About This Tool

Import a CSV or XML from your scheduling system (OPEC/OPSC) to prepare a provisional schedule. 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)

Import CSV or XML File

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

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

Pebble Beach XML Requirements:

• MEDIA events: become asset entries. The tool uses reconcilekey, mediaid, title, onairtime, and duration.
• COMMENT events: remain visible reference markers and are never sent to Uplynk as schedule entries.
• Local time: onairtime is interpreted in the timezone configured for the selected account.
• Operational timing: source order is preserved. Entries move forward when planned times overlap, and gaps remain visible.
• Real durations: use Check for Media Files at Uplynk to replace estimated XML durations with actual asset durations and recalculate the timeline.

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

Save Preschedule

Enter a name for your preschedule and click:

• 💾 Save: Updates the current preschedule (if previously loaded)
• 📄 Save As New: Creates a new saved preschedule

Saving uses the account you are logged in to; no additional password is required.

Check Preschedule and Assets at Uplynk

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

Status Colors:

Buttons and Options:

• 🔍 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".
• Background auto-check every minute: When enabled, checks for pending media every minute, even after this page is closed. Check its status after returning to the page. It stops when its work is complete, the schedule expires, or you disable it. Expired schedules are not checked indefinitely; review the dates if the status is Expired.
• ← Previous / Next →: 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.

Right-Click Context Menu:

Right-click on any entry to access additional options:

• ✏️ Edit Item: Opens the edit dialog to modify entry details
• 📤 Upload Media: Upload a media file for this asset
• 🗑️ Delete Item: Remove the entry from the preschedule

Edit Entry Dialog:

The edit dialog allows you to modify all entry properties:

• 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:

• 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.

Buttons:

• 📤 Send Ready: Sends all entries with "Ready" status to Uplynk. Wait for the completion summary before repeating the send.
• Background auto-send when ready: When enabled, ready future Asset entries are sent to Uplynk in chronological order, even after this page is closed. It enables background auto-check automatically and stops after the schedule ends.

What happens when sending:

• Check the local times and timezone before sending to Uplynk
• 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.

Identify media and review before sending

The imported External ID is the reference used to find the corresponding media. A match can come from the media's external identifier, its exact description, or a description beginning with that identifier followed by a space or underscore. Review the found media before sending.

Asset ID identifies the media already found in Uplynk. Do not confuse it with the source schedule identifier. Reconcile ID identifies the schedule entry, not the media to search for.

For XML imports, COMMENT events remain reference markers, not broadcast entries. Review planned versus adjusted times, out-of-sequence dates and the stronger attention required between 18:00 and midnight. Do not treat unresolved timing warnings as approved changes.

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 or XML 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 header. Your administrator manages access to 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 "📥 Download Schedule"
4. The schedule will be loaded and displayed in a weekly grid view

Navigating the Schedule

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

• ← Previous / Next →: Navigate day by day through the schedule
• Scroll: Vertical scrolling is synchronized automatically across all day columns

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 "➕ 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 or Ad 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 "💾 Save" to save the entry locally

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 "💾 Save" to save locally, or "🗑️ Delete" to remove the entry

Copy & Paste Days

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

1. Click "📋 Copy" on the day you want to copy
2. Navigate to the target day
3. Click "📥 Paste" on the target day
4. All entries from the source day will be copied to the target day with adjusted dates

Saving Changes

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

1. Click the "💾 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

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 "🔍 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 "🔍 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. If you selected a replacement asset and its duration is different, optionally enable "Auto-adjust schedule duration"
7. Click "🔍 Find Matches"
8. Review the confirmation showing how many matches were found
9. 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")

Auto-adjust schedule duration

When the replacement asset has a different duration, enable "Auto-adjust schedule duration" before finding matches. This keeps the day continuous by applying the selected asset's real duration to each matched entry and shifting the following entries in the same day.

• Shorter replacement asset: Following entries move earlier to close the gap.
• Longer replacement asset: Following entries move later to make room.
• Small gaps: Tiny same-day gaps created by rounding are closed automatically.
• Asset safety: The tool validates asset duration before saving so an item is not shortened by itself and full assets are not cut.

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
• Replace different durations: Select the new asset, enable auto-adjust, and let Lynktools shift later entries to keep the day continuous

📄 Export PDF

Click "📄 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

📋 Copy Schedule to Clipboard

Click "📋 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

⏩ Shift Entries

The "⏩ Shift Entries" feature lets you select one or more entries in the grid and move them forward or backward in time by a precise amount — without opening each entry individually. Changes are applied locally in memory and only sent to Uplynk when you click "💾 Save Schedule".

How to use:

1. Click the "⏩ Shift Entries" button in the toolbar (next to "Add Entry")
2. A yellow Shift Mode Active banner appears above the grid — all other edit interactions are disabled while in this mode
3. Click entries in the grid to select them (they highlight with an amber border and full brightness). Click again to deselect
4. Once at least one entry is selected, the Shift Controls bar appears with:
   • A text input for the shift amount
   • An "⏩ Apply Shift" button (also triggered by pressing Enter)
   • A "Cancel" button to exit shift mode without applying changes
5. Type the desired shift amount and click "⏩ Apply Shift"
6. If the shift is valid, selected entries are moved in memory and shift mode exits automatically
7. Click "💾 Save Schedule" to persist the changes to Uplynk

Shift Amount Format:

The input accepts human-readable duration strings. Use + or no prefix for forward, - for backward shifts:

Gap Validation:

Before applying, the tool checks that no selected entry will overlap with a non-selected entry after the move:

• Shifting forward (+): there must be free space (gap) after the last selected entry
• Shifting backward (−): there must be free space before the first selected entry
• If a conflict is detected, an error toast identifies which entry would be overlapped — no changes are applied

Visual Cues:

• Unselected entries are dimmed (35% opacity) so selected ones stand out
• Selected entries appear at full brightness with an amber border
• The banner counter shows how many entries are currently selected

Insert with ripple

1. Move the pointer between future entries and click the insertion control.
2. Select Asset, Slicer or Ad Break. Use the asset picker or Slicer selector as appropriate; Ad Break receives its title automatically.
3. Set the requested time or duration and preview the ripple.
4. Review which entries move and how the gaps are used.
5. Confirm the draft and click Save Schedule when ready to send the changes.

You can prepare more than one ripple. Following entries move forward until the available gaps absorb the inserted duration, without going beyond that local day. Several small gaps can contribute. For a full day, remove a future item to free enough time before inserting.

Ripple changes remain pending until saved. Review manual edits and Find/Replace changes too before saving the combined draft. Past entries are protected.

Choose assets and handle overlays

Use Select Asset to find media, select it and bring its name and duration into the editor. Review the start and end after replacement. Duration adjustment may move following programmes; read the preview before saving.

Graphic Overlay cannot be added through Add Entry. Existing overlays can be displayed and edited. An overlay shares time with its content: it is not a separate programme to play afterward.

Use Copy and Paste in each day header for day-level operations. The toolbar clipboard controls act on the schedule selection shown by their confirmation. Check the destination and replacement warning before pasting.

About This Tool

Schedule Automation has two job types for common schedule operations:

• Replacement jobs swap an existing scheduled placeholder with a newer asset
• Schedule Auto Injection jobs insert up to 5 assets in sequence at a planned schedule time

Use Replacement when the schedule already contains a placeholder. Use Injection when you want to add a scheduled sequence without selecting a placeholder first.

Choosing the Right Job Type

New Replacement Job

Use this when an asset already exists in the schedule and must be replaced by fresh content. Common examples:

• Replacing a dummy/placeholder item after a recording is ready
• Replacing a generic episode with the newest uploaded episode
• Using a primary and backup upload name, where the newest available asset wins

New Schedule Auto Injection Job

Use this when you want to insert assets at a specific date and time. Common examples:

• Injecting promos, announcements, or special content at a planned time
• Injecting a short sequence of assets back-to-back
• Running the same injection on selected weekdays

How Replacement Jobs Work

Each replacement job follows this decision flow when it executes:

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:

Replacement Job Configuration

Click "➕ 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 "📦 Select Asset" to pick the placeholder currently in the schedule. You can search and filter the channel's asset list.

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.

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 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 next matching occurrence after that run time
• 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.

Schedule Auto Injection Jobs

Click "➕ New Schedule Auto Injection Job" when you want to add assets directly to the schedule at a planned time.

Assets to Inject

• Select up to 5 assets
• The selected order is the playback order in the schedule
• Only the asset names are saved in the job
• If more than one asset has the same name, the newest matching asset is used when the job runs

Injection Schedule

• Start Date: The first date when this injection is allowed to run
• Days of Week: Choose one or more weekdays for recurring injections
• Time to Run: When the job checks the schedule and prepares the injection
• Injection Time: The schedule time for the first injected asset

Schedule Conflicts

When you save an injection job, the tool checks whether the selected assets fit at the requested Injection Time.

• If the schedule is clear, the job can be saved normally
• If existing schedule items are in the way, you can go back and edit the job
• You can also choose to continue and allow the job to delete the conflicting schedule items during injection

Long Assets and Midnight

Plan injection jobs so the full injected sequence fits in the intended schedule day. If a long asset would continue into the next day, split the plan into separate jobs or choose a shorter asset sequence.

⏱️ 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 (00:00–23:59 local), not UTC
• Only the next matching entry after the job run time is replaced per execution
• Schedule the job at least 2 minutes after the recording/upload finishes
• Leave enough time for the action to finish before the planned air time

Example: Daily Recording Replacement

Multiple Occurrences in One Day

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

Each job replaces only the next matching entry after its run time. Schedule each job shortly before the placeholder it should replace.

📋 Managing Jobs

Job List

All jobs are displayed in a card list showing the job name, type badge (Replacement or Injection), schedule, last run time, status badge (✓ Success / ⚠ Partial / ✗ Failed), and active/inactive toggle.

Actions

• ✏️ Edit: Modify any job setting
• 📋 Logs: View full execution history with details per entry
• 🗑️ Delete: Remove the job 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)
• For injections: Use exact, stable asset names and keep Time to Run at least 5 minutes before Injection Time

🔧 Troubleshooting

Job Not Executing

• Check if job status is "Active"
• Verify timezone is correct — "Last run" is shown in the job's timezone
• Automatic execution can be delayed; leave a safety margin

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

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

Slicer Configuration

Select an available Slicer from the list. Confirm its name and timezone, then load its recording schedule. If it is missing or cannot be reached, ask your administrator to review the setup.

Daily Restart

If a slicer needs an automatic restart, enable "Restart slicer every day at" and choose the local time for that slicer.

• The restart setting belongs only to the selected slicer
• Leaving the checkbox off means that slicer will not be restarted by this option
• Other slicers in the same account keep their own independent restart settings

Load the selected Slicer schedule before editing, and check that you are working on the correct device.

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

Navigation Controls

• ← Previous Week / Next Week →: Navigate between weeks
• 🔄 Refresh: Reload the schedule from the Slicer device
• ➕ Add Entry: Create a new recording entry
• 🔄 Replicate: Replicate a period of the schedule across multiple days
• 💾 Save Schedule: Save changes to the Slicer device

Adding Recording Entries

Click "➕ 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")

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 "🔄 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 "🔄 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 "🔄 Replicate Schedule"

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.

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 "📋 Copy to Clipboard" button
2. Choose to copy all schedule days or select a date range
3. Click "📋 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 "📥 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

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 "✂️ 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

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:

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 Schedule Automation 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

Integration with Schedule Automation

To automate the workflow, combine Split Recording with the Schedule Automation 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

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

Reset Recordings

Reset replaces the loaded days' recording entries with one "live stream" entry at 23:00:00 for each day. It prepares a draft; the change takes effect only after Save Schedule.

1. Export the current schedule to JSON, or copy it to the clipboard, before resetting.
2. Click Reset Recordings and review the affected days in the confirmation.
3. Confirm only if the replacement is intended. Review the reset draft.
4. To cancel before saving, reload the schedule without saving the draft.
5. To apply the reset, click Save Schedule and wait for completion.
6. If you need to restore the previous schedule afterward, import your backup, review it and save again.

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 ±X" with the current time

Saving Changes

After making changes to the schedule, click "💾 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 recording schedule is saved to the selected Slicer
• The Slicer device receives the updated schedule
• The saved schedule becomes the new reference version used for future restore checks
• A success message confirms the save

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

Import and export a recording schedule

Use Export JSON, choose the start and end dates, and download the file for that period. Keep it as a backup or use it to transfer a recording schedule.

Use Import JSON, select a previously exported file, and review the entries and any replacement confirmation. Importing prepares a local draft; click Save Schedule to send it. Confirm the selected Slicer and timezone before doing so.

24x7 graphic overlay

Select the Slicer, list its current overlays and choose a PNG creative to add an overlay. Review the preview. To remove one, select the overlay and use Remove Selected Overlay, then confirm.

Export workflow

1. Select the account and channel in the application header.
2. Select a range of complete past days.
3. Generate the BXF file and review the coverage summary.
4. Download the XML for traffic, reconciliation, or archive systems.

Actual Slicer records are identified separately from events derived only from the historical schedule. The export never labels schedule-derived events as independently confirmed playout.

Date and retention rules

The end date is limited to yesterday in the account timezone. Exports use the last 29 complete days because Uplynk retains ended schedule entries for 30 days.

Check coverage before delivery

Review the selected account and channel, the date range, the coverage summary and any warnings before downloading. If there is no default live source, review periods without a known programme instead of assuming they were broadcast content.

A live source shown from the channel's current configuration does not prove that the same source was used in every historical period. Keep the distinction between recorded evidence and schedule-derived entries when using the report for reconciliation.

Exporting the report does not change the schedule.

About Schedule Creator

The Schedule Creator allows you to generate complete channel schedules by defining content blocks — repeatable sequences of content from your Uplynk 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
• Use fixed-duration blocks without cutting videos
• Control the maximum daily gap left near midnight
• 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

★ 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

Build the content sequence

1. Select a date range of up to seven days and confirm the channel timezone.
2. Click Add Content Block and set how many times to Repeat the block.
3. Use Add content line to build the sequence. Each line can be a Playlist, Library, Asset, Ad Break, Slicer or Gap (Slicer Failover).
4. For a playlist or library, select Use duration, Use asset count or Use specific asset. Enter the duration as minutes and seconds, the count, or select the specific asset as appropriate.
5. For an individual Asset, select the media. For Ad Break, Slicer or Gap, set the duration and any requested selection.
6. Use the up/down controls to reorder lines. Remove only the intended line or block.

Blocks are repeated sequences, not separate start/end time windows. Review the block and cycle summaries before generating. Full media durations are preserved; videos are not cut to force an exact fit.

Repetition and end-of-day settings

• Randomize asset order between days: vary the daily sequence.
• Maximum repeats per asset per day: limit repetitions; zero means unlimited.
• Minimum distance to repeat the same asset: require other assets between repetitions.
• Final gap tolerance: choose the acceptable empty time near midnight, in seconds. The initial value is 30 seconds.

If the library is too small or the rules too strict, the generated day can contain gaps. Review warnings and adjust the content or rules before saving.

Graphic overlay

Select the overlay PNG, refresh the list if needed, and check Add graphic overlay only on the Library or Asset lines that should receive it. Review the image and the generated preview.

⚡ Generating the Schedule

Click "⚡ 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. Build the configured content lines in their chosen order
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 "💾 Save Schedule to Uplynk" to upload the generated schedule. A progress bar shows the upload status as the schedule is sent to Uplynk.

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. Only review gap warnings when the day exceeds your Final gap tolerance setting
• Vary content: Use the randomize option and min distance to keep the schedule fresh
• Use channel slates: Configure a default Missing Content Slate in Uplynk for each channel that uses generated schedules
• Review before saving: Always check the preview grid before uploading to Uplynk

About Automation Console

Automation Console turns live video and metadata signals into automated actions. Instead of depending only on fixed clock times, you can detect what is happening on the channel and trigger the right operation at the right moment.

Use it for workflows such as starting a recording when a program opening is detected by visual reference only, stopping when the ending scene appears, replacing incoming SCTE-35 markers, inserting replay assets, or cutting to a live feed from another Slicer.

Core Concepts

Triggers

A trigger is the condition that starts an automation. Triggers do not have to perform an action by themselves; they can simply notify one or more actions to run.

Actions

An action is what Automation Console performs after a trigger fires. One trigger can command multiple actions, and an action can also become the trigger for another action to create a sequence.

Sessions

Open Automation Console from the menu to continue with the selected account. Check the signal and action destinations before enabling any automation.

SRT and Output Modes

Input Only

Use Input Only when the console only needs to observe the incoming signal and run actions that do not modify the outgoing stream, such as Slicer recording, schedule asset injection, or live feed scheduling.

Process and Forward SRT

Use Process and Forward SRT when you need SCTE-35 insertion or original SCTE-35 PID removal. This mode requires an SRT output destination or listener endpoint because the stream is processed and forwarded.

Available Triggers

Scene Detection

Upload or reference a short MP4 clip, up to 10 seconds, that represents the scene to detect. Automation Console extracts reference frames and compares them against the live input during the configured active days and time window.

• Use clear, unique scenes that are unlikely to appear elsewhere in the program.
• The UI shows extracted reference frames so you can verify what the detector is looking for.
• The live status shows the best score per job during the active window, which helps tune the confidence threshold.
• Changing the reference MP4, adding a new scene trigger, or recreating jobs requires Stop and Start to rebuild templates.

Input SCTE-35 Trigger

Listen for SCTE-35 markers arriving in the input transport stream. Configure the PID, command type, and segmentation type to decide which markers should trigger actions.

• Use this when an upstream system already marks program or ad boundaries.
• Optionally remove the original SCTE-35 PID from the output when the output mode processes and forwards SRT.
• This trigger is designed to fire quickly because downstream actions often need to happen close to the incoming marker time.

Day/Time Trigger

Run an automation at a specific local time using the selected timezone and active days. This is useful for predictable daily events or fallback workflows that should run even without video or SCTE-35 detection.

After Trigger or After Action

Run one job after another trigger or action completes. Use the delay field to build sequences, such as starting a recording on the opening scene and then inserting a schedule item a few seconds later.

Trigger Conditions

Actions can use one trigger directly, or combine two triggers for more advanced logic.

OR Condition

The action runs when either trigger fires first. Use the cooldown window to prevent the second trigger from firing the same action again within the same event window.

AND Condition

The action runs only when both triggers happen inside the configured time window. Use this when a single signal is not reliable enough on its own.

Available Actions

SCTE-35 Injection

Insert new SCTE-35 markers in the SRT output. Configure the PID, command type, segmentation type, duration, UPID, and related SCTE-35 fields. Use this to normalize or replace upstream markers before the signal reaches the encoder or downstream system.

Uplynk Slicer Recording

Control a Live Slicer recording from automation. Choose Start recording with the desired recording name or Stop recording to end the segment. Confirm the effect on the live output before using Stop.

• Start recording: provide the recording file name.
• Stop recording: no file name is required; the slicer returns to the default live capture behavior.
• Stop by starting a new recording: if you do not want the Slicer to remain in blackout with no video output, trigger another Start recording action with the next desired file name instead of using Stop recording.
• Use action delay only when you intentionally want the command to happen after the trigger.

Schedule Asset Injection

Insert one or more VOD assets into a channel schedule. Automation Console can search assets by name, use the newest matching asset when names repeat, and schedule the insertion immediately, today, tomorrow, or on a fixed date using the selected timezone.

• Use Immediately for actions that should schedule assets as soon as the trigger fires.
• Use Today, Tomorrow, or Fixed date when you need a specific local air time.
• Tomorrow can skip weekends so a Friday trigger schedules the item for Monday.
• If an asset is not ready yet, the system retries briefly before reporting an error.

Live Feed

Insert or remove a live feed from another Slicer in the channel schedule. Use Insert Slicer with a duration in HH:MM:SS, or Remove Slicer to cut the live feed from the schedule.

Testing and Monitoring

• Test Action: simulates a trigger and runs the selected action so you can check the result. Testing runs the action: it can affect the live channel or recording.
• Reference frames: show what the scene detector extracted from the MP4 reference.
• Best score: shows how close the live video is to each scene reference during the active window.
• Last run: shows the most recent trigger or action execution in UTC.
• Input signal status: indicates whether the processor is stopped, initializing, waiting for SRT input, or receiving the stream.

Example Workflows

Record a show without relying on exact clock time

1. Create a Scene Detection trigger for the program opening.
2. Create a Scene Detection trigger for the program ending.
3. Create a Start Recording action after the opening trigger.
4. Create a Stop Recording action after the ending trigger.

This workflow is resilient to live program delays because recording follows what actually appears in the feed.

Replace an upstream SCTE-35 marker

1. Create an Input SCTE-35 trigger for the original PID and segmentation type.
2. Enable original PID removal if the original marker should not pass through.
3. Create an SCTE-35 Injection action with the new PID and segmentation type.

Schedule a replay when a live segment ends

1. Create a trigger for the ending scene or ending SCTE-35 marker.
2. Create a Schedule Asset Injection action.
3. Use Immediately, Today, or Tomorrow depending on when the replay should air.

Use two possible signals for the same automation

Configure the action with an OR condition using the primary trigger and a backup trigger. Set a cooldown window so only the first signal runs the action.

Best Practices

• Use short, distinctive MP4 references, ideally under 10 seconds.
• Keep scene detection windows as narrow as practical to reduce unnecessary processing.
• Use Test Action before waiting for a live event.
• Set action delay to 0 when the fastest possible response is required.
• Restart the processor after changing scene reference MP4s or adding scene triggers.
• Use Input Only unless you need SCTE-35 injection or SRT output PID handling.

About Player Geo Redirect

Player Geo Redirect creates a unique origin URL and redirects player traffic based on geographic rules. Use it when different countries or regions need different stream URLs.

• Rules are evaluated by priority, lowest number first
• The first matching rule wins
• The default URL is used when no rule matches

Configuration Flow

Rules and Fallback

• Default fallback URL: Used when no rule matches
• Priority: Lower number means higher priority
• Country: Country that activates the rule
• States / Regions: Leave all unchecked to match the entire country
• Destination URL: Final URL where the player is redirected

Open and follow the channel

Select the account and channel in the header, then open Playout. Today's and tomorrow's schedules load automatically. The list moves to the current moment after loading.

Use Today, Tomorrow, Refresh and Go to current to navigate. Check the channel clock, current programme, next programme and remaining time.

The red On Air highlight follows the schedule. It is not independent confirmation of the video being broadcast. When the default live source has no scheduled ending, the countdown may show the time until the next programme instead.

Read the content types

• V: Asset (recorded content).
• L: Scheduled live (Slicer). The dashed L identifies the default live source or failover, not a scheduled live entry.
• B: Slate.
• A: Ad Break.
• O: Graphic overlay.
• –: Gap. When configured, the channel's default live source covers unscheduled time.

Edit, remove and apply

1. Choose a future entry and click Edit or Remove.
2. For an asset, choose the library or Root (all assets), search and select the replacement. Its own duration is used and displayed as hours, minutes and seconds.
3. For a new Slicer insertion, use Select Slicer and set the live duration. To change an existing live duration where the field is locked, remove the future entry and insert it again with ripple. For an Ad Break, set its duration; the title is filled automatically.
4. Review the proposed changes. A yellow warning identifies changes not yet applied.
5. Click Apply, confirm and wait for completion and reloading.

Undo removes the latest pending operation; Discard abandons pending edits. Neither reverses changes already applied. Refresh may ask you to discard a pending draft.

Insert with ripple

Click Insert with ripple or Insert after on an entry. Choose the insertion point and content type, select the asset or Slicer, or enter the Ad Break duration. Click Preview changes and review the result before Apply.

Ripple moves following programmes and uses the available gaps before the end of that day. If there is insufficient room, free time in the schedule and try again. It does not extend the insertion beyond the day's limit.

Put in cue and take to air

1. On a future programme, click Put in cue. This only selects it; it does not change the schedule.
2. Use Cancel cue if it was selected by mistake.
3. When ready, click Take cue to air.
4. Review the popup: it identifies the current programme to interrupt and any intervening programmes to remove.
5. Confirm only when the list is correct. This action applies immediately, without a separate Apply click, and brings following programmes forward.

Wait for the completion message and check the reloaded schedule. Do not repeat the command while it is processing.

Video preview

The preview drawer is on the right. On entering Playout it opens, attempts playback and smoothly collapses after five seconds. Use the arrow to reopen it; use the player controls if the browser requires a click to start.

Preview supports channels with normal playback tokens. Channels protected with DRM cannot be previewed here. If playback fails, check the channel's access restrictions or close and reopen the preview.

Generate and download

1. Select the account and channel in the header, then open EPG under Exports.
2. Choose the start and end dates.
3. Click Generate EPG XML and wait for the result.
4. Review the summary and any warnings, then download the file.

Check programme titles, dates and the channel timezone before delivering the guide. Exporting does not change the schedule.

Improve the programme guide

Complete the media's title, description and any available episode, season, category, rating, language and artwork information in Uplynk before exporting. Missing recommended information may produce warnings and a less complete guide.

Live programmes and periods covered by the default live source are identified separately from recorded assets. Review any unfilled periods or missing titles before delivery.

Create an overlay

1. Open PNG to HTML Overlay.
2. Select or drop a transparent PNG, exactly 1920 × 1080 pixels and up to 10 MB.
3. Keep the logo or artwork in the position where it should appear on screen; the image represents the entire video frame.
4. Enter the overlay name and click Generate HTML URL.
5. Copy the resulting address for use in the desired overlay destination.

Creating this address does not automatically add the overlay to the channel schedule.

Published overlays

The list shows overlays belonging to the selected account. Use Refresh to reload the list, inspect the preview and copy the published address. Use the delete control only after checking whether the overlay is still in use.

Use Rename overlay to change its display name. Use Replace PNG to publish updated artwork at the existing address; review the preview before using it on air. Replacing the image can affect wherever that overlay address is already used.