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71
RDS Spy / UTF-8 Characters bugged in Long PS section
« Last post by andrew01 on April 29, 2026, 09:10:02 pm »
Hello! I have noticed a small bug while playing around with the latest version of RDS Spy (1.0.9), that being that the characters Șș and Țț (especially the capital letters) are having problems with the font used in the Long PS section. I have also seen this exact issue on a RDS recording I did a bit of time ago of another station.
72
P132, P164, P232(U) and P332 RDS Encoders / Re: Radio Text triggering via GPIO
« Last post by Jan on April 22, 2026, 01:38:30 pm »
Yes, you can accomplish this task with any of our RDS encoders that has a corresponding switching port, either externally or on the board.

However, based on our experience with broadcast studios, I must tell you that this method of manual control is deprecated and is it no longer recommended for professional use. The reason is that you are manually controlling the RDS content, CD playback and probably also the playback of songs from the PC, and possibly also corresponding audio paths. This method does not guarantee a consistent result and there is a big room for operator mistake.

Consider some kind of stream deck device where you can assign any number of tasks to a single button. You can use a single button to switch RDS content via http API (no switch needed), control audio paths or play CDs via MIDI, and even control the broadcast automation system via its API.

Well, back to your question:

There are several options here, the easiest for you will be to switch between Program 1 and Program 2 using an external switch.

Initially you set each of the program sets as needed, so one will have RT1 turned on with the song displayed from the PC, the other will have RT2 turned on with fixed text. Basic content will be equal.

Finally, you type in the terminal
Code: [Select]
PROGRAM=0
*PROGRAM
However, you must take into account that before editing RDS content, you must switch back to Program 1 or Program 2.

Follow the user manual for exact pinout of the GPIO connector and the PROGRAM command behaviour.
73
P132, P164, P232(U) and P332 RDS Encoders / Radio Text triggering via GPIO
« Last post by JohnnyVee on April 22, 2026, 01:09:55 pm »
Hi ya. I have a P132 using it to publish Radio Text for Song Titles when using a PC. When I'm using my CD player, I need the related fader to send a signal (short), I presume via the GPIO to the P132 temporarily stopping the publishing of the Radio Text or triggering a fixed message instead. Is this action possible ? Thanks, John
74
Feature Requests / Re: MagicRDS4 UECP
« Last post by Jan on April 22, 2026, 08:54:49 am »
It's nice to hear that it is working  ;D

Unfortunately, a better solution cannot be provided for these old devices unless the complete communication protocol specification is available. The process of reverse engineering is expensive, with no guaranteed result, and never worth it if it just extends the life of a few pieces of old hardware.
75
Feature Requests / Re: MagicRDS4 UECP
« Last post by zvykov on April 22, 2026, 08:48:08 am »
Yes, that's what I did. It seems to have worked, even though it's a "workaround."
Thanks.
76
Control Software / Re: 0x0D issue in Magic RDS
« Last post by mrandrew01 on April 19, 2026, 11:33:12 am »
Definetly. Change is one of the hardest things to do, even outside of radio. New car multimedia systems are a huge (and buggy) mess, software developers don't care about these technical details regarding radio (such asa proper RDS implementation, proper AF, etc.) as much as they did maybe 15 or 20 years ago, when radio was the most popular way to find new music. Many people now who will listen to music in their new cars would choose streaming platforms via Android Auto and Apple Carplay, the shift has moved to making sure those have full compatibilty and can seamlessly work.

I have my fair share of experiences with stations, last year I have mailed the technical department of a national broadcast chain to add dynamic info in their stations' RT via UECP, I was only met with the fact that "they are marketing their RT" (by showing static KISS FM in RT, and dynamic PS cycling station name and frequency), and that such info is useless. Many technicians here in Romania care only if the station has audio. Using your RDS to the maximum, or even properly setting up PI codes is sadly optional :'(

Looking forward for the change regarding 0x0D, hopefully including both the old and new ways as a toggle like "Reverse CR character 0x0D assignment order", for whoever likes having one way or the other.  ;)
Thank you for your fast answers!  ;D

77
Control Software / Re: 0x0D issue in Magic RDS
« Last post by Jan on April 19, 2026, 09:51:45 am »
I completely understand your point of view and we will take your comment into consideration at the earliest opportunity. But there are other points of view as well.

With all due respect, these systems are designed for other use than hobby DX reception. By the way, it's a nice hobby that I also pursued. Various incompatibilities and proprietary solutions of commercial FM receivers are a long-term problem which is an obstacle to development of new RDS services. Some "features", such as the completely unexpected truncation of Radiotext on some new car radios, prove that the developers have probably gone completely crazy.

We introduced the RT+ service, Long PS or broadcasting of diacritical marks (ěščřžý etc.) here in the Czech republic. Although majority of stations here can use these options today, only a small portion of them actually do it. They could simply turn it on with a few clicks, but they won't. I say this just to illustrate who is actually stuck in a time decades ago. Many stations incl. the public service radio still rely on deprecated dynamic PS. They are still convinced that they have reasons for this. Change is usually met with great displeasure. I don't blame anyone, it's just a fact.
78
Control Software / Re: 0x0D issue in Magic RDS
« Last post by Rían Mac Guinneál (fmdx.ie) on April 19, 2026, 01:21:34 am »
Quote from: mrandrew01 on April 19, 2026, 12:41:33 am
Perhaps, it can be a separate option on how the end user wants the CR character to function, 0x0D then spaces, or spaces then 0x0D bit :), also... there are many users who probably don't have the latest firmware (example offline broadcast sites, etc.)

Also, unrelated to car tuners, but on the fm-dx webserver platform, when 0x0D is detected, the radiotext field gets centered, adding spaces "ruins" that spacing.

Now, related to car tuners, many have their own "way" of implementing the RDS spec, some maunfacturers don't account if the RT field even properly ends with 64 characters, or 0x0D,they will show the text that was decoded  (skoda,vw), or DPS not being accounted sometimes for safety... etc. There are many examples of DOs and DON'Ts, but if we had to account for all old tuners, with outdated specs, or careless implementation... we would have been removing 99% of features :)

I second this. 💯
79
Control Software / Re: 0x0D issue in Magic RDS
« Last post by mrandrew01 on April 19, 2026, 12:41:33 am »
Perhaps, it can be a separate option on how the end user wants the CR character to function, 0x0D then spaces, or spaces then 0x0D bit :), also... there are many users who probably don't have the latest firmware (example offline broadcast sites, etc.)

Also, unrelated to car tuners, but on the fm-dx webserver platform, when 0x0D is detected, the radiotext field gets centered, adding spaces "ruins" that spacing.

Now, related to car tuners, many have their own "way" of implementing the RDS spec, some maunfacturers don't account if the RT field even properly ends with 64 characters, or 0x0D,they will show the text that was decoded  (skoda,vw), or DPS not being accounted sometimes for safety... etc. There are many examples of DOs and DON'Ts, but if we had to account for all old tuners, with outdated specs, or careless implementation... we would have been removing 99% of features :)
80
Control Software / Re: 0x0D issue in Magic RDS
« Last post by Jan on April 19, 2026, 12:09:25 am »
You have a great observation. This is not a fault, it is an implementation from a time when it was more convenient to do it this way for compatibility with some old receivers. Receiver support for shortened text has not always been very good in the past. You are right that today there is probably no reason to place the CR character always at the end of a segment.

Given that today the most widely used RDS encoders are probably from our production, we are reluctant to change any detail that has been set in some way for 20 years, so as not to unintentionally influence something. However, if a different opinion prevails, a change is of course possible.
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