Foreword
Welcome to Westminster Chimes and Carillon Bells Software, version 7.2.4. This innovative application brings the timeless tradition of chimes and carillon bell music to your church or organization, providing functionality that includes a playlist of bell songs, time notification on the hour and half-hour as well as customizable random music every half-hour.
Designed for reliability, the software operates continuously and requires no maintenance excluding hardware or system problems. This application is now totally portable, with no installation required on your PC system. Once configured, it runs indefinitely with no required maintenance and no ongoing fees. It calculates all holidays and Holy Days and maintains a constant list of them to perform required actions such as bell silence.
Choosing Westminster Chimes means investing in a cost-effective, user-friendly solution. The application features a simple, intuitive interface utilizing standard Windows components, accessible even to users with minimal computer experience. It runs seamlessly on Windows 10 or later, allowing organizations to repurpose existing hardware without the need for high-performance specifications.
SYSTEM DEPLOYMENT
Software Installation
& Initialization
01 / Quick Start Guide
- Source Connection: Insert the Westminster Chimes system USB drive (Verbatim recommended) into your hardware interface. Unzip all files to this USB drive.
- Files: Using the Windows File Explorer and navigate to the drive's root directory.
- Execution: Locate and double-click the start_carillon.vbs file to initialize the application environment.
- Validation: The system will scan itself; You may decline if prompted otherwise. Be sure to change the application splash screen to reflect your correct organization name.
Critical Portability Notes
Version 7.2.4 is fully portable and requires no installation registry. Do not rename or relocate folders on the USB flash drive, as all paths are fixed relative to the system batch file.
Fig 1.2: Use any SB flash drive to run the software.
V 7.2.4
Released 01/15/2026
The Architecture of Sound: Software Overview
A deep dive into the precision grid management and the automated logic governing the Westminster system.
Song Schedule Grid
The central hub for organizing your carillon library. Songs are sorted by theme and group, providing a transparent view of your weekly sequences and durations.
Interacting with the grid or play schedule automatically disables the play schedule, ensuring no conflict occurs while you change information . It must be re-enabled manually.
Automatic Safeguards
Precision In Timing
Schedule files up to 12 play times per day, accurate down to the second. Use advanced sequencing for calls to worship and half-hour intervals.
Integrated Volume Control
Version 7.2.4 introduces a direct system volume and total mute control, allowing on-screen adjustments without exiting the interface.
WESTMINSTER OPERATING MANUAL V 7.2.4
Troubleshooting
Schedule Not Running
Ensure the 'Schedule Enabled' checkbox is checked. If it is disabled, the schedule will not run. Also, verify if a dialogue box is open, as it will freeze program operation until acknowledged.
MP3 Files Missing
Verify if files have been renamed or deleted. Remove any missing songs from the schedule and re-add them from your music directory to ensure paths are correctly mapped.
Wrong Group/Season
Verify the group or season assignment for each individual song in the grid. Correct any mismatches to ensure songs play during their intended periods.
Timing Inaccuracies
Check for incorrect AM/PM designations and ensure your PC clock is synchronized with Windows Time. System clock drift can lead to bells playing too early or too late.
Incorrect Org Name
The placeholder name is pre-filled by default. Update your Organization Name in the Settings section and click the save check mark to finalize the change.
Playback Resource Error
Sporadic failures can occur if other media players conflict with MCI resources. Stop the software and reboot your Windows system to reset resources and restore normal operation.
Random Music Issues
If random music fails to play, check the Random Music Rotation Directories screen. Ensure at least a default directory is set and contains valid MP3 files for the system to reference. Ensure other directories are set also if desiredl
Corrupted Database
'Table Name Not Found' errors usually indicate a corrupted database from an abnormal shutdown. Restore the missing tables from your most recent backup to recover data.