I’ve just got mAirList running - But can’t seem to get a player to overlap into another… I’ve got 3 playlists, and have tried 3 players - and also 6 (2 per player).
Any ideas ?
Hi Charlie, and welcome to the mAirList Forum!
mAirList uses the Fade Out points defined in the Advanced PFL dialog in order to determine the overlap time. If you have set no Fade Out point, mAirList assumes that no overlapping should take place but the song should be played until its very end.
This is because I believe that a default overlap time does not make sense - if you want the automation to sound like “hand made radio”, it depends on the song when to fade out and start the next item. However, if you think a default setting would be appropriate, I can add such an option.
By the way, the easiest way to set the Fade Out point for a song is to use Raduga style “tilde” file names. Just add “~”. For example “Artist - Title~3.mp3” will automatically set a Fade Out point 3 seconds prior to the end of the song. ZaraRadio understands this as well (who would have guessed, as it’s a Raduga clone 
Torben
Hi Torben,
“Fade Out” - Simple as that, eh ?! Thanks - I wasn’t quite sure, especially as I couldn’t get the markers to save - I have installed the eldoDB so I guess I’ll need that to store my in/out points ?
The other problem I have is that I would like to put BREAK (or STOP) markers into a playlist. I’ve found that mAirList will be ideal for running a 3way split-advert system - But we have no way of stopping playout automatically between each ad-break.
Something like this:
AD158
AD552
JINGLE
STOP
AD393
AD984
STOP
etc
Our presenters simply press the “ADS” button to start the 3 players - and mAirList would stop at each STOP marker. We can’t have the presenters turning off auto every time they do this :lol:
mAirList is configured with 3 playlists running 2 players each - I wasn’t sure if 2 players were needed to ensure the sound doesn’t stop/start between overlaps. The Start Ads button is wired to a switching circuit that sends out 1,2,3 or 4 extra triggers to control the split-players.
Sounds complex, but it isn’t really ;p
I’d read the manual but it’s in German - But from what I’ve seen of the software, it’s got quite a lot of potential.
Charlie,
yes, you need at least two players for overlapping.
There is nothing like break points so far, but that would be easy to implement. The easiest way would be to introduce a “break flag” which can be set for each individual item. Playback would then be stopped after that item. Or would it be better to see the break marker as a separate item in the playlist? This is somewhat harder to implement, but also possible.
Cue points can be saved in different places. First of all, mAirList remembers them in the .mlp playlist files. If you are using MP3 files, you can also save them in a special ID3 tag; just open the Properties dialog for the item and click “Save (tag)”. The item must not be loaded in any player by that time, as otherwise it is locked on the hard disk, and mAirList cannot write to the file.
Using a database is surely the most comfortable option. Unfortunately, development of eldoDB has been abandoned in favor of the new PostgreSQL-driven mAirListDB, which I will come up with within the next few months. Alternatively, you can use cevou’s radioDB2 (www.radioDB.de), but it’s only in German and also in very early beta stage.
Regarding the manual: I’m currently rewriting it in English. It’s far from complete, but I can send you a preliminary copy if you like.
Torben
Thanks for the quick replies.
I think a playlist item would be handy, then the Stop Markers can be inserted (like the Dummy) or scheduled from another program.
I would appeciate a copy of the manual, it would save me asking daft questions in the forum! My e-mail is charliecharliedavy.co.uk
Many thanks.
Hi Torben, break points would be ideal as items in the playlist rather than flagged by item.
Please can I have a copy of the English manual too.
Just finished implementing these break points, will be included in 1.5.16. I’m just having a look at the other items on my to-do list. Expect a new version to be released this weekend.
Torben
That’s great news - Do you think these will be insertable via M3U ? We use a playlister that creates M3U playlists (and any other type we need, although I doubt XML!) - So if we can insert our “break notes” into the schedule in a quick and simple way, that would solve all our problems.
Shouldn’t be a problem … how will I recognize these break items in the M3U file?
Torben
Err, actually - I’m not sure! We can create a standard M3U playlist, and our break-notes can take any form we chose (ie: BREAK NOTE for artist, and a description for the title). The M3U output of our playlister looks like this - I’ve added 2 break-notes which should give you an idea of what I’m after…
BREAK NOTE - SPLIT ADS
S:\AUDIO\INTO ADS\Split A - 2006 Sting 2.mp3
S:\AUDIO\SPLIT A IDENTS\Split A - Travel Bed.mp3
S:\AUDIO\SPLIT A IDENTS\Split A - Travel Out.mp3
S:\AUDIO\GENERIC ADVERTS\AD - DVLA Motorcyclists.mp3
BREAK NOTE - AUTOMATION 1 OFF;AUTOMATION 2 OFF
So you have 2 types of break-note - A text-only one for the presenter (“split ads” or “promote the concert”), and command ones which control the softare. I think that makes sense
Ok, so you’re flexible …
I’m still working on the “command” playlist items, so I’m not quite sure if they will be an item of their own or attached to a “break” item.
I’d suggest we use M3U comments (lines starting with ‘#’) to encode the break. Then mAirList can easily distinguish between ordinary entries and mAirList-specific items. Additionally, I suggest that these comments start with “# mAirList”, in order not to infere with any other software.
Perhaps like this?
[code]# mAirList BREAK SPLIT ADS
S:\AUDIO\INTO ADS\Split A - 2006 Sting 2.mp3
S:\AUDIO\SPLIT A IDENTS\Split A - Travel Bed.mp3
S:\AUDIO\SPLIT A IDENTS\Split A - Travel Out.mp3
S:\AUDIO\GENERIC ADVERTS\AD - DVLA Motorcyclists.mp3
mAirList COMMAND AUTOMATION 1 OFF;AUTOMATION 2 OFF [/code]
Torben
Yes, that sounds fine - We can implement that format with no trouble.
Version 1.5.16 is now available. You can add the automation break points through the Insert menu. The M3U import is still missing, maybe I will find some time for that tomorrow …
Torben
Hi Torben,
Thanks for the update… Break points work fine, although for the next update, is there any way you can show the duration between breaknotes ? ie: if you’ve got 2x 1 day’s worth of advert logs loaded (for a 2way split system), and you make changes to an individual ad-break - The playlist duration always shows the total time.
My screen-shot shows 2 breaks loaded into each player - Yet the lists show the total duration…
Think that makes sense
Thanks Torben, I to have downloaded the update. It is such a joy to use and configure.
Perhaps the config utility could be password protected to stop people playing once setup.
Thanks to Charlie for pointing this software out.
Perhaps the config utility could be password protected to stop people playing once setup.
I’ll consider that. But remember that this would be no effective protection against malicious users. The configuration is stored in a plain-text .ini file. The user could simply open that file in a text editor and make any changes he wants.
Thanks to Charlie for pointing this software out.
Spread the word 
Torben
Hi Torben, Thanks for the update... Break points work fine, although for the next update, is there any way you can show the duration *between* breaknotes ? ie: if you've got 2x 1 day's worth of advert logs loaded (for a 2way split system), and you make changes to an individual ad-break - The playlist duration always shows the total time.
Hm, but even then the total time might be interesting for some people.
How about displaying the “lap time” within the break element, instead of the artist field?
Torben
Torben,
Yes, I think that would work - A break marker would show the total duration (taking into account fade points) since the last break (or top of playlist).
Or… as the duration column on the break is free - perhaps that’s the best place for it ?
Or... as the duration column on the break is free - perhaps that's the best place for it ?
Nice idea. That’s how we make it
Btw, M3U import of break points just implemented, will be available in 1.5.17. Syntax is
#mAirList BREAK
(note the missing blank between “#” and “mAirList” as opposed to my first proposal).
As BREAK is already indicated in the left-most column, a break point inserted through the Insert menu won’t have a default title as of 1.5.17. However, you will still be able to edit it in the Properties dialog.
Torben
Charlie, please talk me through installing mysql and eldoDB.
regards Tony