Just switched to Zara free version 1.6.2 as my audio source with a new(refurbished) computer(Acer tablet with detachable keypad).
Works great with the fade and overlap.
But in the selector for playback modes the shuffle which should shuffle the list of tracks(all 3350 of them) doesn't do anything. the list stays the same as it went on. the other playback settings work as they should. This shuffle feature isn't that important as I use the random mode anyway but has anyone an opinion on why the shuffle feature doesn't seem to function?
Also the silence detector which should skip to the next track when no audio is there like the end of a song where there's some quiet time for a few seconds doesn't seem to do anything. Is 0 db quieter or louder than -15 db for example. Confused at the terminology and don't know which is quieter....a minus db or plus db. Does this function need the studio pay version or should it work on the free version?
Thanks for the advice. The computer has a Intel pentium 4200 quad core, latest generation, which is comparable to the i 3 the Zara requirements and 4 gb of ram. Windows 10 home.
0 db is louder than -15db (at least in the real world).
I've never used those features, so can't comment on whether they should be working or not.
Many Years with Zara
That's right, Zero deciBels is "standard level", setting the loudest point of reference.
Anything in the (+) plus range, i.e., +10 dB, is above standard level and probably "over modulating", and anything below 0 dB is less then or below the top reference level, i.e., -7 dB.
I also have never used "shuffle" since I do not program music; only talk programs.
The best expert on Zara is Johny from RagFM so maybe he'll have a comment.
Just figured out the shuffling of the playlist watching a tutorial on youtube.
Was a small trick to it....you had to click on the playlist icon and do it from the drop down menu.
A really great automated system. Works great 24/7.
Thanks for your input.
The selector won't shuffle until the entire playlist has been run though, when it reaches the end it will automatically shuffle. The shuffle feature functions better than "random" in not allowing duplicates to be played.
0dB is louder than -15, typically leave that setting to default. If it doesn't seem to be working edge it up a db or two and see what happens. If you really don't want there to be gaps the best method is to tag each audio file with an overlap command "~x" where x=seconds. For Example "ZZ Top - Legs~2.5" would tell zara to overlap at the final 2.5 seconds.
Thanks.
With 3350 tracks(including id's, jingles etc would be months going through to see the seconds of no audio on each track! lol.
Seemed to get the silence detector and the overlap set so some of the tracks with some quiet space is not that significant. Most of the time the next starts as the other ends.
The random feature is good because with so many songs the chance of repeat in close proximity to when it played before rarely happens. And if anyone is listening and hears a song they like if just on repeat that song wouldn't be heard again for a month!
As a listener to my own station if it plays in a certain order I would then get to know what is coming next but random is like a "real station" and you never know what will play next.
Great program and the Sean Cuthbert comp/limiter has EQ so works nice with Zara between the computer and the transmitter.