When a presenter goes live on Wrencast, they take over from the station's playlists within a few seconds. When they finish, the playlists pick up again on their own. How you get on air is up to you — there are three ways, and each suits a different kind of show.
1. From your browser
The quickest way. Open Go live in your dashboard, allow your microphone, and press Go live.
- Your microphone and a track at a time are mixed for you.
- Type the show's title, and listeners see it on their screens.
- An on-air timer shows how long you've been live.
It works in Chrome, Edge and Firefox on a computer. Keep the tab open while you're on air.
Best for: a talk show, a quick announcement, a guest presenter who shouldn't need to install anything.
2. From the Mac app
The Wrencast Mac app is a small studio: a microphone channel, a music deck you drag songs and jingles into, and an on-air light that tells you when listeners can hear you.
- Sign in through your browser. The app shows a code; you approve it on a page where you're already signed in. The app never sees your password.
- Choose your microphone or audio interface — including USB mixers.
- The music dips while you talk, and comes back up when you turn the microphone off.
- It reconnects by itself if your internet drops for a moment.
- Listen to other stations from the menu bar when you're not presenting.
You can disconnect the app from your account at any time, from Account in your dashboard.
Best for: regular music shows, presenters who want a proper deck without learning broadcasting software.
3. From broadcasting software
If you already use software such as BUTT, Mixxx, RadioDJ or SAM Broadcaster, keep using it. Create a DJ account for each presenter in Live DJs, then enter the server, port, mount and password shown there. The downloads page lists the connection settings and links to each program.
Best for: presenters with an existing setup, DJs mixing on decks, stations with several people sharing a schedule.
Before you go live, whichever way you choose
- Wear headphones. Through speakers, your music feeds back into your microphone.
- Use a wired connection if you can. Wi-Fi drops cause gaps.
- Check nobody else is live. A station takes one presenter at a time; the dashboard tells you if someone is on air.
Record the show
On plans with podcasts, switch on Record my live shows in Podcasts. Every show you present — from any of the three — is recorded and becomes an episode when you finish, ready to publish for everyone who missed it.
Cover photo by Kit on Unsplash.
