Below are a number of tips and tricks to help make your broadcasting life a little easier. This topic will grow as OtsAV evolves and as we collate more tips and tricks from our broadcast customers.
Note: We have provided the Broadcaster tips Browse Sequence, see above, which will walk you through a number of broadcasting related topics. If you are unable to view the Browse Sequence toolbar click on the links at the bottom of this topic.
You are able to play Wave files directly in OtsAV. The Wave file format is often the file format choice for radio stations/broadcasters due to the high quality that the Wave format provides.
Wave file playability means that you can quickly load jingles, stingers, and station ids directly into OtsAV without first converting to the Ots file format.
Scheduling and Logging is able to schedule OtsAV to run your station 24/7 with virtually no interaction. For detailed instructions on configuring Scheduling click here. For detailed documentation on Scheduling & Logging click here.
With a command line argument you can launch your station automatically by double-clicking an OtsAV icon. This feature enables your DJ staff to simply load OtsAV and Scheduling without needing to know the details. For details on building an icon for this purpose click here.
With Scheduling & Logging you are able to schedule and time perfectly into a news feed at the top of the hour. For details click here.
If you wish to Schedule the loading of an .OFL list file you can easily convert an .OFL file to a template file by renaming the file suffix to .OTM.
OtsAV is a very popular internet broadcasting tool. You are able to integrate OtsAV with the SHOUTcast DSP plug-in which enables you to broadcast the output of OtsAV to a SHOUTcast server. For instructions on integrating the SHOUTcast DSP click here. We have heard of customers using other DSP plug-ins like the SAM DSP, Oddcast DSP, and the Windows Media encoder.
If you are running Windows 2000/XP/Vista, and you have a multiple quantity license, you are able to run multiple instances of OtsAV and therefore multiple streams/channels. Each instance of OtsAV is able to connect with a separate SHOUTcast plug-in and maintain a separate Media Library. This feature is great for broadcasters and background solution providers who run multiple output channels. For details on configuring OtsAV to broadcast multiple streams click here. For details on configuring multiple instances click here.
With OtsAV you are able to route an external news or satellite feed through the Live Input subsystem. This is a great feature for broadcasters who receive a feed from a central news source. For details of configuring OtsAV for these feature click here. You can also configure the Live Input system for silence detection, click here for details.
OtsAV has powerful playlist directives that enable the automation of a whole range of tasks. For example, loading list files, creating a fixed length pause, stopping and re-cueing the next item (for an announcer break), time syncing a particular item to the clock, etc. Click here for details.
One of the most powerful directives is the Time Sync directive. The Time Sync directive, when placed before an item, will cause that item to play at the time specified in the Time Sync directive. Click here for details. For an understanding of how this feature works in conjunction with Scheduling click here.
There are a number of OtsAV functions available via keyboard shortcuts. For a detailed listing of OtsAV keyboard shortcuts click here.
It is important to backup your Media Library file periodically, to avoid losing all the hard work you have put into building your Media Library. Click here for instructions.
If you would like a greater understanding of Dynamics Processing click here.
You are able to hide Items which have a rating of zero from view in the Media Library and Search dialog box. This feature is handy if you do not want Items available for play, e.g. Items with explicit lyrics. Go to Options -> Media Library & Search Dialog -> and select the Hide Items which have a rating of zero option. If your item queries in your Playlist Templates have the rating > 0 criteria then these Items will be excluded from the playlist at generation time.
You are able to toggle between displaying the Playlist on the left-hand side or across the full Playlist/Media Library area by right-clicking on the Playlist title bar.
You are able to toggle between displaying the Media Library, Work Area, or History List in the Media Library area by right-clicking on the Media Library title bar.
We recommend that if you are serious about your audio that you optimize your computer for audio. For instructions click here.
How to launch your station from an icon
How to integrate the SHOUTcast plug-in
How to broadcast multiple streams
How to backup your Media Library
Scheduling & Logging reference
Understanding Dynamics Processing