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Hey Guys,
I have the Zara Radio Automation software, which is very nice!! However, as I have been fooling around with it ..I ran into a samll delima. I can’t seem to get Zara to read the temp files. I converted them to the TMPXXX.MP3 but when I click on the temp Icon in the program it says it doesnt exist. Also I did place the temp files in the temp folder as suggested.. but still no luck. Any advice will greatly appreciated! One more question…. How does weather watcher actually work with zara? I dont really understand this part either.Hey Guys,
I have the Zara Radio Automation software, which is very nice!! However, as I have been fooling around with it ..I ran into a samll delima. I can’t seem to get Zara to read the temp files. I converted them to the TMPXXX.MP3 but when I click on the temp Icon in the program it says it doesnt exist. Also I did place the temp files in the temp folder as suggested.. but still no luck. Any advice will greatly appreciated! One more question…. How does weather watcher actually work with zara? I dont really understand this part either.
Thnx for the help.
new member.
Jim
Total posts : 45366by MRAM 1500 kHz
Is your “Temp” folder located in the proper place? The path should be C:Program FilesZaraSoftZaraRadioTemperature. Of course, I’m using version 1.4.4 but check the info in the 1.6 manual again carefully and make sure the path is correct.
I don’t have version 1.6 loaded up here so I can’t check that for you right now. I have it on a laptop at work so tomorrow I can see if version 1.6 is different.
Weather Watcher gets its info from the Internet. It puts the info into the order specified in the “export” setup screen. The info is exported to the location that you specify in Weather Watcher. Then, you tell ZaraRadio where to find the info and if you have it in the right order, ZaraRadio simply picks out the temperature and humidity values. From there it knows what to display on the screen and which audio files to play.
I told Weather Watcher to put it at C:Program FilesZaraSoftZaraRadioWeather44221.htm and used the default order:
Location: [Location]
Condition: [Condition]
Temperature: [Temp]
Feels Like: [Feels]
Dew Point: [Dew]
Humidity: [Humidity]
Wind: [Wind]
Visibility: [Visibility]
Barometer: [Barometer]
UV Index: [UV]
Sunrise: [Sunrise AMPM]
Sunset: [Sunset AMPM][Updated]
In ZaraRadio “options”, “TTH”, select “Import from file” and put the location of the weather info that Weather Watcher grabbed.
Total posts : 45366[quote=mram1500]by MRAM 1500 kHz
Is your “Temp” folder located in the proper place? The path should be C:Program FilesZaraSoftZaraRadioTemperature. Of course, I’m using version 1.4.4 but check the info in the 1.6 manual again carefully and make sure the path is correct.
I don’t have version 1.6 loaded up here so I can’t check that for you right now. I have it on a laptop at work so tomorrow I can see if version 1.6 is different.
Weather Watcher gets its info from the Internet. It puts the info into the order specified in the “export” setup screen. The info is exported to the location that you specify in Weather Watcher. Then, you tell ZaraRadio where to find the info and if you have it in the right order, ZaraRadio simply picks out the temperature and humidity values. From there it knows what to display on the screen and which audio files to play.
I told Weather Watcher to put it at C:Program FilesZaraSoftZaraRadioWeather44221.htm and used the default order:
Location: [Location]
Condition: [Condition]
Temperature: [Temp]
Feels Like: [Feels]
Dew Point: [Dew]
Humidity: [Humidity]
Wind: [Wind]
Visibility: [Visibility]
Barometer: [Barometer]
UV Index: [UV]
Sunrise: [Sunrise AMPM]
Sunset: [Sunset AMPM][Updated]
In ZaraRadio “options”, “TTH”, select “Import from file” and put the location of the weather info that Weather Watcher grabbed.[/quote]
HELP!!! I have tried to get Weather Watcher to export,but I cant browse to the folder,it wont open it no matter what I do.I’m sure I am missing something simple but totally frustrated at this point. I made a folder in Zara called “weather” and a subfile called “current.htm” but WW wont browse to it.Zara wont browse to it either,what the heck am I doing wrong here??? Regards,Lee
Total posts : 45366I know I pulled some of my remaining hair out when I first set up WW. But, once I figured out what I wasn’t doing, it’s been fine.
Where did you tell WW to export its information? This is done in the initial setup of WW. You don’t mention this step.
Where did you tell ZaraRadio to find it? It has to agree with where you tell WW to put it. This is done in ZaraRadio options setup.
Let me know and we’ll go from there.
Total posts : 45366I went out to dinner and came back and it was working! Go figure! The Zara manual needs a BIG re-write! WW wouldnt let me browse to the folder,so I put it in manually,Zara wouldnt browse to it because it hadnt put a file there yet! Now how to figure out sweepers and how to get Sound Solution to stop chopping the audio on overlaps…Oh,and I put pirate weather in as an internet stream but Zara wants a run time and it changes,is there a better way to do this so I dont have to keep changing the time to play? I really like Zara 1.4 and want to realize its full potential. Guess I will disable sound solution for now….. Regards,Lee
Total posts : 45366Ahh yes, the overlap audio problem…
The problem is with the plugin I’m told. Seems it can’t process more than one audio file at a time. Turn off the plugin and ZaraRadio overlaps audio files just fine.
I simply quit overlapping even though I like the effect. I’d rather have the processing that SoundSolution provides as it works quite well after tweaking.
As for the changable length of the Pirate Weather, I set the run time just a little longer than I anticipate the stream to last and shorten the “Silence Detector” time. That way I always stream the whole forecast and the silence at the end is acceptable. It’s a delicate balance so as not to cut-off other programs that may have silence in them also.
Sweepers? I thought that was only in later versions (v1.6) of ZaraRadio. I tried v1.6 but couldn’t live without the plugin capability. I suppose I could spring for an outboard processor.
Glad to hear the WW started working for whatever reason. What voice files do you use? I recorded my own “time” files but I’m using the BSI “temperature” files. Currently I’m not using the “humidity” reporting feature.
The manual for ZaraRadio v1.4 was not available in English so I used the Google Translate to do so. The grammar was sometimes nearly impossible to figure out so parts of the translation were my own best guess. I had to create my own screen shots for most of the manual as the originals were not in English.
I haven’t really spent much time trying all of the ZaraRadio features but I offer my assistance on those that I have used.
Have fun.
Total posts : 45366Ahh yes, the overlap audio problem…
The problem is with the plugin I’m told. Seems it can’t process more than one audio file at a time. Turn off the plugin and ZaraRadio overlaps audio files just fine.
I simply quit overlapping even though I like the effect. I’d rather have the processing that SoundSolution provides as it works quite well after tweaking.
As for the changable length of the Pirate Weather, I set the run time just a little longer than I anticipate the stream to last and shorten the “Silence Detector” time. That way I always stream the whole forecast and the silence at the end is acceptable. It’s a delicate balance so as not to cut-off other programs that may have silence in them also.
Sweepers? I thought that was only in later versions (v1.6) of ZaraRadio. I tried v1.6 but couldn’t live without the plugin capability. I suppose I could spring for an outboard processor.
Glad to hear the WW started working for whatever reason. What voice files do you use? I recorded my own “time” files but I’m using the BSI “temperature” files. Currently I’m not using the “humidity” reporting feature.
The manual for ZaraRadio v1.4 was not available in English so I used the Google Translate to do so. The grammar was sometimes nearly impossible to figure out so parts of the translation were my own best guess. I had to create my own screen shots for most of the manual as the originals were not in English.
I haven’t really spent much time trying all of the ZaraRadio features but I offer my assistance on those that I have used.
Have fun.
[/quote]
I am running v 1.4 and I dumped Sound Solution to clean up the overlap stutter,I use Zara AGC and an outboard EQ. I am using some files by an Englishman that was posted on their forum for time and temp,works great! I will probably re-do them along with the HUM files soon. The WW files have varied between 57 seconds and 88 seconds,I wonder if an external program could fetch the podcast and insert the mp3 in the tree? That would cure the time problem completely! I know there is a way to set up events in the playlist,I just need to figure it out. I want to run the news,with several breaks for id’s,commercials,ect then resume the music playlist. I could upgrade to v 1.6 now that I dont use plug-ins I suppose. I wish someone would re-write the manuals so the common man could understand it,I just may try myself as I have written manuals before. I will take all the help/advice I can get!
Regards,Lee
Total posts : 45366Did you mean Pirate Weather files vary in length rather than WW files? All the WW program does here is provide the text stats which ZaraRadio uses to trigger the correct temperature/humidity voice files. WW did have an option to download the current weather forecast as an MP3 file but it didn’t always download and later not at all.
There are freebie programs out there that will take common text files and convert them to speech. Some good, some not so good but most at least as good as Pirate Weather audio files.
I went that route for a little while. Using Weather Grabber (I think) the NOAA forecast text files can be automatically downloaded for the specified location. The text to speech program converts it to spoken word MP3 file. That can then be put into the playlist. (Really, why didn’t I just read the copy myself?)
I might have continued with that but Pirate Weather was easier even though I have to put up with a few seconds of silence at the end. Perhaps a batch file could automate the text to speech program so that one wouldn’t have to manually do the conversion.
For newscasts I use FSN. They offer 5 minute, 3 minute and 30 second streaming audio programs, Free! I emailed to verify their “free to air” offer and they put me on a mailing list. Click on this LINK for the FSN website and check it out.
Total posts : 45366[quote=mram1500]by MRAM 1500 kHz
For newscasts I use FSN. They offer 5 minute, 3 minute and 30 second streaming audio programs, Free! I emailed to verify their “free to air” offer and they put me on a mailing list. Click on this LINK for the FSN website and check it out.
[/quote]
I see that they want $15 a month, yet one could just easily download a mp3 of their latest news. So is it free or is the $ 15 a donation of sorts. Please clarify…thanks.
Total posts : 45366Re: FSN – Simon has been on here before and posted info. To LP stations it’s more or less free to use.
The $15/month gets you access to some additional areas that includes raw audio and some scripts or texts that accompany the reports and more.
Re: WW & Zara setup The mentioned issue with the setup of WW & Zara and not being able to browse is because you missed the step of actually telling WW the file name to export to in that browse window. It won’t browse the directory when you first go there because it’s waiting for you to tell it the filename to export to. And of course since you didn’t give it the filename Zara in turn Doesn’t see the export file.
It started working later because it (WW) had created the file on it’s next weather update using the name you manually entered in the configuration. Make sense?
Total posts : 45366Err, sorry if the WW & Zara reply sounded harsh. Wasn’t meant that way, I can be too matter of fact sometimes.
Total posts : 45366[quote=SaGR]Err, sorry if the WW & Zara reply sounded harsh. Wasn’t meant that way, I can be too matter of fact sometimes.[/quote]
You are completely correct! The instructions/help leave a lot to be desired and I thought your post was fine! Its working now and I am happy. I am also running FSN news twice an hour thru free download manager. Fun stuff!
Regards,Lee
Total posts : 45366[quote=WILCOM LABS][quote=SaGR]Err, sorry if the WW & Zara reply sounded harsh. Wasn’t meant that way, I can be too matter of fact sometimes.[/quote]
You are completely correct! The instructions/help leave a lot to be desired and I thought your post was fine! Its working now and I am happy. I am also running FSN news twice an hour thru free download manager. Fun stuff!
Regards,Lee[/quote]Well,downloadmanager sucks! It brought my pc to its knees and had to be uninstalled.I am trying Flashget and it works fine except I cant get it to download on a schedule. I also tried task scheduler to get it to run every 3o minutes,and it does,but it wont get any updates,it just sits there. Anyone using this gem on a schedule can help me out??????
Regards,Lee
Total posts : 45366Lee,
Did you try making the batch files I posted in another thread? (see http://part15.us/node/1171)
I’m not overly impressed with “free download manger” either. It commandeered control of all downloads on the machine other than the batch files and it’s generally “dumb” when it comes to handling file replacement. Maybe I worked with Unix too long…
What is the scheduled downloads not updating? You need to replace the exact file name you have in the scheduled queue in Zara.
Total posts : 45366[quote=SaGR]Lee,
Did you try making the batch files I posted in another thread? (see http://part15.us/node/1171)
I’m not overly impressed with “free download manger” either. It commandeered control of all downloads on the machine other than the batch files and it’s generally “dumb” when it comes to handling file replacement. Maybe I worked with Unix too long…
What is the scheduled downloads not updating? You need to replace the exact file name you have in the scheduled queue in Zara.
[/quote]Well….Flashget(jetcar)gets the files,replaces and updates them just fine,Zara plays them fine-as long as I download them manually. I need to automate the download,that is have it re-download the files on a schedule. I told it immediate and close after download. TaskScheduler re-runs the program at 30 minute intervals,but it wont go get the files.Flashget scheduler only does a daily update and that wont do for my application. I find nothing on their help site or FAQ. Id really like to get Flashget to work as it is really fast and will resume broken downloads and log it all. I just need that final piece of the puzzle,how to download at intervals.
On Wget,I dont know how to get the lines of code into the file,it wont take any way I tried,I dont know command line stuff at all. When I run it,it just flashes on the screen and right off. Not Lee friendly,LOL….
Regards,Lee
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