History

History of this project has started with developing mWebPlayer - a small J2ME application for playing on-line SHOUTcast/Icecast media streams on Java-enabled cell phones.

As known SHOUTcast/Icecast servers provide media broadcasting using HTTP. Unfortunately Java-mobile does not support real-time streaming for this protocol. It causes a big issue which makes any J2ME application play on-line streams with small pauses. Only RTSP/RTP protocol within 3G networks gives Java-mobile capability for "real" real- timing and plays any supported media stream without any gaps.

It seems to be great! Yeah, but not so much. There are thousands of Internet radio stations broadcasting via HTTP protocol but only several of well-known ones that work via RTSP/RTP and can be played on Java-mobile devices.

What is ABOD?

Audio Broadcast On Demand (ABOD) is the complete integrated system that allows to re-translate original SHOUTcast/Icecast HTTP audio media stream to RTSP network and play it on any modern 3G cell or smart phone.

ABOD combines advantages of regular Broadcasting and AOD (audio on demand) that optimize bandwidth and computer resources usage:

• As an AOD system it starts re-translating a new HTTP media stream source only after receiving client's request.
• As a broadcasting system it does not open a new connection channel for the same media source but connects a client to already existing RTSP/RTP stream.

How it works?

Starting a new channel on your phone includes several steps:

1. Communication with our hosting server and database.
2. Connection to original HTTP media stream.
3. Loading some portion of media data from the stream to our system.
4. Decoding media from original audio format to AAC
5. Translating the media to RTSP payloads.
6. Loading media data to your phone's player.

Steps 1-5 usually take about 3-4 seconds to complete. If a channel is already on air steps 2-5 will be skipped.
Step 6 is out of our control and fully depends on implementation of RTSP player on your phone and very sensitive to quality of 3G network in your area.

What is m3gPlayer?

m3gPlayer is a small, easy-to-use, application for Java-enabled phones with RTSP support. It provides access to ABOD music service with friendly user interface and allows full control of phone's built-in RTSP player.

Actually besides a 3G phone you can use for playing any device connected to Internet which has a RTSP player: an iPhone, a netbook, a laptop, or a “big” desktop computer.

Supported Inputs and Outputs

ABOD accepts the following input protocols:

• HTTP
• MMS

Input audio formats are:

• AAC/AAC+ (default)
• MPEG MP3
• WMA

ABOD uses the following output protocol:

• RTSP/RTP

Output audio format is:

• MPEG4 AAC LATM (default)

Pre-set Radio Playlist

ABOD's demo playlist includes Internet radios in various genres and with various bitrates (32-96 kb/s) to give you possibility to feel how it works in your 3G network.