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Equipment
Computer:
The
computer used to provide the audio feeds is an Intel Core 2 CPU 6600 running
at 2.40 GHz with 4 Gigs of Ram. The computer runs 24
hrs a day and its only function is to run the software that permits the
feeds to operate. There are six Uniden scanners connected to six audio
cards/USB audio devices.
Scanners:
All
manufactured by Uniden
Police scanner BCD996T
Digital capable
Fire BCT15
EMS BCT15X
Grand River Transit & Public Works BCT15X
Waterloo Control Tower BC898T
Toronto Centre Air Traffic BC350C
Software:
Simplecast - Audio interface
from scanner
Icecast - Acts as a server interface
from
Simplecast to the internet for stream
delivery.
Audio Cards:
Any
inexpensive PCI audio card or USB audio device is all that is needed for each feed. These
are Ebay items, usually coming from China. Typically the cards cost $3
and the shipping is $5. There are two PCI audio cards and 4 USB audio
devices providing audio for the six different feeds.
Antenna Multicoupler:
This powered splitter is
plugged into a household outlet, and lets me split a single antenna feed
to the six scanners. Another Ebay item. Cost me 25 cents, but shipping
was $17.00. Reception quality actually increased after splitting.
The System
The six scanners are all
connected to the same antenna in my attic through the Antenna Multicoupler.
The multicoupler only has four output connections, but by using a couple
of regular TV cable splitters, I was able to split the splitter so to
speak, and reception is still outstanding.
When a requested frequency
become active in a scanner, audio is sent to one of the audio
cards/USB audio devices. The audio from the devices is processed in the
computer by Simplecast. Simplecast processes the audio into an MP3 format
that can be delivered to the internet from the server Icecast.
I allow
Broadcastify.com
to access the Icecast server on my computer to make a single connection to
each of the six different feeds.
Broadcastify.com
provides
the feeds over the internet to as many listener as request the audio
feed. So, bandwidth demands on me are very low, and during peak listening
times this allows for literally hundreds of listeners at the same time.
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