📻 Retro Radio - Backend

A real-time Django-powered backend for the Retro Radio project using Django Channels, Redis, and WebSockets. Audio is streamed via Icecast + FFmpeg, simulating a GTA-style retro radio station.

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⚙️ Tech Stack

• Python 3.10.11
• Django 5.1
• Django Channels
• Redis (Cloud or Local)
• Daphne (ASGI server)
• FFmpeg + Icecast2 (for audio streaming)

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🛠️ Setup Instructions

1. Clone the Repo

git clone https://github.com/Y0ur-Team/Retro-Radio-Backend.git
cd retro-radio-backend

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2. Create a Virtual Environment

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate      # On Linux/Mac
venv\Scripts\activate         # On Windows

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3. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

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4. Create a .env File from .env.example

At the root of the project, create a .env file: and just put hte real values on hte hte .env

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5. Apply Migrations

python manage.py migrate

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6. Run Development Server (WSGI for testing API)

at port 80 as we will use port 8000 for WS server

python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:80

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8. Run ASGI WebSocket Server (Production/Local)

it will use port 80

Using Daphne (production-ready):

daphne retro_radio.asgi:application

Or Uvicorn (optional):

uvicorn retro_radio.asgi:application --reload

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📡 Audio Streaming Setup (Icecast + FFmpeg)

1. 📥 Download Icecast

• Download from: https://icecast.org/download.php#windows
• Extract the folder icecast_win32_2.4.4 and run icecast.exe
• Ensure port 8001 is open and streaming is enabled in icecast.xml.

2. 📥 Download FFmpeg

• Download from: https://ffmpeg.org/download.html
• Add the ffmpeg/bin folder to your system PATH (for terminal access).

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3. 🔊 Start Streaming Audio via FFmpeg

Place your MP3 file (e.g. test.mp3) in the same directory as ffmpeg.exe.

Run this command to loop-broadcast the track:

ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i test.mp3 -content_type audio/mpeg -f mp3 icecast://source:retroradio@localhost:8001/stream

🧠 This continuously sends test.mp3 to Icecast, which serves it on: http://localhost:8001/stream

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🎮 Start GTA 5 Style Radio (NonStopPopFM)

1. Download & Place the Required Tools/Resources:

   • 🔻 Icecast
   • 🔻 FFmpeg
   • Place NonStopPopFMHostedbyCaraGTA5.mp3 manually in the correct folder
   • Click NonStopPopFMHostedbyCaraGTA5.mp3 to Download !

2. Extract and place them in the correct folders:

   radiostream/
   ├── Icecast/
   ├── ffmpeg-master-latest-win64-gpl/bin/NonStopPopFMHostedbyCaraGTA5.mp3
   └── ffmpeg-master-latest-win64-gpl/
   

3. 🎵 Place your audio file as:

   radiostream/ffmpeg-master-latest-win64-gpl/bin/NonStopPopFMHostedbyCaraGTA5.mp3
   

4. ▶️ Run this script to launch Icecast + FFmpeg stream:

   start_radio_GTA5.bat

5. ✅ The station will stream continuously on: http://localhost:8001/stream Tune into 100.7 MHz in your app to listen!

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✅ WebSocket Info

• URL format:

  ws://localhost:8000/ws/<frequency>/?token=<session_id>
  

• If frequency is 100.7, server will automatically stream http://localhost:8001/stream.

• The token is required (acts as session ID).

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🎧 Test WebSocket & Audio

Open test.html in your browser to test WebSocket messages and auto-play stream.

You will hear "NonStopPopFM by Cara" on 100.7 MHz.

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✅ Sample WebSocket Test

Open test.html in your browser to manually test WebSocket functionality.

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🔌 Redis Options

🔹 Use Cloud Redis

Configure your REDIS_URL in .env as:

redis://default:<password>@<host>:<port>

🔹 Or Local Redis

Install Memurai (on Windows) or Redis (on Linux/macOS), then use:

REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379

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For Production or DEBUG FALSE

collect static with this command

python manage.py collectstatic

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📦 Folder Structure (Important Files)

retro_radio/
│
├── retro_radio/
│   ├── settings.py
│   ├── asgi.py          ← ASGI application entry
│   └── urls.py
│
├── core/
│   ├── consumers.py     ← WebSocket consumer
│   ├── routing.py       ← WebSocket URL routing
│   └── models.py
│
├── .env                 ← Contains Redis URL & secret key
├── manage.py
└── requirements.txt
─── index.html           ← for testing hte api ofc

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