Over twenty-five million American television viewers have significant vision loss to where audio is the prime means of communicating - this includes emergency information - so this sizable population is able to understand and appropriately respond to warnings of hazardous weather and similar emergency conditions. In 2010 President Obama signed the “Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010”1 or simply the 21st CVAA. Very briefly, this legislation requires television stations to provide audio description in their Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel matching any “emergency information” appearing on the main channel. This means any crawl or text displays on the main channel such as weather alerts, school closings, etc. – separate of actual newscasts or EAS alerts – must be “voiced” on the SAP channel. In addition an “attention” signal or tone must be inserted on the main channel to alert or indicate to viewers emergency audio is available on the secondary channel.
In response Digital Alert Systems introduces its new Audio Management System (AMS) – a simple solution for the 21st CVAA compliance. This two-part system consists of a DAS Audio Message Controller (AMC) and the award-winning MultiPlayer™ linked together to provide proper message audio on both Main and SAP audio streams in full compliance with the 21st CVAA rules. By leveraging many of the similarities of our DASDEC™ EAS/ CAP Flexible Emergency Messaging System the AMS is a streamlined answer to the latest FCC rules from the innovative group at Digital Alert Systems – the leader in television EAS/CAP systems.
Unlike any single point solutions handling only one type of emergency information, the AMS is designed to aggregate information from a variety of sources, convert the text information to audio using a high-quality Text-To-Speech (TTS) convertor, prepare it for playback on the different audio channels, then provide audio and triggering signals on all configured channels under a single user interface.
How it works:
Both the Audio Message Controller and MultiPlayer are network-based allowing a properly credentialed operator to configure and control the system using any standard web-browser. Once configured the AMC is able to automatically gather emergency information from a variety of sources by monitoring data feeds over serial or TCP/IP connections and applying input filters to retrieve the appropriate information for processing. In addition the operator may load a pre-produced audio file, type message text, or to really speed things up, cut and paste the message text for rapid Text-To-Speech conversion. The AMC then handoffs the selected file, or the TTS audio file, to the MultiPlayer readying it for playback.
Audio playback can be trigger in one of three ways; 1. Automatically - immediately after the audio message is loaded 2. By GPI trigger, or 3. By the operator clicking the “Play” button on the user interface
When activated the Main Program audio plays the preset audio file (for example a two-tone burst or a pre-recorded announcer indicating “Additional audio information is available on your secondary audio channel” then returns to normal, simultaneously the Secondary Audio Program is switched in and plays it’s audio message the two times as the rules require, or a user defined number of iterations, after which it returns to normal SAP audio.
The MultiPlayer’s flexible design allows it to be configured to use its internal switching or originate the audio signal(s) for switching or embedding by downstream devices, including independent GPO’s to trigger these devices. The four independent channels can be configured for mono-analog or stereo AES and channels can be “bonded” or grouped together to create multi-channel audio configurations. The AMS is an extension of technologies Digital Alert Systems has developed in response to the supporting both IPAWS EAS/CAP messaging requirements and the diverse needs of America’s broadcast television industry. Understanding the importance of accurate record keeping the AMS maintains a series of comprehensive logs for monitoring inputs, debugging issues, and a reporting method for proving compliance.
The Audio Management System from Digital Alert Systems is the simplest way to combine alerting information from different sources, convert it to high-quality audio, and provide multi-channel playback into multiple audio program streams. Backed by a team of top developers, engineers, and support professionals, the AMS from DAS is the perfect solution to fulfill 21st Century Video Accessibility Act requirements. Thousands of broadcasters count on Digital Alert Systems for EAS compliance and now the same team stands ready to help solve another compliance issue. The Audio Management System from Digital Alert Systems, a division of Monroe Electronics, the company you can trust.
Main Features:
• Simple compliance solution to 21st Century Video Accessibility Act
• Single system aggregates emergency information feeds from multiple sources
• Web-browser based configuration using any standard web-browser
• High-quality Text-To-Speech converter with customizable lexicon
• Separate Audio Message Controller and MultiPlayer™ 1 RU rack modules
• Highly configurable audio source/ switching for analog or AES signals
• Simultaneous activation on multiple channels with different messages
• Comprehensive activity logging for compliance reporting
• Single system manages multiple input sources – weather systems, news systems, etc. compliance for text-to-speech and audio playback
• Customizable text-to-speech lexicon to properly speak difficult or colloquial location names or phrases
• Separate rack modules allow independent installation to better fit with existing station equipment
Specifications:
AUDIO MESSAGE CONTROLLER
LAN Interface: TCP/IP Ethernet
• One (1) 10/100BASE-T Ethernet IEEEE 802.3
• RJ-45 connectors suited for wiring CAT-5 or above
• Port features link & data indicators
• Assignable IP addressing (unit ships fixed at 192.168.0.210)
USB Interface:
• Four (4) USB 2.0 type A sockets
Front Panel Indicators:
• Power - Green
Physical Attributes:
• 19.0”W x 10.0”D x 1.75”H (1RU EIA rackmount)
Power Requirements:
• Input 120VAC @ .25 amps (10 Watts)
Weight:
• 4lbs
MULTIPLAYER Audio Inputs: (varies by configuration settings)
Digital Audio
• Balanced AES/EBU digital audio (program in) 110 ohm female XLR
• One (1) AES/EBU digital audio Master loop-through 110 ohm female XLR Analog Audio1
• One-pair (1) balanced 600 ohm stereo audio (program in) female XLR
Audio Outputs: (varies by configuration settings) Digital Audio
• Balanced AES/EBU digital audio (program out) switched 110 ohm male XLR
• One (1) AES/EBU digital audio Master loop-through 110 ohm male XLR
• Auto-set to incoming sample rate, or 48 KHz without reference input Analog Audio
• One-pair (1) balanced 600 ohm stereo audio (program out) male XLR
LAN Interface: TCP/IP Ethernet
• One (1) 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet IEEEE 802.3
• RJ-45 connectors suited for wiring CAT-5 or above
• Port features link & data indicators
• Assignable IP addressing (unit ships fixed at 192.168.0.220)
GPI/O’s (General Purpose Inputs/Outputs):
• Four (4) software defined inputs per channel
• Two (2) software defined outputs rated 2A @ 30VDC per channel 10-pin detachable terminal strip per channel
• One (1) Master on-air input
• One (1) Master on-air output 3-pin detachable treminal strip
Front Panel Indicators:
• Alert Pending one per channel - Amber
• On-Air one per channel - Red
• Master Audio - Blue
• Power - Green
Physical Attributes:
• 19.0”W x 10.0”D x 1.75”H (1RU EIA rackmount)
Power Requirements:
• Input 120VAC @ .25 amps (30 Watts)
Weight:
• 8 lbs
