Power Traffic
The Power Traffic page configures the connection between Power Studio and Power Traffic.
Enable the integration only after the station has a valid Download key from Power Traffic.
Traffic configuration affects commercial reliability. Treat these settings as shared station settings and coordinate changes with the person responsible for commercials.
Enable And Download Key
Use Enabled to turn on the Power Traffic interface.
Enter the Download key from the Power Traffic settings. Treat this key as a station integration credential. Do not share it with presenters or store it in public documents.
After entering or changing the key, use a controlled sync and check that the expected commercials, promos and blocks appear in Power Studio.
If the station has test and production environments, make sure the key belongs to the correct environment. Mixing test traffic data with the live station database can create confusing commercial blocks.
Macro Processing Moment
Choose when Power Traffic macros in playlists are processed:
- When the playlist is generated: content is prepared early, during playlist generation.
- When the playlist is being played out: content is resolved during live playout.
- When the first playlist of the day is being loaded: content is prepared when the broadcast day starts loading.
For many stations, processing when the first playlist of the day is loaded is a good balance. It keeps traffic data fresh without surprising the operator during every live playout action.
If traffic content changes very late, choose the workflow that matches the station's commercial procedure and document it clearly.
Choosing A Processing Moment
Use these guidelines:
| Option | Strength | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| When the playlist is generated | Problems can be found during playlist review. | Late traffic changes may not be reflected automatically. |
| When the playlist is being played out | Can use very fresh traffic data. | More work happens during live operation. |
| When the first playlist of the day is being loaded | Good balance for many stations. | Requires the first daily load to happen before the blocks are needed. |
The best choice depends on when commercials are finalized and who reviews them. A station with late sales changes may choose a different workflow from a station that locks commercial logs the day before.
Full Sync
Full sync keeps commercials, promos and related data aligned when normal synchronization missed a change or when the system is first configured.
Choose one full sync mode:
- Never when synchronization is handled manually or by another controlled workflow.
- Fixed time for a daily sync on an always-on workstation.
- Interval for repeated sync after a number of hours.
Configure scheduled full sync on only one always-on workstation. The text in the Power Studio settings screen gives the same practical warning: this should be configured from one always-on workstation.
Use Full sync manually when Power Traffic and Power Studio are out of sync during initial setup or after support has asked for it.
Sync Strategy
Full sync is a recovery and alignment tool, not a substitute for a clean daily traffic workflow.
Use a fixed time when the station has a known quiet period, such as overnight. Use interval sync only when there is a clear operational reason and the chosen workstation is always available.
Do not schedule full sync on several machines. Duplicate sync jobs can make troubleshooting harder and may create unexpected load on the database or traffic service.
Audio Availability
Power Traffic can tell Power Studio what should be scheduled, but the actual commercial or promo audio must also be available to Power Studio.
After syncing, check not only whether a block exists, but also whether the audio paths and asset availability are correct. This is especially important after replacing storage, importing commercials or changing cache behavior.
Operational Checks
After changing Power Traffic settings:
- Run or wait for a sync.
- Check a known commercial block.
- Confirm commercials and promos have the expected audio availability.
- Generate or load a playlist that contains a Power Traffic macro.
- Confirm the macro is processed at the configured moment.
- Check a block close to air time, not only a block far in the future.
See Power Traffic Integration for traffic workflows.
Common Pitfalls
- Using the wrong download key for the station database.
- Scheduling full sync on more than one workstation.
- Assuming a synced block means all spot audio is available.
- Changing macro processing timing without telling the person who reviews commercial logs.
- Testing only playlist generation while the chosen workflow actually processes macros during playout or day load.