Advice on Remote Show implementation

[SocaLUV]

Hello,

 

 

I'm fairly new to the broadcasting world, and I could really use some help with this. Ideally, I would like to run a station where other DJs can also broadcast from a remote location. I have SAM installed on my machine at home and I'm using a hosted Shoutcast server. My dilemma is similar to one in a forum posted by the user JamboUK. I have DJs that prefer to use their own software over SAM Broadcaster and they don't want to pay for DJ seats.

 

Has anyone successfully implemented this sort of setup and if so, how? I am interested in finding out how the remote show PAL script works with SAM, but I am also interested in knowing if there are any alternative setups that are more seamless. To use the mentioned forum post as an example, the alternative method could be to have a DJ stream to a shoutcast server and have SAM listen out for the stream.

 

Any help would be deeply appreciated.

 

Best Regards,

 

SocaLUV

[shoutcaststreaming]

You need to set up a new server (1 or 2 listeners) and make it private. Then the Remote DJ will broadcast to that server. The remote PAL script will pick up the feed at an assigned hour and drop the feed at the designated time.

 

That way your Remote DJ doesn't have to log into your SAM and possible delete songs. Also any broadcasting software can send a stream to the 2 port server.

[GKIye]

Thats right and the most easiest way to connect

I agree with SCS !

[SocaLUV]

Thank you both so much for your advice. One of the DJs is using Winamp to broadcast. Will this setup work with that?

[shoutcaststreaming]

Like I said, it will work with any broadcasting software.

[SocaLUV]

How would I go about setting up a new server?

[BWorld]

You'd need to purchase another server or run a second copy of it on your machine with a different port number.

[klnkfm]

you could also use a real automation software, then the djs could login to the server and cut their tracks and save them to the local machine quickly

 

SAM is not a REAL software therefore it falls short in this feature (And many others)

[shoutcaststreaming]

SAM is not a REAL software therefore it falls short in this feature (And many others)

We all responded to his present needs .. there is no need to trash SAM. If you need to highjack this thread, just start a new one to flame SAM.

[cr08]

Also another small piece of advice is you can avoid having to run multiple servers and run Icecast and use a separate restricted mountpoint just for DJ's. There's plenty of fine tuning available to keep listeners from tuning into it, mount point password separate from the main stream, etc.. At least on the KH side that is. I honestly don't know about the main branch.

[SocaLUV]

Thank you. I will definitely research Icecast.

[SocaLUV]

I think I get it now. It was the new server part that threw me. Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

[SocaLUV]

I ran a test today and the remote show script does a great job of picking up the stream from the second server. The only problem now is that once the remote show is finished, everything cuts off and it doesn't go back to normal programming, leaving complete silence on the air.

[shoutcaststreaming]

Then you have it set up incorrectly. The Queue should have AUTO DJ and AUTO RECOVERY both checked on.

[SocaLUV]

That seemed to fix the issue to a degree. I ran another test for 10 minutes. I noticed that auto DJ does revert back to normal programming, but then adds songs from the remote stream. I didn't think anything of it. I figured that once the remote DJ disconnects that it would stop adding songs to the stream. However, even after the remote DJ stops his session, the script continues to try and queue songs from that stream. Mind you, this is well past the 10 minutes that I've specified. Is there a way to stop this from happening or stop the PAL script from running? Ideally, I would like my setup to be fully autonomous.

[shoutcaststreaming]

It doesn't revert back to Auto DJ the minute they disconnect. In the PAL script, there is a START time and a STOP time. It starts at the designated time and it stops and goes back to Auto DJ at the time you set. Both of must be set. Just because the remote DJ disconnects, the script must be stopped and go to then next song in the queue.

 

Verify that this is happening.

[SocaLUV]

This is how I modified the PAL script:

const ShowURL = 'http://usa4.fastcast4u.com:5778/';

const StartTime = '13:30:00';

const EndTime = '13:40:00';

 

I haven't done anything other than change these variables when I need to run a test. Here is a screenshot of the behavior that I've described. The before is what was happening while the remote DJ was connected. The after was after he disconnected his stream. It had emptied at first, but then started adding songs again.

[SocaLUV]

Sorry, forgot to attach the files. I've attached them here.

[SocaLUV]

Just because the remote DJ disconnects, the script must be stopped and go to then next song in the queue.

 

I'm not sure what you meant by this line.

[shoutcaststreaming]

The thing we need to know is the script still running? You can double click the script and see where it is. Looking at eventlog.log would also be helpful. You didn't say if you set SAM to AUTO DJ and AUTO RECOVERY, which are important. Posting the entire script would also be helpful. You screen shots don't really show everything (the queue / what playing / history, etc.).

[GKIye]

It looks that some things don't workout as it should be

Attached a script to load a 3rd party URL to the queue Top, and who gonna start playing at the TOTH (or any time You want)

*** Keep the red commands in mind

{ Here is an example script that can be used to relay a remote show or URL

 

 

Usage:

a) Compile configuration below and start PAL script.

b) If this show is only in certain days you will need to modify the script to

only queue the show up during these days. Use Event Sheduler to load at

certain days

}

{ CONFIGURATION }

{==================================================}

const ShowURL = 'http://usa4.fastcast4u.com:5778/';

const StartTime = '12:59:55'; //

const EndTime = '14:00:00'; //

 

 

{ IMPLEMENTATION }

{--------------------------------------------------}

var T : Integer;

PAL.Loop := False;

 

 

{Wait for the show to start}

PAL.WaitForTime(StartTime);

 

 

{Add show to queue}

Queue.Clear;

Queue.AddURL(ShowURL,ipTop);

 

 

{Fade to show}

ActivePlayer.FadeToNext;

 

 

{Precautions - if there is a brief disconnect or server problem,

then we would want to retry a few times to get back to the show.

To do this we place the URL a few times in the queue, followed

by some normal programming. That way we will try and reconnect until

the end of the show}

 

 

T := 0;

while T

begin

Queue.AddURL(ShowURL,ipTop);

CAT['Music (All)'].QueueBottom(smLemmingLogic,EnforceRules);

T := T + 1;

end;

 

 

{Wait for show to end}

PAL.WaitForTime(EndTime);

 

 

{Clear queue}

Queue.Clear;

 

 

{Fade to normal programming}

ActivePlayer.FadeToNext;

 

 

{--------------------------------------------------}

This is a variation to the TOTH PAL that I added earlier to this topic

Please use the Event Sheduler to start the PAL

If the start time is sheduled at 12:59:55 ... insert at Your Event Sheduler a command to load the PAL at 12:55:00

That way You are sure that the scripts is running (!)

 

RED commands :

- URL = add the 3rd party URL

- StartTime = if it has to start at the TOTH than write xx:59:55 (xx = insert hour)

- EndTime = the time were the script gonna stop running

- False = make Your PAL "False" and not "True" for reason if it runs at specific days (example = Monday and Friday), than You can insert to the Event Sheduler the days and hour where the script has to get started

(Otherwise, it gonna be loaded "every day" of the week)

- Queue Clear = that means that once the script is loaded it gonna clear the current playlist

- Precautions = the 3rd party URL gonna be loaded 5 times to the queue list to be sure that if the 3rd party URL has a downtime that at all time the queue list has a backup to reconnect to the URL

(You can / may change the amount to your needs)

- CAT = specify the category where content is located who has to be loaded to the queue "bottom" (to be played after the 3rd party show or if there is an unwanted disconnection of the URL)

- EndTime / Queue Clear / Fade to normal = at that hour the script gonna once again clear the queue list and gonna start loading the content of the regular clockwheel / format

 

The only thing that You need now ... is that the people of the 3rd party URL plays music

[SocaLUV]

The results that I described were after I set SAM to Auto DJ and Auto Recovery. I don't have it running now, but I will run after work.

[GKIye]

Some good advice ...

 

If You are willing to know if all works out with Your streaming software, please run it during several days (so also if You are at work and not home)

Making Your settings to AutoDJ and Auto Recovery are the most logical things to do

Running your software for several days (as test or other) is the only way to see / check if all runs smoothly, acts normal and stable

 

In fact testing Your settings by running it for several days is equal to all types of software

The results that I described were after I set SAM to Auto DJ and Auto Recovery. I don't have it running now, but I will run after work.

[SocaLUV]

This was the code that I used:

 

{ About:

This script will play a remote show inside SAM

The show starts at a specified time, and then ends at

another specified time.

 

The script also contains some error-correction code

that will attempt to connect to the stream up to 20 times

in case it goes down. We schedule one song between each attempt.

 

Usage:

a) Comple configuration below and start PAL script.

b) If this show is only in certain days you will need to modify the script to

only queue the show up during these days.

See the DayOfWeek function.

}

{ CONFIGURATION }

{==================================================}

const ShowURL = 'http://usa4.fastcast4u.com:5778/';

const StartTime = '13:30:00';

const EndTime = '13:40:00';

 

{ IMPLEMENTATION }

{--------------------------------------------------}

var T : Integer;

PAL.Loop := True;

 

{Wait for the show to start}

PAL.WaitForTime(StartTime);

 

{Add show to queue}

Queue.Clear;

Queue.AddURL(ShowURL,ipTop);

 

{Fade to show}

ActivePlayer.FadeToNext;

 

{Precautions - if there is a brief disconnect or server problem,

then we would want to retry a few times to get back to the show.

To do this we place the URL quite a few times in the queue, followed

by some normal programmming. That way we will try and reconnect until

the end of the show}

 

T := 0;

while T

begin

Queue.AddURL(ShowURL,ipBottom);

CAT['Tracks'].QueueBottom(smLRP,EnforceRules);

T := T + 1;

end;

 

 

 

{Wait for show to end}

PAL.WaitForTime(EndTime);

 

{Clear queue}

Queue.Clear;

 

{Fade to normal programming}

ActivePlayer.FadeToNext;

 

{--------------------------------------------------}

 

 

However, after some tweaking and a look at some code from this site:

http://www.radiodaddy.com/requests/topic/32534-sam-broadcaster-set-up-pal-etc-etc/

 

I got it working properly

 

Thanks for your time. I appreciate it.

[GKIye]

LOL

 

My goodness ... My sticky topics are still at RD ... a post ever made by Me in September 2007

Did You checked the name of the poster ? aka GKIye ?

Well thats Me ... !!

 

The same person ... the same guy ... but in meanwhile 7 years older and with some more gray hair

Thanks for the reminder ... LOL

However, after some tweaking and a look at some code from this site:

http://www.radiodaddy.com/requests/topic/32534-sam-broadcaster-set-up-pal-etc-etc/

 

I got it working properly

 

Thanks for your time. I appreciate it.