D&R Aircast Radio Automation Software

D&R Aircast Radio Automation Software.

Aircast is a light-weight, full-featured radio automation system for Microsoft Windows. It is targeted at small and medium-sized stations and for both terrestrial and Internet-based broadcast. It offers features often only found in some high priced, high-end professional packages. AIRCAST was designed to be as flexible and customizable as possible. It works with standard PC hardware, supports virtually any soundcard and offers an unbelieveable smooth integration with our AIRENCE mixers. You could see it as the ideal solution if you''re looking into upgrading your studio with a decent digital radio automation system perfectly matched with D&R's AIRENCE broadcast mixers. Integration with other D&R mixers is of course possible and we are working to get this as easy as with the AIRENCE mixers with its integrated AIRCAST control section. AIRCAST is also very scalable - it can be embedded into a complex networked studio environment (optional net work upgrade is necessary) or even run from a USB stick on your laptop when you''re on the road.

PLAYOUT SYSTEM

Playlist with Live Assist and Automation mode. The playlist contains all audio files that are going to be broadcasted during your show. The files can be played manually (live assist mode) or automatically (automation mode). You can toggle between these modes at any time.

SPECIAL PLAYLIST ITEMS

In addition to ordinary audio files, AIRCAST supports a number of special items that can be added to the playlist, e.g. Internet streams (for re-broadcasting), dummy items (non-playable items that can contain texts, notes etc.) and containers (virtual items that contain an arbitrary number of other items useful for advertisement breaks that consist of multiple spots).

LIVE FEEDS

Rebroadcast any line-in audio signal using the virtual Live Feed playlist elements.

CARTWALL WITH UNLIMITED SLOTS

The Cartwall can be used to play short jingles or other audio elements. The number of players/slots is technically unlimited. Cart sets/pages can be saved as favorites for quick access.

CONVENIENT PLAY-OUT AUTOMATION

AIRCAST offers numerous features that makes the presenters life easy, helping him or her to produce a perfect show. For example, fixed times are supported in Automation mode, so items can be started automatically at given times. The anticipated starting times of all items are calculated and displayed continuously for perfect back-timing. During the intro/ramp of a song, a large countdown is displayed. 

EVENTS

Using the Event Scheduler, you can execute ary actions at scheduled times, e.g. insert news items or load the playlist for the next hour from an AIRCAST data base (DB). This makes it very easy to set up a 24/7 automated program. 

VOICE TRACKING 

Use the integrated Voice Track Recorder to record new voice tracks directly from the playout GUI and add them to the current playlist.

AUDIO ENGINE

AIRCAST utilizes the BASS Audio Library for playback, which is known for its stability and flexibility and its excellent support for inexpensive standard PC hardware. 

SUPPORTED FILE FORMATS

MP3, MP2, MP1, OGG, WAV, and AIFF file formats. Additional formats can be added through free BASS add-ons.

DIRECT SOUND OUTPUT

AIRCAST works with any DirectSound compatible sound card.

REMOTE CONTROL

When integrating an automation software into a studio environment, you often want the software to communicate with your existing hardware, e.g. for fader-start/hot-start on your broadcast mixer, so the audio starts playing as you move a fader or press a button on your console. AIRCAST offers a number of remote control interfaces that make this possible. 

ANALOG BROADCAST MIXERS

Analog broadcast mixers often feature faderstart/hot-start contact closures. AIRCAST offers support for two different kinds of hardware  IOWarrior and joysticks/gamepads that can be used to build custom interfaces that connect to these remote start ports.The IOWarrior device can also be used to control external hardware from the software.

MIDI 

AIRCAST can also be remote-controlled by MIDI devices. You can assign arbitrary actions to any MIDI IN message, and also send MIDI OUT messages from a script.

OTHER REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISMS

Beside the interfaces mentioned above,AIRCAST supports remote control through customizable hotkeys and Window Messages from a third-party software. Of course, you can also use the mouse   most GUI objects are even optimized for touchscreen use.

WASAPI and ASIO SUPPORT 

In addition to DirectSound, WASAPI or ASIO can be used for low-latency audio playback and recording. 

MULTICHANNEL SOUND CARDS

The stereo outputs of multichannel sound cards (even cheap onboard 5.1 cards) can be used separately for the players. 

MULTICHANNEL AUDIO FILES 

Playback for multichannel (4.0, 5.7, 7.1 etc.) audio files is supported for DirectSound, WASAPI and ASIO.

INTERNET STREAMING

AIRCAST includes a built in streaming encoder that broadcasts the audio output of the players and/or a signal recorded from a soundcard input to any Shoutcast or Icecast compatible streaming server. Direct broadcast to the streaming server is supported even for PCs or servers that have no built-in audio hardware. You can broadcast the signal to multiple servers simultaneously, and use the Aircheck function to create audio files of the streamed signal (supported audio file formats subject to available codecs.) 

EXTERNAL DSP PLUG IN

In addition to the built-in effects, external sound processing plugins (in VST or Winamp DSP format) can be used in the encoder. 

DATABASE/SCHEDULING

AIRCAST is an SQL-based database backend for managing your audio library and music schedules. Setting up an AIRCAST database is optional  you can just load your playlist from the file systems but AIRCAST is much less powerful without it.

LOCAL AIRCAST DATABASE INSTALLATIONS

For standalone installations on a single PC, the AIRCAST database can use SQLite as thebackend all data is stored in a single file on For example, you can click/touch a cart player in order to start or stop it. (This feature can be turned off if you do not use a touchscreen.)

GRAPHICAL CUE EDITOR

The graphical Cue Editor allows you to edit the cue markers (ramp, fade out, etc.) of any item quickly based on a waveform image of the audio. Cue markers can be saved to file tags (selected file formats only) or metadata XML files for later use. 

MIX EDITOR

Using the Mix Editor, you can easily set up segues between audio items using a multichannel waveform view. The Mix Editor supports volume envelopes for voice tracking, and is available in both the play-out module and the AIRCAST DB management application.

MIXDOWN

The mix-down function allows you to create a single audio file of a sequence of audio files, including tracks recorded in the Voice Track Recorder, based the segues defined in the Mix Editor or Cue Editor, accurate to the sample.

LOGGING AND DOCUMENTATION

You can create log files of all played items in any customizable format. Logs can also be sent to an HTTP or SQL server in realtime. For example to display the last few songs on your website. If you re running a Shoutcast or Icecast server, AIRCAST can update the title on the server, even if you do not use AIRCASTs internal encoder.

FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE GUI 

The appearance of all elements in the playout window, and also their size and position in the main window, can be customized through skin and layout files. The integrated Layout Designer helps you to move the objects around. 

LICENSES

The software is licensed on a per-workstation basis. You need to buy a separate license on a dongle for each PC you wish to install the software on

SUMMARY

We hope this brief overview has given you a good insight into the potential of this new AIRCAST radio automation software. If you require further information please do not hesitate to contact us ,we will be pleased to assist you.

DEMO SOFTWARE

A trail version of the software can be found here

HIGHLIGHTS

•  Powerful, rock-solid play-out system.
  
•  Highly customized GUI with a clean and easy to use interface.
  
•  Excellent support for standard PC and audio hardware, works over USB or with any DirectSound, WASAPI or ASIO compliant sound card.
  
•  Various remote control mechanisms for fader start etc.,
  
•  SQL-based audio database with built-in music scheduling optional.
  
•  On-the-fly voice track recording.
  
•  Built-in Internet streaming encoder with support for external sound processing plugins.
  
•  And much more
  

DIRECT ACCESS AND INTEGRATION WITH OUR CONSOLES ARENCE

- 24 Control Switches encoder
- ON (USB channels only)
- CUE (USB channels only)
- FADERSTART (USB channels only)
 
AIRLAB-DT
- Faderstarts
- 24 Control Switches encoder (If Control module is present )
 
AIRLITE
- 16 Control Switches
- ON
- CUE
- FADERSTART
- SOURCE SELECT
- ON-AIR1/2
- CUE RESET
- …. And much more…

Sales Options/Add Ons

1. AIRCAST-6-STD is the basic software for standalone applications including Voice Track for LAN.
Only € 625,--
2. AIRCAST-6-STD-DB is the basic software for standalone applications, but now with an added Database server application, so the optional Management Voice Track option can now log on from another location (WAN).
Only € 775,--
3. AIRCAST-6-VT Management License Voice Track
For additional workstations that require AircastDB access, e.g. office or production PCs, we offer management VT licenses, with voice tracking support for a LAN. This works for AIRCAST-6-STD.
(If you want to use the Management VT from home (WAN) you need as basic package AIRCAST-6-STD-DB).
Only € 260,--