Reply To: stream radio/silent stage (audio only) to a weblink or IP ?

Hi Otis,

I am myself new to soundjack (but not to low latency solutions) and I found your question interesting.

In first place, given you ask what Soundjack is for, here is a general answer.
Soundjack, and other low latency solutions, are for mainly for musicians (or other people needing to be synchronized, such as gamers)
to be able to play together remotely, over long distances.
Due to the processing time within computers, and the time taken to transfer audio between computers over the internet, sending an audio signal
from a network to another takes time.
Low latency software tries to reduce that time, so the delay feels more like playing with someone sitting at several meters distance in the real world.
Which is not ideal, but without low latency software it can feel like trying to keep time with someone sitting 50 meters away or more, so impossible.

This is achieved by optimizing packets size and numerous other things. But there is also a delay due to the computers producing and receiving the audio.
That second factor is tackled by using a network cable rather than wifi, using an optimized and fast operating system, closing any applications which might
interfere with the network or slow down the computer, disconnecting all other devices from the router, and so forth.
Also, low latency solutions generally use specific ports which might be blocked by firewalls and routers, so some fiddlign with that might be required.

Your second question is very interesting and I never considered it before.
You wonder, I understand, if it would be possible for your band to stream a performance to the general public.
The concert should be displayed on a specific internet site.
And you would like the audience to be able to send audio as well (clapping, screaming, I guess?) and such audio should reach the band with little delay.
A rock live concert essentially?

Frankly I do not think that it is feasible.

If your band members are located in different places, you might be able to coordinate with them to set up the software and their computer and hardware so
to achieve a decent low latency.
If you manage that, you could then set up one of the bands computers to record the result and/or stream it as a mixed output to a live on youtube, some website,
whatever. That is technically feasible.

But the audience will see the result with some delay.

In order to see and react to what you are playing with little delay, each and every member of the audience would need to be setup with Jackaudio, just like each member of the band.
They would need to install the software, optimize their computer and operating system, get a lan cable..
And they they would need to log via the stage in the jackaudio website.
That is way much more complicated than just giving a link for people to open, watch and clap.

There are some alternatives though.
For instance, you could arrange with a few venues to promote this “virtual concert” thing.
The venue will setup a computer, Jackaudio and a microphone to record the audience live, and a projector and speakers for the audience to hear and see the band.
Then the audience will go physically to the venue and essentially they will watch the concert.
The venue would log into jackaudio stage just like a band member would.

Alternatively, you could stream to youtube or another website which allows the audience to post comments and likes live, as you see all the time on youtube live streams.
You could arrange things so the comments are visible to the band in real time (on their screens or again a projector if you are all in the same room rather than playing online).
That point, you could react to comments and likes. Not the same as a live concert, different.

The last solution could be to mix it up. Play with the band in front of a small audience, and stream it too ot others, showing the audience too.