Freemium · Windows, macOS

Broadcast to RadioHost Studio with VirtualDJ

Configure VirtualDJ's broadcast function for a RadioHost Studio station — server settings, MP3 encoder, and why the record-to-file option matters.

Updated August 18, 2026 · 3 min read

VirtualDJ has shipped a broadcast function for two decades, and for a great many club and mobile DJs it is the only piece of software they know well. If that is you, there is no reason to learn a second application to put a show on your station — the broadcast panel talks to Studio directly.

What you need first

An External DJ credential from Live → External DJs in Studio: username, password, and the server, port and mount point shown on the same page. The password appears once when it is generated.

Settings

Open the Broadcast panel — in current versions it is under the record and broadcast controls in the master section — and choose Broadcast to Radio Server, then Config.

FieldValue
Server typeIcecast 2
Addressthe host on your External DJs page
Portthe port on your External DJs page
Mount / Stream pathyour station's mount, e.g. /dj/1234
Usernameyour DJ username
Passwordthe DJ password
FormatMP3
Bitrate128 kbps, or up to 192 on a paid station

VirtualDJ hides the username field in some layouts because SHOUTcast does not use one. If you cannot see it, make sure the server type is Icecast 2 rather than SHOUTcast — Studio needs the username, and there is no way to authenticate without it.

What gets broadcast

VirtualDJ streams its master output, which means everything you can hear on the main mix: decks, samplers, the microphone if it is routed to master, and effects. It does not include your headphone cue, which is the behaviour you want.

If your microphone is going through a hardware mixer into VirtualDJ's input rather than through VirtualDJ itself, check that the input is routed to master and not just to your monitors. Streaming a show where the music is perfect and the presenter is inaudible is a recognisable rite of passage.

Going live

Press Start in the broadcast panel. The indicator turns active, Studio detects the source, automation ducks out and the live banner appears with your DJ name on it.

Stop broadcasting when the show ends. Automation resumes from the current schedule position — whatever the clock or playlist says should be on air at that minute.

Record locally at the same time

VirtualDJ's Record → to File runs independently of the broadcast connection, and it is worth leaving on for anything you might reuse.

The reason is practical. A stream is a live thing: if your connection stutters for four seconds, those four seconds are gone from what listeners heard and gone from any server-side recording. The local file is written from the audio engine and is unaffected. It is also at whatever quality you set rather than at stream bitrate, which matters if the show becomes a podcast episode or gets re-aired.

When it does not work

Connection is refused with correct details. Server type is on SHOUTcast, or the mount is missing its leading slash. Both produce an authentication failure rather than a useful error.

The stream connects but automation stays on. Studio has not seen the source. Confirm the mount matches your station exactly — a mount that does not match connects to nothing in particular and no one hears it.

Listeners report skipping. VirtualDJ shares a CPU with the encoder. Video output, heavy effects racks and stem separation are all expensive; turn off what the show does not need before blaming the connection.

Frequently asked questions

Which VirtualDJ licence do I need to broadcast?

Broadcasting is a Pro feature. The free home licence plays and mixes but does not stream, so a Pro subscription or a controller-bundled licence is required — that is a VirtualDJ restriction rather than a Studio one.

Can I broadcast video from VirtualDJ to my station?

Not to the station's audio stream. Studio's live input is audio, and a video mix belongs on a platform built for it. Many stations run the two in parallel: audio to the station, video to a social platform.

Does the station keep playing if VirtualDJ crashes?

Yes. The moment the source disconnects, automation takes back over from the current schedule position. Listeners hear a short gap rather than silence, and nothing needs a human to intervene.

Can I use VirtualDJ's automix to cover a whole overnight?

You can, but it is the wrong tool for it. Automation in Studio already handles unattended hours with rotation rules, jingles and back-timing, and it does not require a machine in your house to stay awake.

See it for real

See where your encoder connects.

Presenter logins, live takeover from the browser, and what the station does the moment a show ends — the whole handover, walked through on a running station with no account needed.

  • About 12 minutes
  • No account, no credit card
  • Real screens, not mockups