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Streaming with DTMF tones...?

L

Lazy J

I have 2 stations that are moving from a satellite Spanish format to a Spanish stream. The network emailed me the "technical data" which was just a clock that listed DTMF tones for the Local Break, Liner, etc. I inquired about how other stations were receiving the stream and decoding the DTMF tones, and I was told they would have to call me back. I have plenty of experience with streaming, but I have never seen this done.

Right now I am looking at a using a Barix Exstreamer 100 to get the audio and a Broadcast Tools DTD to decoded the DTMF tones to relay closures.

Anybody else run into this? I would like an all-in-one box that will receive the stream and decode DTMF if one is available.

Suggestion? Recommendations? Experiences?
 
Barix boxes can output closures too. What are they using on their end? DTMF seems kind of stupid in the internet age, especially since you're sending data down the line as is. Seems like there should be a way to make this work easier.
 
I had an interesting experience with tones imbeded in an internet stream. I don't know about DTMF but when we attempted to send 20 hz/30 hz tones they arrived at a different point in the programing than the point at which they were sent. i.e. they got there a second later. So we upcut the spot we were cutting away from each time. the identical feed comin to us by satelite supplied the tones in their proper place. You may find that you will have a bit of a problem unless the network gives you ample dead air to get out.
 
Several companies sell a unit to mute dtmf tones. This said, the money you spend on this unit if the tones are fed OTA Over The Air is well spent. There will be a slight tone noted prior to the mute.

There are also units that delay the audio and entirely mute the tones. Since this is network fed the slight delay should not be an issue.

The delayed audio is then fed to automation and the closure wired to automation. All parts arrive (after the slight delay) at the same time.

The Barix box will be great and the Barix tones can only be decoded if the Network uses them to feed. Not DTMF, proprietary with barix units. Which Network?
 
Yeah, the lossy encoding seems to make some sub audible tones hit or miss. When I was running a talk show originating from KMGX, we used embedded tones in the audio to signal a break, but sometimes the event didn't fire.
 
Ok, so I got it up and running. They are using standard DTMF tones to signal breaks, liners, Legal ID. They have a very brief pause in the audio (maybe half second) and then you hear the tones. To prevent misfires, they use two tones (like 1 8, 2 7, etc.). I purchased a Broadcast Tools DTD and ran the audio out of a Barix box into the decoded. I programmed the decoder to decode the proper tone sequence for each relay and viola! it worked great.

The only issue I have found is that occasionally the morning show guy like to talk over the tones and they don't get decoded. But enough complaining to the network and they have cleaned that up too. The station owner opted not to spend the extra money to silence the tones, because the AM station is the step-child of the group. Plus, it's a high energy Spanish station, so tones and beeps and bloops don't really sound out of place.
 
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