Program Length Manager

Your programming — on time, every time

Make the best use of your time

Radio. Every second counts. Program segments need to start and end exactly on time, with seamless transitions. Editing time is precious in the production room and in the field. If your piece is just a bit long or a bit short, will the pressures of getting it on air force compromising edits or inappropriate filler? Enter the 25-Seven Program Length Manager (PLM) to shrink or stretch your programs and program segments by several minutes per hour without pitch change, artifacts or glitches. Time-manipulated audio is clean enough to use on stereo music programs and live events. PLM is operator friendly and requires little training whether controlled from the front-panel or via web browser.

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Your programming—on time, every time

PLM is the next best thing to being able to stop the clock or add more minutes to the hour. Now, network headends that rely on prerecorded programming are free to focus on creative radio and let PLM assure continuity. That syndicated or brokered program and your local content don’t add up to the allotted slot? PLM can stretch the program to fit without the need for filler material or extra production steps. Need to insert some additional material without program interruption? Easily accomplished with PLM and not perceived by your listeners.

Stretch to fill

Our all-new time expansion algorithms inaudibly stretch under-length programs to fit their time slots. Intuitive operator controls make it easy. Just enter the actual program length and target playout length. Then, PLM recommends a stretch rate and shows you the time at which the stretch function will be completed. PLM looks at the entire program, eliminating the need to adjust individual program elements, such as spots or songs. You can then adjust the stretch rate and the point in time that PLM returns to real time to suit your preferences.

Shrink to fit — on-the-fly or pre-programmed

PLM applies the glitch-free time compression technologies developed for 25-Seven’s groundbreaking Audio Time Manager. It offers two ways to shrink a program:

• BUFFER+PLAY provides a quick way of pausing your main program while inserting other content. Trigger PLM from the front panel or remotely and the main program is recorded until you command the unit to start playing out. PLM smoothly plays the buffered audio until it rejoins real time. During the playout, you can manually adjust the compression rate and rejoin time.
   
  
• SHRINK TO TARGET works like the program stretch function, allowing advance computation of program length and compression rate.

Keeps programs sounding natural

PLM uses advanced time manipulation algorithms that don’t affect pitch and don’t add harmonic distortion or frequency limitations. Some technologies can drastically cut into pauses, destroying a personality’s careful delivery. Our proprietary algorithms intelligently process speech: pauses stay in proportion; pacing and inflection are maintained. Even stereo music stays clean and steady. No choppiness, no stutters, no fuzziness. A tutorial in the PLM manual teaches you how to select the optimal speed change settings to meet your programming objectives.

Front and center or behind-the-scenes

The front-panel LCD “dashboard” has controls for time readout, audio level display, and allows quick parameter changes. Flexible remote control options include user assignable GPIO (buttons, relay closures, or TTL), secure Web interface, RS-232 or serial control over an IP port. Network cues can be automatically delayed to match program audio and PLM’s clock automatically synchronizes to a local or Network Time Server.

Web configurable

Navigating though “set and forget” parameters is a breeze with our internal password-protected Web server. Connect PLM to your local area network and properly configured browsers can log in for an on-screen emulation of PLM’s front panel and configuration functions. The network interface also lets you browse for and install software updates.

“Future-proof” audio quality

Superior balanced analog I/O and AES digital are standard. Even during time manipulation, PLM boasts 84 dB S/N with 10 dB headroom, frequency response of 20 Hz–20 kHz (±0.5dB) and 0.01% THD+N. Audio is always linear, with no lossy data reduction to mess up your sound.

Designed, built and supported by 25-Seven in the USA

Leave it to 25-Seven to put you in greater control of your pre-recorded programming with Program Length Manager.

If you rely on live content, ask about Audio Time Manager, 25-Seven’s original solution for inserting additional material and resolving tricky network joins.

Our award winning, world-class development team has designed many great products for some of the most successful broadcasters in the industry. We listen to our customers and look forward to talking to you.