Shared or dedicated stream server/hosting?

[mysaradiofm]

What's your thoughts? We all know the shared is always affordable but what about the qaulity or uptime?

[djgary72]

We used to have a VPS which we ran shoutcast on it was always reliable uptime of over 400 days before we ditched it. It worth looking into as you then have full control over your shoutcast servers. We had Shoutcast Management interface (SMI) installed from Sourceforge.

 

Not a huge fan of the Free shoutcast hosts using shared servers as they don't always have the bandwidth to cope.

[BWorld]

It all depends on your skillset and what company/bandwidth that your getting into. If you don't have the skills to manage a VPS/Dedicated, you may want to go with a reputable company that can supply you with a nice control panel, statistics, etc. If you are comfortable installing shoutcast and administrating it, then go for it on your own. Just check the hardware and make sure you have good bandwidth!

 

Not a huge fan of the Free shoutcast hosts using shared servers as they don't always have the bandwidth to cope.

 

Definitely a good point Gary. Remember, you get what you pay for, so pay nothing and expect the same!

[shoutcaststreaming]

A decicated server is always recommended over a VPS. Usually the VPS limits you on bandwidth, so you can not get 100 streams at 128k on it (just an example). On most VPS's you can only get about 10 - 20 listeners before they cap you (depends on the host). While on a dedicated 100 mbit server you can get up to 728 concurrent listeners at 128k.

 

Another downside of the VPS is you are sharing resources with all other VPS's on that dedicated server. If there are heavy loads, you might suffer.

 

A VPS is about 20 - 30% the cost of a dedicated server.

 

Most people use a VPS to run SAM or Station Playlist or some other automation software. They send the stream to a Stream Host for broadcasting to their listeners. If this is what you need to do, that a VPS will work nicely. If you can afford it, the dedicated server is the only way to go. If you plan to host your own Shoutcast, then get a dedicated.

[Urban Hitz Radio]

I would says it depends on your budget or what you are willing to spend.

I wholeheartedly support dedicated...ALL THE WAY!

I pay for a dedicated, and send the stream to a stream host. This way, I save on Bandwidth and let the other company handle ALL of the listening traffic. Plus, I may want to do more things on my dedi, like host a few sites, mail, work with graphics, etc.

 

Handling VPS or Dedicated is no different than running your own computer at home. If you are a person who knows how to maintain a system: i.e., protecting from spyware, malware, viruses, etc, then you should be getting yourself a dedicated server. Or at Least a VPS. I choose dedi because I like to have my own system, without sharing it with anyone. I can do what I want, when I want.