@wefr I haven't fully thought this through, but - is there wifi already available in the remote location transmitter area? If so, all you need is an old cheap android phone, it would use the least amount of energy, it wouldn't need it's own service, so there wouldn't be additional monthly charges involved, you would simply be connecting via the existing local wifi to pick up your stream and feed the transmitter.
Alternatey, if there is not already existing wifi in the area of the remote transmitter, the activate that cheap android phone with a $20 a month visible plan - which believe it or not is a lot more reliable than you would think - and unlimited. In this case the phone is receiving the stream more directly and feeding it directly to the transmitter.
These are methods I would try before spending over $500 hundred dollars on the Barix Extreamers and Instreamer units.. As far as I'm concerned it's overkill (in expense anyway), I mean all your trying to do is feed the audio, not synchronize it.
Or you could use a laptop at the remote location to receive and feed it to the transmitter. (it would use a lot more energy than a phone though)
I may be missing some factors of your situation, but the bottom line is all your trying to do is get an audio feed to a remote location, there's no reason to be paying half a grand in equipment to accomplish it when it can be accomplished for nothing, or next to nothing.
There was another method I dreamed up that would be more reliable and would not even require a constant internet connection... Never tried it out but see no reason it wouldn't work.
Presuming your simply utilizing playlist and not actually producing your broadcast live on air...
You dont actually need to feed the remote transmitter with a live feed, all you need to do is to get the same playlist to both your primary transmitter and your remote transmitters -
1. a laptop for the primary transmitter.
2. a laptop for the remote tramsmitter.
3. same music or content on both laptops
4. connect via internet to the remote transmitters for only a couple minutes each day, just long enough to transfer the updated playlist - then use remote desktop to start that playlist on the remote transmitter at the same time you start that identical playlist in your studio.
That way you dont even have to worry about losing stream. You can connect and alter the playlist at anytime to correspond with what you have going on in the studio
Yes, this involves maybe having to buy an additional laptop.. but you can get an 10 year old one for pratically nothing - or a used min pc.. any old laptop could serve the remote site.
It's a lot cheaper than Barix
I've always been curious about the Barix system — glad Rich is confirming my suspicion that they're really more of an enterprise solution, and probably overkill for most hobby stations.
I'm assuming one could do something similar by setting up an icecast/shoutcast stream and picking up the feed at the transmitter using a low powered mini PC, or a Raspberry Pi?
I'm not confirming anything, but outside of the Barix synchronicity capabilities, I comprehend no reason for the necessity of using them. Sycronicity is essentially useless if the transmitters are located in entirely different areas, and/or on different frequencies. There's no need to have a Barix system just to send a stream over the internet.
@theloniousdunk The transmitter site is in a different area of town. I have one transmitter here colocated at studio. The other is 2 miles away. The feed would have to be stable and constant. That's why I'm going the Barix or similar route. A computer and internet stream aren't stable enough for this.
It would be as stable as most any the signal of those who listen to online radio anywhere else..
But by all means, a premium station operations setup is always the best option. I'm just suggesting methods for a budget strapped station who want to feed remotes
It would be as stable as most any the signal of those who listen to online radio anywhere else..
But would it? The Barix system, as I understand it, is "self-healing". If the internet connection is interrupted and goes down, the instreamer will reconnect to the stream as soon as it comes back up. Devices with firmware installed tend to be a lot more robust and reliable than systems pieced together with multiple devices powered by a mixture of software and firmware. They have more failure points. If the power to a cellphone or laptop is interrupted, will the system come back up when the power is restored? A Barix ex-streamer/instreamer system will. That's the advantage of a single device powered by firmware. Sure, it costs more money, but if you can afford it, the reliability is well worth it.
@richpowers Where the transmitter site will be. I would only have access at certain times to reconnect the stream if it should go down. A stream would require a computer or similar device on each end. Sending a 128K stable audio stream 24/7 to a transmitter is not like listening on line. Listening online is not being used by any one certain person 24/7.
@richpowers If it's to be done especially with others help in the community I have to do it right. There's no wifi there. I would have a fiber internet drop installed at the site, along with power. The site space is being offered for free. I'll have to spend a little for this or more on another site with everything I need for a lot more money, and still have to get the equipment needed.
@wefr I can admire that completely. I was only giving input from my own perspective. You are already accomplishing more with your station than I ever have.
It would be as stable as most any the signal of those who listen to online radio anywhere else..
But would it? The Barix system, as I understand it, is "self-healing". If the internet connection is interrupted and goes down, the instreamer will reconnect to the stream as soon as it comes back up. Devices with firmware installed tend to be a lot more robust and reliable than systems pieced together ....
I think in most case creating a self-healing system can be accomplished whether your using a pc or a ruku or whatever as a feed.. But I agree with you that using devices that have been designed specifically for the purpose is the best way to go.