Actually, time for me to rant:
I don't know if it's the COVID, or something in the water, or the economy etc... but lately this month I've run into a spate of spicy feed providers. You would think I showed up on everyone's doorsteps, forced their arm behind their back, and demanded they provide a feed to Broadcastify. It's been rather nutter-butters, and some seem to think that THEIR feed puts a million dollars a month in my pocket. I mean, of course, this business is wildly successful, but instead of seeing the shared value between both providers and this platform, some seem to make it a one-sided argument. Some of the crazy stuff this month:
First, we've implemented a trial of pre-roll advertising on feeds, and we had a few feed providers that absolutely went nuts over it - demanding that I take them off, proclaiming that "you can't do that to the feed that I've provided to you for 32 years!" etc and just generally got all bent out of shape about it, like I kicked their dog or something.
Second, we had a feed provider in Minneapolis last week just unilaterally decide to add law enforcement tactical channels to his FIRE feed, in complete and total violation of our terms of service, and when I questioned him about it he told me to pound sand, and then launched into a huge tirade of homophobic slurs, called us a " rinky-dink piece of **** company" and other deplorable and unprofessional communications. (Yeah: you Andy Ludowese in Minneapolis).
And then...
As a long time feed provider using Windows 10, broadcasting using Uniden BCD996P2 feeding with Scannercast with alpha tags, being part of this new Broadcastify Calls is not going to happen for me. My feed that I host is something that I do to share information with my community and hopefully encourage others to get into the hobby.
I simply will not take more time to have to adapt to a whole new system for this new service. If in the future all feeds will have to comply to this new streaming standard, I'm sorry to say, that my feed will see it's end of life. As of now, my feed system basically runs on auto pilot. I do not have time to play around with new programs and computer headaches to accomplish the goal of working with this new service.
I mean, let me set the table here... no pun intended.
This is analogous to Thanksgiving Day ChrisABQ showing up to grandma's house for turkey dinner, and grandma letting everyone know that Squash Casserole is on the menu today. And Chris here decides to loudly and aggressively proclaim that:
"I'm not eating squash casserole. Turkey Dinner has always been turkey, stuffing and green beans, and that is it. I WILL NOT EVEN TRY IT and if it is passed my way, everyone, MAKE NOTE, I WILL NOT BE TAKING A SERVING" Sheesh. Could have just said to yourself, I'm not eating that today. But nope, everyone is going to be told in no uncertain terms what's up. Meanwhile, Grandma is like - WTF?
Look, I'm excited about Broadcastify Calls, but no one has issued any edicts that you gotta move things to that in one month. We're slowly building it out, testing the viability of the platform, and we've got a LOT of work to do. We haven't mandated anything, and it's mostly a hobby for this business right now. I hope that it becomes our new direction though over the next few years. That's it.
/Rant Off