Updated Feb 23, 2009 by salimfadhley

Pinger

Background and Installation instructions for Pinger: The Google Calendar to SimpleCast streaming-audio metadata injection tool. Schedule Editors should refer to the PingerUsersGuide rather than this page.

Introduction

Pinger is a tool in the suxtools collection intended to help broadcasters who design their schedule using Google Calendar and wish to internet broadcast using the popular Windows based streaming-audio encoder SimpleCast.

Pinger makes use of the Google Calendar API and the SimpleCast event-adaptor API. Pinger currently supports most of the metadata fields supported by SimpleCast including artist, duration, songtype, and website.

System Requirements

Before we begin you need the following on your system:

Python 2.5 ( get it from http://www.python.org )
PEAK SetupTools ( installation instructions are here: http://peak.telecommunity.com/DevCenter/EasyInstall#installation-instructions )

Many recetn Linux and UNIX distributions come with a Python 2.5 pre-installed. If you wish to find out what version of python you are currently running type:

python --version

Any version of python greater or equal 2.5.0 should be fine. Unfortunately, Windows users will need to download and manually install these programs. Additionally windows users will need to add some python directories to the system path:

In Control Panel / Advanced / Environment Variables
Add the following to your SYSTEM and USER "PATH" settings, assuming that you have installed python in c:/python25:

c:/python25;c:/python25/Scripts

Installation & Configuration

Use the SetupTools "easy_install" command to download Pinger and all of it's dependancies. This command will configure everything on your computer:

easy_install -zam nowandnext

On UNIX computers you may find that you need super-user rights in order to execute this command, alternatively you can set your easy_install.cfg to install the files in an alternate location. How to do this is well documented in the PEAK manual.

Run the main pinger application by typing "pinger" from your command prompt. The first time you run the program Pinger will inform you that you need to edit the config file. It will tell you where to find the config file (usually somewhere in your home directory). Simply edit this file and then restart the program.

The Config File

A typical config file looks like this

[pinger]
# This should be google ID or email address that you use to login
account=schedule@resonancefm.com

# This should be the password for the user ID above
password=xxxxx

# Provide the name of the calendar that you design the schedule on.
calendar_name=Resonance Schedule

# When no artist information the Pinger will supply SimpleCast with this information
default_artist=Resonance FM

# When no website information is availalbe the Pinger will supply SimpleCast with this URL
default_website=http://www.resonancefm.com

# When no title information is provided, or there is a gap in the schedule, what event title should we use?
default_title=Resonance Archive

# Shows can have images or album covers. Where no image is available, use this one (provide a web URL)
default_logo=http://audio.resonancefm.com/artwork/resonance_square_200px_logo.png

[simplecast]
# Leave this value unchanged if SimpleCast runs on the same computer as the Pinger application. 
host=localhost

# Leave this value unchanged if you have not changed the default port in SimpleCast
port=8181

How to Quit

On a Max, Linux or UNIX computer you can type Ctrl-C (Hold the Ctrl button and the letter C at the same time). On a Windows computer you can use Ctrl-Break.

Upgrade

Follow these instructions to update to the newest released version of the Pinger program:

Stop Pinger if it is currently running.
From a command prompt type:

easy_install -U -zam nowandnext"

Re-start Pinger. You might find that you need to edit the configuration file. If you are not sure what options to add, simply delete the config file. Pinger will restart with all the options set to their default values.

Pinger is a tool for radio stations and broadcasters who:

Design or publish their schedules from Google Calendar, and
Broadcast over the internet using SimpleCast, a popular Windows based streaming-audio tool.

How to operate pinger

Once Pinger is installed on your server it requires no direct user input and should require almost no maintenance. Simply switch off your monitor and work on your broadcast schedule:

As soon as any item in your schedule starts pinger will provide the streaming-audio server with the details of the show that is beginning including:

The show's title
The show's duration
The show's web-site (if it has one)
The show's presenter, producer or performer (if known)

All of this information needs to be provided from the information you enter into Google Calendar.

The "duration" field is calculated automatically from the start and end times of the item in the Google Calendar. The "Title" is taken directly from the event's title. All other fields require additional data to be added to your show's description field.