- #Tunetracker radio automation software software#
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In fact, TuneTracker will soon gain "infinite walkaway" capabilities, which will make the system attractive in even more radio-related situations. The station can then practically (or literally) run itself, with or without the interventions of a live host or DJ.
#Tunetracker radio automation software software#
A competent disc jockey or station manager can use good automation software and a good audio database to put together a day's or week's worth of programming in one sitting. Increasingly, radio stations are recognizing that this is work which can largely be done by computers. Radio stations schedule their programming on the basis of "format clocks." These "clocks" are like audio programming templates, which let station managers specify that news and traffic happens at 17 minutes past the hour every hour, with station IDs broadcast every 10 minutes, four commercials every 15 minutes, and that the rest of the time is filled with music - a rock-out hit followed by a classic cornball ballad followed by an oldie, for example.įrom these format clocks, program logs are generated by having someone (or something) plug actual track references into the template. Marco Nelissen's SoundPlay provides many functions integral to TuneTracker's operation.
#Tunetracker radio automation software code#
* TuneTracker consists of code contributed by Cedric Degea, Christopher Plymire, and yours truly. TuneTracker does a really nice and accurate job of driving thumbtacks," says Dane.
"A lot of people are being sold sledgehammers to drive thumbtacks. With more than 20 years of real-world experience in the radio game, Dane recognized an opportunity waiting to happen, put together a package, and is effectively selling a BeOS software solution to organizations who couldn't give a stuff about the OS Wars. But that fact hasn't stopped him from mustering the collective skills of a few volunteers*, the free-as-in-beer status of BeOS Personal Edition, and the unique capabilities of BeOS. What's even more remarkable is that Dane Scott is not himself a software developer. The stations that adopt TuneTracker don't necessarily care that it runs on BeOS, only that it fills a vacancy in the world of overpriced and finicky radio automation software. Rather, the system is sold to radio stations looking for a good automation solution, rather than to individuals looking specifically for BeOS software.
#Tunetracker radio automation software download#
In fact, TuneTracker isn't even available for download from its own web site. A remarkable exception can be found in Dane Scott and his BRS TuneTracker radio automation system.Īside from its technical capabilities, which we'll get to in a minute, one of the most impressive things about TuneTracker is that it doesn't appeal only to existing BeOS users. But we rarely hear from BeOS developers who are making a go of it in vertical markets. Questions like compatibility with older software and mass-market buy-in are less important in vertical niche spaces than they are on the general user's desktop.īe recognized and reacted to this fact when they re-focused their attentions on the appliance market.
The client has a need to fill and is ready to spend money. When people buy an expensive turnkey video or audio editing box, they don't necessarily care (or even know) on which operating system the solution is running. That's why vertical markets make more sense for relatively obscure platforms like BeOS. What the world wants are compelling solutions.
#Tunetracker radio automation software windows#
On its own, great performance is not sufficient reason for people to drop their piles of Windows or MacOS software and switch to BeOS. If there's one lesson BeOS users have learned over the past five years or so, it's that when it comes to operating systems, the world at large doesn't respond readily to even the most impressive technical specifications. BeOS Runs Radio Stations TuneTracker Finds Traction in Broadcast Arena Scot Hacker, June 2001