What is IntranetRadio?
======================
IntranetRadio is a program designed for transferring sound signals over local
area networks (LANs). The main sphere of application - office networks, school,
university and other educational LANs. For example, you can organize your own
"radio broadcast" on your LAN. Install IntranetRadio Server onto the computer,
that will be as "sound server" and input a sound signal from radio receiver,
CD-audio player, microphone or any other sound source. Now if you execute
IntranetRadio Player on other computers in the network you can listen the sound
transmitted by the server. Because of using broadcasting technology, the
transmitted sound can be received by some computers simultaneously.

Since IntranetRadio Player in stand-by mode takes no CPU ticks, it can be set to
be started automatically when the computer turn on, and the IntranetRadio system
can be used for broadcasting advertisements, audio messages, music etc.

Main features
=============
1. Broadcasting addresses

The main question which needs resolution under the designing such programs is
that it is necessary to have wide channel for transmitting sound signals. For
example, to send 16-bit stereo sound, sampled with 44,1 kHz frequency, you need
a channel with about 1.4 Mbit/sec flow rate. On using Ethernet LAN with 10
Mbit/sec, net loading will be about 14%. And if you need to transmit sound
signal to some computers, net loading increases in proportion to the numbers of
receiving machines, i.e. having an Ethernet LAN you can transmit sound only to
7 computers simultaneously. In this case the net is used only for sound
transferring, and really the same data is multiple transmitted on the net.

The only way to solve the above described problem is to use broadcast
IP-addresses. In this case the server sends sound data only once, and all client
machines in network can receive them. The main feature of IntranetRadio compared
with similar systems (RealAudio, Xing StreamWorks products) is namely supporting
broadcasting IP addresses. In the case net loading makes 14% regardless of the
number of computers receiving the sound flow.

2. Sound compression

Further improvement of the sound transfer system is in using sound compression.
Even 14% of net loading is sensible, and sometimes it is necessary to transmit
some independent sound channels. Usage of sound compression permits decreasing
of net loading approximately by the factor of 10. Now wide-known MPEG
compression algorithms, based on the features of human perception of the sound,
are the most popular. More advanced algorithms provide 10-times sound
compressing and quality distortion is practically imperceptible. However, sound
compression on a MPEG algorithm has significant computational complexity, and
real-time compression needs enough fast CPU (e.g. real-time compressing with the
most popular MPEG Layer-3 algorithm requires Pentium-II CPU and above). It makes
compressor program to be high sensitive to the other programs. Really, for the
program you need to have a special fast computer.

As a compromise, you can choose less complex algorithms of sound compression,
such as MPEG Layer-1 or MPEG Layer-2. Usage of them doesn't require such
processor resources as for compression as well as for decompression, and
satisfactory quality of the sound is provided.

IntranetRadio Pro supports MPEG Layer-1 and Layer-2 sound compression with any
bitrate included in MPEG standard (32-448 kbit/sec for Layer-1 and 32-384
kbit/sec for Layer-2). You can also turn sound compression off.

System requirements
===================
- Processor
  For using IntranetRadio Pro Server with sound data compression according to
  the ISO Psychoacoustic Model I, you need at least a Pentium-200 class CPU.
  However, compression with using simplified psychoacoustic model and
  compression without psychoacoustic model may be procceded with relatively slow
  computers.
  
  Because decompressing is relatively more simple process, there is no need to
  have so fast processor for IntranetRadio Pro Player. However, some sound
  losses may take place because of great loading of the CPU and, especially, of
  using DOS boxes.

- Audio Input/Output
  A 16-bit stereo sound card is required. The card's driver should support 44,1
  kHz sampling frequency.

- Memory
  About 512 kB free physical memory must be available, because both Server and
  Player buffers about 3 seconds of sound data.

- Operating System
  Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT.

- Network
  A TCP/IP network must be installed

Installing the IntranetRadio Pro
================================
Execute the Setup.exe. After the acception your wish to continue the process
the installing program asks you for a folder you would like to install
IntranetRadio Pro to. If you agree the proposed folder simple click the 'Next'
button, otherwise change the folder.

The next (and the last) question - selecting the Start menu group, where
IntranetRadio Pro programs shortcuts will be added. Same as above, you can
accept the suggested name or change it.

Now that's all you need to make the installation. Confirm the installation and
everything is over.

Now you can execute IntranetRadio Pro Server or IntranetRadio Pro Player from
the corresponding group of the Start menu.

Authors of the IntranetRadio Pro
================================
The IntranetRadio programs are developed by SanychSoft company.

Please take a look to our main web page to know last news about the products,
download the last versions of the IntranetRadio Pro and other programs and
more...

http://sanych.amur.ru

Thank you for using IntranetRadio !

Copyright (C) 2000 SanychSoft company.