Re: WLYN Now // WUMB!

[SteveOrdinetz <steveord@bit-net.com>]

  Aaron 'Bishop' Read wrote:

>Also, just using a Winamp playlist on random is not legal - there's no way 
>to realistically ensure that Legal ID's will be played at the proper 
>times.  And don't kid yourself, a Winamp playlist on random sounds exactly 
>like a Winamp playlist - it's VERY obvious to listeners.   But I'll grant 
>you there are several very inexpensive (many under $100) automation 
>solutions out there that sound pretty good....provided your staff puts the 
>effort into setting up playlists (which is easier said than done).


Dunno if it's still available on their website, but there's also Arrakis' 
Digilink Free.  It's a little cumbersome to set up, and if you need tech 
support you have to pay, but if college kids can figure out how to hack 
into the Pentagon, this ought to be a piece of cake.  Can't beat the price 
(same as Winamp!).


>And a dial-up remote is not always an easy thing, either.  Usually a 
>simple ~$500 DTMF/relay-closure box like a Broadcast Tools DC8Plus is not 
>sufficient - you need monitoring too.  That usually means something more 
>like a Gentner/Burk VRC2500 - which are more like $3000 or $4000.

You can get away a lot cheaper than that...a Sine RFC-8 will cost you $1500 
or so...again, a bit clunky but if you're on a shoestring budget it'll do 
the job and keep you legal.


>What I am saying is that automation has gotten a bad rap for two reasons: 
>corporate automation that puts the emphasis on the bottom line by cutting 
>costs too much - so it sounds bland.....and sloppy automation that puts 
>the emphasis on zero effort from staff and sounds bland.  Automation can 
>literally sound as good as the real thing...but it takes effort, finances 
>and commitment...three things not always found at college stations.


What little bad rap modern automation (as opposed to old tape-based 
automation which had reliability issues) has comes mostly from radio geeks 
who seem deeply offended that all stations don't have live djs playing 
whatever they feel like 24/7.  Automation is a tool, nothing more, nothing 
less....sure automated stations CAN sound bland, but so can live 
radio.  You mentioned WTBU (and frankly most other college/high school 
stations) being full of well-meaning but barely listenable programming so 
live isn't necessarily an improvement.  Don't even get me going on 
ultra-left wing divel like Pacifica.