Hello,
I had a question about news files.
Every hour i get a file (MP3) from a news gathering.
This must be written to the same file in mairlist. Now every news file of every hour is not the same time.
Question what can i do so the start next is smooth en right to my TOTH.
Frank
This should work when you use the mAirListDB: import the news file into mAirListDB and note its ID. Then add a “specific item” entry on top of the hour template and enter the ID.
Very important: Remove all cue markers from the news item! Otherwise it might be cut off when it’s longer than the initial version.
You may also want to check the “don’t prebuffer” option in the properties dialog of the news item to make sure that the (old version of the) item isn’t prebuffered by the time the new version is downloaded.
Just want to add my 2 cents worth…
The way we do it is pretty much the same as Adrian says. The only difference with ours is that we use a hard fixed time for the news item, and a dummy hard fixed timed at xx:59:59 from which we back time the last few tracks so that the run into the news is smooth when in automation.
oddward wrote: The only difference with ours is that we use a hard fixed time for the news item, and a dummy hard fixed timed at xx:59:59 from which we back time the last few tracks so that the run into the news is smooth when in automation.
Interesting…is this done manually or executed by the Mini Scheduler? What are the settings of this dummy hard fixed item?
We have done it through the hour templates, the dummy is just a file in the database which you can add manually. I have attached some screen shots kinda showing how it looks.
Thanks, oddward. Screen shots are so much more understanding, compared to words 
I have a totally different way of creating playlist. I use News as a hard fixed item (after Time Announcement) and I am very curious of backtiming is possible in my situation.
I think i might be missing some of your screen shot. but if you look at the second screenshot that I uploaded and then at items number 21 and 22. Keep item 22 which is just a dummy (screenshot 1, first of the two red bars on the playlist). But make 21 the time announce backtimed from 22. I know in my example the times look a little bit funny but that is because our news has an intro and i have set it to anchor at the end of the intro which is 17 seconds. so the news file starts playing just before the hour.
If you were to do this method then you will probably need to offset the files by 1 hour. for example “upnext the 4 o’clock news” the hour that it can be scheduled in is not 4 but 3 o’clock just a little confusing.
oddward, thanks. I really like to “backtime” my playlist every hour in automation.
Keep item 22 which is just a dummy (screenshot 1, first of the two red bars on the playlist). But make 21 the time announce backtimed from 22.
Just to make sure: I make “item 21” my time announce file which is 11 seconds. On the playback tab, I change Timing: Normal to Timing: backtimed ? Do I have to change any more settings?
On “item 22, the dummy”, I do not change any setting?
If you were to do this method then you will probably need to offset the files by 1 hour. for example "upnext the 4 o'clock news" the hour that it can be scheduled in is not 4 but 3 o'clock just a little confusing.
This I completely understand and make sense 
When News is playing I use an Event to start next hour template, starting with TOTH ?
Sorry for the late response.
Not too sure what you mean here. Hopefully this will help. In my second screen shot the first Red item (number 1 oddly enough) is our news file this is always set to be hard timed on the hour (we have an anchor in it so there is a slight time displacement) items 2 through 10 are just music non stop. Item 11 is our adverts set with a soft fixed time at half past. Items 12 through 20 are music once more. Item 21 is more adverts, but for your case should be the news time announce. I wouldn’t set the actual file in the database for to backtime instead i would do it through the hour template that way you are guaranteed to put it in as backtimed. Item 22 is just a dummy from which we can back time item 21. We load the next hours worth of music at xx:53:00 this gives our presenters time to plan for the news (they should already)
[quote=“Adriaan, post:8, topic:9133”]Just to make sure: I make “item 21” my time announce file which is 11 seconds. On the playback tab, I change Timing: Normal to Timing: backtimed ? Do I have to change any more settings?
On “item 22, the dummy”, I do not change any setting?[/quote]
I think i answered this bit above but not too sure. Just to clarify you shouldn’t need to change any settings on the dummy but when you make the hour template give it a hard fixed time so it doesn’t move. Make that hard fixed time the same(or maybe 1 second before) the next file which should be the first file of the next hour which should be hard fixed timed anyway.
Item 21 shouldn’t need any other settings changing.
Just as a general point save a copy of all your hour templates so that if you were to cock it up then you still have the originals. Best thing to do is try it out late at night most likely remotely as that is normally when listenership is at its lowest or at least from what i have found.
Hi everybody
Thanks for the reply’s, It’s working now if i don’t cue anything.
Grtzz, Frank