San Diego, May 28, 2019 - Capitol Broadcasting’s WRAL in Raleigh, N.C., Digital Alert Systems, Triveni Digital and Verance today announced the successful completion of an end-to-end broadcaster to receiver test using ATSC 3.0 Advanced Emergency Information (AEA), a new technology enhancing broadcasters’ emergency communications and operational capabilities.
Compared to today’s system, AEA allows programmers to deliver far more sophisticated emergency information via the next generation of televisions debuting in 2020. These rich media capabilities include video, images, maps, and real-time updates, as well as the ability to wake up sleeping televisions and target messages directly to impacted households.
The test, which took place earlier this month, proved that robust AEA emergency information could successfully pass through existing ATSC 1.0 over-the-air, cable and satellite paths, as well as OTT platforms and ATSC 3.0 transmissions from a single insertion point. In doing so, the AEA survived multiple conversions and platform-specific technologies up to and including ATSC 3.0. As a result, every member of the general public with a Next Gen TV or ATSC 3.0 media adapter will be able to receive AEA information.
By delivering AEA over cable, satellite and OTT paths, which are used to receive television service in over 80% of U.S. households, the reach of these life-saving messages will be boosted 500% and more lives will be saved. For example, if a region was in danger of flooding, every connected TV household in the vicinity would be capable of receiving in-depth, rich media content, versus approximately 20% with just over-the-air transmissions.
The success of the AEA test was dependent on the integration of the DASDEC™-II emergency messaging platform from Digital Alert Systems, Triveni Digital’s GuideBuilder XM and StreamScope XM MT, and the VeranceAspect Embedder and Receiver Toolkit, which implemented the Aspect watermark.
Within the broadcast chain, the DASDEC-II is used by programmers to generate the emergency information message broadcast to viewers. Triveni Digital’s GuideBuilder XM works as an ATSC 3.0 signaling generator and Next Gen Transport Encoder that puts the AEA signal into the broadcast, announcing to the TV that information is available for retrieval. The StreamScope XM MT was used to analyze the AEA protocol accuracy at every demarcation point in the broadcast chain.
The Aspect watermark ensures the metadata and triggers associated with Next Gen experiences such as AEA reach 100% of smart televisions across all distribution paths, including ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 over-the-air, cable/satellite, and over-the-top services. Without Aspect, MVPD households will be unable to receive these essential messages.
“We are dedicated to providing our viewers with the most innovative programming and capabilities available,” said Pete Sockett, Director of Engineering & Operations at WRAL. “With our successful completion of this test, we are one step closer to providing a critical service to our viewers with life-saving potential.”
Based on the success of this test, Capitol Broadcasting, Digital Alert Systems, Triveni Digital and Verance are planning to initiate a second phase of testing which may include teaming with a television manufacturer to showcase these enhanced AEA capabilities.
Mark Corl, Senior Vice President of Emergent Technology Development at Triveni Digital, said, “Utilizing GuideBuilder XM and our new AEA Manager, broadcasters are able to build emergency information screens for AEA delivery and customize with evacuation routes, videos and images based on a viewer’s location. This ensures viewers receive the most relevant information available during emergency situations.”
“The DASDEC’s AEA module provides expansive content management for emergency information messaging and multimedia, and also manages both EAS and Next Gen AEA messaging for ATSC 3.0 transmission,” explained Edward Czarnecki, Senior Director of Strategy & Government Affairs at Digital Alert Systems. “This collaborative project with WRAL also shows how Next Gen emergency information can even be supported by today’s ATSC 1.0 broadcast technology, via the audio watermark.”
Over the past year, Verance has partnered with Capitol Broadcasting to embed and detect the Aspect watermark.
“The effective deployment of AEA is a natural evolution of our partnership and illustrates the crucial role Aspect plays in supporting Next Gen TV,” said Nil Shah, CEO of Verance. “Working together, we will ensure advanced emergency information reaches the right viewers, with the right messages at the right time.”
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAL Digital, WRAZ-TV, WRAZ Digital, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, CBC New Media Group and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality and Bull Durham Beer Co. in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Project and Diamond View office buildings in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC.
About Digital Alert Systems Digital Alert Systems is the leading innovator of next-generation Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and Emergency Alert Systems (EAS) for radio and television broadcasters. In 2009, Digital Alert Systems merged with Monroe Electronics, whose EAS products are the widely accepted standard for CATV. From its headquarters in Lyndonville, New York, Digital Alert Systems provides R&D, manufacturing, sales, and customer service for all Digital Alert Systems, Monroe Electronics, and One-Net™ brands and maintains its hard-earned reputation for quality, reliability, and service to valued customers around the world. More information is available at and
Triveni Digital is a leading provider of program guide and metadata management, data broadcasting, and service quality assurance solutions for broadcasters and service providers. Renowned for their ease of use and innovative features, Triveni Digital’s solutions enable customers to deliver enhanced programs and services to television viewers. Working with leading industry partners, Triveni Digital employs an open and standards-compliant approach to the digital television market. As a leader in ATSC 3.0 solutions, a key contributor to standards development, and active participant in next-generation ATSC trials and deployments, Triveni Digital is leading the charge to a new, exciting broadcast television future. More information is available at www.TriveniDigital.com.
Verance Aspect™ is an audio and video watermarking platform that powers broadband features on broadcast television by enabling advanced, census-like audience measurement, personalization, interactivity and addressable advertising across all screens and distribution paths. Selected as a foundational component of the ATSC 3.0 Next Generation TV standard, Aspect is fully compatible with the ATSC 1.0 broadcasting environment and currently being deployed by FOX, NBC, PBS and other leading broadcasters. Aspect was also selected for use within the HbbTV ecosystem.
Verance content measurement and enhancement technologies are at the forefront of innovation and set the industry standard for television, movies and music. Our solutions have been adopted by over 100 leading entertainment and technology companies and deployed in over 330 million consumer products worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.verance.com.
