RadioBOSS 7.2 [beta]

[tomimatko]

Sorry for the separate post — the edit time has expired, so I’m continuing here.

I think it would be fair to offer a choice.
Those who want dayparting can accept a more complex event structure, while those who prefer a simpler workflow should be able to use the Standard version without dayparting and keep the simple, traditional “Generate a playlist” method.

Forcing the same two-step “generate + start” workflow on the Standard version, which does not include dayparting, does not make sense.

 

[djsoft]

The icons for (previous, now, and next…) can be displayed inside the “track title” column, as shown in the screenshot, or in another new column called “status”, or in the “icon” column.

Within the “track title” column, the space at the end can be used efficiently and it looks very good. Also, I think this could be defined so users can enable or disable it.

This is why we added the new Icon column. You can move it after the Track Title column to have the same visual appearance as if the icon was placed in the Track Title column itself. And separate column approach allows to place the icon anywhere, based on where one wants to see those icons.

The icon set by the user can replace the default one (musical note icon), thus avoiding having two columns, while also leaving space for the text (Time Stretch, queue, etc.).

An option can be added to hide those default icons, but I honestly do not see any point in it. Not much space will be saved (16px icon + 4px margin) plus you lose indication on what tracks are scheduled/played.

Custom file type icons can't replace the default icons completely as it will require creating a full set of all possible states (played scheduled, unplayed scheduled, etc.) - way too much icons in all those combinations.

 

[djsoft]

Can't seem to get some custom hot keys to worl for example i normally set ` as a second mic button as its easier to get to than F8 but it wont seem to set.

Setting ` as a hot key for Microphone works here. Are you sure you don't have this key assigned to something else in the system, e.g. input language switch?

Some of my Tags don't seem to be setting for example my new Clean Tag sets fine, but the new EXPLICIT tag i created won't set atleast visually its there in the tags when viewing track editor/track properties but not visually there in Music Library

We'll check if there's a bug, thank you.

 

[djsoft]

The bugs are listed below:
01 - Playback Overlap: If more than one event is scheduled, they appear in the tab to the left of the queue and wait for the music to finish (so far so good), but then all events in the queue are played at the same time (mixed) and not one at a time.

This is not a bug, it's by design, each event waits independently, and then all events that were waiting, are started. If you want better queuing, then you should insert events into the playlist.

02 - Playback Overlap: In the case of a commercial event, the system no longer waits for the music to finish; it simply pauses the music and plays the commercials. NOTE: If more than one event is scheduled (for example, jingles, time announcements and temperature announcements), they will appear in the tab to the left of the queue, but all events in the queue will be played simultaneously, along with the commercials.

This is the same situation, I suppose you shouldn't use the Overlay option at all if you want proper queuing.

 

[djsoft]

One of the features I really could use... Is more scheduling options for various track attributes like gender, tempo etc using Max/Min in a row method.
But for now time to play with day parting.

Gender filter already presents there, and it can also be implemented in a different way using the Tags and then setting up filters/constraints.

 

[djsoft]

Thank you, I requested this feature approximately 3 years ago.

Interesting, because the request date is in 2023 in our records. I think it can be added in this 7.2 release.

In this case, is it possible to set the text “INTRO + OUTRO”?

There's no text, when it's an intro(+outro) countdown, it's shown in green color (or whatever color is configured in styles) while default track timers are black.

One observation: when seeking within the intro or outro zone: , the intro/outro bar and counter are not shown or disappear; they only appear again when the track is restarted. In the previous version, this worked correctly.

When you seek, it's not always possible to calculate intro timer, so sometimes it was off, that's why it's hidden now.

 

[djsoft]

I’ve been testing this 7.2 beta version for a few hours now, and what a success! The interface is beautiful, the dayparting is brilliant, and the virtual mixer is a fantastic idea.

Thank you!

Regarding the virtual mixer, would it be possible to control it via an API? The idea would be to switch to an external source (the stream of a remote host) using an HTTP request, and then switch back to the main input once the show is over. This would be amazing for my radio station.

API may be added but may be later once the mixer settles in - otherwise we will spent more time doing then redoing the API in case mixer needs to be changed considerably for some reason. Maybe you can achieve the same using the existing API commands - depending on what exactly needs to be switched on/off.

 

[djsoft]

Is there a way for us on Standard to see what the virtual mixer looks like? I may be interested but I'd like to see how it looks/works first. Is it already in the manual?

The user manual is not yet updated. The mixer simply allows to control the levels of inputs and outputs that RadioBOSS has.

 

[Levine66]

Gender filter already presents there, and it can also be implemented in a different way using the Tags and then setting up filters/constraints.

Can Gender be added to the constraints then... Thank you.

Another observation... The new clock tab is cooool.. Can the weather and hour count down be shifted to the clock tab too and upper one can be turned on or off because there's a cooler clock.

 

[djsoft]

The explanation that “playlists were started at some random point in time, depending on how much time it took to create a playlist” doesn’t really hold up in real radio operation. On my system, generating a one-hour playlist takes between 1 and 5 minutes, depending on the settings. That has never been a practical issue.

This is actually a problem, precise programming is not possible in this case as playlist can start quickly within a minute, or after 5 minutes, or even more, and it's impossible to predict.

There is also another important aspect. Radio programming is not static — to avoid sounding repetitive, I regularly adjust the timing of individual events, shifting them slightly earlier or later. With this new model, I would constantly have to ensure that two separate events remain perfectly aligned. Keeping everything synchronized under these conditions would be very difficult and extremely easy to mess up.

Events don't need to be aligned. Just generate event needs to be in advance of the start event. You can create all playlists in one event, or, create them each hour and use a single event to start them: repeat every hour and use file name templates.
So it's not necessary doubling the event count.

And finally, a very important question: if the Standard and Advanced version does not include dayparting, will it keep the old “Generate a playlist” behavior?

In this regard, the behavior is the same. We can extend (or add new command) to "generate and start" for those who want to use it. The problem with legacy generate command, in addition to unpredictable playlist launch, is that it won't allow using the new features like dayparting or same-time repeat protection.

 

[djsoft]

I don't see those previous, next, and now icons. How can I see them or add them?

It's not yet implemented, will be added in the next update.

 

[djsoft]

Forcing the same two-step “generate + start” workflow on the Standard version, which does not include dayparting, does not make sense.

It's not only for dayparting, the main issue is that it's unknown when the playlist will launch. And with growing complexity of the Playlist Generator, when many features are enabled and with a huge track database, it may take 30+ minutes to create a playlist. But as I said in the previous reply, I think we'll add a new (or extend the 'generate' command) to allow generate-and-start as well as support new features.

 

[djsoft]

Can Gender be added to the constraints then... Thank you.

Yes.

Another observation... The new clock tab is cooool.. Can the weather and hour count down be shifted to the clock tab too and upper one can be turned on or off because there's a cooler clock.

This is an interesting idea, noted for the future updates.

 

[xzsaimon16]

This is why we added the new Icon column. You can move it after the Track Title column to have the same visual appearance as if the icon was placed in the Track Title column itself. And separate column approach allows to place the icon anywhere, based on where one wants to see those icons.


An option can be added to hide those default icons, but I honestly do not see any point in it. Not much space will be saved (16px icon + 4px margin) plus you lose indication on what tracks are scheduled/played.

Custom file type icons can't replace the default icons completely as it will require creating a full set of all possible states (played scheduled, unplayed scheduled, etc.) - way too much icons in all those combinations.

I understand this, but it’s necessary to implement the icons (previous, current, and next). Where will they be added? Inside the “icon” column, or will there be another column called “status”?


I think it would be better to have a separate column, since it can also be moved to wherever it looks best. But I’m not sure what you have in mind; in any case, I’m glad this is being added one way or another.

 

[CharlyPoss]

Por favor escriba en inglés.


Por favor escriba en inglés.

Realmente no veo ninguna mejora visual; es el mismo diseño.

 

[IvanVK]

I'll see what can be done. Maybe we'll run a limited promotion to allow upgrading with a discount instead. Standard and Advanced already have lots of features, especially for this price point.


OK, more style options will be added to control how the tabs look.


There's a bug that you also need to change some other option (and change it back), this will trigger it to save the icon.


I'm not sure about this, the logical position is to the right. I added this to the list, maybe an option will be added.

I fully support the idea of making it possible to choose the position of the countdown timer. So far, I have not encountered any errors in the operation of RB. I like the new clock display option in the menu.

 

[tomimatko]

Here is what I’m trying to understand. For me, this is a big and fundamental change compared to how RadioBOSS worked before, so I want to be sure I understand it correctly.


1. One event generating many playlists
You said that all playlists can be generated in one event.
How exactly would this work if I have 77 different playlists?
Do I need one long command with many presets and output files, or is there a simpler and more practical method for real radio use?

2. Performance and system load
If one event generates all 77 playlists, this is a lot of work at the same time.
Some of my playlists use complex generator settings, so I am concerned about CPU and disk load.
Also, to be safe when I make schedule changes, I would feel forced to regenerate all playlists every hour.
This would be the only way to make sure that the same playlist does not start twice on the same day.
Is this how this workflow is expected to be used in real radio operation, and is it realistic to generate so many playlists every hour?

3. Daily operation and schedule changes
Radio programming is not static. I often make small changes to the schedule.
With this approach, when I add a new hour or remove one, I must also remember to update the central “generate playlists” event.
This adds extra steps to daily work and increases the risk of human error.

4. Fundamental workflow change
From my point of view, this is a fundamental workflow change.
We are moving from a simple, safe, and easy-to-control workflow to a more complex one with more dependencies and more things that can go wrong.
Please correct me if I am misunderstanding this.

5. “Generate and start” option
You mentioned a possible “generate and start” command.
Is this planned for RadioBOSS 7.2.x, or is it only an idea for some future version?

6. Update decision
My update subscription expires at the end of February, so I need to decide whether to stay on the current version or upgrade.
Knowing if a simpler “generate and start” workflow will be available soon would help me make that decision.

 

[xzsaimon16]

There's no text, when it's an intro(+outro) countdown, it's shown in green color (or whatever color is configured in styles) while default track timers are black.


When you seek, it's not always possible to calculate intro timer, so sometimes it was off, that's why it's hidden now.

I understand, but it would be possible to set one color for the intro time and another for the outro, to distinguish them.

Additionally, I would like to be able to edit the color of the “intro and outro” marker within Now Playing. I would also like the position marker’s movement to be smoother.

On short tracks, it’s noticeable that the sliding movement is abrupt.

 

[tomimatko]

Here is a real-world problem from daily radio operation.

Before, the workflow was very simple:
I added a Generate a playlist: Rock event, and that was it. The playlist was generated and started. One action, one result.

With the new workflow, this same task is now split into multiple steps:
First, I need an event that generates an .m3u playlist file and stores it in a folder. In my case, that folder contains 77 different playlists.
Then, I need another event where I must manually select the correct playlist file from that folder (for example Rock.m3u) and load it to start playback. At this point, I must be very careful not to select the wrong playlist file, as there is no protection against human error here.

In practice, this means more steps, more manual selection, and more things to remember. For daily radio work, this increases complexity and the risk of mistakes, without improving the actual on-air result.

From a radio editor’s point of view, the previous “generate and start in one step” workflow was simpler, safer, and better suited for real-world operation.

 

[tomimatko]

I tried to test Dayparting.

For testing:
I created a clock rotation with a jingle every three songs. I have 10 jingles in total:
I set 9 jingles to weekdays (green) and 1 jingle to weekend (today is Sunday).
I also enabled the no-repeat rule.
I created the event correctly as well:
run PlaylistGeneratorPro.exe "-preset=Funky" "-out=C:\Users\tomim\Documents\Funky 2.m3u8"
However, every time I generate the playlist, all jingles appear in the clock, including the weekday ones.