Mcaster1 DSP Encoder

Next Generation Broadcast DSP Encoder for Live Internet Radio & Video Streaming

Mcaster1 DSP Encoder is a professional broadcast encoder built with Qt 6 Widgets. It features a 7-effect DSP processing chain, 8 audio codecs, hardware-accelerated video streaming with 12 broadcast transitions, virtual camera output, and multi-server broadcasting.

Key Capabilities

7 DSP Effects — EQ (10-band + 31-band), AGC/Compressor, Sonic Enhancer, PTT Duck, DBX Voice, Crossfader
8 Audio Codecs — MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Opus, FLAC, AAC-LC, HE-AAC v1/v2, AAC-ELD
Live Video Studio — 3-source switcher, 12 transitions, H.264/VP8/VP9, Virtual Camera
Multi-Server — Icecast2, Shoutcast, Mcaster1 DNAS, YouTube Live, Twitch
Podcast Publishing — RSS 2.0, SFTP, WordPress, Buzzsprout, Transistor.fm, Podbean
Fully Portable — All configs saved next to exe. No AppData, no registry clutter.

Getting Started

Installation

Run Mcaster1DSPEncoderQT_Setup_1.3.0.exe. The installer places files at:

C:\Users\USERNAME\Mcaster1\Mcaster1DSPEncoder\

No admin rights required. All configuration files are saved next to the executable.

First Launch

Launch Mcaster1 DSP Encoder from the Start Menu or Desktop shortcut.
Select your Audio Input Device from the dropdown at the top.
Click Add Encoder to create your first encoder slot.
Choose Radio, Podcast, or TV/Video.
Configure codec, bitrate, and server settings.
Click Connect to begin streaming.

Configuration Files

File	Purpose
`mcaster1dspencoder_global.yaml`	Global settings (window, theme, devices)
`radio_encoder_00.yaml`	Per-encoder profile (codec, server, DSP)
`dsp_effect_*.yaml`	DSP effect settings (AGC, EQ, Sonic, etc.)
`live_video_studio.yaml`	Video studio settings

Main Window

The main window provides real-time monitoring and control of all encoder slots.

Main window with branded dark theme, VU meter, audio/video input selectors, and encoder slots

Interface Elements

Peak Meter — Real-time stereo VU meter with peak hold
Audio Input — PortAudio device selector with native sample rate detection
PTT Mic — Independent push-to-talk microphone input
Video Input — Camera device selector (Media Foundation + DirectShow)
Preview Device / Live TV Broadcast Studio — Video preview and switcher buttons
Encoder Slots — Tabbed view: Radio, Podcast, TV/Video, DSP Effects Rack, Event Log

Encoder Types

Choose Encoder Type — Radio (live audio), Podcast (recording + RSS), TV/Video (video streaming)

Type	Use Case	Output
Radio	Live audio streaming	Audio stream to Icecast2/Shoutcast/DNAS
Podcast	Record + publish	WAV/MP3 archive + RSS feed
TV/Video	Live video streaming	Video + audio (RTMP/WebM/HLS)

Encoder Configuration

Basic Settings — codec, bitrate, sample rate, server connection, metadata source

Audio Codecs

Codec	Bitrate	Mode
MP3 (LAME)	32–320 kbps	CBR
Ogg Vorbis	Quality 0–10	VBR
Opus	32–320 kbps	VBR (48kHz internal)
FLAC	Lossless	Level 0–8
AAC-LC	64–320 kbps	CBR
HE-AAC v1	24–128 kbps	SBR
HE-AAC v2	16–64 kbps	SBR+PS (stereo only)
AAC-ELD	24–192 kbps	Low delay

DSP Effects Rack

7 professional broadcast audio processors. Processing order:

Input → EQ → Sonic Enhancer → PTT Duck → AGC/Limiter → DBX Voice → Encoder

Effects Rack tab — enable/disable and configure each DSP processor

10-Band Parametric EQ

RBJ Audio EQ Cookbook biquad IIR filters with real-time frequency response visualization.

10-Band Parametric EQ — Modern Rock preset, interactive frequency response curve

10 bands: peaking, low-shelf, high-shelf types
±24 dB gain, configurable frequency and Q per band
Presets: Flat, Classic Rock, Country, Modern Rock

31-Band Graphic EQ

31-Band Graphic EQ — Both/Left/Right/Linked modes, music_warm preset

31 bands: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (1/3-octave intervals)
Independent Left/Right or linked stereo mode
±12 dB gain per band

AGC / Compressor / Limiter

AGC Audio Processing — compressor, gate, limiter, makeup gain, real-time levels

Control	Range	Purpose
Input Gain	±24 dB	Pre-compression gain
Gate Threshold	−80 to 0 dBFS	Noise gate
Threshold	−60 to 0 dBFS	Compression onset
Ratio	1:1 to 20:1	Compression ratio
Attack / Release	1–100 / 10–1000 ms	Envelope timing
Knee	0–24 dB	Soft knee width
Ceiling	−12 to 0 dBFS	Hard limiter
Makeup Gain	0–24 dB	Post-compression boost

Sonic Enhancer

BBE Sonic Maximizer clone — 3-band phase-corrective processor with Linkwitz-Riley LR4 crossovers at 150 Hz and 1.2 kHz.

Sonic Enhancer — Lo Contour, Process, Output Level with rock_pop preset

Lo Contour (0–10) — Bass warmth via 80 Hz shelf boost
Process (0–10) — Presence via 3 kHz shelf + soft saturation
Output Level — −12 to +6 dB makeup gain

DBX 286s Voice Processor

5-section broadcast voice channel strip: Expander/Gate, Compressor, De-Esser, LF Enhancer, HF Detail.

DBX Voice Processor — gate, compressor, de-esser, enhancers with metering

Live Video Studio

Live Video Stream Studio — 3 preview panes, program output, stream targets, DRY RUN / GO LIVE

12 Broadcast Transitions

All use sRGB gamma-correct blending, 24px feathered edges, and cubic Hermite easing:

Cut, Crossfade, Fade to Black, Dip to White, Wipe Left/Right/Up/Down, Push Left/Right, Iris Circle, Dissolve

Video Codecs & Containers

Codec	Container	Target
H.264 (MF HW)	FLV	YouTube Live, Twitch (RTMP)
VP8 / VP9	WebM	Icecast2, Mcaster1 DNAS
H.264	MPEG-TS	HLS (local segments)

Video Overlays

Image overlay on live camera feed — position, size, and opacity controls

Text overlays, image watermarks, lower thirds, news ticker, SRT subtitles.

Preview Audio Studio

Preview Audio Studio — live monitor, ICY protocol log, metadata, stats

Passthrough audio monitor, live stream QC, ICY protocol analyzer, metadata display.

Streaming Setup

Server	Protocol	Audio	Video
Mcaster1 DNAS	ICY 2.2	All 8 codecs	WebM, FLV
Icecast 2.x	ICY 1.x	All 8 codecs	WebM
Shoutcast v1/v2	ICY 1.x	MP3, AAC	—
YouTube Live	RTMP	AAC	H.264
Twitch	RTMP	AAC	H.264

Use Mcaster1AMP to monitor DSP Encoder video streams.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl+Return`	Connect / Disconnect
`Ctrl+N`	Add Encoder
`Ctrl+,`	Preferences
`Ctrl+Q`	Quit
`Ctrl+G`	AGC Settings
`Ctrl+E`	10-Band EQ
`Ctrl+Shift+E`	31-Band Graphic EQ
`Ctrl+Shift+S`	Sonic Enhancer
`Ctrl+Shift+V`	DBX Voice Processor
`Ctrl+T`	Push-to-Talk
`Ctrl+P`	Preset Browser
`Ctrl+L`	Log Viewer
`Ctrl+Shift+B`	Broadcast Monitor
`F1`	Documentation