
this is a bit outdated

try our muse --help
and man muse

anyway we are working on it

let's shout all together:
ASBESTO PLEASE WRITE THE MANPAGE!

:)))))))))


               [[[ MuSE 0.7 ]]]
       :: Multiple Streaming Engine ::

Usage notes
-----------

MuSE can work as a mp3 recorder and a network streamer, mixing mp3 streams
with a live input, and have many useful options.

--- basic usage

MuSE work with a ncurses (muse -g ncurses) or x11 (muse) interface.
Alternatively you can launch muse just with the command line interface, 
with "-c" option.

Here i will describe the X11 interface. The ncurses interface is
auto-esplicative :)

--- X11 interface

Launching muse, a window will appear. 

On the top you will have a button list, from left to right: let's stream, 
add channel, line-in, speaker, vu-meter and hall-of-fame :)

The first icon on the left, named "let's stream", is the starting point. It
will open an "Icecast & Lame configuration". Now we have to : 

1) configure the LAME encoder: clicking on the LAME folder we can 
   select bitrate, frequency, channels, fintering and quality. 
   To stream from a modem connection i suggest bitrate 16, frequency
   22050, mono, leaving all the other settings as they are by default. 
   You can save your setting using the "Save Profile" button.

   After setting all the dialogs, you can press "Apply" to initialize
   the encoder with the new settings.

2) configure the Icecast connection: clicking on "Icecast" folder, we
   can define all the parameters needed for connection. You need an
   icecast server, the correct port, the mountpoint. You can select
   the login type, and after this, you have to put a password (if 
   required). The oter settings (name, url, description) are optional.
   As written above, here you can save your setting clicking on
   "Save profile" button (note: this profile is different from 
   the LAME profile :)

   After setting all, just click on "connect" and you will be connected
   on the server, starting the live stream.

3) save a local stream : clicking on "Record Stream" you will open 
   the recording folder. Here you can specify a filename, to locally
   record your stream in mp3 format, at the same rate/freq specified
   in the LAME configuration. Just enter a filename (you have to 
   specify the correct .mp3 extension!) and click "Record now" to
   activate the recording.

Well, now you are streaming. clicking on the "Line in" button (the mic
button) you will activate your "line input" source. You have to select your
input source using any external audio mixer program, like rexima, alsamixer,
gmix and so on. When you click the LINE IN button, you start to encode &
stream. :)

Now, you can try to add some mp3/oggvorbis files into the channel window.
Right-clicking on the channel, you can add a file, a live stream (yes, you
can dinamically re-stream another mp3 live source! :) and manage the list
for the channel.

You can add up to 6 channels, just pressing the "Add channel" button. To
close a channel, click on the relative "X" button. The "Dock" icon (the BOX
with the arrow) can be used to "dock" or "undock" the channel. You also have
3 selection available on the right : "single play", that normally play the
mp3; "loop", that loop that mp3, and "continuos", that continue playing the
next mp3 in the list.

The "speaker" button give you a local audio feedback of what you are
transmitting - very nice effects can be made with this options due to the
delay from mic to speaker audio ... take care of audio volumes to avoid (or
obtain) a fastidious (or nice) feedback ! ;)

All the other options are really auto-esplicative, so here i will stop
taking you by hand. 

("At least, the backpack! GO! GO! GO!")

--- setting up my own net-radio :)

You first need an Icecast/Shoutcast server to stream on. So, simply
configure the address of the server, the mount point and also don't forget
the correct password for streaming. If you have an IceCast Server (probably
on a Linux Box, that's the best choice :) just leave the "x-audiocast"
setting as login type. If you are using a Shoutcast server choose "icy" as a
login type.

When you broadcast on the net, keep in mind that lower is your bps rate,
higher is the number of people that can listen you without problems ! :)

Take care to choose an appropriate baudrate/khz setting; if you transmit by
normal modem line, you probably can't use a bitrate greather than 24 (that
is 24 kbps). To have a clear signal (e.g. for music) choose a frequency
filtering of 22 kHz (but "auto" will work fine anyway). If you have a fast
connection, you can also try a greater bitrate, but remenber that your
listeners probably have a normal modem connection. So, it can be nice for
you to stream at 32 kbps or more, but your listeners probably can't hear you
with their poor modem and they will only obtain a sort of crappy
bubbled/rotopanzoomed/cafudded/brokenGSM-like unaudible sound :).

Frequency Filtering is a nice thing to play with, so just try it. 

--- gabriele "asbesto" zaverio, asbesto@freaknet.org


