Playlist

The On Air Playlist displays the selected station’s current playback status and upcoming schedule. The AAE controls the actual automation and audio playback; the playlist screen sends commands to the server and then updates from the server-confirmed state. Always confirm that the correct station is selected and that the screen shows a valid connection before making on-air changes.

Now Playing display

The large panel at the top shows the cart currently on air, including its cart number, title, artist, EOM setting, and remaining time. The heading identifies the current operating mode, such as Automation or a satellite source. During an EOM overlap, the display may also show the outgoing and incoming items.

The playlist beneath it normally begins with the next event to air. It includes the current and following hour as needed.

Start — The scheduled or projected start time. While automation is running, ordinary events are recalculated from the current playback position. Timed and floating events retain their clock-based times.
Cart # — The audio-library cart number.
Title — The cart or scheduled-event title.
Artist — The artist or other descriptive information.
Runtime — The total duration of the event.
EOM — The number of seconds before the physical end of the file when the following event may begin. This allows audio to overlap instead of leaving silence between items.

Rows are color-coded according to their audio or event type. Music, spots, jingles, breaks, commands, satellite events, and other event types have different colors. Maroon rows with white text identify music automatically added by the AAE to fill an under-scheduled Automation hour. Clicking a row selects it for functions such as Info, Delete, or Cut; simply selecting a row does not play it.

Playlist controls

Start Automation / Stop Automation

Start Automation begins automated playback with the first available row currently presented in the playlist. After starting, the button changes to Stop Automation.

Stop Automation stops the automation sequence from advancing. If audio is already playing, it may be allowed to finish instead of being cut off immediately. The current playlist position is retained so automation can continue from the appropriate position if it is restarted during the same hour.

Next / Stop

While automation is running, Next immediately advances to the next playlist event. This also turns off Loop mode if it was enabled.

When automation has been stopped but an audio file is still playing, this button changes to Stop. In that state, pressing it stops the remaining audio immediately.

Fade

Fade performs a four-second fade on the hard-disk audio currently playing and then advances to the next playlist event. Fade is only available when automation is running and a hard-disk audio file is playing. It is normally preferable to Next when a smooth transition is desired.

Pause / Play

Pause pauses the current automation audio and freezes its remaining time. The button changes to Play, which resumes playback from the paused position. Pause is ignored if automation is not running.

Loop

Loop causes the current audio file to repeat continuously. The button remains highlighted while Loop mode is active. Press Loop again to disable it, or press Next to end the loop and advance to the following event.

Loop should be used cautiously because automation will not proceed normally until looping is turned off or the operator presses Next.

Info

Select a playlist row and press Info to view its cart number, title, artist, runtime, EOM value, and audio type. If no row is selected, the current event is used when available. This is an informational function and does not alter playback.

Delete

Press Delete to arm Delete mode; the button becomes highlighted. Then click the playlist event to remove. The AAE sends the request to the server and refreshes the playlist after the server confirms the deletion.

Delete changes only the active runtime playlist. It does not delete the audio file from the Audio Library or remove the event from its original Scheduler clock. Press Delete again to cancel Delete mode without removing anything.

Cut / Paste

Use Cut to move an event to another position within the same hour:

Press Cut. The button becomes highlighted.
Click the audio event that should be moved. The button changes to Paste.
Click the destination row. The event is inserted immediately above that row.
Wait for the AAE to confirm and refresh the playlist.

An event cannot be moved from one hour into another using this control. Press the highlighted control again to cancel the operation.

Reload Hour

Reload Hour discards runtime changes made to the current hour and restores that hour from the permanent Scheduler schedule. It does not stop or restart the audio currently on air.

After reloading, the entire hour is shown from the top, including events that may already have aired. This is intentional so the operator can review and correct the restored hour. Use Delete, Cut/Paste, and other playlist-editing tools as needed, then use Next or Fade when ready to join the restored playlist. Because this function discards temporary playlist edits, it should be used carefully.

Volume controls

The L and R meters show the left and right output levels for the on-air player. The vertical slider controls the player’s output volume, and the percentage below it shows the selected level.

Press Mute to silence the on-air player output. Press it again to restore audio. Raising the volume slider above zero also requests audible output if the player is muted. Use these controls carefully because they affect the station’s actual on-air player output.

Recommended operating procedure

Before starting automation, confirm that the correct station is displayed, the playlist has loaded, the first upcoming event is correct, and the audio output is not muted. Press Start Automation and verify that the Now Playing information and countdown begin updating. During operation, use Next for an immediate change, Fade for a smooth four-second transition, and Pause only when playback must temporarily stop.

After deleting, moving, adding, or reloading events, wait for the status message and server-confirmed playlist refresh before issuing another edit. If a command fails or the playlist does not update, verify the server connection and avoid repeatedly pressing transport controls until the current playback state is known.

Dual Play

Dual Play alternates playlist audio between the Play 1 and Play 2 sound cards assigned in the Arrakis Automation Engine (AAE).

In the AAE, confirm the sound-card assignments for Play 1 and Play 2.
On the On-Air screen, click Dual Play. The button changes color, and the second volume control appears.
Playlist audio alternates between the two outputs as each event starts:
Play 1 → Play 2 → Play 1, and so on.
Use each output’s volume slider and Mute button to control its audio independently. In LAN mode, the meters display the audio on each output. During an overlap, both outputs may show activity.

Click Dual Play again to disable it. The current event finishes on its existing output; subsequent events use Play 1. If an event is still playing on Play 2, its volume control remains available until that event finishes.

Ball Games: Starting a game automatically disables Dual Play. Games continue using their normal Play 1 output and existing game controls. Enable Dual Play again when needed after the game.

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