libshout-js

Native Node.js Libshout bindings for libshout 2.4.1 (latest).

Libshout is a C library for streaming audio to icecast or shoutcast-compatible servers. It supports four audio formats and four protocols. It handles the networking and communication to the server, allowing users to focus on programmatic control.

More information: http://icecast.org

Usage

To use libshout-js, you must first install the libshout library. Consult your OS documentation on how to install libshout, for example:

yum install libshout
apt-get install libshout    
brew install libshout

Install nodeshout with yarn or npm:

yarn install libshout-js

Use as follows:

    // Import
    const Libshout = require('libshout-js')
 
    // Create the instance. Specify path to the .so/.dll/.dylib file. 
    // If no path is set, it will attempt to load the standard dll locations.
    const ls = new Libshout('path/to/libshout.so')
 
    // Configure the connection
    const ls = new Libshout('/usr/local/lib/libls')
    ls.setHost('localhost')
    ls.setPort(8000)
    ls.setUser('user')
    ls.setPassword('pass')
    ls.setMount('mountpoint')
 
    // Set stream metadata
    ls.setMeta('description', 'A lovely stream')
 
    // Some constants are defined for you.
    ls.setFormat(Libshout.CONST.FORMATS.SHOUT_FORMAT_MP3)
 
    // ls.setAudioInfo('bitrate', '192')
    // ls.setAudioInfo('samplerate', '44100')
    // ls.setAudioInfo('channels', '2')
    ls.setAudioInfo({
        bitrate: '192',
        samplerate: '44100',
        channels: '2',
    })

Open the connection.

    try {
        ls.open()
    } catch (err) {
        console.warn(err)
    }

If connection is successful, .open() will return string SHOUT_ERR_SUCCESS, otherwise it will throw an error. After successful connection, you can pipe audio data through the provided writeStream stream, or manually send data.

    const fileStream = new fs.createReadStream('song.mp3')
    fileStream.pipe(ls.writeStream)
    ls.writeStream.on('finish', () => console.log('Song finished'))
 
    // or,
    ls.send(buffer, bufferLen)

If sending data manually, there are two ways to synchronize it. .sync() will block the thread until ready. .getDelay() will return the time in ms you should wait before sending the next chunk.

Metadata

Icecast only supports track metadata for MP3 streams. Vorbis streams are expected to embed metadata as vorbis comments in the audio stream.

// Create a metadata instance
const metadata = Libshout.createMetadata()
 
// Set the metadata within the object. Supported values are defined in constants.
metadata.add('title', 'A Love Supreme Pt. I – Acknowledgement')
 
// Then, you must apply the metadata to the server connection object.
ls.setMetadata(metadata);

More information

The C code is heavily documented in the comments for constants.js and bindings.js. Look there for more Libshout specific information.