Streaming higher than 128k

[bigloo]

Lately I have had a rash of people mentioning that I should stream at 192k. Personally I don't hear much difference between the two (128k and 193k), however I was wondering if any providers are seeing an increase in requests for 192k. Personally I think its a waste of bandwidth and that 128k works just fine. Heck I stream my station at 64k Mono and I enjoy it as it is.

 

Any thoughts on this? Is 192k becomming the new standard?

[BWorld]

Hi Lou,

Stream101 actually sells 192k and we were certainly surprised with the large amount of people purchasing it. We honestly did not expect that many people to purchase it. We did a survey of those people who upgraded from 128 to 192 and some said it was just to try it, others said they heard other stations who sounded much better in 192.

 

Thought I'd let everyone know how it is going for us anyways. Hope this helps.

[chq]

we have been streaming at 192 for a while now.

when did the switch from 128 to 192 i must

we got quite a few comments saying how our the

stream sounds so much better than before.

and with regards to bandwidth

if you have it use

[Brutish Sailor]

If you would spend the money for this.....

 

I know wowza has been talked about 1000 times, so I will save it. I would just go to a Flash media server to sum it up.

 

32kbps AAC+ flash streaming. More quality needed? 64kbps AAC+ flash streaming.

[bigloo]

Maybe it's time that I start selling at 160 and 192 instead of just up to 128k. I always sold 192k just didnt advertise it much.

[Blazin 97]

Is 192k becomming the new standard?

 

No, it is not, and it probably never will become the new standard. Sound-wise, there is not too much of a difference between the two, so why would someone pay more for a higher bandwith if the difference is barely noteable?

[THREETEN RADIO]

I could switch to 192k but really don't see the point, the difference is very minimal and all my mp3's are saved at 128k anyway as I did it that way as it is the internet standard. I streamed once at 320kbps..... sounded good but the bandwidth used...oh boy!

[GKIye]

I think 192kbps is more a hype than a standard.

I have seen also that several streamproviders have upgraded their offers to 192kbps and even offers 192 into the same package as the 128kbps .. so somebody who's buying 128 slots can stream upto 192

To broadcasters this ain't gonna be the problem .. if they have the possebility to stream to this bitrate

However nobody is making a notice about the listener ... I'm pretty sure that the "regular" user of the internet gonna have huge problems in capturing the 192 content .. not all internet users are having a broadband connection and if they do ... on rush-hours internetproviders do slowdown the up and downstream ... Maybe not in your country .. but they excist .. even in my country and as Belgian We have still "limits" in Our Monthly internet traffic .. So We pay a lot compaired to other EU countries who are offering more for 50% of Our current Monthly cost ...

Secondly the current standard of 128kbps can be seen as equal to FM quality, so I guess to the general listener it don't gonna make that big difference. The real musicfreaks gonna hear some differences .. but in general not that much people gonna notice the difference

Last but not least providers such as Nokia Internetradio who are offering streaming audio do convert the streamsource to an 32 - 56 or 64kbps .. to some mobile phone devices they even can only hear a mono quality of the original stream

 

As a positive note attached to this reply .. I have to say that for example in France many stations do stream at 192kbps .. so it looks that French people do have better internet providers

[kwdservices]

We use 256kbps for private employee-only streams for our stations, but all of the public ones are 128kbps for SHOUTcast (mp3) and between 64 and 96kbps for our Windows Media streams since the wma format is better than MP3.

 

You might try offering 192kbps for people who donate.

 

From my experience, most people's connections can't handle anything much higher than 128kbps, at least the people I know with DSL.

[Brutish Sailor]

WMP 12 Beta HAS been verified to support AAC+ V2

Itunes is rumored to start moving in the same direction.

 

I think when both of those factors come full cycle, MP3 LAME streaming will go the way of the .wav file.

[Vardace]

I definately notice a difference in quality at higher rates, I don't think many people can live broadcast from their own computers at home though as it requires a high upload. AutoDJ may be the solution. I sell high bandwidth shoutcasts with unlimited upload and download and free autoDJ included. ShoutcastTV is also possible at rates 250 kbs or 500 kbs also unlimited space and bandwidth. Check em out if you want your radio to sound at high quality with no overages and locked in affordable prices.

[Randy]

32k aacplus is my fav at the moment. Sounds good enough even in the car.

 

Like it was mentioned earlier, aacplus 64k is pretty much as good as 192-256k mp3.

 

I wish aacplus would open up the standard like mp3 but until then mp3 will always be the most widely supported format.

[Brutish Sailor]

Well, ACC+ is supported in the WMP 12 with Windows 7 RC.

 

It comming.

 

I think if you experiment a little, you will find that 40-48 AAC+ sounds better than 64 KBPS.

 

I also like AAC+ over higher bitrate MP3 because if you start streaming higher, people that listen using you standard broadband lose more resources when browsing/working online. This leads to closing internet radio to get that extra little push for loading that Java riddled myspace page and turnoff's for that guy at a place that has 6-10 commputers connected by a T-1 server.

 

 

PLUS, lets face it. NO WORKPLACE in their right mind is going to like listeners on 128k streams 8 hours a day. Slows those networks on a blade server RIGHT DOWN,. So offering a second stream of lower bitrate should always be considered. At least until AAC+ revolutionizes the way we do business

[johny c]

I use

28k aac+ stereo, for winamp

32k mp3 stereo and 16k mp3 mono for Windows media player.

For station links I also use 28k aac+.