Automatically downloading and queuing mp3 files

[aMUSiC]

While running a radio station with multiple DJs in various countries, I used to have a central repository of promos/sweepers and ads and the DJ's (using SAM and PAL scripts) would automatically connect to the central repository on predefined intervals, query the repository for the promos that needed to be aired, automatically download them and queue them in the playlist.

Is there any way that I could replicate this behavior with RadioDJ? (perhaps with the scheduler?), or would I need to have a special plugin for this?

[OnePlayRadio]

You could have a shared disk on the network. When storing music, jungles, stomps, etc. In the database the path is saved, for example: F: \ Music \ Massive Attack - Karmacoma.mp3

This way each pc that you have in the network connects to the same database and to the same disk in network allowing to execute the files from the same unit.

I hope I have helped. 

[aMUSiC]

Unfortunately DJ's are not on the same network (they are spun all over the world), and all mp3 files for sweepers/jingles are served through a web server (which also performs the logic of what sweepers/ads must be played on each break).

[Brodephat]

Believe it or not, Dropbox can be used for something like that. I'm currently using Dropbox for album art for all 3 of my stations. Then my website grabs those images from Dropbox to display them on my sites.

When sharing files with multiple people, everyone can have access to the files locally by installing the Dropbox app onto their computer and adding the Dropbox folder.

The key to this is, you must use the public folder in Dropbox and each folder will have a unique path to it.

In RadioDJ, copy your album art to the Dropbox folder for it and in Options, options point RadioDJ to the Dropbox folder. Doing that automates the process. No more uploading album art via ftp. Then in your php/html files point the art URL to the unique folder in Dropbox.

By the way, Dropbox gives you 10gb of data transfer per day and they even allow using Dropbox for your website's images. They actually encourage it.


As for audio files, in RadioDJ you can add the files as VDF so if the file names are the same everyone will get the latest. Remember, when using the desktop app, the files are actually downloaded to your local drive. So there won't be a data rate problem.

The only drawback is how often are the files updated/synced from Dropbox to the user folders on their PC.

[FreerunMedia]

Ok reading all this i see that everyone is forgetting a big problem that could accour so i will explain it like this. See if you can spot the problem.

You want to get files and share files to a lot of people. You put those in a cloud. Nice now everyone can acces it. Than your provider sends you an e-mail "we are going to do some maintainance on the network. This could case in loss of the internet connection. You might have to restart your modem and if you still have problems, please contact us". Now you want to broadcast and RadioDJ isn't loading tracks and deleting the files that can not be found.

Is it RadioDJ that is going wrong? Second question: you want to run a continuity station or a station that can be silent?

Sorry for being this blunt but keep in mind, i am working as a professional running 1 station at my place and maintaning 5 channels for radio were i work. All of them are 24/7 stations and we can not alow any silence. 

[Brodephat]

No, you are right. There is nothing worse than another part of your setup not under your control going down.

Great food for thought either way. 

[FreerunMedia]

No, you are right. There is nothing worse than another part of your setup not under your control going down.

Great food for thought either way. 

;-)

[Calypso]

What I have done is using an open source "dropboxlike" tool myself (in my case OwnCloud); advantage is that you have total control yourself. Every place that I need to have access to the files is synched with the OwnCloud client; so all places have the files on local harddisks. If the server is not available, then there just is no sync, but files are available.

The difficulty in the setup you want is I think in "how to fill the databases with new tracks".

[Jhonny]

When there is a sync, use folderloader (plugin) 

[aMUSiC]

The major problem is not distribution of the files or a central storage. It's adhering to the same broadcast logic across all DJs (while not all of them being tech savvy or willing to go the extra mile and do a bit of extra work). So here's what I had been doing while using SAM with PAL scripts.

The plan is that the station has a commercial break every hour at the xx:30 mark.

DJ fires up SAM, and immediately 3 scripts start running in a loop.

First script is scheduled to run every XX:25. It connects to our station's web server and requests what has to be played in the next commercial break. The server replies with a text file that contains links to the mp3 files in the order that they have to be played. The text file is stored in the DJ's pc. The mp3 files and their order is decided on the server based on scheduling done on our radio's administration interface, as it is being maintained by a few people.

Second script is scheduled to run every XX:26. It consults the text file that has been downloaded. For each mp3 file found in there, the script checks for its existence locally. If it doesn't exist, then it downloads the file from the server to the DJ's pc in a predefined folder location.

The third script is scheduled to run every XX:29. If the script detects that the DJ is broadcasting (which is easy in SAM as it checks whether an encoder is active), it again consults the text files, and serially queues every file at the top of the list, so that they'll start playing as soon as the current track finishes. Then it deletes the text file.

This whole shebang ensures that there's a central place for scheduling ads, promos and jingles, and that the DJs can focus on their show rather than meddling with details and having to keep in mind when and what promos to play. This is the behavior that I'm somehow looking to replicate with RadioDJ.

[Jhonny]

Don't hang on SAM PAL scripts.

This is RadioDJ total different program.

Commercial break every hour at the xx:30 mark, use a event in rdj..

Ps.
Do not expect the same as radiodj is rdj and sam is sam.

[Calypso]

This whole shebang ensures that there's a central place for scheduling ads, promos and jingles, and that the DJs can focus on their show rather than meddling with details and having to keep in mind when and what promos to play. This is the behavior that I'm somehow looking to replicate with RadioDJ.

Ah, I had a different thing in my mind that you'd try to achieve.

I'd approach this by using M3U playlist files in RadioDJ. You can load them by an event. That'd be the last event in the sequence. First one (or split into several ones) would fire up the script to download the M3U file from your central server, check which files in it must be downloaded and download them.

[Jhonny]

I do not want to make it even better.
But you can even load M3U list by date and time.

[aMUSiC]

You maybe have something there with m3u playlists. However, can RadioDJ play through an m3u playlist if the files in it are not already imported in its database?

[Jhonny]

If there not imported in the database there will be.