iPump 6420 User’s Manual
3.7.1.Microcasting (aka “Automation Mode”)
Microcasting is a new premium feature offered in the WEGENER iPump6420.* This allows the functions of the customer automation system to be embedded in the remote field i6420. Because of this, i6420s with no satellite access may provide operating radio stations with the same rich set of
* Microcasting is often called by its former name, “Automation Mode”, in many WEGENER user interfaces and documents.
In order to implement Microcasting, the network must first place schedules, playlists, and media content on the target iPump6420s. Because remote i6420s “doing” Microcasting may have no satellite access, this often must be done using
The schedules are simple text files. Within them, are sets of instruction primitives, written in a special automation language. Some of these primitives give instructions for various operations, such as file plays, playlist plays, relay closures, and RBDS outputs, all such outputs being directed to the correct Port. Other primitives supply metadata about 1) how to chain the various operations together (including overlap of multiple audio files), 2) where to wait on external events (such as a PIO input closure), or 3) whether to start operations at fixed times. Suffice it to say, that these sequence files feature all the tools necessary to simulate a working radio station. But it is not within the scope of this Manual to give more detailed information about how to create such files. So if you are implementing Microcasting, and need to build your own sequence files, please contact WEGENER Customer Service for help.
The playlists and audio content placed on a Microcasting i6420 are the same things used by traditional iPump6420 functions. After the network properly positions these playlists and content, then one or more of the i6420 Audio Decoders (ports) must be permanently assigned to do the Microcasting task (again, also called “Automation” in many user interfaces). After that, operation begins and continues, automatically, so long as schedules, playlists, and content are supplied to the i6420 well ahead of their needed use. To later disable Microcasting on a Decoder, a user only needs to issue a command to go to some other permanent setting, whether live audio,
Microcasting is initiated and run in the following manner. Initialization always begins after Microcasting is permanently assigned (started) on a Decoder. Once started, it also
1)5 minutes before midnight (per local timezone rules), or 2) after unit reboot. At all those times, the unit looks for a file named
*Note that there is a soft link to another location under /u/user/assets, so that sequence files may be downloaded and managed in the same fashion as other assets.
Note that if content is missing from the i6420 at the time the running schedule calls for it to play, then the unit will do its best
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