field reporting, interviewing and presenting.
If you just want to drop by ad-hoc to do some presenting (maybe read the hourly news?!?), that's cool too - just let the people currently on air know (by sign language or some other non-audible way) that you want in and they (should) acommodate you for as long as required. Careful, though, or you might end up in charge of the stream!
Radio Content
What do we want to broadcast?
- Interviews (speakers, other guests)
- Discussion & talk shows
- General daytimey entertainment
- Music (from real live musicians and/or DJs?)
- Hourly News
Physical Space: the EMFM tent
We will have a 15x15ft tent, this costs £120 and has been paid for by:
Tada!
Furniture
- 3 large tables
- 8 chairs
Sorted!
Planning stuff
Below is some older planning stuff that might or might not be current and/or accurate. Mostly for historical reference.
Power Supply
We will need to get a mains feed in and distributed to power all the equipment in the studio and engineering - and ideally some UPS to make sure we don't drop off air if there is a power outage.
- Can probably get away with a single 16A circuit for everything
- Would be easier as no grounding issues between equipment
- Will need some power distros (PDUs or even just a few 6 gang extension leads
- Laptops have built in UPS! So good for backup playout automation in case of power failure
- I have a spare decent UPS which could be loaned --AlisonW
Networking & Comms
- We need an Internet connection to stream, and get news and other info from the outside world
- Telephone lines might be nice, but not an absolute requirement
- Can be VoIP (in fact, it'd be easier and cheaper to interface if it was)
Online Streaming
We will use a laptop with darkice/darksnow on it to stream audio to the camp Icecast server (streaming1.ppk.emfcamp.org), also used for the live video streams.
Software
- Linux/Windows OS
- Icecast2 Server(s)
- Darkice Source Encoder(s)
- rotter is a recording of transmission logger well-suited to making long-format recordings of radio stations, Linux+JACK based
- liquidsoap to transcode streams (off site)
- User:gmc says we could use the Signal stream server
- Local Icecast server to do the local stremaing
Hardware
- Normal ATX PC that can take a PCI card
- M-Audio Delta 44 has which has 4 inputs - we can use 2 for streaming and 2 for FM Rx logging
- I can probably source one that's currently not in use - User:naxxfish
Studio
To provide live broadcasting, we need a broadcast studio.
Monitoring
We need to hear what we're outputting!
- I think it's a fair bet to say most people who will be presenting will have their own headphones?
- Monitor speakers, not absolutely required but useful for confidence checking
- I have a pair of Control1 spkrs which are fine for monitoring. --AlisonW
Mixing
We need a mixer to mix the microphones + playout and other audio together to broadcast
- User:gmc says he's got a Behringer X2222USB which would be good for the studio, either as the main desk or an "extra" desk --Naxxfish 16:38, 14 April 2012 (UTC)
Microphones
Condensers ideally. Also need stands.
- User:gmc has 3 condenser mics.
- Extra 4 mics in the studio for ad-hoc usage
- 1 mic on the "continuity" position
Outboard
Gate/Compressors would be good for the mics, plus a limiter on the output of the mixer.
- Might be able to provide a Klark Teknik Square ONE Dynamics box - 8 channels of switchable gates/compressors, absolutely perfect for quick and simple broadcast mic processing for 4 mics --James Harrison 13:48, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
Playout
Some potential solutions for free PC based playout, Windows or Linux based.
- Rivendell
- I'd strongly recommend Rivendell. It's FOSS, very stable, and has all the features we need. Linux-based means it'll play nicely with other tools like JACK/rotter/darkice/etc. --James Harrison 13:48, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
- Digiplay from Radio Warwick
Outside Broadcasts
We might want to broadcast live from outside of the studio (and gain audience participation)
- Anyone know of some software that sends bidirectional audio we could run on a laptop over wifi?
- Hugely relevant. Mumble/murmur can also do this sort of thing quite well more generically.
- Anyone know of some software that sends bidirectional audio we could run on a laptop over wifi?
- User:Gmc has a small module with a 2.5" mini-jack to plug into a gsm or dect phone with a 'headset' connection; provides XLR for hookup up a microphone and jack for plugging in a headphone, works with any cellphone (wifi+voip?) or dect phone
