The Live365 Encoder is a desktop application that you download and run on your desktop or laptop computer in order to send a live audio feed and metadata information to your Live365 station.


Note: Live365 Encoder is compatible with Windows and macOS based systems. 
    • The supported versions of Windows are: Windows® 10 and 11.
    • The supported versions of macOS are: 10.13 High Sierra or newer.


Note: The Live365 Encoder is meant to be used in conjunction with an automation program. It does not provide any radio programming functions by itself.


Tip: You may have access to 1 or more Live365 stations. See our Dashboard Navigation article to learn more about selecting the station which you want to work with. Once on that Station's Overview page, you can then follow along.


Step-by-step instructions on how to configure the Live365 Encoder and connect it to your station


First, you'll need to download and install the Live365 Encoder. Use the download link that matches your desktop or laptop computer's operating system:

End-user License Agreement
  1. Once the file is downloaded to your computer, open it to start the installation process. By default, the encoder will be installed in the directory dedicated to your computer's program files. It's recommended to use the default settings and then continue through each step until the installation is successful.
  2. Open the Live365 Dashboard here. (Login Required)
  3. Select Streaming from the left-hand Station Menu. The Encoder Settings screen will display.
    You will need to input this information into the encoder's interface. For accuracy, we recommend that you copy and paste this information directly into the encoder fields. To copy each field to your clipboard, you can use the copy button next to each field in the Dashboard. Then, switch to the encoder application, locate the corresponding field and press CTRL+V (Windows) or Command (⌘)+V (macOS) to paste the copied text.
  4. Launch the Live365 Encoder on your streaming computer. Below, you can find a short overview of the interface components:
    A - Configure the streaming settings
    B - View streaming log entries
    C - Configure the audio devices and metadata
    D - Audio Waveform visualization
    E - Start/Stop streaming
    F - Streaming status indicator
    G - Streaming time
    H - Currently playing track (with live edit option)
    I - The Live365 logo
    J - Connected streams
    K - Add new stream
  5. Switch to the Stream tab, and then click the Add Stream button.
  6. Fill in the (1) "Stream details" of your choice. Set the (2) "Server details" from the Live365 Dashboard: Protocol HTTP, Hostname, Port, Mount, Username, and Password.

    (3) For optimal audio quality and streaming performance, we recommend configuring the MP3 codec to be close to the bitrate you've selected as output within the Live365 Dashboard.

    To adjust your Live365 station’s preferred output format and bitrate simply navigate to Streaming → Output Encoding and then ensure your encoder aligns with those specifications. One requirement is that the sample rate must always be set to 44.1 kHz.

    If you are uncertain about what encoding settings to use, please refer to the following blog article for additional information and guidance: Understanding Radio Streaming Formats & Bitrates
  7.  Navigate to the Settings tab and select the audio device which is in use. This could be your microphone, an attached soundcard, mixer, or most other audio devices recognized by your operating system.

    If your automation software or hardware supports metadata export to a text file, you can also select the path of the .txt file from the Settings tab. If no metadata text file is available, you have the option to submit it via TCP connection, or manually update metadata once you start the LiveDJ streaming session.
    To automatically open the Live365 Encoder and stream on system startup, check the two options at the bottom. This will ensure no manual intervention is needed to resume streaming after a restart due to system updates or power outages.


  8. Start the LiveDJ audio streaming session by clicking the green "Play" button. If the settings are correct, the Live365 Encoder status indicator in the top left will update to display ON AIR. 


Below, you can find a quick example of how to set up StationPlaylist Studio as an automation system with the Live365 Encoder:




Note: Once you start streaming out in LiveDJ mode, you are obligated to ensure that correct metadata (Artist - Title) for copyrighted content is transmitted to Live365. This metadata obligation on your behalf is what enables us to provide licensing coverage and royalty reporting for your stream.


Note: If you are part of the Advertising Revenue Share Program, you need to insert our ad trigger files by playing them in your automation system. Then, confirm the ad trigger metadata is coming through the Live365 Encoder and displayed on your Live365 Dashboard.