What does the INPUT button from RadioDJ?

[DJ Garybaldy]

Just had a brilliant Idea..... Why don't you try and create a plugin for a Mic input.... Shouldn't be that hard surely.... Marius will point you to where the code for plugins is.

Or would that be something you don't think you could do? 

[FL Coast]

 djclewes,  You never now unless you ask, but when given an answer from the software creator, and you have no creative suggestions, you should just let it go.

Not going to argue this point any farther but I am sorry you can't understand and accept Marius' explanation at the top of the page.  If it is I that don't understand how software code is written, then again I am sorry.  If you develop the software to do what you are asking, then I will try it, because that MIC input would simplify equipment movement during a remote broadcast.

Happy Broadcasting     

[paulheu]

because that MIC input would simplify equipment movement during a remote broadcast.

So even when you actually see the benefit and would be willing to at least try an alternative to software you otherwise find to suit you just fine you still choose to basically ignore that exact feature "because the developer explains why it won't work"

All I am doing is asking why there can't be support for a low latency mic built in, from a code perspective there really is none and the tools used now actually offer the required code to implement this. It's actually very simple to do. With the way the code is now a separate module would really not make sense as the requires code in the main application is just not used.

Really the only thing needed here is ASIO support, obviously that will not help those with on board audio generally though. Alternatively support for the new code in Windows 10 would benefit all, but I somehow doubt that is in the cards.

Doing the microphone externally will run up cost to a point where buying a suitable tool which does support this functionality is a cheaper and more feasible option. Especially if you invested in a proper audio interface which then basically becomes pointless. Not to mention a control surface which actually is a much more elegant solution for this IMO.. Also useless if i need to buy an external mixer plus the needed processing hardware.

Outside of the Mic functionality RadioDJ does pretty much exactly what I need but since I have tools available to me which I know have active, listening and productive developers I'd rather take my chances with them and in fact there's something in the works which might become interesting at least.

So I guess that's it, love the program and would happily pay for it if I could have what I am looking for at some time in the near future. It has potential, but I guess it's not for me then.. signing off..

[Vanlen]

There is a really cheap way you could get things to work for you is a virtual mixer and virtual cables with built in ASIO called voicemeeter Banana, yep it's a weird name for sure but you could plug your mic in select the input in the virutal mixer, put the output of RadioDJ on another virtual strip and then send the desired output to your streaming software and away you go.   It's donationware so give it a go.  I've tried it and works VERY WELL with RadioDJ to boot. 

http://vb-audio.pagesperso-orange.fr/Voicemeeter/banana.htm

[djclewes]

sounds like Vanlen is half way to a solution.

[fabian]

well for me i thought i could use the input to talk through until i get a mixer but since i cant then i will have to use it sparingly then or keep it on my computer until the mixer come, even though i have a high end usb mike on the way. Thats not the only problem i have with this piece of software, it has a horrible feedback to it. It comes only through my headset not on the air but i cant monitor what is playing at all. The sound i get in my headset is like a very badly scratch cd playing. Who knows how to fix that? Am not disrespecting the software or its manufacturers as it is quite good, but if you are building something as good as this is, trust me their are some very basic things that should be in it and the main one is to be ABLE to use a mike with it. thats just basic

[Marius]

@fabian: i'm also not disrespecting you, but real radio talk is done with real mixers, not with programs. It's your decision at what level do you want to be in this business.

PS: Let's have a little test about windows inputs:

If you are using Windows Vista/7/8 go to Control Panel - Sound - Recording tab and double click your microphone. In Listen tab select "Listen to this device" and make sure that the mic level is high enough. Now speak something into the microphone to see the amount of delay you will have directly from windows, without any additional processing like compressor, equalizer etc.
Do you really think that is usable in a radio environment?

[snarfdude]

I've worked in many professional radio studios with different radio automation systems in my years in the industry, some costs 10s of 1000s of $$, and hell, before computer automation, I was plugging tape carts into a cart machine to play music.

One thing I can absolutely say, is that I have never and probably never change, is that a audio console/mixer will always be in the audio chain and an automation/playout system will be just that, and always come up on a pot (s) on the console/mixer.

This is common sense. most radio studios have multiple mics, and multiple sources even today. You have to put someone on the air from a phone hybrid, you need to run that through a console....a satellite feed, remote line via a IP codec, etc. all come up on a separate pot. No professional studio has just one mic and the automation system. multiple sources WITH the automation system goes through an audio console.

As I collect vintage radio studio gear, and have both a control room and production studio for my internet stream, I can play off vinyl, tape carts, and even reel to reel tapes to air to the stream. Like any pro studio, the automation system may run the station, but it loops through a console. This way, you can kill the automation system at any time and go live with CD/cart/reel tape or work with it and go live assist.

My on air console runs 24/7 is analog and is 45 years old and sounds great for it's age. It's cheaper then the new digital consoles that can run upwards of 15-30K being installed in studios these days which keeps audio digital in the ip audio domain, but it does the job well. I'm all about vintage.

I usually don't believe in software audio processing, as it can slow a computer if you are using real time. I use a basic compressor/limiter in the audio chain. I turn off anything radio DJ has built in for EQ/compression. There are too many "commerical wannabe's" on the net streaming and think sounding like a commerical station's overprocessed severely compressed (in some cases "brick walled") is a good thing. It's just terrible most of time. In a digital world, destroying dynamic range is terrible. Google if if you don't know what that is. You should.


Bottom line, a mic switch is useless for an radio automation system. It maybe useful if you are doing mobile DJ type stuff off an computer, but not in a radio studio. Buy a mixer, and use other sources too instead of just playing off the computer. 





 

[DJ Garybaldy]

Bottom line, a mic switch is useless for an radio automation system. It maybe useful if you are doing mobile DJ type stuff off an computer, but not in a radio studio. Buy a mixer, and use other sources too instead of just playing off the computer. 

+1

Most of the "other" software choices i've tried that had microphone/voice input buttons I ended up with major latency issues even after wiring the Microphone through a mixer. Sometimes it sounded like I was in an echo chamber.

I don't seem to have that problem wiring my mixer into the Line In socket & getting Virtual Audio cables to pick the audio up from that and then getting the encoding software to listen on that line.

End result a professional sounding stream. 

P.S: it's been a while since i last used that method so I'm going to be interested if I can still do it on Windows 10.

[snarfdude]

I don't seem to have that problem wiring my mixer into the Line In socket & getting Virtual Audio cables to pick the audio up from that and then getting the encoding software to listen on that line.

End result a professional sounding stream. 

professional sounding stream is probably not what I strive for...if you think commerical radio is "professional" there a lot of "squashing" of program audio with commerical FM, in an effort to keep it loud when you flip the dial, while keeping it within legal limits for modulation. Most of the time, it's an antiquated way of thinking, but you're stuck if the competition is doing it.

I see absolutely no need to do this online....but yet, you have wannabe's doing it. It's the digital era, keep it flat with a bit of limitation so you don't distort heavily or clip hard. simple.

I use 2 different encoders installed, but loop through my console and a behringer compressor/limiter to keep things in line in the chain. one of the behringers channels I use for my RE20 mic....again to keep things in line and to add just a slight amount of punch, though RE 20 does most of it. I'll be a bit more hissy then some, but a dose of analog can be easier on the ear then straight digital. radio DJ will be for automation/live assist ONLY! and a few months down the road for automation.....live assist for now.

[Armandox]

So I came here via DJ Garybaldy's website (http://djgarybaldy.co.uk/free-program-like-sam-broadcaster/) on which he claims the following:

Someone recently did a search for “Free Program Like SAM Broadcaster” on this website.
It’s refreshing to see people searching for alternatives to SAM Broadcaster.

If you want a FREE program like SAM Broadcaster then you need RadioDJ free radio automation software.


But reading through this whole post and test-driving RadioDJ myself that just is not true. RadioDJ does not provide 'in-the-box' support for the usage of a microphone like SAM Broadcaster has been doing for years already. It also doesn't provide native ASIO-support (neither does SAM btw) which I think is a MUST for any self-respecting audio-software nowadays.

Alas, I didn't come here to nitpick, just pointing out a lot of biasedness afaic. I truly like RadioDJ and I'd love to use it if it'd have 'in-the-box' mic-support and ASIO-support. With ASIO latency is not an issue. I have no trouble recording realtime with Ableton Live 9 and my microphone. I DJ with Native Instruments Traktor DJ Studio like that. So I think we shouldn't be calling a tricycle a car here, or in other words, an automation-aid a full-fledged broadcasting software. Well, until then I see myself forced to stick with the (as Garybaldy on his website says) crash-prone SAM Broadcaster or Traktor.

[DJ Garybaldy]

So I came here via DJ Garybaldy's website (http://djgarybaldy.co.uk/free-program-like-sam-broadcaster/) on which he claims the following:

Someone recently did a search for “Free Program Like SAM Broadcaster” on this website.
It’s refreshing to see people searching for alternatives to SAM Broadcaster.

If you want a FREE program like SAM Broadcaster then you need RadioDJ free radio automation software.


But reading through this whole post and test-driving RadioDJ myself that just is not true. RadioDJ does not provide 'in-the-box' support for the usage of a microphone like SAM Broadcaster has been doing for years already. It also doesn't provide native ASIO-support (neither does SAM btw) which I think is a MUST for any self-respecting audio-software nowadays.

Alas, I didn't come here to nitpick, just pointing out a lot of biasedness afaic. I truly like RadioDJ and I'd love to use it if it'd have 'in-the-box' mic-support and ASIO-support. With ASIO latency is not an issue. I have no trouble recording realtime with Ableton Live 9 and my microphone. I DJ with Native Instruments Traktor DJ Studio like that. So I think we shouldn't be calling a tricycle a car here, or in other words, an automation-aid a full-fledged broadcasting software. Well, until then I see myself forced to stick with the (as Garybaldy on his website says) crash-prone SAM Broadcaster or Traktor.

To be fair to RadioDJ, RDJ is a studio automation program NOT a full studio solution. RadioDJ deals with the automation of music/jingles/promos etc... Which it does rather well without the program freezing or going wrong.

2 recent blog posts I've done on the subject tell you how you go about using a microphone with RadioDJ. Using a microphone plugged directly into the soundcard of a PC is just going to sound awful.

http://djgarybaldy.co.uk/microphone-input-in-radio-automation-software/
http://djgarybaldy.co.uk/you-dont-need-built-in-voice-fx/

Stop expecting software to do everything for you!

Q: Would you expect RadioDJ to make you a cup of tea?
A: Of course you wouldn't...

The views about SAM Broadcaster being prone to crashing are "Personal opinion" which I'm entitled to!

[Armandox]

2 recent blog posts I've done on the subject tell you how you go about using a microphone with RadioDJ. Using a microphone plugged directly into the soundcard of a PC is just going to sound awful.

http://djgarybaldy.co.uk/microphone-input-in-radio-automation-software/
http://djgarybaldy.co.uk/you-dont-need-built-in-voice-fx/

The Voicemeeter Banana solution looks like a very viable one to me. Thanks for pointing that out. I do have an external mixer and all, but I just don't want to rewire my whole studio-setup (biased towards recording music) for a DJ-set and the desk my computer sits on is too small to house the screen, monitors, mixing-desk and midi-controllers all at the same time. I understand the issues with latency and such, I've been a recording engineer and record producer for the largest part of my life, so I know what we are talking about. Besides I'm using a large-diaphragm condenser mike, and not a cheapo headset or anything. In all fairness btw, SAM's Voice FX has never given me any trouble sending the mic straight to encoders (record to pipeline, skip audio output). Together with Hans van Zutphen's Stereo Tool it sounds more than professional enough to me (and believe me I'm picky and critical when it comes to soundquality). SAM only crashed on me 3 times in over 10 years of use. Anyhow, I didn't come here to talk about SAM, I came here because I like RadioDJ and I'd really love to work with it, moreso since it reminds me and looks very much like an automation-software we used at a terrestial radio-station I DJed at.

[Armandox]

Been fiddling around with Voicemeeter Banana and RadioDJ, plus BUTT (external streaming software) and I must say that I'm quite delighted with the first results! I can even use my MIDI-controller (which has faders and buttons and such) to control Voicemeeter via MIDI-mappings, which is even greater. The feel of faders under your fingers while it all is being processed 'in-the-box' is great. Voicemeeter supports ASIO (hallelujah!). I'm a BIG fan of working completely 'in-the-box' if you yet hadn't noticed ;-) No need to get an even larger desk, I can keep my setup as is without any rewiring, and have it work with my recording software, aswell as being able to DJ. Now I gotta fill this database with all the tons of songs I have, listen thru them all and set intro-points for each and every one of them, make sure the datatags are correct and so... Loads of sleepless nights ahead! And I already had so little sleep

With all this in mind I think I might be stepping over to RadioDJ pretty soon, because it runs very stable and uses little to no overhead on the computer. I wanna say thanks to Garybaldy for pointing me in the right direction and the fine resources one can find there. I read a lil more on his website, and it got me more than half-way in less than half a day!

[bobby_olson2001]

I Have a sound mixer connected via usb and still have the same issue.... Echo and echo some more.... Any advise on how to mute when i hit input i saw it mentioned but i can't find the option RadioDj 1.8.2.0... Would be awesome!!