Automatically Import New Songs From iTunes

Liam Burke • Jul 23, 2019

Using AutoImporter to automatically ingest new content!

What is the MediaWall Auto Importer?

In this blog we will focus on how you can use the Media Wall AutoImporter application (which is free for Myriad 5 Playout users) to monitor one or more folders and automatically import any new content that appears into the appropriate range on your Myriad Wall (complete with all the normal trimming, normalisation and setting extros).

Before we start, let's just recap what AutoImporter can do:

  • Monitor multiple destination folders for new content.
  • Automatically import new content into a specific Media ID, next empty Media Item in range or the next Media ID in the default item type range (eg Song etc).
  • Imported content can use embedded meta-data or use specific information (eg Title, colour etc).
  • Email alerts can be sent on successful or unsuccessful imports.

What can you use it for?

There are many potential uses for this application. Some examples include:

  • Automatically import hourly news provided by an external news service (like Radio News Hub).
  • Automatically import new songs dropped into a folder.
  • Provide a simple way for presenters to import their content by giving them a folder to drop it into.
  • Use 3rd party services (like Dropbox) to transfer and synchronise content between sites.
  • Automatically add new content purchased from an online store.
It is this last task that we will focus on in this blog. In this case we will demonstrate how new songs purchased from iTunes can be automatically imported into Myriad Playout with them being added to your Songs range complete with title information and normalised ready to be played.

Automatically Importing Purchased Songs From iTunes

The video below shows the complete process for automatically importing new content purchased from the iTunes store. Whilst the example shows how it can be done with iTunes, the same process can be applied to any online store or folder structure in your network.

Please note that the following process will work for songs purchased from iTunes NOT for sings downloaded from Apple Music. You do not own the songs you download from Apple Music and they contain copy protection that will prevent Myriad from being able to import them.

Now that you have seen the process for automatically importing Songs from a specific folder, you can apply the same technique to setup as many different AutoImporter Groups as you need.

by Liam Burke 28 Mar, 2024
In anticipation of the release of SmartSign 3, we are looking back at the history of our screen studio signage system as well as a quick look at what the future holds. SmartSign 1 (well just SmartSign) was originally conceived as a simple ‘tally’ indicator to how real world events such as when microphones are active or a phone is ringing. At the time, we were working on the BR Hardware Service as part of the general Myriad 5 development cycle, and wanted a way to showcase the virtual hardware events the BR Hardware Service introduced. One of the aims was to make the system as cost effective as possible so work began on building an application that would run on Windows IOT on a Raspberry Pi. The Pi was ideal as it included physical hardware I/O built in meaning that SmartSign could use both physical and virtual GPIO and even convert physical inputs to virtual inputs for use in other BR software such as Myriad Logging or other SmartSigns.  We soon started to add other ‘tiles’ to the system to allow clocks, date / time, text, images, RSS feeds and more. SmartSign was released in 2016 and was an instant hit with our customers.
Artists Group Management
by Liam Burke 27 Mar, 2024
Learn how to use Artist Groups to prevent Songs from associated Artists from scheduling close together.
by Peter Jarrett 08 Dec, 2023
The latest feature from Broadcast Radio can really make your station stand out from the competition
by Peter Jarrett 12 May, 2023
Myriad v6 Public Beta testing has been going well... REALLY well!
by Liam Burke 19 Apr, 2022
This smart microphone may be ideal for Myriad Anywhere users.
by Blanca Jonathan 28 Jun, 2021
Image Source: Pexels
by Liam Burke 26 Feb, 2021
We are often asked for recommendations for smaller, low cost mixers for stations that are launching on a tight budget or looking to add additional studio capacity as cost effectively as possible. Type 'stereo mixer' into Google and literally hundreds of options will come up but the vast majority of them are not really suitable for use with Myriad because they do not have enough stereo inputs, are designed for sound mixing or do not offer the basic facilities needed to present a radio show. But there are a few that could be considered as a possible alternative to a full broadcast mixer. The Behringer DX2000USB may be the ideal mixer for smaller stations, as long as they are willing to live the compromises it brings when used in a broadcast radio environment.
by Arran Hodges 04 Dec, 2020
This post was originally posted on Arran's blog https://thisisarran.me/index.php/2020/12/04/the-technical-side-of-a-radio-station/ and is reproduced here by his kind permission. If you have a post you'd like share, please contact us and let us know!
Home Studio Mixer Review For Myriad Anywhere
by Liam Burke 28 Jul, 2020
With the World still struggling to adapt to the 'new normal' of working from home and minimising social contact, more and more stations are using Myriad Anywhere to enable presenters to record Remote Voice Tracks or even prevent live shows from their own home studios. Generally, all you need is a good microphone and a pair of headphones (we recommend a headset if possible) but we are hearing from a number of customers who are looking to create a home studio setup to allow them to get more creative and emulate their studio experience. So we thought we would take a quick look at a couple of home mixer options that work well with both Myriad Anywhere and fully installed Myriad Playout.
by Liam Burke 29 Jun, 2020
Sometimes you want to repeat complete Log hours in your schedule. Under normal circumstances, Myriad Schedule (or AutoTrack) will generate a new Log Hour for every hour of the week. But once you have edited and Voice Tracked an hour, it is sometimes good to be able to re-use that Log Hour elsewhere in your schedule or maybe even on another Station (if you are running more than one. This can be done using the Log.CopyHour Command.
Show More
Share by: