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Kiaranne · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 47 Location: Vermont

Might be a silly question but...I am using BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool) now for my live streaming.... I really like it. Simple. Light. AND shows me stuff that I did not see when using Winamp.
Thank you Lyn! Smile

What does buffer overrun mean? And what causes a buffer overrun?
What can I do to prevent it? I think it has to do with stream skips?
(I notice it happens every now and then.)

Thanks,
Kiaranne

Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1635 Location: None

When you stream audio into SL, it's not point-to-point as it isn't real-time. To ensure a continuous flow of music into SL, the audio has to be temporarily stored in the stream path into SL and that is the buffer. A buffer over-run would be when you are pumping data into the buffer from your computer faster than the buffer can be emptied into SL.

Think of the audio stream as being like your kitchen sink and you're running a tap into it. So long as the sink / buffer can drain faster than the tap puts water into it, there will be no overflow of water onto the floor.

The other problem is if you're not pumping data from your computer into the sink fast enough and this is what will result in skips. Data is being presented to SL at a constant rate but your stream / computer isn't supplying more audio data fast enough to sustain that rate. The difference is made up in dead air.

A buffer overrun would likely occur due to a performance problem on the SL side. A buffer underrun resulting in a skip would likely result from a performance problem on your side with your computer or the stream path (i.e. network provider or stream provider).
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casemunro · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 141 Location: Pompano Beach, FL

I'm not an expert, but I always looked at it like the buffer is the staging area for the data. Buffer overrun means that queue is full, and packets are being dropped (which makes the stream skip). Bumping down the encoder settings may help. I run 2 instances of SL plus our audio stream on a consumer grade DSL line, and I need to stay at 64 or 56kbps enocde rate or I run into problems.
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Kiaranne · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 47 Location: Vermont

Thank you for the replies Silas and Casemunro Smile

Throwing this into the mix:
I am using Shoutcast via Virtual Life Stream. Tonight I got the stream going at 64kbps and it overran and dropped 3 times within about 3 minutes each. I turned it down to 48 and I'm still getting a stream drop here and there. (This is all with out SL running.) Had a gig last night in SL and there were some skips and such heard but overall things were okay. (It was not a show stopper.) The stream reconnected okay.

I've checked my upload and down load speeds. DL=104497kbps UL=990kbps

Is it the Stream service I am using? Is it my computer? (3 gig ram windows vista 32 bit) It is Shoutcast server? Is it the internet traffic on the cable line?

How low can I set the bitrate with out things sounding bad?

Kiaranne

Norris Shepherd · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:07 pm Post subject:

I would try re-booting your router. (Unplug it, wait 30 seconds, then plug it in).

That seems to do wonders anytime i start to get blips and beeps in my stream.....

... an easy thing to try, that might help.

Distilled1 · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 421 Location: Chicago

Some of the lower cost server relay rentals just suck in all honesty Sad

I run 128K with no skips and 2 computers running SL as well as my stream.

I have tried some of the 1000L a month supposed to be 128k ST. at 100 listener but still skipped (under-run yeah?) at 64k and about 12 listeners.

I have used two relays, that I have never had an issue with. one was from Jamie Otis, and now I use Lush Audio ( a little lower cost, but there have been some server issues as of late, but I haven't had any of them...

you may want to try a day rental on a few other relay providers as well and see if it works out better.

BTW I run on a consumer DSL at about 7500k DL and 790 Up with all that going and as well sometimes a lap top in SL making it 3 separate instances of SL going!!! (of course none of them are listening to audio as it goes through the house
Laughing

EDIT TO ADD: I just re read and saw you are on cable high speed... if your in the states and are using Comcast (and some others now) you may be getting throttled while you send your stream to the server relay, now at 64kbs it shouldn't be an issue.. but they may think your sending to much data for normal use Sad

) also if its during a peak time in your area(neighborhood, apartment building) for others to be using the internet watching you tube and sending stuff or running torrents up etc. it may be just that the pipe is to jammed with other users (yep cable shares the bandwidth with others, a lot of the time!)
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Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1635 Location: None

That's not high-speed cable or if it is then it's not performing too well. I'm routinely getting 21500K down and 2000K up and often much faster on download. Upload stays pretty consistent. Nevertheless, Kiaranne's service appears to offer the same performance as Distilled's so that should eliminate the cable line as a consideration.
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Find a place to play and I'll roll the P.A. anywhere
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Distilled1 · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 421 Location: Chicago

just re read again ..don't know where I got cable from maybe the 100,000+k DL typo Laughing

I don't know anything about Virtual Life Stream, never heard of it...

But that would be my first guess, a bad relay server; second modem/ISP issue (like Norris said try a re start). I can't see any other thing that would cause that.. if you would like to try a few other streams let me know I have 3 that I will let you do some test runs on to see if thats it (drop me an IM in world and we can set up a time for you to try broadcasting on one of my servers). I have 2 non SL relays as well that are used for web radio that I know for sure run clean at 128k even from a 250k upload speed.

Your not trying this on a wi-fi/wireless connection are you? because that for sure will cause drops in a stream and/or continuous skips and such ( I have a DJ that keeps trying to do her show from a lap top, getting the files from a PC (on wi-fi) and then streaming out from the lap top, talk about a buffer nightmare! its packet loss from hell Shocked

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"Being drunk is a good disguise.
I drink so that I can talk to Ass Holes,
This includes myself"
-J.Morrison
http://distill.dmusic.com

Silas Scarborough · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 1635 Location: None

It may well be the stream. I'm using a stream from The Stream Team and it costs more but it's solid reliable and it'd prob'ly jinx me if I switched. Best move is to ask around and get a concensus that satisfies you as to the best supplier for best price.
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Find a place to play and I'll roll the P.A. anywhere
If you want to play, bring yer guitar

EvaMoon · Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 748

I'm using Comcast cable and wi-fi. Every once in a rare while (and I mean really rare) I see comments that the stream is skipping. I drop the speed in those cases. But normally I run 128 through nicecast without a problem. Of course I have no way to know for sure as I can't hear what they are hearing, but people tell me the sound is good and if there's a problem they tend to speak up, right?
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