The Broadcast Window
Input Device Settings
Device: Displays the device name selected in the main window for the input.
Left Channel: For devices with more than two channels, select the channel which will serve as the left.
Right Channel: For devices with more than two channels, select the channel which will serve as the right.
Buffering: Adjusts the size of the audio buffer for the input, in frames. A larger buffer is less prone to skipping but has higher latency (delay), while a smaller buffer has lower latency but may be more prone to skipping. This is best left at Default to start.
Output Device Settings
Device: Displays the device name selected in the main window for the output.
Left Channel: For devices with more than two channels, select the channel which will serve as the left.
Right Channel: For devices with more than two channels, select the channel which will serve as the right.
Buffering: Adjusts the size of the audio buffer for the output, in frames. A larger buffer is less prone to skipping but has higher latency (delay), while a smaller buffer has lower latency but may be more prone to skipping. This is best left at Default to start.
Info Drawer
The Info drawer contains information which will be received by listeners of your stream, as well as the Stream Tracker (see "Share Drawer" below).
Name - Stream Name, anything you desire. Make it memorable.
Genre - Used to sort your broadcast on the Stream Tracker, and to draw in listeners.
AIM - Enter your AOL Instant Messenger/iChat screenname here, so listeners can contact you.
Web - Enter the website of your stream's homepage here.
Track - This area shows the currently playing track info, as well as previous tracks. Nicecast automatically reads track information from iTunes, Audion, MacAmp Lite X, MegaSeg, and Ask The DJ.
Quality Drawer
This drawer allows you to set the quality of your stream. The higher the number, the better the quality. However, it is crucial to remember that each listener is using bandwidth, and your bandwidth is limited. The connection types next to each quality level are guides, i.e. if you have DSL or a Cable modem, a stream of 56 or 128 Kbps will work to give you up to about 8 listeners. The lower the quality, the more listeners your connection can support.
For local servers, if you wish to support more than one listener, divide the stream bitrate by the number of listeners you wish to be able to support, and adjust the Listener Limit in the Server window. If you have a cable modem with 128 Kbps of bandwidth and two listeners, each listener can receive at most 56kbps of data. This means your stream's bitrate needs to factor in the number of listeners to whom you will be serving.
Example: If you have a cable modem, and you wish to be able to support 4 listeners, divide 128Kbps by 4 listeners, which equals 32 Kbps per listener. In this case, your stream's bitrate should be no higher than 32 Kbps, an audio quality which is still high enough to be listened to.
The Custom... setting allows you to choose from many different bitrate choices. Even more useful is the CPU Usage/Audio Quality slider - this slider allows you to raise the quality of your stream at the same bitrate, at the expense of CPU power. If nothing else will be running on the machine which Nicecast runs on, try turning this slider all the way up. Otherwise, find a healthy balance.
Share Drawer
Address
Internet Address - Copy the address to IM to a friend or post to a webpage. Save it to a file which will play the stream when double-clicked, and email this file around.
Local Address - Use the address to listen to the stream on your own LAN.
Stream Tracker - This turns on your listing in the Rogue Amoeba Stream Tracker, so the world can tune in to your broadcast. For registered users only.
Server Checker - This tool initiates a connection from the outside world to your server, and reports back on its success. Use it to determine if your stream is accessible from the outside world. If not, see the Troubleshooting sections.
Effects button
Opens the Effects window, for adding audio effects.