Technical Specifications

Table of Contents

System Requirements

  • Windows 7 or later. Windows 10 recommended.
  • 64-bit Windows recommended, but 32-bit is compatible
  • Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD FX-4100 greater (2008 or newer)
  • A soundcard with WASAPI or WDM-KS drivers
  • 2 GB RAM
  • 200 MB free disk space

Encoder Specification

Codecs

Format Bitrates (kbps) Samplerates (Hz) Channels
MP3 16, 32, 48, 56, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 320 11025, 22050, 44100, 48000, 96000 Mono, Stereo
AAC (AAC-LC) 16, 32, 48, 56, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 320 11025, 22050, 44100, 48000, 96000 Mono, Stereo
HE-AAC v1 16, 32, 48, 56, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 320 22050, 44100, 48000, 96000 Mono, Stereo
HE-AAC v2 (AAC+) 16, 32, 48, 56, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 320 22050, 44100, 48000, 96000 Stereo
Ogg Vorbis 16, 32, 48, 56, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 320 11025, 22050, 44100, 48000, 96000 Mono, Stereo
Ogg Opus 16, 32, 48, 56, 64, 96, 128, 192, 256, 320 8000, 12000, 16000, 24000, 48000 Mono, Stereo
Ogg FLAC (Lossless) Avg. ~1500 kbps 11025, 22050, 44100, 48000, 96000 Mono, Stereo

Streaming Protocols

Protocol Codecs Notes
Icecast2 All Uses HTTP "Source" verb. Compatible with Icecast, Icecast-KH, and RSAS
Icecast2 (SSL/TLS) All Compatible with Icecast-KH and RSAS
Shoutcast 1 All Requires Shoutcast 2.x server.
Shoutcast 1 Legacy All Compatible with Shoutcast 1.x servers.
Shoutcast 2 All Ultravox 2.1 protocol. Supports station logo.
Requires Shoutcast 2.x server.

Audio Hardware Compatibility

Rocket Broadcaster is compatible with most soundcards, but requires soundcards that provide WASAPI, WDM-KS, or ASIO drivers. Soundcards that are compatible with Windows 7 or newer will work. Rocket Broadcaster is capable of capturing from one input at a time. (Multiple instances of the software can be run on one PC to encode unique streams.)

Known compatible soundcards:

  • Realtek-based onboard soundcards
  • Focusrite 2i2, 4i4, 6i6
  • IDT High Definition Audio Codec
  • Generic USB Audio Devices
  • Orban Optimod 1100
  • Behringer UMC202HD

Rocket Broadcaster is compatible with hundreds more soundcards. In general, if it works in Windows 7/8/10, it will work with Rocket Broadcaster.

Sample Rates and Formats

Input Output
Sampling Rates 22.5, 44.1, 48, 96 kHz See encoder specification below.
Sample Formats 32-bit N/A

Virtual Soundcard Drivers

Virtual soundcards are generally compatible with Rocket Broadcaster and can be used to route audio from individual other applications or route networked audio through Rocket.

Known compatible virtual soundcard drivers:

  • Axia Livewire+ AES67 IP-Audio Driver
  • WheatNet-IP PC Driver
  • Virtual Audio Cable
  • Omnia VAC
  • VB-Cable
  • VoiceMeeter
  • Avnex Virtual Audio Device
  • Dante Virtual Soundcard

Metadata Capture

Rocket Broadcaster supports five different methods of ingesting metadata:

  • Window Title - Captures metadata from the title of another window running on the same PC.
  • Text File - Reads metadata from a text file. Updates are instant on most systems.
  • TCP Server - Listens for metadata sent by another application.
  • TCP Client - Connects to another application and waits for metadata updates.
  • UDP Server - Listens for metadata sent by another application.

When reading metadata from a text file, or through TCP or UDP, the metadata may be formatted in any of the following supported formats:

  • Simple Text (Artist - Title)
  • Two Line Simple Text (Artist/Title on two lines)
  • Hyphen Delimited Text
  • Generic INI Formatted Text
  • Arctic Palm CSRDS XML
  • Audisi GML XML
  • AudioVault AVAir
  • Axel Tech DJ Pro XML
  • Dalet XML
  • Dinesat Pro Radio XML
  • Enco DAD XML
  • iMediaTouch XML
  • iMediaTouch LMIV
  • Jazler SOHO XML
  • Live365 XML
  • Liquid Compass
  • Myriad V5 XML
  • Omnia Line and XML formats
  • RadioBOSS XML
  • RCS Nexgen Digital XML
  • RCS Zetta Lite XML
  • RCS Master Control XML
  • The Radio Experience XML (TRE)
  • Rocket Broadcaster XML
  • SS32 (Format C)
  • WideOrbit XML
  • Wegener
  • Westwood One Storq

Compatible Radio Automation Systems

Rocket Broadcaster is capable of receiving metadata from the following automation systems or metadata processors:

  • Arctic Palm CSRDS
  • Arrakis Digilink Xtreme (Live365 XML export)
  • Arrakis New Wave (Live365 XML export - "Format 5.xml")
  • Audisi GML
  • Axel Tech DJ Pro
  • AudioVault AVAir
  • Dalet (XML)
  • Dinesat Pro Radio
  • Enco DAD
  • iMediaTouch
  • Jazler Radiostar 2
  • Jazler SOHO
  • Liquid Compass
  • Myriad V5
  • RCS Nexgen Digital
  • RCS Zetta
  • RCS Master Control
  • PlayIt Live
  • ProppFrexx OnAir
  • RadioBOSS
  • RadioDJ
  • SAM Broadcaster
  • Scott Studios SS32
  • The Radio Experience (XML)
  • Wegener
  • WideOrbit Automation for Radio
  • Westwood One Storq

Additionally, Rocket can receive metadata from any automation system that can send metadata to a text file or over TCP/UDP using one of the above formats.

Need support for another radio automation system? Send us an email with a sample of the metadata and we'd be happy to add support for it.

Metadata Output

Metdata output from Rocket Broadcaster can be customized. By convention, the metadata output defaults to "Artist - Title", but this string can be customized. If XML metadata is received, any additional parsed tags are available to be used in the customized output.

Streaming Server Compatibility Notes

Rocket Broadcaster is officially tested with Icecast2 2.4.3, Icecast-kh 2.4.0-kh3, and SHOUTcast DNAS v2.5.0.715. Incidental testing is performed on more versions of these streaming servers, and below is a collection of notes and issues we've discovered while testing these streaming servers:

Shoutcast 2

  1. AAC / AAC+ / HE-AAC v1 streams are unplayable on the Shoutcast Directory website if they come from a Shoutcast 2.5 server, due to a bug in Shoutcast 2.5. (This works in Shoutcast 2.4 though.)
  2. As of November 2018, AAC support is completely broken in Shoutcast 2.6, regardless of the player.

Icecast and Icecast-KH

  • Icecast-KH 2.4.x is more stable when streaming Ogg FLAC. Regular Icecast 2.4.x often has choppy streaming with Ogg FLAC.
  • In our testing in 2017, Icecast-KH handled SSL/TLS connections more reliably than Icecast too. If you need HTTPS for source or listener connections, we recommend using a reverse proxy in front of Icecast or just using Icecast-KH.

Rocket Streaming Audio Server

  • Rocket Broadcaster is fully compatible with the Rocket Streaming Audio Server (RSAS). When connecting, select the "Icecast 2" or "Icecast 2 with SSL" protocol in Rocket Broadcaster.

Accessibility

A VPAT Version 2.4 accessibility conformance report is available for Rocket Broadcaster here.