What CBR Means
CBR stands for Constant Bitrate. The encoded file uses the same nominal bitrate throughout the track. CBR is straightforward and predictable, which can be useful when building a consistent radio music library.
What VBR Means
VBR stands for Variable Bitrate. The encoder can use more or fewer bits depending on the complexity of the audio. This can provide an efficient balance between file size and quality for stored music.
For Your AutoDJ Library
For a radio music library, consistency and compatibility are often more important than simply choosing the highest bitrate. Use formats your AutoDJ decoder handles reliably and avoid unnecessary conversions between multiple lossy formats.
For the Live Stream
The MP3 files stored in your library are not necessarily the same thing as the bitrate of the outgoing SHOUTcast stream. The encoder determines the stream bitrate.
Which Should You Choose?
If you want predictable files and broad compatibility, CBR is a simple choice. If you are managing a personal music library and storage efficiency matters, VBR can be reasonable. Test your actual AutoDJ and encoder configuration before converting a large library.
Still Having Problems?
If the problem continues after checking the items above, digiSTREAM support can help determine whether the issue is related to the encoder, AutoDJ, streaming server, or network.
- The exact error message, if one is displayed.
- Your streaming server port.
- Whether AutoDJ or a live DJ is currently connected.
- What changed immediately before the problem began.
- The approximate time the problem occurred.