iPump 6420 User’s Manual
www.wegener.com 800070-01 Rev B Chapter 3, Page 93
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 centrally-controlled services provided by their satellite brethren: live media
(music/talk/news etc.) play, local spot insertion, cueing closures, RBDS messages, etc.
* 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 Compel-over-Internet and HTTP file
downloads. Also, since Microcasting requires an accurate time-of-day clock reference, the unit
will need to be set for NTP and be given the IP address of an accessible time source. To support
this, the local implementer must ensure permanent, reliable internet access for the i6420.
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, loop-forever playlist, or to just turn OFF.
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 re-initializes
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 YYYY-MM-DD-n.seq in the /u/user/.sysconfig/sequences
directory, where the first part is the date code, and ‘n’ is the Decoder (port) number assigned to
do Microcasting.* If found, then the unit begins processing the file, executing the instructions
therein. If not found, then the unit looks in the same directory for another file named default-
n.seq. If that is found, where ‘n’ matches, then the i6420 proceeds to use that file for its daily
schedule. If neither file is found, that Decoder remains silent until the next opportunity for re-
initialization.
* 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 good-faith effort to skip that content and continue running