Editing Altacast

{{Short description|Open source audio encoder}}
{{About|altacast, edcast and oddcast audio encoders. Be aware the name "edcast" is used by other organisations for unrelated products|other notable uses|Oddcast (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2008}}
{{Infobox software
|name                   = Altacast
|screenshot             = Altacast main dialog box.png
|author                 = Ed Zaleski
|developer              = Altacast.com
|released               = {{Start date and age|2001|04}}<ref name="Start"/>
|discontinued           = 
|ver layout             = stacked
|latest release version = {{Multiple releases
  |branch1 = Standalone, DSP
  |version1 = 1.0
  |date1 = {{Start date and age|2012|09|03}}

  |branch2 = RadioDJ plugin
  |version2 = 2.5.5
  |date2 = {{Start date and age|2016|03|19}}
  }}
|operating system       = [[Microsoft Windows]]<ref name="Kosola"/>
|platform               = [[IA-32]], [[x64]]<ref name="Kosola"/>
|size                   = 2.2 [[Megabyte|MB]]
|language               =
|genre                  = [[Streaming media]]
|license                = {{Plainlist|
* Standalone, DSP: [[GPL]]
* RadioDJ plugin: [[Freeware]]<ref name="radiodj-1"/>
  }}
|website                = {{URL|altacast.com}}
}}

{{Infobox company
|name          = OddSock
|type          = [[Nonprofit]] 
|foundation    = [[Chicago, IL]] (60067) 
|location      = [[Chicago, IL]], United States
|key_people    = Ed Zaleski, Founder 
|industry      = Internet Radio Software 
|num_employees = 1
|homepage      = 
}}

'''Altacast''' (formerly known as '''Edcast''' and '''Oddcast''') is a free and [[open-source]] [[audio encoder]] that can be used to create [[Internet stream]]s of varying types. Many independent and commercial broadcasters use Altacast to create Internet radio stations, such as those listed on the [[Icecast]], [[Loudcaster]] and [[Shoutcast]] station directories.

==Development==
The original streaming software, Oddcast, was developed from 2000 to 2010. The official site at Oddsock.org hosted streaming media tools, which included [[Oddcast (company)|Oddcast]], Stream Transcoder, Icecast Station Browser plugin, Song Requester plugin and Do Something plugin.<ref name="oddsock-tools"/> In late November 2010, Oddsock.org was shut down.<ref name="oddsock-farewell"/>

Edcast, a fork of Oddcast, is being updated and hosted at Club RIO. In early 2012, development of Edcast was moved to [[Google Code]] and [[SourceForge]]. As of October 30, 2011, the latest stable version is ''3.33.2011.1026'' and the latest beta version is ''3.37.2011.1214''.

In September 2012, a second fork, Altacast was released. The Standalone & DSP edition are derived from [[GPL]] software and is available on [[GitHub]],<ref name="github-1"/> while the RadioDJ edition is written in [[.NET Framework]] and developed separately. A version 2.0 for the Standalone & DSP edition that will be SHOUTcast v2 compatible is planned for the future.

Altacast plugin for RadioDJ will no longer function with new versions of RadioDJv2 - Altacast is not supported by the developer of RadioDJ due to legal issues.<ref name="radiodj-legal"/>

==Features==
Altacast is supported on [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]. It will run in conjunction with various media players compatible with [[Winamp]] plugins, such as [[AIMP]], [[JetAudio]], [[KMPlayer]], [[MediaMonkey]], [[MusicBee]] and [[foobar2000]], as well as a standalone encoder.

Altacast Standalone & DSP can stream to [[Icecast]] and [[SHOUTcast]] servers in [[Ogg Vorbis]] and [[Ogg FLAC]] out-of-the-box. [[MP3]], [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]] and [[AAC+]] support can be added via the [[LAME]] encoder (lame_enc.dll), [[FAAC]] encoder (libFAAC.dll), and [[Coding Technologies|CT-aacPlus]] encoder (enc_aacplus.dll obtainable from Winamp 5.61)<ref name="edcast-alive"/> respectively. Adjustable settings for each encoder include bitrate (for MP3, AAC+, Ogg Vorbis), quality (for AAC, Ogg Vorbis), sample rate (22050&nbsp;Hz or 44100&nbsp;Hz) and channels ([[Parametric Stereo]] is available for AAC+ up till 56&nbsp;kbit/s).

SHOUTcast v2 is currently not officially supported in Altacast Standalone & DSP. However, it is possible to connect to stream ID no. 1 of a SHOUTcast v2 server in legacy (v1) mode. As a temporary workaround, the SHOUTcast DSP 1.9.2 plugin for Winamp-compatible media players may be used to broadcast to alternate mount points (e.g. stream ID no. 2).

SHOUTcast v2 and [[Opus (audio format)|Opus]] support is available in v1.4 onwards in the plugin.

==Reception==
In 2007 Oddcast was used in a document from the Department of Audio Communication of [[Technische Universität Berlin]] as part of description to set up an [[internet radio]] broadcast system.<ref name="BerlinTU"/> Use of edcast for a similar purpose was described in a 2010 article in the [[PC World|PCWorld]] magazine.<ref name="PCW-edcast"/> A 2016 thesis for [[Oulu University of Applied Sciences]] has described the used of Altacast in the implementation of an internet radio station<ref name="Kosola"/> while the for a 2018 article in the [[Linux Journal]] recommended it as a compatible source client for [[Microsoft Windows]] in setting up a freeware internet radio station using [[Liquidsoap]], [[icecast]] and open standards.<ref name="LJ-RadioStation"/> [[:fr:Académie d'Orléans-Tours|Académie d'Orléans-Tours]] has used web radio (internet radio) for broadcasts for students and the use of edcast subsequently altacast in the system has been described.<ref name="OT-ed-33"/><ref name="OT-a-33"/><ref name="OT-H"/>

==See also==
*[[List of Internet radio stations]]
*[[List of streaming media systems]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2|refs=

<ref name="Kosola">{{cite thesis|first=Heikki|last=Kosola|url=http://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/118444|title=Internet-radion toteutus Radio Inarille|date=2016|publisher=Oulu University of Applied Sciences|language=fi|accessdate=2018-10-22|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904155052/http://theseus.fi/handle/10024/118444|archivedate=2017-09-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="BerlinTU">{{cite web|title=Anleitung zur Installation eines Streaming-Servers innerhalb eines LAN mit DSL Anbindung am Beispiel von Icecast32 und Oddcast
|url=https://www.ak.tu-berlin.de/fileadmin/a0135/Unterrichtsmaterial/Radio100K_WS0708/Streaming_Skript_v1.0.pdf|publisher=[[Technische Universität Berlin]]
|first1=Nico|last1=Franzke|first2=Robert|last2=Damrau|date=17 July 2007|language=de
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906091119/https://www.ak.tu-berlin.de/fileadmin/a0135/Unterrichtsmaterial/Radio100K_WS0708/Streaming_Skript_v1.0.pdf|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="PCW-edcast">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[PC World|PCWorld]]|title=Start Your Own Internet Radio Station for Free|id=Step 3: Configure the Source App & Step 4: Play That Funky Music|publisher=[[IDG]]|first=Patrick|last=Miller|date=3 March 2010|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/190705/start_your_own_internet_radio_station_for_free.html?page=2
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830094725/https://www.pcworld.com/article/190705/start_your_own_internet_radio_station_for_free.html?page=2|archive-date=30 August 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<!-- Passing but significant reference -->

<ref name="LJ-RadioStation">{{cite journal|journal=Linux Journal|title=Creating an Internet Radio Station with Icecast and Liquidsoap
|volume=2017|issue=280|date=August 2017|id=Article No. 1 
|url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/creating-internet-radio-station-icecast-and-liquidsoap|first=Bill|last=Dengler|access-date=2 October 2018
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702024634/https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/creating-internet-radio-station-icecast-and-liquidsoap|archive-date=2 July 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<!-- Webradio de 'lcadémie d'Orleéans-Tours -->

<ref name="OT-H">{{cite web|title=Webradio de l'académie d'Orléans-Tours|url=http://webradio.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr/eva/|access-date=10 October 2018|language=fr|website=Webradio de l'académie d'Orléans-Tours
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010004009/http://webradio.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr/eva/|archive-date=10 October 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="OT-a-33">{{cite web|title=Using altacast|url=http://webradio.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr/eva/spip.php?article63|access-date=10 October 2018|language=fr|website=Webradio de l'académie d'Orléans-Tours
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010004453/http://webradio.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr/eva/spip.php?article63|archive-date=10 October 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="OT-ed-33">{{cite web|title=Using edcast|url=http://webradio.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr/eva/spip.php?article63|language=fr|website=Webradio de l'académie d'Orléans-Tours
|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828230150/http://webradio.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr/eva/spip.php?article63|archive-date=28 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<!-- Pre 20181002 refs -->

<ref name="Start">{{cite web|url=http://www.oddsock.org/tools/dsp_oddcast/|website=oddsock.org|title=It's all free dammit!
|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010428123629/http://www.oddsock.org/tools/dsp_oddcast/|archive-date=28 April 2001|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="radiodj-1">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiodj.ro/community/index.php?topic=6769.0|title=houseRadioDJ - Free Radio Automation Software Forum » More or Less Radio Talk » Altacast - The new Edcast (Moderator: SnowHow) » AltaCast Source Code and Clarification|website=RadioDJ|date=16 February 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607212250/http://www.radiodj.ro/community/index.php?topic=6769.0|archive-date=2015-06-07|access-date=2015-09-20}}</ref>

<ref name="oddsock-tools">{{cite web|url=http://www.oddsock.org/tools/|title=oddsock.org Steaming Media Tools - tools|website=Oddsock.org
|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111180142/http://www.oddsock.org/tools/|archive-date=11 November 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="oddsock-farewell">{{cite web|url=http://www.oddsock.org/|title=The time has come for me to close oddsock.org|last=Ed|website=oddsock.org
|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424042751/http://www.oddsock.org/|archive-date=24 April 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="radiodj-legal">{{cite web|url=http://www.radiodj.ro/community/index.php?topic=8401.msg51184#msg51184|title=RadioDJ: Altacast not supported|website=www.radiodj.ro
|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013220852/http://www.radiodj.ro/community/index.php?topic=8401.msg51184|archive-date=13 October 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="github-1">{{cite web|url=https://github.com/DustyDrifter/AltaCast|title=DustyDrifter/AltaCast|website=GitHubaccess-date=2 October 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180611002657/https://github.com/DustyDrifter/AltaCast|archive-date=11 June 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="edcast-alive">{{cite web|url=https://code.google.com/p/edcast-reborn/issues/detail?id=72|title=Issue 72 - edcast-reborn - Will Edcast support other file types?|website=Google Project Hosting|access-date=2 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104203727/http://code.google.com/p/edcast-reborn/issues/detail?id=72|archive-date=2016-01-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://www.altacast.com}}

[[Category:Audio software]]
[[Category:Internet radio in the United States]]
[[Category:Streaming software]]
[[Category:Internet radio software]]
[[Category:2001 software]]
[[Category:Companies based in Chicago]]