Metadata Sources and Filters

Overview

The metadata subsystem gives you the option to tag your audio stream with “now playing” text, album covers and other graphic information.

The metadata is received from an external system over TCP/IP or UDP, then passed to a metadata filter for parsing. RS-232 serial metadata will be supported in a future version. Once the filter detects a complete record, it sends the tagging information to the Stream Sender which includes it in the outgoing stream data.

Metadata Sources

From the main “Control Panel” window, click on “Metadata”. The Metadata window allows you to view currently defined metadata sources, define new ones, and manage metadata “filters”.

After you define metadata sources, they will appear in the metadata dropdown list in the encoder configuration dialog. Make sure to create the metadata source first, or go back and edit any of your encoders to add metadata support to the streams.

To add a new metadata source, click on “Add Metadata Source”. Metadata via TCP, or UDP is supported. RS-232 serial is not currently implemented.

TCP on specific port

This selection accepts metadata via a specified TCP port and processes it according to the selected Metadata filter.

Friendly name

Enter an easily identifiable “friendly” name for this metadata source (i.e. Kxxx Automation Metadata).

Local port to accept TCP connection

Enter the TCP port number where your automation or metadata management system will connect to send metadata to R/2.

Metadata filter

Select from the list of available “metadata filters”. The factory supplied metadata filters should cover a number of common applications. Contact technical support for additional information on creating or modifying metadata filters.

Click Save to save this entry, or Cancel to return to the Metadata screen.

UDP on specific port

This selection accepts metadata via a specified UDP port and processes it according to the selected Metadata filter.

Friendly name

Enter an easily identifiable “friendly” name for this metadata source (i.e. Kxxx Automation Metadata).

Local port to accept UDP connection

Enter the UDP port number where your automation or metadata management system will connect to send metadata to R/2.

Metadata filter

Select from the list of available “metadata filters”. The factory supplied metadata filters should cover a number of common applications. Contact technical support for additional information on creating or modifying metadata filters.

Click Save to save this entry, or Cancel to return to the Metadata screen.

Add Serial Metadata source

RS-232 serial metadata is not currently implemented in R/2.

Click Save to save this entry, or Cancel to return to the Metadata screen.

Manage Filters

R/2 is extremely flexible and can accept stream metadata from a number of different sources using metadata “filters”. These filters define the format of the incoming data and reformat it accordingly for stream now playing information. The “Manage Filters” screen allows you to delete existing filters, or upload new metadata filters to R/2.

TECH NOTE: Metadata “filters” are small mini-programs that translate the data received from an external source to tags that the stream sender can understand. Each filter is a separate file stored on R/2. These mini-programs are written using the Lua programming language. Technical Support can assist with developing custom metadata filters. You can find out more about the Lua programming language at http://www.lua.org.