Smarts Broadcast Systems

I'm going to assume that the operator knows how to add a timed event, but doesn't know which ones to add. If you don't know how to do it, the Smartcaster manual can help you add a timed event. To obtain a new Smartcaster Manual, contact us during regular business hours.

Here I will detail each event, and why it is there:

Note that these Timed Events are from Monday through Friday.

11:59:50 Clock Off
This turns off the satellite clock. You shouldn't have the satellite clock on while you are running in Continuous mode.
11:59:51 Continuous On
This puts the computer into a mode in which it plays one break after another. This way, when the computer finishes playing a break, the next break simply starts playing, until something tells the computer not to do this anymore.
11:59:52 Jump to Break 145
Break 145 happens to be the first break in the noon hour. If you need to figure out which break to go to, here is the time and break conversion table.
11:59:53 Function 0
In this example, a Function 0 is representing the Legal ID. I'm going to say that the network usually fires the ID right at the top of the hour, so we have to make a provision for it. It's a seven second Function, so this will take us right to the top of the hour. Here is some more information on functions, if you need it.
11:59:54 Clear air
This clears the audio coming out of the RIDZ Switcher, so the network is pretty much turned off. We could go on without this, but might run into trouble between breaks. When one break is done, and before the next one begins, there might be just enough silence to make the satellite audio unmute for a very short time. Clearing the air will prevent that from happening.
12:00:00 Local Break
This is the event that actually makes the local hour start playing.

Those are the events to start the hour off. Oblivously, some stations' Timed Events differ from others, but this basically covers it. Now, on to the end of the hour:

12:59:53 Net 1 to Air
Many times these are labeled with a network name, such as Jones to Air, or ABC to air. In this example, it's The Network, so it doesn't really matter. You might be asking yourself "why are we turning it on so early?" Remember that as long as something is playing from the breaklog, the RIDZ Switcher will keep the network muted.
12:59:54 Cont. Off
This turns off the mode in which it plays one break, then the next, and so on. As it is now, it will finish out with the break it's on, but stop at the end of it.
12:59:55 Clock On
Back into familiar waters, with the satellite clock back on. Now, as soon as it finishes this event, it will go back to normal programming.
12:59:56 Fade Spot
I decided to make sure that the local events didn't go over an hour. This is a four second fade, and no other timed event will work until the four seconds is completed. After the fade, the satellite provider should fire the Legal ID for the top of the hour and then normal programming is restored.

Now, this will work pretty well, but to keep on schedule for more than an hour, read on.

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Going from Continuous to Clock

Click on each image to see a larger version

This is for people who usually run the smartcaster in Continuous mode, playing events from the computer for the most part. Now you want to play for a time from a satellite, and need to know what timed events you need to accomplish this. If you need to know how to build the satellite clock, please go here, or if you need to know how to wire or map satellite closures go here.

In this example a station that has always run music from the hard drive has decided to play satellite programming from five PM to five AM. This example deals only with the Timed Events, no clocks, breaklogs, mapping, or wiring. Note that all the times shown here are military times.

I'm going to assume that the operator knows how to add a timed event, but doesn't know which ones to add. The Smartcaster manual can help you add a timed event, if you don't know how to do it. To obtain a new Smartcaster Manual, contact us during regular business hours.

I'm going to go through this kind of backwards, doing the end of the day first.

16:59:50 Network 1 to Air
This event brings network one up underneath the audio playing from the hard drive. It's okay to bring it up this early, because the RIDZ will keep it muted until the audio stops.
16:59:51 Continuous Off
This takes the Smartcaster from a mode that plays one break then the next and so on, to a mode in which it will play only one break when it receives a signal from the receiver, then it stops.
16:59:52 Clock On
This turns the Smartcaster into a big commercial box, playing ads and Functions whenever the satellite receiver sends a closure to tell it to play something. Make sure you have all your clocks built before you get this far, or you might get into trouble here.
11:59:56 Fade Spot
This fades out of whatever is playing on the air and unmutes the satellite audio when it's done. It's a good time for an instrumental in your breaklog.

That's all for switching over to the satellite in the evening. Now for switching back the next morning.

04:59:50 Clock Off
This turns off the Clock Mode. At this point, the Smartcaster will still receive input from the satellite receiver, but won't update breaks to keep up with the satellite clock any longer.
04:59:51 Continuous On
This turns the Smartcaster back into it's normal Music on Hard Drive mode. It will now play break after break, if one is fired. Unless a satellite break is playing, the network is still playing to air at this point, but inputs from the receiver are no longer active.
04:59:52 Jump to Break 61
Break 61 happens to be the first break in the five AM hour, which is where (or rather when) you need to be.
05:00:01 Local Break
This actually starts the local break playing. Without this the Smartcaster will sit there doing nothing.
05:00:01 Clear Air
This clears the satellite audio. Otherwise, the satellite is playing muted underneath the sound from your hard drive. This isn't all bad, but one of two things could happen; either the satellite will unmute briefly between events, sounding a blip of audio to air, or the DJ will pause the audio so he can talk, and find that the satellite comes up instead.

That's just about it for the Timed Events to turn a Music on Hard Drive station over to a satellite. Remember, you also need to know how to build the satellite clocks.

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Feel free to call the support line if you have any questions or comments about this, or any other problems with the Smartcaster. Our support line is 800-765-2930, our fax number is 800-498-0618, and our email address is support@smartsbroadcast.com.

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