For the last month, Denver Open Media has been running automated rules based scheduling from cron jobs on all three of our channels. We are excited to release stable versions of Open Media Timeslot Scheduler and Open Media Playback Servers (OPS) that are fully functional. Here is a break down of the functionality the new code provides:
Open Media Timeslot Scheduler
- Producer Scheduling - producers can schedule content into series (routinely syndicated) and theme-based timeslots.
- Bulk Scheduling - Station personnel can schedule content by timeslot calendar view (a timeslot at a time) or though a bulk scheduling interface that schedules a user determined amount of time on any channel.
- Automated Scheduling - A demo scheduling automation script has been provided with the module, which after being customized can be called by a cron job, scheduling reoccurring periods of time at defined intervals.
- Rules Implementation - A hook based rule system has been implemented allowing for easy community development of rules and rule customization via custom modules. Open Media Core Rules, a sub-module of Open Media Timeslot Autoschedule now provides two rules: Newest and Least Aired Content from Unique Projects and Highest Voted Content. Rules can be applied to channel, theme and timeslot and are applied in that order. Both bulk scheduling and autoscheduling implement the new rules system.
Open Media Playback Servers
- OPS provides base server interaction functionality for Tightrope Cabelcast and Telvue Princeton Servers. Open Media Timeslot Scheduler requires this module. OPS is extendable for use with other types of playback servers.
- For situations where media storage is not mounted to the playback server OPS Princeton has two demo file transfer scripts that allow for file transfers to occur asynchronously to scheduling based on Kreynen's original script.
Over the next few months, the Open Media Foundation will be working hard to prepare stable versions of all the core Open Media Project modules in eager anticipation of the ACM conference in late July.