Live Streaming

TagStack's Live Stream page combines two subsystems: an audio DSP encoding pipeline for radio-quality audio streams, and a video capture engine (TagCap) for screen capture or camera-based video streaming. Both push encoded content to a Mcaster1DNAS or Icecast2 server mount via HTTP PUT.

Live Stream Page Layout

The page has two main sections side by side:

• Audio Encoding (DSP): Configure audio source, codec, bitrate, sample rate, and push to the selected server mount.
• Video Capture (TagCap): Configure TagCap for screen capture, camera input, or file input; select encoding preset; launch the capture subprocess.

Both sections share the same server/mount selection used by the rest of TagStack (the active session set on the Servers page).

TagCap — The Video/Audio Capture Subprocess

Mcaster1TagCap.exe is the dedicated capture and encoding subprocess. The Live Stream page spawns TagCap as a child process, monitors its status, and can stop it on demand. TagCap uses FFmpeg internally for all encoding operations.

Input Sources

Output Codecs and Containers

Streaming to the Server

TagCap pushes encoded content to the streaming server via HTTP PUT to the source mount URL. The stream connection uses the source password from the active server configuration. The same mount used by ICY metadata pushes is used for the stream. The streaming destination must be a Mcaster1DNAS or Icecast2 server with an active source mount.

Audio DSP Encoding

The audio encoding section controls the radio-quality audio stream independently of video. This is the path for stations that stream audio only (no video), or for DJs who want separate audio/video quality controls.

Audio Configuration Options

Using the Live Stream Page

Starting an Audio Stream

1. Ensure you are connected to a server on the Servers page (player strip shows green).
2. Navigate to the Live Stream page.
3. In the Audio Encoding section, select your audio input device from the dropdown.
4. Set codec, bitrate, sample rate, and channels to match your server mount configuration.
5. Click Start Audio Stream. TagStack begins encoding and pushing audio to the active mount.
6. Monitor the status label for connection confirmation or error messages.
7. Click Stop to end the stream.

Starting a Video+Audio Stream

1. In the Video Capture section, select the input source (GDI Desktop, DirectShow camera, or File).
2. Choose the encoding preset (VP9+Opus WebM recommended; H.264+AAC FLV for RTMP).
3. If using DirectShow camera, select the device from the camera dropdown. If using file input, browse to the source file.
4. Click Start TagCap. The Live Stream page launches the TagCap subprocess. A status indicator shows when TagCap is running.
5. While TagCap streams, you can continue to push ICY metadata from the ICY 2.2 Composer to keep the now-playing information current.
6. Click Stop TagCap to terminate the capture subprocess cleanly.

Combining Live Stream with ICY Metadata

The most professional setup uses both live streaming and ICY 2.2 metadata simultaneously:

1. Start your audio or video stream from the Live Stream page.
2. Switch to the ICY 2.2 Composer page.
3. Fill in show title, DJ handle, social links, and the first track info.
4. Click Push Headers. This sends the ICY 2.2 metadata to the server while your stream is live.
5. When the track changes, update the track info fields and push again.

Many ICY 2.2-aware players and widgets will display the album art, social links, and hashtags you push alongside the live audio stream.

Requirements for Live Streaming

• A Mcaster1DNAS or Icecast2 server with an active source mount and valid source password
• For GDI screen capture: no additional hardware needed
• For DirectShow camera: a working camera or capture card with a DirectShow driver installed
• For H.264 output: hardware or software encoding via FFmpeg's libx264 (software) or NVENC/QSV (hardware, if available)
• Sufficient upstream bandwidth: at minimum 1.5x your target bitrate (e.g. 3 Mbps upload for a 2 Mbps video stream)