Details on activating inputs
Dynamic playlist order rules
When an input starts to be processed (it is “playing”), that input becomes “active”.
A file input typically moves through these stages:
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Idle and not prepared.
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Next-in-line and not prepared.
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Due-to-be-processed and not prepared.
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Active (prepared and processing).
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Idle (completed)
A live input typically moves through these stages:
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Idle and not prepared.
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Next-in-line and prepared.
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Due-to-be-processed and prepared.
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Active (processing).
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Idle (completed)
Idle
Any number of inputs can be idle.
The list of idle inputs includes inputs that have completed and those that have not been processed.
Next-in-Line
Only one input can be Next-in-line. This is the input that is either:
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The input that is after the currently active input, based on the order in which the inputs appear in the event XML and on the web interface.
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The input that has an activate time that exactly aligns with the end time of the current input.
Ideally, you should order the inputs in the XML so that an input that has an activate time also appears in its natural order. For example, it does not appear at the end of the list; this placement will cause confusion to your operators.
A next-in-line input may be prepared or unprepared.
Due-to-be-processed input
The input that is currently Next-in-line becomes Due-to-be-processed at the moment that the currently Active input completes.
This input then instantaneously transitions to Active.
Active input
This is the input that is being processed. An input becomes active as follows:
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If the input is a live input has been prepared, it will be activated and processing will start seamlessly.
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If the input is a live input has not yet been prepared, it will still be activated; it will not be skipped. Instead, it will first be prepared, then activated. There will be a noticeable delay while the input is prepared.
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If the input is a file input, it will be prepared and activated.
Rules for activating
The rules apply to activating an input.
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When you call Activate Immediately on an input, the currently Activated input will immediately transition to Idle and processing of that input will stop.
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When you call Activate Immediately on an input that has previously been set up to activate at a time that is still in the future, the input will activate immediately and the future activation will be cleared. It will not be activated both immediately and in the future.
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When you call Activate with Specified Time and then call Prepare, the activate time is not cleared: the input will be prepared (either immediately or later, depending on what you set up), then the input will be activated at the specified time.
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If you call Activate with Specified Time on an input that has not been prepared, the input will first be prepared (at the specified time), then it will be activated. There will be a noticeable delay in activation. In other words, activating with a specified time does not automatically set up any prepare schedule.
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If you both manually prepare an input with a prepare time and manually activate it with an activate time, make sure the prepare time is before the activate time; Elemental Live does not check.
