HOW TO SET UP AUTO-RECONNECT IN WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER OR VLC

[ABQRADIO]

We are using Windows Media Encoder and Player to simulcast two stations full time.  Does anyone know how to configure Media Player or VLC to automatically reconnect when a lost stream is restored?  Thanks for your help!

[Nostalgia]

Yes, buy a couple of Barix boxes!

We started out doing exactly what you are, and after several failures (usually at night, wake up to silence) and seeing no way to auto reconnect, we put in two Barix links.  Working flawlessly for relatively little money.  Also added benefit of auto fallback to a flash drive plugged into the decoder with music that will start playing if the internet link does down.

If someone does have a solution for auto reconnect I would like to see it just to see what I missed.

[RockNuts!]

AirLink uses the WMP engine and reconnects flawlessly with a mini-automation system built in that not only plays music files in the case of internet going down, but also plays your legal ID at the top of the hour and injects sweeps every XX of songs.  http://raduga.net/airlink.htm $349 complete.

[SRP]

Dump WMEncoder/WMP and use Skype. It can be set up to auto answer on the receiving end.

If you insist on using WMEncoder/WMP then get a remote access app (e.g. GoToMyPC) so you can remote in and reconnect.

Of course the best solution is the Barix boxes but it sounds like you don't have money to spend on making sure your programming airs properly.

[OKCRadioGuy]

There's one other thing to consider about the Barix end to end solution compared to wmp

[OKCRadioGuy]

Mp3 isnt as good as wmp for the bitrate.  The exstreamer is capable of  wmp decoding so I'd defiantly go that way for the playback end.  Price is right too

[JamieD]

I don't know about WMP but for VLC,  select tools and preferences.  Change the mode from simple to all.  on the left side click input/codecs to expand it then click access modules and HTTP(s)  On the HTTP input screen there is a checkbox for auto reconnect.  Winamp will auto reconnect also just clicking the repeat button on the main screen.

[ABQRADIO]

I have tried the HTTP auto-reconnect in VLC to no avail. 

One of the posters accused me of being cheap, which is true and a trait I proudly share with Clark Howard   But in our case, it is REALLY CONVIENIENT to have the received stream audio output on one of the multiple stereo outputs of our 1 - in, 4 - out audio card that has balanced audio.  I'll betcha (Palin-ism) someone has successfully done exactly what I am looking for, so THANK YOU to everyone who is offering help!

[pellmell]

Be aware that as of the last time I read the license agreement, the suggestion to use Skype in this manner is a violation of their terms of service unless you give them on-air credit every 15 minutes.

If the Barix Exstreamer will reconnect with a WME stream, that solutions seems like a no-brainer. The Exstreamer is inexpensive, particularly if you don't have to buy the Instreamer to go with it.

Partial thread hijack: Last weekend, I played around with streaming audio using Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder (FMLE), a free utility. I was able to create a high bitrate MP3 stream in stereo on Ustream that was excellent quality. The separation, even for MP3, was amazing. You can stream without FMLE, but the quality is higher with it.

[ABQRADIO]

While Skype is a great tool for doing a remote talkshow and such, we are simulcasting full time a music-driven format, so the 128K WME sounds great.  So, no license issues.

Thanks again....