Documentation

Audio Checks

About Audio Checks

The audio check can monitor your Icecast and SHOUTcast audio streaming services as well as most other audio streams to ensure they're available (up) and optionally test the stream for dead air (low volume).

Set the target of the check to the URL of the audio stream itself or one of the supported playlist files. The AUDIO check supports playlists in the following formats: .pls, .m3u, .m3u8, and .xspf. When using a playlist, the audio check will test the first stream URL on the playlist.

The check briefly connects to the stream and searches for 'audio' in the 'Content-Type' HTTP header returned to determine if the audio steam is up or down.

NodePing audio checks also support an optional volume detection feature. Our probes will sample 10 seconds of your audio stream and compare the mean volume decibel level with your configured volume threshold. You'll receive alerts for dead air/silence. Currently this feature is only available on our 'Premiere' plan.

When to use Audio Checks

NodePing's audio checks will ensure your audio streams, including Icecast and SHOUTcast, are available for your customers. Use the check to alert you when your audio stream URLs are not returning audio and receive notifications if the audio is dead air (silence).

Using Audio Checks

To set up an audio check,

1. Select Audio Stream from the Check type drop down.
2. Give it a friendly label to identify this check in lists and notifications.
3. Enable Automated Diagnostics if you'd like detailed technical info about the failure that may help you troubleshoot a failure.
4. Set how often you want the check to run on the Check Frequency field.
5. Set the HTTP URL of your stream or supported playlist in the field labeled Audio Stream URL.
6. Set a time out. The default 5 seconds works fine for most situations.
7. Volume detection can be optionally enabled using its dropdown. This is only available on 'Premiere' accounts.
8. If volume detection is enabled, you can specify what minimal decibel level is required to not be considered dead air. Acceptable range is -90 to 0. The default is -45.
9. Set the Sensitivity. High is usually appropriate.
10. Set the notifications for this check. More information about notifications.

Common usage:
To verify your audio streams, including Icecast and SHOUTcast, are available and functioning and optionally not returning dead air (silence).

Other considerations

The audio check verifies the HTTP stream is of some audio media-type by looking at the HTTP Content-Type header.

The optional volume detection is currently only available on 'Premiere' accounts. You can upgrade/downgrade your account in your billing screen at https://nodeping.com/#billing

IPv6 URLs require the bracket formatting such as http://[2606:c700:4020:11::53:4a3b]:8002/.