TA switching on remote RDS encoder

The way I’d approach this is via the playout software. Most systems have the ability to embed ‘commands’ into the playout log or into the traffic in and out jingles. I would think this is the most common way of doing TA switching.

Unless I misunderstand you, using playout jingles sounds like using DTMF tones to me – so 20th century!

This application is for use with Myriad, which does not seem to offer such a data interface.

I don’t really want to have to get my head round SNMP or Telnet programming. It seems a pretty standard requirement that any station would want, so it’s surprising something is not out there already – basically a big on/off button either physical or on screen.

Sorry didn’t read that properly. That does seem to be a bit of a problem. The only way i can think is setting it up with your play out software controlling you serial port (or remote serial port) if it is possible. I know some can update the radio text to current song.

Myriad can embed ‘commands’ in the station-log, or attach them to a specific cart.

These commands can be hardware switching via a GPIO card, serial RS232, TCP/IP or firing off an external software program.

You’d need to work out the exact commands your RDS coder required and see if Myriad’s built in IP functionality can be used, or if it needs to run an external utility. The IP functions came somewhere in the v3 family – so unless you are still on a very old version you should have it.

Over the years there have been many stations using the ‘de de dum’ DTMF tones within their travel jingles who had long stopped, or never used a DTMF detector to switch the travel flag, but used them as a “sonic logo” which the listener would associate to mean a travel report.

Phil – as usual you are entirely correct – I confirmed the same info in parallel with P Squared. They also mentioned that their OCP application could have a role to play.

I’m still surprised that there is not a simple stand-alone app for stations that may not have such fancy playout software (or are less capable at systems integration :-). Using UECP it could be universal for any RDS encoder….wonder if Charly Davy’s reading this thread..!

Most commercial radio stations I have worked at have used in-house software to monitor what the playout system is playing and raise the TA flag whenever the travel intro cart is played. That makes it very simple for the programmes department, as they do not have to schedule any funny commands or ask their presenters to press any buttons.

RCS Master Control has TA ON and TA OFF commands on the button box, but you can also have the commands placed in the log. On Genesys it’s very easy to build a “command cut” which turns on the TA and fires your Travel Intro and Bed, and similarly have one which fires the backtag then turns the TA off. You can then just put it on a QuickPlay page and click it when you need to. With Myriad you have the choice of putting the commands into the log, or attaching macros to existing audio cuts.

Glyn, what RDS Encoder are you using?

When a presenter (a long time ago) on Hallam FM, the travel jingle contained a subsonic tone that fired off the TA flag (and cancelled it).

Additionally, there was a button on the desk that allowed us to turn the TA flag on and turn it off, so we could do travel, correctly flagged, without having to play a jingle.

Whatever solution you go for, please do consider that it’s not always appropriate to play a jingle when giving travel news. A good presenter will thank you for keeping his options open.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I still think there is a gap in the market for a simple application that can control this over a LAN. A lot of community stations cannot afford professional playout systems and instead use things like Zara Radio which do not have this kind of control functionality. The alternative (non-LAN) control methods require a fair degree of cost and relative complexity.

Thought provoking observation about not necessarily having a jingle James. Personally though I think a lot of the smaller stations want to use TA flag a little less for providing a traffic service and a little more to boost audience awareness, so they might want at least a jingle at the end so the listener knows the station name. Re: subsonic tones I recall in those days there were also in-band tones which allowed interrogation of transmitter status, and even transmitter changeover I think….getting off-topic now!