Quick primer for those who dont know what multicast is. Multicast makes use of special address space (224.0.0.0-239.255.255.255) and is used for all sorts of things. Its like creating your own broadcast address that can be routed over multiple networks.
Traditional unicast streaming technologies require one connection per user. That means that if 4 users want to listen to your 128kbps audio stream, it will take 512kbps plus overhead. Eventually you will have maxed out your wireless network bandwidth.
Using multicast, you only will use 128kbps plus overhead. Great deal huh?
I ran across this no-brainer collection of software on the net that will let you cut to the chase and anyone can use it. Yes, there is quite a bit of multicast software out there, but either its expensive or difficult to use.
Livecaster (server) is available on most platforms (including windows). This is the multicast "broadcast" software so to speak. Took me a couple minutes to install, had to roll back the clock pre-october because its timebombware, give it an mp3 directory, and it starts blaring out multicast packets over my LAN.
http://www.live.com/liveCaster/
There is also a winamp plugin that will play rtp multicast mp3 streams, and that was a really quick install for me.
http://www.live.com/multikit/winamp-plugin.html
drop that into the plug-in dir, load winamp, type rtp://multicastaddress:port/ and you can listen.
If anyone is interested, my NodeQueenAnneHighSchool is currently running a multicast server. Drop by and have a listen. The RG1000 is treating them like broadcasts and pushing them out over the air .. which is a good thing.
Address: rtp://228.169.52.19:49576/
now that's what I call COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
