The SMARTCASTER is one of the most sophisticated automation systems ever developed. It is versatile and powerful. This handbook is designed to help the user unlock the potential of the SMARTCASTER.

There are two main modes that the SMARTCASTER operates in: Satellite (or Clock), and Music on Hard Drive. This handbook discusses SMARTCASTER operations in terms of these modes.

CLOCK refers to Clock satellite operation. Where needed there are additional notes for Non-Clock operation.

Continuous refers to the Music on Hard Drive.

Generation 2000 refers to the Generation 2000 system.

The SMARTCASTER is capable of using several audio devices to digitize and store audio. The two main categories for audio devices are called "Antex" and "Ace." Only Generation 2000 systems use the Ace cards. Differences between these categories (if any) are noted in the descriptions.

For the beginning user...

Don't Panic!

The SMARTCASTER is set up in the factory before it is shipped. It has most of the Setup Options activated for the type of operation specified on your contract. The system can be customized to the user's preference as he/she reads along in this section. It is recommended that one start slowly and understand the basics for the type of system that was purchased.

Support...

This automation system has the capacity to run a radio station. At the very least it alters nearly every operation of the station. This handbook goes a long way toward helping everyone to adjust, but, of course, more may be needed. See the introduction section of the manual about Support hours and policy.

What Is Clock And How Does It Work?

Warning...

Even though the software package referred to as "CLOCK" is used on nearly all types of SMARTCASTERS, the CLOCK mode is used only on Satellite systems. Continuous (Music on Hard Drive) customers should have the Clock Option disabled (Option 5 in OPTION SETUP). CLOCK mode should never be on at the same time as Continuous Play mode (Option 7 in USER SETUP).

Description...

CLOCK is the name of a special mode that the SMARTCASTER can enter. In this mode, the SMARTCASTER uses the time of day to determine when to load and play breaks. Prior to the development of CLOCK, SMARTCASTERS ran in a sequential mode (i.e. when one break played, it simply went on to the next break and waited for a closure from the satellite). Sequential operation works well until a break is missed, or two break closures are accidentally fired. When this happens, the SMARTCASTER is off a break until the top of the hour when the system updates its breaks.

CLOCK changed all that. Now the user has a CLOCK SETUP Screen that allows him/her to define when the breaks are, how long they are, and whether they are mandatory or not (Mandatory means that the break contains closed circuit feeds or is silent and MUST be filled to insure that inappropriate audio or silence doesn’t get on the air).

This information gives the SMARTCASTER a lot more power. Since it knows when a break is supposed to fire, it knows when a break closure is missed and automatically updates to the next break. Also, since it knows how long the break is, if a break is accidentally under-programmed, it pulls material (Public Service Announcements, promos, or any other audio cuts the station chooses) and fills the break to the proper length. All SMARTCASTERS running in CLOCK mode fill to within a few seconds of the proper length of the break. However, if the SMARTCASTER is equipped with an SX-8, SX-12, SX-20, SX-7 or SX-22 audio card the SMARTCASTER varies the speed of the audio just a little to make sure that it fits as close as possible to the break length! This is the Shrink-and-Expand feature.

Of course, if so desired, one or all of these features may be disabled. See the SETUP SCREEN APPENDIX. Especially USER SETUP Options 17 and 18 for details on how to set up the SMARTCASTER for CLOCK operation.

TRICKS...

Though the number of SMARTCASTER Setup Screens is daunting, they allow a user to configure the SMARTCASTER to fit a station like a glove fits a hand. As users become familiar with their unit's capabilities, they love to "tweak" the system to fit their operation.

*CAUTION*

Changing Setup Screens without the aid of SMARTS Support can render the SMARTCASTER inoperable! Do not change settings without help from SMARTS Support!

For Satellite users, the CLOCK Options are a Program Director's playground. A little originality produces fantastic results using these features.

For instance, users who cannot use the Shrink-and-Expand feature (ACE, SX-3, SX-6, SX-15, SX-34, SX-36, and AudioPort) could make use of the Unmute On Time (Option 16 in USER SETUP). When this feature is activated, the SMARTCASTER unmutes satellite audio at the end of the break time instead of when the SMARTCASTER audio is done playing. If the SMARTCASTER is setup to fill the breaks, the breaks are slightly over-programmed. This causes an overlap of break audio and satellite audio when the SMARTCASTER rejoins the music network. Creative operators can create a "seamless" flow that helps to get rid of the "cookie cutter" satellite sound.

How CLOCK relates to Live Assist...

When the user enters Live Assist, all of the CLOCK features disappear since they would only get in the way of a live operation.

Change Break goes back to asking for a break number and the SMARTCASTER does not automatically update from break to break.

One problem that users may have is that during Live Assist, a station may have a variable number of breaks from day to day. Often, the rigid CLOCK structure is too restrictive for live operators.

To get around this problem, the user must build a "dummy" Clock in the Clock Setup Screen and define 12 breaks (the system maximum) on it. Then, by scheduling this Clock (using Set Active) during their live hours, they ensure that no matter how many breaks come over from traffic for that hour, there will be enough break slots to cover it. ESETUP contains a place to input this Clock.

If an hour is half live, half satellite, a special "transition" Clock may be built that has enough breaks to cover the live half then start into the normal satellite format.

Using CLOCK some of the time...

In systems that are both Satellite and Continuous (Music on Hard Drive), the user has the option of turning the CLOCK off and on as needed. Timed Events has the capability of turning on and off CLOCK, or Continuous Play. Using these features in combination is a very powerful programming tool that creative operators can use to their advantage.

Continuous Play is incompatible with CLOCK. In order to turn Continuous Play on, CLOCK must be turned off first and visa-versa. When the CLOCK is on during the Satellite times, all the differences mentioned previously take effect. The Breaks Screen shrinks down to the number of breaks defined in the CLOCK SETUP Screen.

It is very important to generate a "dummy" Clock containing 12 breaks, and assign it (using Set Active) to the non-satellite hours, just as would happen during Live Assist (described above). That way, when the SMARTCASTER enters CLOCK mode, it doesn't effect the programming information for Music on Hard Drive.

Sequential (or Non-CLOCK Satellite) Programming....

CLOCK is not for everyone. Some people prefer the simplicity of the sequentially based SMARTCASTER. It also may occasionally be necessary to run without CLOCK in order to diagnose a problem.

A non-CLOCK satellite operation waits for a local break closure from the satellite receiver. When it gets one, it plays the current break, rejoins the satellite, then loads the next break and waits again. A safety feature can be activated that at a specific time in the hour causes the SMARTCASTER to jump to the first, second, third, etc. break in the hour (The break number is user definable in options 4 and 12 in USER SETUP).

Note: When the CLOCK Option is disabled, the SMARTCASTER no longer has the ability to Shrink-and-Expand, Fill, or automatically update from break to break.

Continuous (Music on Hard Drive)

The Music on Hard Drive system uses the SMARTCASTER in a different way. The Breaks Screen becomes a sequential list of "sets." These are sets of audio cuts, usually spots or music. As the last item in a set plays, the next set loads and readies itself for playback. When the previous set finally concludes, the new set begins its playback. This cycle continues through the log for the day.

This is one of the simplest systems to run. No external music network wiring is necessary, though a news network may be desired. The newer hard drives are big enough to hold hundreds of songs. The system can be fitted to have enough drive space to comfortably hold an entire music library. The news network would be used for news and a time update closure.

Music is added to the traffic log through a separate program called Log Manager. See the appendix on the SMARTS Digital Program Director for details about this procedure.

Jock-In-the-Box (JIB) (CD System)

(NOTE: AS OF JULY 1998 – JIB SYSTEMS ARE NO LONGER SOLD)

The Jock-In-the-Box system runs in similar fashion to the Music on Hard Drive. JIB systems use a playlist generated on a separate machine. The playlist is loaded onto the SMARTCASTER via floppy. Generation 2000 systems can load the playlist across the network from another machine.

Getting started...

To begin SMARTCASTER operation, the user chooses option 1 from the "SMARTCASTER Digital Audio" main menu. This begins the SMARTCASTER initialization process. The screen indicates progress by displaying a percentage in the center of the screen. Each number shown indicates an operation.

SMARTCASTER Loading Guide

% Operation Area of failure:

0% Loading Paths Check PSETUP

1% Logging Start Rename Log.{day of week}*

2% Check Drives Check system Hardware*

3% Loading Addresses Check ASETUP

4% Loading Audio Info Check RSETUP

5% Loading Backup Drives Check BACKUPDR.FIL*

6% Loading Sample Rates Check USETUP

7% Loading Options Check OSETUP

8% Loading Comports Check com connections or turn off coms*

9% Loading Old Net Set Option 3 in OSETUP to N

10% Init Vars, Recvol.Fil Check Recvol.fil*

11% Load Switcher Check Switcher.fil*

12% Load AMX info Check AMX files, Tone File*

13% Init audio cards Check sample rate, mono/stereo etc.

14% Load Parameters Check Param.fil*

15% Load Fill Info Check Frotat.fil*

16% Get Fill Check Fill information*

17% Load CLOCK Info Check CLOCK Option on main menu

18% Load CLOCK Info (more) Check Set Active Option on main menu

19% Turn off Muting Call SMARTS*

19% Load Music Position Call SMARTS*

19% Load Wait Call SMARTS*

19% Load Mute Call SMARTS*

19% Load Hold Call SMARTS*

20% Get live info Check Live.fil*

21% Init Breaklogs Put traffic log on another disk, try again

23% Create Directories Let set for a while. If there are errors, call*

25% Init CD's Check Option 3 in USETUP

27% Init CD's Check PlayLists

30% Init SmartTouch Check ASETUP*

33% Init Function Rotation Check Offset.fil*

34% Init Menus Check Menu.fil's*

35% Init Announcers Check Announcer files*

40% Init Announcers Check Announcer files*

45% Init Unattended Record Check UnRecord.fil*

48% Init Timed Based Events Check Satswich.fil*

49% Init Drive Sizes Check Hidesize.fil*

50% Init Functions Check Function Files*

100% Get next Break Check Breaklog's*

*Call SMARTCASTER Support Staff for instructions

If the SMARTCASTER stops at a certain percentage and jumps back to the main menu an error has occurred. The preceding table indicates (in detail) what the SMARTCASTER is doing, or generates a gray fault screen, at the different percentages.

The Main Screen...

The blue screen is the first screen to show when the SMARTCASTER program loads. One "set" or "break" is displayed at a time. Within a break are up to 10 audio cuts that are recorded on the hard drive. To the right of the items in the break, the length is displayed. The length counts back from the total to 0 when the item plays. Down below, the current log day, date, time, break number, announcer, duration, break countdown, version number, and RIDZ network selections are displayed. In the far right column is the indicator for status of Clock, Digital Inputs, or Continuous Play.

All system capabilities can take place while at this screen. Unattended Records, Network Switching, and On Air playback may all take place.

There are three menu options at the bottom of the screen: ESC, F9 and F10.

ESC - Brings up the menu bar along the top of the screen. To use the menu bar, press the arrow keys to move the highlighted bar from selection to selection, then press ENTER. This reveals a vertical sub menu that contains more options.

F9 - Allows the user to edit the events displayed in the break without taking the SMARTCASTER off-line. In other words, the SMARTCASTER is still looking for closures, will continue to play, etc. (See Editing Keys below.)

F10 - Puts the SMARTCASTER in Live Assist mode. The user may edit items just as the F9 option allows, but the SMARTCASTER will not respond to any closures or roll from break to break (if it is in Continuous Play).

Live Assist was the predecessor to the Live Show and was used extensively in the early days of the SMARTCASTER. There are a few stations that still use Live Assist. Live Show is a more streamlined and beefed up tool for the live announcer. Live Show is discussed in depth later in the handbook.

Exercise: Main Screen Menus

What You Do	Comment
1. Press the ESC key.	The menu bar will appear across the top of the screen.
2. Use the LEFT and RIGHT ARROW keys to move back and forth across the bar.	The selected section will show white while the other possible choices will remain black.
3. Press the ENTER key.	The menu window will drop down showing the various choices under each selection.
4. Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT ARROW keys to move up and down and back and forth across the menus.	Left and right will move from window to window while up and down will go through the choices in the window.
5. Press the ESC key.	Returns to the Main Screen.
6. Press the F9 key.	This toggle switch (on and off switch) turns on the Edit feature. Notice the gray box (the cursor) around the script number in the first event.
7. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move up and down the events in the break.	Any event can be selected for editing as long as it hasn’t played in this break.
8. Press the F9 key.	This turns off the Edit feature.
9. Press the F10 key.	This toggle switch (on and off switch) turns on the Live Assist feature. Now the system will not react to network closures and the operator has total control.
10. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move up and down the events in the break.	Any event can be selected for editing as long as it hasn’t played in this break.
11. Press the F10 key.	This toggle switch turns off the Live Assist feature. Now the system will react once again to network closures.

Quick Quiz: Main Screen Menus

1. What color is the Live Assist Screen? ____________

2. How many menu windows are there on the Main Screen? ____________

3. What does the F9 button do? ____________

4. What button do you press to get the menu bar across the top of the screen? ____________

5. True or False: While in Live Assist, the system reacts to Network Closures. ____________

After five minutes of inactivity by a user, the SMARTCASTER Screen changes to the Screen Saver. This prevents excessive wear on the system monitor. The SMARTCASTER, however, still runs even though the Screen Saver is on. Pressing any key on the keyboard will bring the working screen back to view. The Screen Saver does not come on in Live Assist or in the Edit mode.

Changing the time for the Screen Saver

If the duration of 5 minutes is not desirable, it is possible to reset it. Doing so involves taking the SMARTCASTER off the air and exiting to the C:\> prompt. If you do not feel confident about the following steps, please feel free to call SMARTCASTER Technical Support.

1. Press ESC and arrow over to QUIT.

2. Select YES and press ENTER (Doing so takes the system off the air!).

3. From the Main Menu press ESC.

4. At the C:\> prompt, type SETSAVER and press ENTER.

5. Enter the minutes for the system to wait before the Screen Saver activates. When finished, press ENTER.

6. Type GO and press ENTER.

7. Select SMARTCASTER and press ENTER.

The Screen Saver will now activate after the specified period of time.

Setting the Screen Saver to 0 (zero) disables the device.

The Edit Screen:

Editing

The Edit Screen allows the user to make quick changes to the current break. This allows the program to remain in automated mode where the SMARTCASTER can react to possible closures from a satellite source.

Pressing F9 switches the system to Edit. The information in the gray bar at the bottom of the screen will change to show that the system is in Edit Mode. The UP and DOWN ARROW keys then allow the cursor to be placed in the proper position for making the change.

Several options appear at the bottom of the screen.

F9- Quit. Pressing this button exits the Edit Mode.

F11 - Abort Spot. Stops the spot that is playing on the air and continues with the next item in the break.

F12 - Abort Break. Stops and resets the break. For CLOCK users, this also un-mutes the satellite feed.

TAB – Pauses between audio cuts. Pressing F1 starts the next cut playing.

ESC – Causes the menu bar to appear at the top of the screen. Pressing ENTER causes the menu window to come down.

Editing Keys...

In Edit Mode, the user has the ability to insert, change, and delete spots or music even while that very break is playing.

To insert a spot into a break in Edit mode, use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys, to move the highlight bar to the desired position. Then, press the INSERT key. Items after the insertion point all move down a line leaving a gap where the user may enter a script number.

Note: If there are ten items in the break, it is full. The SMARTCASTER does not allow a spot to be inserted at this point. Also, if the break is playing, the SMARTCASTER does not allow inserts or deletions of spots that have already played. Only events that the SMARTCASTER hasn't yet played are valid to edit, insert, or delete.

To delete a spot from the break, use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move the highlight bar to the spot desired. Then press the DEL (DELETE) key. The SMARTCASTER deletes the spot and moves the remaining audio cuts up by one.

To edit (replace) an audio cut in a break, use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys, to move the highlight bar to the event desired and begin typing the new script number. Once entered the new spot name replaces the old one.

Pausing...

There are two ways to pause the SMARTCASTER in Live Assist or Edit. One way is to press P to insert a pause. The other way is to use the TAB key to toggle Pause Between Spots on. The first way pauses until the user presses F1. The second pauses between every item and waits for an F1 keypress.

The advantage to the first method is that pauses can be pre-programmed on the log. However, if the user is doing a Live Show with sound bites, sound effects, etc., the second way is much faster to use.

Exercise: Edit Screen

What You Do	Comment
1. Press the F9 key.	This toggle switch (on and off switch) turns on the Edit feature. Now the operator may make changes to the break while the system is waiting to react to network closures.
2. Press the DOWN ARROW key until past all of the spots in this break.	The highlight bar is the cursor in this instance. Placing it in an empty location allows the operator to insert a script number.
3. Type in the script number.	Each specific piece of audio, a spot, song, jingle, I.D., or P.S.A., is identified with its own unique number.
4. Press the ENTER key.	The system searches for the disignated number and displays it on the screen, ready to play when the system gets to it.
5. Press the UP ARROW key until highlighting an event that has not yet played.	Pick an item that can be deleted from the break.
6. Press the DELETE key.	The selected event will be deleted, moving the remaining events up by one.
7. Press the INSERT key.	The remaining events will move down by one, leaving five 0’s (00000) in the selected position.
8. Type in a valid script number.	Five numbers to identify the desired audio selection.
9. Press the ENTER key.	The requested audio cut title is displayed and is ready to be played.
10. Press the F1 key.	Nothing happens. The operator does not have control of firing the break while in this screen.
11. Press the DOWN ARROW key until just below the last spot in the list.	Positioning the cursor to test one of the methods of pausing.
12. Press the P key.	A Pause is inserted as the next event. The system will pause when it finishes playing everything above this point in the break.
13. Press the F9 key.	This turns off the Edit feature. Now the system will not react to the operator. The network has total control of the unit and will use closures to fire subsequent breaks.

Quick Quiz: Edit Screen

1. What key allows the operator to edit the break? _________

2. Can the operator fire a break while in Edit Mode? _________

3. Will the SMARTCASTER take closures from the network while in Edit Mode? _______

4. Does the screen color change while in Edit Mode? ________

5. True or False: Editing only allows access to the current break. ___________

Live Assist...

The Live Assist Screen allows the user to play breaks, jingles, liners, etc. manually. A live operator may insert or delete spots from the break lineup and play the break by pushing a button.

The SMARTCASTERS’ Live Assist Screen looks almost identical to the Automated Screen. The Live Assist Screen changes colors to alert the user that the system is no longer automated. While in Live Assist, it will no longer take closures from the network or automatically play spot breaks.

Press F10 to enter the Live Assist Screen. Several options appear at the bottom of the screen.

F1 - Play Break. This button starts the SMARTCASTER running the break.

F2-F8 - Play Functions 0 through 6. These buttons play the Functions entered in the Function Rotation Screen. Functions play in the order they are scheduled and start over from the beginning when they are done. Between Live Assist sessions the next Function to fire does not remain the same. There are several conditions that can cause the software to shift down the list for the next Function to play.

F10 - Quit. Pressing this button exits Live Assist. If the current break is started in Live Assist but is not done, it continues to the end. In CLOCK the break stops playing at the end and returns to satellite. In Continuous modes, the system continues from break to break.

F11 - Abort Spot. Stops the spot that is playing on the air and continues with the next item in the break. Generation 2000 users may want to use option 5 in MISCELLANEOUS SETUP to change this key to an S. See SETUP APPENDIX.

F12 - Abort Break. Stops and resets the break. For CLOCK users, this also un-mutes the satellite feed. Generation 2000 users may want to use option 5 in MISCELLANEOUS SETUP to change this key to a B. See the SETUP APPENDIX.

TAB – Pauses between audio cuts. Pressing F1 starts the next cut playing.

ESC – Causes the menu bar to appear at the top of the screen. Pressing ENTER causes the menu window to come down.

Editing Keys...

In Live Assist or Edit mode, the user has the ability to insert, change, and delete audio cuts even while that very break is playing.

To insert an event into a break in Live Assist or Edit mode, use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move the highlight bar to the position desired. Then, press the INSERT button. Items after the insertion point all move down a line leaving a gap where the user may enter a script number.

Note: If there are ten items in the break, it is full. The SMARTCASTER does not allow an event to be inserted at this point. Also, if the break is playing, the SMARTCASTER does not allow inserts or deletions of cuts that have already played. Only events that the SMARTCASTER hasn't yet played are valid events to edit, insert, or delete.

To delete a cut from the break, use the arrow keys to move the highlight bar to the spot desired. Then press the DEL key. The SMARTCASTER deletes the cut and moves the remaining cuts up by one.

To edit (replace) a cut in a break, use the arrow keys to move the highlight bar to the spot desired and begin typing the new script number. Once entered the new event name replaces the old one.

Exercise: Live Assist Screen

What You Do	Comment
1. Press the F10 key.	This toggle switch (on and off switch) turns on the Live Assist feature. Now the system will not react to network closures and the operator has total control of the unit.
2. Press the DOWN ARROW key until past all of the spots in this break.	The highlight bar is the cursor in this instance. Placing it in an empty location allows the operator to insert a script number.
3. Type in the script number.	Each specific piece of audio, a spot, song, jingle, I.D., or P.S.A., is identified with it own unique number.
4. Press the ENTER key.	The system searches for the designated number and displays it on the screen, ready to play when the system gets to it.
5. Press the UP ARROW key until highlighting an event that has not yet played.	Pick an item that can be deleted from the break.
6. Press the DELETE key.	The selected event will be deleted, moving the remaining events up by one.
7. Press the INSERT key.	The remaining events will move down by one, leaving five 0’s (00000) in the selected position.
8. Type in a valid script number.	Five digits to identify the desired audio selection.
9. Press the ENTER key.	The requested audio cut title is displayed and is ready to be played.
10. Press the F1 key.	The break will begin to play. Wait a few seconds before going to the next command.
11. Press the F12 key.	The break will reset, terminating the audio, and waiting for the F1 key to be pressed again. This is similar to re-cueing a carted commercial, only there is no wait while the cart cues up.
12. Press F1 to start the break again.	The break begins playing with the first event in the break.
13. Press the F11 key.	The system stops playing the current event in the break and begins playing the next event in line.
14. Press the F11 key again.	The system stops playing this event in the break and begins playing the next event in line.
15. Press the DOWN ARROW key until just below the current spot playing.	Positioning the cursor to test the various methods of pausing.
16. Press the P key.	A Pause is inserted in the next event, moving everything else in the break down by one. The system will pause when done with the current event. Wait until it pauses.
17. Press F1 to start the break again.	The next event after the Pause begins to play.
18. Press the TAB key.	Pause has been turned on. The system will finish the current event and pause until the F1 key is pressed. It will pause again after playing the next event. Wait until it pauses.
19. Press F1 to start the break again.	The next event after the Pause begins to play.
20. Press the TAB key, again.	Pause has been turned off.
21. Press the F10 key.	This turns off the Live Assist feature. The break will continue to play until it runs out of events. Now the system will not react to the operator. The network has total control of the unit and will use closures to fire subsequent breaks.

Quick Quiz: Live Assist Screen

1. What button should be pressed to get to Live Assist? _________

2. What button will take a spot out of the lineup? _________

3. What button moves the spot lineup down by one? _________

4. Pressing F11 does what? ____________________________________

5. True or False: Pressing F12 will delete a spot from the break lineup. _________

The Audio Section

The Record Screen

The Record Screen is where the user manually records audio into the SMARTCASTER. Almost all audio, including liners, music, and spots, is recorded here. Automatic or "Unattended" Records (of news feeds, etc.) are not done on this screen. They are programmed into the Unattended Record section that is described later.

Note: While in the Record Screen the SMARTCASTER CANNOT do Unattended Record, Remote Records, Hot Key Playback or SmartTouch operations (including record and playback).

The SMARTCASTER Record Screen displays only those options that the system is configured to use. For instance, if no backup path is specified in PATH SETUP option 2, then the option F9 Backup ON does not appear on the Record Screen.

The time left on each drive is displayed in the column on the right hand side of the Record Screen. It is shown in hours and minutes. In systems with many hard drives, pressing T will show any drives not seen at first glance.

Key terms:

EOM - Refers to the End of Message signal. SMARTCASTERS equipped for overlap of audio will advance to the next cut and overlap the tail end of the current cut. This acts the same as the tertiary tone on older cart-based automation systems.

FUNCTION – Refers to a liner, jingle, magic call, I.D., etc.

FIDELITY - The quality of the audio recorded. See ‘Fidelity’ or ‘Sample Rate’ in the Glossary section of this handbook for details on this setting.

F1 RECORD AUDIO

STEP 1.

The user is prompted for a Script number. This number is five digits long. Commercials, Promo’s, News Cuts and P.S.A’s start with a number. Music starts the Script Number with an M and Functions, I.D’s, Magic Calls, Jingles and Liners, start with an F.

Functions are recorded starting with an F. The five digit number has special meanings for Functions. For example, F001A means Function zero, Cut 01, announcer A. Continuous Play users have the option to either record their Functions with an F or an M. Many Music on Hard Drive customers use this trick to allow their music scheduling program to schedule their Functions as well as their songs. However, for the Function to operate in the Function Rotation Screen, an F is required. See Function Rotation for a description of a Function.

After entering a valid spot number press ENTER. If the spot entered already exists, the user is prompted with a message stating “Do you want to Record Over spot _____ Y/N?”

STEP 2

The unit will automatically select the drive with the most time available. If a specific drive is required, it may be entered at this time.

Note: Functions starting with an F automatically know where they are recorded. The drive letter step is skipped in this case. Function location is designated in PATH SETUP, option 4.

Valid drive letters are displayed to the right under Time Left. Drives that are highlighted are locked and cannot be recorded to (see BACKUP SETUP).

STEP 3

The user is prompted for an Account Name. Enter the name of the sponsor, song, or Function. The entry is limited to 25 characters.

STEP 4

The user is prompted for a Start and Stop Date. This is the time period that this audio cut runs. The SMARTCASTER can be configured to not allow outdated material to play on the air (See USER SETUP, option 14). The defaults are today’s date for the Start Date and to12/30/10 for the End Date.

STEP 5

The SMARTCASTER prompts the user for a Product Code. This is used in conjunction with the SMARTS Traffic System. It helps to prevent two similar sponsors from playing back to back. In the Breaks Screen and in Live Assist the user is warned about a Product Code conflict when entering a script number. Leave this blank if no Product Codes are used.

STEP 6

If option F5 Timed Stop is ON, the user is prompted for the length of the cut. This feature automatically shuts off the recording after the amount of time entered has elapsed. This feature is rarely used, but could be handy for recording long shows that are pre-timed. If the timing is accurate, the user need not sit through the entire recording session. The user can start the recording and then leave to perform other duties.

STEP 7

If the SMARTCASTER is equipped for overlapping audio, the user is given the opportunity to enter an "End of Message" (EOM) time before recording the commercial. This is not a requirement. The user may stamp the EOM time by pressing the SPACE BAR while listening to the audio during the record, or auditioning the audio cut. EOM’s are measured in minutes, seconds, and hundreths of seconds, 000:00:00.

STEP 8

The Record Screen prompts the user for permission to continue. If the user answers Y, the SMARTCASTER is "cued" and ready to go by pressing a key or by Autostart which is explained below.

This is the only time a user is allowed to alter the Digital Input Gain. The Digital Input Gain is the volume control for recording to the SMARTCASTER. Use the HOME, END, P, END, U, PgUp, and PgDn keys to alter the Digital Input Gain. Note: This should not be done often. It is far better to raise the levels to the highest point seen on the screen. It is recommended to set this once and then lock it to prevent accidental changes. Digital Input Gain is locked out in MISCELLANEOUS SETUP, option 3. Once locked, the operator cannot change the level while in the Record Screen. ADJUSTING THE DIGITAL INPUT GAIN CAN CAUSE DISTORTED AUDIO!

At this time, SMARTCASTERS that can show levels and Overload Status will do so. Adjust the levels (preferably on the source, not the Digitial Input Gain) so that the Overload message blinks very rarely. On systems equipped with Antex audio cards, this indicates clipping. On a Generation 2000, the Overload status is like “dipping into the red” on a VU meter. You don’t want to do it all the time, but it is not clipping the audio.

SMARTCASTERS capable of Overlap insist that the user press ENTER to stop the record or SPACE BAR to set the EOM tone. If the SMARTCASTER is not capable of Overlap, any key starts the recording and any key stops the recording.

Once finished, the Record Screen prompts the user to press R to re-record the same audio cut or (if the system is capable of overlap) E to edit EOM tone. Pressing R sets the Record Screen back to the point just before the recording started. Nothing needs to be re-entered. Pressing E allows Overlap users to change the EOM time down to the hundredth of a second. Any other key clears the Record Screen.

Exercise: Recording Screen

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The window under AUDIO appears. The cursor is resting on Record.
3. Press ENTER once.	The Record option is activated. The warning screen appears showing the record type options that will not work while the user is in the Record Screen.
4. Press ENTER once.	The warning disappears and the Record Screen appears.
5. Press F1.	The rectangular cursor will move to the Script field in the Record Screen.
6. Type 88888 and press ENTER.	(88888 is just a random example number). The cursor now goes to the next field.
7. Enter the Drive Letter and press ENTER.	In multiple-drive systems, the unit automatically picks the drive with the most space.
8. Type the Name of the cut and press ENTER.	Any name will do for this test case. Normally, the business name or song title would go here.
9. Press ENTER to bypass the Start Date.	The system will automatically default to today’s date.
10. Press ENTER to bypass the Stop Date.	The system will automatically default to 12/30/99 as the Stop Date. This can be used as the TFN date. Newer software versions default to 2070.
11. Enter the Product Code (if any) and press ENTER.	Not needed at this point. Still press ENTER.
12. When asked "is this correct?" press Y for ‘yes’.	This states that the entered information is correct and the system is ready to record. Entering N for ‘No’ begins the process over again.
13. Now press a key to begin the recording.	The recording should begin. Screen indicators will show that the recording is taking place.
14. If the SMARTCASTER says it is "Listening," start an audio source to begin the recording.	Auto Start (F7) was turned on. The system will wait until it hears audio before it begins recording.
15. Press ENTER to stop the recording. If the user wishes to re-record the spot, press R. The SMARTCASTER sets the recording session back to the beginning.	This is a failsafe so the operator doesn’t have to enter all the information in a second time if they need to re-record for whatever reason.

Quick Quiz: Recording Screen

1. What will the Start Date default to when you hit ENTER? ________________

2. How many “numbers” are required in the Script field? ________

3. Are you required to accept the computer selected drive designation? __________

4. What key activates the Auto Start feature? ________

5. True or False: You must specify that the information is correct in order to record. _______

F2 EDIT CUT DATA

Pressing this button allows the user to change all but one of the fields assigned to the Script number. Drive, Name, Start Date, Stop Date, Product Code and EOM time are all changeable. The Script number is not changeble here. Use ALT+R to change the Script number. When Editing, F2 prompts the user to enter the five digit Script number.

Moving an audio cut from one drive to another:

Changing the drive letter causes the audio to be copied from its present location to the new one specified. This can take some time depending on the length of the audio cut. This only applies to systems with more than one drive. Functions starting with an F cannot be moved in the Record Screen.

Exercise: Editing an Audio Cut

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F2 to Edit the cut.	Activates the Editing feature.
2. Type in Script number 88888.	This is the working number to be used for this exercise.
3. Press the ENTER key until the cursor rests in the Name field.	The cursor will highlight the first letter in the Name field.
4. Press the RIGHT ARROW key until past the last letter in the Name field.	There should be room for added wording.
5. Type in the words, “Cut one”.	Further specifying the title of this particular cut.
6. Press the ENTER key to move the cursor to the Start Date field.	Pressing ENTER saves the changes in the previous field and moves the cursor to the next field.
7. Type in yesterdays’ date. Use only numbers, no slashes.	This changes the date on the cut. System automatically fills in the slashes.
8. Press the ENTER key to move the cursor through the rest of the fields.	Is This Correct (Y/N)? prompt will appear.
9. Press Y for “yes”.	Saves the changes to the system. Returns to the main Record Screen.
10. If the system has more than one drive listed in the right-hand column press F2 to Edit the spot, otherwise stop here.	Go to Edit to change the drive designation.
11. Type in Script number 88888.	The working number to be used for this exercise.
12. Press the ENTER key. The cursor will come to rest in the Drive field.	The audio file with that number is pulled up and displayed on the screen.
13. Type in another available drive letter.	This is the target drive where the audio cut is to be stored now.
14. Press the ENTER key to move the cursor through the rest of the fields.	Is This Correct (Y/N)? prompt will appear.
15. Press Y for “yes”.	Saves the changes to the system. A screen then appears showing the movement of the intended audio cut. Changing drive letters takes a while. When complete, the main Record Screen will appear. The audio cut is now on the targeted drive.

Quick Quiz: Editing an Audio Cut

1. Name one field that can be changed by Editing. ____________

2. Can the spelling of an Account name be changed after the spot has been recorded?______

3. Can the Script number be edited by using the F2 feature? ______

4. Will the system ask you to confirm your changes? ________

5. True or False: The Edit feature saves re-recording the spot to change the information. _______

F3 AUDITION CUT

This prompts the user to enter the five digit Script number. If the audio cut exists, the cut appears and the user is asked to "Press a key to begin Audition." If the audio cut does not exist, the Record Screen clears.

If the SMARTCASTER is capable of Overlap, the user may, at any time, set the EOM by pressing the SPACE BAR. If the user changes his/her mind, pressing the SPACE BAR again resets the EOM time. While only one EOM time is allowed per audio cut, the placement of that tone may be done over and over without re-recording the file. An EOM time of 000:00:00 means the audio cut will play to the very end.

Once finished, the Record Screen prompts the user to press A to re-audition or any other key to quit. Pressing A sets the Record Screen back in the audition process to where a keypress will once again begin the audition. Press an A key. This takes you back where you can begin the audition again.

Exercise: Auditioning an Audio Cut

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F3 to Audition a cut.	The cursor will rest in the Script field.
2. Type in script number 88888.	Again, a work number for us to use.
3. Press the ENTER key.	Information for audio cut 88888 is brought to the screen along with the screen prompt to begin the audition. Be sure the proper “pot” is up on the control board or down in cue.
4. Press the ENTER key.	The audio cut will begin to audition. If the system has overlap, pressing the SPACE BAR will set the EOM. Pressing the ENTER key will stop the audition. Allowing the cut to play to completion will show a prompt offering a chance to audition the cut again. In this case, allow the cut to play through.
5. Press the A key again.	The audio cut is ready to audition again at the press of any key. We recommend the ENTER key.
6. Press the ENTER key.	The audition has begun again.
7. Press the SPACE bar midway through the cut.	The EOM time is now locked at the time of the key press. Allow the cut to play through. The prompt will appear again for auditioning or editing. This may be done over and over.
8. Press the E key.	This will allow the EOM time to be changed. The cursor will now highlight the EOM time.
9. Type in the new EOM time, making it just under the Elapsed Time.	Type in all seven digits. Don’t use colons. If the Elapsed Time is 0:30:00, make the EOM 000:29:50. This means the EOM will occur before the end of the audio cut.
10. Press the ENTER key.	The new EOM time is saved to the system and the cut information will disappear from the screen. The main Recording Screen returns.

Quick Quiz: Auditioning an Audio Cut

1. Pressing this button changes the EOM time. ________

2. Do you have to audition the whole audio cut? _______

3. How many ways can the EOM time be changed on this screen? ________

4. What key should be pressed to re-audition an audio cut? ________

5. True or False: The EOM time may only be changed once. ___________

F4 DELETE A CUT

This prompts the user for the five digit Script Number. The operator must know the number of the desired audio cut. If the audio cut exists the Record Screen displays the cut and asks permission to delete the audio cut. If the cut does not exist, the system returns to the main Record Screen.

Exercise: Deleting an Audio Cut

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F4 to Delete a cut.	The cursor will rest in the Script field.
2. Type in script number 88888.	Again, a work number for us to use.
3. Press the ENTER key.	Information for audio cut 88888 is brought to the screen along with the screen prompt asking if this is correct.
4. Press Y for ‘yes.’	Saying ‘yes’ confirms that this is the audio cut that is intended to be deleted. It also clears the screen of all information pertaining to that cut.

Quick Quiz: Deleting an Audio Cut

1. In what screen will the F4 key allow the deletion of spots? _______

2. Will deleting an audio cut prevent it from playing again? ________

3. Does the operator get a chance to cancel the delete command? _________

4. How many audio cuts can be deleted at one time in the Record Screen? _________

5. True or False: The operator has to enter a five-digit number to identify the cut to be deleted. ________

F5 TIMED STOP ON

As mentioned above in the Record Audio steps, Timed Stop allows the user to enter the length of the audio cut before it is recorded. This is great for recording program length audio that is pre-timed. The Record Screen automatically stops recording when the time runs out, allowing the announcer doing the recording to be somewhere else discharging other duties. The system will automatically read the fourth digit in the script number and set the time to match. A “1” will be 10 seconds, a “2” will be twenty seconds, a “3” will be thirty seconds, a “4” will be forty seconds, a “5” will be fifty, a “6” will be sixty, a “7” will be seventy seconds, a “8” will be eighty seconds, and a “9” will be ninety seconds. Once the cursor rests on the Elapsed Time the system-picked time will show. At this time the operator may change the Elapsed Time to whatever they desire that may be different from the number picked by the system. Timed Stop will continue to work for every audio cut until de-activated by pressing the F5 key again.

Exercise: Timed Stop

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F5 to activate Timed Stop.	The guide Timed Stop Off in the middle box at the bottom of the screen will change to Timed Stop On.
2. Press F5 to de-activate Timed Stop.	The guide Timed Stop On changes to Timed Stop Off.
3. Press F5 to activate Timed Stop.	The guide Timed Stop Off once again changes to Timed Stop On.
4. Press F1 to Record.	To record an audio cut with Timed Stop On.
5. Enter a five digit script number.	Use 12345.
6. Press the ENTER key.	The information for 12345 will show itself on the screen.
7. Press the ENTER key through the information fields.	Bypassing the information fields to begin recording. Stop on the elapsed time field. It will show a length of 000:40:00 because of the “4” in position 4 of the script number.
8. Enter 000:10:00.	The audio cut will record for 10 seconds.
9. Press the ENTER key.	The time is set for recording. The prompt appears asking if this is correct.
10. Press the Y key.	Confirming that the information is correct. The prompt appears with instructions to begin the recording.
11. Press the ENTER key.	The recording begins. Step back and watch. Unless the recording is interrupted by pressing the ENTER key, it records for 10 seconds.
12. Press the ENTER key.	The recording process is finished.
13. Press F5 to de-activate Timed Stop.	The guide Timed Stop On changes to Timed Stop Off.

Quick Quiz: Timed Stop

1. How can Timed Stop be de-activated? ____________

2. What does Timed Stop do? _____________________

3. How many digits are in the script number? _________

4. What screen is Timed Stop in? ________________

5. True or False: The Elapsed Time in Timed Stop cannot be changed by hand. _________

F6 RECORD TIME/TEMP

This option allows the user to enter Time and Temp Checks into the system. For Time Checks, at 12:47 PM, if the SMARTCASTER gets a Time Check signal, it plays, "It's twelve forty-seven" just as it would a Function. The Record Times Option on the Record Screen is used by the announcer to record these Time Checks into the SMARTCASTER.

When the user selects this option, the Record Screen asks for a Start Time. This is done in hours and minutes. The first two characters are the hours, the second two are the minutes. For example, if the start time is 12:47, the user enters 1247.

After the start time is determined, the Record Screen asks for an Announcer letter. Refer to the ANNOUNCERS Screen to see who is on at the time the Time Check takes place. The SMARTCASTER checks the system time to determine which cuts to play.

When the first recording is completed, the system automatically sets up the Record Screen again, only this time it is set for the following minute…in this case, 12:48. It is recommended that the recording session start with 1:00 and work its way through the hours to 12:59.

Note: In most places on the SMARTCASTER time is entered in military format. Here is the exception. Times entered in the Record Times are in non-military format, or Civilian time. This is done because the SMARTCASTER uses only one announcement for the AM and PM Time Checks. For instance, if a station had only one Announcer Code entered, the 12:47 AM and the 12:47 PM Time Check would actually be the same audio cut.

CLOCK users should check USER SETUP, option 20 for information on using a Function Relay for a Time Check. Continuous users should look at the Time Checks information in the Breaks section of the Handbook for details on programming Time Checks into the log.

For Temp Checks, if the SMARTCASTER gets a Temp Check signal, it plays, "It's seventy-five degrees" just as it would a Function. The Record Temp Option on the Record Screen is used by the announcer to record these Temp Checks into the SMARTCASTER.

When the user selects this option, the Record Screen asks for the first Temp. Recording Time and Temp Checks are usually done in sessions; beginning with one number and continueing through a series of numbers. When the first recording is completed, the system automatically sets up the Record Screen again, only this time it is set for the following temperature…in this case, the next warmest temperature. It is recommended that the recording session start with a reasonable low temperature for the region and work its way through to the highest possible temperature.

The system uses three digits. For below zero, the minus sign (-) is entered first, and then the two digit temperature. By necessity, no temperature below - 99 can be entered. After the first temperature is determined, the Record Screen asks for an Announcer letter. Refer to the ANNOUNCERS Screen to see the choices for Announcer letters. The SMARTCASTER checks the system time and current temperature to determine which cuts to play.

Known Bugs and Limitations:

While the Time Check already works in the system because it refers to the time in the SMARTCASTER, the Temp Check requires a Temperature Probe in order to function. In older versions of software, if the operator rolls above 59 degrees while recording Temp Checks, the number jumps to 100 degrees. Stop the recording process and start it again at 60 degrees to get around this problem. Newer versions automatically increment to the next highest temperature. Currently, the Temp Check can not play instead of a function like it can with a Time Check. Neither Temperature nor Time Checks contribute to the total length on a break when played back. This can cause timing problems when using automatic fill in satellite mode.

Exercise: Record Time/Temp

What You Do

Comment

1. Press F6 to activate Record Time/Temp.

Prompt appears asking for a choice between Time and Temp recordings.

2. Press I for Time.

Designating that times will be recorded in this session. Opening this prompt, the system automatically defaults to Time where the red cursor rests.

3. Type in 1025 in the Enter First Time field.

Designating the time that will be recorded.

4. Press ENTER to move to the next field.

Moving to the “Enter Announcer” field.

5. Press A to designate the announcer.

Moves to the Record Screen. VU meters show any audio. Be prepared to say, “It’s 10:25” into the microphone.

6. Press ENTER to begin recording.

Record the selected time.

7. Press ENTER again to stop the recording.

Stops the recording and asks for acceptance of the cut. R to re-record and any other key to continue.

8. Press any key but the R to continue the recording process.

Prompt asks if the session should continue.

9. Press any key but the ESC to continue the recording process.

The Record Screen advances to the next immediate minute and prompts for a keypress.

10. Press ENTER to begin recording again.

Record the time as 10:26. The number has already changed in the Script field.

11. Press ENTER again to stop the recording.

Stops the recording and asks for acceptance of the cut. R to re-record and any other key to continue.

12. Press any key but the R to continue the recording process.

Sends to the prompt that shows how to terminate the session.

13. Press the ESC to complete the recording process.

Sends the user back to the main Record Screen.

14. Press F6 to activate Record Time/Temp.

Prompt appears asking for a choice between Time and Temp recordings.

15. Press E for Temp.

Designating that Temps will be recorded in this session. Opening this prompt, the system automatically defaults to First Temp where the red cursor rests.

16. Type in -50 in the Enter First Temp field.

Designating the temp that will be recorded.

17. Press ENTER to move to the next field.

Moving to the “Enter Announcer” field.

18. Press A to designate the announcer.

Moves to the Record Screen. VU meters show any audio. Be prepared to say, “It’s 50 below zero” into the microphone.

19. Press ENTER again to stop the recording.

Stops the recording and asks for acceptance of the cut. R to re-record and any other key to continue.

20. Press any key but the R to continue the recording process.

Prompt asks if the session should continue.

21. Press any key but the ESC to continue the recording process.

The Record Screen advances to the next warmest temperature and prompts for a keypress.

22. Press ENTER to begin recording again.

Record the temp as - 49 degrees. The number has already changed in the Script field.

23. Press ENTER again to stop the recording.

Stops the recording and asks for acceptance of the cut. R to re-record and any other key to continue.

24. Press any key but the R to continue the recording process.

Sends to the prompt that shows how to terminate the session.

25. Press the ESC to complete the recording process.

Sends the user back to the main Record Screen.

Quick Quiz: Record Time/Temp

1. What key activates the Record Times Screen? _________

2. What is the second entry needed to record the time? ____________________

3. Does the Record Times Screen use Civilian or Military time? ________________

4. Is there a specific length for a temperature announcement? _________

5. True or False: The time or temp must be entered into the system before each and every recording. ___________

F7 AUTO START ON/OFF

Most SMARTCASTER systems (SX-12 or later) show audio levels before and during the recording of audio. These systems are capable of Autostart. When Autostart is on, the Record Screen adds one step to the record process.

After the user presses a key to begin recording, the Record Screen tells the user that it is "Listening." This means that it is waiting to hear audio. Once audio is heard, the recording begins automatically. This feature is used when timing at the beginning of an audio cut is a problem or if the operator can’t reach the keyboard and the start button of the audio source at the same time. An example would be when the SMARTCASTER is in one room and the reel-to-reel tape machine is in another.

If the recording begins before the audio feed with Autostart On, there is enough line noise coming into the SMARTCASTER to trigger the record. Have an engineer check the board and eliminate the hum, static, etc. If the engineer cannot eliminate all of the audio line noise, contact SMARTS Support to adjust the start threshold.

Note: Users who have SX-8 audio cards or AudioPorts cannot use this feature.

Exercise: Auto Start

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F7 to activate Auto Start.	The guide Auto Start Off in the middle box at the bottom of the screen will change to Auto Start On.
2. Press F7 to de-activate Auto Start.	The guide Auto Start On changes to Auto Start Off.
3. Press F7 to activate Auto Start.	The guide Auto Start Off once again changes to Auto Start On.
4. Press F1 to Record.	To record an audio cut with Auto Start On.
5. Enter a five digit script number.	Use 12345 again.
6. Press ENTER to initiate the script number.	Cursor moves to Drive field. The audio cut information will be displayed if the cut already exists. The prompt will ask if the operator wants to record over the audio cut.
7. Press ENTER to bypass Drive field.	Allows the system to stay with the drive that has the most space available.
8. Type in the name.	This identifies the audio cut.
9. Press ENTER to move to the Start Date field.	Automatically defaults to today’s date. May be changed to any date the user chooses.
10. Press ENTER to move to the Stop Date field.	Automatically defaults to 12/30/10. Again, it may be changed to any date the user chooses.
11. Press ENTER to move to the Product Code.	Product Code will not be used in this case.
12. Press ENTER to move to the EOM Time.	The cursor rests in the Elapsed Time field.
13. Press ENTER to move past the EOM Time.	It won’t be used in this test.
14. Press ENTER to move to the next prompt.	The prompt appears stating, “Is this correct “(Y/N)”?
15. Press Y to answer yes to the question.	The information is confirmed as being correct and the system is ready to begin recording.
16. Press a key to begin recording.	The system will switch to listening mode…ready for the start of any audio through the console.
17. Activate the audio that is to be recorded.	The system will begin recording when it hears the audio.
18. Press ENTER to stop the recording when done.	The recording is done and an opportunity is offered to re-record if necessary.
19. Press ENTER to finish the recording session.	This recording session is complete.

Quick Quiz: Auto Start

1. What will start the recording when in Auto Start mode? ___________

2. What button activates Auto Start? __________

3. What will Auto Start say it is doing before it begins recording? _________

4. What button must be pushed to re-record an audio cut? __________

5. True or False: All audio sources must be within six feet of the SMARTCASTER keyboard. __________

F8 NET TRANSFER

Note: Due to technological advances, this feature is now obsolete and should not be used.

Most SMARTCASTERS that use a LAN (Local Area Network) are Generation 2000 systems. However, some Antex systems are equipped with a network. These systems handle recording in a different way. Recording is done locally instead of across the network. Then the audio is transferred across the network to the waiting SMARTCASTER or Server unit.

Having this option activated adds an additional step to the recording procedure. When finished with the recording the user is asked whether or not to add this audio cut to the Transfer List. If the user responds with a Y, the Record Screen requests the Destination Drive for the newly recorded audio cut. This is the destination hard drive on the SMARTCASTER that the audio is being sent to.

Once the information is entered, the Record Screen asks the user if the information is correct. If the user responds with an N, the questions start over. If the user responds with a Y, the item is added to the Transfer List.

NOTE: Only 20 items are allowed in the Transfer List at one time. Net Transfer is activated in PATH SETUP by changing selection 14 from ‘N’ to ‘Y’. This should only be done while a technician from SMARTS Broadcast Systems is assisting.

When the user selects this option, a new screen appears. This screen contains a list of audio cuts and their destinations. At the bottom of the screen, a new list of options appears.

F1 Add -Manually adds an item to the end of the list.

F2 Delete -Manually deletes an item from the list.

F3 Start Transfer -Starts the transfer process.

F4 Edit -Allows the user to edit (change) an audio cut destination.

F5 Insert -Lets the user add a cut in the middle instead of the end.

F6 Move -Lets the user change the list position of a cut.

ESC Exit -Exits back to the Record Screen.

Should the user accidentally repeat an audio cut in the list, a "*" appears next to both as a warning of the duplication.

Note: Due to technological advances, this feature is now obsolete and should not be used.

F9 BACKUP ON/OFF

Note: Backup must be configured in the system prior to use. Contact SMARTS Support to see if the system has it.

Not all SMARTCASTERS can backup effectively. Even though SMARTCASTERS can be configured to backup to floppy, it is not recommended.

The only effective ways to backup the audio information is either on another hard drive, or to a tape backup unit. This option deals with backing up to another hard drive in the system.

This option does not appear on the screen unless it is activated in the Setup Screens. Please refer to PATH SETUP, option 2 and the entire BACKUP SETUP Screen information in the Setup manual for details on backing up the system.

If this option is on, an additional step is added to the recording process. When the recording finishes, the Record Screen asks the user if the audio cut just recorded should be backed up. Should the user answer Y, the audio cut is copied to the designated backup drive. If the user responds with an N, the Record Screen clears.

Exercise: Backup On/Off

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F9 to activate Backup.	The guide Backup Off in the right-hand box at the bottom of the screen will change to Backup On.
2. Press F9 to de-activate Backup.	The guide Backup On changes to Backup Off.
3. Press F9 to activate Backup.	The guide Backup Off once again changes to Backup On.
4. Press F1.	The rectangular cursor will move to the Script field in the Record Screen.
5. Type 88888 and press ENTER.	(88888 is just a random example number). The cursor now goes to the next field.
6. Enter the Drive Letter and pres ENTER.	In multiple-drive systems, the unit automatically picks the drive with the most space.
7. Type the Name of the account and press ENTER.	Any name will do for this test case. Normally, the business name or song title would go here.
8. Press ENTER to bypass the Start Date.	The system will automatically default to today’s date.
9. Press ENTER to bypass the Stop Date.	The system will automatically default to 12/30/70 as the Stop Date. This can be used as the TFN date. That’s 2070.
10. Enter the Product Code (if any) and press ENTER.	Not needed at this point.
11. When asked "is this correct?" press Y for ‘yes’.	This states that the entered information is correct and the system is ready to record. Entering N for ‘No’ begins the process over again.
12. Now press a key to begin the recording.	The recording should begin. Screen indicators will show that the recording is taking place.
13. If the SMARTCASTER says it is "Listening," start an audio source to begin the recording.	Auto Start (F7) was turned on. The system will wait until it hears audio before it begins recording.
14. Press ENTER to stop the recording. If the user wishes to re-record the spot, press R. The SMARTCASTER sets the recording session back to the beginning.	Re-record is a failsafe so the operator doesn’t have to enter all of the information in a second time if they need to re-record for whatever reason.
15. Press ENTER to finish the recording process.	The recording is completed and the backup prompt appears. The prompt says, “Do you wish to backup this audio cut? The choice is yes or no.
16. Press Y to confirm the backup.	A visual display will appear showing the transfer process. The display will disappear when the process is complete. This should take several seconds. A “flash” on the screen means there was a problem. Contact SMARTS Support.
17. Go through steps 1 through 12. Then jump to step 18.	Going through the recording process again to see what to do to not backup.
18. Press N to say no to the backup.	The backup is discontinued and the unit returns to the main Record Screen.

Quick Quiz: Backup On/Off

1. What button on the Record Screen turns on Backup? _________

2. What setup screen determines the drive that will house the backup? ________

3. Is there a screen prompt for backing up each audio cut? ________

4. When Backup is on, how many places will contain the audio cut? _________

5. True or False: Once Backup is on, all audio cuts will be saved. _________

F10 CHANGE PATH

This is used exclusively by Generation 2000 users who operate more than one radio station and share their commercials. While it is desirable to share commercials, Functions cannot be shared. This option exists to allow users the ability to record Functions specific to each station from one site. Only Functions beginning with an F can use this feature.

When the user selects this option, a new screen appears. The user can choose a destination SMARTCASTER from this list. Currently, only a few stations use this feature.

Please refer to FUNCTION SETUP in the Setup Manual for additional explanations of this feature. Due to the complexity of this procedure, it is usually done by the Installation Engineer sent by SMARTS. Basically, the operator needs to know where the Functions will be stored on each station. That information is stored in the FUNCTION SETUP and accessed by using the F10 key in the Record Screen.

To make a selection, enter the station number (1-10) and press ENTER. For stations with this feature, the proper destination should be chosen before each recording session where Functions are recorded into the unit to ensure that they are stored in the proper place. The originating stations’ path should be selected at the end of the recording session to eliminate possible problems.

Note: This is specifically designed to be used in a production room where Functions are recorded to more than one studio. There are drawbacks to using this feature from one on-air studio to another. While Studio One is recording Studio Two’s Functions, any closures received on Studio One will cause Studio Two Functions to play on Studio One. In other words, the wrong jingles, liners, and I.D.s will play on the air of the station doing the recording. This may be circumvented by placing the SMARTCASTER in Live Assist before going into the Record Screen.

Exercise: Change Path

What You Do	Comment
1. Press F10.	The Record Screen is replaced by the Multiple Function Path Screen. If F10 is not selectable, the system is not configured for its use. Stop here.
2. Press 2 to select a new station.	Picks the second station for directing newly recorded Functions.
3. Press ENTER.	Activates the change in pathing.
4. Press F1.	The rectangular cursor will move to the Script field in the Record Screen.
5. Type F686A and press ENTER.	(F686A is just a random example number). The cursor now goes to the next field.
6. Press ENTER to bypass the Drive Letter.	In this case the system automatically picks the drive that has been designated by Change Path.
7. Type the Name of the Account and press ENTER.	Any name will do for this test case. Normally, the Announcer name or Function title would go here.
8. Press ENTER to bypass the Start Date.	The system will automatically default to today’s date.
9. Press ENTER to bypass the Stop Date.	The system will automatically default to 12/30/70 as the Stop Date. This can be used as the TFN date.
10. Enter the Product Code (if any) and press ENTER.	Not needed at this point.
11. When asked "is this correct?" press Y for ‘yes’.	This states that the entered information is correct and the system is ready to record. Entering N for ‘No’ begins the process over again.
12. Now press a key to begin the recording.	The recording should begin. Screen indicators will show that the recording is taking place.
13. If the SMARTCASTER says it is "Listening," start an audio source to begin the recording.	Auto Start (F7) was turned on. The system will wait until it hears audio before it begins recording.
14. Press ENTER to stop the recording. If the user wishes to re-record the cut, press R. The SMARTCASTER sets the recording session back to the beginning.	It’s a failsafe so the operator doesn’t have to enter all the information in a second time if they need to re-record for whatever reason.
15. Press ENTER to finish the recording process.	The recording is completed.
16. Press F10to change path.	Setting the system back to the original path.
17. Press 1 to select the original path.	The system returns to the main Record Screen.

Quick Quiz: Change Path

1. Change Path is used to record what? _______________

2. How many choices are there on the Change Path Screen? ______

3. What Setup Screen is used to create the paths for the Change Path Screen? _________

4. What button activates Change Path? ________

5. True or False: The Change Path feature can only be used in Generation 2000 systems. _________

ALT+R RENAME CUT

The Rename Cut feature was designed to cover a common mistake. Whether a clerical error, a transposition, or some other form of mistake, audio cuts can sometimes be given a wrong number. In early versions, this meant that the cut needed to be re-recorded. The ALT+R feature allows the user to change a script number from one number to another. This allows the announcer to quickly change the number on a cut rather than re-record the material. It also allows the cut to be duplicated without spending the time to re-record it. If the new cut number already exists, a prompt will appear asking if the cut should be over-written.

Note: This feature does not work with Functions. It may only be used on commercials and music cuts.

Exercise: Rename Cut

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ALT+R.	Both keys must be depressed at the same time. A prompt appears asking for the original script number.
2. Type in 88888.	This is the original script number, the number we wish to change.
3. Press ENTER.	The original number is accepted and the second prompt appears, asking for the New Script number.
4. Type in 88887.	This is the new script number, the number it will become.
5. Press ENTER.	The new number is accepted and the third prompt appears, asking if the original cut number should be maintained.
6. Press Y.	The audio cut is copied to the new number while maintaining the old number. The main Record Screen re-appears.
7. Press ALT+R again.	Again, the prompt appears asking for the original script number.
8. Type in 88888.	This is the original script number, the number we wish to change.
9. Press ENTEr.	The original number is accepted and the second prompt appears, asking for the New Script number.
10. Type in 88886.	This is the new script number, the number it will become.
11. Press ENTER.	The new number is accepted and the third prompt appears, asking if the original cut number should be maintained.
12. Press N.	The audio cut number is changed to the new number. Only one number has this audio cut. The main Record Screen re-appears.
13. Press ESC twice.	The system returns to the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Rename Cut

1. Name one of the keys used to activate Rename Cut. _______

2. What screen must you be in to use the Rename Cut feature? ______________

3. How many script numbers must be known to rename an audio cut? ___________

4. Is there another place in the program to rename a cut? _________________

5. True or False: Rename Cut requires the audio cut to be re-recorded. ________

ESC EXIT

Pressing ESC exits the Record Screen.

Cut Manager

Cut Manager is the method used to inspect and manipulate the stations’ audio inventory, be it commercials, music, jingles, time announcements, or temperature announcements. Cut Manager displays the Cut Number, Cut Name, Start Date, Stop Date, Product Code, Length, End Of Message, and Drive Letter. It may be used to list, sort, find, audition, or delete any of the inventory. Cut Manager can also be used to re-record a cut, and check the hard drives.

Cut Manager can be accessed from the Main SMARTCASTER Screen by pressing the ESC key to get the menu bar across the top of the screen, selecting AUDIO, then using the DOWN ARROW key to highlight Cut Manager. Press ENTER to activate the program. Once in Cut Manager, the choices are Spots, Music, Functions, Times, or Temps. Each of the highlighted keys will enter that part of Cut Manager. The program will begin loading the respective information once a button has been pressed. Once loaded, the information will be displayed on the screen. The total number of cuts will be displayed in the upper-right hand corner of the screen.

To get around in this screen, use the LEFT, RIGHT, UP, and DOWN ARROW keys, Page Up or Page Down, and Home or End. The LEFT AND RIGHT ARROW keys will go from column to column. The UP and DOWN ARROW keys will scroll up and down by increments of one. The PgUp and PgDn keys will change pages on the screen, moving in increments of 16 at one time. The HOME and END keys will jump to the top or the bottom of the list, respectively. The cursor is the purple line and is moved by use of the UP and DOWN ARROW keys. To select a particular item move the cursor to cover that item and press the SPACE BAR. The text of the item will turn yellow when selected and the cursor will move down to the next item in the list. When selecting the last item in the list the cursor remains on that item. When de-selecting an item, place the cursor over the yellow text of that item and press the SPACE BAR. To de-select all of the items that have already be selected, merely press the ALT+C keys. Pressing the ALT+H keys will display the Help Screen. Using the UP and DOWN ARROW keys will allow viewing of the Help Screen.

Other options available once the screen has loaded include Sort, Output, New Cut, Drives, and Find. To access any particular option press the key highlighted in red, S, O, N, D, or F. Pressing ENTER on an item will bring up a prompt before going to the Record Screen. The prompt allows the user to Record, Edit Data, or Audition. The cursor automatically comes up on Audition. Pressing R for Record will bring up that item in the Record Screen and ask if it should be recorded over. The recording is normal from that point on. Pressing E for Edit Data will bring up that item in the Record Screen and allow it to be edited. The editing is normal from that point on. Pressing A for Audition will bring up that item in the Record Screen and allow it to be auditioned. The auditioning is normal from that point on. When done, pressing the ESC key once will return the Cut Manager Screen.

SORT

Any particular column can be selected by using the RIGHT and LEFT ARROW keys to highlight the column of choice. The text in each column brightens as it is selected. Once selected, that column may be sorted by pressing the S key for Sort. Items in that column are sorted in ascending order. Only one column may be sorted at a time.

FIND

This is a shortcut when looking for a specific name or number in a large list. This feature is limited to the Cut Number or Cut Name.

Either name or number may find an audio cut. Use the RIGHT and LEFT ARROW keys to select which field to use and then press F to Find. When prompted, enter the item to find. For example, for finding cut 00131, select the number field using the RIGHT and LEFT ARROW keys, then press F and type in 00131 and press ENTER. If a matching cut is found, it appears at the top of the list alrea0dy highlighted and is in yellow to show that it is selected. Finding a cut by name works the same way.

All or part of an item may be found. For instance, when searching the list of audio cuts to find all entries that contain the word “Test”, simply arrow RIGHT or LEFT over to the Cut Name field, press F, and type in “test” (not case sensitive), then press ENTER. All cuts with names containing “test” anywhere in them appear at the top of the list and are selected (yellow).

A general search can also be done. If all of the audio cuts for account 777 need to be found, merely type in 777 and press ENTER. All audio cuts that contain 777 somewhere in the title will be selected and presented at the top of the screen. Unfortunately, this will pull up not only cuts 77731 and 77732, but will also pull up cuts 07771 and 03777. When looking for a specific account, it may be easier to use the Cut Name field and use just a few letters from the name of the account. For exhibition purposes, quick use of the space bar can de-select the audio cuts that do not apply, leaving just the desired cuts highlighted on the screen. So, whether showing the boss all of the outdated audio cuts, or showing a salesman all of the audio cuts for a specific account, this is a quick and efficient tool.

DELETE

This feature is used to remove unneeded audio from the hard drive. By using the UP and DOWN ARROW keys and the SPACE BAR, as many audio cuts as desired may be selected. Once the cuts have been selected, pressing the DELETE key will warn that there are cuts to be deleted and ask for permission to continue. The choices are ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘Escape’. ‘No’ or ‘Escape’ will terminate the process. ‘Yes’ will continue the deletion process. A second prompt appears providing one more chance to terminate the process without losing audio. Once this prompt is answered in the affirmative, the process will continue until the selected audio is deleted. The selected audio cut remains on the screen once it has been deleted. The fact that it changes color and has a red “x” to the right of the number indicates that it is no longer available.

Using the Sort feature may enhance Delete. Sorting by End Date will group all of the audio cuts by date, allowing the user to select the dates that are outdated and need to be deleted.

NEW CUT

This feature is used to access the Record Screen while in Cut Manager. Pressing the N key brings up the prompt asking for the script number of the intended cut. Typing in the number and pressing ENTER will bring up the Record Screen with the number and drive selection already entered. The cursor rests on the drive selection so that it may be changed if necessary. The rest of the recording process is like the standard procedure. When the recording is completed, pressing the ESC key will return the operator to the Cut Manager Screen. The newly recorded cut will appear on the screen.

OUTPUT

This feature allows the Cut Manager list to be transported elsewhere. Sometimes it is good to have a hardcopy (paper) list of the commercials or music in the library. The Sales Force likes to look over the current inventory; announcers need to know information about a song. A printout makes the information available.

Pressing the O key brings up a prompt asking for a choice of printer or disk. It is recommended that the SMARTCASTER NEVER be hooked to a printer. The information should be downloaded to a disk and that disk taken to another computer which has a printer. Selecting “disk”, the prompt shows the path, i.e. the floppy drive and the name of the file that will hold the information. The default is A:\LIST.TXT. The operator may change the path and file name. Pressing ENTER will download the information to the disk inserted into the floppy port. The disk can then be taken to another computer and the file printed out.

Output works best when tied in with the Sort feature. Output sends the file to disk the way it was last sorted. Sorting the Music by Cut Name allows it to be printed out in alphabetical order for use as a reference library for announcers. Sorting the commercials by End Date allows the Sales Force to see what spots are outdated. Sorting the spots by Cut Name allows the Sales Force to look for their accounts alphabetically.

DRIVES

This feature is an unfinished mapping tool. It uses two columns to show the drives that are available and the types of information stored on them. The S, M, F, and R stand for Spots, Music, Functions, and Removable, respectively. An “x” may be placed between the parenthesis in each column for each drive to indicate the type of audio that may be stored there. Removable indicates that particular drive is portable, such as a tape drive, Zip drive, or Jaz drive. Use the arrow keys LEFT, RIGHT, UP, and DOWN to get around the screen. Pressing the S, M, F, or R keys activates or de-activates that form of audio for storage on that drive. This screen also reads the Backup Setup and displays the drives involved in the backup. Again, this is an unfinished tool. Watch the newsletter for further information.

ALT + V

This key combination is used to verify EOMS and duration before export to the Digital Program Director. The confirmed information will be displayed in Cut Manager.

ESCAPE

Pressing the ESC key exits the Cut Manager Screen.

Note on Floppy disks.

If any errors occur during this process, be sure that the floppy disk is formatted. Refer to the Formatting A Floppy Appendix.

The Term "Floppy" disk applies to both the 3.5” and the 5.25” type of disk.

Exercise: Cut Manager

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press DOWN ARROW once.	The red cursor moves to Cut Manager.
4. Press ENTER once.	Cut Manager is activated. The selection screen appears with spots highlighted in red.
5. Press ENTER.	Cut Manager loads the spots. When done, the screen will show the first page of audio cuts. The upper right corner will show the total number of audio cuts found.
6. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The title near the top center of the screen changes to Cut Name. The text in the column to the right brightens.
7. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The title changes to Start Date and the text in this column brightens.
8. Press LEFT ARROW twice.	The title has changed to Cut Number and the first column is highlighted by brighter text.
9. Press DOWN ARROW once.	The purple cursor drops down one line.
10. Press UP ARROW once.	The cursor returns to the top line.
11. Press PgDn once.	If there are more than 16 cuts, the cursor will drop to the bottom of the page. If there are less that 16 cuts, the cursor will drop to the last item in the list.
12. Press PgUp once.	The cursor will go up by 16 cuts or to the top of the page depending on the number of cuts in the list.
13. Press the END key once.	The cursor will drop to the very last entry in the list.
14. Press the HOME key once.	The cursor returns to the top line in the list.
15. Press S once for Sort.	The system sorts the list by number since the Cut Number was highlighted. The cursor returns to the top line at the end of the sort.
16. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The Cut Name is now highlighted.
17. Press S for Sort.	The system is now sorted by Cut Name.
18. Press RIGHT ARROW twice.	The Stop Date column is highlighted.
19. Press S for Sort.	The list is now sorted by Stop Date.
20. Press the SPACE BAR five times.	Each keystroke highlights an item in yellow and the cursor moves down to the next item. These items have been “selected.”
21. Press UP ARROW once.	The purple cursor now covers the last selected item.
22. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The selected item has now been de-selected. It is no longer yellow. The cursor moves down by one.
23. Press the ALT + C keys once.	All of the selected items in Cut Manager have now been de-selected. The cursor returns to the top of the list.
24. Press the ENTER key once.	The prompt appears offering a choice between recording, editing, and auditioning. Audition is highlighted in red.
25. Press the R key once.	The ‘R’ is the hot key…a shortcut for going to the Record Screen. The Record Screen appears with the information from the cut that the cursor was on when the ENTER key was pressed. The prompt asks if you want to record over this spot.
26. Press the N key.	The Record Screen clears. The selected cut remains intact.
27. Press the ESC key.	The Cut Manager Screen re-appears. The cursor has moved down by one.
28. Press the ENTER key again.	The prompt appears again offering a choice between recording, editing, and auditioning.
29. Press the E key.	Edit Data has been chosen. The Record Screen comes up in the Editing mode. Again, the information displayed is from the cut that the cursor was on when the ENTER key was pressed. The Record Screen cursor is resting in the Drive field.
30. Press the ENTER key three times.	The cursor is now resting in the Stop Date field.
31. Enter 112210 as the date.	The Stop Date is now set well into the future.
32. Press the ENTER key twice.	The change is accepted and the system asks if it is correct.
33. Press the Y key to accept the change.	The system saves the changes and clears the Record Screen.
34. Press the ESC key.	The Cut Manager Screen re-appears. The cursor has moved down by one. The item just edited shows a Stop Date of 11/22/10.
35. Press ENTER again.	The prompt appears again offering a choice between recording, editing, and auditioning. Auditioning is highlighted in red.
36. Press ENTER again.	Auditioning has been chosen. The Record Screen comes up in the Auditioning mode. Again, the information displayed is from the cut that the cursor was on when the e key was pressed. The prompt asks for a key to be pressed to begin the audition. Make sure the proper pot is selected on the control board.
37. Press the ENTER key.	The audio cut should begin auditioning. Let it play through. It will end with the option to quit or re-audition.
38. Press the ENTER key again.	The audition is finished and the Record Screen clears.
39. Press the ESC key.	The Cut Manager Screen re-appears. The cursor has moved down by one.
40. Press the LEFT ARROW key three times.	Cut Number is now highlighted.
41. Press the F key.	The Find feature is activated. The prompt appears saying , “Find what?” This only works under name or number.
42. Type in 888.	Designating the search pattern.
43. Press the ENTER key.	Activating the search. All audio cuts with a combination of three seven’s will be selected. They are displayed at the top of the screen in yellow text.
44. Press the ALT + C keys once.	All of the selected items in Cut Manager have now been de-selected. The cursor returns to the top of the list.
45. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The Cut Name is now highlighted.
46. Press the F key.	The Find feature is activated. The prompt appears saying , “Find what?” Any word or part of a word may be used in the search.
47. Type in the word “test”.	“Test” will be the word we use in our search.
48. Press the ENTER key.	The search is activated. Items having the word “test” in them will be highlighted in yellow and grouped at the top of the screen.
49. Press the ALT + C keys once.	All of the selected items in Cut Manager have now been de-selected. The cursor returns to the top of the list.
50. Press the N key.	Choosing New Cut. The prompt appears asking for a new cut number to be entered.
51. Type in 77762.	Indicating the audio cut to be recorded.
52. Press the ENTER key.	The Record Screen comes up in the recording mode. The Record Screen cursor is resting in the Drive field.
53. Press the ENTER key five times.	The name, start and stop dates, and product code are bypassed. The prompt appears asking if this is correct.
54. Press the Y key.	The system is ready to record. Levels may be seen on the screen. A prompt appears showing how to start the record. We’ll record a couple of seconds.
55. Press the ENTER key.	The recording begins. The level indicators move on the screen.
56. Press the ENTER key again.	The recording stops. The prompt appears asking to re-record or quit.
57. Press the ENTER key again.	The Record Screen clears.
58. Press the ESC key.	The Cut Manager Screen appears. The new audio cut is listed on the screen.
59. Press the D key.	The Drives Screen comes up. There may or may not be a large number of drives listed. Pressing the S, M, F, or R keys will act as a toggle to turn on and off each designation.
60. Press the S key three times.	Notice the “x” appear and disappear under the S on C: Drive. The cursor is the red bar.
61. Press the DOWN ARROW twice.	The cursor moves down two.
62. Press the RIGHT ARROW once.	The cursor jumps to the second column on the screen.
63. Press the ESC key.	The Cut Manager Screen re-appears.
64. Press the O key.	The Output feature is activated. The first prompt asks for a decision between printer and disk. Disk is highlighted in red.
65. Press the D or ENTER key.	Sending the information to disk. The next prompt appears, showing the destination path and file name. A floppy disk should be inserted into the floppy drive.
66. Press the ENTER key.	The information is copied to the disk. The system returns to the Cut Manager Screen.
67. Press the DOWN ARROW twice.	The cursor moves down two lines.
68. Press the SPACE BAR.	The item is selected.
69. Press the DELETE key.	The deletion prompt appears requesting confirmation of the selected cuts.
70. Press the Y key.	To confirm deletion. A second prompt appears asking for confirmation of the decision.
71. Press the Y key.	The selected item turns gray. An “x” appears next to the number. The cursor returns to the top of the list.
72. Press the ESC key three times.	The system returns to the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Cut Manager

1. What key will take the cursor to the top of the list? ____________

2. What feature should be used to locate all cuts with 888 in the number? __________

3. What color is the text of a selected audio cut? _________

4. How are selected cuts de-selected? ____________

5. True or False: Cuts can be recorded or auditioned while in Cut Manager. _______

Verification Logs

This screen deals with the Verification Logs on the SMARTCASTER. It is a paper trail used to see what the SMARTCASTER has done throughout the day and may be used for affidavits. Using this, operators may also diagnose problems or get answers to questions.

This screen does not deal with the breaklog. To transfer a breaklog into the SMARTCASTER, select Import Traffic Log under the MAINTENANCE heading on the On-Air Screen. To view the breaklog, select the Breaks Option under the PROGRAMMING header on the On-Air Screen.

As an example of the Verification Log, if the Program Director hears a Mandatory Break going over the air, he/she could easily check the Verification Log to see what the system was doing at the time the break came down. The Verification Log could clearly show that the closure was missed, that the board operator left the SMARTCASTER in Live Assist, or that the wrong information had been programmed into the SMARTCASTER by Traffic.

The SMARTCASTER writes nearly all of its operations to the Verification Log. Each day has its own log. This shows what has actually played on the SMARTCASTER.

There are four options on the Verification Log Screen.

1.) TRANSFER LOGS

Using this option, the user has the ability to transfer any day's Verification Log to a floppy disk for storage or to be printed out later.

Note: Only one week's Verification Logs may be stored on one floppy.

Here is a series of steps to follow when the user wishes to print out Monday's Verification Log on another DOS computer.

1. Select LOGS from the On-Air Screen.

2. Select option number 1, Transfer Logs.

3. Select Monday.

4. Insert a formatted floppy disk and press ENTER.

5. Take the floppy disk to another computer.

6. Get to the C:\> prompt.

7. Make sure that the printer is on and that the "ON-LINE" light is on.

8. Type

COPY A:LOG.MON PRN

then press ENTER.

To do other days, substitute TUE, WED, THU,etc. for MON.

Here are a series of steps to follow when the user wishes to print out Monday's Verification Log on another Windows computer.

1. Select LOGS from the On-Air Screen.

2. Select option number 1, Transfer Logs.

3. Select Monday.

4. Insert a formatted floppy disk and press ENTER.

5. Take the floppy disk to a Windows computer.

6. Insert the floppy disk in the floppy drive port.

7. Double click on My Computer icon on the desktop screen.

8. Double click on the A: Drive icon.

9. Double click on List.Txt.

10. Click on File in the upper left-hand corner.

11. Make sure that the printer is on and that the "ON-LINE" light is on.

12. Click on Print.

13. Click on the X in the upper right-hand corner to close the screens.

2.) PRINT LOGS.

The user need only select which day to print. It is not recommended that a printer be connected to the SMARTCASTER. Printing should be done from other computers.

3.) VIEW LOGS

To view a log, the user selects which day of the week to view. Then use the arrow keys UP, DOWN, HOME, END, PgDn and PgUp to scroll through the day. Press ESC to exit.

This option requires elaboration. Viewing the log can help to determine many things. Did the commercials play when scheduled? Does the system update its time regularly? Are missing spots being replaced by the Fill Rotation? What liner played after the 3:20 p.m. break?

In time, an operator can learn to read much more than the obvious from the Verification Log. The obvious is easily discerned on the screen. The spot is shown to have started at a certain time and was in a certain break. The system was in Live Assist for a certain length of time. The SMARTCASTER left the program during the afternoon air-shift. And the operator corrected the time.

The less obvious is the failure of certain spots to contain audio. A scheduled spot was replaced because it was outdated. And an Unattended Record went longer than was expected.

The subtle is the power outage that occurred at 2:15 a.m. The system didn’t react to the satellite closure at 1:15 p.m. And why the system didn’t air the network news at the top of the hour.

One part of the LOG needs clarification. Just to the left of the time column on the far right is the Status Column. This column shows what mode the SMARTCASTER was in at that time. “M” is Continuous Mode, “C” is Clock Mode, “A-Z” is the particular Clock that is being used in Clock Mode, and “J” is Jock-In-The-Box Mode. This is used as a quick indicator of the SMARTCASTERS’ status at any given time.

The log is a text file that may be saved to disk or e-mailed as an attachment to SMARTS for further research.

4.) DELETE LOGS

This operation is rarely necessary since the SMARTCASTER automatically deletes the old Verification Log for a specific day when that day rolls around again and the new log starts.

Completion of any task will bring this menu back up. Pressing ESC will end this session.

Exercise: Verification Log

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press DOWN ARROW twice.	The cursor moves to Verification Log.
4. Press ENTER once.	The Verification Log option is activated. The selection screen appears with View highlighted in red. The other choices are Transfer, Print, and Delete.
5. Press T for Transfer.	Transfer is selected. The choice screen appears offering a selection of Sunday through Saturday. The current day is highligted in red. The other letters highlighted in red are hot keys (shortcuts) to the other days.
6. Press RIGHT ARROW until Sunday is highlighted.	Notice the red cursor move and wrap-around to Sunday.
7. Press the ENTER key.	Sunday has been chosen. The warning appears stating that a disk must be in place. OK is highlighted. Put a disk in the floppy port.
8. Press the ENTER key.	The transfer process begins. The floppy drive light comes on. The screen message verifies that the process is complete. There is a prompt to continue.
9. Press the SPACE BAR.	The screen returns to the Verification Log choice menu screen.
10. Press the P key.	Print is chosen. The choice screen appears offering a selection of Sunday through Saturday.
11. Press the M key.	Monday is selected. The prompt appears warning that the printer should be on and on-line.
12. Press the ENTER key.	The screen shows the warning that an error has occurred. No printer should be connected to the SMARTCASTER. Always transfer to disk and take it to another computer.
13. Press the ENTER key.	The warning screen disappears and the Verification Log choice menu screen re-appears. View is highlighted.
14. Press the ENTER key.	View is chosen. The choice screen appears offering a selection of Sunday through Saturday.
15. Press the T key.	Tuesday is selected and the Tuesday Verification Log appears on the screen. The red cursor line rests on the identification line at the top of the log.
16. Press the DOWN ARROW key twice.	The cursor moves down two lines, highlighting the event on that line.
17. Press the PgDn key.	The cursor drops down one page or 18 lines. At the end of the list the cursor rests on the last line and that is at the top of the page.
18. Press the END key.	The cursor rests at the top of the page and shows the last page in the log.
19. Press the HOME key.	The cursor returns to the top of the list and rests on the identification line.
20. Press the ESC key.	The screen returns to the Verification Log choice menu screen.
21. Press the D key.	Delete is chosen. The choice screen appears offering a selection of Sunday through Saturday.
22. Press the F key.	Friday is chosen. The prompt appears asking for confirmation before deleting.
23. Press the Y key.	The deletion is confirmed. The confirmation screen appears when the file is deleted.
24. Press the ENTER key.	The screen returns to the Verification Log choice menu screen.
25. Press the ESC key twice.	The system returns to the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Verification Log

1. How many Verification Logs are there in a given week? ______

2. Will the log show time updates? _______

3. What button allows the operator to see the last page of the log? _______

4. Can the Verification Log be saved to disk or e-mailed? ________

5. True or False: The Verification Log displays all aired audio cuts. _______

The Programming Section

Breaks

The breaklog is the heart of the SMARTCASTER system. It is the log that programs the SMARTCASTER. The breaklog is a sequential list of events that the SMARTCASTER can execute various ways. CLOCK users trigger breaks with a closure coming down from a satellite receiver. Continuous systems read the events one after the other.

The breaklog contains 2,880 positions per day. Each of these positions can hold spots, music, Functions, and several special commands. Since the two main categories of SMARTCASTER (CLOCK and Continuous) use this log differently, each category is discussed separately. Those who use their SMARTCASTER in more than one mode should read the sections relevant to their operation. The following is a concise table that sums up the capabilities of the Breaks Screen and whether or not the feature is available for CLOCK or Continuous.

When the user enters the Breaks Screen, the screen asks if it should calculate the break lengths. If the user enters a Y, the Breaks Screen takes the time to calculate the length of every break-set for the day. Once in the Breaks Screen, it displays that information to the right under LEN.

The screen will show the date and time across the top along with several titles. Down the left side are the hours and break numbers. Down the right side are the listings of time allotted for the break and the total of the accumulated audio cuts. Near the bottom is the information related to the audio cut highlighted by the cursor. At the very bottom of the screen is the keyboard key for the Help Screen and accessing other days of the week. The total accumulation of time for the hour is also shown here. The screen displays many colors. The cursor is gray, audio cut (commercial) numbers are in green, music cuts are red, 99999’s are yellow, SKIP’s are blue, Functions are lavender, and Time, Temp, Wait, and Relays are white.

The UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT, PgUp, and PgDn keys may be used to get around the screen. There are ten positions per line and 12 lines per hour. The cursor may be moved to the position where new audio is to be scheduled. The system will point out if the audio isn’t available.

Keys:

CTRL + [E] - Enters a temperature check into the breaklog.

CTRL + [I] - Enters a time check into the breaklog.

CTRL [CTL] + [J] - Jump to Break (The system will prompt the user for a number).

CTRL [CTL] + [C] - Enters a CD.

CTRL [CTL] + [S] - Enters a Source (The system will prompt the user for a number).

CTRL [ALT] + [S] - Enters a SKIP in a non-Clock configuration.

CTRL [ALT] + [D] - Clears all breaks for the entire day, careful!

CTRL [ALT] + [C] - Clears all breaks for the hour.

ALT + [N] - Continue to next break line in non-clock configuration.

ALT + [T] - Enters a Stop into the breaklog. This is usually used in a

Continuous play mode or a CD system. It will bring the

system to a halt until it receives either a local break

closure or an [F1] keypress.

ALT +[R] - Enters a relay into the breaklog (the SMARTCASTER prompts

for a number).

ALT +[P] - Stands for Pause. This acts as Stop above.

ALT +[I] - Brings down the Insert Window in the breaklog.

ALT +[E] - Enters a temperature check into the breaklog.

ALT +[H] - Brings up the Help Screen.

ALT +[B] - This toggles the display of break times or break numbers.

Depending on the logging technique, the user can use whichever

is convenient.

CTRL+[W] - Enters a Wt (Wait) event onto the log. This event allows the

system to wait for a specified amount of time. The time

is entered following the Wt as WtMSS (Wait Min. Seconds).

For Example:

Wt100 = Wait for 1 min.

Wt330 = Wait for 3 min. 30 seconds.

Waits add to the total length of a break and count backwards

just like a silent cut, but with one critical difference...

Waits do not mute the network. In a satellite system the

Waits unmute the satellite network, so be sure to have the

correct satellite source routed to air *before* the Wait

occurs.

[F1]-[F7] - Represent Sunday through Saturday. Just press the key, and

change the day.

NOTE: When using the [ALT]+[C] feature to clear the hour, the cursor must be in one of the first 11 breaks of that hour. Placing it in the twelfth break will clear the next hour instead.

The BREAKS Help Screen

Use the arrow keys to go between events.

The cursor will wrap-around to the left and right.

Page Up and Page Down - will take the cursor up or down one hour at a time.

Home – takes the cursor to the first event of the break line.

End – takes the cursor to just after the last event of the break line.

Ctrl + Home - takes the cursor to the first event of the first line.

Ctrl + End - takes the cursor to the first event of the first line in the last hour.

The blue rectangle shows information about the event highlighted by the cursor:

The title

Start date

Stop date

Product Code

Storage Drive

Cut Length

EOM Time

The log day is displayed in the lower right-hand corner. Just below that is the system time. Left of the time display is a message telling if the hour is under or over programmed.

Working menu’s and how they are accessed:

File – Alt + F

Edit – Alt + E

Options – Alt + O

Insert – Alt + I

Hot Keys: a hot key is a short cut. Once a menu is open, pressing the corresponding hot key is a short cut to getting the job done. This saves many keystrokes manipulating the cursor into place over the desired event and pressing the Enter key. The hot key is the letter in each event that is displayed by a different color. Example: Under Options, the C is a different color in Calculate Lengths. C is the hot key.

How to use the menu’s.

File

Import Breaklog

Insert the floppy containing the breaklog

Press Alt+F

Press Enter or I

Press Enter

Enter the day the log represents. Again, there are hot keys

Remove the disk when done

Change Day

Press Alt+F

Arrow down one and press Enter, or press C

Select the desired day from the choices provided

Use the +/- keys to change days from the main Break Screen

Exit

Press Alt+F

Arrow down two and press Enter or press X

Select from the choices of Yes, No, or Cancel

Press the Escape key from the main Break Screen

Select from the choices of Yes, No, or Cancel

Edit

Find

Press Ctrl+Home

Press Alt+E

Press F for Find, or Enter

Type in the cut number

Press Enter

Press F3 to find the next occurrence of the desired number

Press Enter, or O for OK, when done

Find & Replace

Press Ctrl+Home

Press Alt+E

Press R for Find & Replace

Type in the script number to find

Press Enter

Type in the new script number to change to

Press Enter

Copy this hour to others

Move the cursor to the hour that will be copied

Press Alt+E

Press H

Insert the number of the first hour in the range of hours

Press Enter

Insert the number of the last hour in the range of hours

These numbers will be the same number if it is to be copied to just one hour

Press Enter

Copy the break

Move the cursor to the break that will be copied

Press Alt+E

Press B

Type in the break number where the information is to go

Press Enter

Delete this hour

Move the cursor to the hour that will be deleted

Press Alt+E

Press D for Delete

Answer Yes or No

Options

Each option in this menu is followed by ( ) parenthesis. An asterisk (*) inside the parenthesis indicates that the option is turned on.

Calculate Lengths

Press Alt+O

Press Enter, or C

Highlight Missing Cuts

Press Alt+O

Press M

All numbers without matching audio will be highlighted in orange

Check Outdated – this feature normally defaults to “on”

Press Alt+O

Press O

Insert

Place the cursor where the desired event is to be placed. Enter the Insert Menu. Select the hot key of the desired event.

Events followed by three periods (…) will expect further information from the operator.

Source expects a number from 1 up to 32.

Wait expects a one-digit number for minutes and a two-digit number for seconds.

Network Switch expects a number between 1 and 24 (channels to air) depending on the number of RIDZ Switchers in the system.

Function Rotator looks for a two-digit number between 00 and 06.

Pulse a Relay expects a number between 1 and 32, depending on the number of relay cards.

Jump to Break expects a number between 1 and 288.

Placing another event without moving the cursor will cause the events in the break to the right of the cursor to move once to the right. If the line already has ten events, it will not react to a new command to insert.

Use the two-key command for the desired event. The two-key command is listed to the right of each choice in the Insert Menu.

CLOCK Users:

Break Screen run in CLOCK mode: (Newer versions do not display zeros)

When the CLOCK is turned on, the Breaks Screen shows only the breaks defined in the CLOCK Setup Screen. Break times are in a column on the left hand side of the screen. Highlighted times designate a Mandatory Break. Pressing a+B toggles the break times with the break numbers. Satellite systems not using CLOCK only have break numbers (12 per hour) and cannot show break times.

Each break is read left to right. Each of the 10 slots in the break contains a cut number, command or 00000. The user may view cut information by highlighting the cut--the information is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Newer versions of the software blank the zeros.

If CLOCK is turned on and the user calculated the break lengths when entering the Breaks Screen there is a column of lengths displayed on the right hand side of the screen (under LEN). Further right is a column showing how long each break is supposed to be. Traffic people can tell at a glance what breaks are underfilled, overfilled, etc.

What is a 99999?

99999 is a not an audio cut. When it is in the first position of a break, the SMARTCASTER ignores the break and stays with the satellite feed. It is intended for use with an optional satellite break that the user does not want to take. This number should never be used for recording.

What happens if a 99999 is programmed in a Mandatory Break?

All breaks accept a 99999 in the Breaks Screen. However, when it comes time for a Mandatory Break to air, SMARTCASTERS with CLOCK turned on automatically replace the 99999 with PSA's from the Fill Rotation Screen. Satellite users who do not use CLOCK have no safeguard against the audio from the Mandatory Break playing on the air.

Continuous Users:

Continuous Music on Hard Drive systems are the most flexible for programming. The breaklog is a sequential list of events that includes music, spots, Functions and nearly any command. Since the music audio is recorded directly into the SMARTCASTER, the system has complete control over it, and knows everything about it. The user sees exactly what songs are where, and how the hour goes together.

Commands:

In addition to spots, music, liners, etc., the breaklog can contain several special commands. These commands are listed in the table below.

The user is allowed to enter any command into the breaklog regardless of mode (CLOCK or Continuous). Occasionally users find innovative ways to use these features in ways other than they were intended. It is wise to check with the SMARTCASTER Support Department when trying something new. The only option used in normal CLOCK operation is the Relay command.

KEYS	OPERATIONS/COMMANDS:	CLOCK	JIB	CONTINOUS
	OPERATIONS:
ALT + D	Clears entire day’s breaklog	Y*	Y	N
ALT + C	Clears Breaklog for an hour	Y*	Y	Y
ALT + H	Brings Up Help Screen	Y	Y	Y
ALT + B	Break Number/Time Toggle	Y	N	N
ALT + S	Enter Skip	Y*	Y	Y

	COMMANDS:
CTRL + J	Jump To Break XXX	N	Y	Y
CTRL + C	Enter CD	N	Y	N
CTRL + S	Enter Source	N	Y	Y
ALT + N	Continues to the next line	N**	N	N
ALT + T	Enters Stop in Breaklog	N***	Y	Y
ALT + P	Enters Pause in Breaklog	N***	Y	Y
ALT + R	Enter Relay into Breaklog	Y	Y	Y
ALT + I	Put Time Check in Breaklog	N	Y	Y
ALT + E	Put Temp check in Breaklog	N	Y	Y
ALT + F	Put Function in Breaklog	N	Y	Y
ALT + N	Enter NET into Breaklog	Y	Y	Y
N – Comman or Operation is not available in this configuration. Y – Command or Operation is available in this * - In CLOCK this clears the break and places a 99999 in the first position. - This option is used only in non-CLOCK satellite. * - This can be used during Live Assist times.

Operations:

Clear Day - The Break Screen asks the user for permission to delete all entries for the day shown at the top of the screen. Answering Y clears all items out of the log.

CLOCK users see all breaks turn into 99999's. This means that even a completely empty breaklog still runs the station. All optional breaks are ignored (system stays with satellite) and all Mandatory Breaks automatically fill with PSA's from the Fill Rotation Screen.

Clear Hour - Clears all entries for an hour.

Help Screen - Shows a summary of operation and command keys.

Break Number/Time - in CLOCK mode only, this option changes the break times shown on the left side of the screen to the break numbers. Repeating toggles back and forth.

Enter SKIP - Places the word SKIP in the first position of the break causing the break to disappear. CLOCK users see a 99999 instead of SKIP since the number of breaks in the hour is governed by the CLOCK Setup Screen.

Jump to Break - is used rarely in the breaklog. When the user presses CTRL+J, the Break Screen asks for a break number. This is the break number that the SMARTCASTER jumps to when it sees this command in the breaklog. This is an easy and quick way to make the SMARTCASTER do the same thing over and over again.

Example:

This is useful for stations who have a silence sense hooked to some kind of alarm system. If that station signs off and the SMARTCASTER stops playing, this command is used to keep the silence sense from triggering. Be sure to not have any JUMP commands programmed into Timed Events. Also, turn off Update Breaks (USER SETUP, option 4) in order to keep the SMARTCASTER in the closed loop.

Enter CD - Adds a CD "place-holder" into the log.

Enter Source - is used for reel-to-reel or some other external based automation. When the user selects this option, they are prompted for a source number. This is actually a Relay number that the SMARTCASTER pulses when the SRC command is seen in the breaklog. Once issued, the SMARTCASTER waits for a local break closure before resuming. Thus reel-to-reel systems could play music until a sub-audible tone (recorded on the tape) triggers a relay. That relay acts as a local break to the SMARTCASTER causing it to advance to the next item in the break or the next break. The next item could be another source, spot, Function, Time Check, etc. This option makes it possible for the SMARTCASTER to be the "brain" of an older analog automation system.

Continue on next line - is an obsolete option that is not used since the invention of Continuous Play. It can have some benefit to Satellite stations who do not use CLOCK. When the SMARTCASTER sees this command in the breaklog, it jumps down to the next break line and plays it as though it were an extention of the first break.

Enter Stop or Pause in breaklog - causes the Continuous system to wait until a local break closure or an F1 keypress. The Pause command may be inserted from the Live Assist Screen by pressing P, although new and better options for pausing now exist (see Live Assist). There are no other differences between Stop and Pause.

Entering Relays into breaklog - is a powerful way to be innovative. Stations have done three minute remotes using this feature. When the SMARTCASTER sees a Rel in the breaklog, it pulses that relay and moves on to the next event. When the user selects this option they are prompted for the relay to pulse.

For Example:

One of the most innovative ideas that came from a customer was to use these relays to do short remotes during satellite breaks. The same philosophy can be used in Continuous Systems.

As an example, the system is using CLOCK and has a 03:00 minute break at 10:00 after the hour. The break looks like this in the Breaks Screen:

REL05 M0001 REL06 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000

M0001 is a 03:00 pre-recorded music bed. The middle of the recording has its audio level down compaired to the beginning and end. At the end of the bed, some kind of obvious finale was recorded (applause, crescendo, etc.).

Relay 5 turns on a channel (phone, Marti, etc.)

Relay 6 turns that channel off again.

Now, the announcer is at the location with a mike and air cue. The Satellite takes its normal break. The SMARTCASTER mutes satellite audio as it usually does during a satellite break.

The SMARTCASTER then performs the first item in the break (Relay 5) which puts the announcer on the air.

Next, the SMARTCASTER executes the second item in the break which is the three minute bed. The announcer hears the bed begin in their headset and knows to begin talking when the music pots down.

The announcer keeps talking until they hear the signal of the end (applause, crescendo, etc.) and knows to wrap it up quick.

Lastly, the SMARTCASTER executes the last item in the break (Relay 6) which takes the announcer off the air. The SMARTCASTER then un-mutes the satellite for a seamless, and totally unattended rejoin.

Any station engineer should be able to use this feature for remotes, making coffee, letting the cat out, whatever a relay can be made to do!

Note: Many newer systems do not use a relay card. These systems should use the NET command in place of the Rel command to perform these tricks. Information on NET can be found later in this section.

Entering a Time Check - is a good way to sound local. See the Record Screen for details on how to record Time Checks.

Continuous users enter the command into the Break Screen between events. When the SMARTCASTER sees a Time Check in the breaklog, it checks its own time and Announcer Schedule to determine which audio cut is to play and airs it. Unfortunately, overlapping audio does not work with a Time Check.

CLOCK users may try to use this in the breaklog, but the length of the Time Check cannot be figured into the break for the Shrink-and-Expand feature, making the break run long. It is a better idea to designate a Function Input as a Time Check Input so that whenever a specific closure comes down from the satellte, a Time Check is played (see USER SETUP, option 20).

Entering a Function - like a Time Check, is a good way to sound local. This option is also meant mainly for Continuous systems.

When the user enters this option, they are prompted for which Function number to enter. When the SMARTCASTER sees a FUN command in the breaklog, it checks the Function Rotation to see what the next cut is to air and plays it.

This feature is compatible with the Shrink-and-Expand feature, so CLOCK users may use this. However most satellite systems only play Functions that are triggered by a closure sent by the satellite.

Entering a NET - When the user selects this option, they are prompted to enter the network number. See the Relay command example above for details on the use of this feature.

Exercise: Breaks

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press ENTER once.	The Breaks option is activated. The selection screen appears asking if time should be taken to calculate the length of the breaks.
5. Press N once.	‘No’ is chosen. The selection box is replaced momentarily with a loading box. The Breaks Screen appears next. The cursor is in the upper left-hand corner of the black box.
6. Press RIGHT ARROW three times.	The cursor moves to the fourth position in this break.
7. Press DOWN ARROW three times.	The cursor moves to the fourth break in this hour.
8. Press LEFT ARROW three times.	The cursor moves to the first position in this break.
9. Press UP ARROW three times.	The cursor moves to the first break and first position in this hour.
10. Press PgDn three times.	The cursor moves down page by page through the subsequent hours of the breaklog.
11. Press PgUp three times.	The cursor moves up page by page returning to the point of origin.
12. Type in 77777.	The cursor moves one space to the right and the numbers turn green.
13. Type in 00899.	The cursor stays on the number and a gray prompt appears under the black screen. The cut does not exist. Schedule anyway? This keeps audio from being scheduled if it hasn’t been recorded yet.
14. Press Y once.	The cut is confirmed and the cursor moves on to the next position.
15. Press the ALT + F keys.	The word Fun appears inside the cursor showing that a Function has been chosen. The choices are 00-06.
16. Type in 01.	Function 01 is chosen and shows up on the screen. The cursor moves to the right.
17. Press the ALT + W keys.	The Wait designator appears inside the cursor. The amount of time to wait is designated in minutes and seconds.
18. Type in 230.	The wait will last for two minutes and 30 seconds. The cursor moves on to the next position.
19. Press DOWN ARROW once and LEFT ARROW four times.	The cursor is now in the first position of the next break line.
20. Press the ALT + R keys.	The Relay designator appears inside the cursor. The relay number is two digits.
21. Type in 01.	Relay 01 will fire. The cursor moves to the next position.
22. Press the ALT + I keys.	The time designator appears in that position. The cursor moves to the next space.
23. Press the ALT + E keys.	The temp designator appears in that position. The cursor moves to the next space.
24. Press UP ARROW once and RIGHT ARROW once.	The cursor is now at the end of the first line.
25. Press the ALT + T keys.	A Stop is placed in the last position of this line. The cursor is at the end.
26. Press LEFT ARROW once.	The cursor is now resting on the Stop.
27. Press the INSERT key.	The Stop moves one space to the right and 99999 appears inside the cursor.
28. Type in 77732.	A new audio cut is added to the list replacing the 99999. The cursor moves to the Stop in the last position.
29. Press the DELETE key.	The Stop in the last position is deleted.
30. Press DOWN ARROW once and LEFT ARROW five times.	This places the cursor at the beginning of the next break, highlighting the Relay command.
31. Press the DELETE key.	Deleting the Relay command, the rest of the Break line moves once to the left.
32. Press the ESC key.	The system saves your changes and exits to the PROGRAMMING menu.
33. Press the ENTER key.	The Breaks option is activated. The selection screen appears asking if time should be taken to calculate the length of the breaks.
34. Press the Y key.	The red loading screen appears with the graph showing the break loading. When completed, the Breaks Screen will appear. The cursor rests on the first position of the break that is playing unless the wrong Log Day is loaded. The information space below will display the information for that audio cut.
35. Arrow RIGHT ARROW through each of the events we have entered, pausing long enough on each for the system to put a message in the information space.	The cursor highlights each command. The information space shows details about that event or “System Command.” The Function event (Fun01) will show nothing; at this point the system cannot predict which Function will actually play.
36. Place the cursor in the first blank space in the second break.	The Time In Hour designator in the lower right-hand corner will display the amount of time taken up by the events listed in this hours’ breaks.
37. Place the cursor in the first position of the first break.	Positioning the cursor for the next task.
38. Press the ALT + S keys.	The system erases all of the entries in that break and places a SKIP in the first position.
39. Press the ALT + C keys.	The system asks for confirmation in clearing this hour of the Breaklog.
40. Press the Y key.	The hour is cleared, leaving SKIPs at the beginning of each break.
41. Press the ESC key twice.	A box appears stating that the system is working. The system is saving any changes made while in the Breaks Screen.

Quick Quiz: Breaks

1. How many events are there per break? _________

2. ALT + ? will put the Time command on the screen? ______

3. What color is the Wait command? ________

4. Does the time need to be calculated every time? ________

5. True or False: The INSERT key will push all events behind it one step to the right. ______

Functions

A Function is a liner, jingle, ID, sweeper, etc. Functions make a station sound local and live. On the SMARTCASTER system, up to seven different Function types are allowed. Within those types, 99 cuts are available for each Function. The SMARTCASTER also holds up to 26 different Announcers. In the end the SMARTCASTER has the potential for 7x99x26 or 18,018 Function cuts.

The Functions Screen is where the user enters the order of rotation for the Function cuts.

CLOCK users usually have Functions fired by a relay closure from their satellite network. Continuous users generally fire Functions from the breaklog (See Breaks Screen).

The Function number...

The conventional Function number has five digits starting with an F.

For example:

Say the engineer has the SMARTCASTER hooked up so that Function 0 is the Legal ID. Now someone wants to record Legal ID's for Announcer A. They start with Cut 01.

Summary: Function 0, Cut 01, Announcer A or F001A.

The Function number for cut 02 would be F002A.

Later, someone wants to record a Legal ID (cut 05) for Announcer X. The number is F005X or Function 0, cut 05, Announcer X.

Sometimes a Function is not specific to an announcer. For instance, if the station has a jingle package for their sweepers, there is no specific announcer. In those cases, use a % sign instead of an announcer letter. This means that this cut is to play regardless of which announcer is on the air. This means that the % has precedence and will play first before any announcer letter.

Note: Be very carefull to use zero’s rather than o’s. The computer sees them as two distinctly different entities and will do strange things if o’s are used accidentally.

Functions can now be named! Go to Timed Events and use F6 to select Functions and name them Legal ID, A Liner, B Liner, Jingle, Etc.

The Functions Screen...

The screen first appears displaying the Function 0’s, with the cursor highlighting the first position of the Sunday column. The cursor may be moved by using the UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT, PgUp, and PgDn keys to get around the screen. To enter a Function cut into the rotation, the user selects the position on the screen where the cut is to be placed, then types in the Function cut number. The new cut number replaces the old one. Cuts are not deleted, they are replaced. Each position must have something in it; meaning a valid number must replace the number that is no longer needed in the rotation.

The numbers entered on the Functions Screen are the cut numbers for the Functions. At the top of the screen the Function number is displayed. The Functions Screen allows the user to rotate cuts differently each day. The cuts rotate in sequence. Multiple Stops mean nothing. As soon as the SMARTCASTER sees the first Stop it goes back to the top of the list. Any additional STOPS or cut numbers are meaningless and are completely ignored by the SMARTCASTER. To enter a Stop into the list press ALT+S.

For example,

A CLOCK user's satellite service sends down a Legal ID closure at 10:59:54 on Sunday.

The station engineer has wired the SMARTCASTER so that Function 0 is the Legal ID.

At 10:59:54, the SMARTCASTER receives the relay closure.

The SMARTCASTER checks its own date and realizes that it is Sunday.

Then, it checks its own time and the Announcer schedule to realize that Announcer B is on the air.

And last, it looks at the list of cut numbers in the Function Screen for Sunday and plays the next one in line. If the next cut in the rotation is 06, the SMARTCASTER plays F006B on the air.

If the SMARTCASTER sees a Stop, it starts over from the top of the list.

Continuous systems may also take advantage of the Function Rotation. The only difference between this system and the CLOCK system is that it may use FUN (Function) commands in the breaklog instead of a relay closure.

For example,

If this is programmed into the breaklog on a Continuous Play system:

00131 M0123 Fun01 M0122 M0111 00000 00000 00000 00000 00000

Then the SMARTCASTER, when it sees the Fun01 command, checks the date to determine what day of the week it is, and checks the time to see what announcer is on and plays the appropriate cut.

Note on Continuous Play systems: Many Music on Hard Drive stations opt to record their Functions as music rather than a true "Function" so that their music scheduling program handles the rotation of the Function. Essentially, the Functions are nothing more than very short songs. The advantage to this idea is that there is far less work for the user since the music scheduler usually can automatically insert music into the breaklog. Otherwise the FUN commands must be programmed by hand. The only drawback is that since the Functions are recorded with M numbers (Script Numbers starting with an M), the SMARTCASTER treats them as music in the Cut Manager Screen. It is wise to assign a number range to the Functions that is different than the music.

F1 - F6 - The screen can be changed to a different Function by pressing the corresponding key along the top of the keyboard. F1 is Function 01, F2 is Function 02, etc. Pressing F10 will return the system to the Function 0 Screen.

F7 - Mute on/off - gives the Function the ability to mute satellite audio. This is a feature used only by CLOCK satellite users. Under rare circumstances, the user may wish to mute the satellite audio during a Legal ID, or liner. Turning this option on causes that Function number to mute satellite whenever it is fired. In other words, if Function 4 has mute turned on, whenever the satellite service triggers the Function 4, satellite audio is muted while the SMARTCASTER plays back the Function.

Exercise: Functions

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press DOWN ARROW once.	The cursor moves to Functions.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Functions option is activated. The screen appears showing the weekly scheduling for Function 0.
6. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The cursor moves to the Monday column.
7. Press the PgDn key three times.	The Monday column pages down to position 46. There are 100 possible. The other columns remain the same.
8. Press the PgUp key three times.	The Monday column returns to the first position.
9. Type 55.	55 is written inside the cursor and over the number that was in that position. The cursor does not move.
10. Press DOWN ARROW once.	The cursor moves to the second position.
11. Type 56.	56 is written over the number that was in that position.
12. Press DOWN ARROW once.	The cursor moves to the third position.
13. Type 57.	57 is written over the number that was in that position.
14. Press DOWN ARROW once.	The cursor moves to the fourth position.
15. Press the ALT + S keys.	A STOP command appears in the fourth position. The system now acts like a cart, playing cuts 55, 56, and 57 one at a time, and then starting over with 55.
16. Press UP ARROW twice.	The cursor moves to the second position.
17. Type 58.	58 now replaces 56 in that position.
18. Press F7 once.	The Mute indicator at the top of the screen changes.
19. Press F7 again.	The Mute indicator changes again, returning to its original position.
20. Press F1 once.	The Function 1 Screen appears with its various rotations. The cursor remains in the second position of the Monday column.
21. Press F2 once.	The Function 2 Screen appears.
22. Press F10 once.	The Function 0 Screen re-appears.
23. Press ESC once.	An information screen appears momentarily to indicate that changes are being saved to the system. The menu window re-appears.
24. Press ESC once.	The menu window disappears, leaving the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Functions

1. How many columns are on the first Function Screen? ________

2. The F7 key controls what feature? _________

3. What word appears when the ALT + S keys are pressed? _________

4. How many possible positions are there for each day of the week? ______

5. True or False: Each day of the week must conform exactly to the other six for each Function. _______

Announcers

In CLOCK systems, Announcer Codes are used to match Functions (jingles, liners, etc.) with the announcer that is on the satellite network. This is a powerful tool in making a station sound local.

The Announcers Screen is the list of the announcer shifts for each day. Each announcer is assigned a letter. Then, each announcer is scheduled into the Announcers Screen as shown above. The cursor may be moved around the screen by using the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT ARROW keys. The C, INSERT, DELETE, and ESC keys are used to make selections.

To add an entry:

• Press the INSERT key.

• Enter the announcer letter.

• Enter the time of day (in military format), in hours, minutes, and seconds.

• When the SMARTCASTER asks " Do you wish to add this entry?" press Y or N accordingly.

To Copy an announcer to other days:

• Select C.

• Press any key to clear the message screen.

• Highlight the entry that is to be copied.

• Press ENTER.

• Move the highlight bar to the first destination slot and press INSERT.

• Repeat for any other slots.

• Press ESC to exit the Announcer Screen.

To Delete an announcer entry:

• Using the arrow keys the user selects the entry he/she wishes to delete.

• Press the DELETE key.

• When asked to "Delete Y/N?" the user selects Y or N accordingly.

To Exit the Announcer Screen.

§ Press the ESC key.

§ When asked to "Exit and Save, Y/N?" the user selects Y or N accordingly.

Note: The Announcer schedule starts at Midnight. If an announcer's air shift does not start at Midnight, two entries must be made. For example, if the announcer works from 22:00 on Monday to 03:00 Tuesday morning, an entry must be made for Monday at 22:00 and another for Tuesday at Midnight.

Exercise: Announcers

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press DOWN ARROW twice.	The cursor moves to Announcers.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Announcers option is activated. The screen appears showing the weekly scheduling. The cursor is highlighting the first position in the Sunday column.
6. Press the INSERT key.	A prompt will appear showing that Sunday has been designated. The prompt will ask for an announcer.
7. Type in B.	Entering the announcer letter. The time prompt will appear.
8. Type in 0006 and press the ENTER key.	Entering the time of day. Then the SMARTCASTER asks "Do you wish to add this entry?"
9. Press the Y key.	Confirming the insertion. The new entry appears below the cursor in the Sunday column.
10. Press the C key.	The instruction screen appears. Read it.
11. Press the ENTER key.	The instruction screen disappears and the border changes color.
12. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the second position and highlights the B announcer on Sunday.
13. Press the ENTER key.	The B announcer information is copied.
14. Press the RIGHT ARROW key.	The cursor moves to Monday.
15. Press the INSERT key.	The B announcer information is pasted in Mondays’ schedule.
16. Press the RIGHT ARROW key.	The cursor moves to Tuesday.
17. Press the INSERT key.	The B announcer information is pasted in Tuesdays’ schedule.
18. Press the RIGHT ARROW key.	The cursor moves to Wednesday.
19. Press the INSERT key.	The B announcer information is pasted in Wednesdays’ schedule.
20. Press the LEFT ARROW key three times.	The cursor returns to the Sunday column.
21. Press the INSERT key.	The error message appears in the bottom left-hand corner indicating that this time already exists.
22. Press the LEFT ARROW key three times.	The cursor “wraps-around” and goes to Thursday. The error message disappears.
23. Press the INSERT key.	The B announcer information is pasted in Thursdays’ schedule.
24. Press the ESC key.	The screen changes color. The copying is complete and the main Announcer Screen choices are available.
25. Press the DELETE key.	The prompt appears asking for confirmation. ‘No’ is highlighted in red.
26. Press the Y key.	The prompt and the B entry in Thursday disappear.
27. Press the ESC key.	The prompt appears asking for a decision on exiting and saving the changes. ‘Yes’ is highlighted in red.
28. Press the ENTER or Y key.	The system returns to the PROGRAMMING Menu window.
29. Press the ESC key.	The window disappears and the Main Screen is re-appears.

Quick Quiz: Announcers

1. How many different announcers can there be? _______

2. What key will get rid of an entry? ________

3. Will PgUp and PgDn work in this screen? __________

4. What button is pushed to paste an entry? ________

5. True or False: You can easily copy over a time that already exists. ___________

Due to the importance of the program, we will discuss Timed Events before Unattended Record, even though it isn’t listed that way on the menu window.

Timed Events

Timed Events allows the broadcaster to program the SMARTCASTER to execute a number of commands on a timed basis. Common uses are to join a network, fire a commercial break at a specific time, re-sync a music playlist at the top of the hour, etc.. In addition, the RIDZ 8x2 Audio Switcher is set up through the Timed Events Screen for all network switching and closures.

This section of the handbook is lengthy because there are MANY commands the SMARTCASTER can execute on a timed basis. Most likely, each station will use only a few of the commands - depending on items purchased and the format. It is recommended that the user scan through this document, and highlight sections that pertain to his/her specific situation. Examples are given throughout.

This portion of the SMARTCASTER documentation, when read in its entirety, can be very confusing. Most stations do not use all of the features available in Timed Events. The user is advised to focus on the features that are needed by the station with the understanding that others could be used for future expansion.

To access the Timed Events Screen, press ESC at the main On Air (Break lineup) Screen. A menu bar appears at the top of the screen. Using the arrow keys, select 'Timed Events' under 'PROGRAMMING,' and press ENTER. The following screen appears:

The window on the right side of the screen contains a list of all the events the SMARTCASTER is scheduled to execute and the specific time during the week it is scheduled to play. For example, in the screen above, the SMARTCASTER is instructed to turn on Channel 2 to Record at 04:05:00 in the morning, on Monday - Friday. The user may scroll through the Timed Events list using the PgDn, PgUp, Up, and DOWN keys. The window in the top-left portion of the screen contains a list of options for Timed Events. The SMARTCASTER will use the bottom-left corner to ask questions when making changes to the Timed Events list.

It is not possible to edit an entry once it is made. When an entry needs changing, the user must delete that entry and re-make it from the beginning. It is suggested that the new entry be made first with its changes and then delete the old entry.

Adding a Timed Event...

To add a Timed Event press F1. The following appears in the lower-left hand corner of the screen:

Please toggle which days

switching is to occur.

(Hit Spacebar to toggle

and Enter to continue.)

The SMARTCASTER asks for the days the Timed Event should be scheduled. The first letter showing is 'S' for Sunday. If the event is not to occur on Sunday, press the SPACE BAR. This toggles Sunday from 'S' to '_' - turning this day off. Pressing the SPACE BAR again brings back 'S' for Sunday. Once the user decides whether or not to keep Sunday, pressing ENTER locks in the choice and moves to the next day. 'M' for Monday now appears. The user need only continue selecting each day using the SPACE BAR to toggle the day on and off, and the ENTER key to select the next day. Changing ones’ mind means only using the b key to go back to the place where the change needs to be made. Once all the days have been chosen, the selection appears in the top-left screen. In the example below, the SMARTCASTER is programmed to fire the Timed Event on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only:

Days: _M_W_F_

Next, the SMARTCASTER asks for the time that the Timed Event is to occur. The SMARTCASTER uses military time. (For example, if the event is to occur at 2 PM, type 14:00:00.)

Military Time Chart

12a - 00:00              12p - 12:00
1a - 01:00              1p - 13:00
2a - 02:00              2p - 14:00
3a - 03:00              3p - 15:00
4a - 04:00              4p - 16:00
5a - 05:00              5p - 17:00
6a - 06:00              6p - 18:00
7a - 07:00              7p - 19:00
8a - 08:00              8p - 20:00
9a - 09:00              9p - 21:00
10a - 10:00              10p - 22:00
11a - 11:00              11p - 23:00

Note: If the Timed Event occurs exactly at the top of the hour, type in the numbers for the hour and press ENTER. The SMARTCASTER automatically fills in the rest of the field with zeroes. For example: If the Timed Event is to occur at 2 PM, type 14 and press ENTER. The resulting time is 14:00:00.

After typing in the days and time the event is to occur, the user must select the "type" of event. The SMARTCASTER displays the following sub-menu:

Each of these selections group the type of Timed Events into different categories. Option 1, Relays, allows the SMARTCASTER to pulse relays located on the 37-pin connector or the External Relay Kit, if installed, at specific times. (Often used for simple network switching.) Option 2, Local Event, allows the SMARTCASTER to fire commercial spot sets, liners, jingles, ID’s, etc. at specific times. Option 3, Other, allows the user to program jumps in the log, turn Continuous Play on and off, and other types of events. Option 4, SMART (RIDZ) Switcher, allows the user to switch inputs on the RIDZ 8x2 Switcher to two different outputs. Option 5, 5x1 Switcher, allows the SMARTCASTER to control the 5x1 Network Switcher, if installed. Option 6, Latch Relay, allows the user to latch a relay. Option 7, Unlatch Relay, allows the user to unlatch a relay. Option 8, Subroutines, allows the user to enter a Subroutine full of common Timed Events. A better description of each category follows in the next section. However, as an example, choose Option 1, Relays, in order to learn how to add a typical Timed Event.

After selecting Option 1, there are choices for pulsing Relays 0 through 31. Again, for example's sake, choose number 5, 'Pulse Relay 4'. Now, the screen will revert to the typical Timed Events Screen. In the lower-left corner shows the selection chosen. In the example's case:

Days: _M_W_F_

Time: 14:00:00

Event: 04 4 Pulse Relay 4

Is this correct?

(Yes or No)

If the user wishes to include this selection in the Timed Event's list, hit Y for “Yes”. If there is a mistake, then type N for “No”. (There is no editing, then the user must go through the process all over again.) When the entry is completed, the SMARTCASTER returns to the Timed Events Main Screen. The cursor will be at the top of the right window resting on the event just added.

If the Timed Event entries seem to disappear...

Use the arrow keys to scroll up. Previous entries are listed "above" the current entry. The system puts the cursor on the new item and places it at the top of the screen.

Types of TIMED EVENTS...

About halfway through the process of adding a Timed Event, the screen looks like the following:

Each type of Timed Event is categorized into several categories. In the following pages, each category is described with more detail. Again, some categories are not used by some stations. For example, the SMART (RIDZ) Switcher category is only used by stations who have purchased the RIDZ 8x2 Audio Switcher.

1. Relays

By accessing Option 1, the SMARTCASTER can be programmed to pulse relays located on the 37-pin connector of the PCL-725 relay card (if installed), or the External Relay Card on newer systems. (This pulse lasts for one second.) Common uses for pulsing relays include: controlling simple 2x1 Network Switchers, turning on external equipment such as reel-to-reels or cart machines, turning tower lights on or off, etc. (Some have been known to turn the coffee pot on in the morning!)

A typical example is to use two relays to control a network switcher. In our example, KXYZ wishes to switch at the top of the hour from the Satellite Music Network, (SMN), to CBS News. Five minutes later, after the newscast, it wishes to switch back to SMN. The engineer has wired Relay 4 to switch the network switcher from SMN to CBS. Relay 5 has been wired to switch from CBS back to SMN. This occurs only during the weekdays. This example will take place at 5 AM. To program the SMARTCASTER to perform this operation, the following would be needed in the Timed Events List:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 05:00:00 4 Pulse Relay 4

_MTWTF_ 05:05:00 5 Pulse Relay 5

Both of these commands are entered via the 'Relays' category located in the 'Type of Event" sub-menu.

2. Local Event

The Local Event category is chosen when the SMARTCASTER needs to fire commercial spot sets or Functions at a specific time. (Remember, Functions are rotations of jingles, ID's, magic calls, etc.) The screen is shown below:

Select event to play

1. Local Break

2. Function 0

3. Function 1

4. Function 2

5. Function 3

6. Function 4

7. Function 5

8. Function 6

Enter Selection ________

To fire a commercial spot set at a specific time, select Option 1, Local Break. The SMARTCASTER will fire the current break loaded into the break lineup at this time.

NOTE: If a timed local break is used in addition to satellite automation, please make sure you have added an extra local break to the log. Please notify any traffic personnel about adding a spot set!

For an example, (using the above entry):

Station KXYZ wants to switch from SMN to CBS at the top of the hour. But, in this case, CBS will finish the newscast four minutes later. At four minutes after the top of the hour, SMN will still be in the middle of a song - they will not be ready until 5 minutes after the top of the hour. So, the station must cover this one minute discrepancy with :60 seconds of local audio, i.e. paid (hopefully) sponsorship! Since there will be no tone from either CBS or SMN at 4 minutes after the top of the hour, the SMARTCASTER must be programmed to fire a 60 second break at this time. To achieve this, the following must be programmed into Timed Events:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 05:00:00 4 Pulse Relay 4

_MTWTF_ 05:04:00 Fire a Break

_MTWTF_ 05:04:10 5 Pulse Relay 5

At 05:00:00, the SMARTCASTER fires Relay 4 - switching the network from SMN to CBS. Four minutes later, a local break will be fired. The amount of audio that will play is determined by how much audio is programmed into the current break lineup. In other words, Traffic must make sure that 60 seconds worth of spots are programmed into the first break of the five o'clock hour. Ten seconds later, while the audio is playing, the switcher will go back to SMN.

Why rejoin 50 seconds early?

The SMARTCASTER mutes any network while spots play. So, when the 60 seconds of commercials are finished, and the SMARTCASTER un-mutes the network, SMN is ready to go!

Functions can also be fired on a timed basis from the Local Events category. For example, if the Legal ID is recorded using Function 1, you can schedule a Function 1 to fire at 04:59:50. However, unless setup otherwise, when Functions fire, they play over the top of any satellite audio and do not mute. Under strange circumstances stations may wish the Function to mute. (See FUNCTIONS)

3. Other

This category is a general, "miscellaneous" category. Many of the features in this category are used for Music on Hard Drive automation, or systems that use BOTH Satellite and Music on Hard Drive automation. The options in this category are:

Each of these options is explained separately. Most likely, only some of these will be used by each station.

Jump to Break

This command is used to move the SMARTCASTER from the current break number to another break number in the log. This option is used most often with Music on Hard Drive automation. In these systems, each hour is over-programmed with music. Each hour, (usually near the top), the system must re-sync itself to the next hour's programming. In other words, it must jump to the next hour. Jump to Break can be used to accomplish this.

For example, KXYZ wishes to re-sync the log at 30 seconds before the top of the hour every day of the week at 2 PM. The SMARTCASTER is programmed in this manner:

Days Time Num Event

SMTWTFS 13:59:30 169 Jump to Break

At 2 PM, on Music on Hard Drive Automation systems, the current song or spot playing continues playing, but the next item to play is the first item programmed in break 169 on the log. (Break 169 is the first break number in the 2 PM hour. For a list of break numbers and corresponding log hours, refer to the insert in the front of the manual.)

CLOCK users should not use Jump To Break. Doing so may cause the SMARTCASTER some confusion as to which break to play (i.e., Timed Events telling it one thing, and CLOCK telling it another).

Jump and Fire

This command is very similar to the previous Jump to Break option. This is usually used only with Continuous automation systems. This command jumps to a specific break number as above, but at the time the command is issued, the SMARTCASTER immediately fires the break interrupting the previous audio. There is actually ten seconds between “jump” and “fire.” This is used if a Continuous Play automation system, (i.e. , Music on Hard Drive) must join a network feed at a specific time.

If KXYZ must air CBS news at the top of the hour at 2PM, the system still needs to re-sync the programming in order to jump past the over-programmed material.

Fade Spot

This feature allows the SMARTCASTER to fade hard drive audio in four seconds and advance to the next event. With a Music on Hard Drive system, this is used to fade the current song on the air, and then go into a live news feed. No other TIMED EVENT is possible during a fade. Using the same situation as above, but with KXYZ having a Music on Hard Drive automation system, the Timed Events list looks like this:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 04:59:46 Fade Spot

_MTWTF_ 04:59:50 61 Jump and Fire

_MTWTF_ 05:00:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

_MTWTF_ 05:05:00 5 Channel 5 to Air

_MTWTF_ 05:05:01 Fire a Break

As before, the ID and a Pause must be programmed in break 61. The SMARTCASTER fades the current song on the air at 04:59:46. After the Fade is complete, the SMARTCASTER Jumps to Break 61, and starts playing the Legal ID. After the ID is finished, the SMARTCASTER will PAUSE its Continuous Play mode. Channel 4 switches to air at the top of the hour to bring alive CBS News. Channel 5 switches to air at the end of the newscast, to turn off CBS News, and the SMARTCASTER continues playing where it left off with the Fire a Break command at 05:05:01.

Note: The Fade command works only for audio that is recorded on the hard drive of the SMARTCASTER.

CLOCK On and CLOCK Off

For satellite automation, the SMARTCASTER has a CLOCK mode than can be turned on and off. When the SMARTCASTER is in CLOCK mode, it determines what break should be ready to play, based on the current time of day (see the CLOCK section of the SETUP appendix). To run in CLOCK mode, the SMARTCASTER must have Flex Clocks, showing what time local breaks are to occur, based on the time in the hour. These Flex Clocks should correspond to the Flex Clocks sent by the satellite service. (See the CLOCK section of the SETUP appendix).

Sometimes, it is necessary to turn the CLOCK mode on or off. If a station is running with Satellite Automation during the weekdays, but sometime during the weekends it needs to run in Continuous mode, the Clock must be turned off before the system can be instructed to begin a Continuous playback. An example is shown in the description of Continuous On and Continuous Off. If operating in this “mixed” mode, a 12 Break Clock must be made and scheduled for “Continuous” hours.

Continuous On and Continuous Off

This option, when on, allows the SMARTCASTER to play breaks, one after another, continuously, until either the operator enters Live Assist, or Continuous is turned off. As discussed above, sometimes a SMARTCASTER running on satellite automation, must cut away to a multi-cut program pre-recorded on the hard drive. Examples of such programs are Country Countdown^TM, Casey Casem^TM, etc. In this example, KXYZ is stopping Satellite Automation on Sunday at 10 AM, and playing a one hour show from the hard drive. Then, at 11 AM, it goes back to normal Satellite Automation. The following is needed in the Timed Events programming:

Days Time Num Event

S______ 09:59:57 Clock off

S______ 09:59:58 Continuous On

S______ 09:59:59 121 Jump to Break

S______ 10:00:00 Fire a Break

S______ 10:59:58 Continuous Off

S______ 10:59:59 Clock on

In this situation, the SMARTCASTER turns off the Clock mode at 2 seconds before the show starts. One second later, Continuous Play is turned on. Exactly at the top of the hour, a Fire A Break command is issued. This kicks the long program into play. For the next hour, when the SMARTCASTER finishes a break, it immediately starts playing the next break. Two seconds before the program is to end, the SMARTCASTER turns off Continuous Play. One second later, Clock mode is turned back on. From this point on, the SMARTCASTER is ready to accept and respond to satellite closures.

It's common for stations that normally run with Music on the Hard Drive most of the day to also run a Satellite Automated program for a few hours. For example, if KXYZ was running music most of the day, but at 9 AM, needed to air Rush Limbaugh^TM, they would do the following commands:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 08:59:53 Fade Spot

_MTWTF_ 08:59:57 Continuous Off

_MTWTF_ 08:59:58 Clock on

_MTWTF_ 09:00:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

_MTWTF_ 11:59:58 Clock off

_MTWTF_ 11:59:59 Continuous On

_MTWTF_ 12:00:00 Fire a Break

_MTWTF_ 12:00:01 5 Channel 5 to Air

In this situation, the SMARTCASTER fades the current song on the air at seven seconds before the top of the hour. Four seconds later, the Continuous Play mode is turned off. CLOCK turns on one second later. Channel 4 switches to air at the top of the hour to route Rush audio to air. The SMARTCASTER then continues with the satellite automation of Rush for three more hours. Two seconds before noon, the SMARTCASTER turns off the Clock mode. One second later, the Continuous Play mode turns on. Exactly at noon, the SMARTCASTER kicks off with the noon hour's music. One second later, Rush Limbaugh audio is routed away from the air channel.

JIB On and JIB Off

JIB stands for Jock-In-the-Box - the trade name for SMARTCASTER CD automation systems.

The introduction of bigger and faster hard drives eliminated JIB. The JIB systems involved CD decks, which added one more item in the audio chain that could break down. Many of the CD players we were using have since been discontinued by their manufacturer. These systems have been replaced by Music on Hard Drive (Continuous) systems.

Random On and Random Off

This option is rarely used in SMARTCASTER automation.

The Random mode is intended to maintain compatibility with the older and less expensive Night Watchman^TM system developed by SMARTS Broadcast Systems prior to the Jock-In-the-Box. This system is very rarely used anymore.

Inputs On and Inputs Off

When the inputs are turned off, the SMARTCASTER ignores ANY relay closures from satellite receivers to fire local breaks and Functions. For example, if there is a time period when relay closures from a satellite receiver need to be ignored, the Inputs Off command should be used. At the time where closures must be seen again, inputs should be turned back on.

Note: Even when inputs are turned off the SMARTCASTER still updates the system clock from the Time Update Relay, though the Function (ID) does not fire. The SMARTCASTER also continues to pay attention to the Start Relay for an Unattended Record. Local breaks triggered from the Timed Events list are also allowed. All other digital inputs are ignored.

CLOCK users should note that local breaks scheduled in Timed Events pay attention to the CLOCK Setup, just as though they were closures from a satellite receiver. The only difference between them is that timed local breaks from Timed Events occur even with inputs turned off.

Stop

The Stop command halts any system operating in a Continuous mode, (i.e., Music on Hard Drive at a specific time. Most often, this command is actually issued in the breaklog. However, sometimes there is a need to stop the SMARTCASTER at a specific time (such as the end of Broadcast day).

4. SRT (RIDZ) SWITCHER

This category is used to route audio with the SMART (RIDZ) SWITCHER 8x2 Audio Switcher. This rack-mount device allows eight different stereo inputs to be routed to two different audio outputs. In most stations, the first RIDZ output is for switching network feeds to the air. The second audio output is used to switch network feeds or a production source to the record inputs of the SMARTCASTER. A diagram of a sample RIDZ Switcher Setup is shown below:

Diagram of RIDZ 8x2 Switcher with example inputs.

In this example, four different network sources, (SMN, ABC News, Mutual, and Rush), are hooked into four of the RIDZ 8x2's inputs. The production source, (Audition channel of the control board, or the production board), is connected to Input 7. The SMARTCASTER audio output, (i.e. audio recorded on the hard drive), is connected to Input 8. With the 8x2 Switcher, any of the inputs can be routed to either of the two outputs. When an input is routed to Output #1, it goes over the air. When routed to Output #2, it can be recorded by the SMARTCASTER.

The screen for the RIDZ category is shown below. To route an input to an output on the 8x2 Audio Switcher, simply select the corresponding selection.

Select Channel

1. Channel 1 to Air 18. Clear Record

2. Channel 2 to Air 19. Clear Both

3. Channel 3 to Air

4. Channel 4 to Air

5. Channel 5 to Air

6. Channel 6 to Air

7. Channel 7 to Air

8. Channel 8 to Air

9. Channel 1 to Record

10. Channel 2 to Record

11. Channel 3 to Record

12. Channel 4 to Record

13. Channel 5 to Record

14. Channel 6 to Record

15. Channel 7 to Record

16. Channel 8 to Record

17. Clear Air

Selection _____

For the KXYZ example, let's switch to ABC News at 9 AM, and to Rush Limbaugh at 09:04, (after the newscast). To do so, the following commands are entered into the Timed Events list:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 09:00:00 2 Channel 2 to Air

_MTWTF_ 09:04:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

It is important to note that if an input is switched to a specific channel all other inputs are turned off. In this case, when it switches to Rush at 09:04:00, ABC News is turned off.

Sometimes, it is necessary to do an Unattended Recording of a satellite feed for delayed playback. To program the SMARTCASTER to perform an Unattended Record, you must use the Unattended Record option under PROGRAMMING located in the Break Lineup (On Air) Screen. However, the SMARTCASTER only records the audio that is routed to its record inputs. By using output #2 on the 8x2, Switcher it can route different feeds to be recorded. For example, if KXYZ needs to record SMN's mandatory breaks while Rush is on the air, it needs to route SMN audio to the record inputs of the SMARTCASTER. So sometime prior to the mandatory break, the following must be programmed:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 09:25:00 9 Channel 1 to Record

SMN's Pure Gold format has a mandatory break at 09:30:00. Five minutes before the break occurs, the SMARTCASTER routes SMN audio to the record inputs of the SMARTCASTER. Now, when the appropriate commands for recording SMN fire from the Unattended Record Screen, the SMARTCASTER "hears" SMN audio.

Several other options in the RIDZ category need explanation. The 'Clear Air' command removes all inputs from the air output at the designated time. The ‘Clear Record’ command removes all inputs from the record output. The 'Clear Both' command removes all inputs from all outputs at the scheduled time.

SMARTCASTER audio usually routes through Input 8 to air (See OSETUP, Option 16). For example, if Input 1, (SMN) routes to air, Input 8 also routes to air. The SMARTCASTER plays audio only when needed. At all other times, this channel is silent.

Note: The operator can change channels on the RIDZ in an emergency by pressing the a and F1 keys at the same time. The channel switching screen will appear. The operator then picks the channel needed and hits ENTER. The system switches to that channel and returns to the On-Air Screen. This can also be done on the front of the RIDZ Switcher by turning the channel knob to the desired channel and depressing the program or record button.

5. 5x1 Switcher

The 5x1 Switcher, or mini-switcher, was our way of expanding beyond the original 2x1 switcher. This allowed as many as five networks to be selected at one time or another. Time and technology have replaced this early model with the SMART (RIDZ) Switcher, a sleek and powerful workhorse that is currently being used.

Diagram of 5x1 Switcher with example inputs.

6. Latch relay

The Latch Relay feature allows the station to use relays to activate various pieces of equipment. The feature discussed in 1. Relays above merely pulses the relay. This feature latches the relay and holds it until it receives a command to unlatch. This feature might be used to turn on the tower lights, switch off a +50 db audio source, or turn on the coffee pot. Latch Relay does require an internal relay card or a device we call the Robbie Relay Kit.

7. Unlatch relay

The Unlatch Relay feature is the release mechanism for Latch Relay. Unlatch Relay will release the previous latching command. It also works with the internal relay card or the Robbie Relay Kit.

8. Subroutines

It is obvious that the Timed Events list can grow to be a long and confusing list. Using subroutines can alleviate some of the perplexity! For example, a station may be switching to ABC News at the top of every hour five days a week. Here is an example for one such hour:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 05:00:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

_MTWTF_ 05:04:00 Fire a Break

_MTWTF_ 05:04:10 5 Channel 5 to Air

To program this for every hour of the day, it takes 72 lines of programming! (3 lines per hour multiplied by 24 hours.) This is where subroutines come into play and make life much easier.

One may think of a subroutine as a subset of Timed Events. For those familiar with computers, a subroutine is best described as a Macro event.

For example, a subroutine titled, "ABC News" can be created that contains the three Timed Events shown below:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 00:00:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

_MTWTF_ 00:04:00 Fire a Break

_MTWTF_ 00:04:10 5 Channel 5 to Air

This subroutine is then programmed to occur every hour at the top of the hour. For example, if ABC News airs at five, six, seven, and eight AM, one programs the following:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 05:00:00 ABC News

_MTWTF_ 06:00:00 ABC News

_MTWTF_ 07:00:00 ABC News

_MTWTF_ 08:00:00 ABC News

When the SMARTCASTER hits 5 AM, it reads the subroutine, "ABC News" and fires the appropriate events based on the offset in time.

For example, the "Fire a Break" command has a 00:04:00, (4 minute), offset from which the subroutine starts. Therefore, if the subroutine starts at 5 AM, the Fire a Break command occurs at 05:04:00. If the ABC News subroutine starts at 05:30:00 AM, then the Fire a Break command occurs at 05:34:00 in the morning.

Creating subroutines eases the task of data entry in the Timed Events list. An explanation of how to create subroutines is described later in the Timed Events documentation under “Adding a Subroutine.” However, to add an already existing subroutine to the Timed Events list, (Ex: ABC News at 5 AM), use the Subroutine category to get a list of all existing subroutines. Then choose the correct routine for the application.

Deleting a Timed Event

To delete one or more events from the TIMED EVENTS list, press the F2 key at the main Timed Events menu. The following message appears in the lower left corner of the screen:

Press DELETE to tag file for

deletion or UP and DOWN arrows to scroll.

When finished, press HOME

to delete all tagged files.

The system now prompts the user to select events for deletion. The user places the cursor on an event he/she wishes to delete, then presses DELETE to mark the entry for deletion. The letters, 'DEL' appear to the right of the event. The event is now 'Tagged' for deletion. Deleting more events entails highlighting each one, and pressing DELETE. Pressing DELETE a second time clears the tag.

Once finished tagging all of the events for deletion, pressing the HOME key begins the deletion process. The system warns the user that the deletion is ready. This is the last chance to abort the deletion. This prompt is displayed:

Do you wish to delete all

tagged switching times?

(Yes or No)

Pressing Y deletes all tagged items. If N is pressed, nothing is deleted, and the screen reverts back to a normal Timed Events Screen.

Subroutines

As described above, subroutines are short lists of repetitive Timed Events that occur frequently throughout the day or week. The section above explains how to add an existing subroutine to the Timed Events list. It should be noted that there is a downside to using subroutines. In normal circumstances, the SMARTCASTER checks Timed Events when loading and sets up the system using the last command that has been activated. The system DOES NOT check Subroutines! When reloading in the middle of a subroutine, the system will not follow the subroutines’ commands.

This section covers instruction on how to create a subroutine. The example subroutine used is based on the following routine event at KXYZ:

Days Time Num Event

_MTWTF_ 05:00:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

_MTWTF_ 05:04:00 Fire a Break

_MTWTF_ 05:04:10 5 Channel 5 to Air

Monday through Friday, KXYZ switches to CBS at the top of the hour with Channel 4 to Air. Four minutes later, it fires a timed local break. While the break is playing, Channel 5 to Air brings SMN back on-line. (This SMN audio is muted by the SMARTCASTER while the spot break is playing.)

Adding a Subroutine

Obviously, instead of entering the above three lines for every hour of the day, the station personnel at KXYZ prefer creating a subroutine! In order to create a subroutine, press F3 from the main Timed Events Screen. In the lower left corner, the following command appears:

Enter name of Subroutine:

It is wise to pick names that make sense to someone else who would look at the Timed Events Screen. For the example above, the name of the subroutine could be "CBS News". Picking obscure names for subroutines will only serve to confuse, and most likely, cause mistakes in the future.

*Note: Subroutines should be only used for short-duration events, not exceeding very few minutes. If an operator should exit the program while a subroutine is half completed, the system will consider it “Completed” after re-entering the program.

After typing in a name, "CBS News" appears at the top of the Subroutine Screen:

Next, the user needs to add the three events needed to air CBS into the subroutine. Pressing the F1 key to add an item displays the following message in the lower left corner:

Please enter time to

switch.

At this point, the user needs to type in the offset from the time the subroutine fires. For example, if the subroutine fires at 12:30:00, and an event in the subroutine fires at 12:35:00, then the offset is 00:05:00. (The SMARTCASTER automatically inserts the first two zeros). In the example above, the first event occurs exactly at the top of the hour. To achieve the same result, the user must schedule the subroutine to fire also at the top of the hour. So, the offset is 00:00:00. Next, the SMARTCASTER displays the "Type of Event Screen":

Select type of event

Since the first event is Channel 4 to Air, select Option 4, "SMART (RIDZ) Switcher". Next from the "Select Channel" Screen, choose Option 4, " Channel 4 to Air ". The SMARTCASTER asks if this is correct. Press Y if there are no typo's. On the right side of the screen, in the Subroutine List, there is the following message:

Time Num Event

00:00:00 4 Channel 4 to Air

After the user enters the next two events to fire a break at 00:04:00, and put Channel 5 to Air at 00:04:10, the user must press F3 to quit entering the "CBS News" subroutine. The system returns to the main Timed Events Screen.

Deleting a Subroutine

If there are some subroutines that are no longer needed, press F4 from the main Timed Events Screen. Choose from the list of subroutines and press ENTER. The subroutine is then deleted. A marker is left in its spot denoting it as an empty subroutine. If this screen is accidentally entered, pressing ESC returns to the main Timed Events Screen.

Editing a Subroutine

To Add, Delete, or Change some events within a subroutine, press F5 from the Main Menu. Next, select the subroutine that needs editing. In the lower left-hand window, the name of the subroutine appears. To change the name of the subroutine the user types over the present one. If the original name does not require change, press ENTER. The system now displays a list of the events in the subroutine on the screen. The user may delete or add any event from this point. Press F3 or ESC to finish.

Renaming Networks on the RIDZ 8x2 Switcher

Sometimes, it is confusing to remember that SMN is Network 1, CBS is Network 2, Rush Limbaugh is Network 4, etc... However, in the case of the RIDZ Switcher, it is possible to rename these to more descriptive names.

Users with a RIDZ 8x2 Switcher...

CTRL+A or F6 puts the following text on the TIMED EVENTS Screen:

1. Channel 1 to Air 18. Clear Record

2. Channel 2 to Air 19. Clear Both

3. Channel 3 to Air

4. Channel 4 to Air

5. Channel 5 to Air

6. Channel 6 to Air

7. Channel 7 to Air

8. Channel 8 to Air

9. Channel 1 to Record

10. Channel 2 to Record

11. Channel 3 to Record

12. Channel 4 to Record

13. Channel 5 to Record

14. Channel 6 to Record

15. Channel 7 to Record

16. Channel 8 to Record

17. Clear Air

Selection _____

To rename any of these, the user must type the corresponding number, and press ENTER. In the lower left-hand portion of the screen the user is prompted for a new name for this entry:

Enter name of Network:

The user may now type in an appropriate name. For example, KXYZ might select Option 1, "Network 1 On Air". It could then be renamed to "SMN On-Air".

Mini-Switcher

To rename the networks on the 5x1 Mini-Switcher in the Timed Events Screen, press CTRL+B or F7. This brings up the following on the screen:

Select Channel

1. Network 1

2. Network 2

3. Network 3

4. Network 4

5. Network 5

Enter Selection ______

The user may choose the corresponding number for the network you wish to rename, and in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, the user is prompted:

Enter name of Network:

Again, as with the RIDZ Switcher, the user simply types in the correct name of the network.

Input Mapping for the RIDZ Switcher...

A SMARTCASTER with an RIDZ Switcher addresses satellite closures, (to fire spot breaks, IDs, jingles, etc.), a bit differently than a typical SMARTCASTER. With the RIDZ Switcher, there are 16 inputs for different closures. Each of these inputs can be "mapped" to fire spot breaks or Functions. In addition, the SMARTCASTER can be programmed to accept these inputs at all times, or only when a specific network is on the air. (Obviously, during the ABC newscast, it is not desirable for the SMARTCASTER to play SMN's jingle.)

In the example, KXYZ station has an 8x2 Audio Switcher hooked up with the networks shown below:

Diagram of RIDZ 8x2 Switcher with example inputs.

When the engineer hooked up the networks to the RIDZ Switcher, they also had to connect the relay closures from the network to the 32 digital inputs for the SMARTCASTER. KXYZ has the following closures hooked up:

SMN Magic Call Input 1

SMN Return Liner Input 2

SMN Sweep Liner Input 3

SMN Legal ID Input 4

SMN Local Break Input 5

Mutual Local Break Input 6

Mutual Legal ID Input 7

Mutual Return Liner Input 8

Rush Limbaugh Break Input 9

To map the SMARTCASTER inputs to the different networks, press F8. A list of the eight inputs for the RIDZ Switcher plus a Global Inputs selection appears (more on Global Inputs later). Should the user choose the first selection for Network #1, (SMN) they see the following:

Right now, none of the 32 inputs are mapped. Except for number 1, which has the Global Time Update, they all have 'N' under them. Looking at the list, the engineer hooks SMN's magic call to Input 1. If, for example, magic calls for SMN are recorded using Function 0, then the user needs to map Input 1 to Function 0. Place the cursor underneath the '1', and press 1. Now a '1' appears underneath Input 1. To map SMN's local break closure, the user needs to place a 0 under Input 5. Please note that "O" (the letter) and "0" (zero, the number) are not the same thing to a computer. The following examples use zeros (i.e. Function 0 or Digital Input 0). After all of the SMN closures are mapped, the screen should look like this:

Inputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Network 1 On Air 1 2 3 4 0 N N N N N N N N N N N

Inputs 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Network 1 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

Note that none of the other networks have been mapped. This is to prevent one network from firing events while another is on the air. For example, if a 0 was placed under Input 6, this would allow Mutual's local break closure to fire breaks while SMN was on the air. To keep the SMARTCASTER from seeing any closures from the other networks while SMN is on the air, an 'N' is placed under their inputs.

Below are the inputs mapped for the other networks on the 8x2 Audio Switcher:

ABC:

Inputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Network 2 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

Inputs 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Network 2 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

Mutual:

Inputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Network 3 On Air N N N N N 0 5 6 N N N N N N N N

Inputs 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Network 3 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

Rush Limbaugh:

Inputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Network 4 On Air N N N N N N N N 0 7 N N N N N N

Inputs 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Network 4 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

The user should note that ABC does not have any inputs mapped. Typically, newscasts do not have any automation closures. Thus, no inputs are mapped.

Global Inputs

Global Inputs are inputs that should be seen by the SMARTCASTER no matter what network is on the air. There are several examples where such inputs are needed: closure for updating time, closure to start Unattended Recording, closure to stop Unattended Recording. When selecting Global Inputs, the following screen appears:

As before, the user simply arrows over to the input that needs to be mapped, and selects the corresponding number for the event to trigger. For example, if Input 14 should fire a local break, regardless of which network is on the air, place a 0 underneath Input 14.

A 'T' can be placed under an input to signify a Time Update closure. For example, if station KXYZ has a closure from CBS that always fires at the top of the hour, they could hook it to Input 15. By placing a 'T' under Input 15, the SMARTCASTER knows to use this input to update the clock. (See USER SETUP, options 5 and 6).

When a Global Input is entered, a change occurs with the input settings for specific networks. Using the KXYZ example, if the user views the SMN Input settings, they see the following:

SMN - Pure Gold

Inputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Channel 1 On Air 1 2 3 4 0 N N N N N N N N 0* T* N

Inputs 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Channel 1 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

The '*' means that these inputs are set as a Global Input. The "0*" and "T*" now appear on every network mapping screen.

There may be cases where Global Inputs should not be seen when on a specific network. In this case, it is possible to "cancel" a Global Input. For example, if KXYZ does not want Input 14 to trigger a local break while on Rush, they can cancel the Global Input from the Rush Limbaugh Input Screen:

Rush Limbaugh:

Inputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Channel 4 On Air N N N N N N N N 0 7 N N N X T* N

Inputs 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Channel 4 On Air N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

The "X" under 14 signifies that when Rush Limbaugh is on the air, Input 14 will be ignored as a Global Input.

Final Notes...

If a station has a very "busy" Timed Events schedule, it is wise to write down the schedule on paper before entering it into the computer. By planning ahead, fewer mistakes are made.

Take care to not program too many events to occur simultaneously. Events that take time (Fades, Jumping to a different Break, etc.) should be given enough time to complete before being asked to handle another event. The SMARTCASTER is a fast computer, but the user should refrain from pushing it too hard. Besides Timed Events, the SMARTCASTER has to handle simultaneous playback and record of audio, overlap, announcer schedules, Function rotations, verification logs, Unattended Records, and many other features too numerous to list. If two events are scheduled in the same second, it is possible to miss an event. Any simultaneous operations should be observed once or twice to ensure no trouble occurs.

Note: Build slowly! Try each event out once before entering all of them. For example, try switching to news at the top of the hour at 1 PM before entering the other 23 hours. The user may find that the news feed comes down 1 second earlier or later than expected. Once the correct timing is discovered, then the user should add the events for the other hours.

Backing up the Timed Events List:

At the SMARTCASTER Main Menu, the user should select the option to Backup Data. The user then inserts a blank, formatted floppy disk into the drive and presses the enter key. The SMARTCASTER then copies all customizing information for your system onto the floppy. This backup does not include any hard drive audio; only programming data is copied by this option. This disk should be stored in a cool, dry place where it is easily accessible. A bank vault or the trunk of the boss’ car are NOT places that can be accessed in the middle of the night or on the weekend, when they might be needed.

Exercise: Timed Events

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press DOWN ARROW four times.	The cursor moves to Timed Events.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Timed Events option is activated. The screen appears showing the weekly scheduling. The cursor is the long purple line highlighting the first event of the week.
6. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears in the lower left-hand corner of the screen along with instructions for picking the days of the week for the event.
7. Press the SPACE BARE once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Sunday is no longer available.
8. Press the ENTER key six times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The cursor is now resting on “S” for Saturday.
9. Press the SPACE BAR bar once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Saturday is no longer available. Only the weekdays have been selected.
10. Press the ENTER key once.	The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner now prompts for the time of the event.
11. Type in 000500.	Be sure to use zeroes and not oh’s. The system automatically enters the “:’s”. The time is entered and the selection screen appears. This event will occur at five minutes after midnight on weeknights.
12. Type in 2.	Local event is selected.
13. Press the ENTER key.	The Local event screen is activated.
14. Type in 1.	Local Break is chosen.
15. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with a confirmation request of its accuracy.
16. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events. The new event ALWAYS appears at the top of the list. Any items with earlier times would be off the screen ABOVE the new entry.
17. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
18. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
19. Type in 000600.	This event will occur at six minutes after midnight seven days a week.
20. Type in 1.	Relays are selected.
21. Press the ENTER key.	The Relay selection screen appears.
22. Type in 1.	Pulse relay 0 is selected.
23. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
24. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
25. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
26. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
27. Type in 000430.	This event will occur at four-and-a-half minutes after midnight seven days a week.
28. Type in 3.	Other is chosen.
29. Press the ENTER key.	The Other selection screen appears.
30. Type in 6.	Continuous On is chosen.
31. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
32. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events. Now, all three items we have created are displayed on the right side of the screen.
33. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
34. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
35. Type in 000001.	This event will occur at one second after midnight seven days a week.
36. Type in 4.	The Smart (RIDZ) Switcher is chosen.
37. Press the ENTER key.	The Smart (RIDZ) Switcher selection screen appears. This screen will have generic names unless the network names have been edited for station clarity.
38. Type in 1.	The first network to air is selected.
39. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
40. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
41. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
42. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
43. Type in 000002.	This event will occur at two seconds after midnight seven days a week.
44. Type in 4.	Smart (RIDZ) Switcher is chosen.
45. Press the ENTER key.	The Smart (RIDZ) Switcher selection screen appears.
46. Type in 9.	The first network to record is selected. This is for systems with just one RIDZ. Systems with more than one Ridz will find the first network to record at a number larger than nine. Notice that the last three items in the list are Clear Air, Clear Record, and Clear Both. These are used to reverse the selection command.
47. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
48. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
49. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
50. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
51. Type in 000505.	This event will occur at five minutes and five seconds after midnight seven days a week.
52. Type in 4.	The Smart (RIDZ) Switcher is chosen.
53. Press the ENTER key.	The Smart (RIDZ) Switcher selection screen appears. This screen will have generic names unless the network names have been edited for station clarity.
54. Type in 18 or the number to Clear Record.	The Clear Record command is selected.
55. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
56. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
57. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
58. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
59. Type in 000605.	This event will occur at six minutes and five seconds after midnight seven days a week.
60. Type in 6.	Latch relay is chosen.
61. Press the ENTER key.	The Latch relay selection screen appears.
62. Type in 1.	The Latch relay 0 is selected.
63. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
64. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
65. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
66. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
67. Type in 000630.	This event will occur at six minutes and thirty seconds after midnight seven days a week.
68. Type in 7.	Unlatch relay is chosen.
69. Press the ENTER key.	The Unlatch relay selection screen appears.
70. Type in 1.	The Unlatch relay 0 is selected. Notice that the last selection is Unlatch all relays.
71. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
72. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
73. Press F3 to add a subroutine.	The cursor appears in the lower left-hand corner of the screen prompting for a name for the Subroutine.
74. Type in “ABC NEWS”.	We will use this as a title for this particular subroutine.
75. Press the ENTER key.	The typical Timed Event Screen appears...with no entries in the right-hand side.
76. Press F1 to add.	The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time to switch.
77. Press the 0 key four times.	The time chosen is 00:00:00. The Timed Event selection screen appears.
78. Type in 3.	Other is selected.
79. Press the ENTER key.	The Other selection screen is displayed.
80. Type in 3.	Fade is selected.
81. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
82. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
83. Press F1 to add.	The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time to switch.
84. Type in 0004.	The time chosen is 00:00:04. The Timed Event selection screen appears.
85. Type in 2.	Local event is selected.
86. Press the ENTER key.	The Local event selection screen is displayed.
87. Type in 2.	Function 0 is selected. Assuming Function 0 is a Legal I.D., the system will play an I.D. at this time.
88. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
89. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events.
90. Press F1 to add.	The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time to switch.
91. Type in 0007.	The time chosen is 00:00:07. The Timed Event selection screen appears.
92. Type in 4.	Smarts (RIDZ) Switcher is selected.
93. Press the ENTER key.	The Smarts (RIDZ) Switcher selection screen is displayed.
94. Type in 1.	Network 1 on Air is selected.
95. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
96. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events. The system will now fade the present audio, play the I.D. and switch the news network to air whenever the subroutine is activated.
97. Press the UP ARROW key three times.	All three items appear in the right-hand screen.
98. Press the ESC key.	The PROGRAMMING window appears with Timed Events highlighted.
99. Press the ENTER key.	The Timed Events Screen appears.
100. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears again in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
101. Press the ENTER key seven times.	All seven days of the week have been selected. The days of the week are now displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time of the event.
102. Type in 000645.	This event will occur at six minutes and forty-five seconds after midnight seven days a week.
103. Type in 8.	Subroutine is chosen.
104. Press the ENTER key.	The Subroutine selection screen appears. This screen will have all of the subroutines that have been created.
105. Type in 1.	The ABC NEWS subroutine is selected.
106. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
107. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events. Notice that under Event it says ABC NEWS.
108. Press the F5 key.	We have chosen to Edit Subroutine. The choices in the upper left-hand corner correspond with the number of subroutines that already exist.
109. Press the 1 key.	ABC NEWS has been chosen.
110. Press the ENTER key.	The name of the subroutine comes up in the lower left-hand corner.
111. Use the RIGHT ARROW key to move the cursor to the right of ABC NEWS and type in “TO AIR”.	We clarify the title of the subroutine so we know what it does.
112. Press the ENTER key.	The subroutine’s commands appear in the upper right-hand corner.
113. Press F1 to add.	The lower left-hand corner prompts for the time to switch.
114. Type in 0005.	The time chosen is 00:00:05. The Timed Event selection screen appears.
115. Type in 2.	Local event is selected.
116. Press the ENTER key.	The Local event selection screen is displayed.
117. Type in 2.	Function 0 is selected. Assuming Function 0 is a Legal I.D., the system will play an I.D. at this time.
118. Press the ENTER key.	All of the information is displayed in the lower left-hand corner along with the confirmation request of its accuracy.
119. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the entry is placed chronologically in the list of Timed Events. This item will appear one second behind the previous entry, correcting the time we want this event to occur.
120. Press F2 to delete.	The deletion instructions appear in the lower left-hand corner.
121. Use the Up ARROW key to move the cursor to the 00:00:04 event.	The purple cursor highlights the desired event.
122. Press the DELETE key.	The first (Function 0) command is tagged. The letters DEL appear to the right of the line.
123. Press the HOME key.	The lower prompt in the lower left-hand corner asks for confirmation before deleting the tagged item.
124. Press the Y key.	The deletion is confirmed and the response appears in the lower left-hand corner.
125. Press the ESCAPE key.	The PROGRAMMING window appears with Timed Events highlighted.
126. Press the ENTER key.	The Timed Events Screen re-appears.
127. Press F3 to add a subroutine.	The cursor appears in the lower left-hand corner of the screen prompting for a name for the Subroutine.
128 Write in “ABC SNOOZER”.	We will use this as a title for this particular subroutine.
129. Press the ENTER key.	The typical Timed Event Screen appears...with no entries in the right-hand side.
130. Press the ESC key.	The PROGRAMMING window appears with Timed Events highlighted.
131. Press the ENTER key.	The Timed Events Screen re-appears.
132. Press the F4 key to delete a subroutine.	The list of subroutines appears. It includes “ABC SNOOZER.”
133. Press the 2 key.	ABC SNOOZER is selected.
134. Press the ENTER key.	The Timed Events Screen comes up. This one will appear to be empty on the right.
135. Press the UP ARROW key.	The normal Timed Events Screen appears.
136. Press the F5 key.	The Subroutine list appears as we choose to edit a subroutine. Notice that number two now says Empty Subroutine.
137. Press the ESC key.	The main Timed Events Screen appears.
138. Press the F6 key to edit network names.	The network switching selection screen appears.
139. Type 1.	The first network to air is selected.
140. Press the ENTER key.	The first network to air appears in the lower left-hand corner highlighted in blue.
141. Type in ABC NEWS.	The first part of the title is overwritten.
142. Press the DELETE key twice.	The title now says ABC NEWS on Air.
143. Press the ENTER key.	The network switching selection screen re-appears showing the change made to the first network.
144. Press the ESC key.	The screen returns to the main Timed Events Screen.
145. Press the F6 key to edit 5 x 1 names if you have a 5 x 1 switcher. If you do not have the switcher, skip to step number 151.	The 5 x 1 network switching selection screen appears.
146. Type 1.	The first network to air is selected.
147. Press the ENTER key.	The first network to air appears in the lower left-hand corner highlighted in blue.
148. Type in NEWS (ABC).	The original title is overwritten.
149. Press the ENTER key.	The 5 x 1 switching selection screen re-appears showing the change made to the first network.
150. Press the ESC key.	The screen returns to the main Timed Events Screen.
151. Press the F8 key to map network inputs.	The network switching selection screen appears. Notice the first network reflects the changes made to it earlier.
152. Type 1.	The first network is selected.
153. Press the ENTER key.	The input screen for ABC NEWS on Air appears. The cursor is the purple square. It can be moved with the RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN ARROW keys.
154. Press the RIGHT ARROW key four times.	The cursor is now resting on the N below 5.
155. Press the DOWN ARROW key once.	The cursor moves to the N below 21.
156. Press the DOWN ARROW key once more.	The cursor moves to the N below 5.
157. Press the 0 key.	A 0 (zero) now appears in the space below 5. The cursor moves one step to the right, resting under the 6. A closure to terminal five will now cause the system to play the current break.
158. Press the LEFT ARROW key five times.	The cursor is now resting on the N below 1.
159. Type 4321.	The numbers 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 now rest under 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Closures to the first four inputs will cause various Functions to play.
160. Press the ESC key.	The network switching selection screen re-appears.
161. Type in the number corresponding with Global Inputs.	Global Inputs is selected.
162. Press the ENTER key.	The Global Inputs Screen appears. It is identical to other input screens except for the titles.
163. Press the RIGHT ARROW key nine times.	The cursor is now resting on the N below 10.
164. Press the T key.	A “T” now appears under the 10. Input 10 is where the closure appears for the time update.
165. Press the ESC key.	The network switching selection screen re-appears.
166. Type 1.	Selecting the first network once again.
167. Press the ENTER key.	The input screen for ABC NEWS on Air re-appears. Notice that under 10 there is now a “T” with an asterisk to the right of it. This closure will be seen no matter what network is on the air.
168. Press the ESC key.	The network switching selection screen re-appears.
169. Type in the number for the last item, Input diagnostics.	Selecting Input diagnostics.
170. Press the ENTER key.	The Input diagnostics Screen comes up.
171. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The sound is toggled on. Any closure will respond with a buzzing tone.
172. Press the SPACE BAR again.	The sound is toggled off. Closures will no longer be confirmed with an audio response.
173. Press the C key.	Any closure markers that are on the screen will be cleared.
174. Press the ESC key.	The network switching selection screen re-appears.
175. Press the ESC key again.	The main Timed Event Screen re-appears.
176. Press the ESC key twice.	The Main Screen re-appears.

Quick Quiz: Timed Events

1. The Time Based Events are listed in what order? ___________________

2. What key is pressed to Map Network Inputs? __________

3. A tag is used to do what to an event? ___________

4. How many seconds does a fade take to occur? _________

5. True or False: Time Based Events are based on the time in the SMARTCASTER. ________

Unattended Record

One of the most powerful features of most SMARTCASTER systems is the ability to record and playback at the same time on the same system. The Unattended Record feature is especially powerful because it is automated. No one needs to be present to perform the recording operation.

The Unattended Record Screen is used to automatically record audio into the SMARTCASTER. The time and method of recording, as well as the script number are programmed into the SMARTCASTER ahead of time.

On the bottom of the Unattended Record Screen are the main options:

F1 - Add an Unattended Record to the list

F2 - Delete one or a series of Unattended Records

F3 - Edit an existing Unattended Record entry

ESC - Exit the Unattended Record Screen

What everything means...

OPEN WINDOW is the time the SMARTCASTER begins the Unattended Records or begins looking for the relay to begin the Unattended Record.

CLOSE WINDOW is the time that the SMARTCASTER stops looking for a relay closure to begin the Unattended Record.

S Relay is the start relay that begins the Unattended Record (if there is one).

Duration is the length of the Unattended Record (if known).

End Time is the time that the SMARTCASTER stops recording. It is wise to use this time even if the recording is to end on a relay closure. This ensures that even if the closure is somehow missed, the recording does not run away and fill the hard drive.

Spot is the script ID number (or Spot number) used to do the recording.

How does the SMARTCASTER know what network to record?

The SMARTCASTER has one set of Record Inputs. So, whenever a network is recorded the SMARTCASTER Inputs must listen to the network that is routed to the Record Inputs. Users with RIDZ 8x2 Switchers need only issue a RIDZ switch in the Timed Events Screen to route any network to the Record Inputs.

Note: The Unattended Record must be finished recording before the break is loaded that contains that script number.

Note: Users with 5x1 Switchers do not have the ability to switch inputs through the 5x1 Switcher itself. Other arrangements must be made to switch the Record Inputs to a different source. Refer to Engineering - Satellite Automation for information on routing an Unattended Record source to the SMARTCASTER.

The concept...

There are four ways to perform an Unattended Record.

• Start on a timed basis, end on timed basis.

• Start on relay, end on timed basis.

• Start on timed basis, end on relay.

• Start on relay, end on relay.

Start on a timed basis, end on a timed basis.

Ending on a timed basis is done by providing either a Duration or an End Time. The Duration is the length of the recording. The End Time is the time of day to stop recording.

This is a very common method. Network news feeds that come down at a specific time and last for a specific duration are easily handled by instructing the SMARTCASTER to begin recording at a specific time for a specific duration.

For example, KXYZ records ABC Direction News at the 50:00 mark of every hour and replays it at the top of the hour, Monday through Friday. To program this recording, the user must follow these steps:

• Press F1 to Add.

• Enter the days of the week that this event takes place.

Please toggle any days you wish to

enter. Press 'N' to select not

applicable. (Spacebar to toggle &

Enter to move to next day.)

_MTWTF_

Please enter in time:

09:50:00

To toggle a day on or off, press SPACE BAR. To advance to the next day of the week, press ENTER. By pressing, BkSPACE, the cursor can be decremented back to the previous day of week. Once the last day of the week is decided, (Saturday), pressing ENTER advances to the next step.

• Enter the time of day for the recording to take place. The SMARTCASTER now asks for the time of the Open Window. All references to time should be 24 hour military time. In the example above, the Open Window is set for 09:50 Monday through Friday. If the event occurs every hour the user must program 24 individual entries. The Open Window equals the Start Time whenever the recording begins on a timed basis. When this happens, the SMARTCASTER sets the Start Relay to N/A (not applicable).

• The SMARTCASTER prompts the user to enter the days for the Close Window. When starting a recording on time, the user should set this option to "N". (See the following sections on Starting On Relays for more information about what this question means.) Next, the SMARTCASTER asks for a Duration. Here, the user enters the length of the recording. If no Duration is entered, the SMARTCASTER prompts the user for an End Time later.

Note: The user should take care to remember that the Duration question is asking for hours, minutes and seconds. This means that 12:00:00 is not 12 minutes, but 12 hours! 12 minutes looks like this: 00:12:00. The SMARTCASTER does not restrict the user from entering an incorrect time. If the user mistakenly asks the SMARTCASTER to record for 12 hours, it attempts to do so whether or not the system has that much time available. If this situation occurs, the user must exit the SMARTCASTER program to stop a runaway recording.

• After the Duration comes the End Relay. However, since this recording automatically ends at the end of the Duration, the user should press ENTER to leave this field blank.

• If the user omitted the Duration field, the SMARTCASTER now prompts the user for an End Time. This is the time of day that the audio cut stops recording.

• Finally, the SMARTCASTER asks the user for a Script Number. If the spot is already recorded, the SMARTCASTER asks the user if he/she really wants to record over that audio cut. If the spot does not exist, the user is prompted for Spot Name, Start Date, Stop Date, Product Code and Drive Letter. Most SMARTCASTERS have a D drive. This is the default setting for the Unattended Record. Should the SMARTCASTER have only a C drive, the user should be certain to enter a 'C' instead of a 'D.'

Once finished, the user has a new entry on the screen that appears as it does below. The SMARTCASTER (Monday through Friday) begins recording 88888 at 09:50, continues to do so for four minutes, then stops.

Starting on a relay and ending on a timed basis...

Ending on a timed basis is done by providing either a Duration or an End Time. The Duration is the length of the recording. The End Time is the time of day to stop recording.

This method is equally common. It is used frequently by stations that have news networks which fire a closure signaling the beginning of the recording. If the news feed is always the same length, the recording is easily stopped at the end of the Duration.

For example, if KXYZ had a news feed at the 50:00 mark of each hour that begins with a digital input 05, the user should follow these steps to program the SMARTCASTER:

• Press F1 to Add.

• Enter the days of the week that this event takes place.

Please toggle any days you wish to

enter. Press 'N' to select not

applicable. (Spacebar to toggle &

Enter to move to next day.)

_MTWTF_

Please enter in time:

09:48:00

• Enter the time of day for the SMARTCASTER to begin looking for the Start Relay. This time is known as the Open Window. All references to time should be 24 hour military time. In the program example above, the Open Window is set for 09:48 on Monday through Friday. If the event occurs every hour the user must program 24 individual entries.

• The SMARTCASTER prompts the user to enter the days for the Close Window. Select the days in the same manner as the Open Window.

• Enter the time of day to stop looking for the Start Relay.

Note: The period of time between the Open Window and the Close Window is the period of time the SMARTCASTER looks for the Start Relay. Theoretically, this period may be several minutes in length. See the note on Multiple Records below. The Window is created as a safety measure against stray closures. Using the Record Window prevents stray closures from starting a recording.

• Now the SMARTCASTER asks for the new relay or Start Relay. This is the SMARTCASTER'S digital input used to trigger the start of the Unattended Record.

• Now the SMARTCASTER asks the user, "Does the Start Relay trigger multiple records within the Record Window?" If the user answers ‘Yes’ to this question, the SMARTCASTER records the audio cut specified every time the relay triggers. Should the window be very wide (hours), then the same recording can be easily repeated over and over. If the user answers ‘No’ to this question, the SMARTCASTER pays attention to the relay closure only once.

• Now the SMARTCASTER asks for the Delay. For this example, the Delay is not used. The user should press ENTER to leave it blank. The Delay is used with the Multi-Segmented Record feature explained below.

• Next, the SMARTCASTER asks for a Duration. Here, the user enters the length of the recording. If the user omits the Duration of the recording, the SMARTCASTER prompts the user for an End Time later.

Note: The user should remember that the Duration question is asking for hours, minutes and seconds. This means that 12:00:00 is not 12 minutes, but 12 hours! 12 minutes looks like this: 00:12:00. The SMARTCASTER does not limit the user in how much time to record. If the user mistakenly asks the SMARTCASTER to record for 12 hours, it attempts to do so whether or not the system has that much time available. If this situation occurs, the user must exit the SMARTCASTER program to stop a runaway recording.

• After the Duration comes the End Relay. However, since this recording automatically ends at the end of the Duration, the user should press ENTER to leave this field blank.

• If the user omitted the Duration above, the SMARTCASTER now prompts for an End Time. This is the time of day that the recording stops.

When finished, the user's screen should have the entry shown below. At 9:48 Monday through Friday, the SMARTCASTER begins looking for a relay 05. It does so until the relay is fired or until 9:52 when the window closes. As soon as the SMARTCASTER detects digital input 05 it records 88888 for four minutes and stops.

Using multiple records within a Record Window...

This is done in cases where an audio feed fires a unique closure and the user wishes to re-record an audio cut every time this closure is fired. Thus, one window covers many identical recordings.

For example, KXYZ has a weather forecast that they air every hour that is fed from a service and recorded prior to airing. If the service does not reliably call in at the same time every hour, a time basis won't work because there is no way of knowing when the feed starts.

If the feed triggers a discreet relay closure to signal the start of the recording, then the feed could easily and accurately be recorded once. What happens, however, if the service has trouble and must re-do the audio feed? The answer is to use multiple recordings within a window. If the window is open wide (for example, an hour), then every time the start relay fires, the system records for the amount of time specified in the Duration field. It is also possible (and more likely in this example) to stop the recording on a relay closure. (See Start on a Relay and End on a Relay heading below for details on the setup of that kind of recording).

Start on a timed basis and end on a relay...

This method is used primarily by those who do Multi-Segmented Records (where the SMARTCASTER records individual segments of a program from satellite for later broadcast). Otherwise it is used whenever the start time of a program is known, the duration is not known and the network feeding the audio fires a relay at the end of the feed. The user must follow these steps to perform this type of recording:

• Press F1 to Add.

• Enter the days of the week that this event takes place.

Please toggle any days you wish to

enter. Press 'N' to select not

applicable. (Spacebar to toggle &

Enter to move to next day.)

_MTWTF_

Please enter in time:

09:50:00

To toggle a day on or off, press SPACE. To advance to the next day of the week, press ENTER. By pressing, BkSPACE, the cursor can be decremented back to the previous day of week. Once the last day of the week is decided, (Saturday), pressing ENTER advances to the next step.

• The SMARTCASTER prompts the user to enter the days for the Close Window. When starting a recording on time, this option is set to ‘NA’. The user, therefore, should enter an ‘NA.’ (See the sections on Starting On Relays for more information on what this question means).

• Next, the SMARTCASTER asks for a Duration. Since the duration is not known, the user should press 'NA' here.

• Next comes End Time. It is wise to set this to a time beyond when the End Relay should fire. This is a good way to keep the SMARTCASTER from doing a runaway Unattended Record, should it miss the End Relay for any reason. The SMARTCASTER continues to record until the End Relay or the End Time.

• After the Duration comes the End Relay. Here the user enters the digital input number that ends the record session (for example, 06).

See the "Doing a Multi-Segment Record" heading below for good uses of this Unattended Recording method.

Starting on a Relay and Ending on a Relay...

This is the "cleanest" method of Unattended Record. It virtually ensures no gaps before or after a network feed. A Start Relay is used to trigger the start of the recording. The recording continues until the Stop Relay occurs. This method is also used for the Multi-Segment Records described below. To program this type of Unattended Record into the SMARTCASTER, the user must follow these steps:

If KXYZ had a news feed at the 50:00 mark of each hour that begins with a closure 05 and ends four minutes later with a closure 06, the user should follow these steps to program the SMARTCASTER:

• Press F1 to Add.

• Enter the days of the week that this event takes place.

Please toggle any days you wish to

enter. Press 'N' to select not

applicable. (Spacebar to toggle &

Enter to move to next day.)

_MTWTF_

Please enter in time:

09:48:00

• The SMARTCASTER prompts the user to enter the days for the Close Window. Select the days in the same manner as the Open Window.

• Enter the time of day to stop looking for the Start Relay.

Note: The period of time between the Open Window and the Close Window is the period of time the SMARTCASTER looks for the Start Relay. Theoretically, this period may be minutes or days in length. See the note on Multiple Records beneath. The window is created as a safety measure against stray recordings. Using the Record Window prevents stray closures from starting recordings.

• Now the SMARTCASTER asks for the new relay or Start Relay. This is the digital input used to trigger the start of the Unattended Record.

• Now the SMARTCASTER asks the user, "Does the Start Relay trigger multiple records within the Record Window?" If the user answers ‘Yes’ to this question, the SMARTCASTER records the audio cut specified every time the relay triggers. Should the window be very wide (hours), then the same record can be easily repeated over and over. If the user answers ‘No’ to this question, the SMARTCASTER pays attention to the relay closure only once.

• Next, the SMARTCASTER asks for a Duration. Since the Duration is not known, the user should press N here.

• After the Duration comes the End Relay. Here the user enters the relay number that ends the recording session (for example, 06).

• If the user omitted the Duration, the SMARTCASTER asks for an End Time. This is the time of day at which the SMARTCASTER stops the recording.

Doing a Multi-Segment Record...

It is possible to record program length audio into the SMARTCASTER. Stations can record and play back programs that are hours long (assuming enough room is available on the hard drive(s)). The only trouble is that if the station records this program in one long audio cut, how do they insert locally sold ads?

Multi-Segmented Records allow the SMARTCASTER to record each segment of a program as a separate audio cut. Local commercials are programmed in-between the segments. The Segmented Record usually uses a combination of the methods mentioned above.

For example, Sam's Talk Show is a three hour program that runs Monday through Friday. It takes four local breaks (on Relay 06) per hour. The first break is 02:30 in length, the second is 03:00 in length, the third is 03:00 in length, and the fourth is 02:25 in length. In true talk show fashion, there is only the faintest clue as to when the host decides to take a break.

Because talk shows hosts cannot hit breaks on time (ever it seems), it is possible to "overlap" start relay windows. When this is done, the SMARTCASTER takes the start relays sequentially, recording the first cut, followed by the second, etc..

Since the show starts on time at 3 PM, the first segment uses the start on a time basis and end on a relay method. The user programs the following:

Days: _MTWTF_

Open Window:15:00:00 (This acts as a start time if no Close Window is specified).

Close Window N/A

Duration: N/A

End Time: N/A

End Relay: 06

Script Number: 88881 (This number is just a sample five digit audio cut number).

In this example, the first segment, 88881, starts recording at 15:00:00. It ends when the talk show host fires a tone for a local break. (The relay for this tone has been wired into digital input 06 of the SMARTCASTER.) The tone for the local break signifies that the talk show host has quit talking. The goal is to record the program segments, not the local breaks.

Now, all of the rest of the segments use the Start on a Relay, End on a Relay method. They begin on a relay 06--the same relay closure that stopped the first record. In other words, when the network fires a relay 06, the first cut stops, and the second one starts.

Now the problem is if the second segment starts at the same time the first stops, then the SMARTCASTER records all the network fill material, during the local break, at the beginning of the second cut. To keep this from happening, the user must enter a delay.

Whenever the user sets up a recording to begin on a relay, the SMARTCASTER prompts the user for a delay. Normally, this delay is left blank. However, in a Multi-Segmented Record, a delay is entered that is the length of the local break.

In the Sam's Talk Show example above, the first break is 02:30 in length. Therefore the second segment has a delay of two minutes and thirty seconds before it begins recording. As soon as it begins, it records until another closure 06 occurs. When that happens the second segment stops recording and the third segment begins its delay.

This is an example of what the second segment could look like:

Days: _MTWTF_

Open Window:15:05:00

Close Window:15:22:00

Start Relay: 06

Delay: 02:30

Duration: N/A

End Time: N/A

End Relay: 06

Script Number: 88882

This process continues to the last segment. Depending on the network feed that is used, the last segment may end on a relay or on a time.

If the SMARTCASTER user has an RIDZ Switcher the relay and closure numbers referred to in this section are replaced with a digital input number. These numbers correspond to the " Inputs" defined in the Timed Events section.

The only "trick" to using the digital inputs for Unattended Record is that in the Map Network Inputs section in Timed Events, the input wanted for the Unattended Record must not be an 'N'. Instead, the user must enter an unused Function number. (For example, if the station does not use a Function 6, Function 6 may be used for this purpose). If the Input has an 'N' underneath the digital input, the SMARTCASTER completely ignores the closure. If an unused Function is programmed there, the SMARTCASTER does nothing to affect on-air-playback, but responds to the closure for the purpose of Unattended Records. The user should note, when selecting a Function to cover Start/Stop Relays in the Network Mapping Screen, that the Function used must be the relay number minus one. In other words Function 0 is Relay 1, Function 1 is Relay 2, etc.

Exercise: Unattended Records

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press DOWN ARROW three times.	The cursor moves to Unattended Record.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Unattended Record option is activated. The screen appears showing the weekly scheduling. The cursor is highlighting the first event of the week.
6. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears in the center screen below the instructions for picking the days of the week for the event.
7. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Sunday is no longer available.
8. Press the ENTER key six times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The cursor is now resting on “S” for Saturday.
9. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Saturday is no longer available. Only the weekdays have been selected.
10. Press the ENTER key once.	The days of the week are now displayed just below the instructions on the screen. The next line down now prompts for the time of the event.
11. Type 093000.	The time is entered in hours, minutes, seconds. The information is now displayed with the confirmation prompt.
12. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the Close Window Screen appears.
13. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Sunday is no longer available.
14. Press the ENTER key six times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The cursor is now resting on “S” for Saturday.
15. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Saturday is no longer available. Only the weekdays have been selected.
16. Press the ENTER key once.	The days of the week are now displayed just below the instructions on the screen. The next line down now prompts for the time of the event.
17. Type 093600.	The time is entered in hours, minutes, seconds. The information is now displayed with the confirmation prompt.
18. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the Start Relay Screen appears.
19. Type in 06.	Relay 06 is chosen to start the recording. The prompt appears asking if multiple records will be used.
20. Press the N key.	The system prompts for the length of the delay. It is in minutes, seconds, and hundredths of seconds. There are three digits for the minutes, two each for the seconds and hundreths.
21. Type 0030000.	The delay will be three minutes in length.
22. Press the ENTER key.	The information is accepted and the Duration Screen appears.
23. Press the N key.	Duration is not applicable for this part of the exercise. The End Time Screen appears.
24. Press the N key.	The End Time is not applicable for this part of the exercise. The End Relay Screen appears.
25. Type in 07.	Relay 07 is chosen to stop the recording. The Spot Number Screen appears.
26. Type in 33333.	The prompt appears stating that the spot does not exist, do you want to add it.
27. Press the Y key.	A new screen appears on the left side. The first prompt asks for a name.
28. Type in “First UR Test.”	This will be our first Unattended Record test cut.
29. Press the ENTER key.	A new prompt asks for the start date of the spot.
30. Enter only the numbers of today’s date.	The system fills in the slashes and jumps to the next prompt once the year has been typed in. The new prompt is for the stop date.
31. Type 123123.	Using December 31, 2023 as the stop date. The next prompt appears asking for the product code.
32. Press the ENTER key.	We’ll bypass product code at this point. The next prompt appears asking for the drive where the spot will be stored.
33. Press the C key.	Designating C as the drive where the spot will be stored. The next prompt appears asking for confirmation of the information.
34. Press the Y key.	The prompt appears asking if you wish to add.
35. Press the Y key.	The Unattended Record Screen re-appears, with your latest information highlighted by the cursor.
36. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears in the lower left-hand corner of the screen along with instructions for picking the days of the week for the event.
37. Press the ENTER key seven times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The days of the week are now displayed just below the instructions on the screen. The next line down now prompts for the time of the event.
38. Type 000001.	The time is entered in hours, minutes, seconds. The open window begins one second after midnight. The information is now displayed with the confirmation prompt.
39. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the Close Window Screen appears.
40. Press the ENTER key seven times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The days of the week are now displayed just below the instructions on the screen. The next line down now prompts for the time of the event.
41. Type 235900.	The time is entered in hours, minutes, seconds. The close window is set for one minute before midnight. The information is now displayed with the confirmation prompt.
42. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the Start Relay Screen appears.
43. Type in 05.	Relay 05 is chosen to fire the recording. The prompt appears asking if multiple records will be used.
44. Press the Y key.	The system prompts for the length of the delay.
45. Press the ENTER key.	The delay is bypassed. The screen appears prompting for a duration.
46. Type in 000501.	The length of the recording will be 5:01. The screen will change with the last keypress. The new screen asks for the spot number to record to.
47. Type in 00731.	The screen appears on the left side showing the spot and number, and asking for confirmation.
48. Press the Y key.	The confirmation screen appears asking if you want to add.
49. Press the Y key.	The Unattended Record Screen re-appears, with your latest information highlighted by the cursor. This command is open all day, looking for a relay 05 to begin a 5:01 recording. This could be used for an hourly newscast. It records before the top of the hour, plays at the top, records a fresh feed before playing again at the top of the next hour.
50. Press the F1 key.	“S” for Sunday appears in the center screen below the instructions for picking the days of the week for the event.
51. Press the ENTER key seven times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The days of the week are now displayed just below the instructions on the screen. The next line down now prompts for the time of the event.
52. Type in 010000.	The open window is set for 1 am. The confirmation prompt appears.
53. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the Close Window Screen appears.
54. Press the N key.	We have bypassed the Close Window. The next screen now prompts for the duration of the event.
55. Type in 002830.	The Duration will be 28 minutes and 30 seconds. The prompt appears for the End Relay.
56. Press the ENTER key.	The End Relay is bypassed. The prompt now asks for the spot number.
57. Type in 00732.	The spot 00732 is displayed on the left side of the screen. We are asked if we want to record over it.
58. Press the Y key.	The prompt asks if we want to add.
59. Press the Y key again.	The new item is placed in chronological order. This command will record for 28 minutes and 30 seconds, beginning at 1am.
60. Press F1 to add.	“S” for Sunday appears in the center screen below the instructions for picking the days of the week for the event.
61. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Sunday is no longer available.
62. Press the ENTER key six times.	An additional day of the week appears with each keypress. The cursor is now resting on “S” for Saturday.
63. Press the SPACE BAR once.	The “S” disappears while the cursor remains in the same spot. Saturday is no longer available. Only the weekdays have been selected.
64. Press the ENTER key once.	The days of the week are now displayed just below the instructions on the screen. The next line down now prompts for the time of the event.
65. Type 110640.	The time is entered in hours, minutes, seconds. The information is now displayed with the confirmation prompt. The recording will begin at 11:06:40.
66. Press the Y key.	The information is confirmed and the Close Window Screen appears.
67. Press the N key.	We have bypassed the Close Window. The next screen now prompts for the Duration of the event.
68. Press the N key.	We have bypassed the Duration. The next screen now prompts for the End Time.
69. Press the N key.	We have bypassed the End Time. The next screen now prompts for the End Relay.
70. Type in 04.	Relay 04 is chosen to stop the recording. A new prompt appears asking for a spot number.
71. Type in 00762.	The spot 00762 is displayed on the left side of the screen. We are asked if we want to record over it.
72. Press the Y key.	The prompt asks if you want to add.
73. Press the Y key.	The line is added to the list in chronological order.
74. Press the ESC key.	The PROGRAMMING menu appears with Unattended Record highlighted.
75. Press the ESC key again.	The menu and menu bar disappear, and the Main Screen appears.

Quick Quiz: Unattended Record

1. Yes or no, Unattended Records may start on time or relay. _________

2. What type of Unattended Record would a program like Rush Limbaugh use? _____________

3. Is Unattended Record capable of recording many times in a day to the same script number? _____

4. What feature may be used to make minor changes to an Unattended Record command? ________

5. True or False: Unattended Records do not have to be tied in to a network switch on the RIDZ. _______

Remotes

The Remotes Screen is designed to work with the SmartTouch DTMF telephone interface made by SMARTS Broadcast Systems. However, this screen may be used as a modified Live Assist Screen if the station does not own a SmartTouch. In this version of Live Assist, a user may run a conventional remote by using four buttons, button one to play the intro, button two to start spots, button three to stop the spots rotating, and button four to play the close. The spots continue in an endless loop that the user has programmed ahead of time.

The SMARTCASTER can hold up to 1000 different Remote templates (as long as the system memory is not too tight).

What is a Remote Template?

Each remote is assigned its own template. A template includes a distinct intro, close, and spot rotation.

For example:

The station runs a promotion called, "The Sports Club." This promotion runs for the entire football season and has five sponsors participating.

To set up a template for The Sports Club follow these steps:

• Select Remotes

• Select F2 to Add/Edit

• Enter 001. This brings up a new screen and asks, Is this a Record or Play event? Select Play(P)

• Enter the Remote name and press ENTER.

• Enter the date of the event (This is used only for sorting the events on the previous screen. No matter what the date, the Remote may still be used. To enter the date 10/10/99, type 101099 and press ENTER. The Remote Screen takes care of the /'s.

• Enter the Remote time. As with the date, enter the numbers without any colons (:). Also, as with the date, the time is used only to sort the Remotes on the previous screen. The user is in no way denied access to a Remote because of date or time.

• Enter the Script Number of the intro.

• Enter the Script Number of the close.

• Enter a 1. This is the next spot in the rotation to play. Since this is a new Remote, it defaults to 1and press ENTER. As the Remote is used, the Remotes Screen keeps track of where in the rotation it left off so that next time it starts with the next spot in the rotation. This way the customers are ensured a very even rotation.

• Then begin entering Spot Script Numbers. It will show 22 cuts at a time. When finished, press ESC.

• Press ESC again to exit the screen.

Remote Screen Example:

This completes the creation of Template 001 Sports Club.

The Remote Screen Options...

F1 Help - Brings up a summary screen of SmartTouch options

F2 Add/Edit - Creates a new template or edits an existing template

F3 Delete - Deletes an entire template

F4 Do Remote - Brings up the SmartTouch Screen in a Live Assist mode.

ESC Exit - Exits the Remote Screen

Doing Remotes from the keyboard...

The user may wish to manually run a Remote by selecting option F4(Do Remote). When the user selects this option, the Remotes Screen prompts him/her for a Remote number.

Once entered, a new screen appears that is identical to the screen used to define a Remote template. Now, however, no editing keys are present. The user has full control over the system by using four Function keys.

F1 - Plays the Remote intro and stops. This MUST be played to begin the session.

F2 - Starts the spot rotation, when the system is done with the last spot, it starts over.

F3 - Stops the spot rotation from playing back at the end of the current spot.

F4 - Plays the outro for the Remote.

Pressing ESC exits this screen.

Should the user wish to add or edit the spot list, or change the next item on the air, he/she must exit this screen and select F2 from the first Remotes Screen.

Note: Whether or not an intro or outro has been recorded, an F1 must be pressed to begin using the template. An F4 must be pressed in order to finish the broadcast.

Doing Remotes with a SmartTouch...

The Remote user has several more functions available to him/her. It is literally possible to do a Remote with nothing more than a cellular phone!* The following commands are explained from the perspective of a remote operator using a telephone. These same commands can be simulated by using the function keys along the top of your keyboard (F1-F10). The “*” and the “F3” key functions are not applicable to what a live operator needs and are therefore unavailable via keyboard. To exit the Remote using the keyboard, press ESC.

1 Play Intro- Takes Satellite or Music On Hard Drive off the air and plays the intro. When the intro is done, the Remote announcer is on the air. This MUST be played to begin the session.

2 Start Spots Starts the spot rotation for this Remote. Spots continue to play

until told to stop (by a 3).

3 Stop Spots Stops the commercial rotation after the current spot ends.

After the spot stops, the announcer is back on the air.

4 Play Close- Plays the close for the Remotes and takes the Remote announcer

off the air. When the close finishes, the SMARTCASTER

resumes normal programming.

CLOCK systems simply check the time of day and go to the right break

number. Be careful not to rejoin during a Mandatory Break! Use the

8 and 9 key commands to check what is on the air and what is on the

network prior to a network re-join.

*Smarttouch Catch:

Continuous systems "guess" at their location. Under normal

circumstances, by the top of the hour, a jump takes place that gets

the system back on track.

5 Direct On- Puts the announcer directly on the air without playing the intro.

6 Direct Off- Takes the announcer directly off without playing the close. The

SMARTCASTER follows the same rules after a Direct Off

as it does for a normal close.

7 Cancel- A panic button that stops the intro, close, or spot immediately. If the

announcer was on the air prior to the audio playback, the announcer

returns to the air. If the announcer was not yet on the air, pressing a

7 sends the SMARTCASTER back to previous programming (Music

or Satellite).

* Star- When pressed three times, this hangs up SmartTouch.

Warning: Do not leave the SmartTouch in a live mode, or rotating

spots when hanging up. Doing so strands the SMARTCASTER in

a mode from which it cannot return without manual help or a

call back.

# Pound- This is a "last resort" panic button, but it has other uses. Whenever

this key is pressed, the SmartTouch puts the SMARTCASTER back

to normal programming, takes the announcer off the air, and clears

any numbers in memory (kind of like the C button on a calculator).

It is extremely useful if the user accidently types too many digits

when entering a Remote number. Pressing this key lets the user

"start over" with the entry sequence.

For CLOCK Users:

8 Air Cue- When an intro, close, or spot is playing, the user may listen to either Net cue or Air cue. This is only useful for CLOCK users or satellite users who do not use CLOCK. Continuous users do not need this feature.

9 Net Cue- Allows the Remote user to hear the network cue over the phone.

Note: When the user starts over by using the # key, he/she

need not re-enter the password. The password is done in

the hardware of the SmartTouch itself and is not controlled

by software. Start by re-entering the Remote number and

continue from there.

Using the SmartTouch...

When the Remote user calls the station he/she hears a tone for about a second. When the tone stops, the user should enter a pre-determined four digit security code number.

Once the number is correctly entered, the user hears air cue for about 5 seconds. When the air cue stops, the user is free to enter the Remote number.

Once the Remote number is entered, air cue resumes down the phone line. However, the air cue has "pops" in it. These “pops” are actually short gaps in the cue audio. These are here so that DTMF tones, sent by the user, do not compete with the cue audio to get across the phone line.

Note: The gaps are not "targets." The user need not try to hit the gaps, just hold down the telephone button until one of the gaps occurs. It is important to have the type of telephone that produces a DTMF tone as long as the button is held down. Some modern phones and cellular phones produce only a very short burst of DTMF. These phones do not work with SmartTouch.

Tones on the air...

Some users worry about DTMF tones that go over the air. Remember, however, that the Start Spots, Close, and Direct Off tones are the only ones that listeners can hear. Also, the SmartTouch mutes DTMF audio as soon as it is detected (usually about 250 milliseconds).

Exercise: Remotes

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press DOWN ARROW five times.	The cursor moves to Remotes.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Remotes option is activated. The screen appears showing any remotes that have already been built. The cursor is the long gray bar near the top of the screen.
6. Press F2 to add/edit.	The Event Window appears prompting for the number of the event to be used. A new number may be used for a new event, or a current number may be used to work on a current event.
7. Type 1.	“One” is the number we have chosen for the first event that we will create.
8. Press the ENTER key.	The prompt appears asking if this will be a record or play event.
9. Press the P key.	A “play” event is chosen. The SMARTTOUCH Unattended Remote Automation Screen appears.
10. Type in your name and the word “test”.	A name is given to the event to make it easier to identify.
11. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves to the Date field. The screen changes color.
12. Type in todays’ date. Use only numbers.	The six digits for the date are entered.
13. Press the ENTER key.	The system converts the date to the proper form and moves the cursor to the Time field.
14. Type in 1900.	The military time is used for 7 pm.
15. Press the ENTER key.	The system converts the time to the proper form and moves the cursor to the Intro Audio Cut field. This is where we would enter the cut number for any intro we might have for the event.
16. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves to the Close Audio Cut field. This is where we would enter the cut number for any closing audio we might have for the event.
17. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves to the Next Cut field. A “1” appears in the cursor. The system begins with the first cut.
18. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor appears in the large blue screen near the words “Cut Rotation.” The system is ready to receive the script numbers that need to be played during this event.
19. Type in 00731.	The first script number that we will use.
20. Press the ENTER key.	The system pulls up the title for the cut number. The cursor moves to the next line.
21. Type in 00732.	The second script number that we will use.
22. Press the ENTER key.	The system pulls up the title for the cut number. The cursor moves to the next line.
23. Type in 00734.	The third script number that we will use.
24. Press the ENTER key.	The system pulls up the title for the cut number. The cursor moves to the next line.
25. Type in 00735.	The fourth script number.
26. Press the ENTER key.	The system pulls up the title for the cut number. The cursor moves to the next line.
27. Type in 00737.	The fifth script number we will use.
28. Press the ENTER key.	The system pulls up the title for the cut number. The cursor moves to the next line.
29. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the beginning Remotes Screen. The cursor highlights the event that we just finished.
30. Press the F4 key.	We have chosen to do the remote. The prompt asks for the event number.
31. Type in 1.	We have chosen the event we just created, event 1.
32. Press the ENTER key.	Remote number 1 appears with all of the audio cuts that are scheduled to play during its airing.
33. Press the F2 key.	The first spot begins to play. The display appears showing the spot that is playing. The audio will continue to play until the F3 key is pressed. At that time the system will finish playing the present cut before stopping.
34. Press the F3 key.	The system stops after playing the present cut.
35. Press the F2 key.	The spots begins to play again, starting where it stopped the last time.
36. Press the F7 key.	The current cut stops playing immediately and the system stops, waiting for the next keyboard command.
37. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the main Remotes Screen.
38. Press the F2 key.	The Add/Edit mode is selected. The prompt appears asking for the event number.
39. Type in 1.	Again, we have chosen the event we just created, event 1.
40. Press the ENTER key.	The Edit Screen re-appears with all of the script numbers that were previously entered.
41. Press the ENTER key six times.	The cursor can be seen moving through the various fields and coming to rest on the first script number.
42. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the next cut number.
43. Type in 77774.	The current spot is being replaced.
44. Press the ENTER key.	The system pulls up the title for the cut number. The cursor moves to the next line.
45. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the beginning Remotes Screen.
46. Press the F3 key.	Delete is chosen. The prompt appears asking for confirmation.
47. Press the Y key.	The remote is deleted and the cursor appears on the main Remote Screen with nothing in it.
48. Press the ESC key twice.	The system returns to the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Remotes

1. What button starts playing spots in an event? _________

2. Can spots be changed once the template is built? ________

3. What button stops the airing of a spot immediately? ________

4. Does the Remote Screen notify the operator when playing a spot? _________

5. True or False: When playing a spot, pressing the F3 key causes a prompt to appear that asks for confirmation. ___________________

Fill Rotation

The Fill Rotation Screen shows seven lists of audio cuts of various lengths. These cuts are used to replace missing or (in some cases) outdated spots. CLOCK systems also use this screen to fill an underprogrammed break. A three minute break with only 2:30 worth of audio in it will have a :30 P.S.A. added to the break so that the system does not join the network prematurely and drop into the middle of a song or other audio.

The operator uses this screen to create lists of fill material that the system may use to replace missing commercials, replace outdated spots (if activated), and fill breaks to their proper length.

This screen is designed as a stop-gap measure to cover mistakes made by the user. This screen is not intended to be used to rotate paid advertising. No Product Code checking is done when audio from this screen is selected to play. In other words, if the user schedules a car dealership in this screen, the SMARTCASTER may use that audio cut when it needs to, even if the cut follows a competing auto dealership. This screen is intended to hold PSA's and short filler material.

TIP: CLOCK users may want to avoid using liners (I.D.’s , jingles, magic calls) in the 5 and 10 second fill categories because the SMARTCASTER schedules the fill material at the end of the break, with the shortest cuts last. That means that if the last thing in the break was a fill liner, it is quite possible that the satellite service, during the rejoin, will trigger another liner to fire. For 5 and 10 second filler material, harp sweeps, stabs, or some other short audio should be used that is compatible with the upcoming liner from the satellite service.

Below each time is a list of audio cuts. When the SMARTCASTER sees a STOP it starts over from the top of the list. The Fill Rotation Screen may use up to 100 audio cuts per category. The SMARTCASTER comes with the generic number already inserted as a placemarker. No audio is recorded to this number. The numbers your station uses for P.S.A.’s should be inserted in the respective columns to replace (60’s to 60’s, 30’s to 30’s, etc) the generic number.

To enter a STOP into the list press ALT+S.

To enter an audio cut number, the user selects the position in the list by using the RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN ARROW keys and then typing in the five digit script number.

Exercise: Fill Rotation

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press RIGHT ARROW once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press UP ARROW three times.	The cursor moves to Fill Rotation. The system will wrap-around.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Fill Rotation option is activated. The screen appears showing the seven columns. The cursor is located in the five second column in the first position.
6. Press the RIGHT ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the next column. A new number may be put in by typing over the present number.
7. Type in 88888.	The cursor overwrites the existing number.
8. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the second position.
9. Type in 88888.	The cursor overwrites any existing number.
10. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the third position.
11. Type in 00732.	The cursor overwrites any existing number.
12. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the fourth position.
13. Press the DELETE key.	That’s right, nothing happens. The DELETE key has no effect on this screen.
14. Press the ALT+S keys.	The word STOP appears. The system will play all audio cuts above this sign and none below.
15. Press the PgDn key six times.	The cursor pages down in this column, showing the list of available positions, up to 100.
16. Press the PgDn key six times.	The cursor pages up in this column to the point of origin.
17. Press the UP ARROW key twice.	The cursor is now covering a number we just put in.
18. Type in 00733.	We cover the old number with a new number.
19. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves to the third position.
20. Type in 88888.	The new numbers overwrite the old numbers until the fifth digit is entered. At that point the system checks its recordings and finds that this number has not been done yet. The system replaces the new number with the old.
21. Press the ESC key twice.	The system returns to the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Fill Rotation

1. What type of audio should be scheduled in the Fill Rotation? __________

2. How many different lengths of audio are allowed in Fill Rotation? ____________

3. Can a cut be scheduled that has not been recorded? _______

4. How many cuts may be scheduled in one column? _______

5. True or False: In Fill Rotation cuts cannot be deleted, they must be overwritten. __________

The Live Show Screen

What it’s for:

The Live Show Screen is designed for the “mostly” attended operation of an air shift. It is specifically geared toward Music On Hard Drive systems, though it can be useful for Satellite operations as well.

SETUP:

An operator needs to set up a shift or template before the Live Show can be loaded or run. The following instructions will walk through the process:

Press ESC from the Main “On Air” Screen and arrow over to PROGRAMMING. Now, using the down arrow, select Live Shows and press ENTER.

The following screen appears:

To setup a new show, press F2.

You will be prompted to Enter Show Number. You need only type in a three-digit number from 001 to 999. For our example, choose 001 and press ENTER.

A new screen appears asking for the Name of the Live Show. The name normally defaults to the show number. If you wish a more descriptive name, simply backspace the show number out of the field and type your new description. For this example, let’s type, Test Show and press ENTER.

Press ENTER again to open a box that asks which days the show will air. For our example, let’s assume that the show runs all seven days of the week. It is recommended that one show be built for each day of the week. When building the schedule, there should be an “X” under each day. So, an announcer who works seven days a week would have seven separate shows. To keep the settings, press ENTER.

Now enter the time (in military time) for the show to air. For our example, please enter 07:00:00 (you do not have to type the “:”).

For now, let’s leave Intro and Close blank. These are reserved for later use.

The item labeled Next should default to 1. This should be left at 1. This is also reserved for future development.

Next is the Start Break. Please enter the break number that corresponds with the start of the shift. Use the following chart as a guide. If the numbers don’t match your breaks exactly, don’t worry. Just get it close, and the computer will handle the rest.

12 AM Break 1 12 PM Break 145

1 AM Break 13 1 PM Break 157

2 AM Break 25 2 PM Break 169

3 AM Break 37 3 PM Break 181

4 AM Break 49 4 PM Break 193

5 AM Break 61 5 PM Break 205

6 AM Break 73 6 PM Break 217

7 AM Break 85 7 PM Break 229

8 AM Break 97 8 PM Break 241

9 AM Break 109 9 PM Break 253

10 AM Break 121 10 PM Break 265

11 AM Break 133 11 PM Break 277

Lastly, we have the End Break. Use the same guide to indicate when your shift ends.

Note: It is possible to enter the entire day as one long shift. However, it will significantly increase the amount of time it takes to load.

Once these items have been entered, a small red box appears on the left side of the large blue box on the screen. This is the “cursor”. This allows you to type in spot, function, or music numbers if you so desire. At this point you may completely hand enter an entire show. However, it is much easier to just press the F1 key and load all the log information from the Start Break to the End Break. For our example, please press F1 now. You will see a small “spinner” in the lower left-hand corner of the screen indicating that action is taking place. Please wait until information appears on the screen. (This may take a bit.)

Once on the screen, you may add, change, or delete any or all of the items in this list. This can also be done inside the Live Show and may prove to be easier there.

For now, press the ESC key to return to the previous screen. You will now see that your show is listed. As you add shows, the list will grow on this screen.

You have now completed the steps necessary to setup a show. To run it, you may either press F4 or just highlight the one you want and press ENTER.

The system asks to “Refresh” from the Breaklog. Select Refresh.

The system will take a moment to “pull” the items for the show. You will see an Loading Bar on the screen showing that the show is loading.

Once in the Live screen, pressing ALT+H will bring up the Help! Screen. These keystrokes will become familiar with time.

SPACE BAR – Starts playing the first cut of audio. The system will automatically advance to the next audio cut in the list when the first one is done. Pressing the SPACE BAR again will start a second cut, either clipping the first cut or overlapping it, depending on your system. This feature is dangerous, but can be used judiciously with good effect.

TAB – Will pause the system at the end of the current audio cut. This starts the yellow Pause light to blink in the lower right-hand corner of the red box(Playing).

P – Inserts a pause into the event list. If you know that you want to read the weather after the third cut, you can put a pause in the event list at that point. When the system sees a pause, it will wait until the SPACE BAR key is pressed to resume. Placing the cursor on the fourth item, and pressing the P key will push the rest of the list down and place a pause in the new space.

F – Fades out of the current spot and automatically begins the next item in the event list.

INSERT – Inserts a blank line and prompts you for the five-digit script number. When you type in the cart number and press ENTER, the new item should be inserted into the list. While you are inserting, there are a couple of commands that may be entered here instead of script numbers. These include ALT + N (Change network) and ALT + R (Pulse relay). In both cases you will be prompted for a number (either a network number or a relay number to change to.)

DELETE – Deletes the highlighted (purple) event.

ENTER – Makes the highlighted (purple) event next to play. If this is further down the list from the currently playing event, the system will jump over the items in between.

PgUp – Goes up one page.

PgDn – Goes down one screen.

HOME – Goes to the top of the list.

END – Goes to the end of the list.

ALT + C – Cuts an event out of the list. This one event is held in memory and can be pasted elsewhere in the log. Doing this a second time replaces the memory of the first event you picked.

ALT + V – Pastes a cut event onto the log. You may press this over and over again, pasting that event multiple times.

ALT + X – Immediately stops all audio and waits for the SPACE BAR to resume. Pressing the SPACE BAR will begin the next event, not the one that was interrupted.

ALT + R – Revives a cut. This is designed to “unplay” a cut that has been played already and allows the system to play it again. This can also be done by placing the purple bar on a played cut and pressing ENTER

ALT + L – Shows the list of recent SMARTCASTER events that have occurred while you were in Live Show. Pressing ESC exits this screen.

ALT + I – Shows information about the highlighted (purple) event. Pressing ESC exits this box. (Works in conjunction with DPD.)

ALT + T – Toggles Time of day or Duration on the right hand side of the screen. When Duration is active, you will see the length of each of the events. When Time of day is active, you will see the estimated starting time for each event. If the system is stopped, the estimated Time of day changes for every event.

ALT + P – Inserts a Backtime Post. This prompts you to enter a time to backtime to (in military time). The display bar will now show if you are under or over-programmed based on the number of items between where you are playing and where you are timed to. Using cut and paste, the hour can be modified. Audio can be cut out of this hour or pulled from a later hour to fill the time needed.

ALT + J – Rejoins with the automation system automatically. If you know that you want to rejoin the automation system after a specific event, you may enter this command, and specify the break number to return to.

ALT + W – Stops the system for a specified period of time. During this time, satellite audio is unmuted. Once you have pressed ALT + W you will be prompted for the length of the wait. This may be used in conjunction with an ALT + N to switch networks to a news channel for the top of the hour news report.

ALT + N – Allows you to switch to a different network. This must be used in conjunction with an INSERT. The prompt requires a two-digit number.

ALT + R – Allows you to fire a relay. This must be used in conjunction with an INSERT. The prompt requires a two-digit number.

ALT + F – Allows you to find a song in the database. You must have the database activated to use this feature. (Used in conjunction with DPD) This also requires the Digital Program Director software from SMARTS Broadcast Systems.

ALT + D – Known as the “cute” feature. Toggling back and forth will switch the VU meter from squares to musical notes and dollar signs.

ALT + Z – The shortcut to the Record Screen. Allows the operator to record or audition without leaving Live Show.

ALT + O – Will change the green box to blue and show the audio output and which device is playing it.

Note: ALT + L- This is useful while Live Show is activated and playing, but the operator has left the show to work in another screen. When that work is completed, the operator can escape back to the main screen and then press ALT + L and the system will automatically take them to the Live Show that is currently running.

On the Live Screen:

The Purple Bar is your “cursor.” Using the arrow keys you may select different positions in the list.

The Red Bar is what is currently playing. Most of the information in this bar is repeated inside the Red Cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

The Green Bar indicates what is next to play. It automatically stays one ahead of the Red Bar unless directed to do otherwise. If you want to skip an event, simply position the Purple Bar on the item you want to skip to, and press ENTER. The Green Bar will move to that new position. When the event that is playing is finished, the system will move on to the Green Bar skipping any items in between.

Let’s not forget the two boxes at the top of the screen. The green box is a display of the event that is next to air. In the upper right-hand corner is the time it will take for this event to play. The red box is the event that is currently playing. The upper right-hand corner displays a countdown showing the amount of time left for this event. The slowly diminishing gray bar at the bottom of the box also displays the amount of time left for this event. The small yellow square in this box will flash when a pause has been designated. The small green square and the squares in the green box are reserved for future development.

The flashing exclamation marks (!!!) on the left-hand side are indicators that the audio cuts have not been recorded or are out of date.

To exit the Live Show smoothly, schedule a Join (described next to ALT +J). If no audio is playing, however, you may simply press ESC and press S to stop the audio and return to the automation. This returns the system to normal automated SMARTCASTER operation.

Exercise: Live Show

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press the UP ARROW key two times.	The cursor moves to Live Shows near the bottom of the window.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Live Shows option is activated. The screen appears showing the various Live Shows already created. The cursor is the long gray bar. The operation keys are listed at the bottom of the screen.
6. Press the F2 key.	The prompt appears asking for the show number. A number is used to store the information.
7. Type in 1.	The show number will be known as 1.
8. Press the ENTER key.	The SMARTCASTER Live Show Entry Screen appears. The cursor is resting in the Name field.
9. Type in your name…followed by the word “show”.	This Live Show is identified as being yours.
10. Press the ENTER key.	The name is saved and the cursor moves to the Days field and disappears.
11. Press the ENTER key.	The Days Screen appears.
12. Press the SPACE BAR.	The “X” marking Sunday is gone. This schedule cannot be used for Sunday.
13. Press LEFT ARROW once.	The cursor moves once to the left, wrapping around and showing up on the far right under “A” for Saturday.
14. Press the SPACE BAR.	The “X” marking Saturday is gone. Now this schedule cannot be used for Saturday.
15. Press the ENTER key.	The information pertinent to the Days field is saved and displayed in the Day field. The cursor moves on to the Time field.
16. Type 060000.	The Live Show will begin at 6 am.
17. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves to the Intro field.
18. Press the ENTER key three times.	The cursor passes through the Close field, leaves a 1 in the Next field, and stops in the Start Break field.
19. Type in 073.	This is the first break in the six O’Clock hour.
20. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves to the End Break field. We’ll use a four hour air shift, ending with the first break in the ten O’Clock hour.
21. Type in 121.	The first break in the ten O’Clock hour.
22. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves to the main body of the screen.
23. Press the F1 key.	The system will refresh the Live Show from the breaklog. The spinner in the lower left-hand corner will indicate that the system is processing the breaklog. A list of audio cuts will appear when the work is complete.
24. Press the ESC key.	The main Live Show Screen re-appears with your show highlighted by the cursor.
25. Press the F4 key.	You have chosen to start the show. The prompt appears asking for the show number.
26. Type in 1.	Your show has been chosen.
27. Press the ENTER key. It asks to refresh the FM Breaklog.	The blue loading screen appears showing the work in progress. The end result will be the turquoise screen with the red and green cart decks at the top.
28. Press ALT + H keys.	The Help Screen appears. Feel free to look this over thoroughly.
29. Press the ESC key.	The Live Show Screen re-appears. The purple line is the cursor.
30. Press the DOWN ARROW key twice.	The purple cursor moves down two lines, exposing the green line. The event highlighted in green is the next item to play. Note: Nothing is in the red “Playing” box.
31. Press the PgDn key.	The cursor jumps down by one page.
32. Press the END key.	The cursor jumps to the bottom of the Live Show list.
33. Press the PgUp key.	The cursor jumps up the list one page at a time.
34. Press the HOME key.	The cursor jumps to the top of the list.
35. Press the DOWN ARROW key three times.	The cursor moves down by three lines.
36. Press the SPACE BAR.	The audio begins to play. The red bar appears, designating the event that is playing in the red rectangle in the upper right-hand corner. The green bar moves down one to indicate the next item to play. That item is displayed in the upper left-hand corner. The audio indicators appear below the red and green boxes, and the countdowns begin.
37. Press the F key.	The system does a four second fade of the current audio cut and moves to the next event.
38. Press the ALT+X keys.	The present audio cut stops immediately and the system stops.
39. Press the SPACE BAR.	The audio begins to play again.
40. Press the DOWN ARROW key three times.	The cursor moves down by three lines.
41. Press the ENTER key.	The cursor moves down one line, leaving the green line in its place. The green line designates the next item to play. The system will jump over the items between the red and green lines and will not play them until told to do so.
42. Press the DOWN ARROW key three times.	The cursor moves down by three lines.
43. Press the ALT+I keys.	The information box appears showing the data regarding the highighted audio cut.
44. Press ANY key.	The information box disappears.
45. Press the ALT+C keys.	The highlighted event disappears while the rest of the list moves up by one. The event has been copied.
46. Press the UP ARROW key two times.	The cursor moves up by two lines.
47. Press the ALT+V keys.	The copied event is pasted in place, moving the rest of the list down to make room. Items can be moved this easily.
48. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor moves down one line.
49. Press the P key.	A Pause is inserted into the playlist. This may be used to add a tag to the end of a commercial or do a short voice-over before going into another song.
50. Press the SPACE BAR.	The next audio event begins playing.
51. Press the UP ARROW key to rest on a previously played event.	The lighter gray coloring with the check to the left means that the event has already played.
52. Press the ALT+R keys.	That audio cut is revived. As proof, it will change color, looking like other events yet to be played. The cursor moves down one.
53. Press the UP ARROW key.	Placing the cursor back on the revived cut.
54. Press the ENTER key.	The revived cut is now highlighted in green, meaning it will be the next cut to play. The cursor moves down by one.
55. Press the ALT+W keys.	The Wait function is activated. The system will pause for the time designated, allowing the network to air during that period. The prompt asks for the time to be entered. It is a three-digit response. Ten minutes would be 960…9 minutes and 60 seconds.
56. Type in 030.	The wait will be :30 in length.
57. Press the ENTER key.	The wait is installed. The cursor DOES NOT move down.
58. Press the DOWN ARROW key.	The cursor is moved down one line.
59. Press the INSERT key.	The list is moved down by one, leaving a space where the cursor is.
60. Type in 00731.	This is the script number of the audio cut we chose to place in the playlist.
61. Press the ENTER key.	The title of the selected cut is listed, showing that the audio cut is available and ready. The cursor moves down one.
62. Press the DOWN ARROW key until just before the hour delineation.	The cursor rests on the last item in this hour.
63. Press the ALT+P keys.	The prompt for the post time appears.
64. Type in the time for the next top of the hour.	We have entered the time the system will backtime to.
65. Press the ENTER key.	The post time calculates and is highlighted by the cursor. The system will indicate whether it is over or under in time. The announcer must cut and paste to meet the time. If the time is over, delete from this hour. If the time is under, take cuts from the next hour.
66. Press the DOWN ARROW key until the cursor is in the next hour beyond the post.	Cut and paste from this area to find music that will fit the time frame.
67. Press the DOWN ARROW key until the cursor is on an event of the proper length.	This event will be used to help meet the back time post.
68. Press the ALT+C keys.	The highlighted event disappears while the rest of the list moves up by one. The event has been copied.
69. Press the UP ARROW key until the cursor is in the hour before the post.	Place the cursor where you want the event to be inserted.
70. Press the ALT+V keys.	The event is pasted in position. The post time is modified to include the time of the new event.
71. Press the ALT+T keys.	The Duration/Time display is toggled on. It shows on the right side of the screen. The approximate starting time of each event before the post is shown. If a post is not being used, the length of each cut is shown.
72. Press the ALT+D keys.	Notice the VU meter just below the red and green rectangles at the top of the screen.
73. Press the ALT+D keys.	Notice the VU meters have changed. One version will show “$” for commercials and musical notes for music. The other version shows the typical LED squares. You chose which you prefer.
74. Press the ALT+L keys.	The Recent Events Screen appears. This screen shows a restricted Verification Log. You’ll see network switching, Unattended Records, and the like here.
75. Press the ESC key.	The Live Show Screen returns.
76. Press the END key.	The cursor jumps to the end of the playlist.
77. Press ALT+J keys.	This feature causes the system to jump from the Live Show to Automation at a specific break. We have placed the jump at the end of the Live Show. The break number tells it where in the day to join the Automation.
78. Type in 121.	Break 121, 10 am, has been designated.
79. Press the ENTER key.	The line changes to show the command. The system will jump to break 121 when Live Show reaches this point.
80. Press the ESC key.	The prompt appears asking if you want to stop the audio when you exit, or if you want to continue running Live Show. Continue is highlighted. Pressing the ESC key would clear the prompt.
81. Press the ENTER key.	The system drops back to the Live Show menu screen. The Live Show continues to play.
82. Press the ESC key.	The system drops back to the Main Screen with the PROGRAMMING window showing. The screen is red indicating that a live show is in progress. At this point you can go into all of the other screens without affecting the playing of the Live Show.
83. Press the UP ARROW key.	Fill Rotation is highlighted.
84. Press the ENTER key.	Fill Rotation is activated. That screen is shown.
85. Press the ESC key.	The system exits Fill Rotation.
86. Press the ESC key.	The menu disappears and the automation screen shows completely.
87. Press the ALT + L keys.	These are the shortcut keys back to an already running Live Show. The Live Show re-appears.
88. Press the PgDn key until the cursor appears on the screen.	The Live Show continued to run while we were at the Main Screen. This is where the show is now.
89. Press the ESC key.	The prompt appears asking if you want to stop the audio when you exit, or if you want to continue running Live Show. Continue is highlighted. Pressing the u key would clear the prompt.
90. Press the S key.	The system stops the audio to air and exits the Live Show. The Live Show main screen appears.
91. Press the ESC key.	The system drops back to the Main Screen with the PROGRAMMING window showing. The screen is blue indicating that automation is running.
92. Press the ESC key.	The full Automation Screen can be seen. The system is ready to run by itself.

Quick Quiz: Live Show

1. What color is the line showing what event will play next? _______________

2. What key will quickly take the cursor to the bottom of the list? _______________

3. What two keys will cause the system to wait for a specified length of time? _______________

4. What key is pressed to put another audio cut in the Live Show list? __________________

5. True or False: You must stay in Live Show once it has been started. _______________

Assign Satellite Clocks

This screen may be found in two places. It is located at the bottom of the PROGRAMMING window and also in the Super Menu on the very first screen of the system. This feature is used in tandem with Clock systems and nowhere else. Any letter entered into the grid MUST have a corresponding flex clock built in CLOCK at the Super Menu. As a matter of fact, a Clock letter cannot be entered into the grid if the Clock is not already built. In the reverse, the system will allow a Clock to be deleted even though it is scheduled in Set Active. This is not recommended because the system will begin to behave strangely.

The grid covers EVERY hour of the week. Looking at the grid, Sunday through Saturday are listed along the left-hand margin. The hours 0 through 23 are listed along the top of the grid.

The cursor is the red rectangle in the Sunday 0 hour. The LEFT, RIGHT, Up, and DOWN ARROW keys can be used to get around in this screen. Once over the desired hour in the proper day, the user merely has to type in the letter of the new Clock. The new letter will appear in a darker color and the cursor will move one space to the right.

Pressing the ESC key will save the changes and exit from the screen.

Exercise: Assign Satellite Clocks

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key once.	The window under PROGRAMMING appears. The cursor is resting on Breaks.
4. Press the UP ARROW key one time.	The cursor moves to Assign Satellite Clocks at the bottom of the window.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Assign Satellite Clocks Screen is activated. The screen appears showing the weekly grid. The cursor is the red rectangle in the upper left-hand corner.
6. Press the RIGHT ARROW key three times.	The cursor moves right and stops in the Sunday 0300 hour. Remember the original letter here.
7. Press the M key.	A blue M overwrites the original letter. The cursor moves once to the right only if you have an M clock.
8. Press the LEFT ARROW key.	The cursor moves left to the Sunday 3 hour.
9. Press the key that corresponds with the original letter.	The original letter will overwrite the M. Again, the cursor moves once to the right.
10. Press the UP ARROW key.	The cursor moves up one, wrapping around the screen and re-appearing in the Saturday 4 square at the bottom of the grid. The wrap-around feature also works to the left and right.
11. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the menu window and saves the changes.
12. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the Main Screen.

Quick Quiz: Assign Satellite Clocks

1. How many letters can fit into any one grid space? ______

2. What side of the grid are the hours on? _________

3. How many different clocks can possibly be scheduled? __________

4. Can this grid be found anywhere else in the system? ________

5. True or False: The grid only accepts alphanumeric characters. ________

The Maintenance Section

The MAINTENANCE section contains options to Change Time, Date, Break number, etc., on the SMARTCASTER. The section for CLOCK users is different from Continuous Play Systems.

The MAINTENANCE section for CLOCK:

The MAINTENANCE section for Continuous or Satellite without CLOCK:

Change Break

On Continuous or Non-CLOCK Satellite, this option allows the currently loaded break to be changed. This operation should be done before the break is played. There are 288 possible breaks, so the operator should be familiar with the intended target break.

CLOCK systems have their own Change Break option.

When the user selects Change Break on a CLOCK system., the SMARTCASTER shows a list of the breaks for the current hour. The user is asked to choose which of the x number of breaks is correct.

This option is used only when the SMARTCASTER could become confused as to which break it should be on. If CLOCK windows overlap the system could land on the wrong break (See Appendix, "What is CLOCK and How does it Work?"). This is also possible when the user exits Live Assist.

It should be noted that the system will skip ahead to a break that has audio in it. Example, if there are no audio cuts scheduled in Breaks 210 through 222, the system will skip those breaks. So, if the user changes breaks to Break 215, the system will update to Break 223 where it finds the next audio cuts.

Exercise: Change Break

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key twice.	The window under MAINTENANCE appears. The cursor is resting on Change Break.
4. Press ENTER once.	The Change Break option is activated. The prompt screen appears showing the Current Break already loaded. Please remember the number showing in the Current Break. We’ll come back to it.
5. Type in 121.	The numbers appear to the right of Enter Break.
6. Press ENTER once.	The screen changes. Now the blue screen shows the audio cuts for break 121 and the Break information shows 121. The MAINTENANCE window remains open with Change Break highlighted.
7. Press ENTER once.	The Change Break option is activated again. The prompt screen appears showing the Current Break already loaded.
8. Type in the original number.	The numbers appear to the right of Enter Break.
9. Press ENTER once.	The screen changes. Now the blue screen shows the audio cuts for the original break and the Break information shows that number. The MAINTENANCE window remains open with Change Break highlighted.
10. Press ESC once.	The menu bar and window disappear.

Quick Quiz: Change Break

1. How may breaks are there in a day? _____________________

2. What window is Change Break in? ______________________

3. True or False: The operator may change to an earlier break if necessary. _____________

Change Day

On Continuous or Non-CLOCK Satellite, this option allows the user to change the current running log day (not the system date). On these types of systems, the running log and the system date can be different. Since CLOCK systems determine the current day from the system date, this option is not needed on a CLOCK system.

Exercise: Change Day

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key twice.	The window under MAINTENANCE appears. The cursor is resting on Change Break.
4. Press the DOWN ARROW key once.	The cursor moves down to Change Day.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Change Day option is activated. The prompt screen appears showing the current day already highlighted.
6. Select a day other than today and activate it.	Another log day has been activated. That day’s breaklog appears on the screen. The MAINTENANCE menu is still open with Change Day highlighted.
7. Press ENTER once.	The Change Day option is activated. The prompt screen appears showing the recently selected day already highlighted.
8. Select today and activate it.	Today’s log has been reactivated. Today’s breaklog appears on the screen. The MAINTENANCE menu is still open with Change Day highlighted.
9. Press ESC once.	The menu disappears and the Main Screen re-appears.

Quick Quiz: Change Day

1. Change Day is found under what menu? ________________

2. What is the hot key for Thursday in Change Day? __________

3. True or False: Selecting the day allows all eight choices. ___________

Import Traffic Log

If the station uses floppy disks to transfer their breaklog for each day, the SMARTCASTER prompts the user to insert a floppy disk and select the day to be used.

Generation 2000 systems may have a traffic computer on the network. Although Generation 2000 systems can still need to use this option, no floppy disk is required for a network transistion.

Note: This is a “computer-intensive procedure”. Depending on the capability of your computer, the tranfer will slow down the system for a few minutes. During that time, audio going to the air could be affected. It is suggested that someone air a CD or some other form of audio while the transfer is taking place.

Note II: Only SMARTS compatible logs are able to be loaded with this option. If the station does not have the SMARTS traffic system a conversion program must be used to make it compatible. Contact the SMARTS Sales Department for details on a conversion interface.

NoteIII: Do not try to import a breaklog for today! It will fail! If you need to reimport today’s breaklog, use maintenance to change to a different day, Import, and then change back.

Exercise: Import Traffic Log

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key twice.	The window under MAINTENANCE appears. The cursor is resting on Change Break.
4. Press the DOWN ARROW key twice.	The cursor moves down to Import Traffic Log.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Import Traffic Log option is activated. The prompt screen appears asking for the disk to be inserted. A breaklog is needed from the office to successfully complete this exercise.
6. Press ENTER once.	The day prompt appears offering the selection of days of the week.
7. Select the button for today.	The data is either being transferred, or the system prompt will appear showing that there has been an error in the transfer process. (disk not ready or data not present.) If it is transferring, the progress bar will appear along the bottom of the screen showing the percentage of completion. Once done, the discrepancy file will be written to the disk showing the audio cuts and outdated cuts that have not been recorded into the system yet.
8. Press the ESC key once.	The Main Screen appears with the MAINTENANCE menu open and Import Traffic Log highlighted.
9. Press the ESC key once.	The menu disappears, leaving the Main Screen in full view.

Quick Quiz: Import Traffic Log

1. Importing the traffic log loads what? _________________

2. Depending on the system, the log can be loaded across the network or by what? ________

3. True or False: Transferring the log will interrupt audio from the unit. __________

Change Time

This feature is used to correct the time on the system without exiting the program. It sets the system time in military format. When making a correction it is wise to use an accurate nearby timepiece. Check the time. Set the SMARTCASTER about ten seconds ahead. Press enter to activate the new time as the real time catches up with the time that was entered. Always be careful to use military time or to designate AM or PM. Failure to do so may throw the system off by twelve hours.

Exercise: Change Time

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key twice.	The window under MAINTENANCE appears. The cursor is resting on Change Break.
4. Press the DOWN ARROW key three times.	The cursor moves down to Change Time.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Change Time option is activated. The prompt screen appears showing the Current Time. Below that is where the new time is entered.
6. Type in 223344.	The time is set for 10:33:44 at night.
7. Press ENTER once.	The time changes. The MAINTENANCE menu is open with Change Time highlighted.
8. Press ENTER once.	The Change Time option is activated. The prompt screen appears showing the Current Time. Check the real time on the studio clock.
9. Enter the time in military time that it will be in ten seconds.	Wait for the realtime clock to match what has been entered and press the enter key.
10. Press ENTER once.	The time changes. The MAINTENANCE menu is open with Change Time highlighted.
11. Press ESC once.	The menu disappears and the Main Screen re-appears.

Quick Quiz: Change Time

1. Can the operator ever change the time in the system? _________

2. Does the system use civilian or military time? _____________

3. True or False: Selecting the right time of day, AM or PM, is very important. ____________

Change Date

This allows the system date to be changed without exiting the program. There are occassions where the date might be off. This way it can be changed with a minimum of fuss.

Exercise: Change Date

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key twice.	The window under MAINTENANCE appears. The cursor is resting on Change Break.
4. Press the DOWN ARROW key four times.	The cursor moves down to Change Date.
5. Press ENTER once.	The Change Date option is activated. The prompt screen appears showing the current day and date.
6. Enter a date in the middle of next month.	A randomly picked date to show that it can be done.
7. Press ENTER once.	The date changes. The MAINTENANCE menu is open with Change Date highlighted.
8. Press ENTER once.	The Change Date option is activated again. The prompt screen appears showing the current day and date.
9. Enter today’s date.	Correcting the date for the system.
10. Press ENTER once.	The date changes to today’s date. The MAINTENANCE menu is open with Change Date highlighted.
11. Press ESC once.	The menu disappears and the Main Screen re-appears.

Quick Quiz: Change Date

1. How many digits need to be entered for a date? _______

2. Can the date be changed at any time? _________

3. True or False: You must quit the program in order to change the date. _________

The Quit Section

The QUIT Section contains the options to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to quitting, or to go to the About Screen. The ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ options are quite simple. You either want to quit or you don’t. ‘Yes’ will take the system to the main menu, commonly known as the Super Menu, due to the name in the lower left-hand corner. The system terminates any audio that originates from the hard drive while doing this and all Timed Events and Unattended Records. ‘No’ will cause the system to stay in the program and turn off the menu bar. The About Screen is an information and access screen. The first screen shows pertinent information regarding the system. It will show the software version number, the type of audio card, memory size, version of DOS, and directory pathing. Screens below that show the people who work at SMARTS Broadcast Systems and other information about the unit. One may get around in these screens by using the UP and DOWN ARROW keys.

The About Screen also allows access to several diagnostic screens. The user will need to depress the ALT key with the left hand and enter the number necessary on the keypad on the right side of the keyboard. Releasing the ALT key activates the feature. The numbers along the top of the keyboard will not work. ALT + 123 will turn on the Input Diagnostic Log. ALT + 124 will turn it off. Be sure to copy it to disk before turning it off. ALT + 251 will activate the Comm Port Diagnostics, and ALT + 226 will activate the Use Diagnostics Mode (UD Mode). Using ALT + 226 again will turn UD Mode off.

ALT + 123 turns on the Input Diagnostic Log. This log will record all closures taken by the SMARTCASTER. Since a great number of closures are taken in any given hour, this log can take up a lot of space in a hurry. The log file (TTLINPUT.LOG) needs to be copied to a floppy before using the ALT + 124 command to turn the feature off. ALT + 251 activates the Comm Port Diagnostics Screen for use with the Remote Record unit. ALT + 226 activates the Use Diagnostics Mode (UD Mode). This is used to determine what the program was doing at a particular time. The information is displayed on the SMARTCASTER screen. Using ALT + 226 again will turn UD Mode off.

Exercise: Quit

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key three times or LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
4. Press ENTER once.	The ‘Yes’ option is activated. The screen fades and the program ends. The next screen to appear will be the Super Menu.
5. Press ENTER once.	Number one, SMARTCASTER, was highlighted. The program will load again. Once loaded, the Main Screen re-appears.
6. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
7. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
8. Press the LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
9. Press the DOWN ARROW once.	The cursor moves to ‘No’.
10. Press ENTER.	‘No’ is activated. The program remains running and the menu window and bar disappear.
11. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
12. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
13. Press the LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
14. Press DOWN ARROW twice.	The About Screen option is highlighted.
15. Press the ENTER key.	The About Screen is activated. The screen shows pertinent information about the local unit. Two choices are available at the bottom of the screen.
16. Press the P key.	The hot key is used for The People of SMARTS. The People Screen appears showing the various people and departments of SMARTS Broadcast Systems.
17. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the About Screen.
18. Press the S key.	The hot key is used for Detailed System Information. The System Details Screen appears.
19. Press the ESC key.	The system returns to the About Screen.
20. Press the ALT + 123 keys. Release ALT.	The screen blips. The Input Diagnostics Log has been activated.
21. Press the ALT + 124 keys. Release ALT.	The screen blips. The Input Diagnostics Log has been de-activated.
22. Press the ALT + 251 keys. Release ALT.	The Com Port Diagnostics Screen appears.
23. Press the ESC key.	The Com Port Diagnostics Screen disappears.
24. Press the ESC key twice.	The Main Screen re-appears.

Quick Quiz: Quit

1. Will saying ‘Yes’ to QUIT interrupt the flow of audio from the SMARTCASTER? ___________

2. Does the About Screen show the current version of software? ________

3. True or False: It is the CTRL key that works with the number pad to bring up diagnostic screens. _______

Clock - The Clock Setup Screen

The Clock Setup Screen is used to create respective hour formats for the various network services that a station may enlist. Formats vary. One service uses only one clock, while another service uses two for the weekdays and two more for the weekend. A station with a talk format will change the clock with each program.

Inside the Clock program, the operator can indicate the number of breaks needed in the hour, how long each break needs to be, where in the hour they should fall, and whether or not the station needs to provide audio to cover a feed from the network during the commercial break.

Clocks do not schedule functions. They are assigned to specific closures in Timed Events

F1 adds a function to a Clock. This produces a highlight bar in the upper right-hand section of the screen. The first bar is labeled A. As more are added, the letters increment. 26 Clocks are possible.

The first item, "EVENT," is a comment field. This can be anything. It is used to describe the type of break that is in use.

The second item is the four-digit length of the break in MMSS (Minutes & Seconds) format.

The third item for now is always a ‘Y’. In the future this field may have other uses, and is therefore reserved until then.

The fourth is the four-digit time in the hour that the break is supposed to fall. Again it is done in minutes and seconds. Break times are approximate, of course, since few satellite services hit break times dead on.

Smartcaster uses an adjustable “window” to look for the actual closure.

The last item lets the system know whether the break is mandatory or optional. Mandatory means that the station must fill that break with local audio; otherwise a closed circuit feed or silence will get on the air. Optional means that the station doesn’t necessarily need to play commercials here. The network may provide P.S.A.’s or music for the length of the break.

When ENTER is pressed after the last entry, the highlight bar will cover two lines. Additional times when a certain length break occurs can now be entered. When the entry is finished, the operator may press ENTER once to go down a line, then again on the empty line to signal that the entry is complete. The system should then graphically display the logged items in the pie chart.

This process may be repeated to add additional breaks to the screen. A checkerboard pattern indicates a break is optional. A solid entry means it is mandatory.

F2 is used to change an already existing item. Once chosen, use the ENTER key to move from field to field until the item desired has the cursor underneath it. Then using the BkSp key, remove the entry and replace it with the new information. Then, continue pressing ENTER until the changes have been logged on the screen.

F3 is used to delete the highlighted material. This will remove the entire line, not just one entry, so be careful.

F9 is used to go back one Clock, (i.e. from C to B).

F10 is used to advance one Clock (i.e. from B to CF10.

Pressing ESC will exit the screen.

Note: These Clocks are scheduled in Set Active in the Super Menu or in Assign Satellite Clocks under PROGRAMMING on the Main Screen. It is possible to delete all of the entries in a Clock while it is scheduled in Set Active or Assign Satellite Clocks. The user is warned not to do this, as the system will begin to act irratically because it can no longer access the deleted Clock.

Exercise: Clock

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ESC once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key three times or LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
4. Press ENTER once.	The ‘Yes’ option is activated. The screen fades and the program ends. The next screen to appear will be the Super Menu.
5. Use the RIGHT, LEFT, UP, DOWN ARROW keys to move the cursor to the Clock button.	Clock is highlighted. The program will load when we press ENTER.
6. Press ENTER once.	The Hour Clock A appears.
7. Press the F10 key twice.	The screen changes and Hour Clock C appears.
8. Press the F9 key twice.	The screen changes back to Hour Clock A.
9. Press the F1 key once.	The system begins to add an entry. The cursor is the dark space that appears in the upper right-hand corner under EVENTS.
10. Type in “Test Clock”.	This field can take any title. Label the entry for convenience.
11. Press ENTER once.	The cursor moves to the Len field. This is the four-digit length of the break.
12. Type in 0300.	The length is three minutes.
13. Press ENTER once.	The cursor moves to the brk field. Brk stands for break. ALWAYS answer this with a ‘Y’ for yes.
14. Press the Y key.	A ‘Y’ appears in the field.
15. Press ENTER once.	The information is saved and the cursor moves to the Times field. This is where the operator tells the system where in the hour to put the break.
16. Type in 2000.	The system uses a four-digit number to place the break at the 20 mark.
17. Press ENTER once.	The cursor moves to the Mnd field. This indicates whether the break is mandatory or optional.
18. Press Y once.	A ‘Y’ appears in the field. This break will be mandatory.
19. Press ENTER once.	The line doubles in size and the cursor appears under Times.
20. Type in 5000.	The break at fifty minutes after the hour is also three minutes long.
21. Press ENTER once.	The cursor moves to the Mnd field. This indicates whether the break is mandatory or optional.
22. Press N once.	An ‘N’ appears in the field. This break will be optional.
23. Press ENTER once.	The line doubles in size and the cursor appears under Times.
24. Press ENTER again.	The extra line disappears and two pieces of the pie appear inside the circle on the left.
25. Press F1 once.	We will add another break.
26. Press ENTER once	We will skip over the Event field. The cursor appears in the Len field.
27. Type in 0230.	This break will be 2:30 in length.
28. Press ENTER once	The cursor moves to the brk field.
29. Press Y once.	ALWAYS answer this with a ‘Y’ for yes.
30. Press ENTER once.	The cursor moves to the Times field.
31. Type in 3330.	This break will appear at 33:30 after the hour.
32. Press ENTER once.	The cursor moves to the Mnd field.
33. Press N once.	An ‘N’ appears in the field. This break will be optional.
34. Press ENTER once.	The line doubles in size and the cursor appears under Times.
35. Press ENTER again.	The extra line disappears and a piece of the pie appears inside the circle on the left at the 33:30 minute mark.
36. Press F2 once.	The cursor re-appears under the B EVENT. This is the Edit mode where we can make changes to our work.
37. Press ENTER three times.	The cursor by-passes the EVENT, Len, and brk fields and moves to the Times field.
38. Press BkSPACE two times.	The cursor moves two spaces to the left.
39. Type 00.	We change the 33:30 to 33:00.
40. Press ENTER twice.	The Edit is finished and the screen changes at the 33:00 mark. The cursor remains on this entry.
41. Press F3 once.	At the bottom of the screen the question appears, “Are you sure:” The square behind the question is the cursor. It will accept a ‘Y’ for yes or ‘N’ for no.
42. Press Y once.	We will answer with a ‘Y’ for yes.
43. Press ENTER once.	The response was confirmed. The prompt, entry, and related piece of the pie, disappear.
44. Press ESC once.	The Clock program is finished and saved. The Super Menu returns.
45. Press the 1 key.	SMARTCASTER is chosen and the system begins to load again.

Quick Quiz: Clock

1. How many Clocks can be made and scheduled? __________

2. What key will add an entry to the Clock? _________

3. Can an entry be edited once it has been created? _________

4. Can these Clocks be scheduled in Timed Events? _________

5. True or False: Deleting a Clock without removing it from the Assign Satellite Clocks is dangerous. __________

Appendix

Digital Program Director

System Requirements

Windows 95

Pentium Processor

RAM - 32MB Minimum

Hard Drive Space - 20 MB must be available

SVGA monitor running a minimum of 16 colors, 256 colors suggested

Mouse required

Printer - any printer capable of printing a Windows based document

Network - optional but useful if the transfer of a log and other

maintenance functions

SMARTS Broadcast Systems has designed the Digital Program Director with the radio broadcaster in mind.

The DPD is a high performance Windows-driven software package that will run on a Windows 95 or better computer provided by the radio station. The DPD is written with a database, making it is easy to enter basic information for the music, and to retrieve it by the various categories, such as Title, Artist, Category, Daypart, Tempo, Male or Female Vocal, Vocal Group or Last Play Date, with separation for the same categories. It also includes multiple station configuration, Intro and Outro Cut insertion, music licensing reports, transfer of the office log into the DPD, and music merge. The DPD settings can be customized to meet the demands of the stations’ format. Data conversions from most other schedulers are also available.

Log Manager

Log Manager is a DOS-based breaklog-editing tool. It can be used to acquire, manipulate, and deliver the commercial log and music playlist as a merged breaklog. The operator may add to the breaklog, move audio cuts, or take them out. The finished product can then be passed to the SMARTCASTER for airplay. Verification logs may also be accessed in various forms and Breaklogs may be mass edited.

Scandisk/Defrag

SCANDISK

Scandisk is found in DOS versions 5.0 and better. It is used to determine the integrity of the hard drive and to fix cross-linked files and lost clusters.

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key three times or LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
4. Press ENTER once.	The ‘Yes’ option is activated. The screen fades and the program ends. The next screen to appear will be the Super Menu.
5. Press ESC once.	The Super Menu disappears and the C:\> appears on the left-hand side of the screen.
6. Press the reset button.	We will reset the unit.
7. Press F5 when the screen shows “starting MS-DOS”.	You will get a message that says, “bypassing your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.”
8. Type SCANDISK /AUTOFIX /NOSAVE /ALL	This command line at the C: prompt will set the Scandisk parameters.
9. Press ENTER once.	This command will start the Scandisk procedure. The Scandisk will take place and bring you back to the prompt.
10. Type TYPE SCANDISK.LOG MORE	This will allow you to see a log of any problems encountered by the Scandisk.
11. Press ENTER once.	The listing appears showing the results of the Scandisk.
12. Type: SCANDISK C: /AUTOFIX /NOSAVE /SURFACE	This will run a surface scan of C: Drive. If there are any problems with the FAT (File Allocation Table) or a great number of cross-linked files on a drive, you should run a Surface Scan on that drive. A Surface Scan will take about 15-45 minutes depending on the capacity of the drive. If you also plan to do a Defrag, go to step 6 of the Defrag process.
13. When the Surface Scan is done, turn off the computer.	This allows the unit to re-initialize all of its settings as it boots up.
14. Turn the computer on.	The system will boot up to the Super Menu.
15. Press 1.	The SMARTCASTER will load.

After you finish with the Scandisk, you should run a Defrag as well.

DEFRAG

Defrag removes file fragmentation which causes short interruptions in audio as the reading heads of the hard drive move from place to place trying to read the complete file. The following instructions are for the SMARTCASTER operator who is just doing a Defrag. If the user has just completed a Scandisk or Surface Scan, skip to step number 8 of the instructions.

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key three times or LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
4. Press ENTER once.	The ‘Yes’ option is activated. The screen fades and the program ends. The next screen to appear will be the Super Menu.
5. Press ESC once.	The Super Menu disappears and the C:\> appears on the left-hand side of the screen.
6. Press the reset button.	We will reset the unit.
7. Press F5 when the screen shows “starting MS-DOS”.	You will get a message that says, “bypassing your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.”
8. Type DEFRAG C: /F	This command sets the parameters for Defragging the C: Drive.
9. Press ENTER once.	The Defrag is activated. To switch drives, type the command above and replace the C: with the next drive letter on your computer and continue until all the drives are completed.
10. When the Defrag is done, turn off the computer.	This allows the unit to re-initialize all of its settings as it boots up.
11. Turn the computer on.	The system will boot up to the Super Menu.
12. Press 1.	The SMARTCASTER will load.

This process should be done at a minimum of once a month and definitely after you delete more than 10 outdated spots. SMARTS recommends that you do this procedure once per week so that it will go quicker for you. If you have not run Defrag for a month or more you can expect it to take 10 to 30 minutes per drive. If you are experiencing unusual jumps or gaps in audio playback it is possible that you need to run the Scandisk and Defrag procedure.

Format a Floppy

It is sometimes necessary to format a floppy disk on the computer. If the computer cannot read the floppy disk, or if the floppy was not purchased already formatted, or the floppy needs to be totally erased, a format is the procedure to be used. This procedure should be used with great care because the computer could erase its own hard drive if the format command doesn’t include the correct path. Follow these instructions to the letter, or have a Support Technician on the phone with you when formatting a floppy disk. These instructions are for formatting on a SMARTCASTER. If you are using another computer, find your way to the C:\ prompt and use steps 6 through 13.

What You Do	Comment
1. Press ESC once.	The menu bar appears.
2. Press ENTER once.	The menu window appears under AUDIO.
3. Press the RIGHT ARROW key three times or LEFT ARROW once.	The window under QUIT appears. The cursor is resting on ‘Yes’.
4. Press ENTER once.	The ‘Yes’ option is activated. The screen fades and the program ends. The next screen to appear will be the Super Menu.
5. Press ESC once.	The Super Menu disappears and the C:\> appears on the left-hand side of the screen.
6. Insert the floppy disk into Drive A.	The floppy has been made available to the computer.
7. Type “format a: /Q”	This command tells the system to quick format the disk in the A: Drive.
8. Press ENTER once.	The prompt asks that a new disk be inserted. We have already done so.
9. Press ENTER once.	The formatting process begins. The computer will kick out three lines telling that it is checking the disk, formatting, and that the format is complete. The next line visible asks for a volume label. We won’t use a label.
10. Press ENTER once.	The system will show information about the disk and ask if you want to Quick Format another disk.
11. Press N once.	We will not format another disk at this time.
12. Press ENTER once.	The formatting process has been stopped and the system returns to the C: prompt.
13. Pull the floppy disk out of the port.	The disk is removed from the system.
14. Type “GO”.	“GO” is the magic word that makes the system run.
15. Press ENTER once.	The Super Menu re-appears.
16. Press 1 once.	The SMARTCASTER program begins to load again.

Interfacing Your Program Log

FROM SMARTS OFFICE SOFTWARE

General Information:

Your SMARTS program log can be interfaced directly into your SMARTCASTER, either by floppy disk, or by network transfer. If you are going to transfer by network, you will need to purchase a special network card for both your SMARTCASTER and your office computer.

BEFORE data is entered either into the SMARTS Office Software or the SMARTCASTER, you must decide:

1) how many breaks will be taken in each hour of the day,

2) what time the Breaks will be taken, and

3) how long each break will be.

To prepare your program log for interfacing to the SMARTCASTER, you will need to enter Break Numbers in your STOPSET BREAK MANAGEMENT portion of the SMARTS programs on the office computer.

These Break Numbers correspond to the Breaks available on the SMARTCASTER. There is a maximum of 12 Breaks per hour with no more than 10 events per break available on the SMARTCASTER.

If you are using satellite programming, your SMARTCASTER has been set up with breaks to fall just like your SATELLITE Flex Clocks. You will be setting up your office log to mesh with these Breaks. Your satellite programming will dictate what time local breaks are, how long they are, and how many breaks there are per hour. If you are using the SMARTS Office System, the Flex Clocks in the office and the SMARTCASTER must match exactly.

If you are using CD Automation or Music On Hard Drive programming, decisions on when to take Breaks will be made by your programming people. Again, you have a maximum of 12 Breaks per hour with as many as 10 events per break. Your Program Director will set up an overall plan for Breaks for each hour, just like the Flex clock in Satellite programming. The Program Director will want to decide how many Breaks to take, what time to take them, and how long the Breaks should be. For Music On Hard Drive, the music and commercial breaks must alternate, with a maximum of six each per hour.

Your Program Director should chart out the Breaks on a paper Flex clock before you begin entering data into the SMARTCASTER. Once the decisions are made, the data is very easy to enter. The Clock section of the manual contains specific directions.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that this information be communicated to the person setting up the office log. The Office Manual has specific directions on how to configure Breaks. If you are on a SMARTCASTER when you are being trained on SMARTS Office Software, your Breaks will be set up during training. If you already have SMARTS and are adding a SMARTCASTER, please call the SMARTS Support Line to get help on configuring your Breaks.

Specific Directions:

Here are the steps to follow when transferring a program log via floppy disk from SMARTS Office Software:

1. Prepare your log in the SMARTS Office System, and transfer it to a floppy disk, as directed in your SMARTS Office Manual.

2. Take the floppy disk from the Office machine to the SMARTCASTER. You will have to know whether your floppy drive is designated as A or B drive.

3. From the on-air screen in the SMARTCASTER, press the ESCape key. A menu bar will appear at the top of the screen.

4. Using your right arrow key, arrow over to MAINTENANCE. Press the ENTER key, and a menu will appear.

Change Time

Change Date

Change Rotation

>>>Import Traffic Log<<<

Transfer Music

Change Song

Change Break

5. Use your down arrow and highlight Import Traffic Log. Press the ENTER key.

6. A screen prompt will advise you to place the disk containing SMARTS into the proper drive. Then press the ENTER key. A menu will appear:

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat

7. The highlighted day can be selected by pressing ENTER. Otherwise, the letter that is highlighted in each day is the hot key that allows that day to be selected with the press of one key. Select the day you want to transfer. The transfer from floppy to the Breaklog file in SMARTCASTER will take place. When you are finished, you will be returned to the above menu.

8. If you wish, you may transfer several logs at a time. In SMARTS Office, you will be asked if you wish to transfer another day’s log. You may put several days’ logs on one disk, and then do the transfer process as described above. For floppy disk, at the end of each transfer, there will be a file written to the disk that contains the NOSPOT.<DAY>. The <DAY> represents the various days of the week. This file contains all of the commercials that have been called for, but are not available because they are out of date or have not been produced.

Here are the steps to follow if you are transferring a SMARTS Office program log via network:

1. Set up your network path and drive information in SMARTS Office.

A. Setup network connection via LANtastic.

B. Header; Orders/Logs, Option below header; Programs Log Option Menu/ to set up the transfer path. This is done one time. Also, Log Manager can be used to set up the paths for the SMARTS Traffic and Billing Version 7, floppy transfer, network transfer, nospot and SMARTCASTER spot verification.

2. Follow the screen directions on the SMARTS Office, Network Transfer option. Your log will be transferred in a few seconds into the SMARTCASTER Breaklog file. The NOSPOT.FIL file can be configured and read from within Log Manager.

FROM ANOTHER TRAFFIC SYSTEM

Interfaces can be set up from other traffic systems, such as CBSI, Computer Concepts, Marketron, Datacount, RCS, RDS, etc. An interface may be purchased for a nominal fee. If you want to interface a foreign office system to the SMARTCASTER, we will send you a Capture Disk. We will direct you over the phone as to how to “capture” your office log on disk. You will then send us the disk, we will setup the configuration files here and then we will work with you over the phone to fine-tune the procedure for your log to transfer. Most of the foreign office systems allow “print to file” options – and once we have the needed file, you can transfer it to us via an e-mail attachment.

Until your program log is ready to transfer, you can program spot codes directly into your Breaklog on the SMARTCASTER or use the Log Manager Program supplied by SMARTS Broadcast Systems. Preparation of the program log may well be taking place simultaneously with the set up of the SMARTCASTER. You need not wait till the program log is completely done in order to make use of your SMARTCASTER, but once the transfer information is complete, the transfer is done in a matter of seconds, rather than the time it takes to manually program the SMARTCASTER.

Keyboard

SMARTS issues a standard keyboard with each unit. This includes the standard typewriter keypad with a row of numbers at the top, a series of F keys above that, a ten-key number pad on the far right, and the Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, Insert, Delete, and arrow keys between the typewriter keypad and number pad.

Most of the keyboard gets used in one form or another in the day to day operations of the SMARTCASTER. In Satellite or Live Assist Mode, the F keys are used to switch back and forth from Live Assist, to Edit the break, or to play Functions. Tab on the far left is used to pause the audio. The space bar is the long key at the bottom of the keyboard. The Ctrl and Alt keys on either side of the space bar are used in tandem with other keys for screen or network changes. The Enter key located either at the right of the typewriter keypad or in the lower right-hand corner of the keyboard is used to activate many features. The Escape key located in the upper left-hand corner of the keyboard is useful for exiting parts of the program.

The arrow keys between the two keypads are used to get around in most screens. The Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, Insert, and Delete keys are also located between the two keypads. These keys also help to access and manipulate information in many of the screens.

If a SMARTCASTER Technician is working with an operator outside of the program, there are other keys that are useful to know:

The asterisk ( * ), also known as “star,” is Shift + 8, or the key above the 9 on the ten-key pad.

The forward slash ( / ) leans to the right at the top. It is located under the question mark ( ? ) just to the right of the space bar.

The back slash ( \ ) leans to the left at the top. It is usually located just above the enter key.

The colon ( : ) is located just to the right of the L key. The shift and this key must be pressed to get the colon.

The period ( . ) and the greater than sign ( > ) are located together just to the right of the space bar.

In various forms, these keys are used to form commands that move the operator from directory to directory and inspect and manipulate files within the system. Knowing where these keys are located will help when using the keyboard.

Sometimes the keyboard can become disabled. This generally occurs due to static. Static gradually fills the keyboard buffer and eventually all of the keys stop working. A human feels static at around 2,500 volts, but 30 volts is all that is needed to damage electronic components. If the keyboard no longer responds, the operators’ first step should be to follow the keyboard cable to the back of the computer and unplug the cable. The operator may touch the connector with their finger, then plug the cable back in. There are several preventative measures. Running a humidifier during the winter months, grounding strips, plastic keyboard covers, and spraying the floors. We have gone from the most expensive to the cheapest. When spraying, we recommend the regular anti-static liquid or mixing fabric softener with water in a 3:1 ratio and misting it over the floor in front of the keyboard.

Answers to the Quick Quiz

Quick Quiz Answer: Main Screen Menus

1. Usually red

2. 4

3. Edit

4. Escape

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Edit Screen

1. F9

2. No

3. Yes

4. No

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Live Assist Screen

1. F10

2. Delete

3. Insert

4. Stops spot immediately

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Recording Screen

1. Today’s date

2. 5

3. No

4. F7

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Editing a Spot

1. Drive, Name, Start Date, End Date, Product Code, EOM

2. Yes

3. No

4. Yes

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Auditioning a Spot

1. Space bar

2. No

3. 2

4. A

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Deleting a Spot

1. Record

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. 1

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Timed Stop

1. F5

2. Stops automatically

3. 5

4. Record Screen

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Record Times

1. I

2. The time

3. Civilian

4. No

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Backup On/Off

1. F9

2. Backup Setup

3. Yes

4. Two

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Auto Start

1. Audio

2. F7

3. Listening

4. R

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Change Path

1. Functions

2. 10

3. Change Function Setup

4. F10

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Rename Cut

1. Alt + R

2. Record

3. 2

4. No

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Cut Manager

1. Home

2. Find

3. Yellow

4. Space again or Alt + C

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Verification Log

1. 7

2. Yes

3. End

4. Yes

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Breaks

1. 10

2. I

3. White

4. No

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Functions

1. 7

2. Mute

3. Stop

4. 100

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Announcers

1. 26 A-Z

2. Delete

3. No

4. Insert

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Timed Events

1. Chronological

2. F8

3. Delete

4. 4

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Unattended Record

1. Yes

2. Multi-Segmented

3. Yes

4. Edit

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Remotes

1. F2

2. Yes

3. 7

4. Yes

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Fill Rotation

1. P.S.A.’s

2. 7

3. No

4. 100

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Live Show

1. Green

2. End

3. Alt + W

4. Insert

5. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Assign Satellite Clocks

1. 1

2. Top

3. 26

4. Yes

5. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Change Break

1. 288

2. Maintenance

3. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Change Day

1. Maintenance

2. R

3. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Import Traffic Log

1. The breaklog for a specific day and outdated cuts.

2. Floppy

3. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Change Time

1. Yes

2. Military

3. True

Quick Quiz Answer: Change Date

1. 6

2. Yes

3. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Quit

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. False

Quick Quiz Answer: Clock

1. 26

2. F1

3. Yes

4. No

5. True

Glossary

Note: The language of the computer field is constantly expanding. If you cannot find a word in this glossary, it is because it is newer than anything we were aware of at the time of writing or we decided it was so obvious that “everyone should already know it.”

99999 - 99999 is a not an audio cut. When it is in the first position of a break, the SMARTCASTER ignores the break and stays with the satellite feed. This number is a bookmark to hold the break until the closure. This number should never be used for recording.

Abort – To stop before completion. Abort Spot stops the audio cut that is playing on the air and continues with the next item in the break. Abort Break stops and resets the break to the beginning.

Account Name - The name of the sponsor, song, or Function, putting a title to the audio cut.

Announcer Code - Announcer Codes are used to match Functions (jingles, liners, etc.) with the announcer shift that is on the satellite network or working locally. 26 codes are available.

Announcers - The list of the announcer shifts for each day is scheduled in the Announcers Screen. Each announcer is assigned a letter. The SMARTCASTER also holds up to 26 different Announcers.

Arrow keys - To get around in the various screens, use the LEFT, RIGHT, UP, and DOWN arrow keys.

Audio Cards – A computer card that converts audio from analog to digital to store on the hard drive, and back again for airing.

Audio Cut – Any recorded file. A commercial, song, program, I.D., jingle, or announcement.

Audition – a trial hearing of a previously recorded audio cut.

Auto Start - This feature is used when timing at the beginning of an audio cut is a problem or if the operator can’t reach the keyboard and the start button of the audio source at the same time. An example would be when the SMARTCASTER is in one room and the reel-to-reel tape machine is in another. Auto Start actually starts the recording when the SMARTCASTER hears audio.

Backtime – Timing the rest of the material in the hour so that it ends exactly at a designated time.

Backup – Audio cut redundancy. The ability to store a copy of a file in another place.

BIOS – Basic Input/Output System. Contains the programming used to control the disk drives, keyboard, monitor, data communications, along with some hardware related actions.

Breaklog - The log that directs the SMARTCASTER system. The breaklog is a sequential list of events that the SMARTCASTER can execute various ways. The breaklog contains 2,880 positions per day. Each of these positions can hold spots, music, Functions, and several special commands.

Breaks – A list of up to ten events to be played by the SMARTCASTER. There can be up to 12 breaks per hour.

Break Screen – The Breaklog editor. Allows manipulation of the log.

C:\> Prompt – The basic working area when using DOS.

Cart – Short for cartridge. A cart is a plastic housing containing an endless loop of magnetic audio tape. Commercials and short form programs could be stored on cart.

Chronological – arranged in order by time.

Clock Mode - Clock allows the user to define when the breaks are, how long they are, and whether they are mandatory or not (Mandatory means that the break contains closed circuit feeds or is silent and MUST be filled to insure that inappropriate audio or silence not get on the air). The Clock mode is used only on Satellite systems. Clock mode should never be on at the same time as Continuous Play mode.

Close Window – The Close Window is the time that the SMARTCASTER stops looking for a relay closure to begin an Unattended Record.

Closure – The activation of a relay, caused by a tone from the satellite receiver.

CMOS – Stands for Complimentary metal oxide semiconductor memory chips. Used by the computer to store the hardware configuration. This information is referenced when the computer boots up.

COM ports – A serial port that passes information 1 bit at a time. Identified as being either a 9- or 25-pin male connector.

Continuous - Continuous refers to the Music on Hard Drive. In Continuous modes, the system continues from break to break. Continuous Music on Hard Drive systems are the most flexible for programming. Since the music audio is recorded directly into the SMARTCASTER, the system has complete control over it.

Copy – 1.) To duplicate information. 2.) The script for a commercial or announcement.

CPU – Central Processing Unit. Also know as a microprocessor. Its processing capabilities are used to control and direct the activities of the unit. The exact functions are directed by software.

Cue – 1.) Preparing an audio cut to be ready to go at a moments notice. 2.) The ability to put an audio channel in audition mode so that the announcer can listen to it without it going over the air.

Cursor – a movable, sometimes blinking object used to indicate where data may be input on a computer screen.

Cut – One item of audio.

Cut Manager - Cut Manager is the method used to inspect and manipulate the stations’ audio inventory, be it commercials, music, jingles, time announcements, or temperature announcements. It may be used to list, sort, find, audition, or delete any of the inventory. Cut Manager can also be used to record a new cut, and check the hard drives.

Cut Rotation - The script numbers that need to be played.

Default – A preset value that the computer takes unless otherwise instructed.

Defrag – The program that corrects the fragmentation of files on the SMARTCASTER. It arranges data clusters on the disk to improve efficiency.

Delay - Whenever the user sets up a recording to begin on a relay, the SMARTCASTER prompts the user for a delay. This is the amount of time the system will wait before beginning the recording. In a Multi-Segmented Record, a delay is entered that is the length of the local break. The second segment has a delay before it begins recording.

Delete – to strike out or remove something already entered.

De-select – To undo a previous selection.

Diagnostic – A device used to analyze the system and to identify procedures within the program.

Digital Input Gain - The Digital Input Gain is the volume control for recording to the SMARTCASTER. The gain should be set once and then locked to prevent accidental changes. Once locked, the operator cannot change the level.

Directories – Areas on the hard drive where information is stored.

DOS – Disk Operating System. Version MS-DOS 6.22 is the preferred version for the SMARTCASTER.

DTMF – Dual Tone Multi Frequency Tones. The burst of audio heard when dialing the telephone. Important when using the SmartTouch by SMARTS Broadcast Systems.

Dummy Clock – A clock containing 12 breaks. It is scheduled in any hour the system is not running in Clock mode. This allows the system to load breaks properly.

Duration – The length of time for an event, such as a recording.

Elapsed Time – The length of time for a particular audio cut.

Endless Loop – A length of audio tape whose ends are fastened together so that the tape never ends.

Engineer – Nocturnal being who fixes or maintains the station equipment. Can be on the staff or on contract…summoned by a phone call. Knows which end of a screwdriver to hold. May bite.

EOM – Refers to the End of Message signal. SMARTCASTERS equipped for overlap of audio will advance to the next cut and overlap the tail end of the current cut. This acts the same as the tertiary tone on older cart-based automation systems.

Fade - Fade Spot. This feature allows the SMARTCASTER to fade hard drive audio in four seconds and advance to the next event. With a Music on Hard Drive system, this is used to fade the current song on the air, and then go into a live news feed. No other TIMED EVENT is possible during a fade.

Fidelity - The quality of the audio recorded. See Sample Rate.

Fill Rotation - The Fill Rotation Screen shows seven lists of audio cuts of various lengths. These cuts are used to replace missing or (in some cases) outdated spots. Clock systems also use this screen to fill an under-filled break.

Find - This is a shortcut in Cut Manager and Live Show when looking for a specific name or number in a large list. This feature is limited to the Cut Number or Cut Name.

Floppy - The Term "Floppy" disk applies to both the 3.5” and this 5.25” type of disk.

Floppy Drive – The drive access port on the front of the computer that allows the input of information by disk.

Functions - A Function is a liner, jingle, ID, sweeper, etc. Functions make a station sound local and live. On the SMARTCASTER system, up to seven different Function types are allowed. Using Announcer codes helps to separate the Functions.

Generation 2000 - The latest version of SMARTCASTER. Capable of holding entire music libraries and being linked with other computers in the building.

Global Inputs - Global Inputs are inputs that should be used by the SMARTCASTER no matter what network is on the air. There are several examples where such inputs are needed: closure for updating time, closure to start Unattended Recording, closure to stop Unattended Recording.

Ground – A conducting connection between an electric circuit or equipment and the earth or some other conducting body.

Hard Drive – series of disks inside the case used for storage of information.

Highlight – to emphasize, an area of contrasting lightness or brightness.

Hot Clock - Hot Clocks, showing what time local breaks are to occur, based on the time in the hour. These Hot Clocks should correspond to the Hot Clocks sent by the satellite service. (See the CLOCK section of the SETUP appendix).

Hot Keys – The keyboard key that corresponds to the highlighted letter of a choice on the screen. Pressing the corresponding key is the shortcut rather than using the arrow keys to move to that choice and pressing the enter key.

Hub – A device that connects many computers to a server through a single line.

Initialization – To set variables, counters, switches, etc., to their starting values at the beginning of a computer program.

Input – 1.) The current or voltage applied to an electric or electronic circuit or device. 2.) data entered into a computer.

Input Mapping - With the RIDZ Switcher, there are 32 inputs for different closures. Each of these inputs can be "mapped" to fire spot breaks, or Functions. In addition, the SMARTCASTER can be programmed to accept these inputs at all times, or only when a specific network is on the air.

Insert – to put or place in the body of a list.

Interrupts – An interrupt is a signal from one part of the computer asking that the processor provide a service or special action. Each device is assigned a specific number so the processor knows the device to which it needs to respond.

Jock-In-the-Box - JIB stands for Jock-In-the-Box - the trade name for SMARTCASTER CD automation system. The JIB systems involved CD decks, which added one more item in the audio chain that could break down. Many of the CD players have since been discontinued by their manufacturer.

Jump – The software ability to move to a specified break.

Key – A button on the keyboard for inputting information to the computer.

LAN (Local Area Network) - Most SMARTCASTERS that use a LAN are Generation 2000 systems. A LAN may interconnect from two to hundreds of units using permanently installed cabling.

Latch - allows the user to latch a relay. This feature latches the relay and holds it until it receives a command to unlatch. Latch Relay does require an internal relay card or a device known as the Robbie Relay Kit.

Liners - liners are I.D.’s, jingles, or magic calls.

Listening - This means that the unit is in the Record Screen and waiting to hear audio. Once audio is heard, recording begins automatically. This feature is used when timing at the beginning of an audio cut is a problem or if the operator can’t reach the keyboard and the start button of the audio source at the same time.

Live Assist - The Live Assist Screen allows the user to play breaks, jingles, liners, etc. manually. A live operator may insert or delete spots from the break lineup and play the break by pushing a button. The SMARTCASTER will not respond to any closures or roll from break to break (if it is in Continuous Play).

Live Show - The Live Show Screen is designed for the “mostly” attended operation of an air shift. It is specifically geared toward Music On Hard Drive systems, though it can be useful for Satellite operations as well.

Local – Audio or inputs originating at the station.

Local Break - A non-Clock satellite operation waits for a local break closure from the satellite receiver. When it gets one, it plays the current break, rejoins satellite, then loads the next break and waits again.

Log Manager – A breaklog editor and transfer program used to manipulate the log before transferring to the SMARTCASTER.

Mandatory - Mandatory means that the break contains closed circuit feeds or is silent and MUST be filled to insure that inappropriate audio or silence not get on the air.

Menu – A list of choices.

Menu Screen – A screen listing of choices showing various features in the program.

Motherboard – a firm, slotted base that contains the basic circuitry and holds other computer components.

Multiple records - The SMARTCASTER can record the specified audio cut every time the relay triggers. Should the window be very wide (hours), then the same recording can be easily repeated over and over. This is done in cases where an audio feed fires a unique closure and the user wishes to re-record an audio cut every time this closure is fired. This way, one window covers many identical recordings.

Multi-Segment Record - Multi-Segmented Records allow the SMARTCASTER to record each segment of a program as a separate audio cut. Local commercials are programmed in-between the segments.

Music On Hard Drive – A designation meaning a system with sufficient hard drive storage to hold an entire music library and the commercial inventory. Generally used in live situations.

Mute - Mute on/off - gives the Functions the ability to mute satellite audio. This is a feature used only by Clock satellite users. Under rare circumstances, the user may wish to mute the satellite audio during a legal ID, or liner. Turning this option on causes that Function number to mute satellite whenever it is fired.

Network – 1.) A network is two or more computers that have been connected for the purpose of exchanging data and sharing resources. Resources range from files and hard drives to printers, CD-ROMS, and modems. 2.) A network is an audio source outside the radio station that provides programming for on-air use.

Network Switching – The ability to change from one audio source to another.

Open Window - is the time the SMARTCASTER begins the Unattended Records or begins looking for the relay to begin the Unattended Record. The Open Window is the Start Time whenever the recording begins on a timed basis.

Operator – the person who uses the SMARTCASTER to fulfill station functions. See User.

Optional - Optional means that the station doesn’t necessarily need to play commercials during the break. The network may provide P.S.A.’s or music for the length of the break.

Over-filled – More than 60 minutes of audio programmed per hour. The system is designed to go to the next hour at the end of 60 minutes, leaving the remaining audio unused.

Overlap – The overlap of audio will advance to the next cut and overlap the tail end of the current cut. This acts the same as the tertiary tone on older cart-based automation systems.

Over-programmed - More than 60 minutes of audio programmed in each hour. The system is designed to go to the next hour at the end of 60 minutes, leaving the remaining audio unused.

Paths – Computer terminology for the description that shows where a file is stored on the computer.

% - A wildcard marker for Functions. Any number with this as the fifth digit will have priority over all other numbers in that category.

Product Code - The SMARTCASTER prompts the user for a Product Code. This is used in conjunction with the SMARTS Traffic System. It helps to prevent two similar sponsors from playing back to back.

Prompt – message on the screen requesting more information or indicating readiness to accept instructions.

RAM – Random Access Memory. Used for loading and running programs and manipulating data.

Refresh – To renew the screen or list.

Relay – an electrical device that responds to a change of current or voltage in one circuit by making or breaking a connection in another.

Remote – A live broadcast from outside the radio station, i.e. a ballgame or “on location” interview.

Rename – The ability to change the script number of a file.

Re-record – To quickly record a second time when an error has been realized in the first recording.

Revive - Revives a cut. This is designed to “unplay” a cut that has been played already and allows the system to play it again.

RF – Actually Radiofrequency Interference. The ability of nearby transmitters to use ungrounded wiring as an antenna for receiving the frequency of the transmitting waves and causing interference to the station’s audio and equipment.

RIDZ Switcher - This rack-mount device allows eight different stereo inputs to be routed to two different audio outputs. In most stations, the first RIDZ output is for switching network feeds to the air. The second audio output is used to switch network feeds or a production source to the record inputs of the SMARTCASTER.

Sample Rate – Grabbing a piece of the sound every so often to build a digitally reproducible facsimile of the original sound. The sound file is stored as a digital file.

Satellite – A device designed to be launched into orbit around the earth to relay signals from a source in one location to a receiver in another.

Scandisk – This program checks and reports disk problems including file system corruption and disk read errors.

Screen Saver - After five minutes of inactivity by a user, the SMARTCASTER Screen changes to the Screen Saver. This prevents excessive wear on the system monitor.

Script Number - This number is five digits long. It is the audio cuts’ identifying number for the SMARTCASTER.

Seamless – To flow from one to another without any clearly marked boundaries. An overlapping of audio.

Sequential – Once one break plays, the system simply goes on to the next break and waits for a closure.

Setup Screens – Various screens containing settings that customize the software to the station and format.

Short – A short circuit. An abnormal condition of low resistance between two points, resulting in excess current that disables part of the system.

Shrink and Expand – An outdated feature that allowed the sample rate to change to shorten or lengthen an audio cut so it could fit in a break. Present day audio cards do not have this feature.

Skip - Places the word SKIP in the first position of the break causing the break to disappear. The system will pass over this break as if it were not there.

SMARTCASTER – The digital audio product of SMARTS Broadcast Systems that allows a radio station to record audio, switch networks, and play audio in an unmanned environment.

SmartTouch - SmartTouch DTMF telephone interface made by SMARTS Broadcast Systems. Allows the user to access the SMARTCASTER from a remote site using a telephone.

Source – Any entity that provides audio for a radio station. Tape, CD, Satellite, or Network.

Sort – The ability of the system to re-arrange a list of items in a particular order for ease of use.

Spots – Commercials, audio cuts containing sponsor advertising.

Start Date – The date that an audio cut is to begin airing.

Stop – The command to pause the current break.

Stop Date – This is the last date that an audio cut can play. This keeps dated material from airing.

Subroutine - One may think of a subroutine as a subset of Timed Events. For those familiar with computers, a subroutine is best described as an event Macro. It allows several commands to be named under one title, and used each time, rather than insert each of the commands each time.

Super Menu – The beginning choice screen for SMARTCASTER. It allows the user to go into the program or certain utility screens.

Support – The SMARTS Broadcast Systems department that acts as a help desk to fix user problems, consult for future changes, and solve computer mysteries.

Template - Each Remote is assigned its own template. A template includes a distinct intro, close, and spot rotation.

Temps - A temperature announcement audio cut giving the accurate temperature for the listener.

Time – A time announcement audio cut giving the accurate time for listener consumption.

Timed Events - Timed Events allows the broadcaster to program the SMARTCASTER to execute a number of commands on a timed basis. Common uses are to join a network, fire a commercial break at a specific time, re-sync a music playlist at the top of the hour, etc.. In addition, the RIDZ 8x2 Audio Switcher is set up through the Timed Events Screen for all network switching and closures.

Timed Stop - This feature automatically shuts off the recording after the amount of time entered has elapsed. This feature is rarely used, but could be handy for recording long shows that are pre-timed. If the timing is accurate, the user need not sit through the entire recording session. The user can start the recording and then leave to handle other duties.

Time left - time left on each drive is displayed in the column on the right hand side of the Record Screen. It is shown in hours and minutes. In systems with many hard drives, pressing T will show any drives not seen at first glance. Valid drive letters are displayed to the right under Time Left. Drives that are highlighted are locked and cannot be recorded to.

Toggle – To shift back and forth between two settings.

UD Mode – Stands for Use Diagnostic, a troubleshooting device. This is used to determine what the program was doing at a particular time. The information is displayed on the SMARTCASTER screen.

Unattended Record - The Unattended Record Screen is used to automatically record audio into the SMARTCASTER. The time and method of recording, as well as the script number are programmed into the SMARTCASTER ahead of time. The Unattended Record feature is especially powerful because it is automated. No one needs to be present to perform the recording operation.

Under-filled – An hour in the Breaklog that has less than an hour worth of material in it. This means the audio will end prior to the top of the hour and the system will start to use audio from the next hour.

Under-programmed - An hour in the Breaklog that has less than 60 minutes worth of material in it. This means the audio will end before the top of the hour and the system will begin using audio from the next hour.

Unlatch - The Unlatch Relay feature is the release mechanism for Latch Relay. Unlatch Relay will release the previous latching command. It works with the internal relay card or the Robbie Relay Kit.

User – a person who operates the SMARTCASTER to perform an airshift. See Operator.

Verification Log - It is a paper trail used to see what the SMARTCASTER has done throughout the day and may be used for affidavits. Using this, operators may also diagnose problems or get answers to operational questions.

Version – A particular form or variation of the program. Ex. X9-03-19.

VU meters – analog or digital indicators that show the volume of the audio.

Wait - This event allows the system to wait for a specified amount of time. It can be entered into the Break Screen or the Live Show. Ex. W300 means wait 3 minutes and 00 seconds.