With Ingests you are able to send audio to our network for further distribution. An ingest provides the streaming information that will need to be added to your software encoder.
Here is our step-by-step guide on how to create and set up an Ingest:
1. Login to the SoundStack console.
2. From the left-side navigation menu, click on Publishers.
NOTE: To start creating Ingests, you must first select a Publisher. You can find additional details on how to create a Publisher here.
3. Select the publisher of your choice.
4. Click the Create button and select Ingest.
5. Next, you need to pick up a region. For example, you can select US East (New York, NY), US Central (Dallas, TX), or US West (Los Angeles, CA). Typically it is best to choose a location that is the closest to your encoding location.
6. The next step is configuring the encoding settings. The most commonly used encoding settings in audio streaming is the MP3 codec at a 128 kbps bitrate and 44.1 kHz sample rate, with "Joint Stereo '' channel mode and constant bitrate (CBR). You may also choose AAC as a codec, along with different sample rates or bitrates depending on your streaming requirements.
NOTE: It's important to ensure the settings in your encoder match the Encoding settings. This will prevent blackouts from not firing and ensure your station will not get stuck in a blackout. More information about blackouts can be found here.
7. For connection protocols, we are currently offering ICY for Icecast-compatible encoders. Should you require an HLS or RTMP ingest point, please reach out to support by emailing [email protected].
8. Next, is choosing the delivery method for the Ingest. Push is where you would configure your encoder to directly push audio into SoundStack’s network. The other option is Pull which allows you to pull the stream from an existing Icecast or SHOUTcast server. We recommend using Push because using Pull adds an additional point of failure with that external server. After clicking Save the system will provide you with the details needed to configure your encoder (if using a Push ingest). After clicking save when using a Pull ingest, the system will automatically start ingesting the audio from the external server.
With the creation of an Ingest, you have now added your station audio feed to the SoundStack network. You can also create multiple Ingests for redundancy purposes. To view all the Ingests set up under your organization, simply navigate to the Ingests tab on the left menu.
If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact our Support Team through the ticket submission form or by emailing us at [email protected].