suggested stream directory improvements
Jack suggest me to file a bug, so I made it :)
I'm little sad that Icecast is not so popular, and there aren't many Ogg Vorbis
radio stations. So here are my suggestions to change that:
***1***
The most important thing is to polish is Stream Directory (SD).
Look at
http://www.chronixradio.com/modules.php?name=Surveys&op=results&pollID=35
(ChroniX Radio is one of the most popular radio in metal genre
http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/index.phtml?sgenre=Metal).
Almost all people use SHOUTcast directory (ASFAIR Winamp uses SHOUTcast
directory) to find good station.
The next example.
http://www.streamingsoundtracks.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1857
Look why SST don't use Vorbis any more, the two most important are:
1. Ogg Encoder crashing SAM/Server, errors parsing icecast statistics also.
2. No web traffic from icecast because their yp is down.
As you can see, good SD is a must have thing.
So now, what's wrong with the SD (both Oddsock and Xiph):
1. There aren't many radios on SD - 386 on both SD against 6 989 on Shoutcast.
This could be resolved when Icecast become more popular (what i'm trying to do :) )
2. IMHO Oddsock and Xiph SD are less clean and usable that shoutcast SD.
How to resolve: Better search queries and sorting i.e I only want to display
radios with 56kbps bitrate, also more genre will be a good thing. Also sort by
listeners count is great thing because people like to listen popular radios.
IMHO a must have thing is sorting by codec type, i would like to only listen
stations streaming in Ogg Vorbis.
This is my first suggest how SD should be:
On the left side rectangle button with string "Listen in" and then Ogg (or
Vorbis, Ogg is shorter) or MP3 (MP3 have different color then Ogg for better
distinction) if station have Vorbis and MP3 streams, Vorbis should be on the top.
Then:
Name of the station
Description
Now playing: Name of the song
Further:
Genre
Next:
Listeners
And at the end:
Stream info
Example:
|Radio Liechtenstein | | | |
Listen in Ogg|Radio Liechtenstein der offizielle Landessender|Mixed|155| 96kbps |
|Now playing: AFI - The Leaving Song Part II | | |44.1 kHz|
3. SD should be on a main site of Icecast so people don't have to search it.
4. Xiph and Oddsock SR should merge, IMHO with not many stations it should be
one central SD that will have all stations that want to be in SD.
***2***
A killing thing could be a multi channel Vorbis streaming (look at
http://www.tuner2.com/). IMHO it's the future of internet radio. It should be on
a Icecast website a sample files presenting differences betwen Stereo and Multi
Channel streams, of course very attractive (listeners should be shocked) and
pointing that this could be only achieved using Icecast and Ogg Vorbis not MP3.
In SD it should be a possibility to display only radios with Multi Channel streams.
***3***
The website should be include help for listener, broadcaster and someone who
would like to set up Icecast server. Something like:
I would like to:
- Listen
- Broadcast
- Serve/Set up server
With tutorials for each category, etc.
***4***
The last thing. It should be some text why use Ogg Vorbis instead of MP3/AAC...
Patent issues, better quality with lower bitrate, etc.
-------------------------------------------------------
That's all for now. If i'll have more suggestions i will add them to this bug.
Currently it hard to say witch "bug" i could resolve, i.e i could write some
text pro Vorbis, but as you probably have noticed English is not my native
language, so somebody will have to correct my language mistakes.
Please write how do you like my suggestions and what is your opinion about it.
Thanks.