DTS Connected Radio (CONRAD) with Center Stage Live (CSL)

Overview

DTS Connected Radio™ enhances the radio experience by adding internet connectivity to deliver additional benefits and features to the radio experience. DTS Connected Radio is compatible with the following Global Radio formats: FM, DAB+, and HD Radio®. Post now playing information as well as artwork such as station logos, free artist images, or station assigned artwork for programming/host, contests, concerts, advertiser logos or any other station images for a better listener experience.

Now playing information displays artist/titles/album information for music events or informational promotional or commercial messages during non-music segments. Artwork includes artist images available free from DTS Connected Radiotm or station assigned artwork via the CSScheduler modules included in the Center Stage Live (CSRDS) package.

Scheduling Local Content, Artwork and Affidavits

Use our CSScheduler to schedule any number of informational, Promotional or Commercial campaigns with artwork by station, date, time of day, day of week. Schedules can also be linked to an on-air event or added as a fixed time event when pre-empting regular programming.

Regardless of the scheduling option, scheduled events can be marked for verification and will be logged for client affidavits and if linked to the Inovonics FM/RDS or HD monitors the copy will be verified using the copy received over the air and coded as a confirmed Broadcast event. If desired, use CSScheduler to replace assigned images with your own artwork. For information on scheduling copy with artwork see CSScheduler RDS Quick Start.pdf)

CSScheduler can also be used to assign your own artwork to your music events. Simply Select the Image Editor command, select your station and EventID and assign the desired image.

(Note: Artwork may be copyrighted so ensure you have the rights to use this image and ensure the image meets the HD Radio Artwork Specification.)

Adding DTS Connected RadioTM for free to your Center Stage Live Data Casting system.Prerequisites: Your DTS Connected RadioTM credentials and CSRDS version 9.6.5000 or higher.

To Get your DTS Connected RadioTM Credentials

DTS Connected Radio is developing a web service to provide your DTS Credentials. Until then send the DTS Credentials form to support@arcticpalm.com and we will send the info to DTS Connected radio to get your credentials. To get your credentials now:

 

1. Click Here to download the DTS Credentials.pdf and print 1 copy for each station (broadcast)

2. Enter the Call letters and location information for each station (Parent) and any linked broadcasts (HD, Simulcast/Translators) associated with the Parent station.

3.Scan the completed document and e-mail it to support@arcticpalm.com

4. When received the information will be used by DTS Connected Radio to generate your DTS Credentials file which will be e-mailed to the address included in the document.

Configure CSRDS for DTS Connected RadioTM

1. Save the DTS Connected RadioTM credentials file on the computer running CSRDS.

2. In CSRDS Select Properties from the Tools Menu and click the HD/IP Output Tab.

3. Click the Blue “Import DTS Credentials” area and use the Browser window to select the credentials file for this instance of CSRDS.

4. Once selected you will be prompted to confirm the credentials are for the correct station.

5. Once confirmed, Click OK in the Properties Window to Save the settings and return to the main CSRDS Controller Window.

6. Click F5-Start to put CSRDS back On-Line

(Note: Repeat this process for all satellite/remote instances of CSRDS) to get artwork for satellite programming and posting satellite metadata to Hybrid Radio)

CSRDS will now post your metadata to DTS Hybrid Receivers and retrieve artist images for use on HD or other applications.

To Update your Center Stage Live Software:

1. Ensure your support license is up to date. If not contact Arctic Palm Sales with the station id’s as defined in Center Stage and to bring your support license up to date and activate your live updater.

2. Exit all Center Stage Live programs, Run CSScheduler and select Check For Updates from the Tools menu.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

(The updater will verify your license, check for updates, backup your existing installation then download and install the latest versions)

4. When completed, restart all Center Stage Live programs and configure each instance for DST Connected Radio as shown above.

Not a Center Stage Live Site…Get the Free 30-day Trial

If you are not a current Center Stage Live (CSRDS) site and would like to try Center Stage Live check the CSRDS Quick Start.pdf. Starting about page 7 there are some information to consider before installing Center Stage followed by the link to download the trial, the installation and basic configuration instructions. Detailed instructions are in the CSRDS Configuration Guide in the PDF directory on the install set. This is a free 30-day trial and should you decide to purchase Center Stage Live you will receive an access code that turns the trial into a live installation.

The Artist Experience Requirements

To post metadata to and receive images from DTS Connected RadioTM you will need to contact DTS Connected Radiotm for your credentials, CSRDS Version 9.6.5000 or higher and HD RadioTM JMSAC module version 2.0.2 or higher. The JMSAC module is available (normally free of charge) from your transmitter manufacturer

Art Work

Included with your DTS Connected RadioTM credentials is access to artist images that can be used free of charge. Station owned artwork or artwork from a service such as PRSS’s Content Depot MetaPub service is also supported. Album Cover Art as copyrighted material is available from Quu for a fee.


For station controlled artwork the Center Stage Live content scheduling module “CSScheduler” provides the tools to assign artwork to all scheduled messages. Messages are scheduled by Station, Date, time of day and day of week. If desired the message can be linked to an on-air event (campaign) or set as a fixed time for pre-empted programming. If desired CSScheduler can be used to override DTS Connected Radio
TM images with station owned images. (see CSScheduler RDS Quick Start.pdf)

HD Radio receivers have a specific requirement for artwork that must be 170×170 to 200×200 pixels, in a true jpg or png format and less than24kb in size. Since these images are transmitted as part of the HD broadcast smaller is better. A properly formatted 8-12kb file will display well, require less overhead and get to the receiver much faster than a 20-24kb file.

HD Radio Artwork Timing

Depending on several factors including available bandwidth, number of HD channels and artwork file size the time required to get the artwork to the HD Receiver, can take several seconds. As such, artwork for short term events may not get to the receiver before the next event is played resulting in the station logo being used. Where possible the automation system should be configured to send 3-5 next events so the artwork for the next event can be staged while the current event is playing.