Lynk Tools
Documentation

Accounts & Channels

How to access Lynk Tools and select your channel

Logging In

To use Lynk Tools, you need an account created by your administrator. When you open the application, you will be prompted to sign in with your email and password.

If you don't have an account, contact your administrator to create one for you.

First Login

When your account is first created, you will receive a temporary password. On your first login, you will be asked to change your password to a new one of your choice.

Forgot Password

If you forget your password, click "Forgot password?" on the login page and enter your email. Your administrator will be notified and can reset your password.

Selecting a Channel

After logging in, you will see a channel selector in the left sidebar under Settings. This dropdown lists all channels that your administrator has configured for your account.

  • Select the channel you want to work with from the dropdown
  • All tools (Preschedule Manager, Schedule Manager, Schedule Creator, etc.) will operate on the selected channel
  • You can switch channels at any time by selecting a different one from the dropdown
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: The channel selection is remembered between sessions. When you log back in, the last selected channel will be pre-selected.

Account Security

  • Your API credentials (Channel ID, User ID, API Secret) are managed by your administrator and stored securely on the server
  • You do not need to manually enter or manage API credentials
  • Your session token expires after 30 days, after which you will need to log in again
  • Click "Logout" in the top-right corner to end your session
โš ๏ธ Security: Never share your login credentials with others. Each user should have their own account.

Preschedule Manager

Complete guide to using the Preschedule Manager

About This Tool

This is a preschedule management tool that uses the Uplynk APIs to enable asynchronous schedule creation with media availability. You can create and adjust a schedule while media files (assets) are being uploaded to Uplynk CMS by other teams.

The tool automatically uses the external_id field to locate media files in Uplynk CMS and associate them with schedule entries. This allows parallel workflows where:

  • Schedule managers can import and prepare the preschedule
  • Media teams can upload assets to Uplynk independently
  • The tool automatically matches assets when they become available
  • Ready entries are sent to Uplynk automatically (if enabled)
โš ๏ธ Important: Media files uploaded to Uplynk must contain the external_id in their filename for automatic matching. For example: M28366.mp4, M28366_promo.mov, etc. The tool searches for assets where the external_id matches.
๐Ÿ’ก Channel Required: Before using the Preschedule Manager, make sure you have selected a channel from the dropdown in the left sidebar. See the Accounts & Channels section for details.

Import CSV File

The first step is to import your preschedule data from a CSV file. You can drag and drop the file or click browse to select it.

Import CSV and Save section

CSV Format Requirements:

  • Required columns: id, type, start_time, duration, external_id, ad_breaks, created, end, desc, reconcile
  • Times must be in UTC using ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssZ
  • The tool will automatically convert UTC times to your configured local timezone for display

After importing, you'll see statistics about your preschedule: total entries, duration, start/end times, and how many items are missing media.

Save Preschedule

โš ๏ธ Important: All changes will be lost if not saved! Always save your preschedule before closing the browser or navigating away.

Enter a name for your preschedule and click:

  • ๐Ÿ’พ Save: Updates the current preschedule (if previously loaded)
  • ๐Ÿ“„ Save As New: Creates a new saved preschedule

When saving for the first time, you'll be asked to create a password. This password encrypts your API credentials stored with the preschedule.

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: You can load saved preschedules from the Saved Preschedules section in the left sidebar.

Check Preschedule and Assets at Uplynk

This section displays your preschedule in a weekly calendar view and allows you to manage media files.

Week view with preschedule entries

Status Colors:

No media: Asset doesn't have a media file yet
Slicing: Media is being processed by Uplynk
Ready: Media is ready to be sent to the schedule
Sent: Entry has been sent to Uplynk schedule

Buttons and Options:

  • ๐Ÿ” Check for Media Files at Uplynk: Searches Uplynk for existing media files that match your assets (by external_id). Found media will automatically update the status to "Ready".
  • Auto check every 5 min: When enabled, automatically checks for media files every 5 minutes. Keep the page open for this to work.
  • โ† Previous / Next โ†’: Navigate between days in the calendar view.

Auto Adjust Options:

Below the check button, you'll find automatic adjustment options:

  • Adjust preschedule asset duration to media duration, if different: When enabled, the tool compares the duration of each asset in your preschedule with the actual duration of the media file in Uplynk. If they differ, the preschedule entry is automatically updated to match the media duration. This prevents duration mismatch errors when sending to Uplynk.
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Enable "Adjust preschedule asset duration" when your CSV might have estimated durations that differ from the actual media files. The tool will show how many durations were adjusted after checking.

Right-Click Context Menu:

Right-click on any entry to access additional options:

Right-click context menu
  • โœ๏ธ Edit Item: Opens the edit dialog to modify entry details
  • ๐Ÿ“ค Upload Media: Upload a media file for this asset
  • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Delete Item: Remove the entry from the preschedule

Edit Entry Dialog:

The edit dialog allows you to modify all entry properties:

Edit entry dialog
  • Description: The display name of the entry
  • Type: Asset, Ad Break, or Slicer
  • Date and Time: When the entry should play (in local timezone)
  • Duration: Length in seconds
  • External ID: Identifier used to match with Uplynk assets
  • Asset ID: The Uplynk asset ID (leave empty if uploading media)

Upload Media Dialog:

You can upload media files in two ways:

Upload media dialog
  • URL: Enter a direct URL to a video file (must be publicly accessible)
  • Local File: Upload a video file from your computer (MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, MXF)

After uploading, the media will be processed by Uplynk Cloud Slicer. The status will change to "Slicing" and then to "Ready" when complete.

Create Schedule in Uplynk

Once your assets are ready, you can send them to the Uplynk schedule.

Conflict Resolution:

Before sending, choose how to handle entries that overlap with existing schedule items in Uplynk:

  • Keep existing (skip conflicts): If an entry already exists at the same time, the new entry is skipped. This is the safest option to avoid overwriting existing schedule items.
  • Replace existing entries: Overwrites any existing entries that overlap with the new entry. Use this when you want to update the schedule with new content.
  • Trim start of conflicting entries: Adjusts the start time of existing entries to avoid overlap.
  • Trim end of conflicting entries: Adjusts the end time of existing entries to avoid overlap.
โš ๏ธ Important: Choose the conflict resolution carefully. "Replace existing entries" will overwrite any schedule items that overlap with your new entries. Use "Keep existing" if you're unsure.

Buttons:

  • ๐Ÿ“ค Send Ready: Sends all entries with "Ready" status to Uplynk. Entries are sent in parallel (up to 20 at a time) for faster processing.
  • Auto send when ready: When enabled, automatically sends entries to Uplynk as soon as they become ready (after media processing completes).
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Combine "Auto check every 5 min" with "Auto send when ready" for a fully automated workflow. The tool will periodically check for new media and automatically send ready entries to Uplynk.

What happens when sending:

  • The tool converts local times back to UTC before sending to Uplynk API
  • Entries that end in the past are automatically skipped
  • Successfully sent entries change status to "Sent" (blue)
  • Failed entries show an error message and remain "Ready" so you can retry
  • The preschedule is automatically saved after sending

Results:

After sending, you'll see a summary of successful and failed entries. The execution log shows details for each entry, including any error messages.

Click Export Log to download the execution log as a text file for troubleshooting.

Schedule Manager

View and edit your Uplynk channel schedule directly

About This Tool

The Schedule Manager allows you to view, edit, and manage your Uplynk channel schedule directly. Unlike the Preschedule Manager which works with CSV imports, this tool connects directly to your Uplynk channel and shows the current schedule.

Key features:

  • View schedule: See all scheduled entries in a weekly grid view
  • Add entries: Manually add new schedule entries
  • Edit entries: Right-click any entry to edit its details
  • Delete entries: Remove entries you no longer need
  • Copy/Paste days: Copy an entire day's schedule and paste it to another day
  • Delta save: Only modified, new, or deleted entries are sent to Uplynk (faster saves)

Getting Started

Prerequisites:

Before using the Schedule Manager, make sure you have selected a channel from the dropdown in the left sidebar. Your administrator manages the API credentials for each channel. See Accounts & Channels for details.

Loading the Schedule:

  1. Click "Schedule Manager" in the left sidebar
  2. Select the Start Date and End Date for the schedule range you want to view
  3. Click "๐Ÿ“ฅ Download Schedule"
  4. The schedule will be loaded and displayed in a weekly grid view
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Start with a smaller date range (1-2 weeks) for faster loading. You can always expand the range later.

Navigating the Schedule

The schedule is displayed in a weekly grid view with days as columns:

  • โ† Previous / Next โ†’: Navigate day by day through the schedule
  • Scroll: Each day column can be scrolled independently
  • ๐Ÿ”— Sync Scroll: Enable this option to scroll all columns together

Entry Colors:

Each entry is assigned a unique color based on its Asset ID or Content ID. This color-coding makes it easy to visually identify and track the same content across different days in the grid view.

  • Entries with the same ID will have the same color
  • Colors are automatically generated using a hash of the ID
  • This helps you quickly spot patterns and identify recurring content

Gap Indicators:

A dashed line between entries indicates a gap in the schedule (more than 5 seconds between entries).

Adding New Entries

  1. Click the "โž• Add Entry" button
  2. A new entry will be created with default values
  3. The edit modal will open automatically
  4. Fill in the required fields:
    • Description: Name/title of the entry
    • Type: Asset, Slicer, Ad, or Break
    • Start Time: When the entry should start
    • End Time: When the entry should end
    • Asset ID: The Uplynk asset ID (content_id)
  5. Click "๐Ÿ’พ Save" to save the entry locally
โš ๏ธ Important: The Asset ID field is required for new entries. This is the Uplynk content_id of the asset you want to schedule. You can find this in the Uplynk CMS asset details.

Editing Entries

To edit an existing entry:

  1. Right-click on any entry in the grid
  2. The edit modal will open with the entry's current values
  3. Make your changes
  4. Click "๐Ÿ’พ Save" to save locally, or "๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Delete" to remove the entry
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Changes are saved locally first. You need to click "๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule" to upload all changes to Uplynk.

Copy & Paste Days

You can copy an entire day's schedule and paste it to another day:

  1. Click "๐Ÿ“‹ Copy" on the day you want to copy
  2. Navigate to the target day
  3. Click "๐Ÿ“ฅ Paste" on the target day
  4. All entries from the source day will be copied to the target day with adjusted dates
โš ๏ธ Important: Pasting will replace all existing entries on the target day. Make sure you want to overwrite the existing schedule.

Saving Changes

When you're ready to upload your changes to Uplynk:

  1. Click the "๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule" button
  2. A progress bar will show the upload status
  3. Only modified, new, or deleted entries are sent (delta save)
  4. The schedule will automatically reload after saving

What gets saved:

  • New entries: Entries you added with "+ Add Entry"
  • Modified entries: Existing entries you edited
  • Deleted entries: Entries you removed
๐Ÿ’ก Delta Save: The tool only sends changes to Uplynk, not the entire schedule. This makes saving much faster and reduces the risk of conflicts.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Start with a small range: Load 1-2 weeks at a time for better performance
  • Use Copy/Paste for patterns: If you have a repeating daily schedule, copy one day and paste to others
  • Check for gaps: Look for dashed lines that indicate gaps in your schedule
  • Verify Asset IDs: Make sure the Asset ID is correct before saving new entries
  • Save frequently: Don't wait too long to save your changes
  • Refresh after saving: The schedule automatically reloads, but you can manually refresh if needed

Find & Replace

The "๐Ÿ” Find/Replace" button allows you to search for entries by description or content ID and replace them with new values. This is useful for bulk updates across your schedule.

How to use:

  1. Click "๐Ÿ” Find/Replace" button
  2. Choose to search the entire schedule or select a date range
  3. Optionally check "Exact match only" for precise matching
  4. Enter search criteria:
    • Description: Search by entry description (optional)
    • Content ID: Search by asset content ID (optional)
  5. Enter replacement values:
    • New Description: Replace description (optional)
    • New Content ID: Replace content ID (optional)
  6. Click "๐Ÿ” Find Matches"
  7. Review the confirmation showing how many matches were found
  8. Click OK to perform the replacement

Search Modes:

  • Partial Match (default): Finds entries where the field contains the search term
    • Example: "NBC" will match "NBC East", "NBC West", "NBC_backup"
  • Exact Match: Finds entries where the field exactly equals the search term
    • Example: "NBC East" will only match "NBC East" (not "NBC East 2")
๐Ÿ’ก Use Case: Quickly update all instances of an asset ID when you need to replace content across multiple days. For example, replacing "TX_NBC_East_CVC_uplynk" with "TX_NBC_West_CVC_uplynk" across the entire schedule.
โš ๏ธ Important: Find/Replace only affects entries within the downloaded date range and excludes past entries. When "Search entire schedule" is checked, it searches the full downloaded range but never modifies entries outside of it. Use "Exact match only" when you have similar IDs (e.g., "uplynk" vs "uplynk2") to avoid unintended matches.

Example Scenarios:

  • Change asset ID: Find "TX_NBC_East" and replace with "TX_NBC_West"
  • Update description: Find "Morning Show" and replace with "Morning News"
  • Bulk update: Find all entries with "temp" in the ID and replace with production IDs

๐Ÿ“„ Export PDF

Click "๐Ÿ“„ Export PDF" to generate a PDF document of the current schedule view. The PDF includes:

  • The full weekly grid view as displayed on screen
  • All visible entries with their colors and times
  • One page per week row

PDF Filename:

The generated PDF is automatically named with the channel name and date range, e.g.: SkyOne_2026-03-13_to_2026-03-27.pdf

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: The PDF is optimized for file size using JPEG compression. For best results, ensure the schedule grid is fully loaded before exporting.

๐Ÿ“‹ Copy Schedule to Clipboard

Click "๐Ÿ“‹ Copy to Clipboard" to copy the entire schedule to your clipboard in a structured text format. This is useful for:

  • Pasting into spreadsheets or documents
  • Sharing schedule information via email or chat
  • Creating backups of the current schedule state

Auto Asset Replacement

Automate asset replacement in your channel schedule

About This Tool

Auto Asset Replacement automatically swaps placeholder assets in your channel schedule with fresh content at scheduled times. Common use cases:

  • Daily news / live recordings โ€” replace placeholder with the recorded file as soon as it's ready
  • Fresh episodes โ€” swap a generic placeholder when a new episode is uploaded
  • Multi-source workflows โ€” two teams upload content under different names; the system picks the freshest one

How It Works

Each job follows this decision flow when it executes:

โ‘  Job triggers at scheduled time
โ–ผ
โ‘ก Searches for Primary Target and Backup Target in Uplynk CMS
โ–ผ
โ‘ข Which asset to use?
Only primary found
โ†’ Uses primary
Only backup found
โ†’ Uses backup
Both found
โ†’ Most recent wins
Neither found
โ†’ See step โ‘ฃ
โ–ผ
โ‘ฃ Replaces the first occurrence of the placeholder in today's schedule (local timezone)
Only 1 entry per execution ยท Day = 00:00โ€“23:59 in your timezone

When neither target is found

If neither the primary nor the backup asset is found, the job's behavior depends on the "Delete asset if targets fail" option:

Option OFF (default)

The placeholder stays in the schedule unchanged. The job logs a failure. Use this when keeping the placeholder is acceptable.

Option ON

The placeholder is removed from the schedule. The channel falls back to whatever is configured as the default (usually a live slicer stream). Use this when airing an outdated placeholder is worse than having no entry.

Job Configuration

Click "โž• Create New Replacement Job" to open the configuration modal.

Job Name

A friendly name to identify this job (e.g., "NBC Morning Replacement").

Asset to Replace

Click "๐Ÿ“ฆ Select Asset" to pick the placeholder currently in the schedule. You can search and filter the channel's asset list.

โš ๏ธ One replacement per execution: Each execution replaces only the first occurrence of this asset in the current local day (00:00โ€“23:59 in your timezone). If the same placeholder appears at multiple times, create a separate job for each occurrence, scheduled a few minutes before each one.

Target Asset Name

The exact name to search for in Uplynk CMS. Case-sensitive. If multiple assets share the same name, the most recently created one is used.

Backup Target Asset Name

Optional fallback name. When both primary and backup exist, the system compares their creation dates and uses whichever is newer. This is useful when two different recording sources might produce the same content under different names.

๐Ÿ’ก Naming Convention: Use consistent, descriptive names in Uplynk CMS. Example: NBC 06:00-10:00 (UTC -6) for the primary and NBC 06:00-10:00 BACKUP for the backup.

Options

  • Delete asset if targets fail: Removes the placeholder from the schedule when no target is found (see "How It Works" above for details)
  • Use only assets created in the last 24h: Ignores older assets. Enable for daily content, disable for evergreen/library content
  • Enable this replacement job: Toggle the job on/off without deleting it

Scheduling (When to Run)

  • Every X minutes: Repeats at the specified interval (e.g., every 60 min). Each execution still replaces only the first occurrence of the day
  • Every day at specific time: Runs once per day at the configured time in your timezone
  • Fixed day (one time only): Runs once at a specific date/time, then auto-disables

Email Notifications

Add email addresses (comma-separated) to receive execution reports. Choose notification triggers: success, failure, or both.

โฑ๏ธ Timing & Scheduling

Proper timing ensures the replacement happens after the new content is ready but before it needs to air.

Key Rules

  • The job's "current day" is based on your timezone (00:00โ€“23:59 local), not UTC
  • Only the first matching entry in that day window is replaced per execution
  • Schedule the job at least 2 minutes after the recording/upload finishes
  • Typical API call takes ~1 second โ€” leave at least 30โ€“60s buffer before air time

Example: Daily Recording Replacement

Scenario: NBC Morning Show โ€” Recording 06:00โ€“10:00 (Chicago / GMT-6)

๐Ÿ“น Recording 06:00 โ†’ 10:00
โšก Job 10:00:10
๐Ÿ“บ New asset airs ~10:01
06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00
๐Ÿ“น
10:00:00
Recording ends
โšก
10:00:10
Job runs, replaces in ~1s
๐Ÿ“บ
10:01:21
New content on air

Multiple Occurrences in One Day

If the same placeholder appears at 08:00 and 20:00, you need two separate jobs:

Job A
Runs at 07:55
โ†’ replaces 08:00 entry
Job B
Runs at 19:55
โ†’ replaces 20:00 entry

Each job replaces only the first occurrence it finds. Since Job A runs before the 20:00 entry, it will pick the 08:00 one. Job B runs when the 08:00 entry has already been replaced, so it picks the 20:00 one.

๐Ÿ“‹ Managing Jobs

Job List

All jobs are displayed in a card list showing: placeholder name, target name, frequency, last run time (in job's timezone), status badge (โœ“ Success / โš  Partial / โœ— Failed), and active/inactive toggle.

Actions

  • โœ๏ธ Edit: Modify any job setting
  • ๐Ÿ“‹ Logs: View full execution history with details per entry
  • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Delete: Remove the job and its EventBridge rule permanently

Execution Logs

Each log entry shows: execution timestamp, which asset was selected (PRIMARY or BACKUP), how many schedule entries were processed, and individual success/failure per entry. The logs always indicate which asset was used so you can monitor when fallbacks occur.

Best Practices

  • Consistent naming: Standardize asset names in Uplynk CMS for reliable matching
  • Always configure backup: For critical content, set a backup target to avoid failures
  • Use "Daily at specific time": For recurring content, this is cleaner than "Every X minutes"
  • Enable 24h filter for daily content: Prevents accidentally using stale assets
  • Monitor logs weekly: Check for recurring failures or unexpected backup usage
  • Buffer time: Schedule jobs with at least 2 minutes before the content needs to be on air
  • Use "Delete if targets fail": Only when airing the placeholder is worse than having no entry (e.g., channel will fall back to live slicer)

๐Ÿ”ง Troubleshooting

Job Not Executing

  • Check if job status is "Active"
  • Verify timezone is correct โ€” "Last run" is shown in the job's timezone
  • EventBridge has up to 60s natural delay

Asset Not Found

  • Asset name must match exactly (case-sensitive)
  • If 24h filter is on, ensure the asset was created within the last 24 hours
  • Configure a backup target as a safety net

Replacement Failed

  • Open the execution logs for the specific error message
  • Verify the schedule entry still exists (wasn't manually deleted)
  • Ensure the target asset has actual media, not just metadata

Slicer Recording

Guide to managing Slicer recording schedules

About Slicer Recording

The Slicer Recording tool allows you to manage automated recording schedules for Uplynk Slicer devices. You can configure when and what to record, and the system will automatically handle the recording process.

Key features:

  • Manage multiple Slicer configurations
  • Create weekly recording schedules
  • Configure recording times using SMPTE timecode
  • Support for different timezones
  • Visual weekly grid view with live time indicator
  • Automatic schedule synchronization with Slicer devices
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: The schedule uses SMPTE timecode format (HH:MM:SS;FF) where FF represents frames. For most use cases, you can use ;00 for the frame value.

Slicer Configuration

Before creating schedules, you need to add your Slicer configurations. Click "โž• Add Slicer" to create a new configuration.

Required Fields:

  • Slicer Name: A friendly name to identify this Slicer (e.g., "NBC Chicago Slicer")
  • Slicer ID: The unique identifier for your Slicer device in Uplynk
  • User ID (Owner): Your Uplynk user/owner ID
  • API Secret: Your API secret key for authentication
  • Timezone: The timezone for the Slicer location (e.g., America/Chicago for GMT-6)
โš ๏ธ Important: The Slicer ID must match exactly with your Slicer device in Uplynk. You can find this in the Slicer settings in Uplynk CMS.

After saving, your Slicer configuration will appear in the list. Click "๐Ÿ“… View Schedule" to manage the recording schedule for that Slicer.

Managing Recording Schedules

Weekly Grid View

The schedule is displayed in a weekly grid format, showing all 7 days side-by-side. Each day shows:

  • Day name and date at the top of each column
  • Recording entries with start and end times
  • Live time indicator - a red line showing the current time in the configured timezone
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: The red line updates every minute and moves across the schedule to show exactly where you are in the current day.

Navigation Controls

  • โ† Previous Week / Next Week โ†’: Navigate between weeks
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Refresh: Reload the schedule from the Slicer device
  • โž• Add Entry: Create a new recording entry
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Replicate: Replicate a period of the schedule across multiple days
  • ๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule: Save changes to the Slicer device

Adding Recording Entries

Click "โž• Add Entry" to create a new recording. You'll need to specify:

  • Date: When to record (optional if using "Add to all existing days")
  • Timecode: Start time in SMPTE format (HH:MM:SS;FF)
  • Title: Description of the recording (e.g., "Morning News")
  • Break Type: Type of content (e.g., "content", "ad_break")
๐Ÿ’ก Recording Duration: To set when a recording should stop, create a new entry starting at the desired stop time. For example, if you want to record from 06:00 to 10:00, create one entry at 06:00 and another at 10:00.

Add to All Existing Days

When adding an entry, you can check "Add to all existing days in schedule" to create the same recording entry for every day that already has entries in the schedule. This is useful for recurring daily recordings.

Editing Entries

Right-click on any entry in the grid to edit it. You can modify:

  • Date and time
  • Title/description
  • Break type

The timezone label shows the current GMT offset (e.g., "Timecode - GMT -6") to help you understand the time conversion.

Replicating Schedule Periods

The "๐Ÿ”„ Replicate" button allows you to copy a time period of your schedule and replicate it across multiple days. This is extremely useful for creating weekly schedules or extending existing patterns.

How to use:

  1. Click "๐Ÿ”„ Replicate" button
  2. Set the Period Start date and time (when the period to copy begins)
  3. Set the Period End date and time (when the period to copy ends)
  4. Enter the Number of Days to Replicate (how many days forward to copy)
  5. Optionally check "Overwrite existing entries" if you want to replace entries that already exist at the same times
  6. Click "๐Ÿ”„ Replicate Schedule"
๐Ÿ’ก Example: If you have a schedule for Monday (Jan 22) from 00:00 to 23:59 and want to copy it to the next 6 days, set:
  • Start: Jan 22, 00:00:00
  • End: Jan 22, 23:59:59
  • Days: 6
This will create identical schedules for Jan 23-28, keeping all entries at the same times each day.

Overwrite Option:

By default, the replication will skip entries that already exist at the target date/time. If you check "Overwrite existing entries", any existing entries at the same date/time will be replaced with the replicated ones. This is useful when you want to update an existing schedule pattern.

โš ๏ธ Important: The replication maintains exact times - entries are copied to the same time on each subsequent day. For example, an entry at 06:00:00 on Day 1 will be replicated to 06:00:00 on Day 2, Day 3, etc.

Copy/Paste to Clipboard

You can copy entire schedules or date ranges to your clipboard and paste them into other Slicer configurations.

Copy to Clipboard:

  1. Click "๐Ÿ“‹ Copy to Clipboard" button
  2. Choose to copy all schedule days or select a date range
  3. Click "๐Ÿ“‹ Copy to Clipboard" to copy the entries in JSON format
  4. The schedule data is now in your clipboard

Paste from Clipboard:

  1. Load a different Slicer configuration (or stay in the same one)
  2. Click "๐Ÿ“ฅ Paste from Clipboard" button
  3. Review the confirmation showing how many entries will be pasted
  4. Click OK to add the entries to the current schedule
๐Ÿ’ก Use Case: This is perfect for copying a schedule from one Slicer to another, or for backing up your schedule configuration. The pasted entries replace the existing schedule.

Split Recording

The Split Recording feature allows you to divide a recording into two parts at the midpoint of its duration. This is particularly useful when you need to air a program while it's still being recorded.

How to split:

  1. Right-click on an entry to open the edit modal
  2. Click the "โœ‚๏ธ Split Recording" button
  3. Review the confirmation showing how the recording will be split
  4. The entry will be divided into "Part 1" and "Part 2" with adjusted times
๐Ÿ’ก Basic Example: A recording from 06:00:00 to 10:00:00 will be split into:
  • Part 1: 06:00:00;00 to 08:00:00;00
  • Part 2: 08:00:00;01 to 10:00:00;00
Part 2 starts exactly 1 frame after Part 1 ends.

Real-World Use Case: Live-to-Tape Workflow

The Split Recording feature is essential for same-day broadcast scenarios where you need to air a program immediately after (or even during) its recording. This is common for:

  • Morning news shows that need to air in different time zones
  • Live events that must be broadcast with minimal delay
  • Programs recorded in one market and aired in another

Workflow Example: Morning News Show

Let's say you're recording a 4-hour morning show (06:00-10:00 Chicago time) and need to air it immediately in another market:

๐Ÿ“บ Scenario: NBC Morning Show
  • Recording: 06:00-10:00 (Chicago time)
  • Goal: Start airing Part 1 at 08:00 while Part 2 is still recording
  • Challenge: Can't air the entire recording until 10:00 when it finishes

Solution using Split Recording:

  1. Split the recording:
    • Original: 06:00-10:00 (4 hours)
    • After split: Part 1 (06:00-08:00) + Part 2 (08:00-10:00)
  2. Schedule Part 1 for immediate broadcast:
    • Add Part 1 to your channel schedule to air at 08:00
    • Use the Auto Asset Replacement tool to automatically replace a placeholder with Part 1 when it's ready
    • Part 1 finishes recording at 08:00 and immediately starts airing
  3. Continue recording Part 2:
    • While Part 1 is airing (08:00-10:00), the Slicer continues recording Part 2
    • Part 2 records from 08:00-10:00 (the second half of the show)
    • Part 2 can be scheduled to air later or used for other purposes
๐Ÿ’ก Timeline Visualization:
  • 06:00-08:00: Recording Part 1 ๐Ÿ“น
  • 08:00: Part 1 recording completes โœ…
  • 08:00: Part 1 starts airing on channel ๐Ÿ“บ
  • 08:00-10:00: Recording Part 2 ๐Ÿ“น (while Part 1 airs)
  • 10:00: Part 1 finishes airing, Part 2 recording completes โœ…

Integration with Auto Asset Replacement

To automate the workflow, combine Split Recording with the Auto Asset Replacement tool:

  1. Create a placeholder asset in your channel schedule at 08:00
  2. Configure an Auto Replacement job to:
    • Target Asset Name: "NBC Morning Show Part 1"
    • Execution Time: 08:00:10 (10 seconds after recording completes)
    • Frequency: Daily at 08:00:10
  3. The system will automatically replace the placeholder with Part 1 as soon as it's available
  4. Part 1 airs seamlessly while Part 2 continues recording
โš ๏ธ Important Considerations:
  • Timing: Ensure Part 1 has enough time to finish processing before it needs to air
  • Buffer: Add a small buffer (10-30 seconds) between recording completion and air time
  • Asset Naming: Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., "Show Name Part 1", "Show Name Part 2") for reliable auto-replacement
  • Monitoring: Monitor the first few executions to ensure timing is correct

Benefits of This Workflow:

  • Minimal Delay: Content airs almost immediately after recording
  • Continuous Recording: No interruption to the recording process
  • Flexibility: Part 2 can be used for different time zones, repeats, or archives
  • Automation: Once configured, the process runs automatically every day
  • Quality: Full-quality recording without compression or streaming artifacts

Auto Replicate

The Auto Replicate feature automatically copies the last day's schedule to the next day when it's empty. This ensures your recording schedule continues without manual intervention.

How it works:

  • Runs automatically every day at 18:00 UTC (15:00 BRT / 13:00 EST / 10:00 PST)
  • Checks if the next day has any scheduled entries
  • If empty, copies all entries from the last day with entries to the next day
  • If the next day already has entries, it skips (no overwrite)

Enabling Auto Replicate:

  1. Open the schedule for your Slicer
  2. Check the "Auto replicate last day, if next day is empty" checkbox at the bottom
  3. The status will show when the last replication ran and the result
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Auto Replicate is perfect for maintaining continuous recording schedules. Set up your schedule once, enable auto replicate, and the system will keep extending it automatically.
โš ๏ธ Important: Auto Replicate only runs once per day. If you need to extend the schedule immediately, use the manual "๐Ÿ”„ Replicate" button instead.

Reset Recordings

The Reset Recordings button allows you to reset all recording entries to a default "live stream" state. This is useful when the Slicer is recording with incorrect names, old configurations, or at different times than expected.

When to use Reset:

  • The Slicer is recording with old or incorrect asset names
  • Recording times don't match what's shown in the schedule
  • You need to clear the schedule and start fresh
  • The Slicer seems to be using a cached or outdated configuration

Reset Procedure:

โš ๏ธ Important: Follow these steps carefully to avoid losing your schedule configuration.
  1. Backup your schedule:
    • Click "๐Ÿ“‹ Copy to Clipboard" to save your current configuration
    • This copies all entries to your clipboard as a backup
  2. Apply the reset:
    • Click "๐Ÿ”„ Reset Recordings"
    • Confirm the action when prompted
    • This replaces all entries with a single "live stream" entry at 23:00:00 for each day
  3. Save the reset schedule:
    • Click "๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule" to upload the reset configuration
  4. Wait for the Slicer to update:
    • Wait 2 minutes for the Slicer to receive and apply the new configuration
  5. Restore your schedule:
    • Click "๐Ÿ“ฅ Paste from Clipboard" to restore your original configuration
    • Click "๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule" to upload
  6. Wait again:
    • Wait another 2 minutes for the Slicer to apply the restored configuration
  7. Restart the Slicer:
    • Restart the Slicer device to ensure it picks up the new configuration
๐Ÿ’ก Why this works: The reset clears any cached configuration on the Slicer by sending a minimal "live stream" schedule. After the Slicer acknowledges this reset, restoring your original schedule ensures it's applied fresh without any conflicts from old data.

Timezone Handling

The Slicer Recording tool handles timezones automatically:

  • Display: All times are shown in the configured timezone (e.g., America/Chicago)
  • Storage: Times are stored in the Slicer's local timezone
  • Live Indicator: The red line shows current time in the configured timezone
  • Global Clock: The header shows "Local time GMT ยฑX" with the current time
โš ๏ธ Important: Make sure the timezone in your Slicer configuration matches the actual timezone of the Slicer device location. Incorrect timezone settings will cause recordings to start at the wrong times.

Saving Changes

After making changes to the schedule, click "๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule" to upload the updated schedule to the Slicer device.

What happens when saving:

  • The schedule is validated for correct format
  • Times are converted to the Slicer's timezone
  • The schedule is uploaded to Uplynk via API
  • The Slicer device receives the updated schedule
  • A success message confirms the save
โš ๏ธ Important: Always save your changes before navigating away or closing the browser. Unsaved changes will be lost.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Use descriptive titles: Make it easy to identify recordings at a glance (e.g., "NBC Morning 06:00-10:00")
  • Plan your schedule: Create entries for the entire week to ensure continuous coverage
  • Use Replicate for weekly patterns: Create one perfect day, then replicate it across the week to save time
  • Check the live indicator: The red line helps you see what's currently recording
  • Refresh regularly: Click refresh to ensure you're viewing the latest schedule from the Slicer
  • Use "Add to all days": For daily recurring recordings, this saves time
  • Right-click to edit: Quick access to edit any entry in the grid

๐Ÿงฉ Schedule Creator

Build channel schedules from your content libraries using structured rules

About Schedule Creator

The Schedule Creator allows you to generate complete channel schedules by defining content blocks โ€” time periods filled with assets from your Uplynk content libraries. Instead of manually adding entries one by one, you define rules and the tool builds the schedule automatically.

Key features:

  • Define multiple content blocks with different asset libraries
  • Set date ranges up to 7 days
  • Randomize asset order between days
  • Control max repeats per asset per day
  • Set minimum distance between same asset repeats
  • Save and load presets for quick reuse
  • Preview generated schedule before saving to Uplynk

โ˜… Schedule Presets

Save your schedule configurations as presets for quick reuse. This is especially useful when you have recurring schedule patterns.

  • Save Preset: Enter a name and click "Save Preset" to store all current settings (blocks, parameters, date range)
  • Load Preset: Select a saved preset from the dropdown and click "Load" to restore all settings
  • Delete Preset: Remove a preset you no longer need
๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Create presets for each day pattern (e.g., "Weekday Schedule", "Weekend Schedule") to quickly switch between configurations.

Schedule Parameters

1. Date Range

Select the Start Date and End Date for the schedule. Maximum range is 7 days. Each day starts at 00:00 and ends at 23:59:59 in your configured timezone.

2. Content Blocks

Content blocks define time periods in each day and which asset library to use for filling that time. Click "+ Add Content Block" to create blocks.

Each content block has:

  • Start Time / End Time: The time window for this block (e.g., 06:00 to 12:00)
  • Library: Select which content library to pull assets from

The tool fills each block by cycling through the selected library's assets, fitting them end-to-end within the time window.

โš ๏ธ Important: Content blocks should not overlap. The summary section shows the total time covered and any gaps between blocks.

3. Randomize Asset Order

When enabled, each day will have a different asset sequence from the library. This prevents the same order of content repeating every day.

4. Max Repeats per Asset per Day

Limits how many times the same asset can appear in a single day. Set to 0 for unlimited. If all assets reach the limit, remaining time will be left empty.

5. Min Distance to Repeat Same Asset

Minimum number of different assets that must play before the same asset can repeat. This prevents the same video from ending one block and starting the next. Set to Off to disable.

โšก Generating the Schedule

Click "โšก Generate Schedule" to build the schedule based on your parameters. The tool will:

  1. Process each content block for each day in the date range
  2. Fill time windows with assets from the selected libraries
  3. Apply randomization and repeat constraints
  4. Display a preview in a weekly grid view

Schedule Preview

After generation, you'll see a weekly grid preview showing all entries. Review the schedule to ensure it looks correct before saving.

Saving to Uplynk

Click "๐Ÿ’พ Save Schedule to Uplynk" to upload the generated schedule. A progress bar shows the upload status as entries are sent to the Uplynk API.

โš ๏ธ Important: Saving will create new schedule entries in Uplynk for the selected channel and date range. Make sure the date range and content are correct before saving.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Start small: Generate 1-2 days first to verify the output before doing a full week
  • Use presets: Save working configurations to avoid re-entering settings
  • Check the summary: The block summary shows total time and gaps โ€” aim for full 24h coverage if needed
  • Vary content: Use the randomize option and min distance to keep the schedule fresh
  • Review before saving: Always check the preview grid before uploading to Uplynk