RB 5.0 Insertion of Scheduled Event when Player Stopped

[radiodungog]

Dmitry,

I have RB 5.0 installed and running on my PC and I'm loving the new bits that I can see.  The scheduler with the "Group" feature is a winner !

I'm now playing with our old favourite - scheduled events being inserted into the player and playing over the top of the live presenter when he is talking - and that one is still a problem.

I played a song on the player and clicked the "Stop after this track" button and made a manual announcement about that song.  Meanwhile the scheduler was on countdown to insert an advert playlist - and at the appropriate time it inserted the playlist and it started to play over the top of me like it used to in RB 4.9

I tried the process again - but this time I operated the "Stop" button - but still no success - the playlist was inserted and started to play over the top of me again.

Is there a secret button of tick box that I've missed on RB 5.0 to get around this ?


Thanks,  Jamie C.

 

[djsoft]

Is there a secret button of tick box that I've missed on RB 5.0 to get around this ?

I think, yes: please open Settings->Inputs, click Advanced and tick the "Do not start scheduled events when MIC is on" checkbox. This will only work if you're using the MIC button and won't work if you're working with external mixer (when using an external mixer you can still turn on the MIC button of course).

 

[radiodungog]

Dmitry,

Your comments above certainly work with the RB inbuilt "MIC" button pressed - but real radio stations with live presenters use external mixers.

Oh dear


Thanks,  Jamie C.

 

[djsoft]

Your comments above certainly work with the RD inbuilt "MIC" button - but real radio stations with live presenters use external mixers.

Yes... but you can still turn on the MIC button while talking, just to make RB know that you're Live, while doing real talking using the mixer.

A change is planned for the next update: there has to be LIVE button added (instead, or in addition to "Stop after this track") which will prevent events startup, disable tracks auto advance etc.

 

[radiodungog]

Dmitry,

Yes but ...

We have tried all sorts of fixes for this issue to date and none of the fixes have overcome the main problem - that the live presenters are "scared" of the RadioBOSS scheduler inserting content that plays over the top of them.  Me included !

The live studio can be busy:

1. Looking at printouts of local events ready for a live read

2. Looking at the latest weather forecast on another PC ready for a live read

3. Interviewing local people on the phone (live to air) from the bowling club or golf club with news about upcoming events or recent competitions

4. Live studio interviews with local people about happenings in and around town

5. Answering the phone and taking requests from listeners and looking up the music library and inserting them into the player AND looking up Wikepedia for some background information on the artist top mention before it is played


And while all of that is happening the live presenter is trying to keep an eye on RadioBOSS to second guess what it is going to do next and if it might play over the top of them.

Operating the RadioBOSS "MIC" button to help with this process is simply beyond the capabilities of all live presenters - and the end result is that something goes wrong and RadioBOSS plays an advert over the top of the presenter.

The good thing about the "Stop after this track" button is that it stops after a single track and presenter knows to use the play button to start the next song - and subsequent songs automatically play UNLESS the "Stop after this track" button is operated again.  That is a VERY useful feature.


It can be very hectic in the studio - and like a Boeing 747 you'd need a co-pilot in the studio to help avoid the upcoming crash !



Thanks,  Jamie C.

 

[radiodungog]

Dmitry,

Okay, I've played with RB 5.0 and there might be a possible temporary fix using the "MIC" button as you suggested.  Here is what might work:

1. > Settings > Options > Inputs

Set MIC button "Music level" to 0dB  (this prevents RB from dropping the music level when MIC button operated - "auto ducking")

2. When the live presenter enters the studio operate the "MIC" button (LIVE PRESENTER button)

3. Use "Stop after this track" button as normal

4. Use "Play" button as normal

5. When the live presenter leaves the studio turn off the "MIC" button (LIVE PRESENTER button)

6. We will put a sign up on the studio door and on the LCD screen to remind presenters to do this.  So in this case the "MIC" button becomes our "LIVE PRESENTER" button - but without the "auto ducking" feature working.


That's it ...  I have tested the above process over and over with different scheduler operations and it seems to work okay.


Dmitry, does that make sense ?


Thanks,  Jamie C.

 

[djsoft]

Operating the RadioBOSS "MIC" button to help with this process is simply beyond the capabilities of all live presenters - and the end result is that something goes wrong and RadioBOSS plays an advert over the top of the presenter.

Currently the solution with MIC button is the best I can offer for your situation... Regarding events, you can increase the "Scheduler event flashing time" settings in Settings->General to 30 or more seconds, this way RB will warn that an event is going to start (big red bar flashing in the top right corner) and presenter will have time to react (e.g. click the MIC button).

Dmitry, does that make sense ?

Yes, that's what I was suggesting to do in my first reply

A normal LIVE button will be added in the future to make things easier.

 

[radiodungog]

Dmitry,

We loaded RB 5.0.0.9 today and it's running live now.  I have typed up some reference notes for our presenters so they know what to do.

The procedure basically says:

1. Click MIC button on when you start your lice show

2. Use RB as normal, including the "Stop after this track" button, and the "Play" button

3. Click the MIC button off when you finish your live show


That's it .... fingers crossed ... tomorrow is day one with the new 5.0.0.9 software


Thanks,  Jamie C.

 

[djsoft]

That's it .... fingers crossed ... tomorrow is day one with the new 5.0.0.9 software

Jamie, please let me know if anything goes wrong with the new version.

 

[radiodungog]

Dmitry,

Today Brian is on the air live at Radio Dungog and I just called him to get a report and he says "it's going great ... the adverts get put in and just sit there until I hit the Play button ... it's going great."

I think that is a double "thumbs up" ... woohoo !


Thanks Dmitry,  Jamie C.

PS  For the "LIVE" button it could sit to the left of the "MIC" button and perform much the same functions as the "MIC" button but without the audio input functions.

 

[djsoft]

PS  For the "LIVE" button it could sit to the left of the "MIC" button and perform much the same functions as the "MIC" button but without the audio input functions.

I thought of the same, also the MIC button will be hidden if there's no device selected for microphone, so you'll have only LIVE button in the bottom right corner.

I'm glad that the software is doing great in your environment.