Migracija na Jazler Soho

Hi RadioStar users! This document is to thank you for the trust you have shown us all these years as we deeply appreciate it. As a token of our appreciation we have this document informing you about what has been changed from RadioStar, what behavior you should expect from and what is new in SOHO. This is not the manual of operation of SOHO, it is as heads up document about changing your radio automation from RadioStar to SOHO and the changes made. RadioStar users, welcome to your SOHO!

 

Summary

We will cover the changes, improvements and features/functionalities added in chaptersand so here we go.

Operating System
– SOHO has 32bit and 64 bit version
– Windows 10 or newer
– Net Framework 4.5.2

 

Database Engine

RadioStar is using the Microsoft Access as database engine. However, since an SQL server adds more options and functionalities, SOHO is now using Microsoft SQL server as the database engine.

But what this means to the final user?
– Remotely (from different internet connection) connect to your Studio databases either as SOHO Studio or as a SOHO Workstation without any implications and dangers that exist in Access
– Even more possible connections to the databases either from local or remote network and ability to manage the databases simultaneously.
– More stable
– Option to decentralize your database engine by using another computer for the SQL server. This option has the benefit that the Studio computer is no longer the single point of failure. If your Studio computer for some reason does not operate, you can simply run the SOHO Studio from any other computer
– Better handling of bad network situations and network disturbances
– Multiple SOHO Studios connect at the same time at same database.
– There is the offline mode which enables SOHO Studio to operate as a production Studio without interfering with the broadcast logs, commercial breaks broadcasted and song selections made, as was the case with RadioStar.

 

Studio Interface

The Studio interface was designed to be as user friendly as RadioStar’s. You will notice the different choice of colors that make it easier to the eye to handle and stay long hours in front of SOHO Studio.

– Different layouts to help you manage the window and monitor of SOHO as you wish. There are options for a clean and simple layout but also the one with 3 tabs to show at any time as information as possible
– Secondary Studio screen for those who need a 2nd monitor to have even more information easily accessed
– Microphone input is now integrated in SOHO
– Specially designed clock to help keep track of time and be accurate with your actions
– Drag and drop is now supported for adding songs to the decks and rearranging them. You can also drag files from your Windows Desktop of file manager directly to SOHO decks
– Images from audio files can now be extracted or even assig yours to the songs. They are also displayed on Studio while the track is playing
– Wave forms of tracks are now displayed while a song is playing
– Direct access to the soundcard settings from Studio
– Tabs can now be closed and opened as you wish showing the information you want
– Separate tab showing track info and the reasons a track was selected by SOHO
– Option to hide the hotplay buttons of each track for those who do not use them and want to have a simple and clean interface
– Commercial breaks are now inserted and shown in SOHO as a reference. Meaning till the last moment that the break will be unpacked, any potential changes in the break will be taken into account. Also, the break can now be easily rearranged as you only have to change the position in decks of the break reference
– Right click on decks and on top player to switch view

 

Libraries

Songs

– Added broadcast analytics to quickly check when your songs broadcasted
– Images and album art now supported for each song
– Added bookmarks functionality to help you manage the songs
– Added hook in and hook out times for each song for future (very close) usage Spots
– Breaks in studio mode are now added as a break reference
– Mass import spots (when prompted to select audio file, select many spots and they will all be added in the campaign)
– Easier handling of multiple audio files in one spot record/campaign
– New programming mode/window is being prepared (under development) to make spot scheduling even easier
– Start immediately option for each day of week
– Reconciliation of spots with traffic software will be soon available
– Playlister codes can now cheeked from spots database

 

Jingles, assets, sweepers, voice tracks

– Added option to mass import
– Added export to playlister, export the track details in text file
– Recording a voice track was never easier with the new visual editor supporting multitrack voice tracking

Memos
– New library designed for using memos and viewing them in Studio. Very useful for the producers.
– Creating new memos
– Importing files as memos
– Attaching memos to tracks
– Opening memos in Studio

 

Scheduling
Scheduling got totally changed in SOHO. But at the same time there is the option to run scheduling just like RadioStar until you feel ready to try the SOHO auto.

Classic auto
The classic auto is the way Jazler RadioStar selects songs and operates. More specifically, you set the number of decks to appear on Studio and then classic auto make sure there are
always that many selected tracks. The track selections follow your scheduling and if you set 11 tracks to be always loaded on decks, then once 1 track broadcasts and there are 10
selections, classic auto will immediately make the next selection to fill the 11th deck. To make SOHO automatic pilot just like the RadioStar’s do the following:
a. Set at song selection settings, selection randomness 8
b. Make sure in settings, general settings, studio that the Classic auto is enabled

SOHO auto
The new auto, fetches by default the scheduling for the next 2 hours and loads them on the decks. Once the time comes, SOHO auto will fetch the next hour.
The track selection is again made following your clocks. The difference and advantage of SOHO auto is that you have on your Studio decks what will be broadcasted the next 2 hours.
Please note that the number of hours can be changed by user.

 

Comparison table

Schedule	Classic auto (RadioStar)	New auto (SOHO)
Track selection	Based on clocks	Based on clocks and the other scheduled items
How Studio decks are filled	Fills the predefined number X of the decks – There are always X decks filled to broadcast	Creating and loading on decks at once, what will be broadcasted for the next X hours
Breaks/Commercials	Inserted on decks at time of break	Already taken into account and loaded on decks
Playlists	Inserted on decks at scheduled time	Already taken into account and loaded on decks
Force clocks	Inserted on decks at scheduled time	Already taken into account and loaded on decks
Rebroadcast	Inserted on decks at scheduled time	Already taken into account and loaded on decks
Emergency track selection	Fills the X predefined decks	Compensation tracks in order for next commercial break to play at programmed time
Exact broadcast time of scheduled items	Not supported – The scheduled item will be inserted when schedule time comes and will wait for current playing track to end	Knows exact broadcast time of scheduled items – They are already ingested and loaded on the decks

As you can see from above, in SOHO auto, you will not be taken by surprise. The studio decks will be filled with the exact programming and what to be broadcasted for the next hours. The broadcast time is also there and you know when the scheduled item will start playing.

For RadioStar users, classic auto is the way they worked till now and you can continue working such way. Once you feel ready to proceed to SOHO auto you can change and of
course the change can be reverted at any time.

 

Important notes about music rotation, song selection and scheduling

 

– Final log lets you schedule the days to come by creating 24 hour playlists. Once the final log is reviewed and saved, SOHO will play the final log exactly as is. It takes into account all items scheduled, specifically playlists, force clocks, commercial breaks and rebroadcast and if nothing else is scheduled, the main auto scheduling (clocks) is used.

– Added option selection randomness that defines how SOHO will select the next tracks. At 0, SOHO will play all the songs of a category until all of them have at least 1 broadcast. Only after all songs are broadcasted, SOHO will start making repeats. Any other value than 0 cannot guarantee the no repeats until all got broadcasted but adds random factor in the song selection making it less predictable and diverse.

– Avoid same song played yesterday the same hour

– Song Selection Rules

– Song separation as a global automation rule does not exist anymore

– Breaks can now be referenced in the playlists (no need for the spot files to be defined during playlist editing)

– Rebroadcast source as backup option in case the main source fails

– Playlists can or cannot override (replace) previous playlists

– Visual audio editor, advanced multitrack voice tracking

– SOHO auto enables SOHO when opening, to play scheduled playlists when they should be if SOHO was already open and running. For example when you start SOHO at 16:17, SOHO auto will check which playlist should have been playing and will start playing the track that was supposed to be playing at this time

– Enhanced RDS that can be parametrized. Even if the driver does not exist in supported list you can still connect and send the RDS data.

– RT+

– RT can now be scheduled based on day and time of day

– More RDS keywords available

 

Settings

Soundcards and audio output

– 32 bit audio processing

– ASIO support

– A-B interchange output

– External (USB) sound cards now supported

– Changing soundcard no longer requires program restart

– Option to use without soundcard – useful for web streaming

– Microphone input

 

Users & Security

– Enhanced security system

– More privileges available for each user

 

Logs & paths

– Custom logs now have even more options and many new keywords – reconciliation with traffic software now possible

 

Audio folder Mappings

– Audio folder mappings now make audio access from different computers piece of cake

 

Utilities

Internet updater

– TuneIn metadata officially supported

– HTTP GET and POST requests on track change

– Upload image via FTP for each track when it is broadcasted

– Option to use album cache when uploading via FTP to avoid sending same images

 

Streaming encoders

–  Integrated streaming encoders

– SOHO server option to make SOHO a streaming server

– Embedding metadata in the stream

– Embedding station image in the stream (Shoutcast v2 only)