How to find a good/reputable shoutcast host

Shopping for a shoutcast server can be a daunting task for some, especially when you are new to the world of internet radio. I thought I would share the process I have taken to pick a hosting provider in the past.

Hosting providers can offer a varying array of prices, being as low as $0.01 a slot to $3 a slot (128kbps). The usual logic is, “you get what you pay for”..but do you really?

This can be compared to shopping at Wal-Mart vs. a smaller grocery chain. At Wal-Mart, I can usually find the same product for $0.50 to $1.50 cheaper than at the local grocery chain. Why would I want to pay $4 for that box of Fruit Loops when I can get it for $2.86 at Wal-Mart?

This is where the difference is though…many of the smaller grocery chains offer a more personal shopping experience vs. Wal-Mart (friendly customer service, a cleaner shopping environment (in my opinion), etc).

Just because you pay $2 vs. $1 doesn’t mean your getting anything more or anything less. The same provider that rents you a server for $2.50 a slot could be using the same data center that someone selling at $0.80 is using. The support from the cheaper provider could be better or worst. It will take some more research to really figure it out.

Before we go any farther, let us realize who a majority of shoutcast hosting providers are. They are people that rent a server from a data center, configure it with a shoutcast control panel and billing software, than resell it. Although the company’s web site may look impressive and make them seem like a large company, these are often run by 1 to 6 part time workers looking to make some extra money (in addition to their full time work). Many of these companies are ran out of a person’s home. Sometimes this many not be the case, with a hosting company having their own offices, full time staff, etc. This is why support may be hard to get from a company…because of the part time attention given to it. There is nothing wrong with this setup…it just depends on what you are expecting from the company.

This is where doing a little homework can come a long way. These are the steps that I have taken when looking for a hosting provider (and there are many other ways of going about it):

1. Figure out what exactly you need from a hosting provider (auto DJ, port 80 streaming, controlling through instant messenger, stats, etc.). Do you require immediate support? Do you want a server that uses shared bandwidth (where the server is placed on a connection shared by many other servers…which most of the time results in a buffering stream) or dedicated bandwidth (where the server has it’s own direct connection not shared by other servers…which is a lot more stable than shared)? Do you need a control panel full of features (stats, failure notices, etc.)

2. Search around, and narrow down a list of hosts that offer the services that you require. I would include a few with low and higher prices. A good place to start is http://www.radiotoolbox.com/hosts/

3. One of the most important things to me is reliable support. I pour so much time into my station that I require immediate access to someone if something goes wrong on the server. I have learned that a company posting “24/7 support” sometimes means that you have access to submit a support ticket 24/7, but not actually having access to a live person 24/7. I am willing to pay a premium to have access to this.

The very first thing I want to figure out is where they are located. With me being in the eastern United States, I prefer a company that is located in my part of the world. That way when I do submit a support ticket or request assistance, it will be answered in my

First, look around their sites for a phone number and/or live chat option. After, see what they advertise as their support hours. NOW…actually test this option out. Call the phone number, leave a message (a good question to ask is if they use shared or dedicated bandwidth), and time how long it takes for them to get back with you. Try out the live support option and see if someone actually responds. If there is no phone number or live chat option, submit a support ticket (again, asking a general question) and see how long it takes to respond. Some hosting providers will respond immediately, while others will respond may take up to a day or two to respond. This will give you a good idea of the response time of that hosting provider if you encounter a problem.

In my personal opinion, hosting providers willing to provide you with more than a support ticket sytem are obviously going to be more accessible. Providing a phone number or live help chat doesn’t mean anymore accessibility though. Some providers hardly ever staff their live chats, and the phone number is directed to a voice mail system where your message ends up in a black hole. Others will immediately pick up.

4. Once you are satisfied with the support available from the company, it’s time to test the servers. Request that the company provide you with an account that you could test the server out for a few days WHICH CAN BE CONVERTED TO A PAYING ACCOUNT (so you don’t have to change servers/ports if you decide the service). This way the company will provide you a test of the actual server that you would be using instead of giving you a test on a server that they know will work great, than possibly converting you to a server that doesn’t work as well. Be sure to listen to the server during peak listening times (usually Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm eastern) to verify that you aren’t experiencing any buffering.

5. Now, although this is optional, it has helped me out. It’s time to do some behind the scenes digging to really see how transparent the company is. Let’s go to http://www.domaintools.com and see some information about their domain. Is the domain registered using a private registration service (I have to ask myself..why would they not want the public to know their information…something to hide?)? How long has the domain been registered (a good indication of how long the company has been in business)? Does the phone number listed on the domain match the phone number at the company (why would the company not list their phone number)? Where is the company located (the company may claim that they are in the USA, but end up being registered in a foreign country)? Does the domain name have a fake address/phone number (why would they not provide their real information)? I want to verify that there is transparency with the company..and this is one of the few ways to do it.

6. When all of the above has been satisfied, I will determine the billing options that the company offers. I feel more comfortable with a company that offers PayPal as an option (since I have the option to cancel the subscription at anytime [so I am not overbilled] and they never have access to my credit card information). Others may want to pay by check or use a direct credit card billing. Many hosts provide many different billing options!

After all of this, it’s time to conduct business with the company!