Please Visit Digital Alert Systems at the 2015 NAB Show, Booth N4816
For Immediate Release
Digital Alert Systems Unveils Complete Solution for
Addressing Latest FCC Rules on Message Audio
New DAS AMS Ensures FCC-Compliant Message Audio on Both Main and SAP
Audio Streams in Full Compliance With 21st CVAA Rules
LYNDONVILLE, N.Y. — March 31, 2015 — Digital Alert Systems (DAS), a division of Monroe
Electronics, today announced that it will feature the new Digital Alert Systems Audio Management
System (DAS AMS) at the 2015 NAB Show in booth N4816. The DAS AMS incorporates the new
DAS Audio Message Controller (AMC) and the company’s award-winning MultiPlayer™ audio
player and program switcher, tightly integrated in a new solution that supports message
aggregation, text-to-speech (TTS) functionality, and proper message audio on both main and SAP
audio streams in full compliance with the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
(CVAA) rules.
“Simply put, our DAS AMS is by far the most effective solution for addressing the FCC
requirements stemming from the 21st Century CVAA,” said Bill Robertson, vice president of
business development at DAS. “By leveraging functionality from our acclaimed MultiPlayer solution
along with innovative software tools from our DASDEC™ EAS systems, we’ve crafted the DAS
AMS into a powerful and economical means to aggregate emergency information and provide
audio playout, switching, and signaling on multiple channels. We’ve also made it simple, enabling
users to manage compliance with just one system rather than using a variety of boxes.”
Taking advantage of key capabilities from DAS’ industry-leading DASDEC system, the DAS AMS
offers broadcasters an innovative yet straightforward solution for assuring CVAA compliance. The
new FCC requirements governing emergency message audio will apply to all televisions stations
providing emergency information that is not part of a newscast or Emergency Alert Systems (EAS)
message. Under the rules, television stations must provide audio description in the secondary
audio program (SAP) channel that corresponds to any “emergency information” appearing on the
main channel. Any crawls or text displays on the main channel — information such as weather
More…
alerts and school closings — that are not actual newscasts or EAS alerts must be “voiced” on the
SAP channel. Broadcasters also must insert an “attention” signal or tone on the main channel to
indicate that emergency audio is available on the secondary channel. Easy to configure, operate,
and modify, the DAS AMS addresses all of these aspects of compliance including comprehensive
logging and reporting.
Unlike single-point solutions that handle just one type of emergency information, the DAS AMS
aggregates information from a variety of sources, converts the text information to audio using a
high-quality TTS converter, prepares it for playback on the different audio channels, and then —
via a Web-based user interface — provides audio and triggering signals on all configured
channels. The system supports multiple channels of AES and/or analog audio switching and
playback, and it offers three playback modes: manual, automatic, and triggered playback. Because
the TTS lexicon is customizable, broadcasters can adapt it to ensure accurate “pronunciation” of
difficult or colloquial location names or phrases.
The DAS AMS will be available at a price of $4,495, complete with one TTS voice. In the future,
DAS will make additional voices available for addition to the system at a nominal cost.
Further information about Digital Alert Systems and its products is available at
www.digitalalertsystems.com.
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Digital Alert Systems
Digital Alert Systems is a leading innovator of next-generation Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and
Emergency Alert Systems (EAS). The company was formed in October 2003 to increase the effectiveness of
emergency communications and merged with Monroe Electronics in October 2009. Based in Lyndonville,
New York, Monroe Electronics provides R&D, manufacturing, sales, and customer service for the Digital
Alert Systems brand. The company continues to retain its hard-earned reputation for quality, reliability,
innovation, and service to valued customers around the world. More information is available at
www.digitalalertsystems.com.
Digital Alert Systems Contact:
Bill Robertson
Vice President, Business Development
Tel: +1 (585) 765-1155, ext. 121
Email: bill@digitalalertsystems.com
Digital Alert Systems Agency Contact:
Joyce Cataldo
Wall Street Communications
Tel: +1 (732) 747-0646
Email: joyce@wallstcom.com
Photo Caption: Digital Alert Systems Audio Management System (DAS AMS)
Photo Link: www.wallstcom.com/DAS/DAS-AMS.zip
ENDS