POWER STUDIO

Live Sources

The Live sources page defines external sources that can be inserted into playlists or Clock Formats.

Live sources are often used for outside broadcasts, news feeds, remote studios, syndicated content, sports, church services, council meetings or any other source that is not a normal library track.

Configure live sources before they are needed on air. A live source should have a recognizable name, a tested route or URL, a realistic default duration and a fallback plan.

Live Input

A Live input is normally a local device or mixer route.

Configure:

  • Description: operator-facing name.
  • Device: the audio device or route used by the source.
  • Default duration: planned duration when inserted into a playlist or format.

Use Live input sources for local codecs, outside-broadcast feeds, studio tie-lines or other hardware routes.

Choose descriptions that presenters recognize immediately. Location set, News codec or Studio 2 cleanfeed is more useful than a technical device name.

Live Input Tips

For hardware or mixer-routed sources, test the full path:

  1. Confirm the external device sends audio.
  2. Confirm the mixer or audio interface receives it.
  3. Confirm Power Studio receives the selected device.
  4. Confirm the level is appropriate.
  5. Confirm what the presenter should do when the source ends.

If the source is a codec or outside-broadcast line, agree who calls whom and when the line should be ready. The technical route can be correct while the operational handover is still unclear.

Web Stream

A Web stream is an internet or network stream.

Configure:

  • Description: operator-facing name.
  • Url: stream URL.
  • Retries: how many startup attempts are made.
  • Reconnects: how many reconnect attempts are made after interruption.
  • Default duration: planned duration.

The application settings provide defaults for new web streams. The values shown in the screenshots use three retries and two reconnects.

Internet streams are less predictable than local audio routes. Test them under realistic network conditions and always plan what should happen if the stream is late, silent or unavailable.

Web Stream Tips

Use the direct stream URL whenever possible. A webpage URL is not always a playable stream URL.

For streams used in automation, keep retries and reconnects realistic:

  • Too few retries can fail on a brief network delay.
  • Too many retries can delay fallback audio.
  • A stream that frequently needs reconnects should be investigated before being trusted for unattended broadcast.

If the stream provider offers several formats or bitrates, choose the most reliable format for the station's network and player environment, not necessarily the highest bitrate.

Broadcast Planning

For live sources, always decide:

  • who is responsible for starting the source;
  • what the expected duration is;
  • what should happen if the source is not available;
  • whether a presenter must manually continue, or automation may continue;
  • whether the source should be recorded or logged.

Do not rely on a stream URL that has only been tested from a browser. Test it inside Power Studio, because the player has to open the same URL, handle the same format and recover from the same network behavior.

See Live Sources And Streams for planning and fallback advice.

Operational Checks

Before using a live source in a real show:

  1. Insert it into a test playlist or Clock Format.
  2. Start it from the same workstation that will be used on air.
  3. Let it run for longer than a quick start test.
  4. Stop it and confirm the next playlist item behaves as expected.
  5. Test the fallback plan.

For recurring live sources, schedule a periodic check. Stream URLs, passwords, provider formats and external hardware routes can change without Power Studio itself changing.