Internet Broadcasting Software For Second LIfe DJs

If you are planning on becoming a DJ in Second Life, after ensuring you have plenty of music the next thing you'll need is software to allow you to stream to your audience. This kind of software is usually called internet broadcasting software, and there are a number of options available. Some are free and some can come with a sizable price tag. Here I will outline the best options for a Second Life DJ so you can hopefully make an informed choice. Click the name of each software to go to their website.

SAM

Pros: SAM broadcaster seems to be a favourite amongst Second Life DJs, and it will cover just about everything you'll need to do as a DJ. It is also easy to set up and easy to use.

Cons: The cost is the major  drawback for many would be Second Life DJ's, with the pro edition priced at $299. There is a pro payment plan which consists of three $110 payments which boosts the total price up to $330. A DJ in Second Life would have to get a hell of a lot of tips to recoup that kind of money.

Virtual DJ

Pros: This is another popular choice among Second Life DJs and has all the features to keep your audience entertained. Its price tag starts at a much lower point than SAM, with the Broadcaster edition costing $49.00. There is also a Pro Basic edition which costs $99.00.

Cons: Although I haven't used Virtual DJ, the drawback with the Broadcaster edition is that it has limited microphone support, so the Pro Basic would probably be needed for Second Life.

RadioBoss

Pros: This is a simple and easy to use programme and not a bad choice for Second Life purposes. Before you buy RadioBoss there is a demo period of 90 uses with each session lasting 5 hours.

Cons: The price tag means that it probably isn't used too much within Second Life. The standard edition is $199.00 and the advanced is $239.00. there is also a lack of features such as fading tracks and mixing.

RadioDJ

Pros: RadioDJ is a surprisingly good broadcasting package from Romania. It supports both Icecast and Shoutcast, and best of all its free. It works well for streaming in Second Life too.

Cons: Installing RadioDJ is a dismal experience as something always seems to go wrong. The database is a nice idea but adds an unecassary level of complication to the installation. Once that is set up there are the encoders to get right - that is if there are any up to date encoders available to download and install. After that something inexplicable will probably go wrong when adding the stream details to the Altacast tab, and you'll be left wondering for instance, why your stream is enabled but not connected.

Having said all that I have used RadioDJ many times and when it is finally set up it is easy to use and very stable. For the reasons above however, if you want to install RadioDJ it is highly advisable to read the Tutorials and Getting Started pages so you know what you're doing.

RadioDJ also doesn't support Mixing or fading out of tracks, but that seems a small quibble for an otherwise free and workable streaming system.

Find out how to install and use RadioDJ by  reading our tutorials:

How to Install RadioDJ for Second Life.
How To DJ In Second Life With RadioDJ

Mixxx

Pros: Mixxx is an open source DJ Mixing software that is packed with features such as BPM detection and sync, DJ Midi controller support and more. Not bad for software that is completely free and all you'll need to DJ in Second Life.

Mixxx used to perform unpredictbly on Windows, but after a few upgrades it now works extremely well, and also runs well on Linux as well as on a Mac.

Cons: For licensing reasons Mixxx is by default not able to broadcast MP3s, so a lame binary file needs to be installed into the program file before you can stream into Second Life. This is however a very simple process.

For more information read our tutorial:
How To DJ In Second Life Using Mixxx

Internet DJ Console

Pros: Internet DJ Console is another open source programme (ie free to download and use) which can be used to stream music into Second Life. Unfortunately it can only be used on Linux machines. It also has the ability to use four streams at once, even if this would be overkill for Second Life.

Cons: IDJC has a reputation for being difficult to set up, although I didn't find this to be too much of a problem. Maybe the main issue is that you'll need to instal Ubuntu on your PC, either to run in conjunction with Windows or to replace it.

Whilst there are other software choices for Second Life DJs (such as Winamp  and Butt) the above selections probably represent the better options with the most features. What system you eventually decide to use for DJ-ing in Second Life may largely be determined by how much you are prepared to spend. If you are thinking of DJ-ing to earn an income in Second Life, then paying out hundreds of dollars before you even start seems self defeating. The free options listed here are certainly worth installing and experimenting with.

DJ-ing At Chilly Bear

Whatever software you decide upon we hope you'll come to enjoy DJ-ing in Second Life. If you feel like spinning some tunes at Chilly Bear sometime feel free to get in touch so we can chat about arranging a shift for you. Needless to say -  don't forget to bring your friends!