Well, your server is configured, you're chatting with your fans on RadioSpy, and you've begun streaming your 12-gig collection of polka MP3s over the wild, untamed Internet. "Still," you say, "if only I could broadcast my voice, then I could dominate the SHOUTcast scene!"

Friend, this is the guide for you. In just a few short minutes, you'll be streaming live broadcasts, dedicating songs to star-crossed lovers or hosting your own call-in talk show. It's your choice!

First things first: Plug in the microphone

It may seem like a no-brainer, but you might not realize it was plugged in incorrectly and later it will cause you a world of frustration. Double-check it now -- it only takes a second. That is assuming, of course, that you're not like my friend who's PC case is under a box, behind his desk, guarded by gargantuan, gun-toting, fire-breathing cockroaches.

Duplex sound cards

Now, there's two possible ways to do voice input with SHOUTcast: Parallel to other sounds and music, or in-between the music. Which road you follow hinges on whether or not you have a Full Duplex sound card. Only full duplex sound cards allow you to broadcast voice at the same time as the music; if you don't have one, you have to stop the music to greet your public. Most modern cards are full duplex, but if you're unsure, consult your hardware manual.

No matter which method you choose, you will have to download the Line Input Plug-In for Winamp 2.05 and greater. Unzip that baby into your winamp\plugins folder, restart WinAmp (if it was running) and you're set to broadcast. Just follow the instructions below ...

Cutting In -- Transmitting Voice In-Between Songs

Setting up live input in WinAmp is easy, and you won't need a full-duplex card to do it. All you have to do is add an entry to your playlist by selecting the "+URL" option (or pressing CTRL+L). When you get the open location dialog box, type "linerec://". Now click 'open,' then press the play button in WinAmp.

That's it! Assuming your server is set up correctly, your voice is going out over the Internet. When you're done, just click on another item in the playlist to disable the microphone. If you're shuffling through your playlist randomly, I'd remove the "linerec://" entry at this point. Otherwise, WinAmp may randomly shuffle to the microphone when you're not ready and who knows what fun things your users will be hearing at that point...

"Cutting in" is the simplest way to do live voice on SHOUTcast, and it might be all you need. For a little more polish, though, you can set it up so that you can talk over the music.

Continued