Remote Capabilities in the Age of Coronavirus with RCS

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RCS2GO Helping Broadcasters All Over The World Work From Home

Thanks for sharing your work from home stories!  Lou Nash @Lou_Nash, Eloise Carr @Eloise_C, Carlos @carlosradioguy, Miri Green @Miri_Green and Paul Sylvester @paulsylvester75

 

 

Question and Answers in the Time of Remote Workflows

On Tuesday, RCS hosted their first of many Facebook Live sessions in which they’ll answer any questions from users, provide examples of certain remote options and overall be available twice a week for piece of mind and reassurance that RCS’s line of flexible products can assist users in executing their normal workflows in unprecedented times.

During the latest session, RCS covered each product’s remote capabilities, like the new Zetta Remote package, which is priced for stations on a tight budget that need remote access for the safety of their staff, as well as legacy mobile products like RCS Remote and iPush. After breaking down each product’s feature set, we dove into Morning Shows and how stations can combine multiple sources from different locations into their automation. For example, stations can use Audio Routing  to duplicate one Morning Show on one station to another, utilize Audio over IP to combine multiple sources in a board to a single output, or implementing a traditional FTP approach in which they reconfigure their clock structure to feature Hour 1 Segment 1 (H1S1) into Hour 1 Segment 2 (H1S2), etc… With Auto Import configuration and/or remote audio importing, users can record their next segment while their previous segment is on air. Don’t forget to duplicate your clocks and grids instead of replacing positions, so that when we all can return to our studios, users simply swap back to their original clock and grid structure.

Anticipating that multiple location inputs is the next significant piece of remote broadcasting, RCS has already begun work on a tool to combine each air talent’s source, combine them and send to automation. Stay tuned to future RCS Question and Answers in the Time of Remote Workflows for any updates.

RCS will be live to answer questions on any RCS product in the upcoming weeks. The first session’s date and time will float during the first half of the week and the second session will be locked in for every Thursday at 11am (NOTE: All times will be Eastern).

Remote Capabilities in the Age of Coronavirus

How does Zetta, GSelector and NexGen adapt to your health policy changes?

In these troubling times, broadcasters are faced with the difficult challenge of how to keep stations on air, while maintaining the safety of their employees. The reality is that we are facing a possibility that broadcasters will not have access to our studios and have to work remotely, which begs the question, “How does Zetta, GSelector and NexGen adapt to your health policy change?”

The good news is that each RCS product is uniquely qualified to allow you to continue to create schedules, add commercials and voice track, all from the safety of your home. After countless conversations with RCS Clients expressing their questions and concerns, RCS hosted a Facebook Live discussion to elaborate and demonstrate how RCS products can keep you on air.

All of RCS’s 2GO line of products, including Zetta2GO and GSelector2GO, can be accessed from wherever, as long as the user has an Internet connection and security authorization, like a VPN. They aren’t apps that need to be downloaded from an app store and can be used across platforms like Mac, PC, iPhone, Android, iPad, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc…Multiple users can simultaneously access their data and make real time changes. During the discussion, RCS covered topics that ranged from scheduling their log, controlling the station, to adding new audio and voice tracking.

Starting with the schedule, GSelector2GO is filled with many of the same GSelector Client features. Users can access their GSelector2GO by going to http://YOUR_GSELECTOR_SERVER/selector2go. Don’t know you the name of your GSelector Server? You can find that information in GSelector under Help and About. Your server name will be listed, usually with a /GSELECTOR. No need to include /GSELECTOR, only the first half. To login, usernames and passwords are the same as your local GSelector. Once in, users have access to their Song and Link Libraries, Clocks, Scheduler, Editor, Analysis and more. To scheduler your log remotely, simply go to the Scheduler and choose your desired date range. If you’re integrated with Zetta, once the log is scheduled, it will immediately be available in Zetta. For those who don’t utilize Zetta and GSelector’s live integration, then they can use the “Export Schedule” icon from the Scheduler tab to export the log to the local automation. NOTE: This step does require an Export Schedule configuration that can easily be setup via a call or email to RCS Support: 914-259-4900 or support@rcsworks.com.

With the log scheduled, users can manipulate and massage the log in GSelector2GO’s Editor. The keystrokes are the same as GSelector Client, for example Control + K to open the Consideration Window. Any changes that are made to the GSelector2GO log are instantly reflected in the local GSelector. Again, all done remotely.

Next, RCS demonstrated how Zetta2GO allows the user to actually control the station, even their actual air shift. Zetta2GO can be accessed from https://YOUR_ZETTA_FILE_SERVER/Zetta2GO. Just like GSelector, you can find the name of your server by going to Zetta’s Help and About. To log in, use your local Zetta username and passwords. Just make sure that users are authorized to access Zetta2Go via the User configuration in the Zetta Client.

Zetta2GO’s On-Air module can play, pause, stop, change modes, and switch Chain Types. The Logs module can move present or future scheduled elements up or down, add new elements, as well as link to the corresponding Voice Track module. There, users can voice track or adjust the segue of any transition, no empty Voice Track positions necessary.

Zetta2GO also has Hot Keys that can be played over the air or locally cached audio for voice tracking purposes. Users can adjust the volume with the Hot Key volume control so that they’re not fighting with the talent’s voice track. Using the Library, users can continue to add new audio via drag and drop or searching through Windows Explorer. Then they can set marks and any desired metadata. Again, all of these new pieces of audio and metadata are instantly accessible from the local Zetta.

Both Zetta2GO and GSelector2GO can be now solutions for users who aren’t already implementing these workflows. Zetta2GO operates with open seats that can feature an unlimited number of users. Usually Zetta2GO seats can be purchased in 1-5 quantity packages and can be activated with short turnover time. Since it’s part of their contract, GSelector2GO is available right now to all GSelector users. Just don’t forget VPN access for those users who are outside of the GSelector network domain.

But what happens if your engineer is the one who cannot make it to the studio? What is your backup plan if they can’t make it in and your Zetta server crashes, hard drive fails, or another potential disaster occurs? For those issues and more, RCS recently released Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery. Truly a Cloud-Based solution, Zetta Cloud was written on Amazon Web Services, following AWS security protocols and is not a virtual machine in the cloud. Think of Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery as an additional station in another market – only in the cloud. Using Site Replication, any schedules, new audio, metadata changes, and backups are all instantly uploaded to Zetta Cloud. Once needed, users can access Zetta Cloud from their cell phone or any Internet browser, like Zetta2GO, and deploy the Zetta Cloud stream. Built with its own encoder, Zetta Cloud can be pre-configured to broadcast from any destination via online URL, be it a local stream or a direct connection at a transmitter site. Once Zetta Cloud is enabled, users can continue to control the station just like Zetta2GO. The On-Air module can control the on-air product, the Logs can adjust the scheduled playlist and voice track with corresponding Voice Tracker, and the Library allows the user to add new audio or adjust current metadata. Once the local station has recovered, the user can restore the backups from Zetta Cloud onto the server, restore any audio as demanded by the scheduled log, and then users can simply deactivate their Zetta Cloud.

For those Zetta users that require some of the Zetta Client features not available in Zetta2GO, RCS introduced a brand new bundle: Zetta Remote Studio. Users will have the same access to specific Zetta modules and workflows as they would if they were in a production studio. With Z-Cast enabled, any new audio, metadata, logs and voice tracks will be sent directly to the local Zetta Server. Think of Zetta Remote Studio as Zetta Client without the ability to control the on-air sequencer. Since Zetta Remote Studio is linked to an existing Zetta Server, new users can expect quick and efficient turnaround with phone installation from an expert RCS field technician.

There are even some legacy solutions for NexGen users. Although they don’t have as much control and flexibility as Zetta2GO, mostly due to technology advancements, there are options. Most NexGen users prefer to install NexGen Remote Studios, which is essentially a standalone NexGen production environment, linked to the local server. Users can voice track and manipulate the local log. Since the NexGen Remote Studio acts as an off-site production machine, users will not be able to control the on-air product as they would with Zetta2GO or Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery. There are some additional apps, like RCS Remote, which can control basic on-air NexGen commands and insert macros or the option to insert just voice tracks, but again, if you’re looking for a true remote “live” studio, Zetta2GO and Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery offers more features with better mobile control, flexibility and unlimited user logins, no matter who or where they need to access the database.

For Sales, there’s even Aquira2GO, in which users can add new proposals and have them approved, attach audio, adjust metadata and maintain their daily call calendar or forecasting. For management, they can run reports for daily revenue, including pacing and budgets. Simply use the url: http://your_aquira_server/aquira2GO with your local credentials.

Many stations are frantically developing contingency plans in the possibility that their on-air staff and producers will be forced to work from home and will not have direct access to their stations and databases. During their Facebook Live discussion, RCS offered a wide array of solutions, both that can be implemented today as well as scheduled in the short term. But as it is with an insurance policy, you don’t get health insurance after you break a leg. So now’s the time to identify your backup plan and if you don’t have access to these solutions, it’s time to reach out to your local RCS Sales Representative for assistance on how you can keep your staff on-air, keep commercial traffic running, and not risk losing your day to day workflows.

Schedule and massage your log with GSelector2GO. Then control your on-air product, add new audio and voice track across multiple users with Zetta2GO.If there is an emergency and your engineer cannot make it into the studio, activate Zetta Cloud Based Disaster Recovery to keep you on the air in the short term, while continuing to control what’s playing, adding new audio and again, voice tracking from anywhere. For NexGen users, install NexGen Remote Studios or control basic features with apps like RCS Remote.

No matter what combination you use, RCS is here to help provide solutions during these unique times. Don’t hesitate to reach out to RCS Support with questions, social media with your concerns (www.Facebook.com/RCSSoundSoftware), or contact your local RCS Sales Representative at www.rcsworks.com.

Remote Capabilities in the Age of Coronavirus. How does Zetta and GSelector adapt to your health policy changes?

Driven by our customers, RCS is hosting an open discussion on mobile workflows to keep you and your station on the air – safely.

Join us Thursday March 12th at 11AM Eastern on Facebbook Live

We’ll showcase how users can VoiceTrac, add audio elements, and created schedules from Zetta2GO and Selector2GO. We’ll discuss, what happens if the Engineer is the one out and no one can make it into the studio?

If you have Zetta2GO, you can do this right now. And if you run into an issue with hardware, Zetta Cloud Disaster Recovery can help you immediately. If you want to get things done from any location, you need to take a look at the RCS2GO lineup.

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