Talk show w/guests

[srwiley1962]

Dear All,
I'm an absolute newbie to this internet radio stuff, and have a idea for an internet radio show. I'm looking into a talk format and need to know how I'd record or broadcast live w/multiple speakers (guests) talking w/one another at the same time. I presume I'd need a multi-channel mixer of some sorts.
Can anyone point me in the right direction for this particular question?
Thanks in advance.

Steve W.

 

[Support]

Hi Steve,

Yes, for this you would require a multi-channel mixing desk and several microphones. The output of the mixing desk would then be required to go into an input of your soundcard. Then with this you could either stream it live with stream encoding software installed on your PC, or you could just pre-record this and then later stream the audio file with your chosen streaming software.

We hope this helps.

 

[srwiley1962]

Thank You Support,
Any chance you could lean me toward a brand of mixing board (are they PC specific, or do I just need RCA-USB cord w/ a regular audio mixer?)
Is there a perticular location I could go to find out all the ins and outs of starting a radio show?
Thanks again,

Steve.

 

[General Lighting]

some mixing desks have USB soundcards built in which you can use for streaming. Equally you can use a separate USB one on your PC and a standard analogue mixing desk.

Desks intended specifically for broadcast have slightly different features and can be more expensive than those just intended for recording a band or your DJ mixes if you like EDM.

What country are you in? Although AV equipment is semi globalised, operational methods for a radio station vary from country to country, as an example although the UK and USA often use the same equipment in their stations, how it is set up is subtly different.

 

[Support]

Thank You Support,
Any chance you could lean me toward a brand of mixing board (are they PC specific, or do I just need RCA-USB cord w/ a regular audio mixer?)
Is there a perticular location I could go to find out all the ins and outs of starting a radio show?
Thanks again,

Steve.

No problem at all Steve, happy to help.

That is some good advice above from General Lighting. There is not really any specific brand that we would suggest as there are many good options out there. But with General Lighting's advice, we suggest that you do a little research into what's best for your own needs.

In regards to finding out all the ins and outs of starting out with us, we recommend having a read of our beginners guide on starting an Internet Radio station: http://forum.internet-radio.com/guides/12168-beginners-guide-internet-radio.html

Feel free to just ask should you have any more questions or require any help at all. 8)

 

[srwiley1962]

General Lighting I'm in The US.
Thanks for your help.

 

[General Lighting]

Firstly the operational methods for a radio studio are the same irrespective of whether the signal goes to a transmitter to the airwaves or as a digital audio stream on the Internet. The objective is to output the best quality audio possible (not distorted or with interference/noise) and that comes down to basic audio engineering and production skills rather than any high tech stuff.

Ok the Behringer brand is globally available and affordable.

Yamaha also make cheaper as well as very expensive mixers. However most of these are made more for recording something like a rock or bluegrass band or playing the output of such to an amplifier than radio broadcasting.

This means they lack useful (but premium priced) features found in a broadcast mixer such as circuitry to mute loudspeakers when a microphone fader is opened (or you would hear loud feedback).

Also they normally only have outputs for one set of headphones whereas both you and your guests would need headphones so they can hear the program audio (what is going out the the Internet) without the feedback.

The cheapest mixer I have seen with broadcast features is from British company Allen and Heath and is the model XB-14. I vaguely remember using a forerunner of it at a community station in the 1990s. But that is about $800 or more!

Alternatively if you search around there are loads of radio stations in the USA closing down from the economic depression. they often sell their studio kit off very cheaply, but you will need a big van or SUV pickup truck to collect some of it (it is heavy and bulky) and a clued up engineer to set it all up!

But if you can remember to shut off the monitor speakers when everyone is talking you can get away with any of the cheaper mixing desks on the market. Most hobby stations use them.

I am not sure who are the best dealers for pro audio equipment in the USA. In the UK we have companies like CPC and Studiospares. what you want is something more professional than Radio Shack (do they still exist?) but not selling just components like Mouser does.

 

[srwiley1962]

Thanks GL. Great info.