Streaming: Frequently Asked Questions

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At Canstream, we pride ourselves on the support we provide, and we are more than happy to take your questions and problems, either by email, support tickets or telephone. The following is a list of a few technical questions we are asked on a regular basis, in the hope that you find it useful.

My stream is down. What's wrong?

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the unavailability of your streaming service.

The first thing you should check is the internet connectivity from your encoding machine. Residential and business ADSL broadband lines are, by their nature, not 100% reliable and can fail for periods of time. Go to your encoding machine and check whether you can access a webpage (eg. Google, or the BBC).

If this is working, and you still cannot stream, please click here to go to our page with a list of diagnostic checks.

I'm unable to connect my encoder to my stream.

Our new streaming system is a little different to our old one. Essentially, you have your own "server" which you can switch on or off as you wish.

The default state of each server, when first ordered, is "stopped." To be able to connect using the supplied username and password, you need to log in to your account on the streaming server by visiting manage.canstream.co.uk and using the username and password which was emailed to you. Then, locate the control panel at the bottom-left of the screen:

Click on Start Server to switch on your streaming server and enable your stream.

Why is my stream "buffering" regularly?

If you find your streaming service cutting out, skipping, or "buffering" on a regular basis, the first thing to do is ensure that your encoder (eg. Edcast or Butt) is the only thing running on your encoding machine. Certain pieces of commonly-installed background software, such as virus scanners, Windows Update and instant messengers should not be running as a matter of course. It goes without saying that your encoding machine should, if at all possible, be a dedicated computer that is not being used for other activities, such as office work, browsing or station playout.

Another common cause of buffering is congestion on your broadband internet connection. While most connections nowadays are in excess of 8Mbps in download, upload speeds are generally very limited - in many cases, as low as 0.5Mbps. As your streaming uses the upload side of your connection, it is very easy to overload, particularly if you are streaming at a high bitrate such as 128kbps. If your connection is in heavy use for other activities, such as web browsing, email and downloads, buffering is inevitable. If at all possible, we recommend the installation of a second phone line and broadband connection for streaming purposes only.

If you continue to experience buffering problems with your stream then try adjusting the sample rate from 44100Hz down to 22050Hz in your encoder application. Doing that might help to ease the processing load on your streaming computer.

How do I find my password?

For security reasons, we are no longer able to give out passwords over the phone. However, if you have forgotten your password, you can use the Forgotten Password link on the front page of our billing site to retrieve it to your registered email address.

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