Hi All,

We're trying to get an idea of the different methods stations are using to switch on-air control between different playout machines.

The 2 most common scenarios that we are aware of are:

1) At the end of Live Programming, the last presenter sets an Automation PC going (in a rack or wherever) and routes that direct to air, leaving the studio computer free to be used for production, or just to be powered down to save power.

2) The traditional switch from being live on-air in Studio 1, to being live on-air from Studio 2.

In these scenarios you will presumably be releasing on-air control from the "current" onair playout pc, then using some sort of remote control tool or physically controlling the "next" onair playout PC to get it to the right point in the log, then setting it On-Air, routing it's audio live to transmission in some way before then pressing GO to finish the job.

What we're interested in knowing is how you go about doing this? Although this is done in an awful lot of stations, we are always hearing new and different ways that stations are achieving this same switchover.

If you are regularly (or not so regularly!) doing this, could you take a moment and post here to let us know how you are doing it? Also, any pitfalls that you have when doing it and how you educate your users on the best way to manage it all?

Thanks!

------------
Peter Jarrett, Technical Director
Broadcast Radio Ltd.

Bill Bailey: No win, no fee, no basis in reality. Just a room above a minicab office in Acton and a steady stream of greedy simpletons whose delusion is only matched by their clumsiness