Launching SoundCast

Open the folder where you extracted SoundCast and double-click SoundCast.exe. The application opens straight away — no installation wizard, no setup steps required.

What happens on first launch

When SoundCast opens, it automatically detects your audio input devices and loads to the Home tab. The VU meters in the left sidebar will immediately show your microphone input level — even before you start streaming.

If you have SoundCast Pro, an activation window will appear on the very first launch asking for your license key. Enter the key from your purchase confirmation email and click Activate License. This connects to the SoundCast server once to verify the key, then stores a local token — you won't be prompted again.

The sidebar (left panel)

The left sidebar is always visible. It shows:

• VU Meters — stereo level meters that show your audio input level in real time, even when you're not streaming
• Audio Source — toggle between Device (microphone/interface) and URL (stream relay) mode
• Stats — live listener count, peak, bitrate and data sent while broadcasting

The tabs (main area)

The main area has seven tabs:

The title bar

The thin bar at the very top shows the current status pill — OFFLINE or ON AIR — along with the stream uptime counter while live and the current data rate in KB/s.

Connection fields

Saving and testing

After filling in your details, click Save Server Settings. Then click Test Connection — SoundCast will attempt to reach your server and confirm it's accessible. You'll see a green confirmation or an error message explaining what went wrong.

Format

MP3 is available in both Free and Pro editions. All other formats require Pro.

• MP3 — the most universally compatible format. Works with virtually every player and device.
• AAC / AAC+ — better quality than MP3 at the same bitrate. Recommended for music stations if your listeners' players support it.
• OGG / OPUS — open formats with excellent quality. OPUS is especially efficient at low bitrates.
• FLAC — lossless audio. Produces large stream sizes, usually used for high-quality local or LAN broadcasting.

Bitrate

Higher bitrate = better audio quality, but more bandwidth used by both you and your listeners.

• 64 kbps — good for speech and talk radio (maximum in Free edition)
• 128 kbps — standard quality for music streaming
• 192–320 kbps — high quality for music stations (Pro only)

Sample Rate

Set this to match your audio device's native sample rate. Most modern Windows audio devices use 48000 Hz. If you hear slow, distorted or warped audio, this is the most common cause — try switching to 48000 Hz.

To check your device's sample rate: right-click the speaker icon in Windows → Sound Settings → Recording devices → your device → Properties → Advanced.

Device mode

Click the Device button in the sidebar to stream from a physical audio input. The dropdown below it lists every input device Windows detects — built-in microphone, USB microphone, USB audio interface, or virtual audio cable.

Select the device you want to stream from. The VU meters will immediately show the signal level from that device so you can confirm it's working before going live.

URL / Stream relay mode

Click the URL button in the sidebar to relay an existing internet radio stream. Paste any HTTP or HTTPS stream URL into the field that appears.

The first time you use URL mode, SoundCast will offer to download a required audio tool automatically — this is a one-time download of about 80 MB that is saved to your SoundCast folder and reused every time after that.

Click Save Station Info to apply. The station name and genre also appear in the Home tab's Station card for quick reference.

Starting your stream

1. Make sure your server, encoder and audio source are configured and saved.
2. Watch the VU meters in the sidebar — confirm your audio input is showing a signal.
3. Go to the Home tab.
4. Click the GO LIVE button.

SoundCast connects to your server and begins streaming. The status in the title bar changes to ON AIR, the indicator dot pulses red, and the uptime timer starts counting.

Stopping your stream

Click the ■ STOP button on the Home tab. SoundCast flushes the final audio frames, closes the server connection cleanly, and returns to the OFFLINE state. Your settings remain saved for the next session.

Sending a Now Playing update

On the Home tab, type the artist and track title into the Now Playing field and click Update. SoundCast sends this to your Icecast server immediately, and listeners see it update in their media player.

The same field is also available on the Metadata tab if you prefer to manage everything in one place.

Sidebar stats

The four stat boxes in the sidebar update every 10 seconds while you're live:

• Listeners — current number of people tuned in
• Peak — highest listener count reached in the current session
• Bitrate — your current encoding bitrate in kbps
• Sent — total data sent this session in MB

Statistics tab

The Statistics tab shows larger versions of these numbers alongside a scrollable session log — a timestamped record of every event in your broadcast session, from connection to now-playing updates.

Listener stats not showing?

For Icecast 2, listener counts require the Admin Password to be filled in on the Server tab. This is a separate password from your source/streaming password — find it in your Icecast server's configuration or ask your hosting provider.

Using the EQ

The equalizer has 10 frequency bands from 32 Hz to 16 kHz. Drag a slider upward to boost that frequency range, downward to cut it. Each band adjusts by up to ±12 dB. The current value is displayed below each slider.

Click Reset EQ to return all bands to 0 dB — completely flat, no processing applied.

Common EQ adjustments

• Talk radio / speech: Boost 1–4 kHz for clarity and presence. Cut below 100 Hz to reduce mic rumble and handling noise.
• Music broadcasting: A gentle boost around 80 Hz adds warmth. A slight cut around 300–400 Hz reduces muddiness.
• Thin or tinny sound: Add a gentle boost around 250–500 Hz for body.

What does a compressor do?

A compressor automatically turns down audio that gets too loud and can boost the overall level back up. The result is a more polished, professional-sounding broadcast where quiet and loud moments feel balanced — the hallmark of broadcast radio.

Compressor controls

How to use URL relay

1. In the sidebar, click the URL button to switch to URL mode.
2. Paste the full stream URL into the field. It should look like: https://stream.example.com:8000/radio.mp3
3. Configure your server and encoder settings as normal.
4. Click GO LIVE on the Home tab.

On first use, SoundCast displays a download prompt for a required audio processing tool — this is a one-time download of about 80 MB. It is saved inside your SoundCast folder and reused automatically on every subsequent launch. You can also manually place the file in your SoundCast folder to skip the download entirely.

Enabling SSL

On the Server tab, toggle Enable SSL on. The port field automatically changes to 8443. Your streaming server must be configured to accept SSL connections on that port — check with your hosting provider if you're unsure. Most modern Icecast hosting packages include SSL.

Self-signed certificates

SoundCast accepts both commercial and self-signed SSL certificates, so it works with any SSL-enabled server configuration without needing certificate changes.

How it works

While streaming, SoundCast polls your server every 10 seconds and displays the current listener count and peak in the sidebar and on the Statistics tab.

Icecast 2 — enabling listener counts

For Icecast 2, listener statistics require the Admin Password. Enter it in the Admin Password field on the Server tab. This is a different password from your source/streaming password. You'll find it in your Icecast server's configuration, or your hosting provider can confirm it.

SHOUTcast

SHOUTcast listener stats are retrieved from a public endpoint and do not require a separate admin password.

Audio sounds slow, distorted or warped

Cause: Sample rate mismatch. Your audio device runs at 48000 Hz but the Encoder is set to 44100 Hz.

Fix: Go to the Encoder tab and change the Sample Rate to 48000 Hz. Click Save Encoder Settings and reconnect.

To confirm your device's actual sample rate: right-click the speaker icon in Windows → Sound Settings → Recording → your device → Properties → Advanced.

Connection fails / "Could not connect to server"

• Click Test Connection on the Server tab to check basic connectivity
• Double-check the host, port and source password — copy them carefully from your hosting control panel
• Make sure no firewall is blocking the port you're using
• If using SSL, confirm your server has SSL enabled on that port

VU meters show signal but no audio appears on the stream

The encoder is receiving audio but the server isn't accepting the connection. Check your source password and mount point are exactly correct. Check your server's error log for "rejected source" or "wrong password" messages.

Listener count shows zero

For Icecast 2, you need to enter your Admin Password on the Server tab — it is separate from your source password. Your hosting provider can confirm it, or check your server's configuration file.

URL relay doesn't start

Make sure the required audio tool has been downloaded (SoundCast prompts you on first use). Verify the stream URL is correct and accessible — try opening it in a media player like VLC first to confirm it works.