Schedule options, silence detector + Playlists

[eddr]

Hello,

I'd like to request some features which I think would be beneficial:

Schedule Options

1) Currently if the playlist is stopped and a schedule runs to generate a playlist, the playlist will start playing. Can an option be implemented so that the playlist is generated but the 'state' remains the same? Or simply to not Play if the playlist is Stopped ? So something like "Do not effect Playing status" or "Do not Play if playlist is stopped" (Similar to 'Do not action this event when playlist is stopped').

2) An option for an event to trigger when RadioBOSS is started - Could be used to ensure event(s) is always fired when RadioBOSS starts, such as setting volume, loading a 'initial' playlist etc.

Silence Detector

1) Currently we only have the option to load a specific playlist. Can an option be implemented to execute a program? I know a playlist can be created to do this (run a program) but what if you don't want the existing playlist to be effected and simply run program outside of RadioBOSS? (In our situation, this would be a script which just sends an alert via email + txt).

Playlists

1) The ability to switch/control Playlist 'tabs' via the API.

2) The ability to target Playlist 'tabs' via a event/schedule/playlist generation.

Thanks

 

[djsoft]

Currently if the playlist is stopped and a schedule runs to generate a playlist, the playlist will start playing. Can an option be implemented so that the playlist is generated but the 'state' remains the same?

You can generate a playlist and save it to a file without loading it to the playlist window and without playing - there's an option to do so in the Scheduler wizard. You can then start this playlist when needed, using a separate event.

2) An option for an event to trigger when RadioBOSS is started - Could be used to ensure event(s) is always fired when RadioBOSS starts, such as setting volume, loading a 'initial' playlist etc.

Thank you for the suggestion, we'll consider adding this in the future updates.

1) Currently we only have the option to load a specific playlist. Can an option be implemented to execute a program? I know a playlist can be created to do this (run a program) but what if you don't want the existing playlist to be effected and simply run program outside of RadioBOSS? (In our situation, this would be a script which just sends an alert via email + txt).

You can use the notifications for this: http://manual.djsoft.net/radioboss/en/http_request.htm
It can send silence detector events to a script on your web site.

1) The ability to switch/control Playlist 'tabs' via the API.

2) The ability to target Playlist 'tabs' via a event/schedule/playlist generation.

Currently there's only one active tab - additional tabs are intended to be used for manual operation. Can you please describe use case for such features?

 

[eddr]

You can generate a playlist and save it to a file without loading it to the playlist window and without playing - there's an option to do so in the Scheduler wizard. You can then start this playlist when needed, using a separate event.

Ok but will this mean if the player is 'Stopped' when the playlist (which was previously generated and saved) is loaded the player will remain Stopped? I don't really see the difference in doing this, sorry. We would just like the ability for a schedule to generate and load the playlist and not effect Playing/Stopped status.

Thank you for the suggestion, we'll consider adding this in the future updates.

Great, thanks!

You can use the notifications for this: http://manual.djsoft.net/radioboss/en/http_request.htmIt can send silence detector events to a script on your web site.

We don't want to create a web server/service for this purpose really - I really think the functionality of executing a program 'out of the box' would be beneficial to the product - the HTTP request is great, but not if you don't have one

Currently there's only one active tab - additional tabs are intended to be used for manual operation. Can you please describe use case for such features?

When you switch tabs and play a track in that tab, does that tab then become the 'active' tab? (So the previous 'active' is now manual?)

Use cases:
- Ability to generate playlists scheduled at the same time but separate the playlists (into tabs).
- Ability to have one of the playlists with just a stream URL in it - this would mean the stream URL is tried indefinitely, regardless of any timeout errors (error 40!) etc.

I think its great that you can actually have these tabs and load different playlists for each - but there's no control in API or targeting in the scheduler which surprises me as usually you have thought of most things when it comes to API + options etc!

As always thanks for your time.

 

[djsoft]

Ok but will this mean if the player is 'Stopped' when the playlist (which was previously generated and saved) is loaded the player will remain Stopped? I don't really see the difference in doing this, sorry. We would just like the ability for a schedule to generate and load the playlist and not effect Playing/Stopped status.

Scheduler always starts playback if the playlist is not already playing. What is the purpose of event if it does not start playback? If you want to simply generate a playlist to play it later, then saving it to a file is one possible solution.

We don't want to create a web server/service for this purpose really  - I really think the functionality of executing a program 'out of the box' would be beneficial to the product - the HTTP request is great, but not if you don't have one

This'll be considered for the future, as additional action when the silence is detected.

- Ability to generate playlists scheduled at the same time but separate the playlists (into tabs).

For this case, I suggest creating playlists and saving them to files. Then use events to load and play those playlists  when needed.

Ability to have one of the playlists with just a stream URL in it - this would mean the stream URL is tried indefinitely, regardless of any timeout errors (error 40!) etc.

You can create scheduled event to play network stream only (use the "Clear playlist" option) - it will clear the playlist window, and insert the stream URL only. Another event may later load some other playlist, when you want to play something besides network stream.

The reason why we still did not add a feature to use different tabs from the scheduler is to avoid confusion and misconfiguration. For instance, an event can be assigned to a tab, but this tab is renamed or removed, and event does not start. Scheduled events already have many queuing options, and we'd like to avoid complicating things even further by adding tabs assignment.

but there's no control in API or targeting in the scheduler which surprises me as usually you have thought of most things when it comes to API

That's because RadioBOSS is supposed to be "easy to use" However, I think API commands to control playlist tabs will be added at some point in the future.

 

[eddr]

Scheduler always starts playback if the playlist is not already playing. What is the purpose of event if it does not start playback? If you want to simply generate a playlist to play it later, then saving it to a file is one possible solution.

Let's say there's a scheduled playlist for 6pm - it's 5:57pm and a DJ is talking (Using the MIC button) and so has stopped playing the playlist. They continue talking until 6:00pm but failed to notice the time, the playlist is loaded and the tracks start playing whilst they continue to talk - not good!. I know there is Manual mode or you can turn off the scheduler, but turning off the scheduler means the 6:00pm schedule would be missed and manual mode means the schedule would have to be launched manually (And the DJ forgets ).

Now really for us specifically, we have reverted back to 2 instances of RadioBOSS (One for Auto and one for Live DJ's) until you are able to fix the stream error 40 timeout moving on to the next track. This works OK but schedules on the 'Auto DJ' RadioBOSS instance start playing when a Live DJ is on and we don't want this to happen.

This'll be considered for the future, as additional action when the silence is detected.

Perfect! I'm sure you are sick of me but I am surprised this has not been requested in this way before.... In my opinion it gives the greatest possibilities of what to do when silence is detected as you can launch an external script/program which you can then choose to do whatever you want with

You can create scheduled event to play network stream only (use the "Clear playlist" option) - it will clear the playlist window, and insert the stream URL only. Another event may later load some other playlist, when you want to play something besides network stream. The reason why we still did not add a feature to use different tabs from the scheduler is to avoid confusion and misconfiguration. For instance, an event can be assigned to a tab, but this tab is renamed or removed, and event does not start. Scheduled events already have many queuing options, and we'd like to avoid complicating things even further by adding tabs assignment.

This would work OK until a schedule comes and adds track to the playlist as you say. This is why we have reverted back to 2 instances for now.

I understand you don't want to complicate the scheduled events even more, there are indeed many options already, all of which are very useful depending on the situation The product is amazing really, it's affordable (especially for a non-profit station like ours), its very diverse and there's nothing out there that compares - well there is, but the price for these software packages are ridiculous!

 

[djsoft]

DJ is talking (Using the MIC button) and so has stopped playing the playlist. They continue talking until 6:00pm but failed to notice the time, the playlist is loaded and the tracks start playing whilst they continue to talk - not good!

One of the possible solutions is to set music level to -60dB when the MIC is on. This will effectively mute the music when MIC button is pressed (you can set music level in Settings->Inputs).

Currently, according to how many (really many!) support requests we've got regarding "My events do not start" and it turned out that "Manual" was turned on. Adding another option to make events not start playback will generate even more support requests

This works OK but schedules on the 'Auto DJ' RadioBOSS instance start playing when a Live DJ is on and we don't want this to happen.

Soon there will be no need to use two RB instances to handle DJ connections. There will be a specific feature for such a purpose - however, it's planned for version 5.8, or maybe we'll roll it out between the versions as mini-beta.

The product is amazing really

Thank you