How to Play the Dawnsong or Daytime Chatter on your Computer

These instructions are based on a post made by Joe D. Bryant, joebryant@tcon.net, Greenwood, IN on February 8th, 2003.

Introduction: These instructions will tell you how to set your computer to automatically play the Dawnsong and/or Daytime Chatter based on a schedule.  Using the computer makes it possible to play the Dawnsong from 4:30 AM to 8 AM, then have the Daytime Chatter come on at 8 AM and then play all day.

Before you proceed with the following steps, you should be sure that you are able to connect a speaker to your computer.  Most computers will have an audio out jack in the back of your computer.  This jack may already be used for external speakers which often have a headphone jack.  Please read How to Broadcast Dawnsong Effectively for more information on speaker setups.

Note: These instructions are for a Windows-based PC (not a Macintosh).

Step 1: Determine if you have Windows Media Player installed on your computer.  If you do not have it, it can be downloaded for free here.

Step 2: Have your Dawnsong or Daytime Chatter CD in your computer's CD-rom and then open Windows Media Player (WMP) (see Figure 1).  Click on the side button 'CD Audio' or 'Copy from CD'.  You will find a button called 'Copy Music', click that and allow your computer to create a file on you computer. 

Note the file name that WMP gives the audio file. (i.e., the song title, album name, and artist name).  The audio file, unless you specify otherwise will be placed in My Documents > My Music.  A folder will be created with the name of the "artist", inside that will be a folder named after the "album", and in that folder will be the actual file.  I would suggest that you give your file a more logical name such as "Dawnsong" or "Daytime Chatter". 

Make sure that you double click the audio file to make sure that WMP opens and plays it.  If it does not, then open WMP.  Click on 'Tools' > 'Options'.  In the Options Dialog Box, click on the 'File types' tab and select the file type of your audio file (i.e., .mp3 or .wma).

Now remember where your files are located and named.

 Figure 1:

Step 3: Set WMP to repeat mode.  Click on 'Play' > then click on 'Repeat' and make sure that 'Shuffle' is not on (not checked). See Figure 2.

Figure 2:

Step 4: Open the 'Scheduled Tasks' window (See Figure 4).  It can be found one of the following ways depending on your particular operating system:

• Double Clicking on the Tasks icon in the bottom right corner of your screen (see figure 3).

• Clicking on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Task Manger

• Opening My Documents > Task Manager

Figure 3:

Figure 4:

• Click 'Next'

• Click 'Browse..'

• Locate your Dawnsong or Daytime Chatter file that you wish to schedule.

• Select it and then click 'Open'.

• Give your task a convenient name.

• Select Daily to play it every day (or whichever frequency you prefer).

• Click 'Next'

• Fill out this screen as you like.

• Click 'Next'

Suggested time settings:

     Dawnsong: 4:30 AM for 12 hours

     Daytime Chatter: 8:00 AM for 12 hours

Note: Having the Dawnsong set to play for 12 hours will not effect Daytime Chatter coming on at 8 AM.  Dawnsong will be shut off when Daytime Chatter comes on.

• Select the checkbox for 'Open advanced properties...'

• Click 'Finish'

• Be sure to specify how many hours you wish for your audio file to play.  Some math is involved here.

• Also be sure to check the box next to 'Wake the computer to run this task'

• Now click 'OK'

Your task is now set to run automatically.  You may also set up the Daytime Chatter to run this way by following these steps again but changing the times.  Have the Daytime Chatter start after the Dawnsong ends. 

In order for these tasks to work, your computer must be on (it may be in "sleep" mode).  Also, your speakers must be plugged in and turned on.  You may wish to use a lamp timer to control the speakers and save electricity.