Defcon Radio

[Xodia]

Re: Defcon Radio

It is probably a good idea for anyone that wants to run this this year to contact the people that ran it 2 years ago for some sort of hand-off of the metaphorical torch, and if all parties are available and amenable to it, hints, advice and suggestions for the people that would run it this year.

Thanks!

My concept is much more similiar to what DMZ had going for Defcon Radio at Defcon 13. Live programming all day and night for the full duration of the Con. I went ahead and emailed him a bit ago, but I'm not sure if the address on the old Defcon Radio site is up to date. Hopefully he sees this here!

From what I understand, the Podcasters meetup was more of a panel of notable podcasters being broadcast live in a roundtable style. Then again, I wasn't able to attend that con, so I could be wrong. Looking at their other events, it definitely isn't something that goes live 24/7.

[TheCotMan]

Re: Defcon Radio

I thought this sounded familiar....

Back at Defcon 17, there was an event and forum created called [forum=470]Podcasters Meetup[/forum] which has a few threads. It is described as meeup with live podcasts and opportunities for listeners to meet the people running podcasts and the other way around.

I did not have time to see how this event at Defcon 17 worked out. Anyone know and care to comment about it?

Next question to ask first is, "who is running it?" (Then we can ask them about the title.) It looks like it was not an event last year, and if it was, I have no forum for it. If it did not happen last year, that would suggest it is an open opportunity for someone else to run it if the people that originally ran it have no plans to run it this year. Xodia, if you are planning to run this in light of evidence showing something similar was run two years ago, please let me/us know.

It is probably a good idea for anyone that wants to run this this year to contact the people that ran it 2 years ago for some sort of hand-off of the metaphorical torch, and if all parties are available and amenable to it, hints, advice and suggestions for the people that would run it this year.

Thanks!

[Dark Tangent]

Re: Defcon Radio

I know the Hacker News Network guys are broadcasting from a central place, maybe there is room for you guys to colo?

[Xodia]

Re: Defcon Radio

I am all for it, if you can make it happen.

DJ GreatScott! had a feed last year, I think we were streaming it? He would be the person to talk with about making your idea reality.

For a second when you said radio I was expecting some low power fm transmitter action.

I had thought about low power FM, but it doesn't seem worth the trouble considering the legal distance of transmission is so low. If I remember correctly, DMZ had low power FM in addition to a stream at the AP. The Rio is just so huge in comparison!

I will get in touch with DJ Greatscott! about getting DJ feeds. Its really just an issue of configuring a central server to pick up secondary streams from each DJ room. I have the necessary Shoutcast servers with large listener capacities if need be.

Would it be possible to get a space to broadcast from? It would make handling the streams and switching to correspondants at events/contest/parties much easier. It's also just fun having people stop by the station to say hello or have a brief show during the day.

I have the following equipment thus far, and will most likely have more by the time con rolls around:
- 5 SM58 mics
- Yamaha MG102c mixer
- An unmarked ancient mixer I bought at a garage sale. Works great though.
- Mbox Mini audio interface
- 5 Pairs o' headphones
- Enough iThings with webservers to supply to 5 trustworthy volunteers for on-location broadcasts. This could be anything from covering contests (Scavenger hunt updates!) to interviewing speakers. That would be something to get hammered down on a broadcast schedule.

Without a central location, I could still use all of the above...I'll just need to mobilize it.

[Dark Tangent]

Re: Defcon Radio

I am all for it, if you can make it happen.

DJ GreatScott! had a feed last year, I think we were streaming it? He would be the person to talk with about making your idea reality.

For a second when you said radio I was expecting some low power fm transmitter action.

[Xodia]

I just got back from Notacon where they have had a shoutcast station during the last few cons. Everyone involved had a blast, including some regulars from the Defcon community.

With the size of Defcon, the constantly bumping tunes in the chillout room, and the awesome DJ sets at night, why not bring Defcon Radio back via Shoutcast/Icecast? A central broadcast location wouldn't even necessarily be needed. Just running a line off the board in rooms with DJs would be sufficient if it was just music. Though, I suppose the media archives eventually meet this need anyway. A main server with laptops contributing from around the con could also work without a central broadcast room.

However, if I could get a central broadcast location there could be speaker interviews, user contributed shows (via sign-up in advance), scavenger hunt news, etc. It is just a lot of fun to hear recordings of yourself and friends post-con (recordings of your drunken karaoke even). I have all the necessary equipment, space and trustworthy volunteers is the only constraint.

I intend on doing this in a totally unofficial ghetto rigged fashion either way, but I was just seeing if there is any wider interest. I know there was a podcasters meetup a few cons ago, you guys still around?