InformIT: Mac OS X Unleashed > Streaming MP3smod

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Streaming MP3s—`mod_mp3`

If you've been using iTunes, you've probably got quite a collection of MP3 files that have been building up on your drive. Rather than taking the MP3s with you wherever you go, you can create your own Internet radio station and broadcast music to your computer at work, home, or wherever your MP3s aren't. Using the Apache mod_mp3 module, you can create a Shoutcast-compatible streaming MP3 server in a matter of minutes. Of course, it goes without saying that anyone who listens to your streams has a legitimate copy of the music. Absolutely no sarcasm intended. None.

Installing mod_mp3 only takes a few minutes of time. Download the latest release from http://www.modmp3.com/, and then decompress the archive:

[primal:~/mod_mp3] jray% tar zxf mod_mp3-0.19.tar.gz

Next, cd into the distribution directory, and use make install to compile the module:

[primal:~/mod_mp3] jray% cd mod_mp3-0.19/
[primal:~/mod_mp3/mod_mp3-0.19] jray% make install
apxs -o mod_mp3.so -c    directives.c ice.c load.c mod_mp3.c shout.c utility.c o
gg.c common.c
cc -DDARWIN -DUSE_HSREGEX -DUSE_EXPAT -I../lib/expat-lite -g -O3 -pipe -

      
    DHARD_SERVER_LIMIT=1024 -DEAPI -DSHARED_MODULE -I/usr/include/httpd  -c directives.c
cc -DDARWIN -DUSE_HSREGEX -DUSE_EXPAT -I../lib/expat-lite -g -O3 -pipe -

      
    DHARD_SERVER_LIMIT=1024 -DEAPI -DSHARED_MODULE -I/usr/include/httpd  -c ice.c
cc -DDARWIN -DUSE_HSREGEX -DUSE_EXPAT -I../lib/expat-lite -g -O3 -pipe -

      
    DHARD_SERVER_LIMIT=1024 -DEAPI -DSHARED_MODULE -I/usr/include/httpd  -c load.c

Although the included installation instructions say to use make install to install the module, this does not work correctly under Mac OS X. Use sudo apxs -i -a -n 'mp3' mod_mp3.so to complete the process:

[primal:~/mod_mp3/mod_mp3-0.19] jray% sudo apxs -i -a -n 'mp3' mod_mp3.so
cp mod_mp3.so /usr/libexec/httpd/mod_mp3.so
chmod 755 /usr/libexec/httpd/mod_mp3.so
[activating module `mp3' in /private/etc/httpd/httpd.conf]

The MP3-streaming module is now installed and ready for use.

Configuring `mod_mp3`

The mod_mp3 module is activated by setting up an Apache virtual host that will serve as the contact point for iTunes or any other streaming MP3 client. There are two ways to approach this—either by using a name-based or IP-based host, as we've already seen, or using a virtual host running on a port address rather than the standard Web server port 80. We shall use the latter.

There are a handful of directives used to control the mod_mp3 streaming features. These are documented in Table 27.4.

Table 27.4. These Directives Control `mod_mp3`'s Capability to Stream Music.

Directive	Purpose
`MP3` `<file or pathname>`	Adds an MP3 file or directory containing MP3 files to the list of files to be served.
`MP3Engine` `<on` `\|` `off>`	Turns on the streaming engine.
`MP3CastName` `<stream name>`	Sets a name for the streaming music collection.
`MP3Genre` `<stream genre>`	Sets a music genre for the stream.
`MP3Random` `<on` `\|` `off>`	Randomizes the order that MP3 files will be served.
`MP3Loop` `<on` `\|` `off>`	Loops through the music files indefinitely.
`MP3LimitPlayConnections`	The number of simultaneous streaming connections that `<connection limit>` will be supported.
`MP3ReloadRequest` `<on` `\|` `off>`	If turned on, `mod_mp3` will reload all files with each request. This is useful if you're adding to the available files during the broadcast.
`MP3Playlist`	Accepts the name of a file that contains a list of MP3 `<pla` `y` `list file>` filenames.
`MP3Cache` `<on` `\|` `off>`	When `on`, the module will attempt to cache all MP3 files in memory. This can speed up the server, but will likely take up waaaay too much memory if you have more than a handful of files.

Use these directives, coupled with a virtual host, to set up and start streaming. The following is a typical sample virtual host entry for the /etc/httpd/httpd.conf file:

1:  Listen 8000
2:  <VirtualHost music.poisontooth.com:8000>
3:     ServerName music.poisontooth.com
4:     MP3Engine On
5:     MP3CastName "Johns Tunes"
6:     MP3Genre "Hard Rock and 80s"
7:     MP3 /Users/jray/Music
8:     MP3Random On
9:     Timeout 1200
10: </VirtualHost>

Line 1 sets the port number for listening to incoming streaming requests. The default Web port is 80, so if you're using the hostname for a Web site as well as streaming music, be sure to pick a different port.

Line 2 sets up the virtual host and port number for connections. Line 4 turns on MP3 support, and Lines 5 and 6 set some identifying information for the streaming server.

Line 7 adds a directory containing MP3 files to the stream (you can add as many MP3 directives as you'd like). Line 8 randomizes the playback order; and line 9 sets a high timeout so that connections are properly serviced.

Restart Apache to turn on your new mod_mp3-streaming server: /usr/sbin/apachectl restart.

To access your new MP3 server using iTunes, select Open Stream (Command+U) and enter the URL of your MP3 virtual host. The sample mod_mp3 configuration used in this chapter would be referenced with the URL http://music.poisontooth.com:8000, as seen in Figure 27.6.

Figure 27.6 Open the Apache-served MP3 stream from within iTunes

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Streaming MP3s—mod_mp3

Configuring mod_mp3

Table 27.4. These Directives Control mod_mp3's Capability to Stream Music.

Streaming MP3s—`mod_mp3`

Configuring `mod_mp3`

Table 27.4. These Directives Control `mod_mp3`'s Capability to Stream Music.