ScannerCast: Freeware Streaming With Tags for PSR-500/600

[PeterGV]

ScannerCast is a new (free) application that I've developed that allows you to stream audio + tag data from your PSR-500/600 scanner over the internet.

ScannerCast uses SHOUTcast/Icecast compatible format, so its audio can be played back using standard media players such as ITunes, Windows Media Player, xmms, Real Player, or Winamp. No special client software needed!

Using ScannerCast and a standard media player, you can listen to your PSR-500/600, and see the tags displayed (in players like Winamp that support display of SHOUTcast metadata), across your home LAN or across the internet.

You can also forward your scanner audio AND TAGS to RR/ScanAmerica, without having to use any additional programs.

ScannerCast is currently in BETA testing. I'm looking for feedback on all aspects of its operation.

Additional functionality that's coming in the near future will allow you to control your scanner remotely using just your browser (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari).

Check it out, and download a copy if you're interested, at ScannerCast Info and Download.

I'd most appreciate receiving feedback via email, sent to my callsign (k1pgv) @arrl.net

Enjoy,

Peter
K1PGV

[wvscanner]

Win XP soon as it is clicked on get Application Error
The application failed to intialized properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to reminate the application.

[PeterGV]

Originally Posted by wvscanner

Win XP soon as it is clicked on get Application Error
The application failed to intialized properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to reminate the application.

Ah! I bet you don't have .NET V2.0 (or later) installed! The pointers to the download locations can be found at About The .NET Framework

Hope that helps,

Peter
K1PGV

[mtindor]

I'll give you props - I've seen some tiny .NET apps that take an insane amount of time to start simply because of all of the .NET bloat. Not much of a problem here.

Been using scannercast for a few days with my PRO-197 and am quite happy with it. If Lindsay/Gordon are able to figure a way to get alpha tags in the actual web player, this will be an even greater program for those who stream to RR.

Was very easy to set up as well. Very nice job, Peter.

Mike

[PeterGV]

THANKS Mike. I appreciate the feedback a lot. I'm glad you like the app... Stay tuned, because more changes are coming!

AlphaTags in the web player: I know that both Gordon and Lindsay can work all sorts of magic, but as long as the web player is Flash based (and it is), it is technically impossible in the current version of Flash to interpret the meta-data tag information embedded into the MP3 stream (the way Winamp or iTunes does, for example). It IS possible to provide meta-data tags using a "out of band" interface... but the problem with THAT method is that it leads to very poorly synch'ed tags.

Again, thanks much for the encouragement!

Peter
K1PGV

[mtindor]

Originally Posted by PeterGV

THANKS Mike. I appreciate the feedback a lot. I'm glad you like the app... Stay tuned, because more changes are coming!

AlphaTags in the web player: I know that both Gordon and Lindsay can work all sorts of magic, but as long as the web player is Flash based (and it is), it is technically impossible in the current version of Flash to interpret the meta-data tag information embedded into the MP3 stream (the way Winamp or iTunes does, for example). It IS possible to provide meta-data tags using a "out of band" interface... but the problem with THAT method is that it leads to very poorly synch'ed tags.

Again, thanks much for the encouragement!

Peter
K1PGV

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense. And given that information, it's better to not have tags at all on the website if there is any chance that the tags would be out of synch. That'd be pretty damned annoying

I'll be looking forward to the changes you've got planned for Scannercast.

Mike

[wvscanner]

Opps, I forgot I did have it install but that was on the old hard drive. Everything works now. Thank You

[PeterGV]

Whew! Glad it worked.

Let me know how the program works out for you,

Peter
K1PGV

[wvscanner]

Just a note for your next update. The list for the port speed was 56000 and should be 57600. We tested on 2 computers on local network with winamp. The feed was on a Dell laptop and a 396t scanner. Worked great. Thank You for the program.

[PeterGV]

Originally Posted by wvscanner

Just a note for your next update. The list for the port speed was 56000 and should be 57600.

HA! Good find, thanks very much! That'll definitely be fixed in the next update.

Originally Posted by wvscanner

We tested on 2 computers on local network with winamp. The feed was on a Dell laptop and a 396t scanner. Worked great. Thank You for the program

My pleasure. Glad the program's working for you. And thanks for taking the time to provide feedback. That's much appreciated.

Peter
K1PGV

[smason]

Looks good so far. Small, self-contained, nicely done!

Many GRE 500/600 users stopped using com ports a while ago. Any chance of supporting the newer USB drivers?

Also, any way to eliminate the 7-10 second buffer/delay?

[PeterGV]

Originally Posted by smason

Looks good so far. Small, self-contained, nicely done!

Thanks! Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by smason

Many GRE 500/600 users stopped using com ports a while ago. Any chance of supporting the newer USB drivers?

Actually, the newer USB drivers still create a virtual COM port. It's just that Win500 (for example) is smart enough to enumerate the various com ports and "know" which one is associated with the GRE scanner. I'm not sure how Don does this, to be honest, but the only ways that *I* know how to do it are a lot of work... and I'm not really sure what's to be gained. Is there some reason it'shard for the average GRE user to find out the COM port number that corresponds with their scanner's connection? (that's a serious question, not a rhetorical one, in case there's any doubt).

Originally Posted by smason

Also, any way to eliminate the 7-10 second buffer/delay?

Short answer: No, it's part of the deliberate design of ScannerCast. If enough people think this is a terrible idea, I could be convinced to change it -- if not in V1.0 then in V2.0.

Long answer -- Probably a lot longer than you want: ScannerCast buffers the audio data to account for network issues in sending the data to a client. As ScannerCast is forwarding data to a client (either a player or to Icecast) if the network connection drops or delays a message, the buffer allows ScannerCast to continue processing audio while the network connection gets straightened out. This buffering avoid audio glitches -- I *hate* audio glitches in a scanner feed even more than I hate the delay.

The only time the buffering is probably not necessary is when ScannerCast is talking to a client that's directly attached to the local network (LAN). In that case, the chance of a message being dropped or delayed is VERY small (and ScannerCast deliberately sizes its messages to fit in a single LAN message packet). I could probably be persuaded quite easily to add special-case handling for LAN clients listening directly to ScannerCast (not over the Internet and not via Icecast).

The total amount of buffering that's applied is a function of ScannerCast, Icecast (if you're forwarding to Icecast), and the player. Winamp, for example, by default tried to buffer A LOT of data. So even if ScannerCast where to do no buffering, Winamp would (by default) still buffer incoming data.

Thanks for trying ScannerCast and providing feedback. Hope you take the time to tell me more about the COM port issue, as well as explain how problematic the buffering issue is for you and in what situations you'd like to see the buffer delay eliminated.

Peter
K1PGV

[smason]

Originally Posted by PeterGV

Thanks! Much appreciated.

Actually, the newer USB drivers still create a virtual COM port.

Thanks for the reply. I had tried COM3 but it couldn't access it, then it occured to me that Win500 might have exclusive use of the port, so I stopped Win500 and it was able to open the port and get the data feed.

The delay isn't really a problem for casual listening, but when controlling the scanner to do searches or spectrum sweeper it's pretty annoying. So if you're considering doing scanner control in your program, you'll want to consider that.

I generally use Win500 most of the time, but I'm not always happy with the audio in some situations, so I've been trying a few alternatives for sending audio. I also am interested in audio audio for devices that can't do Win500 (Blackberry, iPhone etc.)

[PeterGV]

Originally Posted by smason

The delay isn't really a problem for casual listening, but when controlling the scanner to do searches or spectrum sweeper it's pretty annoying. So if you're considering doing scanner control in your program, you'll want to consider that.

Very good point. As I've been working on the web browser based control facility (which will be in ScannerCast V1.0) I've been struggling with exactly this issue. So far, the best I've been able to do is add a note on the web page that says "Remember! Scanner audio is delayed." Not exactly a brilliant solution, huh?

Audio quality, audio continuity (lack of glitches, drop outs, and disconnects) and synchronization of the tags with audio are THE big things for me, personally. Those things, plus maximizing ease of use, have been what's driving the release of V1.0 so far. But those are just MY personal viewpoints... I'm totally open to hear suggestions from what folks think would be important.

Again, thanks for taking the time to provide feedback and help make ScannerCast the best program it can be.

Peter
K1PGV

[vanillajedi]

Very cool product. Thanks for donating your time towards it.

Slightly off-topic but do you know of any windows mobile media players that will show alpha tags?

I have a Win 6.1 phone that I run a win500 mobile client on and was debating about using this to stream instead. Just stuck on what solution for a Windows mobile device. Thanks in advance for any help!

[PeterGV]

Originally Posted by vanillajedi

Very cool product. Thanks for donating your time towards it.

Slightly off-topic but do you know of any windows mobile media players that will show alpha tags?

Thanks for the positive feedback. I certainly appreciate it.

I don't have any personal experience with Windows Mobile, having jettisoned it a while back for a Blackberry. But Google suggests there are serveral altneratives that would work: Pocket Player, Kinoma Play, and GSPlayer.

Try one or more of those, and let us know how they work out, so future users will know.

The nice thing about ScannerCast is that any player that works with SHOUTcast and/or Icecast should work with ScannerCast.

Hope that helps, and thanks again for taking the time to provide feedback!

Peter
K1PGV

[usswood]

I LUV UR SOFTWARE...the install and setup was a breeze...I got a spot and am now streaming on ScanAmerica.us with ur software...I cant get the tags to work however, is this a side effect of streaming through ScanAmerica

[PeterGV]

Originally Posted by usswood

I LUV UR SOFTWARE...the install and setup was a breeze...I got a spot and am now streaming on ScanAmerica.us with ur software...I cant get the tags to work however, is this a side effect of streaming through ScanAmerica

FIRST of all, thanks for the positive feedback. I definitely appreciate it.

The tags should work, if you're using a supported scanner. Tell me what model scanner you're using, and I'll be able to help you diagnose your problem. If you're using a supported scanner:

a) Check to be sure the right scanner model is selected on the (main) Config tab in ScannerCast;
b) Check to be sure the that you've just selected the wrong COM port;
c) Check to be sure the COM Port speed matches what's set in your scanner (this doesn't apply to the PSR-500/600, which only use a single speed that ScannerCast knows to pre-select).

You can check to see if you're communicating properly with your scanner: The status is shown at the top of ScannerCast's Status tab. You'll either see a message that says something like "NOT COMMUNICATING WITH SCANNER" or "Communicating OK with scanner"...

Peter
K1PGV

[brandon]

ScanAmerica supports tags, however the web player does not.
I use VLC Media Player and it will display the alpha tags.

[PeterGV]

Ah! Good point Brandon.

VLC, Winamp, and iTunes all support tags. I've been told xmms supports tags as well, but I've never seen it actually work (and my attempts to get xmms to work on Windows have been unsuccessful).

RealPlayer is SUPPOSED to support tags, but does not do so properly.

Peter
K1PGV