LibreTime is the open broadcast software for scheduling and remote station management. Web browser access to the station’s media library, multi-file upload and automatic metadata import features are coupled with a collaborative online scheduling calendar and playlist management. The scheduling calendar is managed through an easy-to-use interface and triggers playout with sub-second precision.
LibreTime is intended to provide a solution for a wide range of broadcast projects, from community to public and commercial stations. The scalability of LibreTime allows implementation in a number of scenarios, ranging from an unmanned broadcast unit accessed remotely through the Internet, to a local network of machines accessing a central LibreTime storage system. LibreTime supports the playout of lossy compressed audio files in both MP3 and AAC formats and the open, royalty-free equivalent Ogg Vorbis. It also supports playout of lossless FLAC and WAV format audio files.
LibreTime manages the Liquidsoap stream generator at the heart of the system. Liquidsoap generates streams from files in the LibreTime library and any remote input streams that you specify. Available stream output formats include Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Opus, MP3, and AAC. The library is indexed in a PostgreSQL database to enable searching. Live shows can be recorded automatically with Ecasound, using the sound card line input. News editors, DJs and station controllers can use LibreTime to build playlists or smart blocks and manage media files (upload, edit metadata, manage advertisements) at the station or via the Internet.
The scheduler in LibreTime has a calendar view, organized by months, weeks or days. Program editors can schedule playlists and shows here for their broadcast station. In some scenarios, the transmitter is situated outside the reach of the broadcaster and all program management has to be maintained through the web interface. Possible reasons for this scenario might be of a pragmatic nature (running many stations from one central office due to limited human resources) or an emergency (running a transmitter in a crisis area without putting staff at risk).
In the diagram of an FM radio station below, LibreTime is hosted on a server connected to the local network, with direct soundcard access. Liquidsoap outputs streams to both the transmitter, via the main studio mixer, and streaming media servers. The machine running LibreTime is behind a firewall because it is also connected to the Internet for remote access by media contributors. This enables LibreTime to offer password-protected access to the media library and scheduling from both inside and outside the studio building.
In the diagram below, LibreTime is hosted on a remote web server, and has no soundcard. There does not need to be a centralised studio, although LibreTime can enable remote studios to stream in to Liquidsoap at authorised times. Optionally, the outgoing Icecast stream can be relayed to a transmitter.