Want to send Now Playing song data to your Audessence RDS Encoder, from your Radio Playout/Automation system? MetaRadio makes this possible. This article explains the setup of MetaRadio and Audessence RDS, allowing the use of RadioText and RadioText+ for Now-Playing song data.

You’ll need to get a free trial or paid license of MetaRadio before you can begin. For other setup guides, see our MetaRadio Support Site.

At the time of writing, the following Audessence RDS Encoders are supported:

• Audessence RDS PRO-1 – Serial Only
• Audessence RDS PRO-2 – Serial & IP/Ethernet
• Audessence RDS PRO-4 – Serial & IP/Ethernet

Prerequisites

• MetaRadio installed on your PC, with at least one station (automation system) configured
• An Audessence RDS Encoder connected to your network, or connected to your PC via Serial
• Audessence  RDS Configuration Software running and connected to your encoder
  • We will use the Audessence software to configure the encoder. After that’s done, you don’t need to run it again
• Before you begin, we recommend upgrading the firmware on your RDS Encoder

Configuring Audessence RDS for IP

1. Open the Audessence software and connect to your encoder via the Options > Preferences menu
2. Go to the RDS Encoder > Device Setup menu
3. On the “Device Setup” screen, press “Read” to get the current configuration from your RDS Encoder
4. On the “Device Setup” screen, enable Port 4 with the following settings:
   1. Protocol: TCP
   2. Port Number: 6670 (or another port number of your choosing)
   3. The RDS encoder is: Server
5. If you haven’t already configured an IP Address, on the “Device Setup” screen, specify a IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, and DNS Server. This must be on the same subnet as your MetaRadio PC.
6. On the “Device Setup” screen, press the “Store” button
7. Open MetaRadio Config from the Start Menu on your computer
8. Select your Radio Station, and press “Edit”
9. Press “Add Output” and select “RDSAudessenceIP” from the drop-down menu

   

10. Enter the IP Address and TCP Port Number (e.g. 6670) from your Audessence RDS Encoder

    

11. Press “Save Output Details” and “Save Station Details”
12. Restart the main MetaRadio app, and check to see if data is sent to the encoder next time a song plays on-air

Configuring Audessence RDS for Serial

1. Open the Audessence software and connect to your encoder via the Options > Preferences menu
2. Go to the RDS Encoder > Device Setup menu
3. On the “Device Setup” screen, press “Read” to get the current configuration from your RDS Encoder
4. On the “Device Setup” screen, make note of the “Port 1” speed / baud rate. The default is ‘2400’.
5. In Windows, open the ‘Device Manager’ and check the port number assigned to your serial connection (e.g. COM1)
6. Open MetaRadio Config from the Start Menu on your computer
7. Select your Radio Station, and press “Edit”
8. Press “Add Output” and select “RDSAudessenceSerial” from the drop-down menu

   

9. Enter the COM Port Number (e.g. COM3) and baud rate (e.g. 2400) from your Audessence RDS Encoder. The COM port should be the full name (“COM4”), and the baud rate should only contain numbers (no bps suffix).

   

10. Press “Save Output Details” and “Save Station Details”
11. Restart the main MetaRadio app, and check to see if data is sent to the encoder next time a song plays on-air