Ever listened to the radio in rust and thought to yourself, "I wish I could play my own music on the Rust radio."
Well now you can! With Radio Studio, you can add your music to your library and then play it in your own internet radio stream that Rust boomboxes support. You will receive your stream link and your Rust console command to add the custom station to your boombox url list.

Create your very own Rust Radio stations and share them with friends or create an internet Radio station for any other reason. The options are endless with Radio Studio.

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NGS Radio Studio

User Guide

NGS Radio Studio is a desktop radio automation and streaming application for creating and operating a personal radio station. It manages a local music library, plays music through a queue or Auto DJ, provides live microphone input, supports scheduled adverts and jingles, and exposes the station as an MP3 stream that can be used by external clients such as Rust radio or boombox systems.

The application is designed to run locally. Your music, station configuration, playlists, schedules, and settings are stored on your computer. No account is required.

1. Installation and first launch

• Extract or install the application.
• Start NGS Radio Studio.
• On first launch, complete the station setup window:
• Station name: The name shown in the application and in stream metadata.
• Description: An optional description of the station.
• Port: The local TCP port used by listeners. The default is 8020.
• Quality: Select the MP3 bitrate and sample rate appropriate for your connection.
• Allow the application through the Windows firewall when prompted. Listeners cannot connect if the selected TCP port is blocked.
• Import audio before starting the station.

The application uses a private FFmpeg audio engine. On the first launch it may take a short time to prepare the required audio tools.

Recommended network setup

For local listening, use:

http://localhost:8020/stream.mp3

For other devices on the same network, replace localhost with the computer’s local IP address.

For Internet listeners, forward the selected TCP port from your router to the computer running NGS Radio Studio. The port must be forwarded to the same local port configured in the Station page. UDP forwarding is not required for the station stream.

2. Starting and stopping the station

The Start Station button is in the upper-right corner of the application.

When the station is running:

• The status changes to ONLINE.
• The streaming server accepts listener connections.
• The mixer continues producing the station audio stream.
• Playback begins from the queue or Auto DJ when no current track is active.

Click Stop Station to stop accepting new stream connections. Existing listeners are disconnected and the status changes to OFFLINE.

Stopping the station is different from stopping a single overlay or scheduled advert. The station controls the public stream, while the Schedule and Soundboard pages control individual pieces of audio.

3. Dashboard

The Dashboard is the operating view for the station.

Status cards

• Status: Shows whether the station is online or offline.
• Listeners: Shows the current listener count.
• Quality: Shows the selected MP3 bitrate and sample rate.
• Source: Shows whether the mixer is currently using music, microphone, a soundboard item, or another source.

Now Playing

The Now Playing section displays the current title and artist. It updates when a new song begins.

Playback controls

• Previous: Returns to the most recently played queue item when available.
• Pause/Resume: Pauses or resumes local playback in the station engine.
• Next: Advances to the next queue item. If the queue is empty and Auto DJ is enabled, Auto DJ selects the next track.

Local monitoring volume

The Local volume slider changes only the sound you hear through the computer running NGS Radio Studio. It does not change the volume sent to station listeners.

Use Mute to silence local monitoring while allowing the station broadcast to continue normally. This is useful when the station is running unattended or when you are monitoring it through another device.

4. Library

The Library contains the audio files available to the station.

Importing music

• Open Library.
• Select Import Audio Files.
• Choose one or more supported audio files.
• Wait for the metadata scan to finish.

Supported formats include MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, M4A, and AAC, provided FFmpeg can read the file.

The application stores the file path and metadata in its local database. It does not normally copy or relocate the original audio file. Do not move or rename an imported file outside the application without re-importing it, or playback may fail because the saved path is no longer valid.

Library actions

• Play: Immediately starts the selected track.
• Queue: Adds the track to the upcoming queue.
• Remove: Removes the track from the database. If the track is currently playing, playback is stopped first.

Removing a track from the Library also removes it from playlist references through the database relationship rules. If a playlist loses a track, edit that playlist and select replacement audio.

5. Queue

The Queue contains tracks that should play before Auto DJ selects another track.

Use Queue from the Library to add a track. Queue entries appear in playback order. Each item can be removed without deleting the original file from the Library.

Use Play Next to immediately advance to the next item. When the queue is empty:

• Auto DJ continues playback if it is enabled.
• The player stops if Auto DJ is disabled and no track is available.

The queue is intended for short-term control. Use Playlists for reusable programming and the Schedule page for repeating daily programming.

6. Playlists

Playlists are saved collections of Library tracks. They are useful for themed shows, music sessions, background rotation, or scheduled blocks.

Creating a playlist

• Open Playlists.
• Select Create Playlist.
• Open the new playlist with Edit.
• Enter the desired playlist name.
• Select Add songs from Library.
• Tick the songs to add.
• Select Add selected.
• Select Save Playlist.

Editing a playlist

Select Edit beside a playlist to:

• Change the playlist name.
• Add songs from the Library.
• Remove songs from the playlist.
• Review the current song order.

Removing a song from a playlist does not delete the audio file from the Library. It only removes that track from the selected playlist.

Playlist data is saved immediately when Save Playlist is selected. The scheduler uses the playlist ID and current track membership, so changes made here are reflected the next time the scheduled playlist runs.

Playlist scheduling

A scheduled playlist is represented as one playlist block on the Schedule page. The block shows the playlist name and the songs it contains. Editing the playlist updates the information used by future scheduled runs.

7. Auto DJ

Auto DJ automatically chooses music from the Library when the queue is empty.

Use the Enable Auto DJ checkbox to turn automatic selection on or off.

Auto DJ is designed to avoid repetitive programming by considering recent tracks and artists. It is useful for continuous unattended playback.

When Auto DJ is disabled, the station plays queued tracks only. If both the queue and current playback are empty, the station stops producing music until you manually play or queue a track.

Use Auto DJ for general rotation. Use Playlists when you need a predictable sequence.

8. Soundboard

The Soundboard is for manually triggered audio such as station IDs, sweepers, announcements, jingles, and short effects.

Adding a sound

• Open Soundboard.
• Select Add Sound.
• Choose an audio file.
• The item is added using the file name as its label.

Playing a sound

Select the sound item to play it over the station mix. Each sound is initially configured with a ducking behavior so the music is reduced while the sound plays.

Available overlay behaviors include:

• Mix: Plays the sound over the music at the same time.
• Duck: Lowers the music while the sound plays.
• Interrupt: Temporarily suppresses the music while the sound plays.

Use Stop to stop the current soundboard overlay. Use Remove to delete the soundboard entry from the application. Removing an entry does not necessarily delete the original audio file from disk.

9. Schedule

Schedule creates a repeating daily broadcast plan. It is intended for adverts, jingles, station IDs, announcements, and playlist blocks.

Scheduled broadcast switch

Use Enable scheduled broadcast to enable or disable all scheduled actions without deleting them.

Disable scheduled broadcasting when you want to run the station manually using the queue, Auto DJ, or live controls. Re-enable it later to resume the saved daily schedule.

Stopping scheduled audio

Select Stop Scheduled Audio to stop the active scheduled overlay. This does not delete the schedule entry and does not stop the station itself.

Adding an advert or jingle

• Select Add Timeline Item.
• Choose the advert or jingle file.
• The item is initially placed at approximately one minute in the future.
• Select Edit on the timeline card to change the exact 24-hour start time.

Advert behavior

When editing an advert or jingle, choose how playback should continue:

• Continue current music: The station resumes or continues normal music after the advert finishes.
• Start a new song/session: The current session is abandoned and the player advances to the next queued or Auto DJ-selected song after the advert finishes.

The overlay mode determines how the advert interacts with the music while it is playing:

• Mix keeps music and advert audible together.
• Duck lowers music under the advert.
• Interrupt gives the advert priority over the music.

Adding a playlist block

• Select Add Playlist Block.
• Choose the playlist from the list.
• Set its start time using the 24-hour controls.
• Select Add playlist to timeline.

The timeline displays the playlist as one card while listing the songs inside it. At its scheduled time, those songs are added to the station queue. A new session begins according to the playlist block’s configured behavior.

Timeline cards

Each card displays:

• Start time.
• Name of the advert, jingle, or playlist.
• Type and playback behavior.
• Playlist song count and track names where applicable.
• Enabled or disabled state.

Use Enabled to activate an entry or Disabled to leave it saved but inactive. Use Edit to change its time and audio behavior. Use Remove to delete it from the schedule.

The scheduler checks the daily timeline while the application is running. It is not a calendar for individual dates; entries repeat each day until disabled or removed.

10. Live Studio

Live Studio provides microphone-based broadcasting controls.

The application detects available microphone devices during startup. The selected device is shown on this page.

Push-to-talk

The global push-to-talk binding can be assigned to:

• F8
• F9
• F10
• F11
• F12
• Mouse 4
• Mouse 5

The selected key or mouse button works while the application is not the active window, provided the operating system permits the global hook.

PTT modes

• Duck Music lowers music while speaking.
• Pause Music pauses music while speaking and resumes it afterward.
• Mix leaves the music playing while the microphone is active.

The microphone is sent into the station mix. Local monitoring can still be muted independently from the Dashboard.

11. Station

The Station page controls the core station profile.

You can change:

• Station name.
• Listening port.

The listening port must be between 1 and 65535. If the station is already running, stop it before changing network settings, then start it again.

Use a stable local port and forward that same TCP port in the router if the station must be reachable from outside the local network.

12. Network

Network provides diagnostic information for the current computer and network connection.

Select Run Diagnostics to inspect:

• Local address.
• Gateway address.
• Public address.
• Port mapping and reachability information where available.

Automatic port mapping may be attempted through supported router protocols. A successful router mapping does not guarantee that the station is reachable from the public Internet. Firewall rules, carrier-grade NAT, VPNs, and router isolation can still prevent incoming connections.

For reliable public access:

• Confirm the station is running.
• Confirm the local stream works.
• Allow the application through the firewall.
• Forward the station’s TCP port to the correct local computer.
• Test from a separate network, such as a mobile connection.

13. Rust Integration

Rust Integration provides the information required to connect an external Rust-based radio, boombox, or audio client to the station.

The page displays:

• Public IP address when detected.
• Direct stream URL.
• A Rust server entry formatted for use with BoomBox.ServerUrlList.

Direct stream URL

The stream endpoint is:

http://PUBLIC_ADDRESS:PORT/stream.mp3

Replace PUBLIC_ADDRESS and PORT with the values shown by the application.

Rust server configuration

The generated entry follows this general format:

BoomBox.ServerUrlList "Station Name,http://PUBLIC_ADDRESS:PORT/stream.mp3"

Copy the generated value into the Rust server configuration used by the external client. The Rust application must be able to reach the host and TCP port from its own network.

Rust troubleshooting

If the Rust client cannot connect:

• Test the URL in a browser or audio player from another network.
• Verify that the station is online.
• Verify the router forwards TCP, not UDP.
• Confirm the Windows firewall rule.
• Check that the public address has not changed.
• Confirm the Rust client is using /stream.mp3.
• Make sure the station is not bound only to a private or VPN address.

NGS Radio Studio does not require the Rust application to run on the same computer. The only requirement is that the Rust client can reach the published stream endpoint.

14. Settings

Settings contains local monitoring and diagnostic controls.

Local monitoring

Play the live station mix through this computer enables or disables local audio output. Disabling it does not stop the station stream or affect listeners.

Use this setting when you want the station to continue broadcasting without playing through the computer’s speakers.

Test tone

Play Test Tone sends a short test tone through the local audio output. It is useful for confirming that the selected Windows audio device is working.

The test tone is local and is not intended to be broadcast as station content.

Audio diagnostics

Refresh Audio Diagnostics displays information about:

• Local audio backend.
• Output frames submitted.
• Mixer frames.
• Encoded frames.
• Peak and RMS levels.
• Any reported output error.

The data folder and FFmpeg paths are also shown for troubleshooting.

15. About

About identifies the application and its general operating model. NGS Radio Studio is intended to be a local, account-free station tool with no mandatory hosted service.

16. Audio and station workflow examples

Simple music station

• Import music in Library.
• Create a playlist or leave Auto DJ enabled.
• Start the station.
• Use the Dashboard to monitor playback and listeners.
• Use the local volume slider or mute control as needed.

Scheduled advert breaks

• Import the music used by the station.
• Open Schedule and add an advert.
• Set the advert time.
• Choose Duck or Interrupt.
• Choose whether music continues or a new song starts afterward.
• Enable scheduled broadcasting.
• Start the station.

Scheduled show block

• Create a playlist containing the show’s tracks.
• Open Schedule.
• Add a Playlist Block.
• Select the playlist and start time.
• Review the songs shown in the timeline card.
• Disable or remove the block when the show is no longer required.

Live presentation

• Select a microphone in Live Studio.
• Choose a PTT key or mouse button.
• Choose Duck Music, Pause Music, or Mix.
• Start the station.
• Hold the PTT key while speaking.
• Release it to return to normal playback.

17. Data, files, and backups

The application maintains a local data folder containing the station database, settings, logs, and supporting files. The exact path is shown on the Settings page.

To back up the station configuration, close the application and copy the application data folder. This preserves playlists, schedules, station profiles, and other saved settings.

Audio files may be stored elsewhere. Back up the original music folders separately. Restoring the database without restoring the referenced audio files will leave playlist entries pointing to missing media.

Do not edit the database while the application is running.

18. Common problems

The station starts but no one can connect

Check that the station status is ONLINE, the selected TCP port is allowed through the firewall, and the router forwards the same port to the correct computer.

Music plays locally but not for listeners

Confirm that the station is running and that listeners use /stream.mp3. Local monitoring and public streaming use the same mixer, but local mute does not mute the public stream.

A playlist is empty

Edit the playlist and add tracks from Library. Confirm the source files still exist at their imported paths.

A scheduled playlist does not play

Confirm that scheduled broadcasting is enabled, the schedule entry is enabled, the playlist still exists, and the application was running at the scheduled time.

An advert does not play

Verify that the file still exists, FFmpeg can read it, the schedule entry is enabled, and scheduled broadcasting is enabled.

The microphone does not work

Check operating system microphone permissions, select the correct device, and test the push-to-talk binding. Some systems require permission for global keyboard or mouse hooks.

The application does not close

Close the main window normally and wait for audio, streaming, and background services to stop. The application performs an orderly shutdown so FFmpeg and the stream server can be terminated cleanly.

19. Recommended operating procedure

For reliable operation:

• Import and test audio before going live.
• Create and verify playlists before scheduling them.
• Test the station locally before configuring public access.
• Start the station before testing the Rust connection.
• Keep the computer awake while the station is broadcasting.
• Avoid moving imported audio files.
• Disable schedule entries rather than deleting them when they may be needed later.
• Back up the application data folder before major playlist or schedule changes.
• Test adverts and jingles manually before assigning them to an important time slot.
• Use the Settings diagnostics if local audio or FFmpeg behavior is unclear.