Help.. What do I need to preach online?

[Crosslight]

Hey..

I do not know where to start.

I want to put streaming audio, (I preach at home and upload them for everyone to hear on my message board) on my forum...

What do I need?
What type of server?
bandwith?
ect....

I need the a b c.. in simple english..

If you can help.. please give me a broad overview so I can see the whole picture.. then I can ask the specifics..


Thank you so much...

His servant,
stacie

 

[Deacon]

Well do you have your own forums and website already set up? If not then thats what you need to start to work on first. After you get that set up, you need to see how much space you have, and how much bandwidth you have. Any type of server will work well with this as long as you have the bandwidth and the hard drive space.

There are quite a few places out their that offer custom deals for these certain things.

 

[seebs]

The main thing you'll need is patience and a willingness to learn the tools. If you go with simple answers that you don't understand, you'll have a very hard time keeping things running. Put in the time it takes to understand the tools and technology, and that'll work better.

Streaming audio is probably not the best of the available choices, although it's not hopeless. It'll end up costing about 100x as much in bandwidth as the same words written as text, though.

 

[Crosslight]

Thank you for your responses...
To answer your questions, I currently do have a website and using a message board, but the website is currently hosted on a free host...(I pay for the mesage board)
I am looking into purchasing webspace from one of the servers and
I am willing to simplify my webpages to reduce the bandwidth....I am just unsure how much is enough? what is too much? For example say I have 5 sermons that I want to upload, and have about 7 basic webpages with only a few graphics and approximatley 600 people visit the site a month.... What would be an rough guess on the bandwidth used?
I am new to this area and need some sort of "ballpark" figure when it comes to the bandwidth. When I purchase webspace, I don't want to pay for something I won't use.
Thank you for your time
Shalom,
Stacie

 

[Crosslight]

Our web page host allows a space of 51200kb....
our web site as it is now only uses 4100.25

Would I need to simplify this amount of webspace? It doesn't seem like too much..(I don't understand kb=MB=GB conversion).
I hope I made some kind of sense....
Thanks again...
Shalom,
Stacie

 

[pgp_protector]

Lunar pages offers about 40Gig of transfer per month with 800 Meg on there intro packages, depending on how many visiters, that may be enough.

1) Do you want your sermons "Live" or recorded. "Live" is going to require either a RealAudio Server, or A Windows Server , But both will cost you $$$

If you can handle going "Recorded" you can use MP3s and save bandwith, & your listiners can re-listen to the sermon without using more bandwith.

for Your msgboards, go with somthing like PHPBB, Free to use & easy to setup.

EDIT: More info on pricing
$8 per month 40Gig Xfer & 800Meg Storage
$23 Per Month = 80 Gig Xfer & 1.2G Storage

 

[ThePhoenix]

Thank you for your responses...
To answer your questions, I currently do have a website and using a message board, but the website is currently hosted on a free host...(I pay for the mesage board)
I am looking into purchasing webspace from one of the servers and
I am willing to simplify my webpages to reduce the bandwidth....I am just unsure how much is enough? what is too much? For example say I have 5 sermons that I want to upload, and have about 7 basic webpages with only a few graphics and approximatley 600 people visit the site a month.... What would be an rough guess on the bandwidth used?
I am new to this area and need some sort of "ballpark" figure when it comes to the bandwidth. When I purchase webspace, I don't want to pay for something I won't use.
Thank you for your time
Shalom,
Stacie

Well the file length is important here, but I'll go with a rsome guestimates. If the sermons are 15 minutes each they'll probably be running between 30 and 100 megs. Lets say 30. The quality at that level is garbage, RM quality, but oh well. That's probably in the rough vicinity of 90 gigabytes if 600 people a month access all five. For good quality you're looking at more like 150 or 200. Graphics will add a couple extra gigs, say five.

However it sounds like there may be signifigantly less then the full 600 downloading. If we assume 10% download all five a month, and an additional 15% download one we get more reasonable number. That's going to run more like 11 gigs, and with the graphics, oh say 17.

Quick overview of file sizes: 1 megabyte is 1024 kilobytes, and one gigabyte is 1024 megabytes. 1000 is usually a more convienent number, and a decent substitute. Therefore 1 gigabyte is 1,000,000 kilobytes.

Costs: PGP's cost for the 40 is probably 18 a month, not 8. Given that, that deal sounds good.

Suggestion: Host one sermon on your site, and check the bandwith useage.

 

[pgp_protector]

If there just using Audio, they can get good results running MP3s at 32MPS, (That should give them about 6Meg Per 15 Min File, using your numbers 600 X 5 Files X 6 Meg
That comes out to around 20G transfer per month, and still leave plenty of overhead for Gfx and such.

 

[Crosslight]

Thank you thank you thank you.....
Yall's advise really helped me. My brain has a concept now....
I would be doing recorded....now have to go and look into how in the world to do that :o)
Any website that will talk to me simply as to how to go about doing this?
Even so, that 40G transfer 800 Mg space looks like a good deal...Will look into that more...
Thanks again for yall time and help
Shalom
Stacie

 

[4thwatcher]

if you wish to do go unlimitted, perhaps, try to setup your own media server... like this project of ours: http://www.fourthwatch.plus.com

hassle free

just PM if you require help in setting up your personal media server!

 

[Crosslight]

Hey

Can you explain a little more about your own media server? And how much does it cost?


Shalom
stacie

 

[4thwatcher]

if you wish to do go unlimitted, perhaps, try to setup your own media server... like this project of ours: http://www.fourthwatch.plus.com

hassle free

just PM if you require help in setting up your personal media server!

**********

Hey

Can you explain a little more about your own media server? And how much does it cost?


Shalom
stacie

well, our media server is setup here at home. we converted my pc as one. first, got win2k server as OS, have set up its windows media service then, there you go, up & running.

cost: no extra cost if you intend to use your PC as the media server. should be 24/7 though.

requirements:

1. OS (must be server edition) = win2k professional server; win2003 server; linux
2. Internet Connection : Broadband recommended
3. IP : If your isp provides static IP address, request for it if they are able to provide you one. most ISP's provide dynamic IP instead, which makes life complicated because you need dynamic dns for your media server to be made available online. (what i did is conducted a thourough search which ISP provides a static ip).
4. basic knowledge with windows media video, encoding, & setting-up media streaming necessary.

happy video streaming... just keep in touch if you require further help!

cheers!

 

[pgp_protector]

Dont forget that if you are using your Home connection, you need Broadband On the UPLINK also, most ISPs lock the Upload at around 128K, That would be very low if they are having Multiple connections downloading at the same time.

 

[Crosslight]

4th Watcher...
Thank you for the information.... But I didn't understand a word you said. Foriegn language to me....
1. I understand OS(but server edition???) Would use Win XP...
2. Broadband...yes...
3. Lost me....
4. Haven't got a clue...

PGP....How would I find out if I have broadband on the uplink? I just know that I use Verizon DSL... know nothing more than that....


Forgive me for asking so many questions. I thank yall for your patience.... Yall are great...
Shalom
Stacie

 

[pgp_protector]

Do a google search, (Dont Rember The Sites Right Now) On DSL Speed Test, Or Call Verizon, But Given that it's a "home" solution and probably paying around $20-40 A Month, it's more than likley Capped on the Uplink speed.

For The IP Routing, you can go to NoIP.com, and set up an account. For the Computer, WinXP would work fine, I would recomend Linux though (More Secure), if not, get a Hardware Firewall (DSL routers run around $50-$150) And The Computer you use for your web server should be dedicated to only hosting your sites.

 

[4thwatcher]

1. I understand OS(but server edition???) Would use Win XP...

well, crosslight, winxp as your OS is not enough if you intend to setup your own media server. (though it works apparently according to pgp_protector, but dont know coz i havent tried it with xp) you require a server operating system either windows 2000 professional server, win2003 server, or linux.

2. Broadband...yes...

okay... you're on broadband... now, find out if your ISP provides you an unlimitted bandwidth for both inbound and outbound. there are ISP's who has limitted bandwidth for inbound & limitted bandwidth for outbound. there are some ISP's as well who provides unlimitted bandwidth both inbound & outbound like my current ISP.

3. Lost me....

IP address is the address your computer is allocated by your ISP everytime you connect to the internet. STATIC IP Address is if everytime you connect to the internet, the IP address of your pc remains as is, where as Dynamic IP Address is that everytime you connect to the internet, your pc is allocated different IP address (not permanent unlike static which is permanent). again, most ISP's doesnt provide static ip's (due to marketting issues most probably), but, there are some ISP's who provide static ip's for their custumers like my current isp.

to help you find out if your IP is either static or dynamic is by trying this step first: start - run - type ipconfig ( you'll see your current IP address). now, logoff then reconnect to your internet.. repeat the process: start - run - type ipconfig . if the IP address is similar to your first attempt, then, you have a static ip address.. however, if it is otherwise, yours is dynamic. (hope you're grasping what i mean). post back if your IP is static or dynamic.. if static, you wont have any problem setting up the media server later on.. if dynamic, it is still possible but require extra works.

4. Haven't got a clue...

we'll do it one at a time then... but first, you need to find out with your isp your bandwidth consumption ... if it's limitted or unlimitted... and find out as well if your IP is either static or dynamic...

 

[Crosslight]

Hey,

I am checking this stuff out.. please check back.. I am going with this I think.. somehow..

to be continued..

Shalom,
stacie
ps.. I think I am going to contact my friend.. waitingforjesus and have some help understanding this.. I will just listen and learn..

thank you so much.. stay tuned for WaitingforJesus

 

[WaitingforJesus]

Hello 4th Watcher and PGP.....
This is Stacie's friend... My name is Kay....
As far as understanding this.....well honestly I know nothing, but it looks like there are alot of step by step....I like that.... I need that...
Thank you ....

Now, I have done a speed test on the connection (I did one of those free ones offered on different websites)... Download was 1268 Kbps Upload was 139Kbps... I am not sure but it is probably capped.... I will find out though....
Now I will test to see if IP is stactic or dynamic....
Thank you for all yall's help!!!!!
Kay

 

[WaitingforJesus]

okay tried to do the ipconfig thing.....it didn't even do anything...It popped a little dos prompt looking screen for a second and then it left and that was it....
Am I doing something wrong?
Kay

 

[pgp_protector]

Your IP is assigned by your ISP, not you, if your not paying for a Static IP (They Cost Extra, and you would know if you were paying for it ), You best bet if you want to try running it from your home at low cost is to check out www.no-ip.com and setup a free account with them to Test with. You can assign your domain name to you No-IP.com address but it will cost extra.