Editing Shoutcast (section)

==Software==
The Shoutcast software uses a client–server model, with each component communicating via a network [[protocol (computing)|protocol]] that intermingles audio or video data with [[metadata]] such as song titles and the station name. It uses [[HTTP]] as a [[transport protocol]].

Shoutcast [[server (computing)|servers]] and [[client (computing)|clients]] are available for [[FreeBSD]], [[Linux]], [[macOS]], [[Microsoft Windows]], and [[Oracle Solaris|Solaris]]. There are client-only versions for [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[BlackBerry OS]], [[iOS (Apple)|iOS]] ([[iPad]], [[iPhone]]), [[Palm OS]] and [[webOS]] (Radio Hibiki), [[PlayStation Portable]], [[Windows Mobile]], [[Symbian]] [[S60 (software platform)|S60]] and [[UIQ]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ps5/|title=PlayStation®5 &#124; Play Has No Limits|website=PlayStation}}</ref> [[Nintendo DS]] (DSOrganize), and [[Wii]].{{update inline|date=June 2022}}

The output format is supported by multiple clients, including Nullsoft's own [[Winamp]] as well as [[Amarok (software)|Amarok]], [[Exaile]], [[foobar2000]], [[iTunes]], [[Songbird (software)|Songbird]], [[Totem (media player)|Totem]], [[XMMS]], and [[Zinf]]. If the client does not support the Shoutcast protocol, then the Shoutcast server sends the stream without the metadata, allowing it to be heard and viewed in clients such as Windows Media Player. Shoutcast servers are usually linked to by means of playlist files, which are small text files (usually with extensions .pls or .m3u) that contain the URL of the Shoutcast server. When that URL is visited in a Web browser which identifies itself as [[Mozilla]]-compatible (as most do), the server will return a generated Shoutcast server info/status page, rather than streaming audio.

In 2010 [[VideoLAN]] dropped support for Shoutcast from [[VLC media player]] at AOL's request, as Shoutcast's license forbade its integration into other software that contained [[free software|free]] or [[open-source software|open-source]] components, additionally specifying that it "forces us to integrate the spyware and adware based Shoutcast Radio Toolbar inside your browser".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.videolan.org/press/2010-1.html|title=Press Release about Shoutcast Removal in VLC|date=January 2010|website=[[VideoLAN]]|access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> An alternative to Shoutcast is [[Icecast]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gossdhosting.com/blog/general/shoutcast-vs-icecast-choosing-the-right-radio-hosting-solution-for-you/|title=Differences between shoutcast and Icecast|website=www.gossdhosting.com}}</ref>