Now Available: A ‘Starter Kit’ For ATSC 3.0 Next-Gen Alerting

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LAS VEGAS — Television broadcasters now have access to an ATSC 3.0 Advanced Emergency Alerting (AEA) “starter kit,” intended as an introduction to the powerful new emergency communications capabilities of the next-generation digital television standard.


Digital Alert Systems (DAS) and Triveni Digital are partnering on the (AEA) “starter kit,” designed to help TV stations vastly improve how they communicate urgent information to their target audiences.

The companies’ kit combines the DASDEC emergency messaging platform and AEA Content Management from Digital Alert Systems with Triveni Digital’s GuideBuilder XM signaling and announcement generator, ROUTE/MMTP encoder, and a live source simulator.

Offering support for EAS/CAP requirements, station multimedia, and first-responder communications, the companies’ starter kit enables broadcasters to deliver advanced emergency alerts and auxiliary public safety information in both existing and future ATSC 3.0 environments.

The starter kit will initially allow delivery of CAP- and EAS-Net-formatted alerts to ATSC 3.0 receivers. Stations that already have a DASDEC unit will only need to update their software to use the initial functionality. Digital Alert Systems will provide additional software updates during 2017 to add support for the ATSC 3.0 AEA format, thereby enabling receivers to perform a wide range of advanced emergency communications functions.

Digital Alert Systems’ parent company, Monroe Electronics, played a key role in promoting the AEA feature in ATSC 3.0. The finalized ATSC 3.0 AEA messaging specification, proposed by Monroe as part of the ATSC A/331 next-generation digital television standard, will be incorporated in future DASDEC updates.

Capitol Broadcasting NBC affiliate WRAL-TV in Raleigh is the first station to adopt the DAS/Triveni AEA starter kit. It began using the kit upon the launch of its new ATSC 3.0 operation by way of the nation’s first live simulcast from a commercially licensed television station.

“We’ll be using this kit to perform test measurements throughout Raleigh and Durham, and to work with our local public safety authorities to bring them in the loop on the advanced alerting capabilities that we will be bringing them,” said Capitol Broadcasting’s Director of Engineering and Operations, Peter Sockett. “This starter kit will also provide the foundation for the ongoing operation of ATSC 3.0 AEA at WRAL.”


In Las Vegas? Digital Alert Systems and Triveni Digital are demonstrating the starter kit at the 2017 NAB Show at booth numbers N5009 and N2031, respectively.