Hosted Auto DJ lets your station play uploaded audio while your own computer is off. With VosCast, you upload MP3 files, organise playlists, and use the account's scheduling controls to plan playback. You can keep hosted programming running between live shows without leaving a broadcasting application open at home.
The work shifts from operating a live encoder to preparing the library and schedule. A station that runs all day still needs suitable audio, sensible event timing, and a clear routine for checking what listeners hear.
Understand where the programme comes from
When you broadcast live, your computer supplies audio to the streaming server. With hosted Auto DJ, the hosted service supplies that audio instead. Your streaming server then makes the programme available to listeners.
This is different from the Auto DJ queue inside Mixxx. A local queue still runs on your computer. VosCast Auto DJ uses files uploaded to your account and does not depend on that computer staying online as the source.
For the account screens and exact setup steps, follow Getting started with the Auto DJ. Keep that guide open when configuring the service; the planning below helps you decide what to put into it.
Start with enough well-organised audio
Prepare the MP3 files you want the station to play and keep your own copies. Use clear names and check the audio before uploading it. A schedule is easier to maintain when you can tell a complete recorded programme from a short station announcement or an individual track.
Think about the listening experience across several hours. Repeating one short playlist may technically fill the time, but it can make the station sound much smaller than you intended. Decide how often material should repeat and prepare the library around that choice.
Check your plan's Auto DJ storage allowance before planning a large upload. VosCast's published plans include 15 GB, 35 GB, 100 GB, or unlimited storage depending on the tier. The storage guide and plans page explain the options.
Build a simple schedule first
Give each playlist a clear purpose. For example, you might have a general music playlist for ordinary hours and a separate playlist containing a recorded weekly programme. Create the playlists before adding the events that will use them.
| Part of the schedule | What to prepare | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| General hosted playback | The music list and ordinary playback settings | Song Order and whether the result matches your intended sequence |
| A recorded programme | A playlist containing the required files | Its event time, duration, and repeat settings |
| A live programme | A presenter and configured encoder | When Auto DJ stops and who starts it again afterwards |
Creating a playlist alone does not schedule it. In the Scheduler, choose the appropriate action and set the time, date, or repeating days. Save the event and review it before relying on it for the broadcast.
Use the account clock
Check the clock shown on the Auto DJ pages and the Timezone setting in Auto DJ Settings. Do not assume the schedule is using the clock on your laptop. Recheck programme times when daylight-saving changes affect your audience or presenters.
Allow for how playlist events work. They are queued and may begin after the current track. Track lengths, event duration, and overlapping events can affect what is heard. A scheduled playlist is not a promise that an announcement will begin at an exact second.
Our Auto DJ timezone guide explains what to check. Use the detailed setup guide when reviewing options such as looping, shuffling, and event priority.
Plan the changeover to a live presenter
Before a direct live encoder connects, stop VosCast Auto DJ. Then connect the presenter using the server details and the relevant BUTT or Mixxx instructions. Check the listening link to confirm that the live programme is reaching the stream.
At the end of the show, disconnect the live encoder and start Auto DJ again. Do not assume that ending the encoder connection automatically starts hosted playback. Give the presenter a short written checklist so both ends of the changeover are covered.
For a weekly live show, include the preparation time in that checklist: open the software, confirm the right saved profile, check the microphone, and agree who controls the Auto DJ service. Clear responsibility matters as much as the event time.
Keep checking the listener's experience
After changing the library or settings, follow any stop/start notice shown in the account. Check that uploads completed and that the intended files appear in the playlist. Listen through the public stream rather than relying only on the control panel.
When playback is unexpected, work through the music list, Song Order, playlist contents, and active schedule events. Keep the first schedule simple enough that you can explain why a particular programme is playing. Add more events once that routine is dependable.
Hosted Auto DJ is a practical way to give listeners something to tune into between your live programmes. To choose the bitrate, listener allowance, and library space for that schedule, compare VosCast's radio hosting plans.