---
title: "Setting up the Built-in RDS Generator"
slug: "configuring-rds"
updated: 2026-10-26T18:43:57Z
published: 2026-10-26T18:43:57Z
canonical: "docs.telosalliance.com/configuring-rds"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.telosalliance.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Setting up the Built-in RDS Generator

Omnia XII provides Radio Data System (RDS) generator controls as part of the standard MPX configuration features.

RDS data is routed through Omnia XII composite output. Supported features include station ID, traffic, and program details.

You can set these controls in the web UI only. These configuration controls are not included in the front panel touchscreen.

## Navigating to the RDS Dashboard and RDS Menu Tabs

The RDS dashboard gives you access to settings for various RDS functions via menu tabs in the top right corner of the page. Each menu page provides the same four menu tabs to easily navigate between the pages and to return to the dashboard. The dashboard also provides display panels of RDS information, as configured in the other RDS menu pages.

**To display the RDS Dashboard and RDS menu tabs:**

1. From the **FM / HD Processing page**, click the **MPX** tab.

This provides a view of header meters, two scope meters (**MPX Spectrum** and **MPX Scope**) in the next panel, **Monitor** controls and a block diagram with menu tabs in the middle panel, and respective menu controls in the bottom panel.
2. Click the **RDS Gen** tab in the block diagram.

The **RDS Dashboard** page opens. It includes menu tabs for **RDS Dashboard**, **Basic RDS**, **Metadata**, and **Settings**.

## Configuring RDS Settings

Before you configure basic RDS settings, you must first configure a collection of standard RDS settings.

**To configure RDS settings:**

1. Navigate to the RDS dashboard. See *Navigating to the RDS Dashboard and RDS Menu Tabs*.
2. Click the **Settings** tab.
3. In the **Base Config** panel, click the **Country** drop-down menu and select your country and the ITU region your country belongs to. These preconfigured settings that are regulated by ITU for your region, like the first character of the PI code (except for USA) and ECC code.
4. (Optional) Check the **Override ITU Standard** box if you want to set your PI code and ECC manually. Generally, this not recommended.
5. In the **History Length** box, set how many RDS changes you want to display on the **RDS Dashboard** page. The minimum is one.
6. (Optional) In the **Remote** section, configure settings to externally control basic RDS functions. See **Configuring Remote Control of Basic RDS Settings**, and then **Configuring Basic RDS Settings** to set up the functions.
7. Click **SAVE SETTINGS** to save the settings.

## Configuring Basic RDS Settings

Basic RDS settings include your station ID, traffic information, program details, AF (Alternative Frequencies), and other RDS options.

Some of the settings configured in **Basic RDS** (such as program ID, type and details) display on the RDS Dashboard page.

**To access Basic RDS settings:**

1. Navigate to the RDS dashboard. See *Navigating to the RDS Dashboard and RDS Menu Tabs*.
2. Click the **Basic RDS** tab.

**To configure Station Identification:**

1. In the **Station ID** section, type your program identification number in the **PI (Program ID)** field.
2. In the **PS Mode** drop-down menu, select the desired mode.
  - **Static**: Displays a static PS (Program Service) name, as entered in the **PS** field.
  - **Dynamic Mode 0**: Scrolls by eight characters the text entered in the **DPS (Scrolling Program Service name)**.
  - **Dynamic Mode 1**: Scrolls by one character the text entered in the **DPS (Scrolling Program Service name)**.
  - **Dynamic Mode 2**: Scrolls by one word at a time the text entered in the **DPS (Scrolling Program Service name)**.
3. If **Static** was selected, type in the desired **PS** (Program Service) name.
4. If a **Dynamic Mode** was selected, edit the **DPS (Scrolling Program Service name)** and **Speed (sec)** fields.

The **Current PS** box displays the current program service name to the right of **Default PS**.
  1. In the **DPS (Scrolling Program Service name)** field, type in the text that should scroll as a program service name.
  2. Set the **Speed (sec)**; the interval in seconds for PS to be updated,

For example, with a setting of 5, the PS updates every fifth second, and for a setting of 10, the PS updates every tenth second.

> [!CAUTION]
> Warning! Setting the speed under 5 seconds is not recommended. The RDS standard program service name was designed to be static. PS does not have an A/B flag like RT (Radio text) has (an A/B flag tells the receiver when the text has changed, receivers also store RT text in two different buffers for faster updates). PS has no such functions. This means that a fast update of PS can result in no PS being displayed at all, which is more common on newer receivers.
5. In the **RT (Radio Text)** field, type in the desired text.
6. Click **SAVE RDS** to save the settings.

**To configure Traffic Settings:**

1. (Optional) **Enable TP (Traffic Program)**.

This enables a static flag, indicating that the station regularly broadcasts traffic reports, allowing car radios in Traffic Search mode to tune in.
2. (Optional) **Enable TA (Traffic Announcement)**.

Enable this setting when broadcasting a traffic announcement. This sets the TA flag, so compatible receivers temporarily interrupt the current audio source and switch to your station for the duration of the announcement.
3. If **TA (Traffic Announcement)** is enabled, set the **TA Time-out**.

This is a failsafe safety timer (in seconds) that automatically clears/turns off the active TA flag if the announcer or automation forgets to reset it, preventing car stereos from getting permanently stuck in traffic-interruption mode. A setting of 0 = no timeout.
4. Click **SAVE RDS** to save the settings.

**To configure Program Details:**

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** These settings provide the text description of your current program and define how they are transmitted.

1. In the **PTY (Programme Type)** drop-down menu, select a type: **0 — No programme type defined**, **1 — News**, **2— Current affairs**, **3 — Information**.
2. Select how your station transmits the text description by enabling **Use RT** (Radio Text), **Use CT**, or **Dynamic PTY**, as desired.
3. If **Dynamic PTY** is selected, type in a program type name in the **PTYN** field, up to eight characters.
4. Click **SAVE RDS** to save the settings.

**To configure AF (Alternate Frequencies):**

1. In the **AF (Alternate Frequencies)** section, click the **ADD AF** button.
2. In the **Add AF** dialog, set the radio station **Frequency** (such as 87.5) and a **Title** (such as your transmitter location).
3. Click **SAVE**.

**To enable optional Other RDS Options:**

1. In the **Other RDS Options** section, click the **Outdated RDS Options** reveal triangle.
2. Enable any RDS features as needed.

These include RDS features that the Omnia XII can still generate even though they are no longer supported by the standard (IEC 62106-2-2018) and newer receivers may not respond to the fields when enabled.

Here are the fields that can be enabled:

These RDS features have been marked obsolete and are no longer supported by the standard (IEC 62106-2-2018:
  - **Stereo**
  - **Artificial Head**
  - **Compressed**
  - **Music**
  - MS (Groups, 0A, 0B, 15B)
  - Selected DI codes (mono/stereo, artificial head, compression)
  - Language Code
3. Click **SAVE RDS** to save the settings.

## Configuring Remote Control of Basic RDS Settings

Basic RDS functions can be controlled via text commands over TCP or UDP, or RestAPI. See *Configuring Basic RDS Settings* to set up the functions to be remotely controlled.

For a full list of command functions, see *TCP and UDP Commands*. If using Rest API, see *RestAPI Endpoints*.

**To set up Omnia XII to remotely control basic RDS functions:**

1. Navigate to the RDS dashboard. See *Navigating to the RDS Dashboard and RDS Menu Tabs*.
2. Click the **Settings** tab.
3. Check TCP to control basic RDS functions via text commands over TCP.
4. Check UDP to control basic RDS functions via text commands over UDP.
5. Set API.
  1. Check **Rest API** to control basic RDS functions via RestAPI.
  2. Check **Use Token** to secure the RestAPI call with a header token.
  3. Type in the token name in the **API Token** box.

For more information, see *RestAPI Endpoints*.
6. Click **SAVE SETTINGS** to save the settings.
7. Set ports for TCP and UDP in Docker/Portainer.
  - TCP default port: 9001
  - UPD default port: 9002
  - RestAPI default port: 80 (which is the same default port for the webpage).

## **RDS Remote Control Reference Material**

After RDS remote control has been configured, you can control the RDS generator by using either TCP/UDP commands or RestAPI.

### TCP and UDP Commands

| Command | Description |
| --- | --- |
| help or HELP | Show all commands |
| RDS? | Show all RDS commands and current values |
| **Set and Get Info** |
| PS? | Get PS (Programme Service Name) |
| PS=”HIT FM” | Set “HIT FM” as PS |
| TA? | Get TA mode |
| TA=1 | Set TA active |
| **Base Commands** |
| PI | PI (programme identification) |
| PS | Current PS (Programme Service Name)* |
| PSDFLT | Stored default PS |
| RT | Radio Text |
| RTM | Radio Text enabled. 0=Off, 1=On |
| RTP | RT+ (Type, Start, Length, Type, Start, Length) |
| PTY | Programme Type (1-31) |
| PTYN | Programme Type Name |
| TP | Traffic Programme Identification 0=Off, 1=On |
| TA | Traffic Announcement Identification 0=Off, 1=On |
| TATIME | TA timeout (in seconds); 0= no timeout |
| DPS | Dynamic PS message (scrolling PS) |
| DPSM | Dynamic PS Mode (0 to 3, static PS -1 or S or OFF |
| DPSS | Dynamic PS Scroll speed (in seconds) |
| ECC | Extended Country Code |
| AF | Alternative Frequencies (comma separated list) |
| LONGPS | Extended Programme Service Name (LPS) |
| ERT | Extended Radio Text |
| MS | Music/Speech, 0=Speech, 1=Music |
| DI | Dynamic PTY Indicator (PTYI) using DI, 0=Off, 1=On |
| CT | Clock Time and date, 0=Off, 1=On |
| **Returns** |
| OK | Request Accepted |
| NO | Unknown or Bad Request |

*PS cannot be set if Dynamic PS (DPS) is active.

### RestAPI Endpoints

Omnia RDS has two endpoints for the API.

- [http://omniards-ip/api/v1/nowplaying](http://omniards-ip/api/v1/nowplaying)

This endpoint sends metadata to Omnia RDS via a POST command; a GET command reads the data.
- [http://omniards-ip/api/v1/basicrds](http://omniards-ip/api/v1/basicrds)

This endpoint updates RDS info on Omnia RDA via a POST command; a GET command reads the data.

Both endpoints can be protected via a token to be included in the header of the API call.

## Populating RDS Fields Using a Template

The **METADATA** page lets you create multiple metadata templates with different RDS data. You can then select which template you want to enable for use.

For example, a playout system can send Artist, Title, and Category information to Omnia XII. A metadata template can automatically populate RDS RadioText with content such as:

**Now Playing: Mamma Mia – ABBA**

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** All fields in RDS have a limited number of characters.

### Creating a Metadata Template

**To create an RDS metadata template:**

1. Navigate to the RDS dashboard. See *Navigating to the RDS Dashboard and RDS Menu Tabs*.
2. Click the **Metadata** tab.
3. In the **New Metadata Template** dialog, configure template settings.
  1. Check the **Enabled** box to make template settings editable.
  2. Type in a **Title** (such as an operator label) if desired and a **Playout Category** (such as song, ad, or news).
  3. Type in the **PS** (Program Service name) or leave the field blank to keep the default.
  4. In the **PTY Code** drop-down menu, select **Keep Default PTY** or **0 — No programme type defined**, **1 — News**, **2— Current affairs**, **3 — Information**.
  5. In the DSP (Dynamic Program Service and RT (Radio Text) fields, click the respective plus (+) sign and then add text or tags.
  6. To use RT+, check the **RT+** box, click the **Art Tag** drop-down menu to add an **Item.Artist**, and then click the **Title Tag** drop-down menu to add an **Item.Title**.
4. Click **SAVE**.