I have got a reliable set up running using old USB keyboard hardware and desktop shortcuts to turn the streaming on when the repeater Tx key line is keyed, just like a voice repeater turns the transmitter on when in use and thereby saving on bandwidth in those dead hours...
Do the following on your XP machine (use your own repeater name where gb3hv is used).
Set up the adobe flash encoder and then save your encoder profile in the programfiles/adobe/flashmediaencoder directory (must be in the flashmediaencoder directory and not the default) This should create something like gb3hv.xml
Use notepad to create a batch file called gb3hvstart.bat in the same adobe endcoer directory with the following lines:
FMLEcmd /p gb3hv.xml
end
Use notepad to create a batch file called gb3hvstop.bat in the same adobe endcoer directory with the following lines:
FMLEcmd.exe /s rtmp://fms.batc.tv/live/gb3hv+gb3hv
Now open the flashmediaencoder directory and right click on each batch file in turn and create 2 shortcuts - drag these shortcuts on to your desk top.
Test it - Double clicking on the start shortcut should start the streaming (a Dos window, not the adobe program) and double clicking on stop should stop it!
Take the small PCB out of a £5 USB key board - noting the multiway connectors that connect to the actual keyboard matrix. Plug in to a USB port on the PC - you can run more than one keyboard so no need to disconnect the main one - and be ready with some test wires as we now have to find the 2 lines for F9 and F10 which will be used to trigger the streaming.
Right click on one of the shortcuts you just created, click properties. Play around shorting wires on the PCB matrix input and you will see the key you have hit show up in the "shortcut key" window - if not, check things are OK by hitting a key on your main keyboard, it should show in the window.
Eventually, you will find the 2 matrix lines that hit F9 and the 2 that hit F10 and save the shortcut. We need to use a key in the range F9 to F12 as any other key is probably used and grabbed by other programs. During this process you will probably bring up help, run other programs and even close the machine down
Now wire 2 double pole relays, one to trigger each of the shortcuts with a 1 microfarad (or similar) in series with the keyboard line to simulate a key press and you have hardware control of the encoder...
It's not as difficult as it sounds and has worked reliably on GB3HV for the last 6 months...
Best 73
Noel - G8GTZ