These are options that you have when using setting blackouts (mute) to the stream:
Option #1) Manual Blackouts (Do Not Need RDS)
We have a manual application that will start and stop blackouts by clicking a button. Whenever you need to enter a blackout phase, you simply open the program and click on the Start Blackout button and then stop by clicking on the End Blackout button.
This method is by far the easiest and most universal way of using blackouts, the only drawback being that you need to have someone manually start/end the blackouts. The application can be placed either on the streaming computer or on another computer within your network.
Option #2) Hard Breaks (Cannot be using Injections / Do Not Need RDS)
You can set stop and start times for blackouts directly on the streaming computer using our software component. You will need access to the streaming computer to enter the times and dates. A plus about this method is the ability to schedule out blackouts in advance but you are unable to easily end the blackout before the end time
Option #3) Automation System Blackouts via RDS (RDS Required)
The third option requires some effort on your engineers / traffic behalf, but this is probably the best option to use as it gives you the most flexibility and does not require access to the streaming computer. The station engineer, or whoever handles the AMS, will need to create a new cart from a promo / station liner / psa with a modified title. This should be placed in the AMS category normally defined for these types of audio.
Modified title should become (make one item for each):
START BLACKOUT
END BLACKOUT
When you play one of these special triggers on air, this will start or end the blackout. You can send these through at any time and basically need to wrap them around the period you want to blackout.
Adding Blackout Content:
Once in blackout mode, it may pull some commercials down depending on your current day part constructions, and then it will make a random playlist from files in C:\media\localfill. You can load this with mp3 / wav / wma files of your choice. Please keep the lengths around 4 mins or less, as this will affect your rejoin time and stream delay coming back out of a blackout. Once the playlist is completed, the files are randomized into a new playlist. You can loop just one item if you wish. If nothing is in the folder, the blackout will be dead air.