Streaming audio involves transmitting music files over the Internet in real-time and playing it on a client-side computer as it arrives. Streaming is different than podcasts because it allows for continuous, live music rather than scheduled uploads. Streaming is often used for music, talk radio, and live web events by radio hosts, politicians, and even average people. Streaming audio can be entertaining, useful, and fun but to do it, the user needs a service that allows them to stream audio to the Internet. Several of these services are listed below.

StreamAudio

StreamAudio allows radio broadcasters and ordinary people alike to create fully-functional audio streams on the Internet. While StreamAudio is not free (and does not list their prices), it does include several important features. For example, StreamAudio is able to broadcast audio streams in Windows Media Format, QuickTime, MP3, AAC, AAC+, Vorbis OGG, Shoutcast, and IceCast simultaneously from one source connection. StreamAudio also provides the user with full reports about how many people are listening, how long they are listening for, where the user’s audio is streaming to, and much more. StreamAudio can be found at http://www.streamaudio.com/site/Default.aspx .

ShoutCast

ShoutCast is a free web service that allows users to create their own, unique Internet radio station. ShoutCast includes a vast community of users who each either have their own radio station or just enjoy listening to others. ShoutCast is great for bands, radio enthusiasts, and music lovers in general, as well as aspiring politicians, news anchors, and more. ShoutCast provides users with a downloadable application that is able to stream and upload music and other audio files to the ShoutCast community in real-time. ShoutCast can be found at http://www.shoutcast.com/ .

HiFi Audio Stream

HiFi Audio Stream allows users to create an unlimited number of streaming audio files that are hosted on the user’s own server. This means that the user is in complete control over how, when, and where the audio stream is available. Audio streams can also be placed in webpages, blogs, and even in presentations. HiFi Audio Stream comes with an easy-to-use interface and allows the user to choose from over 100 different play options. HiFi Audio Stream is available for a free trial and can be purchased for $49.95. HiFi Audio Stream can be found at http://hifiaudiostream.com/ .

IceCast

IceCast is another mulimedia server designed for streaming audio. IceCast includes several very important features that users should not ignore. For example, IceCast allows users to set a “fallback file” that plays itself over and over in a loop if the connection between the server and the client should ever stop working. This gives the user time to fix the problem without losing his/her faithful listeners. IceCast can also play introduction audio when a new user connects to the stream for the first time and can be set to only stream audio when there are users present. IceCast is free and available from http://www.icecast.org/ .

iRadeo

iRadeo is a free, streaming radio service that allows users to stream their music to the Internet in real-time. IRadeo does not require that the user download any software as the service is entirely browser-based. IRadeo provides unlimited streaming, unlimited simultaneous listeners, and listeners can download any and all streams that the user uploads. Users also have the option of designing the player that they use and can control the color, size, player type, and field options. IRadeo can be found at http://www.iradeo.com/ .