Magic RDS 4 connects the information you already have with the devices and services that need it. Originally developed for radio stations, it combines RDS encoder control with text processing, data distribution, scheduling and audio recording in one Windows application.
A typical installation reads artist and song-title information from a playout system, prepares it for Radiotext and RT+, and sends it to one or more RDS encoders. The same text can also update a website or a streaming server. Other configurations use the application as a scheduled text publisher, an event-driven audio recorder or a general communication bridge for text API commands.
Manage RDS and RBDS content across your station.
Configure supported FM RDS encoders, set station identification and programme information, and keep Radiotext and Radiotext Plus (RT+) in step with your audio. Magic RDS 4 supports Pira.cz devices and several other encoder families, including legacy models based on UECP.
The RT+ and other Magic RDS 4 features enrich radio listening with a visual layer, bringing song titles, artist names and useful station information to compatible receivers and connected displays. By making broadcast audio more informative and engaging, they help linear radio keep pace with the visual experience listeners have come to expect from streaming services and other online platforms.
Connections can be managed individually or used together to distribute content to a transmitter network. Selected DAB+ integrations provide Dynamic Label and DL+ metadata. The available services and settings depend on the device, its firmware and the selected communication protocol.
Turn XML, JSON and playout data into useful text.
The External Text Sources tool collects information from local files, shared network files, websites, TCP ports and other configured inputs. It can extract values from XML or JSON, and receive text through communication bridges.
Text replacing and regular expressions help remove unwanted information or format it for the destination. Several sources can be combined into a sequence, so now-playing information alternates with station messages, news or ads. RT+ tags identify the meaning of individual text elements for compatible receivers.
Publish now-playing information to websites and streams.
Use the metadata from your automation system to show the current artist and title on your website or update a streaming server. Text can be forwarded through HTTP requests, file output or other supported connection methods.
The destination must provide apropriate API or input, such as an HTTP endpoint or a file it can read. This makes Magic RDS 4 useful for internet-only stations as well as FM/DAB+ broadcasters. A configurable text delay can help align the displayed information with delayed audio delivery.
Bridge serial ports, TCP/IP applications and remote devices.
Bridges and virtual ports route data between different serial and network interfaces. They can let another application communicate through Magic RDS 4, distribute one data source to several destinations or connect installations at different sites.
Supported encoder protocols can be translated when feeding different RDS models from one source. For general-purpose devices, a transparent bridge can pass an existing data stream between compatible interfaces without interpreting its contents. This can simplify the connection between devices and applications.
Schedule messages and react to incoming information.
The Task Scheduler automates application settings, content updates and control commands. Text Conditions can trigger configured actions when defined keywords appear in a text source, connecting the information you receive with the next task in your workflow.
Text Campaigns add weekly and calendar-based planning for programme announcements and promotional messages. Overlapping messages can appear in a loop alongside other text sources. Campaign start and stop events can also run configured scripts.
Record MP3 audio by schedule or programme events.
The integrated recorder captures audio from a sound card input or virtual audio cable. It supports up to eight concurrent recordings, with configurable bitrate, gain control, fade-in and fade-out.
Recording can start, stop or pause according to a schedule or keywords in incoming text. Use it for a programme archive, selected shows or material intended for podcasts and reruns. Configured Windows commands can copy or upload the resulting files, and optional cleanup can remove old recordings.
Access your setup from a browser.
The included web-based control application provides a central view of connections and selected device controls. It can be accessed from desktop and mobile browsers, with user accounts handled by Magic RDS 4 itself.
This is a companion interface to the Windows application. It offers connection status, recent events, a command terminal, device configuration and selected recorder and scripting functions without requiring a third-party server.
Beyond broadcast
Use the same tools without an RDS encoder.
Many of these functions operate on text, files, network connections and audio inputs rather than on broadcast hardware. Possible uses include:
- Scheduled text publishing: collect information from a file or online source, format it and send it to a compatible website or custom service.
- Serial-to-network integration: pass data between a serial device and a TCP/IP application using a configured bridge, incl. data logging option.
- Text-driven automation: respond to a recognised keyword by executing a configured script or sending data to an external application.
- Planned audio capture: record an event, presentation or other audio source at a defined time and run a command when the recording finishes.
These workflows require a suitable input and a destination that accepts the chosen data format. Standard or Full licensing applies to general-purpose features and additional integrations.
