At the IBC market in Amsterdam, A+E Networks and Cisco announced that they had successfully integrated and tested the Nielsen ID3 tagging as part of an effort to measure viewing on mobile devices for N-Screen TV.
N-Screen technology allows consumers to watch programs across several Internet-connected devices and to switch from the same program from say a TV to a tablet or smartphone.
The insertion of ID3 tags into programming is an essential component of Nielsen’s efforts to measure viewing on mobile devices.
“Together with Cisco, we have been working to bring this technology to market,” explained Don Jarvis, senior VP of global engineering and technology A+E Networks in a statement. “In-home viewing on mobile devices is a growing option for subscribers who wish to access our content. In order for our distributers, advertisers and viewers to be served properly, we need to understand this consumption model. The generation and transmission of ID3 data will allow for measurement in an industry-accepted manner. Being able to add this capability to our existing Cisco distribution infrastructure in a non-disruptive manner, and with minimal impact was very important to us.”
For the successful test, Cisco’s D9036 broadcast encoder was upgraded to handle Nielsen ID3 tagging.
Cisco previously released this capability on its Videoscape AnyRes Live standard and high-definition software encoders.
Charles Stucki, VP and general manager, cloud and headend engineering, Cisco Service Provider Video Software and Solutions, added in a statement that “we believe that the N-Screen market has tremendous potential as it becomes an influential part of viewers overall TV experience. As usage of multiple screens and devices continue to grow, it is essential to be able to track the programming data and information transferring within the TV ecosystem. Being able to support Nielsen ID3 tags is an important step in that direction, and we are proud of our work with A+E to reach this milestone.”
