AutoDJ keeps you on air, but the magic of radio is the live voice. To broadcast live, you connect a piece of software called an encoder. Here is what you need to know, without the jargon.
What an encoder does
An encoder takes the sound from your microphone (and any music you mix in) and sends it to your station's server, which then streams it to your listeners. Think of it as the bridge between your studio and the internet.
The popular choices
BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool) is free, simple, and perfect for a solo presenter with a mic. Mixxx is free DJ software with decks, ideal if you mix music live. RadioDJ is a fuller automation system for Windows.
How you connect
Your station gives you a few details - a server address, a port, a mount point, and a stream key. You enter these into your encoder once, press connect, and you are live. Your voice cuts into the stream immediately.
When you finish
Disconnect the encoder, and AutoDJ resumes automatically. No gap, no silence, no fuss.
On ZairWave, all your connection details sit in one place under Quick Links, ready to copy into any encoder. Going live is a two-minute setup, once.